Quebec's new immigration plan under scrutiny

Quebec's new immigration plan, which the government hopes will streamline the process and attract more highly-qualified immigrants, will be under the scrutiny of a National Assembly committee today.

Today, tomorrow and next Tuesday, MNAs will hear from 25 stakeholders on the Couillard government's new, 5-year plan for immigration.

In March, Immigration Minister Kathleen Weil unveiled the policy entitled Together, We are Quebec.

At the time, the MNA for Notre-Dame-de-Grâce said the province is in a race against time against other countries in order to attract top talent.

"People have a lot of choices right now," Weil said in March.

"Many European countries and the U.S. are interesting [places] to potential immigrants and we want to do as well, or better, than our competitors."  

In order to be competitive, Weil says her plan will also:

• Speed up the process.
• Retain international students and foreign workers.
• Provide more French-language training.

Weil says sometimes the process is so slow for some immigrants that the labour market has changed significantly by the time they land on Quebec soil. As a result, they find themselves without a job in their new home.

In June, Weil also announced $750,000 to advertise the province's free French classes for newcomers.

Groups from across the province were invited to the three days of committee hearings.

They include organizations that work with immigrants as well as business groups.

This policy document before the committee is the culmination of a year long consultation.

In Quebec's 2015-2016 economic plan, the province earmarked $42.5 million over five years to help immigrants and ethnocultural minorities contribute more to Quebec's development.

The new policy is accompanied by a five-year action strategy from 2016-2021.