March 17, 2014 —

Canada’s Citizenship and Immigration Minister Chris Alexander  will travel to Hong Kong and Shanghai this week to highlight the many opportunities that exist for Chinese businesses, students and travellers in Canada.

The relationship between China and Canada continues to flourish. In 2013, more than 270,000 visitor visas were issued to Chinese travellers and almost 34,000 Chinese became Canadian permanent residents. For the last 15 years, China has been one of the top source countries for permanent residents to Canada, just one of many indicators of the strong people-to-people ties linking our two countries.

During the visit, Minister Alexander will promote the government’s efforts to build a fast and flexible immigration system with a primary focus on meeting Canada’s economic and labour market needs. Alexander will also discuss the current and future pathways to permanent residency that are available to businesses, families and students who wish to settle, study or do business in Canada.

In Hong Kong, Minister Alexander will meet with Lai Tung-kwok, the Secretary for Security for the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, before laying a wreath at the Sai Wan Cemetery, where the graves of some 280 Canadian soldiers who made the ultimate sacrifice are found.

In Shanghai, Alexander will focus on international education. Nearly 29,000 Chinese students entered Canada in 2013, marking the fifth consecutive year that China has been the top source country for international students to Canada. Alexander will speak at Fudan University and at the China International Education Exhibition Tour education fair, as well as participating in events at the Shanghai Redleaf Women’s Hospital and the Shanghai University of International Business and Economics to celebrate programs of co-operation, in nursing and finance, between those institutions and British Columbia’s Douglas College. 

Quick facts

• In 2013, the top source countries for the Canadian Experience Class were India, the Philippines and China.
• Nearly 29,000 Chinese students entered Canada in 2013, the fifth straight year that China has been the top source country for students.
• In 2013, China was the top source country for new permanent resident admissions to Canada with almost 34,000.

Quote

“China’s importance as a source country for Canada’s immigration programs is reflected in the generations of Canadians with ancestral roots in China. Chinese-Canadians, Chinese permanent residents and the hundreds of thousands of Chinese visitors who come to Canada each year, together, make significant contributions to Canadian society.

“With the exciting—and indeed transformational—changes we are making to Canada’s immigration system, our government wants to ensure that Chinese applicants are aware of the many opportunities that exist for them in Canada, now and in the future.”

- Chris Alexander, Canada’s Citizenship and Immigration Minister