British expats rate Canada top place to live in annual survey


Canada is tops for British expatriates, according to a survey by the UK's NatWest Bank.
For the third straight year, Canada has ranked No. 1 on the NatWest International Personal Banking Quality of Life Index, Reuters reports.
The fifth annual survey of 12 countries put Canada ahead of New Zealand, Australia, France and South Africa. Other rankings in order were Portugal, Spain, the United States, United Arab Emirates, Singapore, Hong Kong and China.
British expats valued Canada's natural beauty, multicultural society, universal health care and security.
"Our quality of life index - which examines expats real life perceptions and experiences and gauges their personal assessments - shows the global financial crisis has failed to
dampen the spirits of expats who seem to have adopted the 'keep calm, carry on' philosophy," Dave Isley, NatWest's head of international personal banking, told Reuters.
Emirates 24/7 reported 82 per cent of those surveyed ranked Canada as having the best quality of life experience. Some 88 per cent said our multicultural society was a factor, while 90 per cent mentioned healthcare and 96 per cent said Canada's human rights and freedoms allowed them to feel safe and secure.
Canada also topped NatWest's Well Being Index, which comprises six self-assessment categories: state of health, degree of prosperity, sense of belonging and acceptance, life satisfaction, sense of achievement and overall level of happiness.
"The quality of life factors that contributed to its number one spot in the rankings yet again range from the culture, standard of living, sense of belonging, work/life balance, equality of opportunity to the state of the economy and financial security," Isley said of Canada.
Despite the financial turmoil of the last few years, British expats in Australia, Canada and New Zealand reported their financial position had "improved significantly," said Reuters.
Those who left Britain for European sun spots are seeing their disposable income eroding as Euro-zone countries implement austerity measures, according to the index.
"Those who are most likely to return home are those who retired to France, Portugal and Spain as their disposable income diminishes and the cost of living rises," Isley said.

Why is Canada keeping out China’s rich?


