Study finds CSIC-accredited immigration consultants provide benefits to Canadian multiculturalism

TORONTO, June 27, 2011 /CNW/ - CSIC-accredited immigration consultants benefit Canadian society by helping Canada attract greater numbers of highly qualified immigrants, according to a study commissioned by the Canadian Migration Institute (CMI).

"Multiculturalism Day is an important time to reflect on the valuable role of immigration in Canada and the study clearly demonstrates that members of the Canadian society of Immigration Consultants (CSIC) extend high quality immigration services to those who may not be able to afford a lawyer," said Dr. Don DeVoretz from Can-Excell Consultants, which conducted the study. "The study endorsed the quality of those services because the immigrants that I spoke to indicated that they were very satisfied with the help they received with their immigration to Canada."
In its report Can-Excell also concluded CSIC membership provided significant value by offering consultants name brand recognition from a trusted accreditation and training that enabled them to provide higher quality service.
"CSIC members must meet high standards to obtain and maintain their membership, and it's because of those standards that consumers trust the Certified Canadian Immigration Consultant designation," said DeVoretz. "On Multiculturalism Day it's important to remember that as Canadians we all benefit when smart, ambitious people make Canada their home, and immigration consultants play an important role in facilitating their immigration."
"Only CSIC members are accredited immigration consultants and they know they're leaving a positive impact on the Canadian fabric because every day they help brave, hopeful, motivated people live their dreams of becoming Canadian. CMI has always maintained that CSIC members are vital to the Canadian immigration system and, on Multiculturalism Day, I'm pleased that Can-Excell Consultants have reached the same conclusion," said Canadian Migration Chair Imran Qayyum.
CMI commissioned Dr. DeVoretz to conduct an independent study to determine whether or not CSIC members provide viable services to consumers of immigration consulting services and whether or not there is value in being an accredited immigration consultant. Dr. DeVoretz is an internationally respected immigration expert. He is a professor of economics at Simon Fraser University and directs the Canadian Abroad Project at the Asia Pacific Foundation. He previously directed Vancouver's Centre of Excellence on Immigration Studies and sat on the Canadian Border Advisory Board.
As part of the study, Dr. DeVoretz gathered feedback from clients and immigration consultants in focus groups and surveys in Toronto, Calgary, Montreal and Vancouver. Clients faced a list of questions concerning their entry class, initial attempts to apply and their source of information prior to choosing to hire a CSIC member. Immigration consultants were queried on their level of experience and education, the types of clients they handle and the perceived quality of CSIC's education, testing and fees.
The study is available for download at:https://www.cmi-icm.ca/images/files/DeVoretz%20Study.pdf
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 1,740 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.

Tiffany Nyklickova, (416) 815-4277 x2245, tnyklickova@cmi-icm.ca.

Read more: http://www.digitaljournal.com/pr/347596#ixzz1QWDGj2e7

NEWCOMERS FACE UNDER-EMPLOYMENT CHALLENGES: RBC POLL

TORONTO, June 27, 2011 /CNW/ - Almost half (49 per cent) of newcomers who have been in Canada for one year or less feel under-employed, according to a recent RBC poll. Even after six-to-ten years in Canada, a third (32 per cent) of newcomers continue to feel that their current job is at a lower skill level than they had, or would have had, in their country of origin.

According to the poll, a majority of newcomers (52 per cent), measure success based on their career, which includes having a good paying job in their field of expertise. Additionally, men (43 per cent) are much more likely than women (28 per cent) to believe that their current job is a step down from what they had, or would have had, in their home country.

"Once newcomers get past some of the career challenges they face when they move to Canada, they make a tremendous contribution to the country's productivity and diversity," said Camon Mak, director, Multicultural Markets, RBC. "Canada is built on immigration - new skills and resources continue to be key drivers of our country's global success. It's important that we help newcomers get settled quickly both into their new home and their new careers. RBC is here to provide them with relevant financial advice to help them succeed."

Despite the importance of landing a dream job, only 42 per cent of immigrants indicated that they sought out information about career options in Canada before deciding to move. Twenty-nine per cent searched for information to determine whether there was a demand for their career experience; 24 per cent researched whether or not they would need to be recertified to meet Canadian standards. However, while they may not have their "dream job", only 12 per cent feel locked in a job that may not lead to their desired occupation.

When polled, newcomers provided the following career advice:

• Be prepared to wait for your dream job
• Determine if you need to be retrained or meet certification requirements
• Find out if there is a demand for your skill set.

