Immigration Canada: Manitoba

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Canada to Hire 8,000 Filipinos

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By SAMUEL MEDENILLA

September 22, 2010, 11:26am

MANILA, Philippines — The Canadian province of Manitoba will be hiring about 8,000 Filipino workers annually starting this year until 2016, the Department of Labor and Employment (DoLE) said on Tuesday, during a signing of a renewed agreement with Canadian dignitaries at Makati City.
The overseas Filipino workers (OFW) will compose about 40 percent of the 20,000 job requirements, which the local government of Manitoba plans to fill by 2016 due to its expanding markets. The remaining 60 percent of the job orders will be sourced out to other countries like Germany, India, China, Korea, Israel, and Ukraine.
Among the jobs which are in demand in Manitoba are in the field of finance, construction, manufacturing, mining, health, agriculture, and hotel and restaurant.
“We hope that the memorandum of understanding (MoU) will increase the protection of Filipino workers being deployed to Manitoba, and facilitate their recruitment and hiring process, which in turn would enable the Philippines to get a bigger share of the projected demand of Manitoba,” Labor and Employment Rosalinda Baldoz said in a statement.
Aside from the job order, the MoU, which was first signed in 2008, will also focus on the skills assessment of OFWs which will be deployed in Canada, promote their welfare, and speed up the processing of their visas.
“Our governments have worked together over the past two and a half years to make it easier and safer for skilled Filipinos workers to find jobs and settle in Manitoba and we look forward to continuing this important partnership, Province of Manitoba Premier Greg Selinger said in a statement.
Assistant Deputy Minister of Manitoba Labor Immigration Ben Rempel said that the Canadian government gave particular preference to Filipino immigrants since they already have the necessary skill requirements. Another factor was the existence of a large Filipino community in Manitoba, which will be able to assist new Filipino immigrants during their period of adjustment in Canada.
“You have workers who speak English and are adaptable to working in the international environment. So I think the Filipinos will remain very well positioned to take advantage of the economic opportunities that are starting to rebound in our jurisdictions like in Manitoba,” Rempel said.
Rempel said that aside from having the lowest unemployment rate and highest employment of immigrants, Manitoba also has the most advanced legislation protecting the rights of its laborers, which will be attractive for OFWs.
“Workers from the Philippines will know when they are offered a contract by Manitoba employer that contract will be honored,” Rempel said.

RP, Manitoba renew OFW deployment agreement

The flag of the Canadian province of Manitoba,...

Image via WikipediaProspective overseas Filipino workers in Canada – especially those in health, agricultural production, hotel and restaurant, and construction – stand to benefit from a renewed labor agreement between the Philippines and the Canadian province of Manitoba.

Department of Labor (DOLE) Secretary Rosalinda Baldoz signed the renewed Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Manitoba's Department of Labour and Immigration (LIM).

“This MOU is closely aligned to the overarching goal of President Benigno S. Aquino III to invest and develop our human resources to make us more competitive and employable. It is also in line with the 22-point labor and employment agenda which, among others, calls for expanded protection of our OFWs," Baldoz said in an article on the DOLE website, after the signing.

Baldoz said that with the new RP-Manitoba agreement and the improving world economy, more OFWs may be deployed to Manitoba starting this year.

She said Filipino workers from the health, agricultural production, hotel, and restaurant and construction sectors will continue to be in demand in Manitoba.

“We hope that the MOU will result not only to the increased protection of Filipino workers being deployed to Manitoba, but more importantly, to the facilitation of the recruitment and hiring process, which in turn would enable the Philippines to get a bigger share of the projected demand of Manitoba for approximately 20,000 workers by 2016," Baldoz said.

Baldoz signed the agreement for the Philippines while Premier Greg Selinger signed on behalf of Manitoba.

Selinger flew in to Manila to sign the MOU and to lead a delegation seeking to explore trade, investment, and cultural cooperation with the Philippines.

The renewed agreement is a follow-through of the initial MOU signed by the DOLE and Manitoba in 2008.

It provides a framework for the partnership and collaboration between the Philippines and Manitoba in the recruitment and deployment of skilled OFWs to Manitoba, in their protection, and in the further development of human resources.

Baldoz said that with the MOU, the recruitment and deployment of OFWs for Manitoba that began in 2008 will be sustained, adding it is a testimony to the continued preference of Manitoba employers for OFWs.

Under the MOU, both parties will work together to enable Filipino workers to enter Manitoba under a process that is effective and clearly communicated to employers and workers alike.