 Mar 2, 2012 – 7:16 PM ET
TEH ENG KOON/AFP/Getty Images
TEH ENG KOON/AFP/Getty Images
Masses of wealthy Chinese, their money huddled in less-than-secure foreign assets, are yearning to breathe the free air of Canadian capitalism. But Canada doesn’t seem to want them much.
Brimming with the spoils of a historic economic expansion, Chinese millionaires by the tens of thousands wish to make Canada home for their families and their private wealth.
The Canadian immigration system has a program in place to grant rich foreigners permanent resident status, provided they first hand over a six-figure sum to the federal government.
By almost all accounts, that program is broken. It’s rife with delays, an enormous backlog of files and misallocation of funds — all providing fodder to critics who characterize the Federal Investor Immigrant Program (FIIP) as a cash-for-visa scheme that enriches banks while providing little benefit to the country.
Two years ago, the federal government suspended the program, then reinstated it with double the financial requirements and a cap on new applications of just 700 a year.
Would-be immigrants filed their submissions to an intake office in Sydney, N.S., beginning July 3. The quota was reportedly met soon after the office opened in the morning. Of the 700 applicants, 697 were from China. FIIP was then effectively shut down for another year.
Proponents of so-called “economic immigration” say Canada is forgoing billions in foreign capital and untold economic growth by limiting the intake of rich newcomers.
Canada approved 3,223 applications in 2010, representing a total of 11,715 people including children and spouses. That’s a paltry figure in the context of Canada’s annual immigration quota of 250,000, says Richard Kurland, a Vancouver-based immigration lawyer and policy analyst.
“It just makes sense to take their money and allow them to consume Canadian goods and services at a time we need it most,” Mr. Kurland said. “They’re buying houses, they’re buying cars, they’re buying consumer goods.” Just what finance ministers across the country are hoping consumers start doing more of.
The Li family (who asked that their real name not be published) is one example of instant economic benefit. Since arriving in Montreal through Quebec’s version of the immigrant investor program in 2005, the family purchased a home in a wealthy suburb of the city, enrolled their son in a private school, and acquired a hotel employing about 20 people.
“I was considering my son’s education and the fresh air, because he has asthma,” Ms. Li said.
Her concerns with pollution are shared by a growing number of Chinese elite, as are fears of political instability, and security of their assets.
“We worked very hard on our business and we earn every penny. I don’t want somebody to take it back,” she said, indicating the family made its money from a electrical component manufacturing business.
Poaching China’s wealthy is also a short-cut to establishing economic ties with China, said Louis Leblanc, head of immigrant investor programs at National Bank Financial.
“Canada being a resource-rich country dominated by exports, the beauty of this is that you’re creating golden bridges throughout the world with these wealthy families coming into Canada,” he said.
In limiting new FIIP applicants, the federal government cited a backlog of more than 15,000 files.
But those familiar with Canada’s economic immigration system say of equal concern is how immigrant money is distributed.
“The main issue is one of financial accountability,” Mr. Leblanc said. “It’s very hard to figure out how the money is used under the FIIP.”
The program requires applicants to prove net wealth of at least $1.6-million, in addition to an up front investment of $800,000 to the federal government, to be refunded after five years without interest. Ottawa then distributes that money to participating provinces, who are mandated with funding projects to create jobs and subsidize economic development.
The program generated about $680-million in 2010, about 40% of which went to Ontario, another 20% to British Columbia, and the rest to the other provinces and territories. The link between incoming foreign capital and funding for Canadian enterprises through the provinces is crucial to the rationale behind the program. But the provinces have struggled to find ways to appropriately invest this money.
“Some of the provinces aren’t really distributing it, they just hold it for five years,” Citizenship and Immigration Minister Jason Kenney said in an interview.
“Sometimes, they don’t even pretend to do anything with it. I think Ontario’s sitting on $80-million or more of investor immigrant funds. They haven’t even set up the pretense of a dedicated purpose for those funds,” he said.
Ontario says it has made recent improvements to its program, signing an agreement with Infrastructure Ontario, loaning the agency $149.2-million for 34 projects that generated almost 5,000 jobs. Another $34.7-million funded emerging technologies through the Innovation Development Fund.
Mr. Kenney called that use of funds “notional,” merely “offsetting their interest costs for five years for that money.”
That charge is one of many leveled by the program’s critics.
“I’m surprised they decided to cap it, it might be better to just end it,” said Jeffrey Reitz, a sociologist at the University of Toronto who focuses on immigration. “They’re basically buying visas. There’s little way around that. And I think it strikes people as inappropriate.
“That’s the reputation abroad, too. That this is a way the Canadian government allows rich people to buy their way in.”
Some of the program’s biggest supporters, meanwhile, are participating financial institutions, he explained. The $800,000 upfront loan flows through a facilitator — typically a Canadian bank — then on to the federal government. But the vast majority of investor immigrants opt for a financing program offered through the banks, which front the loan requirement. The immigrant pays the bank a fee, which can amount to $200,000 or more. “That’s the end of the obligation,” said David Cohen, an immigration lawyer based in Montreal. “The applicant never gets his money back. It cost him $200,000 to do this.” Banks also receive a commission on each file, from which agents overseas charged with finding candidates earn their own fee. “It’s a gold mine for the facilitators and for the agents,” Mr. Cohen said.
That system is partly to blame for the deluge of applications, Mr. Kenney said. As is the relatively low financial requirements. While he says he still sees merits to the investor immigrant program, the seemingly unlimited demand is indication that the program is still priced too low, he said.
“The program is underselling Canada.”
The failings of the federal program, however, shouldn’t stain economic immigration altogether, Mr. Cohen said. “There’s no reason to throw out the baby with the bath water.”
Quebec’s program, which operates independently of the federal program, and which isn’t subject to the cap, has established an effective system of distribution its immigrant loans. “It works,” Mr. Cohen said. “It’s one of the few programs that nobody bitches about in Quebec.” Through Investment Quebec, the banks recommends grants to companies with net assets under $35-million seeking help with projects to expand their business. The same kind of system could be applied federally through the Business Development Bank of Canada, he said. Reducing the federal backlog need not be a monumental problem, either.
Raising the financial requirements again or asking for a deposit could limit applicants to those serious about immigrating to Canada. Alternatively, the federal government could consider simply ignoring the backlog. Chinese millionaires with their minds set on Canada could reapply under heightened financial requirements.
“I can’t get excited about a backlog of millionaires, when they can easily access the front of the queue by paying current market value,” Mr. Kurland said.
Once the federal government fixes the program’s failings, it can capitalize on the economic potential of the elite exodus from China. A recent survey found that 60% of China’s U.S. dollar millionaires, now numbering almost one million, intended to or were in the process of emigrating.
“The day you’re convinced that passive economic immigration is of economic benefit, why cap it?” Mr. Leblanc said.
Undoubtedly, there are “millions of millionaires” eager to relocate to Canada, Mr. Kenney said. But their role is limited in countering skills shortages.
“Lending the government $800,000 for five years doesn’t respond to labour shortages and it doesn’t necessarily even respond to the broader demographic challenges,” he said.
But economic integration is becoming a global reality. More and more western countries are courting the wealthy of the developing world through their own programs, of which Canada is a pioneer. Already, the United States, Britain and another of other developed countries have already followed Canada’s lead.
Canada will lose out at its own game if it doesn’t get the FIIP in shape, Mr. Leblanc said.
“Over the next two years, you’ll have at least half a dozen new countries going after the very upwardly mobile wealthy individuals who want access to new citizenship.”

