Immigration Canada

Federal Funding to the Bridge Training Program Works for Skilled Immigrants

OTTAWA, ONTARIO--(Marketwire - March 25, 2011) - The Government of Canada is providing $22 million to help skilled immigrants in Ontario find jobs, Citizenship, Immigration and Multiculturalism Minister Jason Kenney announced today.
The Bridge Training program helps skilled immigrants enter the Canadian labour market and find employment that matches their education and skills. The program funds regional projects in Ontario that help skilled immigrants get a Canadian license in a regulated profession, or the training they need to get work in regulated and non-regulated careers. The program also funds initiatives that reduce barriers to the integration of foreign-trained workers.
"This program helps skilled immigrants in Ontario enter and integrate into the Canadian labour market," said Minister Kenney. "It is absolutely critical to engage employers in this process, and this program does just that."
The Bridge Training program has been co-funded since 2007-08 by the Government of Canada and the Government of Ontario. Given the success of this program, the Government of Canada is continuing its contribution with $12M in 2011-2012 and $10 million in 2012-2013.
To date, over 200 projects have been funded and over 35,000 immigrants in Ontario have benefited from the program.
The Government of Canada is committed to attracting, retaining and integrating immigrants into Ontario communities. Federally funded settlement services have enabled significant expansion and enhancement of both language training and settlement services. Since 2006, the Government of Canada has tripled funding for settlement services in Ontario.

Sask., Man., lead population growth

Pie chart of the area of provinces and territo...

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Immigration in 2010 highest since '50s

Saskatchewan and Manitoba emerged as the country's growth leaders in population numbers released by Statistics Canada Thursday.
The agency estimated that Canada's population grew by 1.1 per cent in 2010 to total 34,278,400 as of January 1, 2011.

Population, as of January 1. 2011
Newfoundland and Labrador	509,100
Prince Edward Island	143,500
Nova Scotia	943,400
New Brunswick	753,200
Quebec	7,943,000
Ontario	13,282,400
Manitoba	1,243,700
Saskatchewan	1,052,100
Alberta	3,742,800
British Columbia	4,554,100
Yukon	34,300
Northwest Territories	43,600
Nunavut	33,300
Canada	34,278,400
(Source: Statistics Canada)

But Saskatchewan's rose by 1.5 per cent and Manitoba's increased 1.4 per cent, helped by strong economic growth prospects.
Movement from other provinces helped Saskatchewan while immigration was a strong factor in Manitoba's growth.
The growth of 40,400 from October 1, 2010 was lower than in the same period in 2009, when the number of Canadians grew by 55,900.
While growth due to natural increase was relatively stable, net international migration declined from 25,400 to 10,900.
"This decline in net international migration can be explained by a larger decrease in non-permanent residents living in Canada," it said.
Canada received more than 280,000 immigrants in 2010, the highest level recorded since the 1950's. This was 28,500 more immigrants than in 2009

(Note:CBC does not endorse and is not responsible for the content of external links.)

Mentoring new immigrants

Mary Teresa Bitti, Financial Post · Mar. 18, 2011 | Last Updated: Mar. 24, 2011 11:53 AM ET

Gautam Nath is very active in Toronto’s immigrant community. In addition to being director of Cultural Markets Research at Environics Research Group, he is a director on the board at Multilingual Community Interpreter Services (MCIS), has been invited to join the advisory board of York University’s Internationally Educated Professional (IEP) Bridging Program and mentors newcomers through the TRIEC's mentoring partnership.

He brings something to his role as mentor that many of his counterparts do not: Mr. Nath is a newcomer himself. He moved to Canada with his wife in November 2008 and, like many of the people he guides, had to restart his life and career.

“I built a career over 25 years in India with corporate multinationals in a variety of roles including marketing, corporate communications, change management,” says Mr. Nath. “But I had no network when I landed in Canada. When I talk to people, they relate to me because the experience is so fresh and it is one they are living. As a tourist, you know you have a safety net back home. As an immigrant you have moved life. There is no network, no brand image. You walk down the street and you are as strange to yourself as you are to every one else.”

For that reason, Mr. Nath says it’s important for new immigrants to move fast and start meeting people and building connections. This is particularly true for foreign educated professionals, less than a quarter of whom find employment in their field.

“They land here and realize although they have education and experience, they are essentially starting from scratch with respect to getting placed in a career commensurate with their education and training. And that can chip away at confidence. On the flip side, all that knowledge and expertise is going to waste,” says Nora Priestly, project manager, Internationally Educated Professional Bridging Program, York University. “Then there is the challenge of settling their families into a new city, new home — all the aspects of starting a life in a new country.”

While many of the attributes and benefits of mentorship apply to everyone, mentoring is a critical leg up to new Canadians, says Ms. Priestly. The bridging program was designed to offer new immigrants two types of mentorship. “Professional mentorship gives them the opportunity to be connected to, or sitting in, the industry where they want to be,” says Ms. Priestly.

