Immigration Canada

Skilled Workers Have a Path to Citizenship in Canada

By Katherine at Legal Language
Posted 01/05/2011
In Immigration

Canada needs more skilled workers. To encourage immigration, the Canadian government has established a quick path for qualified workers to obtain permanent residence.

Skilled workers must meet specific criteria before their applications are processed, however — not to mention the specific list of occupations that qualify for this immigration path.

Which Occupations Are Accepted?

If you are interested in coming to Canada as a skilled worker, but you do not yet have an offer of employment, the very first thing you should do is find out whether or not your occupation is acceptable for this particular route to immigration.

Canada allows people of any occupation to immigrate as skilled workers if they have an employment offer from a Canadian business. If you do not have an offer, Canada will accept skilled workers from the following occupations:

Primary production managers
Professional occupations in business services to management
Insurance adjusters and claims examiners
Biologists and related scientists
Architects
Specialist physicians
General practitioners and family physicians
Dentists
Pharmacists
Physiotherapists
Registered nurses
Medical radiation technologists
Dental hygienists and dental therapists
Licensed practical nurses
Psychologists
Social workers
Chefs
Cooks
Contractors and supervisors in carpentry trades
Contractors and supervisors in mechanic trades
Electricians
Industrial electricians
Plumbers
Welders and related machine operators
Heavy-duty equipment mechanics
Crane operators
Drillers and blasters in surface mining, quarrying and construction
Supervisors in oil, gas drilling and related services

Further Eligibility Requirements

If you have a job offer or if you have worked in one of the above occupations, you must still meet additional eligibility requirements before your application can be processed.

These include:

Taking a language proficiency exam — you must be fluent in one or both of Canada’s official languages, English and French
You must have worked for at least one year, either full time or the equivalent in part time, continuously, within the last 10 years
You must have been compensated for your work
You must prove that you have enough money to support yourself and any dependents during the move to Canada

If you meet the above minimum requirements, your application will be processed according to the six selection factors in the skilled worker points grid, which are:

Your education experience
Your language abilities
Your work experience
Your age
Whether you have arranged employment in Canada
Your adaptability

How Skilled Workers Can Apply

To apply as a skilled worker, you will need to download and fill out the following forms:

Once the forms are filled out truthfully and to the best of your ability, you must mail them, along with fees and proof of language proficiency, to the Centralized Intake Office for Federal Skilled Worker Applications in Sydney, Nova Scotia. Keep in mind that Citizenship and Immigration Canada will contact you about going through medical, criminal and background checks.

New immigration streams added to Provincial Nominee Program

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nnovation and Advanced Learning

The Government of Prince Edward Island is introducing new streams to the Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) which will continue to build on the programs successful record of attracting business people and skilled workers to immigrate and settle in Prince Edward Island, Innovation and Advanced Learning Minister Allan Campbell says.

In recent years, our nominee programs have helped Prince Edward Island reach its highest ever level of immigration and have paved the way for thousands of people from around the world to explore new opportunities in our Island community, said Minister Campbell.

Equally impressive has been the significant contributions newcomers have made to Prince Edward Island by starting new businesses, purchasing homes and services, and overall contributions to enhancing our cultural diversity.

After a rigorous period of consultation with Citizenship and Immigration Canada, we are pleased to be moving forward with new nominee streams that meet federal immigration requirements and will create opportunities for entrepreneurship and community development for both newcomers and established Islanders.

Under the Provincial Nominee Program, the government of Prince Edward Island may nominate qualified foreign nationals seeking to move to Canada. The program will be limited to people who meet all federal immigration requirements, and have demonstrated a commitment to settling in Prince Edward Island as active employees or owners in Island businesses.

The revamped PEI PNP will include a Business Impact Category with three streams and a Labour Impact Category with four streams. Two streams within the Labour Impact Category will be new and include an International Student Stream (for recent graduates of Canadian Universities) and a pilot Critical Worker Stream (for lower-skilled workers where significant labour shortages exist).

The government of Prince Edward Island will immediately issue a Request for Proposals from individuals qualified to act as Island Agents in the Business Impact Category under the Provincial Nominee Program.

