BREAKING NEWS
The Government of Canada announced on 29 March 2012 a plan to reduce the backlog of Federal Skilled Worker (FSW) applications by returning all applications and government fees submitted prior to 27 February 2008. This will amount to a total of almost 300,000 returned applications, as well as approximately $130 million in refunded government processing fees.
Approximately 160,000 FSW applications, submitted after 28 February 2008, will remain in queue for processing.
The Announcement
This statement has been issued as part of the larger Federal Budget for 2012, which was released on 29 March. The budget includes information for reducing national deficit and creating more fiscally efficient government infrastructure, an integral part of which is tied to immigration policy and processing times. As part of this plan, Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC), is expected to reduce its operating costs by $179 million over the next three years.
The budget mentions that “Canada risks losing the global talent competition for the world’s best and brightest as potential immigrants choose to take their skills to other countries with more responsive immigration systems rather than remain in the queue to have their applications process in Canada”.
With this in mind, the decision was reached to not only return the approximately 300,000 applications, but to focus on creating a system that would streamline processing and “reduce duplication and overlap” in the overall structure.
Government Rationale
The applications being returned are currently only from the FSW program. No additional plans have yet been announced to address backlogs in other immigration categories.
CIC hopes that reducing application numbers will allow it to streamline its programs in a way that will eliminate overhead costs currently incurred by dealing with the backlog. For instance, some visa offices devote significant amounts of time and money to processing pre-2008 applications. With these out of the way, visa officers will be free to devote time and energy to processing applications that have a higher likelihood of approval under current government standards.
The decision is also part of a larger effort by CIC to “transition to a faster and more flexible economic immigration system”. This new system will be aimed at more accurately addressing Canadian labour market needs as well as better serving those applicants still in line to be processed. Currently, Canada is facing severe labour shortages, specifically in Western provinces where skilled tradespeople are in great demand.
It is important to note that, despite widespread austerity measures being imposed on most government departments, CIC is one of only five that are being asked to reduce operating costs by less than six percent. In fact, proposed upgrades to the Canadian immigration system are likely to cost over $25 million in upcoming years.
Advice for Returned Applicants
The promise of new, streamlined immigration systems is no comfort for the thousands of individuals and their families who have now seen their hopes for Canadian immigration come to an end.
“This is such awful news for the people who have been waiting patiently in line,” says Attorney David Cohen, “Of course, they are free to submit a new application, but that will be of little solace at this time. I truly feel badly for them”.
Applicants who will see their files returned but are still keen to come to Canada are by no means excluded from re-submitting an application, either through the FSW program or one of the over 60 other available Canadian immigration programs. As the government more thoroughly outlines its plans for immigration in the future, prospective applicants should make sure to keep abreast of new developments that may be of benefit to themselves and their unique skill sets.
To find out if you are eligible for the over 60 Canadian immigration programs, please fill out our free online assessment.
« Next Article: Recent Changes to Quebec Immigration: A Summary
{ 294 comments… read them below or add one }
this is not a policy, it’s an admission of inability to complete the work.
Provided needful information at appropriate time.
this very upsetting news for me .. i am Canadian citizen living in canada for 10 years. my brother and my sister who applied for immigration in 2006 and was waiting for the family re unite. it really frustrating for me its a long time i was waiting for and you guys just decide that…..i have no words to explain my feelings
This is awful!! Cant imagine how i’ would be feeling right now if I was in that batch
This decision by Canada government is seriously damaging its fame. It’s irresponsible and unfair to let the victims pay the price of Canada government’s mistakes!
What happens to those cases who applied before feb 2008, and files transferred to CIC London office in feb 2011 and also submitted IELTS results 6 months back to London office.
Regards.
this change is really very bad
Sir,
Please, i want make that all applications including who have updated ? or only professions which not needed?
Firstly they retained our applications for the last so many years and kept us hoping for immigration.
We could not even pursue long term plans in our native countries and hoped to start our lives anew in Canada but now they plan to throw away our applications. This very painful for us. We have been in transit in a way all these years but without taking into account our concerns they plan to return these applications. CIC should consider our concerns also as we are the stake holders of this decesion
But I want my family to emigrate to Knada
This is absolutely no good news. why canada government holding our file since long time. it’s not fare to those who are waiting to decision for their immigration application file. we are not a doll like whatever canada do then we accept continually. please i request to Canada government to withdraw this decision and keep it continue for further process. thank you.
