Immigrants create networks to help them help themselves

Sailboat passes in front of the Toronto skylin...Image via Wikipedia
Suzanne WintrobSpecial to the Star
At 15, Tina Tehranchian graduated from high school and left her native Iran to study at an American university. After receiving a BA in political science and commerce and a masters in communications, she and her new husband returned to Iran. When their son was born, the couple decided to relocate again, to Canada, to build their son’s future.
The 1990 recession was a difficult time to find a job in communications, and even more so for a new immigrant. Tehranchian wasn’t familiar with any employment agencies and “all I kept hearing the same old excuse all the time, ‘You need Canadian experience’ — even though I had U.S. experience.
“But it didn’t seem to count for much.”
To make ends meet, she snagged a job in the financial industry and hoped for the best. “It suited my personality,” she said. She retrained as a Certified Financial Planner and a Chartered Financial Consultant and started building her new career.
About 10 years ago, Tehranchian began volunteering with Family Service Association of Metro Toronto, which was examining employment issues in the Iranian community.
She was thrilled to learn about the many employment agencies helping new immigrants learn the ropes in Canada.
Soon after the Iranian-Canadian Network for Employment and Entrepreneurship Mentoring (ICN) was born, uniting newly-arrived Iranians with Iranian-Canadian business owners and professionals to provide mentoring and help them secure employment.
“One of the biggest challenges immigrants face is how to translate their experiences and their education from back home to the realities of the job market in Canada, and that’s why having a mentor who’s got the exact same background as themselves can be a big help,” says Tehranchian. “It takes all of the cultural differences into account.”
Today, Tehranchian is a branch manager and financial advisor at Assante Capital Management Ltd. in Toronto.
She also sits on the advisory committee for the Toronto Region Immigrant Employment Council’s Professional Immigrant Network (PIN), a collection of volunteer-run groups for internationally-educated and experienced professionals. Tehranchian is PIN’s co-chair.
The 70 groups collectively represent more than 25,000 people, and host lectures, workshops and social events throughout the year to help immigrants network with their peers, find jobs in their area of expertise, and give back to the community.
Elizabeth MacIsaac, TRIEC’s executive director, says one of the obstacles new Canadians struggle with is leaving behind their professional connection, and that’s why it’s critical they build a new one quickly.
TRIEC reaches out to immigrants through community agencies, she says.
Yet few immigrants avail themselves of those services when they arrive.
They connect first with professional colleagues who share their culture, history and experiences. It’s about familiarity and trust, says MacIsaac.
This is why TRIEC united all of the groups under the Professional Immigrant Network banner recently.
“Just as one group might be doing mentoring, another might be linking to affinity groups at big corporations,” says MacIsaac. “Another might be holding regular networking and information sessions.
“They can learn from one another.”
The initiative is funded by Scotiabank, Citizenship and Immigration Canada, and ALLIES, a project of the Maytree foundation.
MacIsaac says companies have expressed interest in tapping into the groups to recruit employees.
Paula Calderon, president of the Canadian Colombian Professionals Association, came to Canada from Bogota in 2001. She urges new immigrants to spend time researching opportunities and programs outside their own communities, too. She mentions TRIEC’s “networking-beyond-boundaries” event at the Toronto Board of Trade Mar. 31, which unites many Hispanic groups to network with human resource departments from top corporations.
“Nothing has the magic formula, but [researching] will definitely help them save time on how to do things and how to best approach employers,” says Calderon, client relations manager and applicant screener at Career Edge Organization.
“Doing the research on presentation and job search skills is definitely something that takes time. Being well prepared actually saves time in the search. The better prepared you are, the better you present yourself, and the easier it is to secure employment.”
Tehranchian recommends prospective new Canadians start their research well before arriving.
“Do as much homework as possible to find the community groups, to find the service agencies and the programs that you could benefit from, because there are so many free programs available!” she says.
“Try to leverage your contacts and build a network as soon as you get to Canada!”

