Which Canadian company's brand has the strongest reputation among shoppers?
Recently, Canadian Business magazine and Reputation Institute teamed up to compile a survey of Canadians' favourite companies in 2011. The survey is based on corporate governance, innovation, workplace environment, innovation, products and other factors.
The survey also evaluates a company's brand value in the minds of consumers.
The following are the top 25 finishers in the survey.
Vancouver may be the "nicest" city, according to a new survey, but when it comes to livability, major cities in la belle province take top marks.
The recent study commissioned by the Montreal-based Association for Canadian Studies found Quebec City and Montreal outrank other cities in Canada when it comes to cost of living, culture, shopping and meeting people.
According to the survey, a quarter of Quebec City residents said the cost of living in their city was excellent, while another 70 per cent described it as good.
Montreal came second in the category with 16 per cent describing it as excellent and 65 per cent saying it was good.
While an earlier Postmedia News report indicated that a quarter of all Canadians had chosen Vancouver as the overall "nicest city in Canada," association executive director Jack Jedwab said it ranked dead last when it came to cost of living, with 57 per cent of respondents describing it as poor.
"There's a funny phenomenon in Vancouver, there's not a lot of people in the middle," he said, noting few Vancouverites described the lost of living as good, let along excellent.
"It's as though there's a big income split in that city. That's what I would think explains that discrepancy."
The Greater Toronto Area, Edmonton and Calgary rounded out the list of least affordable cities to live.
When it came to cultural activities, more than 95 per cent of Montreal and Quebec City residents rated theirs as excellent or good and they were also the most likely to describe their cities as excellent places to meet people and make friends.
Meanwhile, a fifth of Ottawa residents said their city was a bad place to meet people and make friends.
Montreal also earned top marks for shopping with 67 per cent describing it as excellent, followed by Edmonton at 62 per cent, Calgary at 51 per cent and Quebec City at 49 per cent.
People in Toronto (15 per cent), Calgary (14 per cent) and Edmonton (13 per cent) were among the most likely to describe their cities as lousy places to take in cultural activities.
On the subject of job opportunities, Calgarians were most satisfied, with half describing them as excellent and more than a third describing them as good. Quebec City came a close second with 47.6 per cent saying excellent but another 42.9 per cent describing them as good.
A whopping 36 per cent of Torontonians rated job opportunities in their city as poor, followed by 29 per cent of Ottawa residents and 25 per cent of Vancouver residents.
While all Quebec City residents described their city as either excellent or good for raising children — taking the top spot among seven cities — Jedwab was surprised to find Montreal at the bottom of the list in this category.
Despite the province's much touted $7-a-day child care program and overall commitment to children and youth, just 23 per cent of Montreal residents said their city was an excellent place to raise kids.
Some 61 per cent said it was good but more than 16 per cent described it as poor — the largest number of any city.
Quebec City, Vancouver, Ottawa and Montreal earned top marks for recreation and outdoor activity, while Toronto, Quebec City and Vancouver did well for climate.
"I think overall, Toronto is not a big winner on this thing if we're going to look for some big winner," Jedwab concluded.
"Montreal, I think, comes across fairly strong in this. Vancouver still does reasonably well, it is just clearly a very pricey place to live. Beauty comes at a cost."
The survey of 1,513 Canadians was conducted last month via web panel by Leger Marketing. An equivalent telephone survey would have a margin of error of 2.9 percentage points, 19 times out of 20.
It's not a baby boom. It's not even enough to replace our own numbers. But more so than other parts of the developed world, Canadian women are becoming moms.
The number of births in Canada rose in 2008 for the sixth consecutive year, according to data released Wednesday.
In 2008, there were 377,886 live births in Canada. That number reflects a rise in every province and territory other than the Northwest Territories.
The rise in births seems to be slowing down, however, with a 2.7% increase in 2008, down from rises of 3.6% and 3.7% in the previous two years, Statistics Canada said.
That reflects a total fertility rate in 2008 of 1.68 children per woman - the highest total fertility rate on record since 1992, when it was 1.69.
While the rate is still "well below" the generational replacement level of 2.1 children per woman - the rate to replace the country's population in the absence of migration - it is still above other developed nations such as Italy at 1.39, and Japan at 1.21.
