BUDGET 2011: Credits for re-training foreign workers

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Foreign workers forced to obtain additional Canadian credentials before practicing in their field will feel some financial relief in the Conservative’s budget, tabled Tuesday.

Source: OBJ

However, the document – which still needs to be approved by parliamentarians – is vague on increased recognition of foreign credentials, an important issue for Ottawa’s technology sector.

“There are very qualified people not being able to work in their field in Canada because of a recognition of their experience and credentials, so I think a large number of organizations have asked for some relief there,” said OCRI chief executive Claude Haw in an interview before the budget's release on Tuesday.

That said, the budget included few details about how immigrants could gain equivalency for medical, law, engineering and other professional degrees overseas, only saying details would be announced shortly.

Instead, the government focused on tuition relief for those foreign workers that are looking to switch careers or supplement their existing credentials.

“Many foreign-trained workers have difficulty paying for the tuition and other training costs associated with the foreign credential recognition process,” budget documents stated.

University and college tuition fees in Canada are eligible for a tax credit, but examinations for professional certifications – like nursing or accounting – don't fall under this bracket.

The budget proposes making all of these trade, occupational and professional examination fees eligible as long as a provincial or federal statute lets the person do the trade in Canada.

Around 30,000 people nationwide are expected to receive this assistance, reducing federal revenues by $1 million in 2010-11 and $5 million for the following two years.

“During the downturn, people asked if we need more people in the country, but I say it creates vibrancy and innovation,” Mr. Haw said, noting that Canadians do very well when working with Silicon Valley companies and he has seen the same phenomenon when foreign workers come here.

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• Alberta foreign workers can apply to government for permanent residency (calgaryherald.com)
• Yukon can fast-track some foreign workers (cbc.ca)
• Federal budget: Small businesses get a break on taxes (thestar.com)

Canada to scrap one avenue for refugees

Image via WikipediaBY ELIZABETH THOMPSON, IPOLITICS.CA



Refugees from some of the world's most dangerous countries could soon find it more difficult to find refuge in Canada.

Immigration Minister Jason Kenney has put forward a proposal to eliminate one of the three classes Canada uses to resettle refugees. The source-country class allows residents of designated countries to apply directly to Canada for refugee status from inside those countries.

In its notice of the proposed change, the government says the groups most likely to be affected by the change are Colombians and Eritreans.

The refugee spaces that had been allocated to the source-country class will be reallocated to the larger convention-refugee-abroad class. In the convention class, Canada works with the United Nations human rights commissioner for refugees to resettle refugees located outside their country of origin.

Applications under the source-country class that have been approved in principle will be processed, and candidates who meet the criteria will be issued a visa. Those not already approved in principle will be reassessed under the remaining refugee resettlement classes. Unsuccessful applicants who feel they need protection will be referred to the UN human rights commissioner.

The government says the change is being proposed because the source-country class isn't "effective or efficient."

However, Janet Dench, executive director of the Canadian Council for Refugees, said scrapping the class instead of reforming it will close the door to people who can't easily leave their home countries to apply for refugee status and force them into the arms of human-smugglers.

"They are proposing to close one of the few options Canada has which allows people who face persecution to avoid smugglers."

The source country class, which has existed since 1997, allows prospective refugees from designated countries to apply to Canada for refugee status before they leave the country.

Currently, six countries are designated: Colombia, Guatemala, El Salvador, Sudan, Sierra Leone and the Democratic Republic of Congo.

The last time the list of designated countries was revised was 2001. While Canadian government travel warnings have since been reduced for some countries, such as Guatemala and El Salvador, the Department of Foreign Affairs still warns against any travel to Sudan and parts of the Democratic Republic of Congo and Colombia.

In its proposal, the government said a review of the source-country class in 2009 found it isn't effective.

"The source country class was intended to be a flexible tool for humanitarian intervention, capable of responding to a variety of populations and situations," the government wrote.

"However, the review found that the class can only be used successfully in a narrow range of humanitarian situations in a small number of countries around the world."

In some countries, the system was being swamped with applications from citizens of other countries located in the designated country.

