Statistics Canada has emphasised the significance of immigration with regard to the country’s workforce, stating that it will account for 100 per cent of labour market growth by 2011.

Currently, a number of key Canadian industries are being forced to turn down work opportunities as they simply do not have the volume of expertise required to undertake major contacts.

Paul Charette, chairman of the Canadian Construction Association, said: “The shortage of skilled workers is crippling our country's economy. In my industry alone, close to 260,000 new workers are needed over the next eight years.”

Alongside other nations such as Australia and New Zealand, currently facing similar problems, recruiting skilled migrants through Canadian immigration is considered to be the answer to the country’s current workforce crisis.

The major Canadian industries baring the brunt of the labour shortage are construction, technology and manufacturing. Recent statistics from the Bank of Canada show that up to 40 per cent of companies reported that a shortage of labour was restricting their ability to meet demands.

Canada is currently reviewing a number of aspects of its immigration policy in order to secure maximum recruitment of overseas workers as quickly as possible.