Early in January, CBC news reported that Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) will begin to explore a municipal nominee program, allowing municipalities to attract and retain skilled workers in smaller and mid-sized communities by aligning immigration intake with the job skills needs of local communities.

This program was suggested in the 2019 Liberal Platform in the most recent election, and has since been highlighted in the new Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada, the Honourable Marco Mendocino’s, mandate letter released early in January.

TIAC believes this program could be beneficial in helping address labour shortages in our country, specifically in tourism-dependent communities and regions. TIAC has begun discussions with IRCC officials who are at the nascent stage of developing the program. As more details become available, we will continue to update the industry on progress in establishing the municipal nominee program.