Will changes to immigration policy help employers fill vacant jobs and be of net benefit to Canada?


TORONTOMarch 1, 2012 /CNW/ - The federal government is proposing sweeping changes to the immigration system, including elevating the role of employers in selecting new Canadians.  Citizenship and Immigration MinisterJason Kenney is advocating for a system that would emphasize language skills, youth and a new economic stream for trades people, who are frequently overlooked. Some of the proposed changes to the Canadian system are based on an Australian model that includes pre-assessment of skills, which determines if candidates match available jobs.
Rowan O'Grady, President of Hays Canada, a national recruitment consultancy, is available to comment on how these changes will affect employment in Canada. He can speak to a number of related issues including:
  • How giving more priority to employers in determining who qualifies for entry into Canada, and the proposed "expression of interest" program will help fill vacant roles. The current system creates an imbalance between whoCanada approves and realistic job prospects -meaningful change can help address this.
  • Why including trades people can help, but not if Canada devalues the role of educated, high-income skilled candidates who play a significant role in spurring economic activityCanada is experiencing a high-income skills labour shortage, and must do more to ensure we are successful in competing for the global war for talent.
  • How the Australian model works, and why implementing some of their policies can help improve access to skilled candidates.
About Hays Canada:
Hays Specialist Recruitment Canada is a wholly owned subsidiary of Hays plc, which has been at the forefront of the global recruitment industry for over 35 years. Hays is a leader in specialist recruitment in Canada and Australia. With annual revenues of over £2.1 billion, Hays Specialist Recruitment is the largest specialist recruitment consultancy in the world.
For further information:
To arrange an interview please contact:
Kieran Lawler
Media Profile
Direct: 416-342-1823
Mobile: 416-303-0799
kieran.lawler@mediaprofile.com

Employers could bump up prospects in immigration overhaul Read more: http://www.ctv.ca/CTVNews/Canada/20120301/immigration-overhaul-120201/#ixzz1o0ZAIySV