The shared priorities for collaboration and cooperation under the new MOU are:

Ensure that the need of Manitoba employers for Filipino workers with appropriate skills are met through training and credential-recognition activities;
Expedite the approval of selected workers for employment opportunities in Manitoba, including efforts to support the work of the Canadian visa office in Manila it the processing of worker workers’ permits and visas;
Promote sound, ethical, and equitable recruitment and employment practices;
Share information to support initiatives, subject to privacy laws of the Government of the Republic of the Philippines and the Government of Manitoba, Canada; and
On prior agreement, explore the role for the International Organization for Migration to support the foregoing initiatives.

Both parties also agree to regularly determine other priority areas for collaboration and cooperation.

Under the RP-Manitoba agreement, 91 OFWs were deployed to the Canadian province in 2008. Deployment rose to 162 in 2009, 44 percent higher than the 2008 deployment.

Of the total deployed in 2009, 61 percent were nurses, 23 percent were production workers, and 16 percent were service workers.

In pursuing the areas of collaboration and cooperation under the MOU the DOLE and the LIM agree to act in compliance with their respective laws and regulations.

These include the Employment Standards Code, the Worker Recruitment and Protection Act, and the Workplace Safety and Health Act on the part of Manitoba; and the Philippine Labor Code, as amended, and the 2002 POEA Rules and Regulations Governing the Recruitment and Employment of Land-Based Overseas Workers implementing R. A. 8042, as well as amendments to such legislation on the part of the Philippines. — LBG/RSJ, GMANews.TV

20,000 jobs in the works in Canada

Image via WikipediaTHE Department of Labor and Employment yesterday announced that there are 20,000 jobs available in the Canadian province of Manitoba until 2016 following the signing of a memorandum of understanding with Canada’s Department of Labour and Immigration.
Labor Secretary Rosalinda Baldoz said aside from increasing employment opportunities, the MOU also aims to strengthen areas of cooperation in the fields of ethical and safe employment.
She said with the new RP-Manitoba agreement, the recruitment and deployment of OFWs to Manitoba that began in 2008 will be sustained.
DOLE records showed 91 OFWs were deployed to Manitoba in 2008, the year when RP signed a first MOU.
The figure rose to 162 in 2009 with 61 percent employed as nurses, 23 percent as production workers, and 16 percent as service workers.
Manitoba has an area of 649,950 square kilometers. It has over 110,000 lakes and has a largely continental climate because of its flat topography. Agriculture, mostly concentrated in the fertile southern and western parts of the province, is vital to the province’s economy; other major industries are transportation, manufacturing, mining, forestry, energy, and tourism. – Gerard Naval

Funding announced to help immigrants integrate

Births and immigration in Canada from 1850 to 2000

Image via WikipediaThe province is partnering with Ottawa and the Association of Canadian Community Colleges (ACCC) on a new initiative to better prepare immigrants from China and the Philippines for life in Canada.
The new program was announced early today by Premier Greg Selinger, who is travelling in China, and federal Immigration and Multiculturalism Minister Jason Kenney.
Selinger said in an telephone interview Tuesday the new immigration program will better prepare immigrants for not only what to expect when they first arrive, but to channel them into jobs sooner.
"We have an obligation to prepare them for success," Selinger said. "They're coming because Canada has a good reputation in China. It's a safe place to live and they feel they're going to be welcomed."
Many families also come to Canada to see their children get a solid education in our country's universities and colleges, he added.
The pilot program will provide Manitoba nominees in China and the Philippines with pre-arrival settlement orientation and labour-market preparation services. These services will include the development of a career plan based on Manitoba-specific labour-market information and guidance on qualifications recognition procedures. It will then be adapted for provincial nominees destined to other provincial jurisdictions as well as for Manitoba nominees in other parts of the world.
These new services for provincial nominees will be delivered through Phase 2 of the Canadian Immigrant Integration Program (CIIP), funded through a $15-million contribution agreement from Citizenship and Immigration Canada.
"Pre-arrival services are an essential part of our strategy to help newcomers succeed. ACCC's partnership with Manitoba to create province-specific CIIP information and services is an important step in our commitment to prepare immigrants before they arrive in Canada," said Kenney. "This pilot demonstrates our aim to meet specific needs of newcomers destined for provinces across the country."
"ACCC members play a vital role in the economic integration of newcomers in Canada," said James Knight, president and CEO of ACCC. "Through ACCC's overseas offices, they are also providing pre-arrival advice to federal skilled workers in their country of origin. Red River College has been delivering this service for three years and is now working with ACCC and the Manitoba government to develop overseas pre-arrival services for provincial nominees."
Before arriving in Canada, nominees will also have access to Manitoba's successful English online language program, which provides language training using Manitoba specific scenarios. Students will be able to interact with adult English-as-an-additional-language teachers based in Manitoba, who will provide one-on-one guidance throughout the student's training.
The initiative will begin in November with approximately 40 Manitoba nominees. CIIP services for provincial nominees will be available at all CIIP locations in the coming year.
Selinger is in China to also drum up more business for the CentrePort development at Winnipeg's airport and to lure more tourists to the province.

