Ottawa, Nov 4 (IANS): Canada plans to attract more skilled immigrants in 2012, its Immigration Minister Jason Kenney has said.

Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) plans to welcome 55,000-57,000 federal skilled workers (FSW) mainly through the Federal Skilled Worker Program, up from 47,000-47,400 in the 2011 Immigration Levels Plan, reported Xinhua.

"We recognise the importance of immigration to our labour market and we value the contributions of skilled immigrants who add to our international competitiveness," Kenney said Thursday.

"We are committed to facilitating the arrival of the best and the brightest to our country," he added.

An extensive evaluation showed that 89 percent of FSWs were employed or self-employed three years after landing.

Moreover, 95 percent of the employers surveyed indicated that FSWs were meeting or exceeding their expectations.

The evaluation indicated a strong, continuing need for skilled immigrants in Canada.

"The CIC will continue to ramp up efforts to modernize our immigration system to make it more nimble and responsive to labour market needs," Kenney said.

Skilled workers selected as permanent residents should have work experience in at least one of the occupations, such as specialist physicians, dentists, pharmacists, architects, psychologists, chefs and industrial electricians.