Canada seeks to double visa offices in China to attract more high-skilled workers

The Canadian government is seeking todouble the number of offices where Chinese can apply for Canadian visasas it looks to boost a dwindling number ofvisitors, international students,evenhigh-skilled foreign workers from China.

Immigration Minister John McCallum spent the past two days meeting with senior Chinese officials in Beijing where he askedto open at least five more visa application centres in Chengdu, Nanjing, Wuhan, Jinan and Shenyang. Canada currently has five visa offices in China.

"Canada needs to take advantage of a great economic opportunity to capture this marketand the opening of more visa application centres throughout China would facilitate travellers seeking to come to Canada,"said a government official on condition of anonymity, in anemailto CBC News on Wednesday.

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"We want to facilitate the entry of people who can make some great contributions to Canada while they are here, and hopefully be able to retain them," the official said.

McCallum'stripcomes as Prime Minister JustinTrudeauis set to attend the G20 summit in China later thismonth.

Trudeauhas taskedMcCallumwith preparing a three-year immigration planwhichis expected to be unveiled in greater detail later this fall.

It is part of the Liberalgovernment'slarger plan to promote innovation and grow the economy.

Attracting foreign talent

The previous Conservative government launched on Jan. 1, 2015 a new system known asexpress entryin an effortto lure prospective immigrants for jobs where there are no availableCanadian workers.

In 2013, Chinawas the top source country for permanent residency in Canada, according to Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada.

But 15 months after the launch of express entry saw a tightening of rules,China dropped tosixth behind the Philippines, India, the U.K., Ireland and the U.S., according to data publishedby IRCCfrom May 31.

Immigration lawyer Richard Kurland says the move to open more visa offices in China will eventuallyyield the desired results.

"Having more Canadian visa entry points in China by multiplying the number of application centres will undoubtedly facilitate visa issuance, and give faster service to larger numbers of people.

"When Canada did this in other countries, it resulted in greater numbers of applicants," Kurland said in an email to CBC News on Wednesday.

McCallum has said he wants to attract more foreign talent in the high-tech sectorand harness the economicpotential ofinternational students, which he has touted as "the cream of the crop."

On Wednesday, McCallummet with representatives from "the innovation and start-up sectors," according to an itinerary provided to CBC by his office.

Heis scheduledto travel to Manila on Thursday tomeet with senior foreign, labour and employment officials andgive a keynote speech to theCanadian Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines.

The Liberal government is looking to ease some of the rules under express entry and aparliamentary committee has been reviewing theforeign worker program. The committeeis set to tableits report when the House of Commons resumes in the fall.

The government is also studying options to replace the failed millionaire investment program launched under the Conservatives. A revamped version of the program critics once denounced as "cash for citizenship" fared no better, luring only seven millionaires instead of 60.

McCallum was not immediately available for an interview.

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