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Canada to Focus on Skilled Trades People for Immigration

February 3, 2012

Canada is reportedly planning another major overhaul of its immigration system to bring in more skilled trades people such as electricians and perhaps fewer people with top notch university degrees.

While Prime Minister Stephen Harper told the World Economic Forum in Davos about plans to change the immigration system to bring in people needed by the labour market, Citizenship and Immigration Minister Jason Kenney has been a little bit more forthcoming.

Debate Over Current Immigration System

He says that the Federal Skilled Worker Program will be changed to help bring in more skilled trades people. There is much criticism that the current points-based Skilled Worker Program regime favours people with degrees while not favouring those without much higher education but with the qualification and skills that Canada so dearly needs.

As SmartCanadian has reported in the past, this is not entirely new concept. For a while the government, particularly Minister Jason Kenney has been musing about the need for a debate about the types of immigrants Canada needs – it is about striking a balance between the skilled trades people and highly qualified doctors, engineers, managers etc.

The point was that while Canada needs highly qualified people, they are also finding it difficult to integrate into the labour force, while the demand for plumbers, electricians, brick layers and others keeps increasing.

Canadian officials are also thinking loudly about the advantage of bringing in younger workers who can contribute longer to the Canadian economy, and also about reaching out to them, instead of waiting for them to apply for immigration.

This might include special workshops and seminars, or even advertisements in target countries.

It is not clear when the changes will be made. Canada says it will keep its annual immigrant intake number high this year as well, which means at least 250,000  new immigrants can be expected.

 

 

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Canadian Website to Facilitate Immigrant Integration

January 18, 2012

The Canadian government has launched a new program to make it easier for foreign-trained professionals get their credentials accredited.

The new website, the International Qualification Network (IQN), is not for those seeking employment, or foreign credentials recognition, which are dealt by separate organisations and websites.

Rather, the IQN will help all stakeholders – such as regulatory bodies, government agencies, employers and organisations serving immigrants to share practises, as well as studies, pilot projects and even information on events such as workshops and symposiums.

The IQN is part of the government promise, made in 2009, to promote foreign credentials recognition through the the Pan-Canadian Framework for the Assessment and Recognition of Foreign Qualifications.

Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC), the federal department in charge of immigration matters, sites as examples of how the IQN can work. For example, the Multi-jurisdictional Midwifery Bridging Project has posted an outline of its eight-month bridging program for foreign-trained midwives who want to practise in Alberta, British Columbia, Manitoba, the Northwest Territories, Nova Scotia and Saskatchewan.

Another example is the Canadian Association of Chartered Accountants’ description of its efforts to facilitate the professional integration of immigrant chartered accountants.

For more information, visit the IQN website.

 

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Immigration Rules Can be a Boost to European Migrants

January 16, 2012

Canada’s new immigration regulations, particularly a refocus on skilled trades-people, might be offering more opportunities for Eastern Europeans to migrate to the country.

For years, Canada had emphasized on highly skilled professionals such as doctors, engineers, IT experts, accountants, managers etc.

True, in a globalized economy, people with multi-lingual skills and with experience as managers possibly in more than one country is a must for a nation to develop.

However, Canada has also come under criticism for not facilitating the professional integration of such immigrants to come to the country. Most of the hurdles have come in the form of ‘Canadian Experience – euphemism for not having previous Canadian workplace experience, lack of Canadian certification etc.

As a result many of these immigrants have taken up jobs not appropriate to their qualifications.

But there are also openings for other professionals, notably those who are known as skilled trades people such as plumbers, carpenters, construction workers, crane operators, drillers and blasters etc.

In fact, the latest update from Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) – the federal department regulating immigration — indicates that the cap for these professions under the Federal Skilled Worker Program is still open for this year.

While the cap for pharmacists and registered nurses, for example, has been reached, and for medical specialists and dentists will be soon reached, the following are still open:

  • Contractors and Supervisors, Carpentry Trades
  • Mechanic Trades
  • Electricians (Except Industrial and Power System)
  • Plumbers (just 23 applications so far, while the cap is 500)
  • Welders and Related Machine Operators
  • Heavy-Duty Equipment Mechanics
  • Crane Operators
  • Drillers and Blasters – Surface Mining, Quarrying and Construction
  •  Supervisors, Oil and Gas Drilling and Services

To get the latest on the cap, visit the CIC page.