Source: Winnipeg Free Press

Immigration pilot program tested in Manitoba

Manitoba Legislature, meeting place of the Leg...

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The Manitoba government is piloting a Canadian program designed to help new immigrants get a strong start when they arrive in the province.
Premier Greg Selinger made the announcement in Beijing Tuesday, where he is on a trade and tourism mission with Lt-Gov. Philip Lee.
The pilot program will offer immigrants from China and the Philippines a "pre-arrival" orientation to help people plan their training and employment before touching down in Manitoba, Selinger said.

'The more informed and prepared immigrants are before they arrive, the more likely they are to achieve their career goals and contribute to Manitoba's economic growth.'—Manitoba Premier Greg Selinger

The service, provided through the provincial nominee program, will include a career plan based on labour-market information and out-of-country job and education qualifications.
Qualified immigrants will also have access to Manitoba's English Online language program that provides facilitated English-language training using Manitoba-specific scenarios.
Students will be able to interact with language teachers based in Manitoba, who will provide one-on-one guidance throughout the student's training.
"Manitoba is dedicated to providing more supports to assist provincial nominees to begin their employment and settlement planning before they arrive in our province," said Selinger.
"The more informed and prepared immigrants are before they arrive, the more likely they are to achieve their career goals and contribute to Manitoba's economic growth."
The $15-million program is being funded by Citizenship and Immigration Canada.
If proven successful, the program will then be adapted for provincial nominees destined for other provincial jurisdictions, federal Citizenship, Immigration and Multiculturalism Minister Jason Kenney stated in a news release.
"This pilot demonstrates our aim to meet specific needs of newcomers destined for provinces across the country," he said.
The initiative will begin in November with approximately 40 Manitoba nominees.

Alberta wins battle to bring in more foreign workers.

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By Jason Fekete, Calgary Herald
The federal Conservative government has acquiesced to provincial demands -- including from Alberta -- to ease its restrictions on the number of immigrants that can permanently reside in the provinces each year.
Ottawa controls the number of permanent immigrants that can annually settle across Canada through the provincial nominee program, with the current cap at 4,400 in Alberta -- well short of the 5,000 Alberta had requested this year.
Wild Rose Country and other western provinces have been lobbying the Harper government for months to scrap its plans to impose a lower cap on the number of immigrants arriving through the nominee program. Rather, the provinces have been urging Ottawa to ratchet up the number of workers they can nominate to the federal government to bring to their jurisdictions to fill permanent jobs.
Federal officials initially indicated in June the provinces wouldn't receive as many nominees as hoped, but announced Tuesday they will increase the numbers after reviewing their case loads and immigration targets for the year.
The additional nominees are critical to sustaining the short-term economic turnaround as well as long-term growth, said Alberta Immigration Minister Thomas Lukaszuk.
" It would be a move in the right direction," Lukaszuk said about the federal decision. "We will be seeing more and more permanent labour shortages. We have to look to immigration towards solving this problem."
Lukaszuk said he believes the provincial nominee program is the best solution because immigrants can only apply if they have a guaranteed job that employers have shown cannot be filled by Alberta workers.
The approach ensures new immigrants landing in Alberta are paying taxes and contributing to society, rather than tapping already strained social assistance programs.
"We believe we should have some degree of determination of what immigrants we bring here," he said.
Federal Immigration Minister Jason Kenney is travelling in Europe and wasn't available for comment.
But Alykhan Velshi, the minister's director of communications, said the federal government has heard the provinces' concerns and will increase the numbers beyond what was originally promised earlier this year.
Alberta will now receive 5,000 provincial nominees this year (up from the 4,400 initially approved), which is a large increase from the 4,200 last year and 2,800 two years ago. B.C. will now receive 3,500 provincial nominees (an increase from the promised 3,200); Saskatchewan has been allocated 4,000 (up from 3,700) and Manitoba will get 5,000 (increased from 4,600).
Alberta received the largest increase of any of the provinces, Velshi noted, which reflects Kenney's recognition of how important the program is to the Alberta economy.
Alberta and the other provinces were initially promised a smaller number because the federal government is trying to sharply improve processing wait times for immigrants, temporary foreign workers and foreign students. It also must balance the provincial nominees with the number of immigrants allowed through the Federal Skilled Worker Program (which assess applicants based on a points system), he said.
Citizenship and Immigration Canada initially set a target of allowing between 240,000 and 265,000 immigrants into the country this year, with the agency usually hitting the midpoint. However, CIC now expects to reach the top end of its target, which is helping accommodate more provincial nominees.
"There are other categories that we have to pay attention to. There are trade-offs," Velshi said.
Back in Alberta, Lukaszuk noted the 5,000 is just a start and still doesn't address Alberta's long-term economic and immigration needs.
Lukaszuk favours the permanent provincial nominee program over attracting temporary foreign workers -- which reached about 60,000 in the province during the boom -- who can often be sent back and forth between Alberta and their home country depending on demand.
"I'm not a big fan of shipping workers in and out, in and out," he said.
Social agencies and the food services industry welcomed the federal government's decision to increase the number of provincial nominees.
Despite the higher unemployment rates in Canada over the past two years, there's still not enough workers to fill jobs in many different sectors, they noted.
" We're looking at a problem that is long term," said Enayat Aminzadah, director of operations and resource development with Immigrant Services Calgary. "It's a great way to strengthen our workforce."
The additional immigrants shouldn't be seen as a "threat" to Albertans also looking for a job, he stressed, because there's clearly a need for the workers both now and in the coming years. Also, nominees are only approved if they have a permanent job offer, Aminzadah said.
The Canadian Restaurant and Foodservices Association applauded the federal decision, saying their sector desperately needs additional workers across the western provinces.
"It's a big issue and a lot of our members are concerned," said Mark von Schellwitz, western vice-president with the CRFA. "That is really welcome news."
jfekete@theherald.canwest.com