    Next stop, Canada, in new wave of emigration from Iran

    Tehran, Iran: City Theatre. Pahlavi era archit...Image via WikipediaBy Farshid Motahari Mar 21, 2011, 4:07 GMT



    Tehran - There is almost no time when people get together in Tehran that migration to Canada is not discussed.
    The North American country has turned into the new Garden of Eden for those who see no future in their homeland of Iran.
    'I am done with my homeland, which I used to love, and I want to continue my life living in a place with no restrictions and gender discrimination,' said Haleh, a 30-year-old chemical engineer in Tehran who plans to leave for Toronto in the summer.
    She is not alone in her frustration. The number of Iranians seeking a new life in Canada has increased by at least 30 per cent in the past 20 months, according to several agencies in Tehran dealing with migration to Canada.
    Observers said one of the main reasons is the June 2009 presidential election, which was overshadowed by fraud. Street protests against the re-election of Mahmoud Ahmadinejad were violently suppressed along with any hope of change in the Islamic state.
    A sociologist in Tehran said the enthusiasm before the election and the hope that Iran would move toward democracy has turned into frustration, prompting the younger generation in particular to consider leaving.
    'What we witness now is the emigration of young and educated people who see no more opportunities in Iran,' the sociologist said. 'They do not want to waste themselves here but seek a new start in a country like Canada, where they believe their potential could be realized.'
    The first emigration wave from Iran happened in the years after the 1979 revolution and the establishment of its clergy-ruled Islamic republic.
    The destinations then of those countries.
    According to officials, 5 million Iranians live abroad, but observers said the number is even higher because their children born abroad are not necessarily registered in Iran.
    A university professor in Tehran questioned how aware these offspring are of their origins. 'They probably do not speak Persian, either,' the educator said. 'They are Iran's lost generation resulting from the country's situation in the last three decades.'
    Canada has emerged in recent years as the new destination for emigration. Because of its selective criteria for immigrants, mainly educated and professionally qualified Iranians are allowed in.
    A census back in 2006 put the number of Iranians who have migrated to Canada at 92,085. The number is said to be more than 250,000 now.
    Because most of the Iranians prefer to settle in Toronto, the city has been nicknamed 'Tehranto.'
    One of the new aspects of migration to Canada is that Iranians moving there are not necessarily motivated by money because many enjoy a good standard of living in Iran.
    Ali, a 43-year old doctor, and his wife had a good double income and a comfortable life but still decided to move to Toronto.
    'I love Canada because every attempt of mine at being happy is not discouraged or dissuaded, disregarded or dis-whatevered,' Ali said.
    Mohammad, a dentist, has had his own clinic in Tehran and believes that his income at home would be more than in Toronto, where he is planning to go soon.
    'I can earn money in Iran, but what I miss is simply having choices in a country with no choices, either political or social,' he said. 'It's not a place where I want to spend the rest of my life.'
    Many Iranians planning to go to Canada saw their political choices ignored in the 2009 presidential election and their protests violently suppressed.
    'If I vote for different people and political parties and even if they lose, I still expect them to be active as an opposition and not suddenly removed from the political scenery,' said Farinaz, a 37-year-old architect, who also wants to migrate to Canada.
    She was referring to the two main challengers to Ahmadinejad in the election. They have been branded by the government as 'Western mercenaries and agents,' prevented from taking party in political activities and put under house arrest since last month.
    Iran's generation under 35 faces numerous social restrictions, especially in contacts with the opposite sex.
    'Socially, we have no choices either because we either have to get married or be preached at that having fun is immoral and having passion a sin, which even leads to earthquakes,' said Maryam, a 28-year-old student who has applied to migrate to Canada.
    She was referring to a sermon last year in Tehran in which Ayatollah Kazem Sedighi said that social immorality, such as improper women's clothing and sex outside marriage, increases the probability of earthquakes.

    Source: 