Under the new program, government will give priority to new Islanders wanting to own and operate businesses in strategic sectors including the provinces primary industries or in the four pillar sectors identified under the Island Prosperity Strategy: aerospace, bioscience, renewable energy and information technology. Priority will also be given to those wishing to own/establish businesses in rural Prince Edward Island. New Islanders have made a tremendous contribution to Prince Edward Island in recent years. Through the programs announced today, we expect to see more new Islanders have the opportunity to integrate into our province as business leaders and community members, said Minister Campbell.

Ongoing results of the Provincial Nominee Program will be published each year in the annual report of Island Investment Development Inc. The programs operations will be overseen by the Department of Innovation and Advanced Learning and subject to review by Citizenship and Immigration Canada and the Auditor General of Prince Edward Island.

For more information on the Provincial Nominee Program, visitwww.gov.pe.ca/immigration or call Immigration Services at (902) 620-3628.

BACKGROUNDER

Labour Impact Category

Skilled Worker Stream:

Prince Edward Island employers wishing to hire a potential new employee they have identified outside of Canada may do so through nomination via the Skilled Worker Stream. Those potential nominees who possesses the necessary skills and fall under the National Occupational Classification (NOC) skill level O, A or B are eligible provided they have obtained a post-secondary degree/diploma and experience in the intended profession.

Critical Worker Stream:

Prince Edward Island employers that have hired a foreign worker may support that worker to obtain permanent residency in Canada through the Prince Edward Island Provincial Nominee Critical Worker Program. The Provincial Nominee Program helps to fill labour market shortages by enabling foreign workers to apply to become permanent residents.

International Graduate Stream:

The International Graduate Stream is employer-driven and provides the opportunity for Prince Edward Island employers to hire a recent graduate from a recognized accredited Canadian university or college. The international graduate must have a full-time job offer in the field of study under National Occupational Classification (NOC) skill level 0, A or B which represents professional, managerial and skilled-trade positions. The international graduate must have a valid post graduation work permit with the Prince Edward Island employer the applicant is working for at the time of application and is expected to have worked a minimum of six months in the position before submitting an application for nomination.

Family Connection Stream:

The Family Connection Stream strives to identify applicants who will help to grow our economy, enrich our experiences and enhance cultural diversity. Family members who have been identified for possible nomination must have the ability to independently economically establish within the province. Under this stream, close family members (champions) in Prince Edward Island may serve in a supporting capacity to assist the applicant to integrate and settle in Prince Edward Island.

For specific program criteria, please visit: www.gov.pe.ca/immigration

Business Impact Category

100% Ownership Stream:

Business people are integral to the advancement of the Prince Edward Island economy. Prince Edward Island recognizes that this is still the fact and welcomes any capable individuals with entrepreneurial spirit to come to our province and help the progress continue. For foreign nationals, one avenue for entry into the province to showcase entrepreneurial ability is through the 100% Ownership Stream. As the name would suggest, this stream requires the applicant to obtain 100% control of a business through the outright purchase of an existing business or the start of a new business in Prince Edward Island.

Partial Ownership Stream:

The Partial Ownership Stream is designed for applicants who wish to transition into the Prince Edward Island business community by becoming a part owner in a business. The applicant must follow the step-by-step application process. If approved by Immigration Services, the applicant will receive a nomination from Prince Edward Island and will sign the necessary agreements. The applicant, amongst other conditions, must obtain 33 1/3% of the businesss equity or invest $1,000,000 CAD in the equity of the business and be active in the day-to-day management of the business.

Work Permit Stream:

Applicants may wish to transition in a more timely fashion to start a new life and business utilizing a work permit to enter Canada and begin the journey. The Work Permit Stream will allow applicants to come to Prince Edward Island and begin working and learning about the business they will be investing in prior to nomination by the Province of Prince Edward Island.

For specific program criteria or to get information on priority sectors or eligibility, please visit: www.gov.pe.ca/immigration

Media Contact: Ron Ryder

List of institutions in British Columbia eligible to participate in the Post-Graduation Work Permit Program has been expanded

