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.

Website in 11 languages for everyday living issues for expats launched in Canada

by JOSE MARC CASTRO 

A new website in 11 different languages is set to make it easier for expats in Canada to find the kind of information they need on community services when they arrive.

The In My Language site has been developed by the Ontario Council of Agencies Serving Immigrants (OCASI), which represents more than 200 settlement agencies in Ontario provides an electronic library of translated content which will assist newcomers in adapting to life in Canada.

‘The In my language website is an excellent resource for newcomers to Ontario. Newcomers now have a website where they can get the information they need in the language of their choice,’ said Jason Kenney, Minister of Citizenship, Immigration, and Multiculturalism.

The Government has invested $1.4 million in the site which is regarded as one of the best in the world and much needed as expats often find it difficult to find out what services they are entitled to and language can be the first barrier.

‘This multilingual website will give newcomers to Ontario a head start on accessing information on housing, health care, legal advice, schooling, community services and language training across the province,’ said MP Paul Calandra.

The website has content in English, French, Chinese, Punjabi, Urdu, Spanish, Tagalog, Arabic, Gujarati, Tamil and Russian.

‘Helping newcomers get settled is vital. Settlement information needs to be accessible, and this initiative is a significant step in fulfilling that aim,’ said MP Bob Dechert.

Besides immigrants, other users of the website include community organizations, school boards, police services, and the healthcare industry.

Key sections include how to look for a job, different types of housing available, the different stages of schooling, immunisation for children, paying taxes, getting a driving licence and private health insurance.

Government funding of the new website was made possible through the Canada-Ontario Immigration Agreement (COIA), which was signed in 2005. Through this agreement, the Government of Canada is investing $428 million in Ontario for settlement services for immigrants.

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Job crucial for helping expats settle in Canada, report suggests

by RAY CLANCY 

Having a job already arranged before moving to Canada helps expats to settle in better, a new report suggests.

A new evaluation has found that those arriving under the skilled worker programme are effectively contributing to Canada’s economy and are more likely to succeed.

It found that the biggest predictors of a newcomer’s economic success are having a job arranged, being able to speak English or French and having worked in Canada before. But having studied in Canada before for at least two years or having a relative in Canada were less important.

‘The evaluation showed that skilled immigrants are doing well in Canada and filling gaps in our work force. This puts some dents in the doctors-driving-taxis stereotype,’ said Minister of Citizenship, Immigration and Multiculturalism Jason Kenney.

The report also indicates that the selection criteria for a Canadian visa put in place when the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act (IRPA) became law have been successful in improving the outcomes of skilled immigrants by placing more emphasis on arranged employment, language and education.

The report also shows that skilled workers who already had a job offer when they applied for permanent residence earned an average of $79,200 three years after arriving, up to 65% higher than before the IRPA became law. The findings also showed skilled workers were less likely to rely on employment insurance or social assistance since the new laws were introduced.

Among other recommendations, the evaluation suggests placing higher priority on younger workers and increasing the integrity of the arranged employment part of the programme, which is susceptible to fraud.

The evaluation also recommended that further emphasis be placed on fluency in English or French, and supported the Minister’s June 2010 decision to require language testing for federal skilled worker applicants to combat fraud.

The next step for the Canadian immigration department will be to introduce a range of new proposals for public consultation in an effort to further improve the system, according to Kenney. ‘We’re committed to making it even better and will be consulting on improvements in the coming weeks,’ he said.

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Amendments - Labour Market Opinion

Image via WikipediaIn addition to the standard requirements to apply for a labour market opinion (LMO) under each stream of the Temporary Foreign Worker Program (TFWP), Human Resources and Skills Development Canada (HRSDC)/Service Canada will also evaluate the following criteria starting April 1, 2011:

1. All employers must use the new LMO application form specific to each program stream, and provide:
   • the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) business number which applies to all Canadian-based employers;
   • a description of the main business activities;
   • an explanation of how hiring a temporary foreign worker (TFW) meets the employment needs of the employer; and
   • a signed statement attesting that the employer will abide by the Program requirements.
   When applying for an LMO, all new employers to the TFWP will be required to provide a copy of their business licence or permit. Should an employer not be required by the municipality to obtain a licence or permit to operate, the documents listed below may be provided instead:
   