Date: Thu. Mar. 1 2012 4:25 PM ET
Immigration Minister Jason Kenney outlined his vision Thursday for a faster immigration system that would allow employers a greater say in selecting new Canadians.
"Immigration is playing an increasingly important role in our economy and we need a system that does a better job of attracting the people who have the skills that are in demand and getting them here quickly," Kenney said in the keynote address to the National Metropolis Conference in Toronto. "We have made some great strides towards an immigration system that is fast and flexible, but know that there is more work to do."
Kenney's plan would see employers have the ability hand-pick potential immigrants and bring them to the front of the line.
Kenney says he plans to redesign the immigration point system to be more flexible and place greater emphasis on language ability and youth.
For example, Kenney said, the language requirement for a foreign doctor would be different than that of a welder.
Kenney said Canada has to do a better job of attracting entrepreneurs, noting that in the U.S., half of the top 50 venture-capital backed companies were founded by immigrants.
He also promised to relieve pressure on the backlog in the system, as there are wait times of up to seven years in some categories.
"It makes no sense to tell people 'apply now, but put your life on hold for a few years before we'll even let you know if you qualify,'" Kenney said. "I will continue to make changes to create a faster, more flexible immigration system. Canadians need and deserve a system that boldly puts Canada's best interests first."


Read more: http://www.ctv.ca/CTVNews/Canada/20120301/immigration-overhaul-120201/#ixzz1o0ZGe21P

By Tobi Cohen


OTTAWA — The federal government is introducing a five-year sponsorship bar to crack down on bogus marriages of convenience.
Immigration Minister Jason Kenney announced Friday that starting immediately, spouses will have to wait five years from the day they are granted permanent residence status in Canada before they can sponsor a new spouse.
The move is meant to prevent people from fraudulently marrying Canadians for the purposes of immigration only to leave them and then sponsor a new partner while their Canadian spouse is still financially responsible for them for three years.
“I held town hall meetings across the country to hear from victims of marriage fraud,” said Kenney, who made the announcement in Brampton, Ont., just west of Toronto.
“In addition to the heartbreak and pain that came from being lied to and deceived, these people were angry. They felt they had been used as a way to get to Canada. We’re taking action because immigration to Canada should not be built upon deceit.”
The move comes less than two years after the Conservatives promised to tackle marriage fraud. In the fall of 2010, the government held online consultations to gather public opinion and ideas on how to address the issue.
The idea of a five-year sponsorship bar was proposed in the Canada Gazette last April and was followed by a 30-day public comment period.
It also comes just weeks after outspoken Ottawa victim Lainie Towell’s ex-husband was, after a three-year fight, finally deported to his native Guinea after walking out on her just three weeks after they exchanged vows.
The measure officially came into force on Friday and is just one of several actions the government is considering.
Public consultations will begin in the coming weeks on a proposed conditional permanent-residence provision that would deter people in newer relationships from attempting to gain quick entry to Canada when they have no plans to remain with their sponsoring partner.
According to the proposal first published in the Canada Gazette last spring, the sponsored partner in a marriage or common-law relationship of fewer than two years would be subject to a conditional two-year period of permanent residence.
The measure would bring Canada in line with other countries, such as the United States, the United Kingdom and Australia, which have similar policies.

