MULTAN, Feb 18th: Khawaja Badar Munir, Senior Vice President of Multan Chamber of Commerce & Industry (MCCI) has said that dream to do business or serving in Canada could become a reality now that the government has announced plans to accept more than a million immigrants in the next three years. Delivering his speech at an awareness Seminar on the opportunities of business and immigration in Canada organised by MCCI, he said that "Growing immigration levels, particularly in the Economic Class, will help us sustain our labour force, support economic growth and spur innovation,". Barrister Tariq Shah threw light at length on the problems confronted by the immigrants and their solution to attain the objective. He said that Canada has a GDP of $1.6trillion ranking 10th nominally and it has a GDP growth rate of an estimated 0.5% which is projected to grow to 2.2%. The GDP per capita in 2014 was $56100 ranking 10th nominally and 9th by PPP. Services contribute 69.8% to the GDP followed by industry at 28.5% and agriculture at 1.7%. Canada has an unemployment rate of 6.6%, an inflation of 1% and 12.9% of the population live below poverty line.He further said that Canadian labour force is estimated to be 19 million people. The labour force per sector is estimated as follows: services with 76%, manufacturing 13%, construction 6%, agriculture 2%, and others make up 3% of the labor force. Canada has a public debt of $582 CAD which is 33.8% of the GDP. The revenues are estimated at $682.5 billion against expenses of about $750 billion. Canada has an estimated $65.82 billion in foreign reserves and donates an estimated $4.1 billion. He told the participants that there are three major industries in Canada which include the service industry, manufacturing and natural resource sectors. As these sectors grow and develop, the need for skilled and qualified workers has become a necessity.On the other hand, the Canadian economy is also heavily reliant on exports and international trade. The U.S being Canada’s biggest trading partner.Canada earned $523.904 billion in 2015 from exports. The primary export goods include motor vehicles and their parts, industrial machinery, plastics, aircraft, telecommunications equipment, chemicals, fertilizers, wood pulp, timber, crude petroleum, natural gas, and aluminum.The main export partners include the US 75.2%, China 4.10%, Japan 1.93%, Mexico 1.51%, India 0.86%, and South Korea 0.81%.As a business visitor, you will be able to travel anywhere in Canada, while visiting family, friends and enjoying the best attractions along the way. You will also be able to attend any conferences, trade shows and meetings with new clients. As a business visitor, you must show that: plan to stay for less than six months; do not plan to enter the Canadian labour market; place of business, and source of income and profits, is outside Canada;Sufficient documentary proofs that support your application; entry with a valid travel document, such as a passport: enough money for stay and to return home; leave Canada at the end of your visit; and No criminal, security or health risk to Canadians. To qualify as an entrepreneur, the applicant must have a net worth of at least $300,000 and should be willing and be able to establish, invest in or acquire a business in Canada which will create or maintain employment in Canada.At least two years of experience in running a business acquired during the five years preceding the date you submitted your application. This should be in a lawful and profitable business that you manage alone or with an accompanying spouse or common-law spouse, controlling at least 25% of the capital equity;Sheikh Nadeem member of Executive Committee, Jamshed Naqvi, Nasir Shah and Khurram Javed Butt, Secretary General of MCCI also spoke on this topic.