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Retroactive to January 31, 2011, eight (8) additional institutions in British Columbia have been found eligible to participate in the recently launched pilot program to expand the Post-Graduation Work Permit Program (PGWPP). The additional institutions have received “Education Quality Assurance” (EQA).
This pilot will be in effect between January 31, 2011, and January 31, 2013, inclusively and may be extended with a mutual agreement between the parties. These dates refer only to the period in which qualifying work permits can be issued and not to the duration of the work permits. The terms of the pilot will apply only to qualifying foreign nationals who have graduated from eligible programs of study at select EQA-designated, private post-secondary institutions in the Province of British Columbia.
Eligible institutions under this pilot program
Degree-Granting Institutions: Alexander College; Columbia College; Fairleigh Dickinson University Vancouver; Quest University Canada; Sprott-Shaw Degree College; Trinity Western University; University Canada West
Non-Degree Granting Institution: Arbutus College of Communication Arts; Business and Technology; Ashton College; Canadian Tourism College; Centre for Arts and Technology; Eton College; Greystone College; John Casablancas Institute of Applied Arts; Mountain Transport Institute Ltd.; MTI Community College; Omni College; Pacific Audio Visual Institute; Pacific Institute of Culinary Arts; Pacific Rim Early Childhood Institute; Sprott-Shaw Community College; Stenberg College; Universal Learning Institute; Vancouver Central College; Vancouver Film School; Vancouver Institute of Media Arts.

Food prices in Canada could jump between 5 and 7% in 2011: economist

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Get ready to fork over a little more cash before you pick up your dinner fork.

Canadians will be paying between five and seven per cent more for groceries on average by the end of the year, economists say.

A family that spends about $400 a month on groceries could end up paying up to $340 extra in a year.

Bad crops around the world, oil trading for more than US$100 a barrel and the economic recovery are driving prices higher.

Food companies are raising prices due to the soaring costs of key commodity ingredients like wheat, corn, sugar and vegetable oil, which have gone up as much as 50 to 100 per cent over the last year at a near-record rate.

With the United Nations blaming higher crude oil prices for pushing global food prices to an all time high, Canadians have been spared so far because of cutthroat grocery store competition and the high loonie making the cost of imported goods cheaper.

But it's just a matter of time until higher commodity prices trickle down to Canadian grocery shelves and Canadians have to reach further into their wallets, says Douglas Porter, deputy chief economist at BMO Nesbitt Burns.

“Based on what I've seen in the past, it takes about nine to 12 months for an increase in raw food material prices to get fully passed on and to fully work their way down to the grocery shelves so I think by the end of this year we'll be looking at much more rapid food price inflation,” Porter says.

With no global economic crisis on the horizon to pull prices back down again, the higher prices could linger longer than they did when they hit record highs in 2008, he says.

Statistics Canada says general food prices rose 2.1 per cent in the 12 months leading up to January – about the same as the general inflation rate. But Canadians paid 10.7 per cent more for sugar and confectionery goods, and sugar is an ingredient in many processed foods.

Some food manufacturers are already moving forward with plans to charge grocery stores more.

Bakery company George Weston Ltd. (TSX:WN), said last week that it would charge five per cent more for its products as of April 1, and could increase prices even more by the end of the year if costs continue to rise.

Meat and baked goods maker Maple Leaf Foods (TSX:MFI) says it will raise its fresh bakery prices by 20 cents per unit at the end of March as it battles rising prices the flour used in bread and pork, beef, and chicken used in deli meats and hot dogs.

It already raised prices in its frozen bakery business at the end of last year, but expects further hikes in the second half of this year.

Last month, Tim Hortons (TSX:THI) said it may have to charge customers more for their morning java jolt due to the rising cost of coffee – which is about twice where it was in June last year. It already raised prices on coffee and baked goods by three per cent at its American locations.

National grocery chains Loblaw (TSX:L), Metro (TSX:MRU.A), and Sobeys parent Empire Co. Ltd. (TSX:EMP.A) have faced fierce competition, particularly in Ontario, from each other and retailers like Zellers and Shoppers Drug Mart (TSX:SC) who are increasing their food offerings. U.S. retail king Walmart also plans a major expansion of 40 new grocery stores in Canada this year.

That means grocers are holding off as long as possible to pass on manufacturer price increases to consumers, says John Scott, the president and CEO of the Canadian Federation of Independent Grocers.

“Nobody is going to raise their prices a nickel unless they absolutely have to,” he says, explaining retailers will try to cut costs to keep up with competitors, but may offer fewer discounts.

“Instead of passing the full price on to the consumer, you'll see a reduction in the number of promotions like the coupons and that kind of thing that people have got to see last year. We had a lot of that in 2010, we'll probably have less of it in 2011.”

