Immigration Canada

Essential resources for immigrating to Canada

Globe and Mail Update

This list of resources represents only a small collection of websites, groups and organizations dealing with immigration in Canada. Add to this list by submitting your suggestions at the bottom of this page.

National

Citizenship and Immigration Canada: The Government of Canada's online immigration portal with information on moving to Canada, applying for citizenship and multiculturalism.
The Maytree foundation: A Canadian charity focused on reducing poverty in Canada by offering training, networking and other resources.
Metropolis Canada: An international research and public policy network focused on immigrant integration in Canada with several provincial divisions.
International Experience Canada (IEC): A partnership program with many countries allowing youth to travel to Canada to work, study and explore. French citizens between 18 and 35 can see this program. - Suggested by Davor Miskulin and Rob Vineberg, members of the Globe and Mail Advisory Panel on Immigration
Canadian Council for Refugees: A non-profit umbrella organization focused on the protection and settlement of refugees in Canada.Suggested by Lori Wilkinson, a member of the Globe and Mail Advisory Panel on Immigration
Institute for Canadian Citizenship: A national, non-profit organization focused on helping new citizens by connecting them with established citizens and promoting Canadian experiences.Suggested by Globe reader Jess Duerden.
Immigration Business Network (ib2ib): A Canada-wide interactive website for business immigrants settling in Canada. Located in Quebec. Suggested by Globe reader Patricia Rimok.

Ontario

Ministry of Immigration and Citizenship: The official Government of Ontario website with information about immigrating to Ontario
Canada Ontario Immigration Agreement (COIA): A partnership with the Government of Ontario to establish policy amenable to Ontario's economic and social growth
Toronto Region Immigrant Employment Council: Focused on integrating immigrants into the Toronto labour market by working with employers and Immigrant Success Awards.
Ontario Council of Agencies Serving Immigrants: A registered charity comprised of more than 200 community-based organizations focused on immigrant agencies
Toronto's immigration portal: Designed for newcomers in Toronto at any stage of the immigration process. Suggested by Globe reader Sonali Chakraborti.

Alberta

Government of Alberta immigration: The main resource page for living and working in Alberta.
Alberta Immigrant Nominee Program: Designed to attract skilled immigrants to the province, these nominee programs work with the federal government, which makes final decisions about applicants.
Calgary Region Immigrant Employment Council: Works with employers and immigrants in Calgary to help new Canadians find work commensurate with their skills and experience.
Catholic Social Services: An agency based in Alberta offering settlement, educational, language, employment and outreach services for free in more than 35 languages. Suggested by Rob Vineberg, a member of the Globe and Mail Advisory Panel on Immigration

British Columbia

British Columbia immigration: The main resource page for immigrating to B.C., including information about living, working and studying in the province.
Settlement services map: An interactive map containing resources and services for new immigrants in the province.
S.U.C.C.E.S.S.: A large social service agency in B.C. providing settlement services, ESL training, employment counseling and community development services to new immigrants.
Metropolis British Columbia: A research centre focused on immigration and diversity in B.C.
Immigrant Employment Council of B.C. (IEC-BC): Works with businesses to promote the benefits of integrating immigrants into the province's labour market. Helps businesses attract, hire and retain skilled immigrants. Suggested by Globe reader Roley Chiu.

Saskatchewan

Saskatchewan immigration: The official web portal containing information about immigrating, working, living and studying in the province.
Saskatchewan Immigrant Nominee Program: Intended to attract skilled workers, farm operators, health professionals and other potential immigrants.
The Global Gathering Place (Saskatoon): A non-profit drop-in centre for immigrants and refugees in Saskatoon. Suggested by Rob Vineberg, a member of the Globe and Mail Advisory Panel on Immigration
Regina Open Door Society: A non-profit organization providing settlement and integration services to refugees and immigrants.

