Government of Canada takes action to protect temporary foreign workers

English: Calgary Tower, Calgary, Alberta, Canada (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Toronto, Ontario and Calgary, Alberta, July 4, 2012—The Government of Canada is taking action to protect vulnerable foreign workers from the risk of abuse and exploitation in sex trade related businesses. Significant new measures were announced today by the Honourable Diane Finley, Minister of Human Resources and Skills Development, and the Honourable Jason Kenney, Minister of Citizenship, Immigration and Multiculturalism.

“Our government is committed to protecting all workers from abuse, exploitation and demeaning work,” said Minister Finley. “Through collaborative partnerships and preventative action, these new measures will further strengthen Canada's National Action Plan to Combat Human Trafficking, which was launched in early June.”

Foreign nationals brought to Canada to work in sex trade related businesses are particularly at risk of being exploited or abused. Denying these businesses access to temporary foreign workers will help protect vulnerable individuals by keeping them out of these types of situations.

“Canadians want an immigration system that is open and fair—they do not want a system that can be used to exploit people,” said Minister Kenney. “Canadians have told us they want to put a stop to foreign workers entering Canada to work in businesses where there are reasonable grounds to suspect a risk of sexual exploitation. The Government has listened and acted.”

Effective immediately, Human Resources and Skills Development Canada will issue negative Labour Market Opinions (LMOs) for all applications from employers linked to the sex trade, effectively preventing them from hiring temporary foreign workers. Also, as of July 14th, Citizenship and Immigration Canada will no longer process new work permit applications from temporary foreign workers intending to work for sex trade related businesses—namely strip clubs, escort services and massage parlours.

In addition to businesses in those sectors, the new restrictions on LMOs will apply to other businesses linked to the sex trade, particularly if there is a heightened risk of abuse or exploitation of workers.

Future actions, including regulatory changes, are under development as part of the Government’s National Action Plan to Combat Human Trafficking.

Temp workers need to pass English test to stay

Permanent Resident Card (2002-2007) (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

BY TOM GODFREY ,TORONTO SUN


TORONTO - Temporary low-skilled workers will need to pass English language tests in order to remain in Canada.

Exercise jockey Wilbert Gobay is among dozens of temporary workers like horse walkers, groomers and trainers at Woodbine Racetrack who’ve failed the test and fear losing their contracts and being sent home.

Gobay, 46, has been travelling to Woodbine from his native Jamaica to work as a jockey for 10-months of the year since 2008. He plans on becoming a permanent resident and sponsoring his family, but he must prove he can speak either English or French.

Starting in July, those deemed by Canadian immigration authorities as low-skilled workers under a Provincial Nominee Program are required to take and pass English reading, writing, speaking and listening tests.

Only then can they can obtain or renew their visa or become permanent residents of Canada.

The three-hour $255 test is required for seasonal farm workers, those in the construction trades, fast food, hospitality and many other low-paying jobs that Canadians won’t perform.

“I am from an English-speaking country and I still failed,” Gobay said. “I cannot become a permanent resident or citizen until I pass this test.”

Gobay said a pass means he can move up the ladder to become a race-day jockey and earn more money.

“I truly don’t know anyone here that has passed the test,” he said. “We have jockeys here from around the world and we are all in the same boat.”

Fellow jockey Fitz Lewis, 45, of Jamaica, said he has been studying for the exam.

“They tell me the test is very hard,” Lewis said. “I have been trying to brush up and do some reading.”

He said the process brings undue stress to those who may lack English skills.

Jockey Richard Reid, 38, of Jamaica, said he’s been travelling to Canada yearly to work since 2005.

“I am very disappointed by not getting a passing grade,” Reid said of a failed test. “I have been studying hard and wanted to bring my family here by now.”

Groomer Michael Reid, 48, said he’s hitting the books to get a grasp on the language.

“I will be studying hard,” Reid said. “It is difficult but I have to do my best to pass this.”

Roy Kellogg, an immigration consultant who represents Gobay, said the men may have no other choice but to rewrite the failed exam.

“I don’t understand the purpose of the test because these guys only speak to horses all day,” Kellogg said. “Why do workers have to know how to speak English if they come here to pick fruit or pluck chickens.”

Kellogg said potential workers won’t have the money or resources at home to travel to a centre to obtain language approval for a visa to Canada.

“We are going to lose a lot of our low-skilled workers because of this,” he said. “There will be a shortage of workers and I can see prices rising.”

Woodbine Racetrack officials said they were aware of the issue and refused comment.

Other trades requiring English-language tests include chefs, cooks, butchers, bakers, contractors, machinists, plumbers, pipefitters, electricians, carpenters, masonry, librarians, photographers and museum workers.