The numbers in Canada can be attributed to more women reaching their late 20s and early 30s, the ages at which the likelihood women will have a child is highest, said David Foot, an economics professor at the University of Toronto.
Foot, the author of Boom, Bust, Echo, a book about Canadian demographics in the 21st century, says that the recent growth in the number of births can be expected to continue for the next decade or so, as the children of the echo generation reach child-bearing age.
The echo generation are those born to baby boomers, who themselves were born in the post-war period between 1947 and 1966.
"This is the echo of the echo, the grandchildren of the baby boomers," Foot says.
In part, the rise in the national fertility rate can be attributed to a rise in the fertility rate in Quebec, Foot said. More than a third of the total increase in births in 2008 (35%) came from Quebec, StatsCan said. There have been more births there "primarily because of expanded child care," Foot said.
The continued increase in the number of births is likely to have "big implications" for child care in the next four or five years, before going on to affect elementary school enrolments as children grow older, Foot said.
And although the fertility rate is below the generational replacement level, immigration compensates for a fewer births than at other times in the country's history.
"The population of Canada would still be growing without immigration, but at a slower pace," Foot said.
An ideal fertility rate is somewhere between 1.6 and 2.6 births per 1,000 women, Foot said.
A society with too few children can't afford the costs of caring for its aging population, and a society with too many children will suffer from political instability because there won't be enough jobs for them all, Foot said.
Canada, with a fertility rate of 1.6, is on the right track.
"I think our position's very good," Foot said. "Canada's demographic future is considerably better than most of Western Europe and Japan, and Southeast Asia."
TORONTO - Ontario should have greater control over which immigrants come to the province and the programs that help them settle in, Premier Dalton McGuinty says.
"We want the federal government to devolve to Ontario the authority to administer, plan and design our own integration and settlement programs for newcomers," McGuinty said.
"We also want more say in the selection of immigrants coming to Ontario so we can make choices that support our economic growth," he said Wednesday.
At present, for example, Ontario gets 16% of economic-class immigrants while the national average is 25%."
Manitoba, B.C. and Quebec have been given more autonomy over immigration matters than Ontario, he said.
Employers complain to the government that they cannot find workers with necessary skills and the province needs to be able to attract immigrants with economically important skills to boost its overall bottom line, he said.
But McGuinty said the province will still welcome new immigrants who arrive through other routes such as family reunification.
"Most of us here come from other parts of the world at some point in time and I bet you that most of our parents, or grandparents or great-grandparents didn't have extraordinary skill sets," he said.
"We started at the bottom. That's certainly where my family came into this. So we never want to shut those people out but what we do want is a better balance."
He intends to continue raising issues of concern to the province, like immigration and health care, throughout the federal campaign, McGuinty said.
Tory MPP Jim Wilson said the premier is deflecting criticism from his own domestic policies that have led to an unemployment rate that's been higher than the national average for 51 months.
NDP Leader Andrea Horwath also accused McGuinty of trying to change the channel, insisting he should focus on finding appropriate jobs for immigrants who have already arrived.
"We still see many, many people who have skills who are driving cabs, who have skills who are delivering pizzas," Horwath said.
Aifang Pan says she was able to develop the workforce skills she needed to land a full-time job through a program offered by the Multicultural Association of Fredericton.
A night to celebrate: Above, from left, are: Real Robichaud, executive director of the Tourism Industry Association of New Brunswick; Chantal Poitras, operation assistant with TIANB; Catherine McPhee, education resource co-ordinator for TIANB; Aifang Pan, a new employee of TIANB; Sheila Atkinson, operations and programs manager for TIANB; and Bonnie Doughty, employment co-ordinator for the Multicultural Association of Fredericton. They attended the multicultural association's employer appreciation night recently. TIANB was recognized in the small and medium business category for its diverse hiring practices and unique training program.
Recently, Pan was one of 10 immigrants who graduated from the association's New Brunswick Employment Language Training class at the New Maryland Centre.
Pan and her husband moved to Fredericton eight years ago so her husband could take a job with the University of New Brunswick.
Recently, she said, she decided she wanted to enter the workforce.
"My kids were born here and for the past few years I've been at home with them," she said. "Now my kids are a bit bigger so I can come out and start to work."