Mak offers the following three tips to help newcomers succeed in Canada:

Do your research - Determine what you need ahead of time. RBC offers newcomers advice and provides them with tools to assist with the moving process including resume writing and job hunting tips. This may mean the difference between securing a good job in your field of expertise or working in an unrelated field in order to make ends meet. Seek out learning opportunities - There are many seminars for newcomers, such as the 7 Success Secrets for Canadian Immigrants (www.prepareforcanada.com). These offer great opportunities to gain invaluable advice, to network and to meet other newcomers. Set a budget and track your spending - Take advantage of online banking tools to help set your budget and manage your monthly spending when you arrive in Canada. For example, my FinanceTracker (www.rbcroyalbank.com/myfinancetracker) automatically categorizes transactions, tracks expenses and provides advanced budgeting capabilities for all your personal banking and credit card accounts.

Newcomers to Canada - Fast Facts:

• Definitions of success - While the majority (52 per cent) of newcomers define success as being based on their career, as they become more established (six-to-ten years) family (47 per cent) and health (30 per cent) become more important as definitions of success.
  
• Employment - Less than a third (31 per cent) of respondents have a job in their chosen field and over one-third (36 per cent) have a current job that is at a lower level than what they previously had, or would have had, in their country of origin.
  
• Career - More than a third (39 per cent) say that lack of Canadian experience has impacted their career options in Canada, followed by lack of available jobs in their area of expertise (30 per cent) and language skill barriers (28 per cent). If they found they were unable to find a job in their career field, the vast majority would consider returning to school (82 per cent), followed by adjusting their goals (75 per cent) or starting a business (73 per cent).

About the Environics Poll
The findings were conducted by Environics Research Group on behalf of RBC in April 2011. Environics conducted a total of 608 interviews among Chinese and South Asian immigrant residents in British Columbia and Ontario who are first generation and have lived in Canada for 10 years or less. Interviews were conducted online and respondents were recruited from an online consumer research panel. Quotas were applied to represent the different regions and tenure in Canada. Data was weighted according to population data from 2006 Census to represent the population as closely as possible.

About RBC Welcome to Canada Package
For more than seven generations, RBC has been supporting newcomers by providing them with resources and tools that make the transition to a new country seamless. The RBC Welcome to Canada package helps newcomers who have been in Canada for less than three years with key financial decisions and includes advice and discounts on products and services. Details on The RBC Welcome to Canada banking package, the "Understanding Banking in Canada" guidebook, as well as branch locators that identify representatives who speak up to 180 languages, can be found at www.rbc.com/settlequick. Consumers around the world can access information on moving to Canada, including financial advice checklists and more, at www.rbc.com/canada.

Read more: http://www.digitaljournal.com/pr/347361#ixzz1QWConQ4I

Toronto immigrants find it difficult to land jobs

They come looking for a better life. Recent immigrants to Canada often have years of professional experience but that resume means little when they land in Canada.

In Dubai, Sameer Shiwanna was a respected architect and his wife was a pediatrician. Two years ago they came to Toronto. Now Shiwanna works in security, language is too large a barrier to find employment in his profession.

Shiwanna feels more for his wife than himself, saying she is a doctor who is needed in this nation, yet she is unable to work.

Their story isn't the minority, either. For newcomers to Canada the dream of a good life is often dashed once immigrants land. The lack of employment in professional fields has caused some to tell others in their native lands not to aim for Canada according to a report from the Vancouver Observer. Others understand that it can take years before they will be able to work in their chosen fields.

Shiwanna said he would like to do work in his field even if he's not in a lead position.

"In Dubai I built huge towers but in Toronto I am not able to find those jobs," he said. "My wife has passed her medical exams but language skills are stopping her from working as a doctor."

He expressed his love for the city he now calls home but does hope that someday he will be able to give his knowledge to the city.

"This job (in security) is a first step. I hope to be able to meet the people that will help me to work in my field."

Another security guard arrived in Toronto last year from Nepal. She is happy to have a job that provides for her children.

"I love how people in Toronto help each other. It's how it should be."

A corner store on the waterfront is owned by two immigrants from Korea. In their homeland they were top business people but wanted religious freedom for their children. The owner's wife was an accountant. She said that in Canada you can not work in your own field.

Read more: http://www.digitaljournal.com/article/308392#ixzz1QS41WQyX

Changes to Economic Immigration Programs Will Help Further Reduce Backlogs and Improve Wait Times

 Canada is adjusting its intake of applications from economic immigrants to further reduce the backlog and improve wait times while meeting the country's labour market needs, Citizenship, Immigration and Multiculturalism Minister Jason Kenney announced today.