 

 

 

Traditionally, some of these trades, such as construction workers and plumbers, are ‘dominated’ by Italian and Portuguese who moved to Canada in the fifties to seventies, but most of them are on their way to retirement.

The advantage many Eastern European, and Southern and South Eastern European, skilled trades people will have is that they are perhaps the closest to understanding Canada’s building system, with its long, harsh winters and basements. In many warmer countries, the basement concept does not exist.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Canada Still Looking for These Immigrant Professionals

January 5, 2012

Are you a medical radiation technologist? Or a dental hygienist? Or are you a chef, or a crane operator?

Well, if you are, Canada is still looking for you.

Canada will be accepting 10,000 people (and their families) under its Federal Skilled Worker Program this year and there is a cap of 500 for each of the 29 professions listed for consideration for immigration.

And while the cap for some of the professions, such as restaurant and food services managers, biologists, pharmacists and registered nurses, has been reached as of Jan. 3, 2012, there are openings for many other sectors.

Those who fall into the sectors for which the cap has been reached can still apply, provided they can submit an employment offer.

Read Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) site on the list and the openings.

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New Opportunities in western Canada

January 3, 2012

Ever more immigrants to Canada are choosing non-traditional provinces such as Alberta and Manitoba in the west, or Nova Scotia in the east of the country, to settle.

The newcomers are choosing regions with better prospects for them and their families.

Recently, Canada’s premier English daily, the Globe and Mail, ran an article on how the province of Saskatchewan is benefiting from a shift in migratory movements.

 

Here is a snippet from the article:

Saskatoon bound: Newcomers lead westward shift

By ANNA MEHLER PAPERNY

Prairie province sees record immigration as the country’s economic centre of gravity shifts westward

When Bangladeshi-born Sayful Ahmed decided to come to Canada for a fresh start, he didn’t head to Vancouver, Toronto or Montreal.

He chose Saskatoon.

The city of 234,000 people, which has garnered a reputation for seeking newcomers and having plenty of work, was just too appealing to pass up.

“My friends live here, they said it’s a good place – for living, for job opportunities. …That’s why I chose Saskatoon,” said Mr. Ahmed, who arrived three weeks ago. “So far, so good.”

The booming Prairie province has become a magnet for migrants – from the Philippines, Ukraine, China, India and England.

(More)

 

 

 

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Some Answers on Super Visa

December 6, 2011

How does the new Canadian ‘Parent and Grandparent Super Visa’ look like? How long does it take for the Canadian visa office to issue such a visa? And what are the requirements?

The new Super Visa is still a hot issue, with many questions.

A Montreal-based immigration firm, Canadim, has some answers to your questions.

This is not an endorsement of the agency.

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Canadian Parent, Grandparent ‘Super Visa’ Launched

December 1, 2011

Canada’s new parent, grandparent Super Visa system for immigrant visitors came into effect today, December 1, 2011.

Under the system, parents or grandparents of Canadians or Canadian permanent residents could apply for the visa, which, if approved, will be granted for up to a ten year period.

If approved, the visa holders can stay in Canada up to two years.

They, through their sponsors in Canada, will have to prove they have health coverage during their stay in the country.

To apply, the applicants have to show the following:

  • They are a parent or grandparent of a Canadian citizen or permanent resident;
  • Provide written commitment of financial support for the sponsor;
  • Provide proof the sponsor meets the minimum income cut-off
  • Undergo the medical examination
  • Provide proof that they Canadian health insurance for at least a year.

 

The new visa system is part of the Canadian government’s strategy to bring down the immigration application backlog of hundreds of thousands in the ‘parent and grandparent’ category. There are almost 200,000 applications in this category, and every year about 35,000 apply, while the government approves about half of them.

Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) – the federal department overseeing the immigration desk – has, as part of the backlog reduction strategy, decided to increase the number of visas granted to 25,000 next year, but will cease accepting new applications for at least two years.

The Super Visa has in general earned praise from all sides of the immigration debate, particularly because it cuts the waiting time for parents and grandparents to unite with their families in Canada. But some have raised concerns whether they will be issued within weeks, as promised, or whether applicants will still have to wait for a longer period of time.