Minister Kenney Introduces Sponsorship Restriction to Address Marriage Fraud


TORONTO, ONTARIO, Mar 02, 2012 (MARKETWIRE via COMTEX) -- The Government of Canada has put in place a bar on sponsorship in an ongoing effort to deter people from using a marriage of convenience to come to Canada, Citizenship, Immigration and Multiculturalism Minister Jason Kenney announced today.
Regulatory changes now in force mean sponsored spouses or partners will have to wait five years from the day they are granted permanent residence status in Canada to sponsor a new spouse or partner. Until now, a sponsored spouse or partner arriving in Canada as a permanent resident could leave their sponsor and sponsor another spouse or partner themselves, while their original sponsor was still financially responsible for them for up to three years.
"I held town hall meetings across the country to hear from victims of marriage fraud," said Minister Kenney. "In addition to the heartbreak and pain that came from being lied to and deceived, these people were angry. They felt they had been used as a way to get to Canada. We're taking action because immigration to Canada should not be built upon deceit."
Minister Kenney was joined by representatives of Canadians Against Immigration Fraud (CAIF) at today's announcement.
"We welcome the steps taken by the Honourable Jason Kenney to stop marriage fraud," said Sam S. Benet, President of CAIF. "These measures will definitely protect the integrity of our immigration system."
Spousal sponsorship is open to abuse when a person enters into a relationship - such as a marriage or a common law partnership - in order to circumvent Canada's immigration law. Concerned with the problem, the Minister held online consultations in the fall of 2010 to gather public opinion and ideas on how to best address marriage fraud.
"Many of the people who took part in the consultations made it abundantly clear that marriage fraud poses a significant threat to our immigration system," added Minister Kenney. "Our government has listened to the victims of marriage fraud and all Canadians, and acted to crack down on those who engage in fraud and abuse Canadians' generosity and our immigration system."
Barring such sponsorships is consistent with similar restrictions imposed by Australia, New Zealand and the United States.
The proposal for a five-year sponsorship bar was prepublished in the Canada Gazette on April 2, 2011, and was open for a 30-day public comment period. The changes coming into force today, March 2, are posted on Citizenship and Immigration Canada's website and will be published in Part II of the Canada Gazette on March 14, 2012.
To show it is serious about cracking down on marriage fraud, CIC is taking a number of steps to deter it. For example, in addition to the sponsorship bar, further public consultations are also expected to begin in the coming weeks on a proposed conditional permanent residence measure. A Notice of Intent proposing the development of this conditional measure was published in the Canada Gazette on March 26, 2011. The measure aims to deter people in newer relationships from using their relationship to gain quick entry to Canada as permanent residents when they have no intention of staying with their sponsor.
In addition, legislation to crack down on crooked consultants came into force in June 2011 and last spring, CIC launched an anti-fraud campaign, which will be relaunched this month. This includes a short video warning people not to be duped into committing marriage fraud. The video directs people to a special link on the CIC website ( www.cic.gc.ca/antifraud ) to find out how to immigrate to Canada the right way.
A photograph of Minister Kenney will be available later today at www.cic.gc.ca/english/department/media/photos/high-res/index.asp .
Follow us on Twitter at www.twitter.com/CitImmCanada .
Building a stronger Canada: Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) strengthens Canada's economic, social and cultural prosperity, helping ensure Canadian safety and security while managing one of the largest and most generous immigration programs in the world.
        
        Contacts:
        Citizenship and Immigration Canada
        Minister's Office
        Candice Malcolm
        613-954-1064
        
        Citizenship and Immigration Canada
        Communications Branch
        Media Relations
        613-952-1650
        CIC-Media-Relations@cic.gc.ca
        
        
        


SOURCE: Citizenship and Immigration Canada

Ontario Developing 'First-ever' Immigration Strategy


To help build a stronger economy, Ontario will develop its first-ever immigration strategy.
A new expert roundtable, led by Julia Deans, will help develop the strategy and examine ways that immigration can best support Ontario's economic development and help new Ontarians find jobs.
Ontario remains the number one destination for newcomers to Canada yet it is the only province currently without an immigration agreement with the federal government. The new provincial immigration strategy will help to inform and shape discussions with the federal government towards an agreement.
Skilled new Ontarians are fundamental to our economic future. That's why the McGuinty government is calling on the federal government to share responsibility for immigration so that Ontario and Canada can continue to grow stronger together.