"The backlog of federal skilled worker applications is now half of what it was when we announced the Action Plan for Faster Immigration in 2008," said Minister Kenney. "These measures will help us to continue that progress."

Canada receives many more immigration applications than can be accepted every year. As part of ongoing efforts to better align application intake with priorities for immigration, Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) is limiting the number of new applications it will consider in certain categories of the federal economic immigration stream.

Effective July 1, 2011, the changes will affect new applicants to the federal Skilled Worker, federal Immigrant Investor and federal Entrepreneur programs. The changes will not affect the number of permanent resident admissions in 2011 in these three categories.

"Canada continues to welcome historically high numbers of new immigrants each year, but the Government continues to receive applications that far exceed this number," said Minister Kenney. "If we don't keep putting reasonable limits on new applications, backlogs and wait times will grow."

In November 2008, the government first took steps to identify for processing those federal skilled worker applications that responded to Canada's labour needs, such as applicants with arranged employment offers from Canadian employers or with experience in an occupation in high demand. In June 2010, the government released an updated list of 29 priority occupations and introduced a global cap of 20,000 for federal skilled workers, as well as a sub-cap of 1,000 under each occupation. Over the past year, CIC has received approximately 13,800 federal skilled worker applications under the priority occupations list (figure accurate as of June 24, 2011).

Now, for applicants who do not have an offer of employment in Canada, the government will further limit the number of new federal skilled worker applications that are considered for processing to 10,000 a year, beginning July 1. This limit will help better align the number of applications with labour market demand. Within the 10,000 limit, a maximum of 500 new applications in each of the current 29 priority occupations will be considered.

In addition, the Minister is introducing a cap of 700 on new federal investor applications. Although last year, CIC made changes that raised the minimum net worth and investment requirements, it continues to receive applications in excess of what is required. An annual cap on new applications will allow for progress on backlog reduction while ensuring that the Department has a sufficient volume of new files to meet its commitments.

The Minister is also introducing a temporary moratorium on new federal entrepreneur applications. Wait times for this program currently stretch to eight years in some visa offices. By ceasing to accept new applications as of July 1, the government will prevent further processing delays. The federal Entrepreneur Program will undergo a review in the coming months to ensure that Canada is better able to attract and retain innovative entrepreneurs.

The authority for these changes, which are being introduced through ministerial instructions, comes from amendments to the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act approved by Parliament in 2008 as part of the Action Plan for Faster Immigration. The instructions are meant to be a flexible tool that allows the government to align the intake of immigration applications with priorities for immigration.

Since these changes were implemented in November 2008, the backlog of pre-2008 federal skilled worker applicants has decreased by 50 percent. As well, priority applications are being processed in a period of months rather than years, as was the case prior to the 2008 changes.

The CIC website will be updated on July 1, 2011, with details on application requirements and procedures for affected programs.

Follow us on Twitter at www.twitter.com/CitImmCanada.

Changes Announced for Three Canadian Immigration Programs in 2011.

These Instructions come into force on July 1, 2011.

These Instructions apply to applications received by the designated Citizenship and Immigration Canada offices on or after July 1, 2011.

All Federal Skilled Worker applications received by the Centralized Intake Office in Sydney, Nova Scotia prior to July 1, 2011 shall continue to be considered for processing having regard to the Ministerial Instructions in place at the time of their receipt.

The Instructions are consistent with IRPA objectives as laid out in section 3, specifically to support the development of a strong and prosperous Canadian economy; to see that families are reunited in Canada; to fulfill Canada’s international legal obligations with respect to refugees and provide assistance to those in need of resettlement; and to respect the federal, bilingual and multicultural character of Canada, including to support and assist the development of minority official languages communities.

The Instructions are compliant with the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms.

The Instructions do not apply to refugees or protected persons or persons making a request on Humanitarian or Compassionate grounds from within Canada.

The Instructions respect all previously established accords and agreements including the Quebec-Canada Accord and all agreements with provinces and territories.

Any categories for which Instructions are not specifically issued shall be processed in the usual manner.

Economic Class applications

All Economic Class applications, with the exception of Federal Skilled Worker, federal Immigrant Investor Program, and federal Entrepreneur Program applications, shall be placed into processing according to existing priorities, including:

• Quebec economic applicants;
• Provincial Nominees;
• Canadian Experience Class;
• Other federal Business Immigrant applicants (self-employed); and
• Live-in Caregivers.

Federal Skilled Worker applications

Cap on the number of applications to be processed per year

A maximum of 10,000 new Federal Skilled Worker applications, without an offer of arranged employment, will be considered for processing each year.