Maureen Fitzhenry, a spokeswoman for the Canadian Wheat Board, says the price of wheat has nearly doubled in the last few months, but the cost of wheat itself only makes up for about 15 cents of the price of a loaf of bread. The rest comes from processing, packaging, preservatives, overhead, transport costs and other factors.

She says higher fuel expenses are more likely to affect consumers than the higher price of wheat.

The cost of a litre of gasoline is up nearly 20 per cent from where it was last year, while the cost of diesel, used by heavy trucks to transport goods across the country is up nearly 30 per cent from a year ago.

“Fuel costs impact those millers and bakers. They have to run their equipment and their mills and their bakeries, they use fuel to do that, they have to transport their products all around the countryside ... so oil has a huge impact on that as well,” she says.

- By Mary Gazze, The Canadian Press

Immigration Consultants Say Immigration Minister Kenney Should Stop Misinformation Campaign Targeting “Crooked Consultants”

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TORONTO - Citizenship and Immigration Canada’s (CIC’s) ad campaign about unlicensed ghost agents is misleading, increases consumer confusion and should be stopped immediately, according to the Canadian Migration Institute (CMI).

“The ads portray all immigration consultants as fraudsters or charlatans without drawing the distinction between unlicensed ghost agents and Certified Canadian Immigration Consultants (CCICs),” said Imran Qayyum, CMI Chair. “CCICs are well-educated, responsible professionals who are held to strict professional standards and they deserve better.”

Ghost agents often call themselves immigration consultants to dupe unsuspecting consumers, but they are not accredited, so they are not immigration consultants, just as an individual who has not passed the bar is not a lawyer. CMI has long encouraged CIC to describe only CCICs as immigration consultants.

“The very real differences between ghost agents and professionally educated CCICs should have been the theme of the ad campaign. This would have provided consumers with the context they need to find competent immigration help,” said Qayyum. “These ads are just empty scare tactics and Minister Kenney should halt the campaign immediately.”

The role of the Canadian Migration Institute (www.cmi-icm.ca) is to educate, accredit and advocate on immigration law and policy. CMI represents more than 1,670 authorized immigration representatives and is the largest organization of its kind in North America. CMI has several chapters throughout Canada that provide regional support through accredited educational programs, advocacy on provincial issues and a local network for interaction and connection amongst authorized representatives.

Multicultural association helps immigrants to enter workforce

By ALEXANDRA DAVIS
For The Daily Gleaner

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.

ENLARGE PHOTO

FOR THE DAILY GLEANER/Alexandra

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."

P.E.I. business community opens arms to immigrants

University Avenue in Charlottetown, Prince Edw...

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Prince Edward Island’s business community opened its arms on Wednesday to welcome more than 200 Chinese Islanders in the first-ever Chinese Islanders Business Summitt.
The summit was designed to give newcomers a chance to learn about operating a business in Canada and provide an opportunity for matchmaking between new Islanders from the Chinese-Canadian community and members of the established Island business community.
Sherry Huang, a business operator and president of the P.E.I. Chinese Association, said the transition for Chinese immigrants is much smoother now than it was when she arrived seven years ago.
“Prince Edward Island has a vibrant business community,’’ Huang said. “This is a great opportunity to meet and get to know opportunities.’’
Premier Robert Ghiz said one of the more exciting parts of the summit was the chance for everyone to network.
“By bringing together new Chinese Islanders with business people interested in selling or expanding their businesses we can open up the Island business environment to new participants and get new resources,’’ Ghiz said. “I do believe there are opportunities for our new Islanders to work with existing businesses here on Prince Edward Island.’’
Jamie Brown, who owns Brown’s Volkswagen, said he knows first-hand how valuable Chinese Islanders have been to the local economy.
Since purchasing the dealership six years ago, he’s doubled the number of new models each month on his lot and sales have skyrocketed.
“Why? Because of Chinese immigrants,’’ Brown said.
“There is absolutely no doubt in my mind our economy did not participate in the recession due to the dollars spent by our Chinese immigrants.’’
Brown said not only has the dealership set a new sales record every year but it has also tripled its market share. Brown even hired one of his customers after finding out the Chinese man was a factory-trained technician.
Mike May, with the Bank of Montreal in Charlottetown, said his branch has added the Chinese language to its automated teller machine, website and has hired two Chinese employees since 2010.
“And that led to a huge increase in traffic flow,’’ May said.
Craig Mackie, executive director of the P.E.I. Association for Newcomers to Canada, said the numbers of Chinese immigrants and interest made an idea like a summit important.
“They’re looking for opportunities here and that’s why we set this up,’’ Mackie said