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Immigration levels shouldn't increase, Canadians tell pollster

Births and immigration in Canada from 1850 to 2000 (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Teresa Smith, Postmedia News

Almost three-quarters of Canadians don't want the federal government to increase the number of immigrants it allows into the country every year, a new survey has found.
The Ipsos Reid poll on Canadian values, commissioned for Postmedia News and Global TV for Canada Day, also shows, however, that four in 10 people feel those immigrants are having a positive impact on the country.

Almost three-quarters of Canadians don't want the federal government to increase the number of immigrants it allows into the country every year, a new survey has found
Aaron Lynett

"With immigration comes change, and people want to control the pace of change," said Ipsos Reid president Darrell Bricker. "There's a tolerance for immigrants once they get here, but Canadians do feel that there are an awful lot of immigrants coming in right now."
Bricker said the numbers also show Canadians continue to support multiculturalism, and have a strong tendency to just "live and let live."
Over the years, Canada has increased the number of immigrants it allows into the country.
In 1986, it accepted just 100,000; currently, it welcomes about 250,000 annually.
Bricker, whose book on the changing face of Canada is due out in early 2013, said Canadians don't seem to realize that there's been a "dramatic transition in immigration policy" since the 1960s.
Fifty years ago, the government was trying to convince Canadians to welcome the "poor and huddled masses and refugees" who made up most of the immigrant population at the time. Now, "we've moved very dramatically away from that," he said. "Now, it's about attracting people who are going to drive our economy."
It's the government's job to explain to Canadians how increasing immigration can help the economy, said Bricker.
Data from the 2011 census, released earlier this year, show a rapid decrease in fertility rates in Canada since the late 1960s and 1970s. Projections suggest that by 2031, immigration will account for more than 80 per cent of Canada's overall population growth.
"Without a sustained level of immigration or a substantial increase in fertility, Canada's population growth could, within 20 years, be close to zero," the census found.
Sweeping policy changes in the past few months have shifted Canada's immigration system in an attempt to attract the kind of people who can hit the ground running, economically speaking.
For example, the points-based selection system for federal skilled workers will soon give priority to young immigrants, those with strong language proficiency, and individuals who have already secured a job in Canada.
Economic immigrants - those chosen for their employment skills - now account for about 62 per cent of newcomers.
Meanwhile, on the refugee side, Bill C-31, the "Protecting Canada's Immigration System Act" - which passed into law last week - allows the government to deport so-called bogus refugees more quickly and crack down on human smugglers and illegal arrivals.
Immigration Minister Jason Kenney is "trying to demonstrate that this is a tightly controlled process that Canada needs for its economic future," said Bricker. But it seems that Canadians are going to need a little more convincing.
In response to the statement "Canada should let in more immigrants than it currently does," 28 per cent of respondents agreed, while 72 per cent said no.
BEGIN OPTIONAL TRIM
The numbers were steady across income brackets, but differed widely depending on age group. The younger the respondent, the more open he or she was to an increase in immigration: 38 per cent of Canadians between the ages of 18 and 34 thought the country could accept more immigrants, compared with one-quarter of those aged 35 to 54, and only 22 per cent among citizens over 55.
Openness to newcomers also went up with education levels.
Meanwhile, 36 per cent of respondents said immigration has had a negative impact on Canada, while 41 per cent felt the impact of newcomers had been positive.
Bricker said people in British Columbia and Ontario - the provinces with the most immigrants - had the darkest view of newcomers, with 38 per cent responding that immigration's impact on Canada has been negative. Saskatchewan and Manitoba were on the other end of the spectrum with 48 per cent saying immigration's effect had been positive.
The online poll sampled 1,101 Canadians between June 20 and 25. Weighting was employed to balance demographics. The estimated margin of error nationally was plus or minus three percentage points, 19 times out of 20. The margin or error increases for subsets such as provincial breakdowns.
tesmith@postmedia.com
Twitter.com/tsmithjourno


© Postmedia News 2012

Who benefits when new immigrants are held to high language standards?

CARYS MILLS
The Globe and Mail


Holding settled immigrants – already employed or otherwise functioning as part of Canadian society – to high language standards isn’t logical, say two Canadian academics who study immigration policy.

While skilled workers obviously need a solid grasp of an official language to work here, that’s not everyone’s role, said Sharry Aiken, associate dean and professor at Queen’s University’s law faculty, who teaches immigration and refugee law. “They’re already living within our society, they’re already participating in Canada in whatever way they are, whether it’s working [or] managing a household and raising children,” she said.

But Minister of Citizenship, Immigration and Multiculturalism Jason Kenney says an official language is essential for any citizen.

“We decided as Canadians that citizenship has value, it has particular meaning,” Mr. Kenney said. “It means full participation, or the ability at least to fully participate in our political community, which requires the ability at least to fully understand what’s going on in one of our two languages.”

Where Mr. Kenney and his critics disagree is whether it’s fair to deny citizenship because of language ability when individuals have already been allowed to live in the country for years.

“Saying, ‘Well, you’re good enough to live here and pay taxes but not good enough to vote,’ all I think that does is enhance alienation,” Prof. Aiken said, adding it may be easier to become proficient in a language once someone becomes Canadian and is able to fully settle.