Within the 10,000 cap, a maximum of 500 new Federal Skilled Worker applications per National Occupation Classification (NOC) code will be considered for processing each year.

In calculating the caps, applications will be considered in order of the date they are received. Applications received on the same date will be considered for processing having regard to routine office procedures.

For the unique purpose of calculating the caps, the cap year will begin on July 1, 2011 and end on June 30, 2012, unless otherwise indicated in a future Ministerial Instruction. Subsequent years will be calculated from July 1st to June 30th, unless otherwise indicated in a future Ministerial Instruction.

Instructions for processing Federal Skilled Worker applications

Federal Skilled Worker applications received by the Centralized Intake Office in Sydney, Nova Scotia on or after July 1, 2011, and that meet either of the following criteria shall be placed into processing:

1. Applications submitted with an Arranged Employment Offer (AEO) consistent with requirements of subsection 82(2) of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Regulations.

or

2. Applications from skilled workers with evidence of experience in the last ten years under one or more  of the following National Occupation Classification (NOC) codes, not exceeding the identified caps:

• 0631 Restaurant and Food Service Managers
• 0811 Primary Production Managers (Except Agriculture)
• 1122 Professional Occupations in Business Services to Management
• 1233 Insurance Adjusters and Claims Examiners
• 2121 Biologists and Related Scientists
• 2151 Architects
• 3111 Specialist Physicians
• 3112 General Practitioners and Family Physicians
• 3113 Dentists
• 3131 Pharmacists
• 3142 Physiotherapists
• 3152 Registered Nurses
• 3215 Medical Radiation Technologists
• 3222 Dental Hygienists & Dental Therapists
• 3233 Licensed Practical Nurses
• 4151 Psychologists
• 4152 Social Workers
• 6241 Chefs
• 6242 Cooks
• 7215 Contractors and Supervisors, Carpentry Trades
• 7216 Contractors and Supervisors, Mechanic Trades
• 7241 Electricians (Except Industrial & Power System)
• 7242 Industrial Electricians
• 7251 Plumbers
• 7265 Welders & Related Machine Operators
• 7312 Heavy-Duty Equipment Mechanics
• 7371 Crane Operators
• 7372 Drillers & Blasters — Surface Mining, Quarrying & Construction
• 8222 Supervisors, Oil and Gas Drilling and Service

No Humanitarian and Compassionate requests to overcome requirements of Ministerial Instructions

Requests made on the basis of Humanitarian and Compassionate grounds that accompany a Federal Skilled Worker application not identified for processing under Ministerial Instructions will not be processed.

Investor Class applications

Cap on the number of applications to be processed per year

A maximum of 700 new federal Immigrant Investor applications will be considered for processing each year.

In calculating the cap, applications will be considered in order of the date they are received. Applications received on the same date will be considered for processing having regard to routine office procedures.

For the unique purpose of calculating the caps, the cap year will begin on July 1, 2011 and end on June 30, 2012, unless otherwise indicated in a future Ministerial Instruction. Subsequent years will be calculated from July 1st to June 30th, unless otherwise indicated in a future Ministerial Instruction.

Instructions for processing federal investor class applications

Federal Immigrant Investor applications  received by the Centralized Intake Office in Sydney, Nova Scotia on or after July 1, 2011, not exceeding the identified cap shall be placed into processing.

Federal Entrepreneur Class applications

Temporary moratorium

No new federal Entrepreneur application will be accepted unless it is received by the designated Citizenship and Immigration Canada office prior to July 1, 2011. This temporary moratorium will remain in place until otherwise indicated in a future Ministerial Instruction.

Family Class applications

Family Class applications will be processed in the same manner and with the same priorities as usual.

Humanitarian and Compassionate requests

Requests for Humanitarian and Compassionate consideration made from outside Canada will be processed in the usual manner, except in the case where the request accompanies a Federal Skilled Worker application not identified for processing under Ministerial Instructions as stated above.

Temporary Resident applications

All applications for temporary residence, including Temporary Foreign Workers, Foreign Students and Visitors shall continue to be placed into processing immediately upon receipt.

Retention/Disposition

Applicants to the Federal Skilled Worker Program, the federal Immigrant Investor program or the federal Entrepreneur program whose applications are received by the designated Citizenship and Immigration Canada offices on or after July 1, 2011, and which do not meet the criteria described above shall be informed that their application will not continue for processing and their processing fees shall be returned.

It's time to make Metro a choice destination for immigrants

The Metro Moncton community recently came together to support the plight of the Maeng family from South Korea, which was facing deportation.

People who signed the petition, wrote letters or attended the rally were no doubt moved by the family's personal struggle.