The employment language training program focuses on providing immigrants with computer skills, employment readiness training - which includes practising networking and giving presentations - and language training.
After the 16-week-long program, participants enter into a work placement, which normally runs for at least a few months and can lead to full-time employment.
Pan said her work with the program has already paid off.
"It's a very nice program; I really appreciate it," she said. "I have learned a lot from my NBELT class. I've started to create my portfolio and I have improved my English a lot. Now I have a full-time position."
She said she's now working with the Tourism Industry Association of New Brunswick, the same organization she was paired with for her work placement.
Bonnie Doughty, employment co-ordinator for the multicultural association, said the training program is a valuable tool for newcomers to Canada.
"The program addresses the barriers that our clients face when trying to enter the workforce," she said. "Those barriers include no references or work experience, a lack of understanding of Canadian culture, a lack of understanding of workforce expectations and, of course, language."
She said programs such as this are important as they play a role in attracting immigrants.
"I think when newcomers look to go anywhere in Canada, they want to know if there are services there for them, and in a smaller community they may not have them," she said. "In bigger areas there are lots of classes, but there are also lots of immigrants, so you might have to wait a long time to get in. I think having this class in Fredericton is very important."
Wednesday was also the Multicultural Association of Fredericton's third annual employer appreciation night, to recognize organizations and individuals that support diversity in the workplace.
Alex Scholten won the community support award, Caris won the large business award and the Tourism Industry Association of New Brunswick received the award for small and medium business.
Sheila Atkinson, operations and programs manager for the tourism industry association, said the organization provides a program that's tailored toward newcomers, called the ready-to-work program.
"It's comprehensive essential skills training for those entering the workforce, specifically in tourism," she said. "The program fits perfectly with the multicultural association's NBELT program and it seems the outcome is tremendous."
Real Robichaud, executive director of the association, said that with a little training, immigrants add a lot to New Brunswick's workforce.
"Programs like these help the tourism industry by helping us find the people we need," he said. "Not only do they bring skills from their own countries, but they also have excellent work ethics and bring a great cultural background."
In order to promote economic growth and employment, develop new commercial opportunities, and to improve access to growing foreign markets, Canada is attracting people around the world who are familiar with markets, people with capital, business acumen as well as people who have entrepreneurial skills into the country together with their special requirements and customs.
Canada is offering foreigners with business skills and who has had obtained a big net worth and is willing to live in the territorial provinces of Canada, to help support provincial as well as the territorial economic objectives in the country.
Canada’s banking system was again voted as the “soundest” in the world as it promoted the Immigrant Investor Program which would attract wealthy immigrants to invest in the Canadian economy in return of granting them Canadian visas.
Two ways in which investors can get Canadian visas
There are 2 routes in which wealthy business people who are planning to get a quick way to move into Canada. One is through applying through the Federal Investor Program, and the other would be to apply to the Quebec Investor Program if they are going to invest in Quebec which offers a different program from other Canadian territories.
Applicants in the program must have a minimum net worth of about $1,600,000 CAD that is legally obtained and liability-free, and is willing to invest the amount of $800,000 CAD into the Canadian economy, and with meeting other requirements such as having an experience in owning and managing a business, has an experience of managing employees not to be less than 5, and must confirm into writing, the intention to invest at least $800,000 CAD by transferring funds to the Receiver General or show documents proving that such investments have already been made.
Other incentives offered by the program
Investors are also entitled to opt for the Permanent Resident Card in which permanent resident card will be issued to the investors, the spouse as well as the dependents after their entry to Canada as a resident. The card together with the holder’s passport can also be used to travel freely within and outside Canada.
And if the investor, spouse or dependent has been present in Canada for 3 years out of the 4 years before the application for citizenship, the permanent resident, could apply for Canadian citizenship. And he/she can also be allowed to apply for a dual citizenship if he/she is qualified.
Visa application period
In applying for the visa however, the investment must be made prior to receiving the immigration visa, and in situations where the application for permanent residence is declined, the investor has 90 days to be able to claim the invested sum, and to receive a full refund guaranteed by the government of Canada.
The funds invested in a period of 5 years and are returned to the investor after that period, in which the government has full discretion in managing the funds.