   • CRA documents, including: T4 Summary of Remuneration Paid, Schedules 100 and 125 of the T2 Corporation Income Tax Return, T2125 Statement of Business or Professional Activities;
   • business contracts for goods and/or services;
   • provincial workers compensation clearance letter or other appropriate provincial documentation; and
   • attestation by a lawyer, notary public or chartered accountant confirming that the employer exists and the type of business the employer operates.
   Upon request, returning employers may also be asked to submit any or all of the documents listed above.
   
2. The genuineness of the job offer made to the TFW will be assessed based on whether the:
   • employer is actively engaged in the business in which the job offer is being made;
   • job offered to the TFW meets the employment needs of the employer, and is consistent with the type of business the employer is engaged in;
   • employer can fulfil the terms and conditions of the job offer; and
   • employer, or the third party representative acting on behalf of the employer, is compliant with the relevant federal-provincial/territorial employment and recruitment legislation.
3. All returning employers must demonstrate that they have met the terms and conditions of employment set out in previous LMO confirmation letters and annexes (if applicable). In addition, some employers may be required to submit documentation to support a more detailed employer compliance review (ECR), including any or all of the following documents:
   • payroll records;
   • time sheets;
   • job descriptions;
   • copies of the employer-employee contract;
   • collective agreements;
   • TFW’s work permit ;
   • provincial workers compensation clearance letter or other appropriate provincial documentation;
   • receipts for private health insurance (if applicable);
   • receipts for transportation costs; and
   • information about accommodations provided by the employer;
   If it appears that employers did not fully respect the terms and conditions of employment set out in the LMO confirmation letters and annexes (if applicable), the employer will have the opportunity to provide a rationale. In this case, HRSDC/Service Canada will work with the employer to implement the appropriate corrective action, which may include providing compensation to the TFW. Employers may be found non-compliant if they refuse to provide a rationale and/or provide only partial compensation to the TFW.
   If the employer is found to be non-compliant:
   
   • HRSDC/Service Canada may issue a negative LMO and revoke all positions on confirmed LMOs for which work permits have not yet been issued by Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC).
   • CIC may deem the employer ineligible to hire TFWs for two years. The employer’s name, address and period of ineligibility may also be published on a list of ineligible employers posted on CIC Web site.

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Alberta performs best in Canada’s Top Entrepreneurial Cities rankings

16 March 2011 According to the Canadian Federation of Independent Business Communities in Boom research report, Alberta province takes out five of the top ten places for top Entrepreneurial Canadian cities in 2010.

Entrepreneurial cities are measured by a variety of indicators designed to assess the success and development of small to medium enterprise (SME). With 53 per cent of all working individuals in Canada employed by SME’s, this information will be of strong interest to migrants researching destination and employment options.

Some of the main indicators of entrepreneurial hot spots in the study are, the high concentration of entrepreneurs, high business start-up rate, high levels of business owner optimism and success and the presence of supportive local government tax and regulatory policies.

City Entrepreneurial Index: Top 10 Rankings, 2010

1. Grande Prairie, Alberta
2. Lloydminster, Alberta/Saskatchewan
3 Saskatoon, Saskatchewan
4. Prince Albert, Saskatchewan
5. Kelowna, British Columbia
6. Edmonton, Alberta
7. Red Deer, Alberta
8 Parksville, British Columbia
9. Saint-Georges, Quebec
10. Wood Buffalo, Alberta

According to the study by Ted Mallett and Queenie Wong, 'Scores are slightly higher than last year, mainly because the economy is further in recovery. However, only two out of 100 cities scored higher than 70 out of 100- which shows there is room for considerable improvement…”.

Alberta has been reported to have 57,774 foreign workers present, as at December 1, 2010, according to preliminary data released by Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC). This is the third highest province home to foreign workers after Ontario with 99,747 and British Columbia with 67,755. The preliminary data also indicted there were a total of 283,096 foreign workers present in 2010, up from 160,908 in 2006.

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