Faster route to Canadian immigration offered by Quebec by Mark Johnstone

The province of Quebec has launched its own version of the Canadian Experience Class (CEC) route for people hoping to move to Canada permanently. The accelerated programme is for use by skilled permanent residency applicants who are working in Canada or have been studying in Canada for some time.

The new scheme, called the Quebec Experience Class (PEQ), was announced by Quebec Immigration Minister, Yolande James. She says that attracting skilled foreigners who have come to work in Canada and foreign students who are studying in Canada to settle in Quebec is essential for the region’s economic future.

Under the scheme, foreign students can apply for a Quebec Selection Certificate (CSQ) if they have completed a level B1 French course at a educational institution in Quebec, have studied in Quebec for two years and have completed a diploma or a degree at a recognised educational institution in the province.

People working in Quebec on temporary work permits will be able to gain a CSQ if they are employed legally in Quebec at the time of applying, have worked for 12 months in Quebec in a managerial, skilled or professional capacity and have completed a B1 level French course or can pass a French proficiency test.

Applying for permanent residency under the PEQ is simpler and quicker than doing so under the Canadian Experience Class, which was introduced earlier this year. The PEQ is to be launched before October 2009.

Source: Globalvisas.com

Canada rejects refugees, lifts bans

By Chantal Flores.

Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) has announced that refugees from five countries with high levels of conflict will be refused a Canadian visa if they have already entered the United States before attempting to enter Canada.

The five countries include the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Zimbabwe, Haiti, Afghanistan and Iraq. Immigration Minister Jason Kenny says that refugees will be refused entry to the country because they should seek protection in the country they arrive in first.

Approximately 5,000 people will be affected by this every year according to government estimates.

A lifting of the deportation ban for refugees from Burundi, Liberia and Rwanda was also announced and is effective immediately.

Since 1994 a ban has been in place on deporting refugees from these counties, but an internal review reported “improved conditions” in all three countries. Amnesty International, however, is still reporting abuses that are happening in Burundi and Liberia.

Up to 2,100 refugees that already moved to Canada could be affected by this sudden change.
This follows the new visa requirements imposed on Mexican and Czech citizens, which sparked outrage that originated from a visa battle. Reaction from the new affected countries is still unreported.

Source: canadianimmigrant.ca

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4umISJ9CjeE

Canada: Best advanced economy in the World.

The Canadian banking system, considered the world's healthiest according to The World Economic Forum, was recently announced to have come out of the economic recession. Canada hasn't had a single bailout, bank failure or need for government to interfere with its financial system.

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While US banks are leveraged at an average of 26 to 1, Canadian banks only borrow 18 to 1. Unlike much of the rest of the world, Canada has stuck to the tried-and-true rules of banking, borrowing, and risk. It has remained conservative and sensible, and hasn't been tricked into thinking it could beat the markets.

Furthermore, housing is remarkably robust in Canada and instead of having a budget deficit the Canadian economy has run a surplus for the past dozen years and now has cash that can pull it out of any economic drags it may be facing.

Thanks to immigration, Canada is drawing skilled and educated manpower, mainly from Asia. Microsoft even set up a Vancouver research centre specifically to attract "highly skilled people affected by immigration issues in the U.S."

Furthermore, while the Canadian healthcare system comprises only 9.7 percent of the GDP it still outperforms the US system by all measures. As a result, the life expectancy in Canada is 81 compared to the 78 years in the US.

For years car manufacturers have been moving jobs to Canada to avoid the high healthcare costs in the US. Now Ontario is the largest carmaker in North America, even out-producing Michigan.

Source: Migrationexpert.com