Image via WikipediaBy David Cohen Canada Immigration Expert
This guide is aimed to help you understand the process in place for you to live and work in Canada.
There are two main paths to Canada. One way is to obtain a permanent residence visa. The other way is to come to Canada on a temporary work permit.
What does it mean to be a Canadian Permanent Resident? Once you are issued a Canada Immigration Visa for permanent residency, you have most of the same rights and obligations as Canadian citizens. As the name suggests, you may hold this status indefinitely, so long as you accumulate 2 years of residency days in each 5 year period. After 3 years of Canadian residency, you may apply for Canadian citizenship. Canada recognizes dual citizenships, so you do not have to give up your current passport.
There are a few differences in practice between permanent residency and citizenship in Canada. The first is that as a permanent resident you may not vote in elections. The second is that while citizenship is a right that may not be taken away, as a permanent resident you may be deported if you commit a serious crime.
There are 6 main categories of Canadian Immigration. The categories are Federal Skilled Worker, Quebec Skilled Worker,Provincial Nominee Program, Family Sponsorship,Business Immigrant and Canadian Experience Class. Each category caters to a slightly different group of immigrants, and comes with its own set of requirements. You can also come to Canada under the Asylum category or the Temporary Foreign Worker Program. Read below to find out about which category applies to you.
The requirements of the skilled worker category are intended to assess applicants, who are likely to become economically established in Canada after arrival.
To be eligible, applicants must either:
Have at least one year of continuous full-time or equivalent paid work experience in the past 10 years in one of the 38 qualifying occupations; or
Have been living in Canada with legal status as a Temporary Foreign Worker or an international student for at least one year; or
Qualify for Arranged Employment with a full-time permanent job offer from a Canadian employer.
In addition to that, there are three other characteristics an individual must possess in order to be eligible to immigrate under the skilled worker category. The first is a minimum level of work experience. A skilled worker must have at least one year of continuous full-time employment (or the equivalent in part-time). This work experience must be of a skilled nature, satisfying either Skill Type 0 or Skill Level A or B in Canada’s National Occupation Classification (NOC) system. This work experience must have come within the 10 year period prior to applying.
The second element of the skilled worker category is one of financial resources. This is a straightforward requirement – an applicant must demonstrate that they have sufficient financial resources to support themselves and their dependents for 6 months after arrival in Canada. If you have an approved job offer, this requirement is waived.
The third element of the skilled worker category is a points-based assessment. Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) uses a points-based system to measure an applicant’s potential for establishing themselves in Canada. Applicants are awarded points based on six different selection factors. An individual must reach 67 points on this assessment to qualify for immigration to Canada. A satisfactory score on this evaluation does not however guarantee approval, as Canadian Immigration Visa Officers may use their discretion to approve or refuse an application based on a substituted evaluation.
The selection factors that make up the assessment are:
Education (maximum 25 points)
Ranges from 5 points for completing high school to 25 points for completing a master’s or Ph.D.
The system also gives credit for trade certificates or apprenticeship programs.
Language Skills (maximum 24 points)
Canada uses both English and French as official languages, and you may receive credit for proficiency in either one, or both.
Marks are awarded separately for abilities to listen, speak, read, and write each official language.
Experience (maximum 21 points)
Full points for four or more years of experience at an appropriate level.
Age (maximum 10 points)
Full points for being between the ages of 21-49.
Arranged Employment (maximum 10 points)
If you hold a permanent job offer from a Canadian employer, or are applying from within Canada and hold a temporary work permit you may receive credit for your Canadian employment.
Adaptability (maximum 10 points)
This category brings in a number of factors related to an applicant’s ability to adapt to living in Canada, including previous experience working or studying in Canada, or having family in Canada.
Altogether these three elements, along with other requirements such as security clearances and medical examinations, make up the bulk of the requirements to come to Canada under the Skilled Worker category. If you are applying to live or work in Montreal, or elsewhere in Quebec however, you must meet the selection criteria of the Province of Quebec, outlined below.
According to an agreement between the Province of Quebec and the Government of Canada, the Province of Quebec has its own selection process for the skilled worker category of immigration. If you intend to live in Quebec upon arrival in Canada you will be assessed based on the Quebec Selection criteria and not the evaluation used by CIC. The application process for immigration to Quebec uses a similar points-based system but with slightly different criteria.
