Canadian skilled work visa fast-track plan has failed says auditor

November 04 2009 by Liam Clifford

Report claims Canadian fast-track measures for skilled workers is not working as expected.

Auditor General Sheila Fraser says that reforms introduced last year to fast-track skilled migrants' Canadian work visa applications have not been successful so far.

The Harper government brought in the new measures in order to ease the backlog of visa applications, which totalled as many as 60,000 applications with waiting times lasting as long as seven years.

Fraser’s report stated, "while it is too early to assess their full impact, the trends in the number of new applications received since the beginning of 2009 indicate they might not have the desired effect.”

Critics speaking as the measures were introduced said the changes would simply allow ministers to ‘cherry pick’ the applications for those who would best help to fill skills shortages, without solving the larger problems.

Fraser questions why the reforms were introduced in the first place, claiming that the changes “were implemented without sufficient analysis.”

Fraser’s report says the measures have not reduced the number of Canadian work visa applications being submitted and have not reduced processing times. She recommended that if improvements were not noticed soon, the Canadian immigration department should “react quickly and consider alternative strategies."

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