Quebec has renewed its push to lure immigrants from Montreal to regions with lower unemployment, and that is bringing more newcomers to the Outaouais.
"We face a big challenge in Quebec," said Robert Mayrand, head of Service intégration travail Outaouais (SITO), noting that the province is trying to boost the population in its regions.
He estimates his group, which offers employment and training services to immigrants, helps 200 people find jobs in the Outaouais every year.
"It means we are contributing in terms of personal revenue to the economy of Outaouais — See, it's $6 million a year that we push in the system."
In 2008, 87 per cent of immigrants settled in Montreal, and just 2.7 per cent in Gatineau, Immigration Québec reports. About 1,200 immigrants make their home in Gatineau each year, the province reports.
However, Montreal's unemployment rate was 9.2 per cent in February 2010 — significantly higher than the 6.1 per cent rate in Gatineau, the most recent Statistics Canada labour force survey shows. Statistics like that have led the Quebec government to work harder to redistribute its immigrants around the province.
Immigrants on the bus trip heard from politicians about the region's advantages, took a tour of the city, and attended a job fair.Immigrants on the bus trip heard from politicians about the region's advantages, took a tour of the city, and attended a job fair. (CBC)One of the province's initiatives is to fund bus trips that take immigrants to different regions of Quebec to learn about the area and meet local employers. Mayrand said the tour to the Outaouais restarted this year after a short hiatus in the program, which launched in 2002.
Eric Rakotomena, who is originally from Madagascar, was among the 50 immigrants who boarded a bus from Montreal last week to check out the Outaouais and the job opportunities there.
He has already visited Quebec City, Mont Tremblant and Tadoussac, but admits he didn't know much about Gatineau before his visit. He was impressed by what he learned.
"I want to stay here now," he said. "It's quiet and for life, there are fairly a lot of opportunities to do what you want to do and they're very helpful here in Gatineau."
Rakotomena and his tour-mates heard from city councillor Joseph De Sylva, who spoke of his own experience coming from an immigrant family. De Sylva, who represents Versant ward, said Gatineau is warm and open, and everyone finds his or her place there. Another city councillor and a Quebec immigration official were also on hand to pitch the community's advantages.
Afterward, the visitors took part in pre-arranged job interviews before heading to a job fair at Robert-Guertin arena organized by Emploi-Québec and the Gatineau chamber of commerce. They also received a tour of the city.
Rakotomena hoped to find a job as a maitre d'.
"I have my resume, I have everything — even my suitcase," he said. "As I said, I am ready to remain here today."
Rakotomena worked as a maitre d' in Madagascar and Israel before arriving in Montreal four years ago. In Canada, he has been unable to get a job in his field, despite the fact that he speaks five languages, including French and English.
He blamed the fierce competition and high unemployment in Montreal.
'The need is there'
Mayrand said employers in the Outaouais, meanwhile, are eager to hire, in part due to the stability in the job market provided by the federal government.
Robert Mayrand of SITO acknowledged that while the need for workers benefit immigrants who want to work in areas such as finance, things are more difficult for professionals such as doctors.Robert Mayrand of SITO acknowledged that while the need for workers benefit immigrants who want to work in areas such as finance, things are more difficult for professionals such as doctors. (CBC)"The need is there," he said.
He added that the community is multilingual and multicultural due to its proximity to Ottawa. "This helps to develop a good sense to be open to other people."
He acknowledged that while the demand for workers may help immigrants in the finance and service industries, things are more difficult for professionals such as doctors, who require accreditation by a regulatory association.
"That's another ball-game," he said. "It's a big big challenge. For us it's like a wall that we hit every time."
Hicham Alaoi, who is originally from Morocco, was another hopeful job seeker on the bus tour. Alaoi earned degrees in civil engineering and urban planning in France. He arrived in Montreal in January, and said he is attracted to the Outaouais by the opportunities for skating, cycling and the cultural scene in neighbouring Ottawa. However, Alaoi, who doesn't speak English, believes there are more job opportunities for him in Gatineau.
"The level of work in Gatineau, the culture in Ottawa — you need both," he added in French. "One complements the other, in my opinion."
