Canada to Hire 8,000 Filipinos

Image by trontnort via Flickr

By SAMUEL MEDENILLA

September 22, 2010, 11:26am

MANILA, Philippines — The Canadian province of Manitoba will be hiring about 8,000 Filipino workers annually starting this year until 2016, the Department of Labor and Employment (DoLE) said on Tuesday, during a signing of a renewed agreement with Canadian dignitaries at Makati City.
The overseas Filipino workers (OFW) will compose about 40 percent of the 20,000 job requirements, which the local government of Manitoba plans to fill by 2016 due to its expanding markets. The remaining 60 percent of the job orders will be sourced out to other countries like Germany, India, China, Korea, Israel, and Ukraine.
Among the jobs which are in demand in Manitoba are in the field of finance, construction, manufacturing, mining, health, agriculture, and hotel and restaurant.
“We hope that the memorandum of understanding (MoU) will increase the protection of Filipino workers being deployed to Manitoba, and facilitate their recruitment and hiring process, which in turn would enable the Philippines to get a bigger share of the projected demand of Manitoba,” Labor and Employment Rosalinda Baldoz said in a statement.
Aside from the job order, the MoU, which was first signed in 2008, will also focus on the skills assessment of OFWs which will be deployed in Canada, promote their welfare, and speed up the processing of their visas.
“Our governments have worked together over the past two and a half years to make it easier and safer for skilled Filipinos workers to find jobs and settle in Manitoba and we look forward to continuing this important partnership, Province of Manitoba Premier Greg Selinger said in a statement.
Assistant Deputy Minister of Manitoba Labor Immigration Ben Rempel said that the Canadian government gave particular preference to Filipino immigrants since they already have the necessary skill requirements. Another factor was the existence of a  large Filipino community in Manitoba, which will be able to assist new Filipino immigrants during their period of adjustment in Canada.
“You have workers who speak English and are adaptable to working in the international environment. So I think the Filipinos will remain very well positioned to take advantage of the economic opportunities that are starting to rebound in our jurisdictions like in Manitoba,” Rempel said.
Rempel said that aside from having the lowest unemployment rate and highest employment of immigrants, Manitoba also has the most advanced legislation protecting the rights of its laborers, which will be attractive for OFWs.
“Workers from the Philippines will know when they are offered a contract by Manitoba employer that contract will be honored,” Rempel said.

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RP, Manitoba renew OFW deployment agreement

Image via WikipediaProspective overseas Filipino workers in Canada – especially those in health, agricultural production, hotel and restaurant, and construction – stand to benefit from a renewed labor agreement between the Philippines and the Canadian province of Manitoba.

Department of Labor (DOLE) Secretary Rosalinda Baldoz signed the renewed Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Manitoba's Department of Labour and Immigration (LIM).

“This MOU is closely aligned to the overarching goal of President Benigno S. Aquino III to invest and develop our human resources to make us more competitive and employable. It is also in line with the 22-point labor and employment agenda which, among others, calls for expanded protection of our OFWs," Baldoz said in an article on the DOLE website, after the signing.

Baldoz said that with the new RP-Manitoba agreement and the improving world economy, more OFWs may be deployed to Manitoba starting this year.

She said Filipino workers from the health, agricultural production, hotel, and restaurant and construction sectors will continue to be in demand in Manitoba.

“We hope that the MOU will result not only to the increased protection of Filipino workers being deployed to Manitoba, but more importantly, to the facilitation of the recruitment and hiring process, which in turn would enable the Philippines to get a bigger share of the projected demand of Manitoba for approximately 20,000 workers by 2016," Baldoz said.

Baldoz signed the agreement for the Philippines while Premier Greg Selinger signed on behalf of Manitoba.

Selinger flew in to Manila to sign the MOU and to lead a delegation seeking to explore trade, investment, and cultural cooperation with the Philippines.

The renewed agreement is a follow-through of the initial MOU signed by the DOLE and Manitoba in 2008.

It provides a framework for the partnership and collaboration between the Philippines and Manitoba in the recruitment and deployment of skilled OFWs to Manitoba, in their protection, and in the further development of human resources.

Baldoz said that with the MOU, the recruitment and deployment of OFWs for Manitoba that began in 2008 will be sustained, adding it is a testimony to the continued preference of Manitoba employers for OFWs.