    The Philippines now Canada’s top source of immigrants

    She just turned 9Image by DaDaAce via Flickr
    Michael Villanueva, a 36-year-old Philippines-trained engineer, arrived in Winnipeg a year ago under the provincial nominee program. He works the night shift as a maintenance man at a Winnipeg bread plant, then spends his days in a college course for electricians. He said he knew that emigrating might mean stepping down a rung professionally, but he’s still frustrated. He hopes to take a Canadian engineer’s certification exam once his English skills improve.
    The connection to the Roman Catholic church – about 85 per cent of migrants are Catholic – has also been a unifying force for the community, which has simultaneously rejuvenated shrinking congregations. Outside of church, Filipino-Canadians have formed more than 1,000 ethnic associations organized around work, sports or other interests.
    Having such robust community networks may be one reason Filipinos don’t tend to concentrate in neighbourhood enclaves, according to Prof. Laquian. Also, the nature of the caregiver program, which places migrants in peoples’ homes, may play a role in the community’s geographic dispersal.
    In recent years, the education level of caregivers accepted as immigrants has skyrocketed. Philip Kelly, a York University geographer, said the proportion of caregivers with a university degree has risen to 63 per cent in 2009 from 5 per cent in 1993, making it an even better educated group than the skilled-worker class.
    But as the human capital of newcomers has jumped, concerns have intensified about the fate of the children of previous waves. Prof. Kelly said research shows their outcomes are not what one would expect.
    “In terms of statistical evidence, it looks like the story is not a happy one. Outcomes for Filipino youth are often quite poor, high levels of high-school dropouts and low levels of university graduation,” Prof. Kelly said. In Toronto, 37 per cent of first-generation Filipinos have a university degree, but that number dips to 24 per cent in the second generation, he said.
    Some experts blame the struggles of the next generation on the family dislocation caused by the caregiver program. Stories of women exploited in Canada and families damaged by years of separation have surfaced more frequently in recent years.
    For women such as Salve Fungo, the caregiver program is just a way-station on the path to a better life. A computer technician in the Philippines, Ms. Fungo, 36, moved to Canada in 2007. After a little more than two years caring for an elderly woman, she’s re-training as an IT specialist and embarking on the path to citizenship.
    She describes it as an attractive proposition: A few years of sacrifice for life in a stable country with free health care and a salary that will allow her to send relatively vast sums home. She already paid her brother’s way through college.
    “Most of my friends wanted to come here,” she said. “It’s the ‘in’ thing in the Philippines to come to Canada.”

    Canada and Nova Scotia to Work Together on Temporary Foreign Workers

    Geopolitical map of CanadaImage via Wikipedia
    OTTAWA, ONTARIO--(Marketwire - March 20, 2011) - Temporary foreign workers in Nova Scotia will be better protected as a result of an agreement between Canada and Nova Scotia that gives the province a role in managing the Temporary Foreign Worker Program.
    "Temporary foreign workers make a key contribution to the Canadian economy and we are taking the necessary steps to protect them from exploitation," said Jason Kenney, Minister of Citizenship, Immigration and Multiculturalism. "We are ensuring that temporary foreign workers are treated with respect, with agreements such as this, and with the new regulations that take effect nationwide on April 1."
    The agreement, an annex to the Agreement for Canada-Nova Scotia Cooperation on Immigration, provides a framework for closer co-operation between the two governments to better educate employers and potential workers about their rights and responsibilities.
    "The Government of Nova Scotia has a central role in protecting workers, including temporary foreign workers, from mistreatment, and this agreement formally recognizes that role," added Minister Kenney.
    Nova Scotia will also have a greater role in helping employers access the labour and skills they need, and will be able to recommend the entry of some temporary foreign workers without requiring an assessment of whether there are Canadians or permanent residents available to fill the vacant positions.
    "This agreement is an important step in making the program more responsive to Nova Scotia's particular labour needs," added Diane Finley, Minister of Human Resources and Skills Development.
    "Attracting temporary international workers to Nova Scotia will help ensure there is enough skilled labour available for our businesses and industries," said Marilyn More, Nova Scotia Minister of Labour and Advanced Education and Minister of Immigration. "Temporary international workers have technical skills and international contacts our companies and communities need in order to remain innovative, productive and competitive, the key priorities outlined in the Government of Nova Scotia's jobsHere plan to grow the economy."
    The Temporary Foreign Worker Program is driven by employer demand and aimed at filling identified labour shortages when sufficient, suitable Canadian workers or permanent residents are not available. For more on the regulations that take effect on April 1, 2011, please see the news release of August 18, 2010.
    Follow us on Twitter at www.twitter.com/CitImmCanada
    For more information, please contact
    Citizenship and Immigration Canada
    Minister's Office
    Alykhan Velshi
    or
    Citizenship and Immigration Canada
    Communications Branch
    Media Relations
    613-952-1650              613-952-1650     
    CIC-Media-Relations@cic.gc.ca
    or
    Human Resources and Skills Development Canada
    Minister's Office
    Michelle Bakos
    819-994-2482           819-994-2482     
    or
    Human Resources and Skills Development Canada
    Media Relations
    819-994-5559              819-994-5559     
    or
    Office of Immigration
    Media Relations
    Tom Peck
    902-424-3742              902-424-3742     
    peckto@gov.ns.ca