Manitoba

Immigrate to Manitoba: The Government of Manitoba's official web portal for information about immigrating and settling in the province
Manitoba Provincial Nominee Program: A partnership with the Government of Canada intended to recruit skilled workers to the province.
Immigrant Centre: A resource and training centre in Winnipeg focused on helping new immigrants integrate within the province.
Business Council of Manitoba: A group of professionals in Manitoba focused on the province's economic and community growth, including immigration policy. Suggested by Rob Vineberg, a member of the Globe and Mail Advisory panel on Immigration

Quebec

Quebec Immigration: The official web portal for the Government of Quebec
Skilled Workers Immigration Program: Information about the requirements to qualify as a skilled worker

Prince Edward Island

Prince Edward Island immigration: Official immigration services for the Government of PEI
PEI Provincial Nominee Program: Information about the partnership between PEI and the Government of Canada, which focuses on recruiting skilled immigrants to the province

Newfoundland and Labrador

Immigrate to Newfoundland and Labrador: The official web portal for immigration services in the province
Provincial Nominee Program: An alternative and quicker way to immigrate to Canada through a partnership between the province and the Government of Canada

Nova Scotia

Nova Scotia immigration: The official immigration website for the Government of Nova Scotia.
Immigrate to Rural Nova Scotia: Information specific to immigrating to rural parts of the province.

Yukon

Government of Yukon Immigration: The official immigration website for the territory.
Yukon Nominee Program (YNP): A partnership with the Government of Canada intended to attract skilled immigrants.

Northwest Territories

NWT Nominee Program: A program allowing qualified individuals, business owners and self-employed immigrants to obtain permanent residency in a shorter time than the usual process.

Why some Chinese immigrants feel they can’t make money in Canada

The Globe (Photo credit: Christine ™)

MARK MACKINNON

SHANGHAI— From Saturday's Globe and Mail

This is part of The Immigrant Answer –The Globe's series on the future of immigration in Canada. Read the original story here.

For young and well-educated Chinese like Emily Gao, the lure of immigrating to Canada is obvious: Clean air, public health care and a strong education system are all draws compared with living in a country that lacks them. Add the large Chinese communities that already exist in places such as Vancouver and Toronto, plus relatively cheap real estate (compared with prices in some Chinese cities), and you have something close to a dream destination.

What’s not so clear is that skilled young workers like her would be better off economically if they make the leap.

“In Canada, you have a good standard of living, but you can’t make big money,” says the 29-year-old Ms. Gao, who has a finance degree from the University of Toronto and owns a home in Richmond Hill, Ont., but is back in Shanghai, where she and her new husband have both found well-paid jobs.

Ms. Gao’s decision to move back home highlights the new realities Canada faces in attracting skilled immigrants. Ironically, she now works to match Chinese buyers with property in Canada, and staffed a booth at this month’s Shanghai World Real Estate Expo where Vancouver-based realtor Westbank Corp. offered everything from condominiums in Vancouver to luxury apartments in Toronto and farmland in Quebec.

Like her, many of the prospective buyers said they admire the social system in Canada but are not sure that they would be better off there.

Another common complaint is that Canada’s shifting immigration policies now favour those with money to invest over the skilled workers they used to emphasize (although changes to the Federal Skilled Worker Program proposed by Immigration Minister Jason Kenney seek to address that).

Once seen as a great place to live and work, Canada is increasingly considered by many Chinese more as a great place to retire.

“My son studied and then worked in Canada, but he’s back in Shanghai because the opportunities are better here now,” said a retired civil servant touring the real-estate show who would only give his family name, Zhou.

Nonetheless, Mr. Zhou was looking at properties in Canada because his son, an investment banker who graduated from the University of British Columbia, has permanent-resident status and would consider returning to B.C. if the whole family could make the move. However, “they want only investors,” he said of Immigration Canada. “You have to have money.”

Wang Huiyao, vice-chair of the Western Returned Scholars Association, an umbrella agency for foreign-educated Chinese academics, says that, rather than trying to attract and keep immigrants, Canada should focus on making it easier for top talent to go back and forth from their birth country.

Talented people should be treated like other resources, and the path cleared for them to move freely, in the same way governments already facilitate the flow of goods and capital, says Dr. Wang, a former graduate student at the University of Windsor and the University of Western Ontario.

“A lot of people live in Canada for a few months, and then China for a few months. ... Our policies don’t really address this new phenomenon,” he says, referring to immigration rules in both Canada and China.

“Right now, there’s competition for talent, a talent war, going on. That’s not healthy. Instead, there should be better planning. Both sides should be facilitating the movement of talent – if Canada lacks nurses and China has [extra] nurses, then China should facilitate nurses going to Canada.”

The sales pitch to top talent should focus on the same natural advantages that had Chinese looking to buy property in Toronto and Vancouver, Dr. Wang says. “Canada’s competitive advantage is not wheat or IT or Northern Telecom any more. The new power of Canada is soft power – the ability to attract people with its education system and health care.”