Stagnant U.S. employment market makes Canada an appealing work destination

 

 

By Amy Chung, Postmedia News September 13, 2011 5:02 PM

OTTAWA — More Americans are knocking on Canada's door for jobs as their economy worsens and unemployment rates rise.

In July, the unemployment rate in the U.S. stood at 9.1 per cent versus 7.3 per cent in Canada.


Numbers from Immigration Canada show that the number of Americans applying for temporary work visas has doubled since 2008 when the global recession hit. In 2010, the ministry received 4,109 applications versus 2,115 in 2008.


On Monday, U.S. President Barack Obama urged Congress to quickly pass a $447-billion jobs bill to stimulate an ailing labour market.

"This is a bill that will put people back to work all across the country. This is a bill that will help our economy in a moment of national crisis," Obama said.


"This is a bill that Congress needs to pass. No games. No politics. No delays."

The U.S. Census Bureau said the number of Americans living below the poverty line rose to a record 46 million last year, with the national poverty rate climbing for a third consecutive year to 15.1 per cent in 2010.


Americans are the second largest group of temporary workers in Canada, behind Filipinos. As of December 2010, there were 32,615 Americans with permanent residence status in Canada.


Janette Luu, a Toronto-based television journalist from Fort Wayne, Indiana, said she flocked to Canada five years ago to work in a bigger city.

"I came up to Toronto for a visit and sent resume tapes and emailed TV stations and they were receptive, which was impressive because Toronto is pretty big city and when you said I'm an American journalist, they seemed interested or wanted to meet," said Luu.

However, her job hunt wasn't always easy since employers had to prove they could not find any suitable Canadian to do the job before hiring international talent.


Despite living in Canada for five years, Luu was considered "not really Canadian" enough for some employers.

"I may pronounce 'process' as 'prawcess' sometimes, but otherwise, how would viewers know I'm American? Toronto is so diverse and most people are from somewhere else to begin with," said Luu.

Windsor-based immigration lawyer Drew Porter, who has dealt with a lot of employment cases because of the shared Detroit border, said Americans need to obtain an offer of employment before a work permit is issued. Under NAFTA, there are certain occupations, including engineers and accountants, who are exempt from going through a Labour Market Opinion, a prerequisite for foreign nationals to be hired in Canada. These candidates can automatically secure a work permit at the border once they show proof of employment.

However, for candidates who don't fall under the NAFTA list of occupations, they usually hit a wall since they need an offer of employment in order to get a work visa.


For Luu's American friends who thought about coming to Toronto for work, they say they love the city but the "paperwork was too complicated" since it could be a burden for the employer.


"If you're under NAFTA, it's not a burden for the employer, but for those who fall between the cracks an LMO could be onerous," Porter said.


"Both countries show intent to protect their labour force but with the aging population and certain skill trades in deficit positions . . . my reading is there is going to be a need for foreign nationals to come to Canada to fill certain voids," said Porter.


achung@postmedia.com

With files from Reuters

© Copyright (c) Postmedia News

Read more: http://www.canada.com/business/Stagnant+employment+market+makes+Canada+appealing+work+destination/5397108/story.html#ixzz1Xt1eBFQi

Hope in disappointing Canada jobs report

By Bill Mann, MarketWatch

PORT TOWNSEND, Wash. (MarketWatch) — “The biggest risks to the Canadian economy,” read the headline in a Vancouver daily this week, “are all global uncertainties that lie outside its borders.” Unlike the situation in America these days, Canada’s employment problems aren’t nearly as political and systemic.

The disappointing news last week that the Canadian economy shed 5,000 jobs last month, marking the second month in a row for job losses, according to Statistics Canada, also carried some good news as well: Most of those job losses were in part-time positions. Full-time jobs created were actually up.

And there’s far more hope in Canada these days than you’ll find in the U.S. in many areas, economically and otherwise. And there are several good reasons for it, not least of which is that while the U.S. will probably continue shipping jobs to China, Canada will be shipping oil to it.

Canada’s unemployment rate in August inched up to 7.3 per cent, rising by 0.1 percentage points from July’s 7.2 percent. The U.S. unemployment rate is over 9 percent.

Granted, the European debt crisis and the struggling U.S. economy are major factors weighing on the fragile but still-recovering Canadian economy, which has regained all its job losses from the recession. (Canada didn’t have a mortgage crisis because its banks are stronger and they’re far more regulated, which has helped its smaller economy greatly.)

