The Mayor of Quebec City has called on the next Government in the province to significantly increase the current immigration levels.
Speaking ahead of October’s Quebec General Election, Mayor Régis Labeaume told reporters that the city and surrounding region is not receiving enough of the immigrants who settle in the province each year.
According to recent figures, Quebec City region is only receiving 6 per cent of newcomers immigrating to the province each year, and Mayor Labeaume believes that this number should be at least 10 per cent.
This would translate to around 5,300 newcomers per year, or an increase of around 2,000 over current levels.
Immigration topped the Mayor’s newly released list of annual priorities, citing the urgent need to fill 17,000 job vacancies in the region.
“This dramatic lack of manpower is the most dangerous problem and can jeopardize our economic future,” Labeaume said. “It is no longer the time for observations or studies or good intentions.”
The Mayor also further emphasised the need for French-speaking immigrants, noting that most people living in the Quebec City region speak French as their first language.
“It’s a French city and there are two ways to succeed in immigration: to get a job and to speak the local language,” Labeaume told journalists. “We have the jobs; if they speak French, it’s going to be a total success.”
Article published 29th August 2018