 

 

 

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More Money for Immigrant Settlement Help

November 29, 2011

 

The Canadian government will distribute almost 600 million dollars during 2012-2013 to all provinces outside the French-speaking province of Quebec to fund immigrant settlement programs.

But there is a general trend, with more money heading towards western and eastern Canada while central Canada, with the province of Ontario at its core, receiving less than in previous years.

According to federal Immigration Minister Jason Kenney, Ontario will be receiving 315 million dollars, down from 347 million dollars it received during the current fiscal year.

This is because recent data suggest more immigrants are heading western provinces like Alberta, Manitoba and Saskatchewan and the Atlantic Canada provinces in the east of the country.

The Minister’s office says that the number of immigrants coming to Ontario, with its capital Toronto and its suburbs at the core, has gone down from 64 percent in 2005 to 52-percent in 2010.

Ontario, which is still the most known province for immigrants, is not happy. The province’s immigration minister Charles Sousa is complaining that immigrants are not coming towards Ontario because of slower immigration application processing by the federal immigration officials.

However, federal immigration officials are denying this. One official was quoted as saying on average, an application filed under the Federal Skilled Worker class is processed within a year.

Some analysts point out that the problem might be lying with Ontario, with the province slacking off in attracting more immigrants.  The province has also has a longstanding issue of slower integration of skilled professionals such as accountants, engineers and architects.

Some suggest Ontario should take advantage of the Provincial Nominee Program (PNP), which gives the country’s individual provinces and territories to bring in immigrants who can fulfil local employment needs.

 

 

 

 

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New Legislation on Violent Criminals and Sponsorship

November 26, 2011

Canada is making it tougher for those convicted of violent crimes against family members or others from sponsoring any close relatives to the country.

Under new rules, which came into effect November 18th but were made public only on November 23, those convicted of causing, or intending to, cause bodily harm against a new, expanded list of family members will not be eligible for sponsorship for a maximum period of five years after the serving of the sentence.

For example, previously the list included close family members such as spouse, siblings, parents, dependent children or dependent children of the sponsor’s spouse.

The New, Expanded List

But the new list includes violence against sponsor’s ex-spouse and their children and even the spouse of their ex-partner’s siblings and parents.

For How Long?

The ban on sponsorship remains effective until the person is pardoned or acquitted on appeal in Canada, or where five years have passed since the completion of the sentence. For convictions outside Canada, a pardon is not applicable and in the instant where the applicant has spent five years since the completion of the sentence, he or she will also have to prove rehabilitation.

Why?

Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) – the federal department in charge of immigration issues – says it was a court decision that laid bare the weakness of the previous system that convinced the government to bring in the new changes.

In that decision, Minister of Citizenship and Immigration v. Brar – 2008 FC 1285, the country’s Supreme Court ruled that an Indian man convicted of murdering his brother’s wife could sponsor his own wife to Canada, because the sister-in-law was not covered by the previous list.

Fore more information on the expanded list, visit the relevant CIC site.

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Canadian Provincial Head Wants More Immigration Power

November 21, 2011
MP Jason Kenney of the Conservative Party fiel...

Immigration Minister Jason Kenney (Image via Wikipedia)

The head of one of Canada’s largest provinces wants the country’s federal government to cede more authority to local governments in making decisions related to immigration.

Christy Clark, Premier of British Columbia says that because provinces are in the frontline in understanding the local economic and social needs, they should have more power to determine immigration policies.

Currently, immigration policy in Canada is a federal matter, even though the provinces – which are the second level of government – have a say, particularly through the Provincial Nominee Program (PNP), which lets them choose the immigrants they need.

Clark wants a larger say in determining the cap on PNP, and is also calling for a rethink on the immigrant investor program.

But the federal government has been reluctant to hand over more powers. Federal immigration minister Jason Kenney has been quoted as saying that it will not be a responsible thing to do.

Besides, he has also pointed out that BC’s cap on the PNP increased tenfold, to 5000, between 2005 and now.

Recently, Kenney announced that the number of immigrants allowed through the PNP will increase from the estimated 36,000 this year, to between 42,000 and 45,000 in 2012.

 

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