Under the MOU, both parties will work together to enable Filipino workers to enter Manitoba under a process that is effective and clearly communicated to employers and workers alike.

The shared priorities for collaboration and cooperation under the new MOU are:

• Ensure that the need of Manitoba employers for Filipino workers with appropriate skills are met through training and credential-recognition activities;
  
  
• Expedite the approval of selected workers for employment opportunities in Manitoba, including efforts to support the work of the Canadian visa office in Manila it the processing of worker workers’ permits and visas;
  
  
• Promote sound, ethical, and equitable recruitment and employment practices;
  
  
• Share information to support initiatives, subject to privacy laws of the Government of the Republic of the Philippines and the Government of Manitoba, Canada; and
  
  
• On prior agreement, explore the role for the International Organization for Migration to support the foregoing initiatives.

Both parties also agree to regularly determine other priority areas for collaboration and cooperation.

Under the RP-Manitoba agreement, 91 OFWs were deployed to the Canadian province in 2008. Deployment rose to 162 in 2009, 44 percent higher than the 2008 deployment.

Of the total deployed in 2009, 61 percent were nurses, 23 percent were production workers, and 16 percent were service workers.

In pursuing the areas of collaboration and cooperation under the MOU the DOLE and the LIM agree to act in compliance with their respective laws and regulations.

These include the Employment Standards Code, the Worker Recruitment and Protection Act, and the Workplace Safety and Health Act on the part of Manitoba; and the Philippine Labor Code, as amended, and the 2002 POEA Rules and Regulations Governing the Recruitment and Employment of Land-Based Overseas Workers implementing R. A. 8042, as well as amendments to such legislation on the part of the Philippines. — LBG/RSJ, GMANews.TV

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20,000 jobs in the works in Canada

Image via WikipediaTHE Department of Labor and Employment yesterday announced that there are 20,000 jobs available in the Canadian province of Manitoba until 2016 following the signing of a memorandum of understanding with Canada’s Department of Labour and Immigration.
Labor Secretary Rosalinda Baldoz said aside from increasing employment opportunities, the MOU also aims to strengthen areas of cooperation in the fields of ethical and safe employment.
She said with the new RP-Manitoba agreement, the recruitment and deployment of OFWs to Manitoba that began in 2008 will be sustained.
DOLE records showed 91 OFWs were deployed to Manitoba in 2008, the year when RP signed a first MOU.
The figure rose to 162 in 2009 with 61 percent employed as nurses, 23 percent as production workers, and 16 percent as service workers.
Manitoba has an area of 649,950 square kilometers. It has over 110,000 lakes and has a largely continental climate because of its flat topography. Agriculture, mostly concentrated in the fertile southern and western parts of the province, is vital to the province’s economy; other major industries are transportation, manufacturing, mining, forestry, energy, and tourism. – Gerard Naval