"Direct access was granted in the six source countries to accommodate applications from source country nationals," the government explained. "However, the provision is also being used by non-nationals residing in the source countries who would normally be required to have a referral or a private sponsor, since Canada cannot restrict the application of direct access based on nationality. As a result, any foreign national living in a source country may use the direct access provision to apply for resettlement without referral."

In some countries, such as Columbia, where the average acceptance rate is 13 per cent, the Canadian embassy was swamped with thousands of applications. In Sierra Leone and Sudan, fewer than 100 applications have been submitted in each country.

Dench said part of the reason that the source-country class hasn't been working as well as it could is that the government hasn't been trying to make it work.

"We're particularly critical of the fact that the program has never really been made to work in Africa."

Dench said improvements are needed, such as not having a published list of countries. However, she said she was shocked to learn the government is proposing to scrap the source country class altogether.

"From our perspective it is a very bad idea."

Liberal immigration critic Justin Trudeau said the government's proposal makes a case for the move and he supports the idea of working with the UN human rights commissioner.

However, Trudeau said he also has concerns about the move and would like to see the House of Commons immigration committee hold hearings into the question.

"Any time we're eliminating an entire class of refugee applicants I get very wary."

elizabeththompson@ipolitics.ca

Twitter.com/LizT1

© Copyright (c) 2011 iPolitics.ca

Read more: http://www.montrealgazette.com/news/partner/shell/Canada+scrap+avenue+refugees/4476507/story.html#ixzz1HKqyBBjQ

Immigrants create networks to help them help themselves

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Suzanne WintrobSpecial to the Star

At 15, Tina Tehranchian graduated from high school and left her native Iran to study at an American university. After receiving a BA in political science and commerce and a masters in communications, she and her new husband returned to Iran. When their son was born, the couple decided to relocate again, to Canada, to build their son’s future.

The 1990 recession was a difficult time to find a job in communications, and even more so for a new immigrant. Tehranchian wasn’t familiar with any employment agencies and “all I kept hearing the same old excuse all the time, ‘You need Canadian experience’ — even though I had U.S. experience.

“But it didn’t seem to count for much.”

To make ends meet, she snagged a job in the financial industry and hoped for the best. “It suited my personality,” she said. She retrained as a Certified Financial Planner and a Chartered Financial Consultant and started building her new career.

About 10 years ago, Tehranchian began volunteering with Family Service Association of Metro Toronto, which was examining employment issues in the Iranian community.

She was thrilled to learn about the many employment agencies helping new immigrants learn the ropes in Canada.

Soon after the Iranian-Canadian Network for Employment and Entrepreneurship Mentoring (ICN) was born, uniting newly-arrived Iranians with Iranian-Canadian business owners and professionals to provide mentoring and help them secure employment.

“One of the biggest challenges immigrants face is how to translate their experiences and their education from back home to the realities of the job market in Canada, and that’s why having a mentor who’s got the exact same background as themselves can be a big help,” says Tehranchian. “It takes all of the cultural differences into account.”

Today, Tehranchian is a branch manager and financial advisor at Assante Capital Management Ltd. in Toronto.

She also sits on the advisory committee for the Toronto Region Immigrant Employment Council’s Professional Immigrant Network (PIN), a collection of volunteer-run groups for internationally-educated and experienced professionals. Tehranchian is PIN’s co-chair.

The 70 groups collectively represent more than 25,000 people, and host lectures, workshops and social events throughout the year to help immigrants network with their peers, find jobs in their area of expertise, and give back to the community.

Elizabeth MacIsaac, TRIEC’s executive director, says one of the obstacles new Canadians struggle with is leaving behind their professional connection, and that’s why it’s critical they build a new one quickly.

TRIEC reaches out to immigrants through community agencies, she says.

Yet few immigrants avail themselves of those services when they arrive.

They connect first with professional colleagues who share their culture, history and experiences. It’s about familiarity and trust, says MacIsaac.

This is why TRIEC united all of the groups under the Professional Immigrant Network banner recently.

“Just as one group might be doing mentoring, another might be linking to affinity groups at big corporations,” says MacIsaac. “Another might be holding regular networking and information sessions.

“They can learn from one another.”

