Kerri Korabelnikov speaks at the opening of Manitou a bi Bii daziigae

Kerri Korabelnikov, Dean, School of Education, Arts and Sciences at RRC Polytech, has been appointed to a new advisory council on immigration to recommend improvements to current immigration policies and programs for the province of Manitoba.

She is one of twenty Manitobans appointed to the Immigration Advisory Council (IAC), which will be co-chaired by Lloyd Axworthy and Advanced Education, Skills and Immigration Minister Jon Reyes.

“We are all coming to this council from different perspectives, but we all know how important encouraging economic growth is by investing in immigration,” said Korabelnikov. “Manitoba is an incredible destination for newcomers, especially for international students coming to RRC Polytech, and this work will ensure we are able to improve our foreign credential recognition to help these people enter the work force promptly.”

The Immigration Advisory Council will be reviewing the entire continuum of immigration – from recruitment to retention of newcomers to the province, providing clear recommendations and concrete actions to the Manitoba government to address the following goals:

• building on promotion to attract and recruit more immigrants and business investors to the province;
• streamlining the Manitoba Provincial Nominee Program, especially with regard to setting the right balance between the province’s regional labour market, economic development and community needs; and
• fostering Manitoba’s settlement and integration programs and services, as well as foreign credential recognition programs, to encourage labour market attachment, improve foreign credential recognition and bolster immigrant retention.

The council also includes Manitobans who have experienced the Manitoba’s Provincial Nominee Program process first-hand, along with representatives from immigration services, ethno-cultural communities, business and academia, both urban and rural.

“Manitoba should be a welcoming place, where people want to come to live, work, gain education, and set roots. I look forward to the work that we’ll be able to do as a part of this council,” added Korabelnikov.