Record number of workers in Saskatchewan: Statistics Canada

Galleria Building at Innovation Place Research...

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A record number of people are working in Saskatchewan.
According to Statistics Canada, 539,700 people were working in the province in June, and increase of 4,100 from June 2009.
Saskatchewan’s unemployment rate of 5.5 per cent is the second lowest in Canada. Manitoba holds the lowest at 5.3 per cent. The national average is 7.9 per cent.
Advanced Education, Employment and Immigration Minister Rob Norris says record population and employment shows Saskatchewan is still the place to be for people looking for work.
“Looking forward, we continue to see economic forecasters placing Saskatchewan among the nation’s leaders this year and beyond,” Norris said in a news release.
Regina’s unemployment rate of 4.3 per cent is the lowest among major Canadian cities. Saskatoon is fourth-lowest at 5.8 per cent.

Source: GlobalTV.com

Manitoba immigration program a huge success

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More Than 13,500 People Chose to Settle in Manitoba in 2009 Under Province's Immigration Initiative: Selinger

The province's successful immigration program has attracted the highest number of new Manitobans since the start of modern record keeping in 1946, Premier Greg Selinger announced today.

"Manitoba's immigration initiative has been very successful, not only because more and more newcomers are coming to Manitoba, but because the settlement and language-training assistance being offered are helping them succeed," said Selinger. "Evidence consistently demonstrates that Manitoba's immigrants experience one of the highest employment rates and lowest unemployment rates in Canada."

Manitoba welcomed 13,520 immigrants in 2009, an increase of more than 20 per cent from 2008 when 11,218 people settled in the province, surpassing the previous record of 11,614 in 1957. Prior to 1946, Canada's immigration records were not broken down by individual provinces.

Preliminary figures also show that Winnipeg received nearly 10,000 immigrants in 2009, more than Edmonton, Ottawa and Hamilton and more than Quebec City, Regina, Saskatoon, Victoria, Fredericton and Red Deer combined. Manitoba regional communities also welcomed more immigrants in 2009.

Compared with 2008, Manitoba provincial nominees increased by 27 per cent, with more than 75 per cent of permanent residents coming through the Provincial Nominee Program. In 2009, the majority of immigrants came from the Philippines, Germany, China, India and Israel.

Preliminary figures also show that Manitoba received 3,214 immigrants in the first three months of 2010, an increase of 11.9 per cent over the same period last year.

Today's announcement was made at the offices of the ENTRY program, an orientation and language program for newcomers. The program was launched by the province in 2004 and is the first place for new immigrants to learn about living in Manitoba, said the premier.

Selinger also announced $415,546 in additional funding for ENTRY to support increased participation in the program. Participation increased to 4,131 students in 2009 from 1,390 in 2005. The new funding will bring total support to ENTRY to nearly $1.4 million in 2010-11, a 42 per cent increase over the previous year.

"Manitoba is making tremendous strides in increasing its population through immigration," said Selinger. "Looking past the numbers, you also see the real success of our immigration initiatives and the positive effects newcomers are having on our economy and communities."

Immigration Canada

Canada to Hire 8,000 Filipinos

RP, Manitoba renew OFW deployment agreement

20,000 jobs in the works in Canada

Funding announced to help immigrants integrate

Immigration pilot program tested in Manitoba

Alberta wins battle to bring in more foreign workers.

Record number of workers in Saskatchewan: Statistics Canada

Manitoba immigration program a huge success

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