July 13, 2023
Manitoba Government Announces Members of Advisory Council on Economic Immigration and Settlement
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To provide leadership on economic immigration and settlement in Manitoba, the Manitoba government has selected members of the Advisory Council on Economic Immigration and Settlement (ACEIS) following a call for applications, Labour and Immigration Minister Jon Reyes announced today.
“Our government continues to work to advance Manitoba’s economic immigration priorities, particularly addressing labour shortages, encouraging economic development and supporting Manitoba’s francophone population,” said Reyes. “I thank the members of the ACEIS for joining the council and look forward to seeing their leadership translate into opportunities and supports for Manitobans, and those seeking to make Manitoba their new home.”
The ACEIS’ role is to co-ordinate and oversee the implementation of the Manitoba government’s Immigration Advisory Council (IAC) recommendations including the development of a provincial economic immigration and settlement strategy. The IAC released a final report in February, which outlines 70 recommendations to address the following goals:
- attracting more immigrants and business investors to Manitoba;
- streamlining the Manitoba Provincial Nominee Program (MPNP), setting the right balance between the province’s regional labour market, economic development and community needs; and
- enhancing Manitoba’s settlement, integration and foreign credential recognition programs and services to bolster newcomer retention.
Members will serve 12-month terms starting in July 2023 and ending in July 2024. The chair and vice-chair sat on the Immigration Advisory Council as members, which ensures continuity and build on the IAC’s work and recommendations through ACEIS, the minister noted.
“I look forward to working with my advisory council colleagues to represent Manitoba in implementing the recommendations of the Immigration Advisory Council report and spearheading concrete actions that will drive immigration and settlement forward in our province,” said, Adelana Adeleye-Olusae, chair, Advisory Council on Economic Immigration and Settlement.
“Making settling in Manitoba more accessible will contribute to the economy and social fabric of our province. I’m pleased to have a voice in implementing the IAC’s recommendations and making settlement easier while targeting labour market shortages in Manitoba,” said Enver Naidoo, vice-chair, Advisory Council on Economic Immigration and Settlement.
While ACEIS was in the process of being formed, the Manitoba government had already begun working toward achieving recommendations of the IAC report four months after the report was finalized. Five recommendations are already achieved and include the following:
- requesting additional MPNP allocations and receiving 9,500 nominations for 2023, which meets the goal to boost the number of allocations to Manitoba;
- conducting targeted MPNP expression of interest draws to select candidates working in Manitoba in occupations with high levels of reported labour shortages; and
- doubling the investment in the Newcomer Community Connections Stream of the Newcomer Community Integration Support Program to $4 million to fund 24 direct service providers to enhance settlement and integration services and programs in Manitoba, including six projects in communities outside Winnipeg. This investment exceeds the amount collected in MPNP application fees.
“Manitoba continues to lead the way for immigration programs in our country, offering a safe space for immigrants from all over the globe with a variety of skills and experiences to build their own futures while significantly contributing to our society,” said Reyes. “With leadership from ACEIS members, I know we can continue to make great strides in building Manitoba’s economic growth through immigration.”
There are 39 recommendations currently underway including:
- adding additional staff to the Manitoba Provincial Nominee Program office to increase file processing capacity;
- recruiting international students, skilled workers and business investors through recruitment missions like the Philippines Health Recruitment Mission in February, with plans for future recruitment missions underway;
- enhancing MPNP capacity to support employers through the Manitoba Employer Direct Recruitment Pathway;
- developing enhancements to the Business Investor Stream of the MPNP which will be re-launched later in 2023;
- advocating for improved processing times for work permit and permanent residence applications for MPNP candidates and standardized processing times for permanent resident applications across all federal economic class immigrants; and
- working with regulatory bodies to improve and streamline foreign credential recognition processes.
Further actions to implement report recommendations will now proceed in consultation with the ACEIS and a further progress report will be released later this year, noted the minister.
For more information on the ACEIS and the IAC, visit https://immigratemanitoba.com/advisory-councils/.
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BACKGROUND INFORMATION ATTACHED
Backgrounder
Backgrounder - https://www.gov.mb.ca/asset_library/en/newslinks/2023/07/BG-ACEIS_Members-LI.pdf