The initiative is funded by Scotiabank, Citizenship and Immigration Canada, and ALLIES, a project of the Maytree foundation.

MacIsaac says companies have expressed interest in tapping into the groups to recruit employees.

Paula Calderon, president of the Canadian Colombian Professionals Association, came to Canada from Bogota in 2001. She urges new immigrants to spend time researching opportunities and programs outside their own communities, too. She mentions TRIEC’s “networking-beyond-boundaries” event at the Toronto Board of Trade Mar. 31, which unites many Hispanic groups to network with human resource departments from top corporations.

“Nothing has the magic formula, but [researching] will definitely help them save time on how to do things and how to best approach employers,” says Calderon, client relations manager and applicant screener at Career Edge Organization.

“Doing the research on presentation and job search skills is definitely something that takes time. Being well prepared actually saves time in the search. The better prepared you are, the better you present yourself, and the easier it is to secure employment.”

Tehranchian recommends prospective new Canadians start their research well before arriving.

“Do as much homework as possible to find the community groups, to find the service agencies and the programs that you could benefit from, because there are so many free programs available!” she says.

“Try to leverage your contacts and build a network as soon as you get to Canada!”

Related articles

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Next stop, Canada, in new wave of emigration from Iran

Image via WikipediaBy Farshid Motahari Mar 21, 2011, 4:07 GMT

Tehran - There is almost no time when people get together in Tehran that migration to Canada is not discussed.

The North American country has turned into the new Garden of Eden for those who see no future in their homeland of Iran.

'I am done with my homeland, which I used to love, and I want to continue my life living in a place with no restrictions and gender discrimination,' said Haleh, a 30-year-old chemical engineer in Tehran who plans to leave for Toronto in the summer.

She is not alone in her frustration. The number of Iranians seeking a new life in Canada has increased by at least 30 per cent in the past 20 months, according to several agencies in Tehran dealing with migration to Canada.

Observers said one of the main reasons is the June 2009 presidential election, which was overshadowed by fraud. Street protests against the re-election of Mahmoud Ahmadinejad were violently suppressed along with any hope of change in the Islamic state.

A sociologist in Tehran said the enthusiasm before the election and the hope that Iran would move toward democracy has turned into frustration, prompting the younger generation in particular to consider leaving.

'What we witness now is the emigration of young and educated people who see no more opportunities in Iran,' the sociologist said. 'They do not want to waste themselves here but seek a new start in a country like Canada, where they believe their potential could be realized.'

The first emigration wave from Iran happened in the years after the 1979 revolution and the establishment of its clergy-ruled Islamic republic.

The destinations then of those countries.

According to officials, 5 million Iranians live abroad, but observers said the number is even higher because their children born abroad are not necessarily registered in Iran.

A university professor in Tehran questioned how aware these offspring are of their origins. 'They probably do not speak Persian, either,' the educator said. 'They are Iran's lost generation resulting from the country's situation in the last three decades.'

Canada has emerged in recent years as the new destination for emigration. Because of its selective criteria for immigrants, mainly educated and professionally qualified Iranians are allowed in.

A census back in 2006 put the number of Iranians who have migrated to Canada at 92,085. The number is said to be more than 250,000 now.

Because most of the Iranians prefer to settle in Toronto, the city has been nicknamed 'Tehranto.'

One of the new aspects of migration to Canada is that Iranians moving there are not necessarily motivated by money because many enjoy a good standard of living in Iran.

Ali, a 43-year old doctor, and his wife had a good double income and a comfortable life but still decided to move to Toronto.

'I love Canada because every attempt of mine at being happy is not discouraged or dissuaded, disregarded or dis-whatevered,' Ali said.

Mohammad, a dentist, has had his own clinic in Tehran and believes that his income at home would be more than in Toronto, where he is planning to go soon.

'I can earn money in Iran, but what I miss is simply having choices in a country with no choices, either political or social,' he said. 'It's not a place where I want to spend the rest of my life.'

Many Iranians planning to go to Canada saw their political choices ignored in the 2009 presidential election and their protests violently suppressed.