“They get an inside take about common practice in Canada, very pragmatic suggestions about how to get to where they want to be, as well as a quiet reassurance about knowing the cultural terrain. It builds confidence and shows individuals they are not the first to tread this trail and that it is possible for them to succeed here.”

The Bridging program also offers peer-to-peer mentoring, where new participants are paired with other IEPs further along in the program. “They are helping them to feel like they belong. And they can work together so that the relationship is equally valuable. The faster you get settled in and feel connected, the more chances you will be successful,” says Ms. Priestly.

Perhaps one of the biggest hurdles facing new immigrants is lack of Canadian experience. “Employers want Canadian experience. And when you have someone coming in whose first language is not English, whose name is difficult to pronounce, and who has worked in organizations Canadian employers may never have heard of, that’s tough,” says Mr. Nath.

“One of the key messages I give to the people I’m mentoring is that you have to make your own opportunities. Netgiving or volunteering in a way that you can use your wisdom and experience is a way to get the Canadian experience employers want to see and to build a network.”

Mr. Nath’s own volunteer efforts as a marketing advisor led him to a meeting at Environics and his current role. His efforts on behalf of other new immigrants have led him to be shortlisted for the Top 25 Canadian Immigrants award for 2011. “Imagine, just two years in the country to be recognized in this way. Thanks to God’s support, my network of friends and a bit of hard work.”

Canada and New Zealand Partner to Tackle Immigration Fraud

Ottawa, March, 24, 2011 — Canada’s efforts to combat immigration fraud have been strengthened following the signing of a new information-sharing initiative with New Zealand, Citizenship, Immigration and Multiculturalism Minister Jason Kenney, announced today.

“This initiative will help Canadian immigration authorities detect foreign criminals and previous deportees who are trying to re-enter Canada without permission,” said Minister Kenney. “Canada already has similar initiatives in place with the United Kingdom, Australia and the United States, and we are pleased to expand this partnership to include New Zealand.”

Under this arrangement, Canada will be able to securely and confidentially check the fingerprint information of asylum seekers and foreign nationals facing deportation in Canada with those stored in New Zealand immigration databases.

“The ability to check identities with each other helps Canada and New Zealand identify people using false identities or people with criminal histories,” said New Zealand Immigration Minister Dr. Jonathan Coleman. “The initiative gives greater confidence that non-genuine immigration cases will be refused through the improved detection of fraudulent identity and immigration claims.”

The initiative was developed as part of the Five Country Conference (FCC), a forum for immigration and border security comprised of Citizenship and Immigration Canada and the Canada Border Services Agency in partnership with New Zealand, the United Kingdom, the United States and Australia. To date, as a result of data-sharing:

The U.K. returned to Australia a wanted rapist posing as an asylum seeker, who subsequently pleaded guilty.
Canada revoked the refugee status of a man whom British records proved to be an American citizen.
The U.K. took action against an asylum seeker who used nine identities and six different documents across the FCC countries.

Canadian citizens will not be affected, nor will visitors, foreign students or foreign workers. Most permanent residents will not be affected either, other than those who acquired their status via a successful refugee claim.

The protection of personal information is important to all the countries involved. Each FCCcountry has in place a number of safeguards to protect privacy and has completed a comprehensive privacy impact assessment.

Alberta foreign workers can apply to government for permanent residency

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Province can nominate 5,000 skilled labourers this year.

EDMONTON — Skilled temporary foreign workers certified in Alberta’s optional trades can now apply directly to the government for permanent residency instead of having to apply with their employers, the province announced Monday.
The federal government limits the number of people Alberta can nominate for permanent residence. In 2011, Alberta is allowed to nominate 5,000 people. With limited numbers, Alberta’s focus will be on nominating people who currently work in permanent jobs, those who have job offers, and those with the skills and qualifications in occupations that are in demand here.
“We need skilled workers living in Alberta permanently,” said Thomas Lukaszuk, minister of employment and immigration, in a statement. “We have to make sure we are ready for the coming labour shortages as economies around the world are competing for the same skills and the same people. This change will allow Alberta to nominate the most qualified and experienced tradespeople working in occupations that are needed in Alberta.”
There are currently 50 designated trades in Alberta. Of these, 31 are in the optional trades (including occupations like roofer, tile setter, concrete finisher and cabinetmaker). Nineteen occupations fall under compulsory trades (including occupations like welder, iron worker, gasfitter and plumber).
Before this change, workers in the optional trades applied with their employers for permanent residence. Workers in the compulsory trades had the option to apply either directly or with their employers.
This change will simplify the application process for temporary foreign workers in both compulsory and optional trades applying to the Alberta Immigrant Nominee Program.

Immigration Canada