All these community actions showed just how much our region is a warm, welcoming place for newcomers.

There could not have been a better spotlight shone on our tri-city. Nor a better time to talk about why it is so important to increase immigration in our region.

An aging population, low fertility rates, significant out-migration of youth to other provinces and sluggish economic prospects make for a very frightening forecast in our province.

New Brunswick has one of fastest aging populations in Canada.

In Metro Moncton, persons aged over 65 currently make up 25 per cent of the population, and this is expected to rise to one third of the population by 2016.

While efforts can be made to retain our young people by concentrating on creating more jobs and opportunities, it will not be enough to counter-balance the strain that older generations will have on our health care system and public services.

Research shows that communities that have made strategic investments in attracting newcomers are more resilient to change and are better positioned to take advantage of economic opportunities in the future.

Immigrants add entrepreneurial talent, enhance skill levels, help create jobs and contribute to faster economic growth.

The Greater Moncton Chamber of Commerce (GMCC) has been very active in promoting immigration.

We work hard to dispel the myth that newcomers take away a piece of the economic pie - the reality is that immigration actually makes the pie bigger for all of us - with many immigrants, such as the Maeng family who owns a successful business on West Main Street, playing a vital role in sustaining our local economy and enriching our cultural diversity.

In fact, a 2011 study by BMO Harris Private Banking showed that nearly one-third of affluent Canadians were born outside of the country.

Furthermore, more than 96 per cent of these affluent new Canadians have no plans to invest outside of Canada.

It is also important to note that immigration can help bridge the gap in finding highly skilled workers.

According to 2007 statistics by the New Brunswick Population Growth Division, 66.4 per cent of New Brunswick's immigrants arrive with post-secondary education and degrees.

The share of immigrants with no formal education remains at only 2.4 per cent.

It often is prejudices among employers as well as red tape surrounding accreditation processes which contribute to the idea that newcomers put a strain on our system.

People who come to Canada to seek a better life are some of the hardest working people you will ever meet. It is a shame that these highly educated and skilled newcomers often have to resort to low wage jobs to make a living in their new country.

Initiatives, like our Chamber's Business Immigrant Mentorship Program which matches newcomers to seasoned entrepreneurs to help them launch, acquire or expand a business can help bridge this gap.

We recently celebrated the launch of our program's second cohort with 30 new participants, including 14 immigrant protégés from countries such as Nigeria, France, England, Germany, and South Korea.

In its first six months, the program led to the establishment of two new businesses in our region.

Our Chamber believes that to continue to grow our region's economy and diversity we must rely on immigration.

Our community has shown how beneficial it can be when people work together.

Keys to a successful immigration strategy for our community include making Metro Moncton a choice destination for new immigrants.

More than just showing hospitality, we need to go a step further and focus on helping newcomers integrate and assimilate.

We need to be more active in recruiting new immigrants as our province's current immigrant intake is well below the national share.

We need to co-ordinate our efforts to make sure we create opportunities for immigrants and retain our newcomers.

* Nancy Whipp is the Chief Executive Officer of the Greater Moncton Chamber of Commerce. She may be reached via e-mail at ceo@gmcc.nb.ca