'If I vote for different people and political parties and even if they lose, I still expect them to be active as an opposition and not suddenly removed from the political scenery,' said Farinaz, a 37-year-old architect, who also wants to migrate to Canada.

She was referring to the two main challengers to Ahmadinejad in the election. They have been branded by the government as 'Western mercenaries and agents,' prevented from taking party in political activities and put under house arrest since last month.

Iran's generation under 35 faces numerous social restrictions, especially in contacts with the opposite sex.

'Socially, we have no choices either because we either have to get married or be preached at that having fun is immoral and having passion a sin, which even leads to earthquakes,' said Maryam, a 28-year-old student who has applied to migrate to Canada.

She was referring to a sermon last year in Tehran in which Ayatollah Kazem Sedighi said that social immorality, such as improper women's clothing and sex outside marriage, increases the probability of earthquakes.

Source: 

http://www.monstersandcritics.com

The Philippines now Canada’s top source of immigrants

Image by DaDaAce via Flickr

Michael Villanueva, a 36-year-old Philippines-trained engineer, arrived in Winnipeg a year ago under the provincial nominee program. He works the night shift as a maintenance man at a Winnipeg bread plant, then spends his days in a college course for electricians. He said he knew that emigrating might mean stepping down a rung professionally, but he’s still frustrated. He hopes to take a Canadian engineer’s certification exam once his English skills improve.

The connection to the Roman Catholic church – about 85 per cent of migrants are Catholic – has also been a unifying force for the community, which has simultaneously rejuvenated shrinking congregations. Outside of church, Filipino-Canadians have formed more than 1,000 ethnic associations organized around work, sports or other interests.

Having such robust community networks may be one reason Filipinos don’t tend to concentrate in neighbourhood enclaves, according to Prof. Laquian. Also, the nature of the caregiver program, which places migrants in peoples’ homes, may play a role in the community’s geographic dispersal.

In recent years, the education level of caregivers accepted as immigrants has skyrocketed. Philip Kelly, a York University geographer, said the proportion of caregivers with a university degree has risen to 63 per cent in 2009 from 5 per cent in 1993, making it an even better educated group than the skilled-worker class.

But as the human capital of newcomers has jumped, concerns have intensified about the fate of the children of previous waves. Prof. Kelly said research shows their outcomes are not what one would expect.

“In terms of statistical evidence, it looks like the story is not a happy one. Outcomes for Filipino youth are often quite poor, high levels of high-school dropouts and low levels of university graduation,” Prof. Kelly said. In Toronto, 37 per cent of first-generation Filipinos have a university degree, but that number dips to 24 per cent in the second generation, he said.

Some experts blame the struggles of the next generation on the family dislocation caused by the caregiver program. Stories of women exploited in Canada and families damaged by years of separation have surfaced more frequently in recent years.

For women such as Salve Fungo, the caregiver program is just a way-station on the path to a better life. A computer technician in the Philippines, Ms. Fungo, 36, moved to Canada in 2007. After a little more than two years caring for an elderly woman, she’s re-training as an IT specialist and embarking on the path to citizenship.

She describes it as an attractive proposition: A few years of sacrifice for life in a stable country with free health care and a salary that will allow her to send relatively vast sums home. She already paid her brother’s way through college.

“Most of my friends wanted to come here,” she said. “It’s the ‘in’ thing in the Philippines to come to Canada.”

Source: The Globe and Mail.

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Canada and Nova Scotia to Work Together on Temporary Foreign Workers