    Ottawa sets up new agency to regulate immigration consultants, deal with fraud

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    TORONTO - A new regulatory body for immigration consultants is in the works as part of the federal government's crackdown on scam artists who prey on would-be newcomers to Canada, Immigration Minister Jason Kenney announced Friday.
    The aim of the proposed agency is to protect immigrants from shoddy or dishonest operators, Kenney said.
    "There are people who sometimes seek to unethically make a profit by exploiting the hopes and dreams of newcomers," Kenney said. "These unlicensed, unregistered, unscrupulous consultants give the profession a black eye by taking thousands of dollars from individuals — often in cash — and all too often providing nothing in return."
    Ottawa has faced a barrage of complaints over the years about so-called "ghost" consultants, who provide bad or fraudulent advice and counterfeit documents, or take cash up front.
    Until now, the industry has been self-policing without formal recognition from Ottawa.
    The proposed Immigration Consultants of Canada Regulatory Council, which will be responsible to Ottawa and regulate immigration consultants, is slated to be up and running by the summer.
    It will be charged with ensuring consultants are properly licensed and policed.
    The agency is part of a broader federal crackdown on immigration consultants initiated in the form of Bill C-35 last June.
    The bill, expected to become law next week, would require — under threat of criminal sanction — that those who act as consultants for pay be licensed, and includes stiff penalties for bogus operators.
    Consultants operating abroad would also have to be licensed by the new regulatory council.
    While the new law would help deal with scam artists in Canada, Kenney conceded a big part of the problem exists with fraudsters in source countries who are beyond the reach of Canadian justice.
    Kenney said he's been talking to his counterparts in immigrant-source countries — he recently was in India and Pakistan — urging them to strengthen their relevant laws.
    Imran Qayyum, chairman of the Canadian Migration Institute, said little appears to have come from Kenney's efforts abroad.
    "The federal government's been missing in action when it comes down to trying to address this issue," Qayyum said. "How many 'ghosts' have they put out of business? As far as I know zero."
    Currently, bona fide immigration consultants belong to the Canadian Society of Immigration Consultants, with almost 2,000 members across Canada and overseas.
    However, Ottawa has not formally recognized the group, which is not accountable to the federal government and has faced criticism for not dealing with bad apples.
    The Canadian Society of Immigration Consultants said it was "considering its options" in light of Kenney's announcement.
    "We are saddened and surprised that the government has put more than 1,900 accredited consultants and 38 staff members of CSIC in limbo," the society said in a statement.
    "The government has opted to designate a third party with no regulatory experience — it could be years before this group can build up the regulator sophistication that CSIC has today."
    The government has also launched an advertising blitz at home and abroad in hopes of educating would-be immigrants, in part pointing out that they don't need consultants to apply to Canada.
    The campaign also notes that no one can guarantee a successful immigration application.
    Opposition critics have said Ottawa is going to have to ensure the new law is properly enforced to have any effect.
    — With files from Terri Theodore in Vancouver