She suggests mandatory community service might be a more meaningful method to instill civic values.

Afrooz Lahsaee, who was born in Iraq, passed the test on her first try two years ago, after studying at a Canadian university. "When I got my citizenship, I felt like, ‘Okay, I’m someone now … I’m considered to be a Canadian where I have equal rights like everyone else,’ " she said.

Her mother recently received Canadian citizenship without taking the test because she’s over 54, exempt from that requirement. But Ms. Lahsaee said she’s not sure if her mom, who wasn’t educated in Canada, would have been able to pass.

University of Toronto politics professor Phil Triadafilopoulos, who studies immigration and integration, said he believes language evaluations are “useless” and should be done away with altogether. But with increasing popularity at home and in the United States, Australia and United Kingdom, he said he knows that won’t happen.

Prof. Triadafilopoulos noted that his parents, who emigrated from Greece, and many other Canadian immigrants were able to call themselves “Canadian” before being proficient in an official language. “The question becomes, do you need a certain level of English or French to become a Canadian citizen?”

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Why I Love Canada: An Immigrant's Perspective

Canada Day is a time to celebrate a great Canadian citizenship. For immigrants such as myself, it gives us a rare chance to celebrate great milestones. For instance, Jemy Joseph has only been in Canada just over a decade but she has achieved more than her share. Currently a medical student at the University of Ottawa and an MSc student at the University of Toronto, Joseph is on an ambitious mission for herself and her adopted country. She is passionate about many things including her medical school career as well as the issue of bullying.

You are a young woman of many achievements, enough to even compete for the Rhodes scholarships not long ago. Tell us about your academic journey so far.

It's been such a blessing to be in Canada for the past 11 years! My parents immigrated here in order to provide my brother and me with the best education, and I am very grateful for this privilege. I completed an Honours BSc in life sciences at University of Toronto. Subsequently, I pursued an MA at University of Toronto in transplant immunology, working in collaboration with Toronto General Hospital. In 2011, I began my degree in medicine at the University of Ottawa. Yes, I have been in school for a long time.

You have often said, you envision "a career that will combine medicine, advocacy, research, healthcare, policy development, administration and politics." Explain.

Growing up, I mistakenly thought I could pursue only one field. Logical and analytical skills came to me so naturally that I didn't even consider a career outside of the sciences. My love for the sciences accordingly led me to do research in health-related topics, which I was passionate about.

Though researchers are never fully acknowledged for the work they do, I gained gratification in knowing that my small contributions are part of a greater effort to understand the basic mechanisms of diseases, which may eventually lead to discovering cures. In addition to my lab work, my undergraduate electives in health studies sparked an interest in exploring healthcare from a broader perspective.

However, it was my extra-curricular involvement that surprised me in terms of what my potential might be outside of the scientific world. My peers dragged me to join the student union. I quickly learned that being an advocate, discussing policies and engaging in administrative work were things I absolutely enjoyed. Working in governance opened my eyes to the "politics" behind decision-making and how this was just a microcosm of larger political institutions that govern our country. Institutions like Massey College helped me realize that I could be a part of transforming Canada. In this country, it is okay to have multiple interests and pursue them all.

Why medicine?

I realized that I wanted a career where I could continue to foster my scientific and medical interests, while helping improve the health and well-being of Canadian and global society. Being an advocate, promoting public health, engaging in social issues and making contributions globally are all important to me. After very deep soul-searching, prayers, and consultations with wonderful mentors, medicine emerged as a wonderful "next step" where I can be fully engaged clinically and pursue my varied interests.

Now that you have lived in Canada for a decade, where would you want to be in another decade?

Most of the next decade will be consumed by medical school followed by residency. Along the way, I have many dreams, which includes doing some international work in medical fields, working with NGOs and health organizations, engaging in health advocacy and promoting and protecting public health in Canada.

You have recently supported the Ontario government's effort to bring in a new anti-bullying legislation -- why is this piece of legislation important?

It is never too late to strengthen the battle against bullying! The scars of bullying on one's mental (and physical) health can be drastic. Therefore it is necessary to work towards prevention, education and adequate punishment and counseling for those who engage in such destructive behavior. In Canadian society, respect for human life is a cornerstone value and our youth must be taught that.

For young immigrants who may be going through the journey you went through in 2000 as a new immigrant to Canada, what advice would you have for them?

If you come from a more traditional or conservative culture, you might have some initial difficulty in understanding the culture and values of this land. Take time to understand the Canadian culture and people. Combine the best of what you learn with the best of what you have gained from your previous country and you will have an enriching life. Don't be afraid to try something new -- like skating or exploring outside the big cities.

Canada is a land of opportunities. In this country, you can be who you want to be. So don't be your own barrier. Open up your mind to a world of possibilities because in Canada, the world is in your backyard!

Why you #LoveCanada