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OTTAWA, ONTARIO--(Marketwire - March 20, 2011) - Temporary foreign workers in Nova Scotia will be better protected as a result of an agreement between Canada and Nova Scotia that gives the province a role in managing the Temporary Foreign Worker Program.
"Temporary foreign workers make a key contribution to the Canadian economy and we are taking the necessary steps to protect them from exploitation," said Jason Kenney, Minister of Citizenship, Immigration and Multiculturalism. "We are ensuring that temporary foreign workers are treated with respect, with agreements such as this, and with the new regulations that take effect nationwide on April 1."
The agreement, an annex to the Agreement for Canada-Nova Scotia Cooperation on Immigration, provides a framework for closer co-operation between the two governments to better educate employers and potential workers about their rights and responsibilities.
"The Government of Nova Scotia has a central role in protecting workers, including temporary foreign workers, from mistreatment, and this agreement formally recognizes that role," added Minister Kenney.
Nova Scotia will also have a greater role in helping employers access the labour and skills they need, and will be able to recommend the entry of some temporary foreign workers without requiring an assessment of whether there are Canadians or permanent residents available to fill the vacant positions.
"This agreement is an important step in making the program more responsive to Nova Scotia's particular labour needs," added Diane Finley, Minister of Human Resources and Skills Development.
"Attracting temporary international workers to Nova Scotia will help ensure there is enough skilled labour available for our businesses and industries," said Marilyn More, Nova Scotia Minister of Labour and Advanced Education and Minister of Immigration. "Temporary international workers have technical skills and international contacts our companies and communities need in order to remain innovative, productive and competitive, the key priorities outlined in the Government of Nova Scotia's jobsHere plan to grow the economy."
The Temporary Foreign Worker Program is driven by employer demand and aimed at filling identified labour shortages when sufficient, suitable Canadian workers or permanent residents are not available. For more on the regulations that take effect on April 1, 2011, please see the news release of August 18, 2010.
Follow us on Twitter at www.twitter.com/CitImmCanada

For more information, please contact
Citizenship and Immigration Canada
Minister's Office
Alykhan Velshi
or
Citizenship and Immigration Canada
Communications Branch
Media Relations
613-952-1650              613-952-1650     
CIC-Media-Relations@cic.gc.ca
or
Human Resources and Skills Development Canada
Minister's Office
Michelle Bakos
819-994-2482           819-994-2482     
or
Human Resources and Skills Development Canada
Media Relations
819-994-5559              819-994-5559     
or
Office of Immigration
Media Relations
Tom Peck
902-424-3742              902-424-3742     
peckto@gov.ns.ca

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Ottawa sets up new agency to regulate immigration consultants, deal with fraud

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TORONTO - A new regulatory body for immigration consultants is in the works as part of the federal government's crackdown on scam artists who prey on would-be newcomers to Canada, Immigration Minister Jason Kenney announced Friday.

The aim of the proposed agency is to protect immigrants from shoddy or dishonest operators, Kenney said.

"There are people who sometimes seek to unethically make a profit by exploiting the hopes and dreams of newcomers," Kenney said. "These unlicensed, unregistered, unscrupulous consultants give the profession a black eye by taking thousands of dollars from individuals — often in cash — and all too often providing nothing in return."

Ottawa has faced a barrage of complaints over the years about so-called "ghost" consultants, who provide bad or fraudulent advice and counterfeit documents, or take cash up front.

Until now, the industry has been self-policing without formal recognition from Ottawa.

The proposed Immigration Consultants of Canada Regulatory Council, which will be responsible to Ottawa and regulate immigration consultants, is slated to be up and running by the summer.

It will be charged with ensuring consultants are properly licensed and policed.

The agency is part of a broader federal crackdown on immigration consultants initiated in the form of Bill C-35 last June.

The bill, expected to become law next week, would require — under threat of criminal sanction — that those who act as consultants for pay be licensed, and includes stiff penalties for bogus operators.

Consultants operating abroad would also have to be licensed by the new regulatory council.

While the new law would help deal with scam artists in Canada, Kenney conceded a big part of the problem exists with fraudsters in source countries who are beyond the reach of Canadian justice.

Kenney said he's been talking to his counterparts in immigrant-source countries — he recently was in India and Pakistan — urging them to strengthen their relevant laws.

Imran Qayyum, chairman of the Canadian Migration Institute, said little appears to have come from Kenney's efforts abroad.

"The federal government's been missing in action when it comes down to trying to address this issue," Qayyum said. "How many 'ghosts' have they put out of business? As far as I know zero."

Currently, bona fide immigration consultants belong to the Canadian Society of Immigration Consultants, with almost 2,000 members across Canada and overseas.

However, Ottawa has not formally recognized the group, which is not accountable to the federal government and has faced criticism for not dealing with bad apples.

