Only Immigration Fuelling Canada’s Population Growth

Image by SEDACMaps via FlickrOTTAWA — Canada’s population in the third quarter of 2010 was driven forward by the highest immigration rates seen in four decades, Statistics Canada reported.
Canada’s population was estimated at 34,238,000 as of Oct. 1 — an increase of 129,300 since July. The federal agency said 65 per cent of that growth came from new Canadians during the three-month period, as 84,200 immigrants arrived in the country, reported Postmedia news service.
The influx reached most provinces and territories, some of which had their highest quarterly immigration levels since 1971.
Prince Edward Island recorded the highest growth rate, with its population increasing by 0.7 per cent. The increase was largely driven by the 1,200 immigrants who arrived in the province, Statistics Canada said, the highest number since 1971.
Quebec, too, welcomed its highest number of immigrants in the last four decades, with 16,800 people arriving from other countries during the quarter. Manitoba also surpassed records set in 1971, with 4,700 new Canadians arriving in that province.
While not breaking a record, immigrants made up 70 per cent of Ontario’s new arrivals during the period.
Alberta was the only province that had third-quarter growth driven by a “natural increase,” which made up 60 per cent of the growth.
Newfoundland and Labrador, on the other hand, actually faced a population decline in the third quarter, losing about 500 residents.
Growth driven by immigration is a trend the federal government said it expects to continue — at least through the end of 2010.
“In 2010, we should be landing the largest number of permanent residents in 50 years,” said Kelli Fraser, a spokeswoman for Citizenship and Immigration Canada.
Canada expects to welcome between 240,000 and 265,000 newcomers by the end of this year.
Fraser said that number is driven largely by a June announcement that Canada would open its doors to more immigrants, especially those in the economic category.
“The reason the announcement was made was because the post-recession economy is now demanding a high level of legal immigration to keep the workforce strong,” she said, adding that there also has been a high number of family reunification immigrants and refugees.
To date, the department said it has already made more decisions, issued more visas and admitted more people to Canada over last year.
It expects the numbers to stabilize at 2010 levels in 2011.

Related articles

• Immigration driving Canada's population growth: StatsCan (nationalpost.com)
• Canada's population growing because of immigration: StatsCan (canada.com)
• Canada's population growing because of immigration: StatsCan (theprovince.com)
• Population growing because of immigration: StatsCan (canada.com)
• Surge of immigrants arrived in B.C. last summer: StatsCan (globaltvbc.com)
• Xenophobes beware, more immigrants are coming! (nowpublic.com)
• Federal cuts to immigrant services won’t impact B.C., says minister (theglobeandmail.com)
• Funding axed for Toronto immigrant agencies (thestar.com)
• Canada's 2011 immigration level unchanged (cbc.ca)
• Immigration in Canada: A smaller welcome mat (economist.com)

Drilling-worker shortage in Canada’s booming oil industry

Image via WikipediaAmid all the stories we’re seeing about unemployed workers’ unsuccessful job searches, it’s a welcome change to see one about an industry where workers are being recruited: Canada’s oil-drilling companies say they’re desperately short of workers.  (Clarification: These are at the traditional oil wells, not at the tar sands in Alberta).
Joe Bruce, CEO of Nabors Canada, one of the largest drilling companies in the country, told the Toronto Globe and Mail, “We could probably work somewhere in the region of 63 or 64 of our drilling rigs this winter. We don’t believe we can crew any more than maybe 55 or 56.”
The pay’s not bad, either: Hourly rates for drill workers in Canada range from $24 an hour for a lease hand to $40.20 for a driller. But rig work typically lasts only for a few months at a time, and even the weekly two-on, one-off shifts are often interrupted by changes in plan that come from, for example, companies cancelling wells.
Of course, the recent Globe and Mail story on oil- worker shortages reminds us,

“Convincing people to work outside in cold, remote locations has never been easy for drilling companies. But they say this year has been especially difficult, since drill workers who went without work in the past couple of years have now abandoned the industry – in part for construction jobs and in part to stay away from companies that now admit their salaries haven’t kept up.”

And fewer rigs in operation means fewer runs for the stars of cable’s “Ice Road Truckers” to deliver salty snacks to all those hungry oil-rig workers way up north.
Bruce says, “We’re doing everything we can to attract people,  but at the same time we’re not about to put people at risk by putting a whole bunch of green hands on a rig that don’t know what they’re doing.”
The drilling companies in Canada are also reaching out to “under-represented” groups like women, immigrants, and first-nation workers.

Related articles

• Oil and gas rig crews to see pay raise (calgaryherald.com)
• Drilling companies scramble for workers (theglobeandmail.com)

Canada lifts visa requirement for visitors from Taiwan

Image via WikipediaOttawa, November 22, 2010 — Effective immediately, travellers with ordinary Taiwan passports issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Taiwan no longer require a Temporary Resident Visa to visit Canada, Citizenship, Immigration and Multiculturalism Minister Jason Kenney announced today.
“Canada regularly reviews its visa requirements and has determined that Taiwan meets the criteria for a visa exemption,” said Minister Kenney. “This decision will help boost Canada’s significant trade, investment, cultural and people-to-people links to Taiwan.”
In 2009, more than 51,000 Taiwan travellers visited Canada. More than 150,000 Canadians are of Taiwanese descent.
“The decision to lift the visa requirement means that Canada will benefit from stronger ties between Taiwan and the Canadian-Taiwanese community,” said Minister Kenney.
Canada’s visa policy is based on an assessment of a number of established criteria, including immigration violation rates, asylum claims, the integrity of travel documents and the cooperation on removals by the country or territory in question.
In Taiwan’s case, Canada’s review found, among other things, a very high visitor visa approval rate for travellers from Taiwan. It also found a very low number of asylum claims from Taiwan nationals: 23 claims between 2007 and 2009. The review also found low numbers of immigration violations and removals from Canada to Taiwan. This means that a large number of people were meeting Canada’s eligibility criteria to come and visit.
The visa exemption only applies to holders of ordinary Taiwan passports issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Taiwan that contain the personal identification number of the individual. During a technical visit, Canadian officials observed good passport management practices for ordinary Taiwan passports.
For a complete list of countries and territories whose citizens require a visa, please visit CIC’s website at www.cic.gc.ca/english/visit/visas.asp.

Related articles

• Red Lobster Helps Keep the Bloody Canadian Seal Hunt Afloat (animals.change.org)
• Russia slams Canada's new visa rules (nationalpost.com)
• The very best places to stay for people on a tight budget (hotelclub.com)
• UAE imposes new visa requirements on Canadians (theglobeandmail.com)