    BDC enhances partnership with Canadian Youth Business Foundation


    MONTREALMarch 17 /CNW Telbec/ - Business Development Bank of Canada (BDC) and the Canadian Youth Business Foundation (CYBF) are pleased to announce an enhanced partnership that will help young, newly arrived immigrants to Canada become successful entrepreneurs.
    The CYBF Newcomer Entrepreneur Program recognizes that recent immigrants may require targeted support to start their own businesses. In addition to offering flexible financing, the program is designed to overcome the difficulty many young, newly arrived immigrants have in accessing credit because they do not have a Canadian credit history. The program also offers mentoring and business resources so newcomers can learn about operating a business in Canada and improve their chances of success. For details, please visit: http://www.cybf.ca/entrepreneurs/newcomer/.
    "Recently arrived immigrants to Canada are among the country's most dynamic and entrepreneurial group of individuals," says Edmée Métivier, BDC Executive Vice President, Financing and Consulting, who also sits on the CYBF Board of Directors. "Newcomers have an acute desire to succeed and anything BDC and CYFB can do to help them start and, subsequently, operate a business is certainly worth encouraging. Entrepreneurs play a key role in ensuring Canada's long term prosperity."
    "During the Year of the Entrepreneur, in a country deeply entrenched in the principles of multiculturalism, it's only fitting that we partner with BDC to offer this unique opportunity to young new Canadians," says Vivian Prokop, Chief Executive Officer, CYBF. "Our unique program directly addresses the challenges faced by newcomers and provides the critical financial, mentoring and educational support they need to succeed in the Canadian business landscape."
    Under the BDC-CYBF partnership, permanent Canadian residents between the ages of 18 and 34 can apply for up to $15,000 in financing. The CYBF Newcomer Entrepreneur Program provides residents who have lived in Canada for less than 36 months and possess a solid working knowledge of English or French with the opportunity to build sound, sustainable and profitable businesses.
    About BDC
    Canada's business development bank, BDC puts entrepreneurs first. With almost 1,900 employees and more than 100 business centres across the country, BDC offers financing, venture capital and consulting services to 29,000 small and medium sized companies. Their success is vital to Canada's economic prosperity. www.bdc.ca
    About Canadian Youth Business Foundation - Canada's Entrepreneur Gateway
    The Canadian Youth Business Foundation (CYBF) is the 'go to' place for youth entrepreneurship. As a national charity, we are dedicated to growing our nation's economy one young entrepreneur at a time. We look at character not collateral, when providing youth, age 18-34, with pre-launch coaching, business resources, start-up financing and mentoring, to help them launch and sustain a successful entrepreneurial business. www.cybf.ca
    For further information:
    Geoffrey King
    Director, Public Relations
    Business Development Bank of Canada
    (514) 496-4351
    geoffrey.king@bdc.ca
    Rachel Azagury
    Senior Manager, Media, Social Media and Events
    Canadian Youth Business Federation
    416-408-2923, ext. 2111
    razagury@cybf.ca
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    Canada launches reverse brain drain programme for expats

    by RAY CLANCY on MARCH 17, 2011

    A new pilot programme has been launched in Canada to encourage expat Canadians to return home and contribute to the country’s economy.
    The initiative by the Canadian immigration has been called ‘a reverse brain drain’ and officials want to maker it easier for Canadians with much needed experience and skills to return.
    The pilot has been launched in Ontario and if deemed successful will operate nationwide. ‘We are making it easier for Canadians abroad to bring their skills home and contribute to the Canada of tomorrow,’ said Citizenship, Immigration and Multiculturism Minister Jason Kenney.
    For some Canadian workers living abroad, an obstacle to returning to Canada is that their non-Canadian spouse, 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.
    Now family members of Canadian citizens and permanent residents returning to work in certain sectors, such as health care and academic research, are 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 Kenney.
    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, and meet all admissibility criteria to come to Canada as a temporary resident.
    The sponsoring spouse or partner 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 a list of specified occupations, 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.
    The list of occupations include specialist doctors, GPs, dentists, vets, pharmacists, registered nurses, opticians, physiotherapists, midwives, paramedics, university professors, teaching and research assistants, and college instructors.
    The pilot programme is a partnership between Government of Canada and the Province of Ontario, and will operate until May 22, 2012. The Government will then evaluate the programme before making a decision about extending it.

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    Immigration Consultant Regulator Continues Commitment to Transparency


    TORONTOMarch 17 /CNW/ - Today, the Canadian Society of Immigration Consultants (CSIC) released its 2009-2010 Annual Report. The release of the annual report is an important aspect of the organization's commitment to accountability, transparency and communication with all of its stakeholders, including government and members.
    "As the regulator of an ever-growing profession, CSIC has matured considerably since its infancy," said Chair Nigel Thomson. "I am proud of CSIC's accomplishments during an extraordinarily busy year."
    In 2010 the Immigration Minister introduced Bill C-35 to crack down on the problem of unlicensed ghost agents, unscrupulous individuals who offer immigration consulting services without having the proper accreditation. With the introduction of Bill C-35 the minister also announced that the Federal government would open a bidding process for groups wishing to be designated the regulator of immigration consultants.
    "The minister's action has made for a somewhat trying year, but CSIC remains firm in its conviction that it is the best choice for regulator and its accomplishments in 2009-2010 speak for themselves," continued Thomson.
    • CSIC stepped up its efforts to hold members accountable and subsequently referred a greater number of matters to a hearing (results available at https://www.csic-scci.ca/content/currenthearings).
    • CSIC further held members accountable through the introduction of a Compliance Department, which is dedicated to ensuring that members manage their practices according to CSIC's rules.
    • CSIC accreditation was recognized by the Quebec government through regulation.
    • CSIC connected with more consumers than ever through a multi-faceted strategy that included increased media outreach, a national ad campaign and a toll-free referral service.
    • CSIC's membership numbers increased due to a growing interest in the profession.
    CSIC's Annual Report and its financial statements will be presented to members at the upcoming Annual Meeting, which will take place online on Wednesday, April 6, 2011 at 3 p.m. EDT. The Annual Report is also available online on the CSIC website: https://www.csic-scci.ca/content/annual_reports
    The Canadian Society of Immigration Consultants is the professional regulatory body for immigration consultants in Canada. Established in 2004 it currently has over 1,900 members. CSIC's mandate is to protect consumers of immigration consulting services. Consequently, it is responsible for ensuring the education, competency testing and the discipline of its members. CSIC also requires its members to carry errors and omissions insurance and to contribute to a compensation fund.
    For further information:
    Nancy Tibbo, Communications Manager, ntibbo@csic-scci.ca, 416-945-6271, Toll free: 866-308-2742, ext. 2252 or 416-294-0030.