The Canadian Society of Immigration Consultants said it was "considering its options" in light of Kenney's announcement.

"We are saddened and surprised that the government has put more than 1,900 accredited consultants and 38 staff members of CSIC in limbo," the society said in a statement.

"The government has opted to designate a third party with no regulatory experience — it could be years before this group can build up the regulator sophistication that CSIC has today."

The government has also launched an advertising blitz at home and abroad in hopes of educating would-be immigrants, in part pointing out that they don't need consultants to apply to Canada.

The campaign also notes that no one can guarantee a successful immigration application.

Opposition critics have said Ottawa is going to have to ensure the new law is properly enforced to have any effect.

— With files from Terri Theodore in Vancouver

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BDC enhances partnership with Canadian Youth Business Foundation

MONTREAL, March 17 /CNW Telbec/ - Business Development Bank of Canada (BDC) and the Canadian Youth Business Foundation (CYBF) are pleased to announce an enhanced partnership that will help young, newly arrived immigrants to Canada become successful entrepreneurs.

The CYBF Newcomer Entrepreneur Program recognizes that recent immigrants may require targeted support to start their own businesses. In addition to offering flexible financing, the program is designed to overcome the difficulty many young, newly arrived immigrants have in accessing credit because they do not have a Canadian credit history. The program also offers mentoring and business resources so newcomers can learn about operating a business in Canada and improve their chances of success. For details, please visit: http://www.cybf.ca/entrepreneurs/newcomer/.

"Recently arrived immigrants to Canada are among the country's most dynamic and entrepreneurial group of individuals," says Edmée Métivier, BDC Executive Vice President, Financing and Consulting, who also sits on the CYBF Board of Directors. "Newcomers have an acute desire to succeed and anything BDC and CYFB can do to help them start and, subsequently, operate a business is certainly worth encouraging. Entrepreneurs play a key role in ensuring Canada's long term prosperity."

"During the Year of the Entrepreneur, in a country deeply entrenched in the principles of multiculturalism, it's only fitting that we partner with BDC to offer this unique opportunity to young new Canadians," says Vivian Prokop, Chief Executive Officer, CYBF. "Our unique program directly addresses the challenges faced by newcomers and provides the critical financial, mentoring and educational support they need to succeed in the Canadian business landscape."

Under the BDC-CYBF partnership, permanent Canadian residents between the ages of 18 and 34 can apply for up to $15,000 in financing. The CYBF Newcomer Entrepreneur Program provides residents who have lived in Canada for less than 36 months and possess a solid working knowledge of English or French with the opportunity to build sound, sustainable and profitable businesses.

About BDC

Canada's business development bank, BDC puts entrepreneurs first. With almost 1,900 employees and more than 100 business centres across the country, BDC offers financing, venture capital and consulting services to 29,000 small and medium sized companies. Their success is vital to Canada's economic prosperity. www.bdc.ca

About Canadian Youth Business Foundation - Canada's Entrepreneur Gateway

The Canadian Youth Business Foundation (CYBF) is the 'go to' place for youth entrepreneurship. As a national charity, we are dedicated to growing our nation's economy one young entrepreneur at a time. We look at character not collateral, when providing youth, age 18-34, with pre-launch coaching, business resources, start-up financing and mentoring, to help them launch and sustain a successful entrepreneurial business. www.cybf.ca

For further information:

Geoffrey King
Director, Public Relations
Business Development Bank of Canada
(514) 496-4351
geoffrey.king@bdc.ca

Rachel Azagury
Senior Manager, Media, Social Media and Events
Canadian Youth Business Federation
416-408-2923, ext. 2111
razagury@cybf.ca

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Canada launches reverse brain drain programme for expats

by RAY CLANCY on MARCH 17, 2011

A new pilot programme has been launched in Canada to encourage expat Canadians to return home and contribute to the country’s economy.

The initiative by the Canadian immigration has been called ‘a reverse brain drain’ and officials want to maker it easier for Canadians with much needed experience and skills to return.

The pilot has been launched in Ontario and if deemed successful will operate nationwide. ‘We are making it easier for Canadians abroad to bring their skills home and contribute to the Canada of tomorrow,’ said Citizenship, Immigration and Multiculturism Minister Jason Kenney.