Like the federal system, Quebec uses a points-based system to assess potential immigrants. To qualify for a Quebec Selection Certificate, single applicants must score at least 60 points from the ten selection criteria, while an applicant with a spouse or common-law partner must score a minimum of 68 points.
The selection factors for immigration to Quebec as a skilled worker are:
Training (maximum 29 points):
Points are awarded separately for both education and job-related training.
Additional points are awarded for having more than one area of specialty.
Validated Employment Offer (maximum 10 points)
Points are awarded for having a job offer from an employer in Quebec, with greater points awarded for a job outside of the area of Montreal.
Experience (maximum 9 points)
Full points are awarded for four or more years of experience at the appropriate skill level according to the NOC.
Age (maximum 18 points)
Full points are awarded for being between the ages of 18-35.
Language Proficiency (maximum 22 points)
French is the official language of the Province of Quebec. The Quebec selection criteria place value on oral language abilities rather than written comprehension. Up to 16 points are available for oral interaction in French, with an additional 6 available for oral interaction in English.
Stay and Family in Quebec (maximum 9 points)
Having previously spent time living, working, or studying in Quebec, as well as having family in the province will help a prospective immigrant establish themselves more easily. Points are awarded for both of these areas.
Spouse’s Characteristics (maximum 18 points)
If an applicant is accompanied by a spouse or common-law partner, points may be awarded for the spouse’s education, training, work experience, age and language.
Children (maximum 8 points)
Up to the maximum, 4 points are awarded for each child under 12 years of age, and 2 points for each child between 13 and 21.
Financial Self-Sufficiency (1 point)
One point is awarded for having sufficient funds for financial self-sufficiency upon arrival. However without satisfying this requirement the application is automatically refused.
Adaptability (maximum 8 points)
This category uses an overall assessment of the applicant’s ability to adapt to life in Quebec.
Satisfying these requirements will lead to the issue of a Quebec Selection Certificate, which is recognized by CIC for immigration to Quebec. The applicant must still pass a security clearance and medical examination.
One way to speed up the process of immigration to Canada is through the Provincial Nomination Program (PNP). The PNP consists of partnerships between the Government of Canada and provincial governments to select individuals who wish to immigrate to Canada and settle in that particular province. Most provinces in Canada have agreements in place to participate in this program. Under the terms of these agreements, provinces may nominate applicants who are in occupations in high demand, or who will otherwise make important contributions to the province.
To immigrate to Canada under the PNP, an individual must first apply for a Provincial Nomination Certificate to the provincial government where they would like to reside. Each province has different requirements based on their particular needs. To learn more about each province’s requirements, click here. After receiving the Provincial Nomination Certificate, an individual then must apply for a Canadian Permanent Resident Visa. Provincial nominees receive priority processing for their permanent residency applications.
The following provinces currently participate in the Provincial Nomination Program:
Alberta
British Columbia
Manitoba
New Brunswick
Newfoundland and Labrador
Nova Scotia
Ontario
Prince Edward Island
Saskatchewan
Yukon
Provincial nominees are not assessed on the six selection criteria of the Federal Skilled Worker Program.
Family Class Sponsorship
The Family Class Sponsorship program allows Canadian citizens or permanent residents who are at least 18 years of age to sponsor close family members, who wish to immigrate to Canada. To sponsor a relative for Family Class immigration to Canada, a Canadian citizen or permanent resident must sign a contract promising to support the family member who wishes to immigrate for a period of three to ten years after their arrival. The length of the agreement depends on the age of the family member being sponsored, and the nature of the relationship. To apply for Family Class immigration, the sponsored relative must also sign a contract promising to make every effort to be self-sufficient.
To be eligible to sponsor a relative, a Canadian citizen or permanent resident must demonstrate financial ability to provide for the essential needs of the sponsored relative, should that be necessary. As a general rule, the sponsor must also be physically residing in Canada in order to sponsor. An exception is made for Canadian citizens, who wish to sponsor a spouse, common-law partner or children if the sponsor can demonstrate an intention to reside in Canada by the time the sponsored relative lands in Canada.