Alberta jobs luring more Canadians to province

BY KIM GUTTORMSON, CALGARY HERALD



The promise of jobs is again luring people to Alberta, with the most Canadians heading here in the first three months of this year since the start of the boom.
Between January and the end of March, an estimated 5,300 more people moved to the province than left, according to Statistics Canada, the best first quarter since 2006.
Last year, net migration in those three months was 300.
"Especially in the past three or four months, the market has definitely picked up, especially in the energy professions," said Dale Pauls, recruiting manager for GFR Recruiting, which focuses on engineers. "The oilsands are definitely the buzzword out there."
Most of the new Albertans were coming from B.C., Ontario and Newfoundland and Labrador, Statistics Canada demographer Jonathan Chagnon said.
Alberta saw a 0.4 per cent increase in population between January and April, while the Canadian increase was 0.2 per cent.
"We had expected this after falling during the recession that migration would pick back up," said Dan Sumner, economist with ATB Financial. "The job market is probably the most important thing.
"Overall, Canada's in great shape compared to the other developed nations, so that's going to attract people. And when you look within Canada, all the action's happening in Western Canada, and Newfoundland and Labrador."
A better chance of employment in Atlantic Canada could hurt Alberta, Sumner added, with many East Coast workers traditionally making the trek west for work.
Leone Joubert, CEO of West Works, which specializes in IT recruiting, said the company has noticed an increase in applications from other provinces, notably Ontario.
While most jobs are still filled from within Alberta, Joubert pointed out that "local talent is still available, but running out," adding the first three months of this year was the busiest first quarter she's had in nine years.
After the economy began slowing down, Alberta actually saw negative net migration in late 2009, with more people leaving the province than moving in. At the height of the boom, Calgary alone was adding between 17,000 and 25,000 people a year to its population through interprovincial and international immigration.
With the province easing out of the economic slow down, Alberta could face a shortage of 77,000 workers over the next 10 years, the provincial government has predicted.
"Within Canada, Alberta is a beacon of economic recovery," Thomas Lukaszuk, minister of employment and immigration said. "Canadians are picking up and moving to where the jobs are."
While he believes the public sector and private businesses are better prepared for an influx of people than during the boom, Lukaszuk said given the swath of baby boomers that will begin to retire this year, "we're walking into the perfect demographic storm where there will be severe and prolonged shortages."
The StatsCan numbers showed that while the numbers moving to Alberta from other provinces were solid, the number of those moving from other countries was the lowest first quarter since 2004.
"I think that number is a report card of the fact that Canada's national immigration policies are simply lacking and are not reflective of what the western provinces and the industries in the western provinces require," Lukaszuk said, adding that other countries do a better job of attracting workers.
kguttormson@calgaryherald.com


Read more: http://www.calgaryherald.com/Alberta+jobs+luring+more+Canadians+province/4991713/story.html#ixzz1Q9ydzire

Canada's population growth slows

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Canada's population rose slightly from the start of the year to April 1, with Alberta registering the fastest increase and Ontario reporting its slowest first-quarter growth in 15 years, according to Statistics Canada.

But while the national total hit 34,349,200, the growth in population was lower, at 70,800, than the increase of about 85,200 for the first quarter of 2010, the federal agency reported Wednesday.

The slowdown was mainly due to a decline in net migration — the difference between the number of arrivals and departures — in the first quarter of 2011, at 49,500 compared to 58,100 in the same period in 2010.

Jonathan Chagnon, a demographer with Statistics Canada and one of the authors of Wednesday's report, told CBC News that the country's population growth has been slowing the past few quarters, but warns that an accurate picture can only be reflected over the full year.

One factor that may be reflecting the first-quarter 2011 slowdown compared to the previous year's period is that from January to the end of March, 2010, Canada took in its highest number of immigrants in years. The 49,500 in this latest reporting period may just be a matter of the country moving to a more regular level, he added in an interview from Ottawa.

Alberta's population reached 3,758,200, an increase of about 15,500 compared to the year-earlier quarter, and the highest-quarter increase since 2006. But the province also had its lowest net migration, at 3,600, for a first quarter since 2004.

The only province in Atlantic Canada with a population increase was Prince Edward Island, by nearly 400 to 143,800. P.E.I. also welcomed the most immigrants (500), relative to its population, compared to the rest of Canada. Newfoundland and Labrador's population fell by 700 to 508,400 as of April 1, partly the result of 500 people moving to other provinces.

On April 1, Nova Scotia's population was estimated at 942,300, a drop of nearly 1,100 over Jan. 1, with about 1,000 people reportedly moving to other provinces.

New Brunswick’s population, estimated at 753,000, changed little in this year’s first quarter compared to the year-ago period.

Ontario's immigration levels dip

In Central Canada, Ontario had 28,400 new residents as of April 1, the lowest number since 1996, mainly because the province received only 20,100 immigrants, its lowest first-quarter level since 1998.

Part of the reason for Ontario's lower immigration levels may be that other provinces "are trying to attract more immigrants," Chagnon said.

Quebec’s population rose by 14,600 to 7,957,600, with only 900 people leaving to settle in other provinces, the lowest number since 2005.

Other first-quarter findings in other regions compared to the same year-ago period:

• Manitoba: Population increased by just over 2,700 to 1,246,400. Reported it’s highest inflow of immigrants since 1972, at 2,800 people.
• Saskatchewan: Population rose by about 1,900, to about 1,054,000.
• British Columbia: Population rose by 9,200, to about 4,563,300, the slowest increase for a first quarter since 2005.
• The three territories: Their population remained relatively unchanged. Yukon’s was estimated at 34,400, Northwest Territories at 43,500, Nunavut at 33,400.