Alaoi said he will need to pass some exams in order for his skills to be recognized in Canada, and acknowledges that he may have to take a job that is less interesting to him.
Meanwhile, job-ready Rakotomena didn't manage to land a job on his first visit to Gatineau and had to join the others on the bus back to Montreal.
He said he'd be back soon.
"I'm sure," he said. "Yes, [that's] why I come here."
Read more: http://www.cbc.ca/canada/ottawa/story/2010/03/17/gatineau-outaouais-quebec-immigrants.html#ixzz0iZykEL59
Gatineau works hard to welcome immigrants
Immigration is now driving population growth in the Outaouais, and the City of Gatineau says it is working hard to welcome the flood of newcomers with open arms.
"What we want [is] that the people feel...like any citizen in the city — that they have the same opportunities to work, to develop themselves, to be involved in the development of this city," said Annie-Claude Scholtès, the cultural community coordinator for the City of Gatineau.
Last year, more than 1,200 immigrants moved to the region. In fact, between 1,000 and 1,200 immigrants have arrived in the Outaouais every year since 2001-2000.
Proportion of foreign-born residents and visible minorities in Gatineau
2006 2031 (projected)
Foreign-born 8% 15%
Visible minorities 6% 14 %
Source: Statistics Canada
Migration is already outstripping births as the major force behind population growth in the Outaouais, and its relative influence will grow significantly between 2010 and 2031, the Institut de la statistique du Québec forecasts. The proportion of immigrants and visible minorities within the population of Gatineau are expected to double between 2006 and 2031, Statistics Canada predicts.
Scholtès said the City of Gatineau has been working hard to make all newcomers feel at home. A staff of three, working with about 80 community groups, implements the city's cultural diversity policy with a budget of $400,000. It offers a variety of programs for newcomers including two welcome sessions:
* One is an orientation that provides information about services that connect residents with the history, geography and regulations in the city. It is delivered in conjunction with the city's police force and its recreational services department.
* The other is a bus tour of the region in collaboration with the Societé de Transport de L'Outaouais, with visits to a police station and other centres that offer city services from Aylmer to Buckingham.
Scholtès said it is important for immigrants to have the chance to step inside a police station.
"'Cause some of them are afraid or insecure," she said, adding that the trip provides an opportunity to develop links with the police.
About 50 people a month take part in the tour, she estimated.
Read more: http://www.cbc.ca/canada/ottawa/story/2010/03/16/gatineau-immigrants.html#ixzz0iUXlnwYE
"What we want [is] that the people feel...like any citizen in the city — that they have the same opportunities to work, to develop themselves, to be involved in the development of this city," said Annie-Claude Scholtès, the cultural community coordinator for the City of Gatineau.
Last year, more than 1,200 immigrants moved to the region. In fact, between 1,000 and 1,200 immigrants have arrived in the Outaouais every year since 2001-2000.
Proportion of foreign-born residents and visible minorities in Gatineau
2006 2031 (projected)
Foreign-born 8% 15%
Visible minorities 6% 14 %
Source: Statistics Canada
Migration is already outstripping births as the major force behind population growth in the Outaouais, and its relative influence will grow significantly between 2010 and 2031, the Institut de la statistique du Québec forecasts. The proportion of immigrants and visible minorities within the population of Gatineau are expected to double between 2006 and 2031, Statistics Canada predicts.
Scholtès said the City of Gatineau has been working hard to make all newcomers feel at home. A staff of three, working with about 80 community groups, implements the city's cultural diversity policy with a budget of $400,000. It offers a variety of programs for newcomers including two welcome sessions:
* One is an orientation that provides information about services that connect residents with the history, geography and regulations in the city. It is delivered in conjunction with the city's police force and its recreational services department.
* The other is a bus tour of the region in collaboration with the Societé de Transport de L'Outaouais, with visits to a police station and other centres that offer city services from Aylmer to Buckingham.
Scholtès said it is important for immigrants to have the chance to step inside a police station.
"'Cause some of them are afraid or insecure," she said, adding that the trip provides an opportunity to develop links with the police.