    Website in 11 languages for everyday living issues for expats launched in Canada

    by JOSE MARC CASTRO 



    A new website in 11 different languages is set to make it easier for expats in Canada to find the kind of information they need on community services when they arrive.
    The In My Language site has been developed by the Ontario Council of Agencies Serving Immigrants (OCASI), which represents more than 200 settlement agencies in Ontario provides an electronic library of translated content which will assist newcomers in adapting to life in Canada.
    ‘The In my language website is an excellent resource for newcomers to Ontario. Newcomers now have a website where they can get the information they need in the language of their choice,’ said Jason Kenney, Minister of Citizenship, Immigration, and Multiculturalism.
    The Government has invested $1.4 million in the site which is regarded as one of the best in the world and much needed as expats often find it difficult to find out what services they are entitled to and language can be the first barrier.
    ‘This multilingual website will give newcomers to Ontario a head start on accessing information on housing, health care, legal advice, schooling, community services and language training across the province,’ said MP Paul Calandra.
    The website has content in English, French, Chinese, Punjabi, Urdu, Spanish, Tagalog, Arabic, Gujarati, Tamil and Russian.
    ‘Helping newcomers get settled is vital. Settlement information needs to be accessible, and this initiative is a significant step in fulfilling that aim,’ said MP Bob Dechert.
    Besides immigrants, other users of the website include community organizations, school boards, police services, and the healthcare industry.
    Key sections include how to look for a job, different types of housing available, the different stages of schooling, immunisation for children, paying taxes, getting a driving licence and private health insurance.
    Government funding of the new website was made possible through the Canada-Ontario Immigration Agreement (COIA), which was signed in 2005. Through this agreement, the Government of Canada is investing $428 million in Ontario for settlement services for immigrants.
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    Job crucial for helping expats settle in Canada, report suggests

    by RAY CLANCY 

    Having a job already arranged before moving to Canada helps expats to settle in better, a new report suggests.
    A new evaluation has found that those arriving under the skilled worker programme are effectively contributing to Canada’s economy and are more likely to succeed.
    It found that the biggest predictors of a newcomer’s economic success are having a job arranged, being able to speak English or French and having worked in Canada before. But having studied in Canada before for at least two years or having a relative in Canada were less important.
    ‘The evaluation showed that skilled immigrants are doing well in Canada and filling gaps in our work force. This puts some dents in the doctors-driving-taxis stereotype,’ said Minister of Citizenship, Immigration and Multiculturalism Jason Kenney.
    The report also indicates that the selection criteria for a Canadian visa put in place when the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act (IRPA) became law have been successful in improving the outcomes of skilled immigrants by placing more emphasis on arranged employment, language and education.
    The report also shows that skilled workers who already had a job offer when they applied for permanent residence earned an average of $79,200 three years after arriving, up to 65% higher than before the IRPA became law. The findings also showed skilled workers were less likely to rely on employment insurance or social assistance since the new laws were introduced.
    Among other recommendations, the evaluation suggests placing higher priority on younger workers and increasing the integrity of the arranged employment part of the programme, which is susceptible to fraud.
    The evaluation also recommended that further emphasis be placed on fluency in English or French, and supported the Minister’s June 2010 decision to require language testing for federal skilled worker applicants to combat fraud.
    The next step for the Canadian immigration department will be to introduce a range of new proposals for public consultation in an effort to further improve the system, according to Kenney. ‘We’re committed to making it even better and will be consulting on improvements in the coming weeks,’ he said.



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