For some Canadian workers living abroad, an obstacle to returning to Canada is that their non-Canadian spouse, partner or dependent children may be unable to work until they are processed as permanent residents, which usually takes between six months and one year.

Now family members of Canadian citizens and permanent residents returning to work in certain sectors, such as health care and academic research, are able to get temporary work permits immediately upon arriving in Canada.

Ontario’s health and academic sectors have faced significant skill and labour shortages in recent years and were identified as the most appropriate sectors for the pilot project.

‘By encouraging highly skilled workers to come back to Canada, we are laying the foundation for long term economic growth,’ added Kenney.

To be eligible to participate in the pilot, applicants must be a spouse, common-law partner, or dependent child of a Canadian citizen or permanent resident returning to work in Ontario, have an application underway to immigrate to Canada through sponsorship in the family class, be old enough to work in Ontario, and meet all admissibility criteria to come to Canada as a temporary resident.

The sponsoring spouse or partner must be a Canadian citizen or permanent resident, have left Canada and be returning to work permanently in Ontario, as a health professional or an academic for post-secondary public institutions, in one of a list of specified occupations, obtain a letter from the Province of Ontario confirming their employment, location and occupation and provide it as supporting documentation with the work permit application, and have submitted an application to CIC to sponsor their spouse or dependent child.

The list of occupations include specialist doctors, GPs, dentists, vets, pharmacists, registered nurses, opticians, physiotherapists, midwives, paramedics, university professors, teaching and research assistants, and college instructors.

The pilot programme is a partnership between Government of Canada and the Province of Ontario, and will operate until May 22, 2012. The Government will then evaluate the programme before making a decision about extending it.

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Immigration Consultant Regulator Continues Commitment to Transparency

TORONTO, March 17 /CNW/ - Today, the Canadian Society of Immigration Consultants (CSIC) released its 2009-2010 Annual Report. The release of the annual report is an important aspect of the organization's commitment to accountability, transparency and communication with all of its stakeholders, including government and members.

"As the regulator of an ever-growing profession, CSIC has matured considerably since its infancy," said Chair Nigel Thomson. "I am proud of CSIC's accomplishments during an extraordinarily busy year."

In 2010 the Immigration Minister introduced Bill C-35 to crack down on the problem of unlicensed ghost agents, unscrupulous individuals who offer immigration consulting services without having the proper accreditation. With the introduction of Bill C-35 the minister also announced that the Federal government would open a bidding process for groups wishing to be designated the regulator of immigration consultants.

"The minister's action has made for a somewhat trying year, but CSIC remains firm in its conviction that it is the best choice for regulator and its accomplishments in 2009-2010 speak for themselves," continued Thomson.

• CSIC stepped up its efforts to hold members accountable and subsequently referred a greater number of matters to a hearing (results available at https://www.csic-scci.ca/content/currenthearings).
• CSIC further held members accountable through the introduction of a Compliance Department, which is dedicated to ensuring that members manage their practices according to CSIC's rules.
• CSIC accreditation was recognized by the Quebec government through regulation.
• CSIC connected with more consumers than ever through a multi-faceted strategy that included increased media outreach, a national ad campaign and a toll-free referral service.
• CSIC's membership numbers increased due to a growing interest in the profession.

CSIC's Annual Report and its financial statements will be presented to members at the upcoming Annual Meeting, which will take place online on Wednesday, April 6, 2011 at 3 p.m. EDT. The Annual Report is also available online on the CSIC website: https://www.csic-scci.ca/content/annual_reports

The Canadian Society of Immigration Consultants is the professional regulatory body for immigration consultants in Canada. Established in 2004 it currently has over 1,900 members. CSIC's mandate is to protect consumers of immigration consulting services. Consequently, it is responsible for ensuring the education, competency testing and the discipline of its members. CSIC also requires its members to carry errors and omissions insurance and to contribute to a compensation fund.

For further information:

Nancy Tibbo, Communications Manager, ntibbo@csic-scci.ca, 416-945-6271, Toll free: 866-308-2742, ext. 2252 or 416-294-0030.