Recognition of immigrants' foreign-acquired education and training (credentials) has become a hot topic of late. Recent studies highlight the increasing importance of immigration to the Canadian labour market. Over the past ten years, newcomers to Canada have accounted for 70 percent of Canada's labour force growth, and by the middle of the next decade, immigration will fuel nearly all of this growth.

In Canada, both the federal government and the provinces have a say in the selection of immigrants. The federal government is fully responsible for health and security issues and exclusively administers some immigration programs such as Family Class Sponsorship and the Federal Skilled Worker category of immigration. Many of the provinces administer their own immigration programs and do in fact select candidates who express an interest in settling within their territory under what is known as the Provincial Nomination Program (PNP).

As labour shortages are becoming increasingly common across the country, the provincial governments have been taking more responsibility for ensuring that there is enough population and labour force growth to sustain their economies. The dynamics of the PNP's are changing across the country and immigration under the PNP Class is becoming one of the most attractive options for Canadian immigration. Provincial nomination shortens the immigration application process considerably as provinces are keen to have their newcomers settle and begin work in the province as soon as possible.

Starting with this issue, one Provincial Nomination Program will be covered in depth in each monthly edition of the CIC Newsletter. This month, the focus is on British Columbia.

The Canadian economy is enjoying a very good 2007 so far, and the proof is in the jobs. In the first quarter of 2007, job creation hit a five year high, displaying a dynamism that far exceeded economists' predictions.

Foreign students completing post-secondary education in Canada are prime candidates for the Canadian workforce. Their education is recognized and they have already settled into Canadian society. In recent years, the federal and provincial governments have implemented initiatives to attract and retain international students; one of which is the right to work in Canada upon graduation.