Canada is a happy place

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Dan Chalcraft

Posted 10 hours ago

Just think for a minute: What makes you happy? Well, for many people the word "happy" begins with a sufficient amount of money to enjoy life and be comfortable such as to have the ability to do what you want and buy what you want.

These material items could include a nice home, cars, clothes, participating in leisure activities along with food to eat. However, being happy in life is much more than having money and materialist objects. Furthermore, it means being healthy, being free from pain or injury, being self sufficient and enjoying time with family and friends. In addition, being happy is based on being able to speak what's on your mind without fear, to worship the God of your choosing and to feel safe and secure in your own home. Happiness means having opportunity to get an education and to be an entrepreneur.

Now, that I've explained happines , researchers at the Legatum Institute, a London-based non-partisan think-tank set out five years ago to rank the happiest countries in the world. They referred to it as the 2010 Prosperity Index since 'happy' carries a more softer connotation to it. It ranks 110 countries and covers 90 per cent of the world's population.

To properly categorize each county, the London-based think tank gathered upwards of a dozen international surveys completed by groups such as the Gallup polling group, the Heritage Foundation, and the World Economic Forum. Each country is ranked on 89 variables sorted into eight subsections: economy, entrepreneurship, governance, education, health, safety, personal freedom and social capital.

Canada is often the place where people want to be so they can be in a place where they are accepted for who they are and can contribute to be a productive members of sociey. Canadians are known as happy people; an example of that pride, joy and happiness could be seen at the 2010 Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games in Vancouver, British Columbia in February and March of 2010. According to the Index, Canada was ranked as the seventh happiest country in the world due to it's place as a country where personal freedom is plentiful, and immigrants are welcomed. Corruption is very low, and social capital is high with Canadians eager to help others and donate to charity.

Seventy-five per cent of people believe their city is a good place to start a business which provides opportunity and entreneurship. It indicates that business startup costs are inexpensive, technology is thriving with there being a lot of cell-phones and plenty of secure Internet servers and a pre conceived notion that working hard gets you ahead. Norway was ranked as the most prosperous county due to having the world's highest per capita gross domestic product. Norwegians have the second highest level of satisfaction with their standards of living at 95 per cent. Norwegians say that they are satisfied with the freedom to choose the direction of their lives. Being a small country helps as they don't face the same challenges of big countries like having so many disparate groups such as ethnic, geographic, and civic battling against each other.

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Brain Gain' Pilot Project Launched in Ontario

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OTTAWA, ONTARIO--(Marketwire - Jan. 30, 2011) - More Canadians working abroad could soon return home and contribute to Canada's economy, thanks to an innovative pilot project launched in Ontario, Citizenship, Immigration and Multiculturalism Minister Jason Kenney announced today.

"It's a reverse brain drain," said Minister Kenney. "We're making it easier for Canadians abroad to bring their skills home and contribute to the Canada of tomorrow."

For some Canadian workers living abroad, an obstacle to returning to Canada is that their non-Canadian spouse, common-law partner or dependent children may be unable to work until they are processed as permanent residents, which usually takes between six months and one year.

Since November 22, family members of Canadian citizens and permanent residents returning to work in Ontario in the health care and academic sectors have been able to get temporary work permits immediately upon arriving in Canada. Ontario's health and academic sectors have faced significant skill and labour shortages in recent years and were identified as the most appropriate sectors for the pilot project.

"By encouraging highly-skilled workers to come back to Canada, we are laying the foundation for long-term economic growth," added the Minister. 

A pledge to establish this pilot project was included in the 2008 Temporary Foreign Worker agreement between the Government of Canada and the Province of Ontario. It is operating on a trial basis until May 22, 2012. Upon completion of the pilot project, the government will evaluate the initiative's effectiveness.

For more details on this initiative, please see the Backgrounder.

Follow us on Twitter at www.twitter.com/CitImmCanada 

BACKGROUNDER

Ontario Pilot Project for Spouses, Common-Law Partners and Dependents of Returning Canadian Workers

This pilot project in Ontario allows spouses, common-law partners and dependent children of certain Canadian citizens and permanent residents returning to Ontario, to receive open work permits that would allow them to accept any job with any employer in the province.