About 50 people a month take part in the tour, she estimated.
Read more: http://www.cbc.ca/canada/ottawa/story/2010/03/16/gatineau-immigrants.html#ixzz0iUXlnwYE
McGuinty focuses on China and India
China and India were not mentioned in the Speech from the Throne at Queen's Park Monday. But China and India are what Dalton McGuinty is banking on for two of his key initiatives to turn the provincial economy around. He wants to sell more natural resources overseas and attract more overseas students to Ontario. The market for both is in China and India.
The two emerging economic giants – China is projecting 10 per cent growth this year and India 7.6 per cent – are the ones expected to lead the economic recovery worldwide, according to the Conference Board of Canada.
Both are scouring the world for natural resources, thereby driving up commodity prices as well as exploration, including in northern Ontario, particularly for chromite, a key ingredient in stainless steel.
China and India are already the top sources of immigration to Canada, mainly Ontario. China is also the single biggest source of foreign students to Canada – 42,000 out of 178,000.
Across Canada, those foreign students spend $6.5 billion a year in high tuition fees and living expenses. Ontario's 38,000 post-secondary education foreign students spend $1 billion a year. McGuinty wants a 50 per cent increase to 56,000 foreign students by 2015. Most will come from China and India.
Many will end up staying here, encouraged by a new federal program that allows Canadian-educated foreign students to apply for landed immigrant status. This is good for Ontario.
Educating foreign students is a growth industry. There are 2 million students (1.4 million of them Chinese) pursuing studies in countries where they were not born. That number will grow to 8 million by 2025.
Australia has cashed in on the trend. It has nearly 90,000 students from India and 70,000 from China. It is raking in $13 billion a year from foreign students, its third largest source of foreign revenues after coal and iron ore.
China is buying some 300 million tonnes of Aussie iron ore a year. Mount Whaleback, once 450 metres high, is now a hole, having been cut up and shipped out, raising alarm over environmental degradation, according to a detailed report in the British newspaper, The Guardian.
Similar concerns are already emerging about the McGuinty plan for opening up what the throne speech called "the most promising mining opportunity in Canada in a century," the exploration of chromite in the James Bay lowlands, the only deposit of its kind in North America.
McGuinty has promised to develop it in "a responsible way, with aboriginal partners," who have land claims and have already set up blockades.
China is now Australia's Number 1 trading partner. It has already invested $40 billion there. An estimated 500,000 Chinese tourists go to Australia every year.
Not bad for the Aussies, who have had a history of phobia about the Yellow Peril and the Asian hordes. Still, old habits die hard. There has been a spate of attacks against Indian students, prompting a protest march by 4,000 of them in Melbourne in June and complaints of police indifference to the menace of "curry bashing."
Prime Minister Kevin Rudd and others tried to downplay the racism angle. But the attacks have continued and a student was stabbed to death early this year, prompting New Delhi to warn that bilateral relations may be imperiled. There's already a study projecting a drop in Indian students this year.
This presents an opportunity for Canada – Ontario, in particular – to emphasize our peaceful multicultural reality. But Australia spends $50 million a year drumming up overseas student business. Canada spends less than $1 million. This needs to change.
McGuinty – far more than Stephen Harper – has been focusing on trade with India, having been there twice. As a result of his trip last fall, an Indian company, Solar Semi Conductor, a maker of solar modules, is investing $60 million to establish a manufacturing plant in Oakville this year.
His reorienting of Ontario toward China and India is a welcome economic, political and social development.
Source: The Start.com
Haroon Siddiqui is the Star's editorial page editor emeritus. His column appears Thursday and Sunday.
The two emerging economic giants – China is projecting 10 per cent growth this year and India 7.6 per cent – are the ones expected to lead the economic recovery worldwide, according to the Conference Board of Canada.
Both are scouring the world for natural resources, thereby driving up commodity prices as well as exploration, including in northern Ontario, particularly for chromite, a key ingredient in stainless steel.
China and India are already the top sources of immigration to Canada, mainly Ontario. China is also the single biggest source of foreign students to Canada – 42,000 out of 178,000.
