Canada pledges millions to help skilled migrants in Ontario

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The Canadian government is providing CAD $22 million to help skilled immigrants in Ontario find work.

The Bridge Training program helps skilled migrants enter the Canadian workforce and find employment which best matches their skills and qualifications. This program also funds regional projects in Ontario to helps skilled migrants obtain Canadian licenses in regulated professions, or get the training they need to get work in regulated or non-regulated occupations.

"This program helps skilled immigrants in Ontario enter and integrate into the Canadian labour market," said Immigration Minister Jason Kenney.

"It is absolutely critical to engage employers in this process, and this program does just that," he added.

According to Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC), the Canadian government is "committed" to attracting immigrants to the country, retaining them, and integrating them into society. As such, they place a heavy emphasis on initiatives such as the Bridge Program.

"Federally funded settlement services have enabled significant expansion and enhancement of both language training and settlement services. Since 2006, the Government of Canada has tripled funding for settlement services in Ontario," CIC said in a statement.

Canada provides a number of skilled immigration routes which allow individuals to immigrate to Canada independently or through sponsorship from a Canadian employer or Province/Territory.