To be eligible to participate in the pilot, applicants must:

• be a spouse, common-law partner, or dependent child of a Canadian citizen or permanent resident returning to work in Ontario,
• have an application underway to immigrate to Canada through sponsorship in the family class,
• be old enough to work in Ontario,
• meet all admissibility criteria to come to Canada as a temporary resident.

The sponsoring spouse or parent must:

• be a Canadian citizen or permanent resident;
• have left Canada and be returning to work permanently in Ontario, as a health professional or an academic for post-secondary public institutions, in one of the specified occupations listed below;
• with their employer, obtain a letter from the Province of Ontario confirming their employment, location and occupation and provide it as supporting documentation with the work permit application; and
• have submitted an application to CIC to sponsor their spouse or dependent child.

List of specified occupations

Health Professionals

• Specialist Physicians
• General Practitioners and Family Physicians
• Dentists
• Veterinarians
• Optometrists
• Chiropractors
• Other Professional Occupations in Health Diagnosing and Treating
• Pharmacists
• Dietitians and Nutritionists
• Audiologists and Speech-Language Pathologists
• Physiotherapists
• Occupational Therapists
• Other Professional Occupations in Therapy and Assessment
• Head Nurses and Supervisors
• Registered Nurses
• Medical Laboratory Technologists and Pathologists' Assistants
• Medical Laboratory Technicians
• Veterinary and Animal Health Technologists and Technicians
• Respiratory Therapists, Clinical Perfusionists and Cardiopulmonary Technologists
• Medical Radiation Technologists
• Medical Sonographers
• Cardiology Technologists
• Electroencephalographic and Other Diagnostic Technologists, n.e.c.
• Other Medical Technologists and Technicians (Except Dental Health)
• Denturists
• Dental Hygienists and Dental Therapists
• Dental Technologists, Technicians and Laboratory Bench Workers
• Opticians
• Midwives and Practitioners of Natural Healing
• Licensed Practical Nurses
• Ambulance Attendants and Other Paramedical Occupations
• Other Technical Occupations in Therapy and Assessment

Post-Secondary Education (Academics) for Public Institutions

• University Professors
• Post-Secondary Teaching and Research Assistants
• College and Other Vocational Instructors

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Immigration drives construction, provincial economy

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Published: January 28, 2011 3:00 PM
Updated: January 28, 2011 3:09 PM

When you want to see how strong B.C.’s construction industry is going to be, look at the number of people deciding to call British Columbia home.

The Independent Contractors and Businesses Association examined the link between immigration, construction and the economy in its recently released Winter 2010-11 edition of Construction Monitor.

“Almost everyone in Canada will tell you that immigrants built this country. They came to this nation and built lives for themselves and their children,” said ICBA president Philip Hochstein. “But people might be surprised to hear that immigrants are still driving the economy – especially in B.C. and especially in construction.”

Hochstein said the link between immigration and construction is clear – and its importance will only grow.

“Instead of taking jobs away, immigrants help grow the job pool and drive construction – housing, commercial and industrial,” Hochstein said. “Of all provinces, the construction sector is the largest contributor to the economy here in B.C. Immigration can help keep that strong.”

Immigration will continue growing in importance for our economy as declining birthrates flip B.C.’s natural rate of increase to a natural rate of decrease.

“Other provinces may track other economy-driving indicators like oil, agriculture, or manufacturing and financial services, but it’s clear that B.C. needs to keep an eye on immigration,” Hochstein added. “All British Columbians will win if we continue to see people from across the globe decide to call B.C. home.”

A full copy of the report is at icba.ca.

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Immigration helps Canada’s population grow as job prospects improve

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THIS POST WAS WRITTEN BY CHARLES KELLY ON JANUARY 29, 2011
POSTED UNDER: NEWS

Canada’s population increased by an estimated 129,300 (1.5% quarter over quarter at annual rates) in the third quarter of 2010, thanks to a net inflow of international immigrants (+84,200).

After a dip in the second quarter of 2009, and with the recovery of the economy, Canada’s rate of population growth has steadily accelerated since the third quarter of 2009.

Canada’s population now stands at 34,238,000, just over half the UK population and around a tenth of similar sized neighbour the United States, which recorded 308 million people in 2010.

In fact Canada’s entire population is only slightly larger than the number of people living in the metropolitan areas of New York and Los Angeles.

Prince Edward Island recorded the fastest population growth in the third quarter (+2.8% q/q at annual rates). In the quarter, PEI’s population increased by 975 to 143,200.

