Question Period Note: MUNICIPAL NOMINEE PROGRAM

Process to Introduce a Municipal Nominee Program

• Immigration has been and will continue to be a driving force in meeting Canada’s demographic and labour market needs.
•Many stakeholders have highlighted the important role of municipalities, as well as
community organizations, industry associations,and employers, in welcoming and retaining
newcomers to Canada.
•That’s why we are excited about the prospects for the Municipal Nominee Program.
• IRCC is committed to working with provinces and territories, and consulting with a broad range of stakeholders, to shape program design and the delivery model for this new program.
•We will continue to monitor and assess the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on our
economy, labour market, and immigration programs across Canada.

As part of its platform, the Liberal Party of Canada committed to introducing
a new Municipal Nominee Program. This was reiterated in the 2019
Mandate Letter for the Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship,
which stated that the program will “…allow local communities, chambers of
commerce, and local labour councils to directly sponsor permanent
immigrants” through at least 5,000 new admissions spaces.
· While the design and delivery parameters of the Municipal Nominee
Program are still under consideration, this new program would represent a
significant change in scope and scale for Immigration, Refugees and
Citizenship Canada (IRCC). The Rural and Northern Immigration Pilot has
similar objectives as the proposed new program – recruiting and retaining
immigrants in historically underserved centres – however, IRCC is working
with just 11 communities. [REDACTED]
• Despite the success of the Provincial Nominee Program in sharing the benefits of immigration across Canada, data show that the vast majority of newcomers are clustered in and around the major urban centres in each jurisdiction. As a result, smaller and mid-sized communities have not been able to reap the economic and demographic benefits of immigration.
• In addition, municipal leaders, industry stakeholders, chambers of commerce, and economic development organizations have asked the federal government for tailored and innovative solutions to address economic and labour needs at the community level. Since the mandate commitment was made public, IRCC has received very positive reaction from a broad range of municipal and industry stakeholders. [REDACTED
•A Municipal Nominee Program will leverage lessons learned from the Rural and Northern Immigration Pilot, the Yukon Community Pilot, and the Atlantic Immigration Pilot, including aligning immigrant selection with community economic development priorities, offering meaningful job opportunities with career development prospects, and ensuring newcomers receive settlement supports to ensure effective integration. • While early engagement began this past winter, the COVID-19 pandemic
and related measures put a hold on these efforts. Over the coming months,
IRCC plans to continue to collaborate with provinces and territories, which
will be key to success, as well as to engage in consultations with key stakeholders, to help inform the design and delivery of the new program
and ensure it meets the needs of various communities across Canada.

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