From Montreal Gazette:

The Quebec government announced Monday a new program to accelerate permanent residency status for foreign-trained workers.

Immigration and Cultural Communities Minister Yolande James made the announcement at the Science Centre in Montreal’s Old Port accompanied by the executives from two of the city’s leading high-tech firms, Electronic Arts, and CGI.

James said the high-tech sector is but one example of an industry that suffers from a lack of skilled workers and must rely on recruiting from beyond Canadian borders.

Bernard de Jaham, the vice-president of mobility for Montreal International, said the new program, which began Monday, will help Montreal retain foreign workers who are recruited to work here. […]

The program also has a marketing aspect to it, selling Montreal as a good place for a career, and for a high quality of life.

Those eligible for the program must have worked for at least one year in Quebec, and must have a intermediate knowledge of French.

EA Montreal general manager Alain Tascan said about 20 per cent of his employees come from outside Canada, hailing from 25 different countries. He said it’s essential to attract the brightest minds to Montreal, and the government has shown it’s proactive in helping retain those workers. […]

Read the full article on Montreal Gazette…

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Tags: electronic arts, Immigration, quebec