QUICK FACTS

 
  • Ontario receives more immigrants than all the Western provinces, all the Atlantic provinces and the three territories combined.
  • Newcomers make up 30 per cent of Ontario's labour force.
  • In 2001, the Federal Skilled Workers Program accounted for 77 per cent of economic landings to Canada. By 2010, that number had fallen to 46 per cent. More than 60 per cent of these newcomers have historically landed in Ontario.
  • The Federal Skilled Workers Program has a current backlog of over 300,000 applicants - many of whom want to come to Ontario.
  • The roundtable will consist of business people, employers, academics and other experts within the field of immigration and labour market needs.
  • The roundtable will provide its recommendations to the government in summer 2012.

Ottawa to tighten spousal immigration sponsorship rules


Date: Friday Mar. 2, 2012 3:23 PM ET
In a move intended to crack down on bogus marriages, Ottawa has increased the length of time that a sponsored immigrant can turn around and sponsor a new partner.
The new rules take effect immediately and are meant to prevent people from fraudulently marrying Canadians to get into the country, only to turn around and leave that sponsor to bring in another spouse.
Canadians who sponsor immigrants are financially responsible for them for three years. Under the new rules, a spouse must wait five years from the day they are granted permanent residence status in Canada before they can sponsor a new spouse.
"I held town hall meetings across the country to hear from victims of marriage fraud," said Citizen and Immigration Minister Jason Kenney in a statement. The minister made the announcement Friday in Brampton, Ont.
"In addition to the heartbreak and pain that came from being lied to and deceived, these people were angry. They felt they had been used as a way to get to Canada. We're taking action because immigration to Canada should not be built upon deceit."
The minister was not immediately available for a comment.
The rule changes are in line with United States, Australia and the United Kingdom which have waiting periods of two to three years before a sponsored spouse could be come a permanent resident of Canada.
Kenney has long promised to tackle marriage fraud. Two years ago, Ottawa held online consultations to solicit public opinion on the issue.
The new measures come just weeks after Ottawa resident Lainie Towell's ex-husband was deported to his native Guinea. Towell's husband left her nearly one year after they exchanged vows in Guinea and four weeks after he arrived in Canada as Towell's sponsored spouse.


Read more: http://www.ctv.ca/CTVNews/Politics/20120302/spousal-sponsorship-rule-changes-120302/#ixzz1o0Uk6700

A new immigration point system for Canada starts in 2012


A revised points-based selection grid will be introduced to favour young immigrants with strong language skills, says federal Immigration Minister Jason Kenney.
Prospective immigrants in licensed professions will need to be pre-assessed to ensure they are likely to get certification in Canada before their applications are processed, Kenney said in Toronto at the annual gathering of Metropolis, an immigration research network that is about to lose its federal funding.
Currently, immigration applicants can skirt the mandatory language requirement by entering through the Provincial Nominee Program, which allows provinces to select immigrants with job offers from local employers.
Under the new grid, to be introduced by the end of the year, Kenney said provincial nominees will face a higher bar as well, because research has shown that language proficiency enhances social and economic integration in the long run.
“We must make better choices. We must select immigrants who have the skills and traits we know will lead to their success, and qualifications that are already recognized in Canada, or can be recognized in a short time,” he said.
While the federal government does not plan to require spouses of applicants in the federal skilled worker program to undergo language tests, Kenney said they will be awarded more points if their spouses are proficient in English or French.
Calling the revised system “more flexible and intelligent,” Kenney said a welder with a job offer in Prince George would not face the same expectations with regard to language skills as someone expecting to work as a physician.
Plans are also underway to change the federal immigration programs for entrepreneurs and investors, though Kenney gave few details.
“In the United States, half of the top 50 venture-capital backed companies are founded by immigrants. We do not nearly do as well in Canada. We must do a better job attracting entrepreneurs and investors to Canada,” he said.
Meanwhile, Kenney said Canada will continue to offer protection to refugees and the family reunification program.
“I strongly believe that economic integration is the best path to social integration,” he said. If new Canadians can maximize their contribution to the labour market, social integration will quickly follow.”
Torstar News Service

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