Across Canada, those foreign students spend $6.5 billion a year in high tuition fees and living expenses. Ontario's 38,000 post-secondary education foreign students spend $1 billion a year. McGuinty wants a 50 per cent increase to 56,000 foreign students by 2015. Most will come from China and India.
Many will end up staying here, encouraged by a new federal program that allows Canadian-educated foreign students to apply for landed immigrant status. This is good for Ontario.
Educating foreign students is a growth industry. There are 2 million students (1.4 million of them Chinese) pursuing studies in countries where they were not born. That number will grow to 8 million by 2025.
Australia has cashed in on the trend. It has nearly 90,000 students from India and 70,000 from China. It is raking in $13 billion a year from foreign students, its third largest source of foreign revenues after coal and iron ore.
China is buying some 300 million tonnes of Aussie iron ore a year. Mount Whaleback, once 450 metres high, is now a hole, having been cut up and shipped out, raising alarm over environmental degradation, according to a detailed report in the British newspaper, The Guardian.
Similar concerns are already emerging about the McGuinty plan for opening up what the throne speech called "the most promising mining opportunity in Canada in a century," the exploration of chromite in the James Bay lowlands, the only deposit of its kind in North America.
McGuinty has promised to develop it in "a responsible way, with aboriginal partners," who have land claims and have already set up blockades.
China is now Australia's Number 1 trading partner. It has already invested $40 billion there. An estimated 500,000 Chinese tourists go to Australia every year.
Not bad for the Aussies, who have had a history of phobia about the Yellow Peril and the Asian hordes. Still, old habits die hard. There has been a spate of attacks against Indian students, prompting a protest march by 4,000 of them in Melbourne in June and complaints of police indifference to the menace of "curry bashing."
Prime Minister Kevin Rudd and others tried to downplay the racism angle. But the attacks have continued and a student was stabbed to death early this year, prompting New Delhi to warn that bilateral relations may be imperiled. There's already a study projecting a drop in Indian students this year.
This presents an opportunity for Canada – Ontario, in particular – to emphasize our peaceful multicultural reality. But Australia spends $50 million a year drumming up overseas student business. Canada spends less than $1 million. This needs to change.
McGuinty – far more than Stephen Harper – has been focusing on trade with India, having been there twice. As a result of his trip last fall, an Indian company, Solar Semi Conductor, a maker of solar modules, is investing $60 million to establish a manufacturing plant in Oakville this year.
His reorienting of Ontario toward China and India is a welcome economic, political and social development.
Source: The Start.com
Haroon Siddiqui is the Star's editorial page editor emeritus. His column appears Thursday and Sunday.
Improvements to Proof of Language Rules Will Increase Fairness, Reduce Delays, Says Immigration Minister
OTTAWA, ONTARIO--(Marketwire - March 10, 2010) - The Government of Canada is streamlining the process for assessing the language skills of applicants to the Federal Skilled Worker and Canadian Experience classes, Citizenship, Immigration and Multiculturalism Minister Jason Kenney announced today.
"The language requirements themselves have not changed," said Minister Kenney. "But beginning April 10, 2010, prospective immigrants will be required to prove their English and French language abilities at the time they apply. This requirement supports our commitment to fast, fair and efficient application processing."
Previously, to prove language ability in French or English, applicants could either submit an independent, third-party test or a written submission to a visa officer. The written submission was intended for people whose first language is either English or French. However, many applicants whose first language was not English or French were taking advantage of the written submission. The submission wouldn't adequately prove their ability and they would have to provide further evidence, leading to processing delays that could take months.
"We expect that applicants will have the language skills they claim on their application. Now, applicants in these categories will have only one opportunity to prove their language ability," said Minister Kenney. "They can still make a written submission to a visa officer if they wish, but only once."
For faster, fairer processing, all applicants are encouraged to submit independent, third-party language test results. The language test gives applicants a clear indication of their ability before they apply. When submitting written proof, applicants don't know what their results will be until their application is assessed by the visa officer, after a formal application and fees are lodged with Citizenship and Immigration Canada.