Family members eligible for sponsorship are:
Spouses or common-law partners.
Parents or grandparents.
Dependent children (must be under 22 years of age unless substantially dependent for financial support because they are a full-time student, or because of disability).
Children under 18 whom you plan to adopt Orphaned brothers, sisters, nieces and nephews whom are under 18 and unmarried.
A relative of any age if you do not have any of the family members listed above.
The Province of Quebec, according to its agreement with the Government of Canada on immigration, has a role in determining the eligibility of sponsorship applicants for residents of Quebec. This role however takes effect only after CIC has completed its initial assessment of the sponsorship application.
The Business Immigration Program is designed to seek out individuals who are in a position to contribute to Canada’s economic development through their investment and managerial skills. Individuals who apply under this category have financial resources that will strengthen the Canadian economy and help create more jobs. Individuals with business experience and relatively high net worth may apply under one of three categories of the Business Immigration Program. Each of these categories targets a different contribution to the Canadian economy, and has its own requirements.
Immigrant Investor Program: This program seeks to attract experienced businesspeople willing to make substantial investments in the Canadian economy. Applicants under this program must establish a net worth of at least CAD$1600,000, and demonstrate that this wealth was legally obtained. In addition, Immigrant Investors must make an investment of CAD$800,000, which the government of Canada will return to them at the end of five years, with no interest. To qualify as an Immigrant Investor the applicant must also have managed a qualifying business, as defined by Canadian Immigration authorities. Applicants destined to province of Quebec may qualify under a similar Investor Program administered by that province.
Entrepreneur Program: The Entrepreneur Program is geared towards business immigrants who plan to have a hands-on role in their contributions to the Canadian economy. The net worth requirements for the Entrepreneur Program are lower than for Immigrant Investors (CAD$300,000 rather than CAD$800,000). Applicants under this category of the Business Immigrant Program must commit to both managing and owning at least one third of a Canadian business, which will create or maintain employment, within three years of landing in Canada. Applicants destined to province of Quebec may qualify under a similar Entrepreneur Program administered by that province.
Self-Employed Persons Program: The Self-Employed Persons Program is in place for individuals with relevant experience and skills in business, culture, athletics or farming who are able willing to support themselves and their dependents through self-employed income. To apply under this program an individual may need to demonstrate experience, net worth and/or artistic qualifications depending on the criteria under which they are applying. Applicants destined to province of Quebec may qualify under a Self-Employed Program administered by that province.
Canadian Experience Class The Canadian Experience Class caters specifically to Temporary foreign workers and international students who wish to become Canadian Permanent Residents. Having obtained a Canadian education and/or Canadian work experience, these individuals have already settled into Canadian society and have established important networks in their communities and their careers.
The Canadian Experience Class requirements are based on a pass or fail model. There are separate minimum requirements for the two types of applicants:
International Graduates with Canadian Work Experience
Applicants must have:
Successfully completed a program of study of at least two academic years at a Canadian post-secondary educational institution;
Obtained at least one year of skilled, professional or technical work experience within 24 months of the application date; and
Moderate or basic language skills, depending on the skill level of their occupation.
Temporary Foreign Workers
Applicants must have:
Obtained at least two years of skilled, professional or technical work experience within 36 months of the application date; and
Moderate or basic language skills, depending on the skill level of their occupation.
An applicant who has met the minimum requirements and is still in Canada on either a Post-Graduate Work Permit or a Temporary Work Permit may apply from within Canada. For individuals no longer in Canada, the applications must be submitted within one year of leaving their job in Canada.
Asylum
As a world leader and champion of human rights issues, Canada also recognizes a responsibility to grant asylum to refugees who face danger, persecution and violations of their human rights in their country of nationality or habitual residence. Canada’s refugee system offers protection to thousands of such individuals each year. Refugees may be government-assisted or may be privately sponsored by individuals or organizations in Canada.
There are two main components to this program:
Refugee and Humanitarian Resettlement Program: This program is aimed at refugees currently outside of Canada who seek resettlement. CIC selects refugees seeking resettlement, determining first if they may be safe to remain where they are currently located or to return to their country of nationality. Selection depends heavily on recommendations from the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, but also requires security and medical screening.