Even though Canada’s jobless rate is lower than America’s and is nowhere near, say, that of Spain’s, which tops 20 per cent, Canada’s top leadership has turned its attention to jobs recently -- and there’s not even an election looming. Plus, unlike his American counterpart, Prime Minister Stephen Harper can actually do something about jobs, since his Conservative Party also controls the nation’s purse strings.

So, unlike that in the U.S., it’s not gloom and doom in the Canadian job market. In the U.S., President Obama’s $447 billion jobs proposal seems likely to be shot down or smothered by a Republican party seemingly hellbent on ending his presidency through whatever means necessary, even economic malfeasance.

Ottawa focused on jobs

Harper’s majority government, meanwhile, now seems more and more likely to hold off a bit on its deficit-reduction program these days and fund more jobs That’s quite a different scenario than the one in the taxphobic, Tea Party-infected U.S.

True, Harper’s Conservatives won their majority in Parliament partly by promising to cut spending and return to a balanced budget by mid-decade. But mostly, it was because of the ineptitude of its main opposition, the Liberal Party, and its feckless former leader, Michael Ignatieff.

Officials in Ottawa haven’t said yet what measures Harper might take to goose Canadian job creation But the 2011 Canadian budget contains several targeted measures to create jobs, such as money for energy retrofits and incentives for the private sector to hire.

Several of those programs are scheduled to expire with the current fiscal year, but extending some of them would be among the steps Harper’s government could take.

While the U.S. continues to export jobs to China, Canada will probably be exporting more and more oil there in the years ahead. Accounts receivable are preferable to debt.

It would doubtless be wise if the U.S. and Canada would move away from their petroleum-dependent economies, but alas, that’s not likely to happen any time soon. But, unlike the U.S., Canada is a net oil exporter. And flush Canadian suitor China’s energy-hungry economy wants — needs — increasing amounts of oil.

China is a promising part of the Canadian jobs picture — and indirectly, that of the U.S:

Canada’s oil-sands production of bitumen is expanding rapidly, and China is pressing Ottawa to build a pipeline to British Columbia so it can get at that crude more easily. Alberta’s Energy Minister Ronald Liepert said in New York last week that Canada’s oil-sands industry is facing a job shortage of 75,000 positions, and he wants to make it easier for unemployed American construction workers to come to that oil-rich province to work. Alberta’s oil-sands industry will double production in the next decade, he said.

Plus, a shortage of qualified Canadian workers as Baby Boomers retire is the reason most often cited for Canada’s increasing legal immigration. That’s another big difference in Canada and the U.S. these days.

Full-timers rule

So, it’s not all doom and gloom, even in a cooling Canadian jobs market, where, over the past year, the economy still has created almost 225,000 jobs, an increase of 1.5 per cent. Full-Time work is up by 2.2 per cent, and part-time jobs down by 2.3 per cent, says Statistics Canada.

So, to borrow a familiar U.S. political phrase, there is reason to keep hope alive in Canada, even with sluggish and sometimes-shaky world and U.S. economies heavily weighing on it.

Hope is definitely something that’s still easier to find in Canada, where the government in Ottawa, even a nominally conservative one, isn’t as paralyzed or polarized as it is in the U.S. As we’ve noted, Canada’s Conservative Party is much closer to the U.S. Democratic Party than it is to the GOP on the political spectrum.

So overall, the latest disappointing jobs report isn’t ominous. John Clinkard, chief economist for Canada at Deutsche Bank AG, told the Toronto Globe and Mail that he sees it as a lull rather than a slump, and said the spate of full-time job growth for much of this year shows the underlying strength in Canada’s jobs market.

And we’ll take full-time jobs to those part-timers any day. 

Bill Mann is a MarketWatch columnist, based in Port Townsend, Wash.

By Owen Roberts, Urban Cowboy

Immigrant farmers helped build a thriving agri-food sector

This week we’re welcoming more than 250 of the world’s top agricultural journalists to our area, when three years of determined, hard work culminates with a celebration of Canadian agriculture — and a nod to those who put it on the map.

The participants belong to the International Federation of Agricultural Journalists, comprising about 5,000 members from 30 countries. As part of their annual congress, they’re visiting farms in southern, central and eastern Ontario, after ceremoniously being welcomed in Guelph Wednesday night.

The congress moves from country to country each year. However, it hasn’t been in Canada since 1967, because the organizational infrastructure wasn’t in place to support it. Over the past decade or so, though, the network of agricultural journalists and communications professionals throughout Canada has strengthened. New communications jobs have cropped up in business, industry and grower organizations, as farmers increasingly embrace the need to communicate with stakeholders and decision makers — politicians, the media and consumers, among them.