Related articles

• Canada's population growth slows: StatsCan (cbc.ca)
• Canada's population rises with Alberta leading growth (cbc.ca)
• Alberta leads Canada's population growth (ctv.ca)
• Saskatoon fastest growing city in Canada (canada.com)
• Saskatoon is one of the fastest-growing cities in Canada (macleans.ca)
• As economy recovers, Canadian job-seekers head west again - mostly to Alberta (theglobeandmail.com)
• Canada's hottest economies (taholtorf.wordpress.com)
• Saskatoon the fastest-growing city in Canada (news.nationalpost.com)

Severe worker shortages’ forecast for Alberta

BY MARIO TONEGUZZI

CALGARY — A perfect demographic storm is developing in Alberta leading to severe worker shortages for many years to come.
Thomas Lukaszuk, Alberta’s Minister of Employment and Immigration, said the province is already starting to see labour shortages in some sectors such as the transportation and hospitality industries.
“There are companies that simply can’t find workers already,” he said. “There are sectors that are already showing inability to readily find employees at competitive price. And that will only escalate as time goes on.
“Overall, we will have severe worker shortages not only in this province but in Western Canada for many, many years to come.”
Lukaszuk said the province is heading into a perfect demographic storm.
“Very rarely do stars align like that,” he said.
Many economists have forecast Alberta’s economy to be a nation-leader in the next couple of years. Many of the Baby Boomer generation are retiring which will create a “massive exodus” of workers. That will create a void in not only numbers but experience in the workforce. The natural population growth is not replacing that exodus. And the retirees will force increased demand for various services from coffee to medical care.
On Friday, Statistics Canada reported that the province’s unemployment rate dipped to 5.4 per cent for the month, down from 5.9 per cent in April. This rate was the third lowest in the country behind Saskatchewan’s 5.0 per cent and Manitoba’s 5.3 per cent. It was also down from 6.7 per cent in May 2010.
Employment increased by 8,500 and over the previous 12 months, employment grew by 2.8 per cent, or 56,300 jobs, the fastest growth rate in the country.
In the Calgary census metropolitan area, the unemployment rate fell to 5.7 per cent in May from 5.9 per cent in April. Statistics Canada said 1,500 jobs were created in the Calgary CMA from the previous month and year-over-year employment grew by 19,200 or 2.7 per cent in the region.
Calgary’s unemployment rate was 7.6 per cent a year ago.
Danica Lelliott, 33, was hired in May to work as a server at the Wurst Restaurant and Beer Hall. As she was job hunting, Lelliott noticed the growing choices that were available to her.
“There are quite a few jobs available — especially in the service industry. People are always hiring if you’re the right kind of person — if you have the experience and have the personality,” she said.
“There’s definitely a demand for people. People are more than willing to hire.”
Michael Fotheringham, research manager at Calgary Economic Development, said the local labour numbers are a positive trend with a gain in full-time employment and a decline in part-time employment.
“I think it means that we’re possibly inching closer to possible labour shortages (and with) increased demand and shifting demographics we may not be too far off the pre-recession unemployment rate,” said Fotheringham.
He said CED is sensing a more positive mood in the business community with further capital spending and job growth in the future. He expects the unemployment rate over the summer months to hold steady but see a further reduction in the fall.

The provincial government has developed a short-term employment forecast tool to identify potential imbalances in the labour market in the near future. Sixteen occupations were listed as having a significant likelihood of shortages in the next three years.
They include retail trade managers; restaurant and food service managers; mechanical engineers; petroleum engineers; computer programmers and interactive media developers; web designers and developers; general practitioners and family physicians; registered nurses; retail trade supervisors; food service supervisors; technical sales specialists, wholesale trade; hairstylists and barbers; estheticians, electrologists and related occupations; construction millwrights and individual mechanics (except textile); heavy-duty equipment mechanics; and motor vehicle body repairers.
In Alberta, full-time employment increased by 18,200 while part-time employment decreased by 9,600 from April to May 2011.
The following industries had the most employment increases in May from the previous month in the province: Construction, 8,600; Health Care and Social Assistance, 6,300; and Information, Culture and Recreation, 5,300.
Knightsbridge Human Capital Solutions has established an executive search Calgary-based practice in Alberta to help clients respond to the emerging talent crisis which some reports say will result in a labour shortfall of 77,000 workers over the next 10 years.
“From a human capital perspective, this is a critical time for Alberta,” said Mark Hopkins, managing partner. “We believe that companies must effectively manage the leadership gap being created as an aging workforce retires in ever-increasing numbers. At the same time, we are seeing rapidly increasing activity levels, increased technical and commercial demands, and a significant shortage of specialist technical skills.”
Across the country, the federal agency said employment rose by 22,000 in May, bringing gains over the previous 12 months to 273,000 (1.6 per cent). The employment increase in May, combined with a decline in the number of people looking for work, pushed the unemployment rate down 0.2 percentage points to 7.4 per cent, it said.