British Columbia was the second fastest rate of population growth in the third quarter (+1.9%). Despite a slowdown in net interprovincial in-migration from 2,000 in Q2 to 600, the province’s population increased by 20,900 to 4,551,800 as a result of a net inflow of 10,300 international migrants and 5,600 non permanent residents.

A steady strengthening in employment in Central Canada relative to the rest of the country that started in mid-2009 and has persisted through 2010 is reducing the net outflow of migrants from both Ontario and Quebec to other provinces.

Ontario’s population increased in the third quarter by 1.8% to 13,268,600 due to a combination of sustained net international in-migration (+38,464) and net gain of 2,100 migrants from other provinces.

Quebec saw its population grow by 1.3% q/q annualized to 7,932,000 as a result of a 14,600 inflow of international migrants and no change in net interprovincial migration.

In Western Canada, Saskatchewan’s population growth of 1.6% outpaced Alberta and Manitoba both of which saw gains of 1.5% in the third quarter.

While the gain in population in all three provinces was supported by strong net inflows of international migrants, in Alberta almost two thirds of the increase was due to natural increase (i.e., births minus deaths).

Looking ahead at the prospects ahead, recent signs of stronger employment growth in Western Canadasuggest population growth in the West will accelerate vis-à-vis the rest of the country through 2011.

Source and figures: John Clinkard Daily Commercial News

John Clinkard has over 30 years’ experience as an economist in international, national and regional research and analysis with leading financial institutions and media outlets in Canada.

Canada is the largest country in the Western Hemisphere and second only to Russia is size. China, Brazil and the US have a similar land mass, but all have much larger populations.

Unlike many countries in the west, Canada has plenty of room to grow and needs lots of skilled workers to migrate to Canada.

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A sign for students: ‘Canada admission guaranteed’

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“Canada Admission Guaranteed” touts the banner promoting one of Satish Kumar’s latest ventures.

The intrepid entrepreneur, 46, started Royal International Abroad Study Consulting Services (RIAS) three-and-a-half years ago.

Mr. Kumar saw an opportunity to provide assistance in his booming hometown of Jaipur to middle-class parents who want to get their children into college and post-graduate programs in Britain, the United States, Australia and Canada. Hundreds have sought his counsel.

“Actually, we are a real estate company, but I thought this might be a good business also. Many want to study in Canada,” the RIAS founder says.

Mr. Kumar’s advertisement hangs prominently in one of India’s many shiny new shopping malls, in a space over a Subway, the U.S. sandwich chain that has nearly 200 branches in the subcontinent. In so many ways, the new India is highly aspirational, with a taste for the international.

As the country’s economy continues its impressive economic growth and competition to get into elite colleges increases, more and more Indian parents who can afford it are exploring the option of sending children abroad to study.

Two years ago, 160,000 Indian students – most heading to Britain – spent $4 billion (U.S.) on their education away from home. Only 2,500 were enrolled in Canada. Today that number has approximately doubled.

Canada welcomed 178,000 international students last year, according to government statistics, and contributed more than $6 billion (Canadian) to the economy.

With a large English-speaking population and a culture that prizes educational achievement, India has become a target for Canadian college and university recruiters, who see it as a potentially lucrative market.

Last fall, an official delegation travelled to key Indian cities to network and explore how to attract more of the country’s best and brightest to Canadian schools.

“Studying in Canada is so costly,” Mr. Kumar says, “but people want to go because everyone wants to try schools in other countries and parents want their children to have success in life.”

In India, foreign college and graduate degrees are considered prestigious. Companies have sprouted all over the country, pitching the kind of services Mr. Kumar offers. In the case of RIAS, its founder says students don’t pay him, the firm collects money from recruiting schools for every applicant.

At many other agencies, the student shoulders the costs. Fees range from a few hundred dollars for basic help with forms and visas, to the thousands of dollars for assistance that includes preparation for tests, school applications and immigration guidance.

Though he has employees, Mr. Kumar has long been familiar with the process of finding and settling into a school in Canada. His daughter, who is in her 20s, got into acting school in Vancouver.

“She likes it very much.”

Special to the Globe and Mail

Alexandra A. Seno has written about economics and business trends in Asia since 1994. She is a regular contributor to Newsweek, the International Herald Tribune and The Wall Street Journal Asia. She lives in Hong Kong.

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