Changes Expected to the Federal Skilled Worker Program

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Image via Wikipedia(CIC) recently announced they are consulting with relevant stakeholders about changing various aspects of the Federal Skilled Worker Program. CIC is considering changing the number of points awarded in three of the six selection factors. CIC is also proposing changes to educational requirements and stricter rules for assessing the validity of Canadian job offers. According to CIC, these suggested changes are meant to reflect the current needs of the Canadian economy and enable immigrants to better integrate into the Canadian economy.

Points Changes in Selection Factors

Applicants will still be required to attain at least 67 points out of 100, in addition to meeting eligibility requirements, in order to qualify for the Federal Skilled Worker Program. CIC is proposing to change the maximum number of points applicants can receive in the following three selection factors: language, age, and work experience. Currently, applicants can receive a maximum of 24 points for their first and second official Canadian language, a maximum of 10 points for age if an applicant is between the ages of 21 and 49, and a maximum of 21 points for paid skilled work experience within the past 10 years.
i. Language

One proposed change would increase the number of points applicants can receive for a first official Canadian language (English or French) to 20 points, rather than the current 16. CIC is also considering establishing minimum language requirements for certain occupational skill levels. A higher minimum language requirement would be required for applicants with work experience in professional occupations, such as doctors, nurses, and engineers. Applicants with work experience in skilled trades would have a lower minimum language requirement.
ii. Age

CIC is proposing to increase the number of points in the age factor from 10 to a maximum of 12 points. Rather than maximum points being awarded until age 49, the suggested change will only allow applicants to gain maximum age points until the age of 35.
iii. Work Experience

CIC is proposing to lower the maximum points for work experience from 21 to 15 points and increase the years of experience required to obtain maximum points. CIC has noted that foreign work experience is not a strong indicator of success in the Canadian labour market and the additional points would be more beneficial in the language and age factor.
Other proposed changes

In order to make the Federal Skilled Worker Program more accessible to applicants with trade skills, CIC is proposing to reduce the number of years associated with education for those with a trade or non-university certificate. Currently, applicants who have a one year trade diploma must have also completed 13 years of full-time education in order to claim maximum points for that diploma under the education factor. Applicants who have a two year trade diploma must have completed 14 years and those with a three year trade diploma must have completed 15 years of education. If the proposed change is accepted, applicants with trade diplomas would be able to claim maximum points for their education with fewer years of full-time education.
CIC is also considering requiring applicants to prove their credentials are recognized by the appropriate Canadian authorities if their profession is regulated in Canada. For example, engineering is a regulated profession in Canada. Under the proposed change, any applicant who has work experience as an engineer would be required to have their credentials recognized by a Canadian professional licensing body before they submit their application for Canadian permanent residency.
Finally, CIC is proposing to establish clearer regulations for assessing employers and assessing whether a job offer is genuine. The Arranged Employment factor is an important aspect of the Federal Skilled Worker Program and CIC has noted that applicants who have Arranged Employment fare better upon arrival in Canada compared to those who do not have Arranged Employment. There have been numerous cases of fraudulent job offers from employers looking to exploit immigrants for money. With clearer guidelines for assessing job offers and employers, CIC is hoping to deter potential fraud.
Attorney David Cohen warns of a potential challenge with the proposed changes, “CIC will not be giving advanced warning of when these proposed changes will come into effect. If these changes are made to the program, applicants who are over the age of 35 and have lower language proficiency levels could have difficulties qualifying for the Federal Skilled Worker Program. If you qualify now for immigration under the current Federal Skilled Worker Program, you should submit your application as soon as possible as you may not qualify once the changes have been implemented.”
While CIC has not announced when they expect to change the Federal Skilled worker Program, Canadavisa.com and CICNews.com will report on any information as soon as it is revealed.

