Canada beefing up immigration services in Philippines
News Services
News Services
Sunday, February 10, 2008
Canada will send three more immigration officers to the Philippines in an effort to speed up the application process for foreign workers, federal Immigration Minister Diane Finley announced last week.
The additional officers will be posted to the Canadian visa offices at the Canadian Embassy in Manila to handle the increased volume of applications under the Temporary Worker Program.
"Our government supports the Filipino community in Canada," Finley said. "There has been a longstanding concern that processing times needed to improve."
The number of temporary workers coming to Canada has increased in recent years as the country struggles to meet labour market demands. In 2006, 8,529 temporary workers from the Philippines arrived in Canada, according to the government, and that number is expected to increase as employers seek workers to fill jobs.
Finley said the visa office in Manila will undergo a $1.9-million renovation to accommodate the additional officers and staff who will be in place in the summer. She said the government may increase staff further next year.
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