The Honourable Diane Finley, Minister of Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) announced yesterday that she will be working closely with the Honourable Monte Solberg and Human Resources and Social Development Canada (HRSDC) to create an office for the Canadian recognition of foreign work credentials.

At a conference of Information Technology industry leaders, skilled workers, and educational institutions, a consensus was made clear: Canada's IT needs more immigration to meet labour demands.

There will be an increasing number of Canadian jobs in the Information Technology sector as the province of Nova Scotia embarks on a campaign to grow and develop the province's IT industry. The project was launched today by Rodney Macdonald, Premier of Nova Scotia who asserts that the success of Nova Scotia's IT industry will play an important role in creating job opportunities for IT workers from Canada and abroad.

In a move aimed to capitalize on the contributions being made by foreign workers to the booming Canadian economy, the Canadian Ministry of Citizenship and Immigration along with of Human Resources and Social Development Canada (HRSDC) have announced that they will be extending the length of certain Temporary Foreign Worker permits.

While appearing before a committee of the United States Senate, Microsoft founder and Chairman Bill Gates noted that Canada is attracting the best and brightest immigrants to its borders. Gates suggested that his home country had much to learn from its Northern neighbour in terms of immigration policy.

Driven by greater than expected job creation in December, Canada's unemployment rate fell back down to the 30-year low previously reached in May 2006..

The construction industry in Canada is in desperate need for more workers from abroad. With potential growth being held back by labour shortages, industry leaders are asking the government to increase immigration and to improve recruiting strategies to bring individuals with much-needed construction skills to Canada.

In the recent announcement by Ontario's Minister of Citizenship and Immigration, Mike Colle, nearly $3 million was allotted for programs that will smooth the entry of foreign-trained nurses into the province's healthcare system. The new funding is targeted at the various steps that must be completed in order to practice nursing in Ontario. Nurses will receive increased support for their licensing exam, their language training, and with acquiring work experience.

In order to overcome the delays and difficulties of getting foreign credentials recognized in Canada, a new government office will provide services to newcomers and immigrants to assist in navigating the credential recognition process. This will help new immigrants to work in their chosen fields in Canada The Foreign Credential Referral Office is a new project that will help immigrants begin the process of getting their credentials recognized before they arrive in Canada, preventing time from being wasted on arrival.

To help new health care immigrants to quickly start working in Quebec, Canada, the Immigration Minister has established agreements with seven professional corporations - governing doctors, nurses, nurses' aides, occupational therapists, inhalations therapists, midwives, and medical technicians. The goal is to make sure that every foreign trained medical or helth professional who comes to Quebec, Canada and who wishes to be a part of a professional order..