Manitoba attracts highest number of immigrants in 50 years

[Kilgore Trout]

a lot of attention is paid to quebec's immigration system, which allows the province to select and pre-approve immigrants to the province. what many people don't realize, however, is that several other provinces have recently obtained the same system. manitoba is one of them. essentially, the province has the power to target immigrants on its own and fast-track them through the application process.

what i find fascinating about manitoba (actually, winnipeg) is how it attracts a hugely disproportionate number of filipinos.

Manitoba records highest immigration level in 50 years

Winnipeg Sun - Immigration in Manitoba grew by 23% in 2006 and reached its highest level in 50 years, according to preliminary figures released by the province yesterday.

"The immigration program has been immensely successful," said Immigration Minister Nancy Allan, adding nearly 10,000 immigrants moved to Manitoba last year.

The Philippines remains the top source country, with 2,536 immigrants moving to Manitoba in 2006, followed by Germany (1,618), India (863), China (544) and South Korea (425).

Manitoba's aggressive provincial nominee program is behind the increases.

The province received 6,641 immigrants through the nominee program, greater than its share in comparison to other provinces.

In fact, half of all immigrants who moved to Canada last year via a provincial nominee program chose Manitoba, said Allan.

"It's an economic program linked to labour demand," said Allan, adding most immigrants are successful at finding work.

While that may be true, many immigrants are left disappointed because they often can't work in their chosen field, said Virginia Guiang, executive director of the Philippine Canadian Centre of Manitoba.

"If someone has been an engineer in the Philippines for 10 years and ends up as a custodian, that's a little frustrating," said Guiang. "They want to come here and utilize their expertise and training."

Qualifications recognition is a nationwide problem for immigrants, said Allan.

Manitoba launched a pilot program three years ago to help streamline the process and get immigrants working in their field as soon as possible.

HOPES FOR INCREASE

The province is working with professional associations in attempts to get engineers, nurses, and doctors from other countries working as soon as possible after moving here, she said.

In addition to the provincial nominee program, there were 1,208 refugees and 1,348 family class immigrants that came to Manitoba in 2006.

The increased immigration into the province comes at a time when immigration in Canada declined by 4.1%.

The province wants to increase immigration levels by 1,000 people a year over the next 10 years. "By 2025 we will depend solely on immigration for population growth," said Allan.

Opposition Leader Hugh McFadyen said the province does a poor job at retaining people, noting more than 30,000 people have left in the last seven years.

"We're good at bringing people here but not so good at keeping them."

He said the Manitoba government needs to do a better job at creating a competitive environment.

---

50-YEAR HIGH

Manitoba immigration levels:

1998 - 2,993
1999 - 3,702
2000 - 4,584
2001 - 4,588
2002 - 4,621
2003 - 6,492
2004 - 7,427
2005 - 8,097
2006 - 9,989

[rgalston]

Immigrants from Asia, Africa and the Caribbean are what keeping Winnipeg's West End from bottoming out and looking more like East Detroit. There have been many new businesses that have filled the void on the old commercial streets like Sargent, Notre Dame, Ellice, Isabel, William. Aggressively pursuing more immigrants is one of the smartest things the Manitoba government could be doing.

[trueviking]

amazing that germany is second eh?...i guess the mennonites are the attraction....eventhough they are not german.

the phillipino thing is probably a snowball effect....as the community grows, the attraction to others is greater...especially form a culture that is so different....those people probably stay more than others because of that growing support group....it is interesting that they tend to settle in the suburbs and not urban areas.

[h0twired]

Originally Posted by trueviking

amazing that germany is second eh?...i guess the mennonites are the attraction....eventhough they are not german.

the phillipino thing is probably a snowball effect....as the community grows, the attraction to others is greater...especially form a culture that is so different....those people probably stay more than others because of that growing support group....it is interesting that they tend to settle in the suburbs and not urban areas.

It isnt just the Mennonites.

There were TONS of Germans that immigrated to Winnipeg in the early 50's. My family being just a few of them. When my grandfather worked for Silpit he said that 70% of the workforce were recent German immigrants and they all taught each other how to speak English.