A new wave of young Irish workers head for Canada

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Tamsin McMahon, National Post · Monday, Feb. 28, 2011

On a chilly night last month, nearly 300 Irish men and women gathered at a downtown Toronto pub. The catch: they weren't there for a night of drinking, but for a sold-out seminar on how to navigate Canada's immigration system and find a job.
And they aren't the only ones. Ireland's Economic and Social Research Institute estimates that nearly 1,000 people are leaving the Republic each week. Most are young and educated and desperate to escape the country's economic woes, creating the largest exodus since the 1980s. And as they look abroad for new opportunities, the Irish are increasingly choosing Canada.
Traditionally, Irish economic migrants have flocked to the United Kingdom, the United States and Australia. But Canada has seen a recent explosion in the number of Irish youth arriving, lured by its reputation of having weathered the global economic turmoil better than most countries.
"Worldwide, [Canada] is looking like the superstar of how to manage your economy," said Eamonn O'Loghlin, executive director of the Ireland Canada Chamber of Commerce. "So you have all these young, educated, highly skilled people in Ireland who are suddenly in a situation where there are very few jobs. They're looking around and they see how Canada has come through the recession and they see more opportunity here."
The number of temporary workers coming to Canada from Ireland has doubled since 2004. The upward trend began before the global recession. With demand for jobs abroad increasing, the Irish government pressured Canada to increase the number of working holiday visas given to their young people. These visas allow citizens of Ireland (and certain other countries) between the ages of 18 and 35 to work in Canada for up to two years. Canada plans to issue 5,000 of the visas to Irish citizens this year. That is double the number offered in 2009, and all will probably be taken, said Ray Bassett, Ireland's Ambassador to Canada. Last year, Canada planned to offer 4,000 working holiday visas but granted 4,229 due to demand.
"Canada's stock around the world has grown very, very considerably in the recent economic crisis and there has definitely been a big surge in immigration," Mr. Bassett said. "We'd prefer if our people didn't have to move, but they do at the moment because there isn't enough jobs and we're going through an economic downtown. The worst thing in the world would be if we didn't face up to that fact."
In the past, most working holiday visas went to students taking time off to go abroad, allowing them to work at bars and ski hills to pay for their vacations. These days, the visas are increasingly being sought by skilled workers struggling to find work in Ireland's mori-bund construction industry, along with university graduates looking for a quick way into Canada in the hope of finding full-time employment with a company that will eventually sponsor them.
" The numbers have changed, and probably the complexity of the migrants have changed," Mr. Bassett said. "There's probably a broader sweep of the socioeconomic group than I would say there was in the past."
Even people who immigrated to Ireland during the boom are leaving the country and using their Irish work experience to get entry into Canada, said Chris Willis, a Montreal based immigration consultant whose practice specializes in migration from Britain and Ireland.
He has noticed a sharp increase in business. "I had over 300 people show up to a seminar in Cork and over 200 in Galway, and there's a trade show in Dublin which had about 4,000 people come through the doors in two days," Mr. Willis said. "So those are pretty significant numbers."
In Ireland, the exodus is seen as a mixed blessing. It helps keep the country's unemployment rate, predicted to remain around 13% for the next two years, from skyrocketing. But it also means huge numbers of skilled workers are leaving in search of jobs.
"There's a fairly steady stream of inquiries from people who might be asking for help or information if they're thinking of going to work in Canada," said Sean Heading, of Ireland's Technical Engineering and Electrical Union, which held a seminar in November for unemployed skilled workers looking to work abroad. The sessions included representatives from Alberta's construction unions.
Mr. Heading worries about the dim economic opportunities in Ireland for his two teenaged sons. "I would not like to think that the only prospect they will have is emigration," he said. "We don't want to be exporting all our young people. It's not a nice prospect for mothers and fathers to be facing."
Increasing emigration put renewed pressure on the Irish government to allow expatriates to vote in Friday's general election. (Non-residents were not allowed to cast ballots.) The restriction was put in place to keep Ireland's huge diaspora from dominating the vote: The estimated three million Irish passport-holders living abroad would roughly equal the number of domestic voters.
"I have a network of friends around the world ... because everyone has left," said Brian Reynolds, a 29-year-old who moved from Ireland to Toronto 18 months ago and started ballotbox.ie, a website that allowed members of the Irish diaspora to cast a mock vote. "There's a lot of talk about the situation back home and the government and who's to blame and how it's going to recover. That kind of discussion wasn't ever there among my friends before now."
Mr. Reynolds said most workers have left so they would not be a drain on the unemployment system, and are using their earnings in Canada and elsewhere to pay down their debts in Ireland. Many are looking to move home when the economy recovers. He argues they should have had a say in the country's most-watched national election in years -in which longtime ruling party Fianna Fáil was booted out of office.
"If we could sort out the economy soon, and make it so jobs are increasing rather than decreasing, then I think we can get all the people back very quickly," he said. "I do have a lot of friends [who are] taking a few years out, letting Ireland get back on its feet, and they'll be back there to set up family and have kids."
Mr. Reynolds' own future is "up in the air." His girlfriend is sponsoring him as a permanent resident in Canada.
However, he said, "I'd say my future lies back in Ireland."

