PRIME Minister Rick Hou has launched a new initiative with Canadian International Training & Education Corp of Canada [CITREC] that will further strengthen the labour mobility relations between Canada and Solomon Islands.
This new initiative will introduce eligible Solomon Islands nationals to an expedited stream for Canadian Permanent Residency which comes with permanent jobs into Canada’s Hospitality and Tourism Sector.
It will also introduce new efforts in empowering women in Solomon Islands with 7 out of 15 Permanent Residency nominations under the pilot project.
Prime Minister Hou launched the Skills Passport Solomon Isles program at the margins of the UNGA in New York recently.
This program will allow Solomon Islands nationals under a special pilot project to apply for Permanent Residence nomination for Canada that will be supported under Canada’s Provincial Nomination program.
“I am very pleased and privileged to be launching the Skills Passport Solomon Isles with CITREC a partnership that will further help Solomon Islands labour Mobility partnership with Canada.
“I must thank CITREC for the opportunity it is presenting to Solomon Islands and introducing our people to specially route to Permanent Residency,” Prime Minister Hou said.
He said he supports labour mobility between countries and that Canada’s Permanent Residence opportunity along with seasonal employment into agriculture, tourism and hospitality sector for his citizens is a welcoming news.
“This is great opportunity and I must say that labour mobility is a strong policy of my government and I must thank Canada for its continued support to my people of the Solomon Islands,” he said.
Mr Hou has also praised the work of CITREC Chairman Dwivedi for his efforts in introducing Solomon Islands to Canadian Labour Mobility opportunities.
“The introduction of labour mobility in Solomon Islands through CITREC partnership is indeed providing and proving positive results for the nation and its people. Let me also thank you for the work you are doing as Solomon Islands Honorary Consul General to Canada.
“You are building good productive relations between Canada and the Solomon Islands and we are seeing the positive results of your efforts,” the Prime Minister said.
CITREC Chairman Dwivedi in response said that CITREC recognises the need for Solomon Islands nationals to be presented with labour mobility opportunities especially when the country’s youth population is facing very high unemployment.
“Mr. Prime Minister we at CITREC Canada recognises through our Canadian Sector Council partners the importance of labour mobility and more specifically the inclusion of Solomon Islanders to the benefit of this initiative.
“There is no doubt that you have since being appointed Prime Minister aggressively and positively pursued to the national interest labour mobility.
“Today we will witness launch of an initiative that will bring direct positive impact on the lives of people of Solomon Islands,” Chairman Dwivedi said.
Mr Dwivedi said that through this initiative any Solomon Islander who has 3 years of work experience in the Hospitality or Tourism sector will be eligible to apply for Permanent Residence nomination as an employer driven initiative.
“Mr. Prime Minister let me also inform you that the road to labour mobility lead by Province of Guadalcanal is something that Province of Malaita and Makira-Ulawa have both chosen for success of its provinces as well.
“They now form part of CITREC partnership and soon we anticipate the two additional provinces joining Guadalcanal in taking labour mobility advantage with Canada,” Chairman Dwivedi said.
Foreign Affairs Minister Milner Tozaka who was part of the launch of the initiative said that Canada’s inclusion of Solomon Islanders into Labour Mobility through CITREC is a welcome move that is further strengthening people to people and government to government relations between both countries.
Minister Tozaka said that his ministry is actively pursuing opportunity to work towards developing a national partnership approach to CITREC program in the Solomon Islands.
Under the current arrangement trades that would be considered under “SKILLS Passport Solomon Isles” includes:
· Cooks,
· Line cooks,
· Food Service Supervisors / managers,
· Hotel and Restaurant managers,
· Bakers
Each year 15 Solomon Islands nationals will qualify under the “Skills Passport Solomon Isles” program under Permanent Residence nomination program.
This new initiative will not affect the special quota that is allocated to Provinces under labour mobility and will be in addition to the number of Solomon Islands nationals entering Canada under labour mobility stream.
