This article was produced as part of the Inclusive Journalism Microcredential offered by New Canadian Media and Seneca Polytechnic. Learn more here. Canada’s new category-based immigration stream will make it easier for economic migrants and students to find work in the trades at a time when the country faces a shortage of skilled tradespeople, say immigration consultants, trade boards, and settlement agencies. And while the new program may make it easier for some newcomers to get permanent resident status in Canada, addressing the nation’s already complex trade certification process is a critical priority. Although Canada already has an immigration pathway for tradespeople, the Federal Trades Skilled Program (FTSP), Atul Jagga, a Toronto-based immigration consultant, believes this new selection process might work better because of less stringent requirements and strategic programming. “Unlike FSTP, which accepts nearly 100 occupations as skilled trades under Canada’s National Occupational Classification (NOC) code, the new system prioritizes only a handful of occupations recognized by the NOCSo every year, the occupations will be reviewed to assess the latest labour market needs,” he shared with NCM in a phone interview. Jagga hopes that this program will motivate people from other countries to work in trades like carpentry and plumbing, which are often stigmatized. “Somebody who’s an electrician in India might come as a student in Canada can still hope to be a permanent resident based on his experience back home.” One-in-four job vacancies in Canada is in the trades: of the 818,195 vacancies at the end of the second quarter of 2023, 149,710 were in trades, transport, and equipment operations, according to Statistics Canada. What’s more is that another 700,000 tradespeople are expected to retire by 2028. To address this issue, on May 31, 2023, Canada launched a new category-based immigration stream, targeting people with experience in priority jobs that include specific trades, healthcare, STEM, transport, and agriculture, as well as French-language speakers. The first draw, inviting 1,500 tradespeople to apply, was held three days later. But addressing Canada’s labour shortages in trades is complex and multifaceted. Tingting Zhang, a junior policy analyst at the CD Howe Institute, said trades are still stigmatized for being physically demanding and somewhat low-paying. “This understanding of skilled trades often comes from teachers and parents, who have outdated stereotyped views of the jobs and influenced youths’ career choices in skilled trades,” she said in a research document. “The truth is journeypersons earn more than workers in many industries and many trades offer comprehensive training and paid apprenticeship.” For example, in 2019, certified tradespeople earned an average of $60,450, with crane operators and technicians earning above $100,000. “Navigating the journey to becoming a tradesperson can be complicated, with red tape and complex regulatory frameworks identified as key barriers,” a spokesperson from the Toronto Region Board of Trade said in an email. “Addressing these issues is a critical priority, especially given the significant infrastructure investment required to catalyze economic growth in the region.” Demand for skilled tradespeople continues to remain high: the board added that over the next 10 years, 37,200 construction workers will be required in the Greater Toronto Area alone to meet the demands of both new and retiring workers. “Many skilled tradespeople are nearing retirement, and there aren’t enough younger workers entering the trades to replace them,” said Rocco Rossi, president and CEO of the Ontario Chamber of Commerce, in an emailed statement. “Additionally, there’s often a societal emphasis on pursuing university education over skilled trades.” Christopher Worswick, a professor of economics at Carleton University specializing in migration research, worries that large numbers of skilled immigrants who come to Canada and work on low wages might add to existing wage inequalities in sectors like construction, which is already afflicted by poor wage growth. On a publicly available podcast, Worswick said that the new category-based program would only be meaningful if there were a measure to make sure that skilled people in these trades occupy higher roles, earning higher wages. Initiatives are being taken at national, provincial, and local levels to address the barriers discouraging newcomers from joining the trades.