Seek training in high-demand sectors, province tells immigrants with expiring work permits

The P.E.I. government says it won't make any immediate changes to controversial new immigration rules, although foreign workers are continuing their daily demonstrations on the streets of Charlottetown.

Jenn Redmond, the province's minister of workforce, advanced learning and population, met with one of the protest organizers on Tuesday to hear his concerns.

"We haven't made any commitment to changes," she told CBC News after the meeting. "We've committed to taking a very close look at the policy and continue to watch and monitor it…

"We want a positive impact here, that was the intention."

Back in February, the P.E.I. government announced it would cut the number of people from other countries that it nominates for permanent residency in Canada through the Provincial Nominee Program. The number of nominees will fall by 25 per cent in 2024, partly as a result of pressures being felt on P.E.I.'s health-care system and housing market.

The province's new population strategy specified that of the nominee spots that remain, people working in specific occupations including health care and construction would be given priority.

That leaves hundreds of immigrants already here and employed in other industries — such as restaurants and retail sales and service — worried their work permits may not be extended when they run out over the next few months.

Many of those people have been demonstrating in Charlottetown since May 9. Some say they have spent tens of thousands of dollars on P.E.I. and have been working toward the hope of permanent residency in Canada, or PR.

Saying it's unfair to be told now that they likely won't qualify for a permit extension, they are asking to be allowed to stay because they were accepted under the old rules.

Redmond said people with work permits set to run out in 2024 will be contacted by her department.

She advised people whose work permits expire in 2025 to consider signing up for a training program in one of the high-priority areas. As of a Feb. 26 update on the province's website, those are:

• Nurse aides, orderlies and patient service associates;
• Transport truck drivers;
• Construction trades helpers and labourers;
• Light duty cleaners;
• Labourers in processing, manufacturing and utilities;
• Material handlers;
• Process control and machine operators food and beverage processing; and
• Industrial butchers and meat cutters, poultry preparers and related workers.

"We have to think about those workforces that have those very pressured areas, that we do need to focus those allocations toward," Redmond said.

Redmond said current PR nominees being retrained in health care or construction would "mitigate the gaps in those areas to ensure that those who come can live on P.E.I. and have that wonderful life that we'd like everyone to have."

The changes to the immigration policy have been met with criticism from opposition parties as well. Calling the revision a "short-sighted, kneejerk reaction," Green MLA Karla Bernard said the new rules and priorities should apply to people who come in the future, not people who are here already.

"I don't understand how government made this without realizing the major consequences this was going to have to both individuals and local business," she told CBC News on Tuesday.

Chamber of commerce weighs in

In an email statement to CBC News, the Greater Charlottetown Area Chamber of Commerce says the change in immigration policy is already hurting the Island's sales and service industry.

"Many of our members are experiencing the sudden departure of employees due to this immigration policy change and they will continue to see this impact as more employee work permits expire," the chamber wrote.

"Additionally, we've heard from members that because of this workforce impact, they will not be able to scale or expand their businesses and feel discouraged from investing further in P.E.I.

"Many will be forced to reduce product and service offerings as well as hours of operation."