"We strongly encourage applicants whose first language isn't English or French to take a language test," said Minister Kenney. "We don't want immigrants to be surprised if their written submission doesn't match their reported ability, and they don't get the desired assessment."
An immigrant's English or French language ability is one of the strongest predictors of their success in the job market. Canadian Experience Class applicants must meet minimum language requirements based on the job they do. On a selection grid worth 100 points in total, Federal Skilled Workers can be awarded up to 24 points for their official language ability.
Further information about language requirements for applicants is available at www.cic.gc.ca.
"The language requirements themselves have not changed," said Minister Kenney. "But beginning April 10, 2010, prospective immigrants will be required to prove their English and French language abilities at the time they apply. This requirement supports our commitment to fast, fair and efficient application processing."
Previously, to prove language ability in French or English, applicants could either submit an independent, third-party test or a written submission to a visa officer. The written submission was intended for people whose first language is either English or French. However, many applicants whose first language was not English or French were taking advantage of the written submission. The submission wouldn't adequately prove their ability and they would have to provide further evidence, leading to processing delays that could take months.
"We expect that applicants will have the language skills they claim on their application. Now, applicants in these categories will have only one opportunity to prove their language ability," said Minister Kenney. "They can still make a written submission to a visa officer if they wish, but only once."
For faster, fairer processing, all applicants are encouraged to submit independent, third-party language test results. The language test gives applicants a clear indication of their ability before they apply. When submitting written proof, applicants don't know what their results will be until their application is assessed by the visa officer, after a formal application and fees are lodged with Citizenship and Immigration Canada.
"We strongly encourage applicants whose first language isn't English or French to take a language test," said Minister Kenney. "We don't want immigrants to be surprised if their written submission doesn't match their reported ability, and they don't get the desired assessment."
An immigrant's English or French language ability is one of the strongest predictors of their success in the job market. Canadian Experience Class applicants must meet minimum language requirements based on the job they do. On a selection grid worth 100 points in total, Federal Skilled Workers can be awarded up to 24 points for their official language ability.
Further information about language requirements for applicants is available at www.cic.gc.ca.
Study In Canada | Better Place To Make Your Profession Energetic
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There are a lot of universities that help you to pursue a specialized degree in your choice such as law, medicine, pharmacy, nursing, and dentistry. The continued development and progress of the country can be fit the world class higher education in Canada.
If you want to Study Abroad, then deciding the Canada is the correct destination. There are countless short term and full degree programs obtainable. By means of getting to know concerning countless new things, it can be the life changing knowledge for one while studying in Canada.
If you are paying attention to study in Canada, you just require gathering the information and facts about all the universities located in this country. Canada is not only well-known for academic but is also a value living place for business and pleasure.
When you ever imagine studying abroad making your profession thoughtful, study in Canada can be the ideal preference. This country promises you to bring best education. In addition, your days spend in Canada will be the most bright days in your life.
Source: immig-canada.blogspot.com
Canadian universities are quite reasonably priced in terms of fees as compared to other English speaking countries. It is the country that provides safe and nonviolent surroundings with contented population density, low occurrence of aggressive crime and a good health care system. You can find this country with vary culture and always friendly. It gives confidence new students from a variety of countries and after graduation students can obtain a chance to work devoid of a work permit for one year.
There are a lot of universities that help you to pursue a specialized degree in your choice such as law, medicine, pharmacy, nursing, and dentistry. The continued development and progress of the country can be fit the world class higher education in Canada.
If you want to Study Abroad, then deciding the Canada is the correct destination. There are countless short term and full degree programs obtainable. By means of getting to know concerning countless new things, it can be the life changing knowledge for one while studying in Canada.
If you are paying attention to study in Canada, you just require gathering the information and facts about all the universities located in this country. Canada is not only well-known for academic but is also a value living place for business and pleasure.
When you ever imagine studying abroad making your profession thoughtful, study in Canada can be the ideal preference. This country promises you to bring best education. In addition, your days spend in Canada will be the most bright days in your life.
Source: immig-canada.blogspot.com
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