Immigrant builders should be a priority for Canada
Specialists in the construction field are becoming especially in demand.
Canada needs skilled immigrants working in the construction sector to build new homes. This is the opinion of federal housing minister Ahmed Hussen.
“We know there is over a million jobs in Canada that remain unfilled, so we need immigrants, skilled immigrants, to come in and help us fill those unfilled jobs and help us grow our economy,” Hussen said in a pre-New Year's interview. — “In addition to that, the irony is we actually need more people, skilled immigrants, to also help us in the building trades and the construction sector of our economy.”
According to a new Immigration Levels Plan, by 2025, Canada will accept 500,000 newcomers each year. In 2023, the immigration target is 465,000. But polls show that many Canadians are concerned about this level of immigration. They are most concerned about the excessive demand for healthcare and housing.
Canada has indeed been experiencing a housing shortage for years, while demand for houses and apartments has only grown. Tensions in the housing market eased a bit in 2022 when the Bank of Canada raised its key interest rate several times. The Canadian government has already allocated significant sums to building affordable housing. But the improvements aren't as noticeable as people would like them to be.
Kevin Lee, president of the Canadian Home Builders’ Association, notes that over the next 10 years, more than 20% of workers in the construction industry will retire. That is why Ahmed Hussen believes it is crucial to integrate immigrants into the industry.
Minister of Immigration Sean Fraser has already mentioned construction workers as priority candidates in the Express Entry system, with targeted draws planned for 2023.