Asylum in Canada: This program offers protection to individuals currently in Canada who fear returning to their home country. These cases are assessed by Canada’s Immigration and Refugee Board.
For individuals who wish to come work in Canada, they may apply for a temporary work permit through the Temporary Foreign Worker Program. As a general rule these work permits require a valid job offer from a Canadian employer, though there are exceptions. In most cases it is possible to extend work permits from within Canada, but some work permits have a maximum duration.
In many cases work permits require that the employer obtain Labour Market Opinion from Human Resources and Social Development Canada which confirms that the employment will not adversely affect Canadian workers. There are a number of exemptions to this rule.
Spouses and common-law partners of individuals who hold a Canadian work permit may accompany the work permit holder to Canada. In many cases spouses are eligible to apply for an open work permit, which allows the holder to work for any employer in Canada.
An aging population combined with a shortage of nurses is a dangerous combination for the Canadian health care sector. The number of practicing nurses is declining worldwide and in Canada, the shortage of nurses is causing longer hospital wait times and a decrease in the quality of service provided.
Canadian nurses themselves are part of the problem. In the province of Quebec alone, over 71,000 nurses are now over the age of 55 and are quickly approaching retirement. Canadian nursing schools are not producing enough graduates to fill the nursing vacancies and because of this shortage, countless nurses are required to work over-time. As Canada is not producing enough nurses, foreign-trained nurses may be the best prescription.
All nurses, including those who are internationally trained, are required to be certified by a provincial regulation body before they are able to practice in Canada. Registered Nurses, except those wishing to practice in Quebec, must also pass the Canadian Registered Nurse Examination. Canada’s Economic Action Plan and the Foreign Credential Recognition Program are working together to assist foreign workers to better integrate into the Canadian workplace. The assessment of foreign credentials and experience is currently being streamlined for 8 priority occupations, including Registered Nurses, meaning their credentials will be evaluated in less time compared to other occupations. The next set of 6 priority occupations will include Licensed Practical Nurses.
If you are a foreign-trained nurse who wants to immigrate to Canada, there has never been a better time to apply.
Quebec is Canada’s largest province in terms of size and is often referred to as “La Belle Province” or the beautiful province in the rest of Canada. Known for its European-style cities, such as Montreal, Quebec is a prime destination for immigrants from all over the world.
The Quebec Skilled Worker Program is specifically designed for applicants who intend to reside in the Province of Quebec. The program consists of two phases: the issuance of a Quebec Selection Certificate followed by the issuance of a Canadian Permanent Resident visa.
• Education – a maximum of 28 points can be obtained for education and area of training;
• Age – a maximum of 16 points can be obtained for applicants between the ages of 18 and 42 years of age;
• Experience – a maximum of 8 points can be obtained for work experience;
• Language proficiency – a maximum of 22 points can be obtained for French and English proficiency;
• Stay and Family in Quebec – a maximum of 8 points can be obtained for having stayed in Quebec or for having family living in Quebec;
• Validated Employment Offer – a maximum of 10 points can be obtained for having a valid employment offer in Quebec
• Financial Self-Sufficiency – an applicant must obtain 1 point to qualify and must meet a minimum funds requirement;
• Spouse’s Characteristics – an applicant can obtain up to 16 points for a spouse’s (or common-law partner’s) education, area of training, age, and language proficiency;
• Children – a maximum of 8 points can be obtained for children;
• Adaptability – a maximum of 6 points can be obtained upon the interview for adaptability.
Once all supporting documents have been submitted to the Quebec visa office, the application is assessed against the Quebec Skilled Worker selection criteria. The majority of applicants who meet the requirements are then called for an interview, which is a great opportunity for applicants to express their motivation and desire to reside in Quebec. Upon the completion of a successful interview, a CSQ is issued.
ii. Permanent Resident Visa
After the CSQ has been issued, an applicant submits the certificate, along with forms and supporting documents, to the federal immigration authorities who assess the applicants for medical and security purposes. The applicant and family members are then granted Canadian Permanent Resident visas.
As French is the predominant language in Quebec, all applicants must demonstrate, at least, a willing to learn French. Some applicants will require a higher score in French language proficiency if they are lacking points in other selection factors.
Why the Quebec Skilled Worker Program Is Good For You