So with that lengthy hiatus between visits, there’s a lot of catching up to do. That’s where the likes of Canada’s Outdoor Farm Show comes in. The congress was timed to coincide with the show’s opening, because there’s no better place in Canada for a farm crowd to learn what’s new. Given the visitors are all looking for stories, the show, whose administrative home is in the University of Guelph’s research park, is a natural stop, as are the numerous farms, farm businesses and agricultural research stations the visitors will frequent during their five-day stay.

The congress’s theme, Experience New World Agriculture, was chosen mainly with visitors from the old world in mind. Canadian agriculture owes so much to immigrants, going back to the 1600s. Pardon me if I exclude anyone, but consider the Métis descendents of French fur traders who married aboriginal women and became farmers, mainly on the prairies and in Ontario. Later, Ukrainians, Scandinavians, Belgians, Dutch, Swiss, Germans, Russians, Irish, Scottish, Welsh, French, Italians and others (United Empire Loyalists, among them) from the old world would find regions here that suited them or were available, and further open the land. Chinese workers toiled to create rail lines that would move new farmers from coast to coast. Even now, Canadian agriculture would struggle mightily without migrant workers.

This diversity has contributed to a dynamic agriculture and agri-food sector, one that’s eager to tell its many stories to visiting journalists. During the development of this congress, the organizing committee found doors opened when potential sponsors (many of whom are exporters) came to realize the uniqueness of having 250 eager journalists on their doorsteps — eager to learn about New World agriculture, and eager to share stories with hundreds of thousands of readers, listeners and viewers around the world.

Journalism places great importance on mentoring, and in that spirit, the 2011 congress has for the first time an applied program — dubbed a boot camp — for young journalists. It also features a newly minted professional development initiative for journalists from underdeveloped countries to help them connect with their colleagues, who are among the best anywhere. Appropriately, it’s called a master class.

But learning is a two-way street. When Guelph Mayor Karen Farbridge and University of Guelph president Alastair Summerlee join together to welcome delegates to the city Wednesday, it will indeed mark many visitors’ first experience with new world agriculture. They’re not the only ones who’ll have their eyes opened, however. How about Canadian farm writers, who likewise get to rub elbows with colleagues from 29 other countries, and learn from them?

It’s an exciting time — and a proud moment — to be a Canadian agricultural journalist. Welcome to the new world.

Best Employers for New Canadians

Background
Now entering its 5th year, the Best Employers for New Canadians competition is managed by the editors of Canada's Top 100 Employers in partnership with ALLIES, a joint initiative of the The Maytree Foundation and The J.W. McConnell Family Foundation, two foundations with long histories of strengthening Canadian communities. This special designation recognizes the nation's best employers for recent immigrants. These employers offer interesting programs to assist new Canadians in making the transition to a new workplace -- and a new life in Canada. This year's winners were announced in aspecial editorial feature published March 28, 2011 in The Globe and Mail.

Selection Process
Each employer is evaluated in terms of whether: (1) they offer programs specifically designed to assist employees who are recent immigrants to Canada; (2) they have taken steps to reduce employment barriers for recent immigrants, such as by recognizing foreign educational credentials and experience; (3) they assist new employees who have foreign professional or educational credentials in getting these qualifications formally recognized in Canada; (4) they offer "onboarding" programs, such as internal coaching or mentoring, to help new employees who are recent immigrants understand the Canadian workplace; and (5) their managers and employees receive training in cross-cultural issues or inclusiveness to help create a welcoming and productive environment for employees who are recent immigrants. The winners are selected by the editors of Canada's Top 100 Employers -- our partners at ALLIES do not take part in the selection of winners.

Eligibility Requirements
Any employer operating in Canada may apply for this competition. Employers of any size may apply, whether private or public sector.

Media Partner
The Globe and Mail is our exclusive newspaper partner on the Best Employers for New Canadians competition. The Globe announces the competition winners in a special editorial supplement, published each spring.

