Canada’s immigration system has proven to be the best managed and most effective immigration system in the world. The country’s immigration policies and plans are considered the most advanced and effective in achieving its goals; to build a great nation.
The findings of report by the Organization of Economic Co-operation and Development, better known as the OECD, was welcomed by Canada’s Immigration Minister Ahmed Hussen.
The report praised Canada's economic immigration system as one of the most successful in the world. It said Canada is widely seen as a "benchmark" for other countries.
Hussen, who entered Canada as a migrant himself, said while there are a lot of areas where Canada is getting things right, more can be done to respond to existing and future challenges.
The report specifically remarked that Canada was doing a brilliant job at recruiting a skilled labour force and that through the immigration system Canada has become a sought-after destination for skilled and specialist workers from all over the world.
The report also highlighted the seamless integration of new comers into Canadian society and the citizens’ general easy acceptance of migrants – saying it indicates the high level of success the system is producing.
Hussen keeps humble and comments that there is always room for growth and improvement – even when you are the best.
"There are no sacred cows when it comes to immigration," he told CBC News in an interview. "Having a smart immigration policy means you should always be open to learning from others and to constantly improve the system."
The OECD report says that the system’s success is based on two important principals; the elaborate selection system itself and the entire infrastructure it is based on, which ensures constant monitoring and adaptation of its parameters.
The report was officially released in Toronto on Tuesday with an event featuring Hussen and its author, Thomas Liebig, a senior migration specialist with OECD.
Liebig said the report's assessment is "very favourable" of Canada. It's the tenth country the OECD has studied as part of a series of reports into the labour migration systems of member countries.
Liebig said Canada has the largest, longest-standing and most comprehensive skilled labour migration system in the OECD, and noted Canadians' openness to migration is higher than other countries.
"This high acceptance is certainly linked with the perception that migration is both well managed and beneficial to Canada," he told CBC News in an email. "Not only is the selection system highly elaborate, but also many other factors support it which make for a well-managed system from which other countries can learn a lot."
In response Minister Hussen noted that 80 per cent of Canada's population growth is due to immigration. In 1971, there were seven workers for every retiree, while projections now forecast only two workers for every retiree by 2035.
"Due to our aging population, we have to ensure that we continue to be ambitious in our immigration system," he said.
Source: Canadian Broadcasting Corporation