Why would you expect the Philipino communities to settle downtown?

[trueviking]

other third world immigrants are settling in urban areas in greater numbers....phillipinos are creating an enclave in the maples area that is quite strong.....other immigrant groups are not as focussed on one single area with the possible exception of the central park area for african immigrants.

as for the german thing....sure 50 years ago german immigration was pretty strong, but it is clear that being the only first world country on that list there is something unique drawing them today....there is a huge connection to cities like steinbach and morden with their german speaking agricultural communities....those are the people sponsoring them in this programme.

[Wooster]

Pretty high numbers for sure.

[circle33]

Saskatchewan has a similar program with a goal of attracting 5,000 immigrants per year.

[Greco Roman]

And the 10000 immigrant mark will soon be bumped up to 20000. Does anyone know when that change will occur?

[Boreal]

As the article states, 1,000 persons a year up until 2025, when provincial immigration should sit around 20,000.

A thousand per-year increase is and will be an amazing boon to the province and most importantly to the city of Winnipeg.

[harls]

Originally Posted by Jeff1987

A thousand per-year increase is and will be an amazing boon to the province and most importantly to the city of Winnipeg.

I would wager that the majority of these immigrants never set foot outside of the Perimeter.

[h0twired]

Originally Posted by trueviking

other third world immigrants are settling in urban areas in greater numbers....phillipinos are creating an enclave in the maples area that is quite strong.....other immigrant groups are not as focussed on one single area with the possible exception of the central park area for african immigrants.

There have been high numbers of philipino people in the Maples for the past 20+ years. Perhaps it has something to do with the fact that 20 years ago nobody wanted to live in the inner city so many just started settling in the Maples. Since then they would just come and live in an area with people sponsoring them or just like them.

Most of the Germans that immigrated in the 50s lived in the west end/wolseley for no other reason then that there were lots of other German speaking people in the area.

[IntotheWest]

The increased immigration into the province comes at a time when immigration in Canada declined by 4.1%.

The province wants to increase immigration levels by 1,000 people a year over the next 10 years. "By 2025 we will depend solely on immigration for population growth," said Allan.

Opposition Leader Hugh McFadyen said the province does a poor job at retaining people, noting more than 30,000 people have left in the last seven years.

Wow..those are good numbers. How does it compare with Canada as a whole then, especially if immigration declined by 4.1%?

Out of the 30,000 that have left, is this just the newly landed immigrants over seven years? Do they know why they left (and where to - back home, or elsewhere in Canada)?

[drew]

^ no that's from interprovincial migration counting all Manitobans (new and old).

The nomination program is the only reason the population of Manitoba increases year over year.

[Pegger5]

Originally Posted by trueviking

amazing that germany is second eh?...i guess the mennonites are the attraction....eventhough they are not german.

A very large majority (in fact I would say over 90%) of Mennonites are of German decent born in Russia or Germany itself.

[Boreal]

Mildly on topic ...hopefully somebody more experienced than myself in Winnipeg's past can shed some light?

With dominant immigrant classes, notably the Filipino's and the Germans, when was the last time a political machine existed in Winnipeg.

I only ask, because the political machine is still strong in Chicago.

Anyways...thanks in advance to anyone who has any working knowledge on this.

[Xelebes]

Originally Posted by Pegger5

A very large majority (in fact I would say over 90%) of Mennonites are of German decent born in Russia or Germany itself.

Correction: High German States and the Ukrainian States.

Amish and Hutterites were mostly from Low German States.

[Wayfarin Stranger]

Originally Posted by harls

I would wager that the majority of these immigrants never set foot outside of the Perimeter.

I would wager that the majority of Manitobans never set foot outside the perimetre on a regular basis.

[Greco Roman]

Originally Posted by Wayfarin Stranger

I would wager that the majority of Manitobans never set foot outside the perimetre on a regular basis.

I don't know about that, but the immigrant comment I would agree with; that I believe is the case for most cities.

[bob1954]

That's quite adiverse mix of immigrants up there! If things keep going the way they are in the USA, we'll be moving up there too! Anyway,that's good news for you folks up there!

[Boreal]

Our arms are open.