BBOT Meets with Government on Changes to Skilled Immigration

The Burnaby Board of Trade recently met with senior members of the provincial government’s immigration program to discuss recommendations to the skilled immigration process to help businesses retain key workers.

In 2021, the BBOT advanced a policy recommendation calling for greater flexibility in the BC Provincial Nominee Program to help businesses keep and retain workers who were pursuing immigration to Canada.  Under the current program, applicants must have two years of ‘directly related work experience’ to apply under the Skills Immigration stream, and that work experience must be in the same field and at a equal or greater level of skill.

This “directly related work experience” requirement and how it is applied can result in employees being unable to take on new assignments or promotions without fear of restarting their ”two years’.  This means businesses are unable to fully utilize the skills of their workers and exacerbates the labour shortage.

Our Director of Policy Cory Redekop held an in-depth meeting with provincial government representatives to press for this change, and to review other ways the immigration process could be changed to improve service for newcomers and businesses alike.

Read our policy recommendation below or click here.

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