Picketers march around the Office of the Prime Minister and Privy Council as approximately 155,000 public sector union workers with the Public Service Alliance of Canada continue to strike, in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada April 24, 2023. REUTERS/ Blair Gable/ File Photoapproaches its third week, thousands of people are in immigration limbo amid canceled hearings and stalled applications, which could make it harder for the country to compete for global talent as employers face a tight labor market.
Canada has raised its immigration target to record-setting levels and hopes to bring in 500,000 new permanent residents a year by 2025 to help ease labor shortages in industries from construction to healthcare. Canada's lower birth rate makes immigration a key driver of economic growth. "A lot of clients are frustrated at the fact that it seems like we finally saw the light at the end of the tunnel...We're seeing a lot of clients being put into limbo again," Tchern said.
"The longer any work stoppage goes on, the more severe the impacts are going to be. We’re going to continue to work to identify priority areas where people’s lives may be in danger to ensure we can still maintain those essential functions," he told reporters.