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Province wants immigrants

Image via WikipediaCompared with other provinces in Atlantic Canada, Newfoundland and Labrador is experiencing greater difficulty attracting immigrants. The provincial government’s Office of Immigration and Multiculturalism is looking to get communities in on the effort, including Gander.
Topics :
Statistics Canada , Office of Immigration and Multiculturalism , Newfoundland and Labrador , Canada , Nova Scotia
Jamie Valvasori, the central region’s representative for the office, met with the Town’s economic and social development committee on Aug. 23 to speak about efforts to retain immigrants in the area.
According to notes from the meeting, Mr. Valvasori said the province is attracting many professionals who choose to move to larger centres. His office is now working on ways to make communities more welcoming to immigrants faced with living in a new place.
The Town has committed to working with his office on hosting a three-day workshop focusing on creating a welcoming community through specific initiatives.
According to Statistics Canada, 565 immigrants came to Canada from July 1, 2008 to June 30, 2009. In the same time frame, the remaining three Atlantic Provinces welcomed many more immigrants. Nova Scotia attracted the most with 2,377, while New Brunswick welcomed 1,922 immigrants. Even Prince Edward Island, with almost one-quarter the population of Newfoundland and Labrador, managed to attract more immigrants – 1,793.
“While the numbers may be lower than other Atlantic provinces, we believe we’re seeing great progress.” - Minister Susan Sullivan
Susan Sullivan, Minister of Human Resources, Labour and Employment, said she could not speak to the approach those provinces are taking.
“We’ve chosen to focus on skilled individuals who will make an economic, social, and cultural contribution to the province,” said Minister Sullivan. “We’re looking for people who are able to make that contribution and also people who have demonstrated a strong interest in staying in the province, and we think this approach will serve the immigrants and our province well.”
A major component of that approach is the Provincial Nominee Program (PNP), which seeks to recruits immigrants with specialized skills that are also in demand. The minister said 53 per cent of immigrants that came through the program are living in St. John’s.
Numbers up
Since 2007, Minister Sullivan said immigration numbers have been increasing, moving from an average of 400 per year to over 600 in 2009 – with 700 expected in 2010.
“While the numbers may be lower than other Atlantic provinces, we believe we’re seeing great progress,” she said.
A Statistics Canada publication from February 2010 found Newfoundland and Labrador had the highest match rates in Canada for foreign-educated immigrants working in the field they were trained for at 60 per cent. Nova Scotia placed second in Canada with 40 per cent, while Prince Edward Island and New Brunswick were tied at fourth with 37 per cent. The Canadian average was 33 per cent for data collected in the 2006 Canadian census.
Minister Sullivan said this shows the province is a good option for immigrants looking to work in their chosen profession.
Rather than offer specific selling points as a province, she said the Office of Immigration and Multiculturalism is using immigrants already here to sell Newfoundland and Labrador to others who may consider making a move. Its website currently offers video testimonials.
“They’re really inspiring examples of why it is that people have chosen to come and then decide to stay here,” said the minister.
She said a low population density constitutes a major attraction for foreigners coming to Newfoundland and Labrador, as many only have experience living in crowded cities. The videos also show people extolling the virtues of living in a place with a lower crime rate.
The efforts to create welcoming communities is being spearheaded by employees at the regional offices, said Minister Sullivan, as becoming a part of the community goes a long way in ensuring an immigrant will stay in an area.
“The workshops engage key stakeholders in the community who have an interest in the topic,” she said, adding the Office of Immigration and Multiculturalism has already held a number of successful ones in other areas.
“What we’re learning form them is the stakeholders who’ve taken the opportunity to go and participate have all reported that these have exceptionally helped them in terms of understanding the immigration process, and helping those who come to settle into their communities.”
info@ganderbeacon.ca
By Andrew Robinson

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Canada's Immigration Minister Says Doors Are Open to Chinese to Come to Canada

BEIJING, CHINA--(Marketwire - Sept. 15, 2010) - China is, and will continue to be, one of the most important source countries for immigrants to Canada, Citizenship, Immigration and Multiculturalism Minister Jason Kenney said today in Beijing, the second-to-last stop on his trip to Asia.

"Canada has benefited enormously from immigration from China," said Minister Kenney. China remains the number one source country for immigrants to Canada.

Minister Kenney notes that more visitors are coming to Canada from China as well. In the first quarter of this year, China ranked first in visas and extensions issued to visitors. Canada saw 14% more visitors from China than in the first quarter of 2009, or 46% more than in the first quarter of 2005.

"That means more Chinese nationals are visiting their family here in Canada than ever before. With the implementation of the Approved Destination Status, which allows Chinese travel agents to advertise and organize tour groups to Canada, that number will only rise," said the Minister.

And the number of Chinese students studying in Canada is also on the rise. Almost 50,000 students from China resided in Canada last year. The number of Chinese students living in Canada has grown by more than 300% in the past decade.

"We are committed to increasing the number of Chinese students attending Canadian colleges and universities," said the Minister, "and in the course of my visit to Beijing, I made an important announcement about how our government will encourage even more students to study in Canada."

But he also warns that while the door is open to Chinese students, visitors and immigrants, the Government of Canada is serious about cracking down on immigration fraud. This includes drawing attention to fraudulent immigration consultants.

"While many consultants do good work, we want people to know that it's not necessary to hire a consultant to come to Canada," said Minister Kenney. "And with the help of the Chinese government, we want to put a stop to the ones who are engaging in fraud."

Minister Kenney will travel to Manila tomorrow. He will then go on to Canberra and Sydney, the final two stops on this trip.