The aging workforce problem is a major challenge for utilities around the world, but especially for advanced economies with limited immigration like Japan and Germany. Because of the serious impact that the labour shortage is having on the German economy, Germany has been revising its immigration laws to make immigration more attractive for highly educated and skilled trades from eastern Europe, Spain, and other parts of the world.
This is also a problem in Canada. According to Citizenship and Immigration Canada, the country's low birthrate and aging population means in the not-too-distant future without immigration Canada won't have enough people to keep the workforce growing.
Immigration is seen as the solution to this problem. In 2010, there were 280,636 new permanent residents in Canada, which on a per capita basis is one of the highest immigration rates in the world. The Federal Skilled Worker Program gives priority to technicians, skilled trades people, managers and professionals. The program has a new eligibility stream that is open to international students who are pursuing or who have completed doctoral (PhD) studies at Canadian institutions.
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