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Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says Canada鈥檚 immigration policies are giving it a big advantage over the United States when it comes to attracting business.聽聽

鈥淲e鈥檙e a country that鈥檚 open to immigration right now,鈥� he said earlier this week, on the eve of the November 6 U.S. mid-term elections. 鈥淏eing able to get the top talent and draw on big pools of well-educated, ambitious, forward-thinking and diverse [people] is a hell of a competitive advantage that I don鈥檛 see the U.S. matching anytime soon.鈥�

Trudeau made the remarks in an appearance at the Fortune Most Powerful Women International Summit in Montreal, which brought together women聽CEOs, thought leaders, entrepreneurs and senior representatives of the Canadian government.

Trudeau said Canadians are 鈥�positively inclined鈥� toward immigration and said they know from Canada鈥檚 experience over generations and centuries that immigrants have 鈥渃reated our success.鈥�

鈥淲e are able to take in almost one per cent of our population every year in immigration 鈥� a little over 300,000 鈥� and we鈥檙e able to do that because it鈥檚 a system that Canadians have confidence in; it鈥檚 rules-based, it鈥檚 controlled,鈥� he said.

Last week, Trudeau鈥檚 Liberal government unveiled its聽new immigration levels plan, which will see admissions of new permanent residents through Canada鈥檚 economic, family and refugee / humanitarian programs reach nearly one per cent of Canada鈥檚 population in 2021.

Of the 350,000 immigrants that Canada is planning to welcome that year, nearly 60 per cent will arrive through Canada鈥檚 economic immigration programs. A majority of economic immigrants are slated to arrive through聽Canada鈥檚 Federal High Skilled immigration programs and its Provincial Nominee Program.

U.S. at risk of falling further behind in 鈥榠nternational competition for labour鈥�

Trudeau鈥檚 remarks were 聽this week by David Bier, an immigration policy analyst with the Cato Institute鈥檚 Centre for Global Liberty and Prosperity in Washington.

Bier said will put the U.S. at an even greater disadvantage if immigration rates there remain as they are or are even reduced. 聽

In 2017, the U.S. immigration rate of 0.3 per cent paled compared to Canada鈥檚 rate of just over 0.8 per cent.

In terms of economic immigration, Canada鈥檚 rate was 11 times higher than that of the U.S. in 2017, Bier noted 鈥� a gap that Canada鈥檚 immigration levels plan threatens to widen.

鈥淚f the U.S. rate remains as steady as it has, America will fall further behind in the international competition for labour,鈥� he said.

Republican proposals to reduce legal immigration 鈥渨ould harm economic growth and make America less competitive economically,鈥� Bier wrote.

In a talk last month, Canada鈥檚 Minister of Science, Innovation and Economic Development, Navdeep Bains, described his government鈥檚 immigration policies as a key element of Canada鈥檚 鈥渧alue proposition,鈥� especially in the current geopolitical climate.

鈥淚mmigration policies really differentiate [Canada],鈥� Bains said. 鈥淲hen you鈥檙e seeing the rise of anti-immigrant sentiments, populist politics, nationalism, and our brand in Canada is that we鈥檙e open 鈥� open to trade, open to investment, open to people 鈥� that brand, that openness is so critical.鈥�

Canada鈥檚 updated immigration levels plan calls for welcoming 310,000 new permanent residents this year, a number that will rise to 330,800 in 2019, 341,000 in 2020 and hit 350,000 in 2021.

Canada鈥檚 Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship, Ahmed Hussen, said the plan will provide vital support for Canada鈥檚 economy, which is facing widespread labour shortages as the Canadian population ages and a rising number of workers retire.

鈥淕rowing immigration levels, particularly in the Economic Class, will help us sustain our labour force, support economic growth and spur innovation,鈥� he said.

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