2011 Winners:
(in alphabetical order, click for our editors' reasons for selection)

BC Hydro
Bell Aliant Regional Communications, LP
BMO Financial Group
Bombardier Aerospace
Business Development Bank of Canada
Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce / CIBC
CH2M HILL Canada Limited
Christie Digital Systems Canada, Inc.
Davis + Henderson, Limited Partnership
Deloitte & Touche LLP
Energy Resources Conservation Board
Ernst & Young LLP
Fraser Milner Casgrain LLP
Halton, Regional Municipality of
Human Resources & Skills Development Canada
KPMG LLP
Loblaw Companies Limited
Manitoba Lotteries Corporation
McGill University Health Centre, The
Mississauga, Corporation of the City of
Mount Sinai Hospital
Nexen Inc.
Nordion Inc.
Ontario Public Service
Pitney Bowes Canada Inc.
Providence Health Care
Provincial Health Services Authority
Rescan Environmental Services Ltd.
Royal Bank of Canada
Saskatoon Health Region
SaskEnergy Incorporated
St. Michael's Hospital
Syncrude Canada Ltd.
TD Bank Financial Group
Telus Corporation
TransCanada Corporation
University of Ottawa
Wardrop Engineering Inc.
Xerox Canada Ltd.
York, Regional Municipality of

Business Immigrant Programs: Federal v PNP

By: Roland Luo & Chris Munroe 

August 18, 2011 

Over the past 15 years, there has been a  big shift in Chinese immigration to 

Canada from skilled workers to investors and business people.  Potential business 

immigrants should be aware of differences between the Federal Business Immigration 

program and the Provincial Nominee Programs. 

Federal Business Immigrant Program 

The Federal Business Immigrant Program has two streams: entrepreneur and 

investor.  Both streams require applicants to have managed and controlled a qualifying 

business for at least two years, and have minimum net worth requirements. The main 

differences between the two streams are the significantly lower minimum net worth 

requirement for entrepreneurs and the conditions entrepreneur applicants must meet 

once approved and admitted as permanent  residents. Failure to meet these 

requirements may result in the applicants’ permanent resident status being revoked.

  

As of July 2011, the Federal Government has temporarily suspended processing 

new entrepreneur stream applications in an effort to reduce accumulated backlog. 

Applicants in the Federal Investor program have no post-admission 

requirements, however they must make an $800,000 investment with the government.  

This investment will be returned, without interest, after  five years.  Successful 

permanent residents in the investor stream are also free to pursue whatever interests or 

opportunities may arise once admitted. 

It is important to keep in mind that a new limit was put into place for the Federal 

Investor program. As of July 4, 2011, this new 700-case intake limit has already been 

met so no more applicants will be accepted until July 1, 2012.

Provincial Nominee Programs 

 Fortunately, many provinces have Provincial Nominee Programs (PNP) which in 

many cases can be a faster route for new  business immigrants. Each province has 

different streams in their PNP to meet the specific needs of their region.

In British Columbia there are three business immigrant PNP  streams: Strategic 

Projects, Business Skills, and Regional Business.  All  streams require successful 

applicants to actively engage in the management of a business in B.C., sign 

agreements with the provincial  government outlining their business plan, and create a 

number of jobs for Canadian citizens or permanent residents.  Successful applicants are 

only issued a Temporary Work Permit until the requirements of the performance 

agreement are met (usually in about two years). 

The Strategic Projects stream is best suited for foreign companies that wish to 

establish a presence in B.C.  because it allows successful applicant companies to bring 

up to five executives who wish to become permanent residents.   

The Regional Business and Business Skills  streams are similar in many ways.  

They are designed to allow  a single applicant the opportunity to purchase or start a 

business in the province.  Both streams offer fast-track options whereby an applicant 

can deposit  $125,000 with the government in return for immediate permanent resident 

status.  The deposit is returned, without interest, once the terms of the performance 

agreement are met.  The Regional Business stream has a lower required net worth and 

investment but the business established under this stream must be located outside of 

the Vancouver and Abbotsford metropolitan areas. 

Business immigrants should also keep in  mind that not all business ventures 

qualify for admittance under the B.C. PNP.  The program is designed to specifically 

address the needs of the BC economy, and as  such only certain kinds of businesses 

will be considered.  These include: manufacturing and resource-extraction, tourism, 

technology and research, and exporting goods and services.

British Columbia is a popular immigration destination because of its mild climate, 

vibrant economy, and its business immigrant streams. British Columbia traditionally also 

has a large and well-integrated Chinese community. 

Alberta, on the other hand,  does not offer any PNP  business or investor 

programs.  For those who are unable to meet the B.C. PNP requirements, some other 

provinces do offer attractive options.   The Saskatchewan Entrepreneur PNP, for 

example, only requires an investment of $150,000, a net worth of $300,000, and a 

$75,000 deposit, making it a more affordable  option to the B.C.  programs.  The only 

problem is having to survive the prairie winter.