Canada third in global study on welcoming immigrants

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By Carmen Chai, Postmedia News
International researchers have applauded Canada's efforts at helping newcomers integrate in a report that ranks this country third in the world in how it reaches out to its immigrant population.
Canada placed two notches higher compared to last year — just behind Sweden and Portugal — in the annual Migration Integration Policy Index (MIPEX) released Monday by the British Council and the Migration Policy Group, organizations that track immigration policy in dozens of countries.
Overall, Canada received 72 points out of a possible 100, while Sweden, sitting at No. 1 on the list, received 83.
Canada moved up on the list because of the federal government's recent focus on recognizing the education and credentials of immigrants, results showed.
The MIPEX findings, which compare 31 North American and European countries, are meant to help governments examine their current policies, said Jan Niessen, director of the Migration Policy Group. He noted that the study doesn't completely convey an immigrant's experience in each country, though.
Officials should examine the findings carefully as the demand for skilled immigrants increases, according to Howard Duncan, executive head of Metropolis, a Canadian organization that studies immigration.
"One thing we're seeing, not just in North America and Europe, is a growing competition for immigrants who have a high level of education and high level of skill. . . . The competition for migrants is going to be, in part, won or lost in terms of integration policies," he said.
For the study, about 100 researchers from around the world looked at 150 factors, broken into seven categories, such as access to education and the labour market, chances of reuniting with family, the possibility of permanent residency and political rights.
Canada's large backlog of immigration applications awaiting processing was a source a concern. The report said Canada's wait list is a "major weakness."
While Canada tied with the United States for promoting anti-discrimination and equal opportunities, the report showed that Canada limits newcomers' voting rights and input in public discussion, Niessen said.
Canada received a "slightly unfavourable" 38 points in the political participation category because it has not extended the right to vote to those in line for citizenship, while 18 European Union countries already do.
Recent national surveys on the issue show that Canadians are divided on whether potential citizens should be allowed to vote, said Jack Jedwab, executive director of the Association for Canadian Studies.
Jedwab said the findings should be interpreted with "caution."
"We need to look at the overall rankings and where we stand and not determine or be satisfied with being third best on the list," he said.
"We do know on the ground from various research that immigrants do face challenges when it comes to labour-market integration and the labour-market situation," he said.
But Canada also ranked high in the labour-mobility stream compared to Europe and the U.S.
"Migrant workers and their families have some of the best labour market opportunities in Canada . . . foreign residents and nationals have the same right to work in any sector, start a business and use public job services. All have the same working conditions and access to social security," the report said.
Canada was in second place after Sweden in the education category, which showed that Canada addressed the specific needs of immigrant children with its English-as-a-second-language programs.
Jedwab said Canadian cities should step in to fill in gaps in the integration experience for newcomers. For example, cities known to have high rates of immigration should consider creating services that will help new residents prepare for citizenship tests, he said.
Earlier this month, Immigration Minister Jason Kenney said Canada admitted a record number of immigrants in 2009 when more than 280,000 people moved to the country.
It was the largest number of newcomers to Canada in 57 years, he said.
cchai@postmedia.com
Twitter.com/Carmen_Chai
Top 10 countries, and their scores, in a global study of immigrant experience:
1. Sweden — 83
2. Portugal — 79
3. Canada — 72
4. Finland — 69
5. Netherlands — 68
6. Belgium — 67
7. Norway — 66
8. Spain — 63
9. U.S. — 62
10. Italy — 60
Worst 10 countries, and their scores:
1. Czech Republic — 46
1. Estonia — 46
2. Hungary — 45
2. Romania — 45
3. Switzerland — 43
4. Austria — 42
4. Poland — 42
5. Bulgaria — 41
6. Lithuania — 40
7. Malta — 37
8. Slovakia — 36
9. Cyprus — 35
10. Latvia — 31

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