mtoneguzzi@calgaryherald.com

© Copyright (c) The Calgary Herald

Read more: http://www.calgaryherald.com/business/Severe+worker+shortages+forecast+Alberta/4924913/story.html#ixzz1P1g7hp7P

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Chinese-Canadians and immigrants, not investors from China, largely driving market, experts say

Image via WikipediaBY BRIAN MORTON, VANCOUVER SUN

A growing belief that Metro Vancouver's hot housing market is being driven by Asian investment, primarily from mainland China, is a misconception, according to experts in the real estate field.
In fact, they say, evidence suggests buyers are mainly Canadian citizens, immigrants or new residents in Canada -many with strong links to mainland China and many residing and working in China while their families establish roots in B.C.
Most purchases are also being made as long-term holdings - in some cases for children attending local universities -with little of the quick "flipping" prevalent in previous hot markets.
"From what we've seen from most of the major launches, it's a different buying habit than previous runs on the market," Jennifer Podmore, real estate advisory leader for accounting giant Deloite, said in an interview Friday. "Generally, we're not seeing the investor as the main drivers of the market. There are certainly a lot more Asian purchasers, but not Asian investors coming to purchase a condo and then leaving.
"Most [buyers] have strong ties to Vancouver, meaning they're Canadians, immigrants or live here," added Podmore.
Daryl Simpson, Bosa Properties' vice-president of sales and marketing, agreed, citing their 202-unit Sovereign tower in Metrotown that recently sold out in one day, largely to ethnic Chinese buyers.
However, it's incorrect to identify the buyers as mainland Chinese, he said, because most came from other parts of Metro Vancouver. Some may have connections with mainland China, but no more than "half a dozen buyers" had addresses outside Canada.
In 2010 B.C. received about 47 per cent of Canada's investor-class immigrants, who must show a net worth of at least $1.6 million and are required to make an $800,000 investment in Canada, Podmore added.
While Chinese immigrants to B.C. represented about 19 per cent of the total immigration, Chinese and Taiwanese investor-class immigrants represented 79 per cent of the investor category.
Podmore's and Simpson's comments follow a surge in investment, largely by ethnic Asian buyers with links to mainland China, that's branching out from Richmond and Vancouver's west side as buyers look to other communities.
Several condominium towers in Burnaby, including Sovereign, sold out quickly in recent weeks, mainly to Asian buyers.
"If you see the type of demand that we've seen on the west side of Vancouver and Richmond spread elsewhere, it will push up prices, but it's unlikely to have the same dramatic effect on prices because there's much more of a supply of units elsewhere," Tsur Somerville, director of the centre for urban economics and real estate at Sauder School of Business at the University of B.C., said, adding that it's hard to conclude mainland Chinese buyers are behind the sales.
Robert Dominick, vice-president of sales and acquisitions for WestStone Properties, said Asian buyers are fuelling sales at his 393-unit Surrey City Centre highrise, Ultra.
"We opened the door for [our most recent] sales two weeks ago. We didn't advertise and simply through phone calls to Asian realtors in our first week we generated 23 sales."

Dominick said some buyers showed up on buying trips organized by Chinese-based tour operators, but that most aren't interested in "flipping."
He said many buyers involve China-based husbands with family in Metro Vancouver, while some want a condo for their children attending the nearby Simon Fraser University campus.
Polygon Homes president Neil Chrystal said it's difficult to say how many buyers are mainland Chinese investors, adding that "we see a lot of people speaking Mandarin, which is an indication." He noted that south Surrey, north Delta and West Vancouver are becoming more popular with Asian buyers.
Chrystal said that while their Chancellor highrise and two other Burnaby towers experienced lineups of predominantly Asian buyers, "a lot of the people were locals looking to downsize."
Meanwhile, a recent Landcor Data Corp. report said many of today's Chinese immigrants arrive "with fortunes intact, especially in the Lower Mainland, eagerly buying their own bits of the good life and helping buoy up real estate prices."
The report looked at luxury home sales in Richmond and Vancouver, matching new owners' Chinese surnames to see how many purchasers were Chinese, with 74 per cent fitting the criteria in 2010.
A recent China Daily report said Chinese home buyers have become the second-largest group of international buyers of U.S. homes -after Canadians.
bmorton@vancouversun.com

© Copyright (c) The Vancouver Sun

Read more: http://www.vancouversun.com/business/Chinese+Canadians+immigrants+investors+from+China+largely+driving+market+experts/4931299/story.html#ixzz1P1gjkei8

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