Dear Sir,
I shocked about the badest news , I applied in 2004 , and I delivered updated documents since more one year , I waiting since 6 years , was my case slashed ??? disaster if it is ok …
zaid
I submit my file in 8/2007 it will be refused after this
I have a deep concern about those news. when will that announcement come into force? is it applied for Quebec applications as well? plz I hope to clarify this point, cuz I am an applicant under Quebec category, and I already recieved my filing number on December,2011. I hope to get your reply as soon as possible.
how about for people working in entertainment industry, people behind the camera, is there a chance for us to immigrate there?
Why did they cancel all of those application before 2008 ? Why not all of them ? What is specials after 2008 ? Don’t you think it is some kind of bad decision or justice is not done for people before who apply before 2008. Now they have to apply again . What will happen to all those 300,000 if they apply again ? Aren’t you going to get work load again ? It will better if you shut down completely (Federal nominee ) , let it done by province.
Not just breaking news.. but heart-breaking news!!
thanks mr copenhen for the new development on FSW.program.
ITS REALLY A BAD BAD NEWS. WE DID NOT EXPECT THIS FROM A JUST AND FAIR COUNTRY. ITS REALLY A BAD EXPERIENCE WILL CREATE HATRED .
What I do not understand you allow all the millions of immigrants into the country get them situated in a community, get them jobs, clothes, houses etc. and still we have unemployment rate and many already Canadian people can’t get jobs because all of a sudden it is not because of there not having skills but they are not on the minority list. Then you are making the baby boomers wait longer for the OAS which in some, do not have that cushion to rely on. They have to find jobs and can’t because there are none. So what do they have to do, look to the government for social assistance? I have nothing against Immigrants since back in the early 1800′s and 1900′s my Grandparents came from England,Scotland and Poland. They were middle class people who respected to be a Canadian.NOw most of the immigrants think it is we as Canadians owe them this right. There is really something wrong with our government at times. We really do need a new leader. Iam Canadian and this is my right for freedom of speech.
Dear Sir thank you for your monthly journal of immigration
I had submitted a request for immigration at fedral skill worker at 25 nov. 2007.
& they said to me that my request will be seen after 60 months, but now I read the breaking news by only excepted requested after feb 27 2008
So what to do
Thank you
Dr Ali Alnajjar (specialist surgeon)
I didnt quite get it but it sounds like this:
In order to get more talanted immigrants to Canada we autodeny applications of talanted immigrants to Canada.
war is peace, freedom is slavery, ignorance is strength. Great gob, airstrip 1!
Moving and living in Canada is not a right, it is a privilege…. that is why so many are wanting to immigrate here causing the huge backlogs that our tax paying Canadian citizens must pay for. The backlog is not the fault of the canadian citizens or the Canadian government, Fight to make your own countries as incredible as Canada and you would not have been waiting over 5 years to move.
Sorry for all of you that have been waiting to reunite your families here in Canada, but you still have the choice to reunite~~~~~~ Move Back to your home country!!!! Good Luck
It is shocking news, i personlly see they have no right to do that; they accepted the application then they are committed to process it , being back in line means they are doing bad job managing or processing the application and in all ways it is not applicants fault, coming to Canada is not easy process you have to be prepared financially, i know poeple who put much in order to achive that in the last couple of years.
This is insane
what a bad news???!!
i have been waiting for more than 6 years now & at the end i simply got the fact that my file will be returned to me, ok….. who will compensate me for spending 6 years of waiting?? who will compensate me for the lost chances that went away during this 6 years, if i knew that from the beginning i would start another immigration process in a country that respects people’s minds & feelings!! will the Canadian government compensate us??? i am seriously thinking of suing the Canadian government!! who is with me???
Very bad news after many other bad new for immgrants . first parental sponsership stopped, stricter language requriemnts for immigrants selection, hopefully next one going to reduced age for FSW and on and on . Immigrants wake up. Try to understand the intent and purpose.
Why return applications receved before feb 27, 2008 ? Why not to process these application first.
This shows the irresponsibility of Canadian government. Shame on you!!!! Can you imagine what you are doing to the people who have been waiting for a response for years?
It is upsetting news…
i feel bad for the pre 2008′s. Dont know how i would take this if i were in their shoes, but I’d urge the applicants whose occupations are in the 29 occupation list to re-apply. and for those other wise, I pray God gives them the strength to bear this unfortunacy
Canada is acting like a “Banana” Republic and NOT a civilised developed country. It only shows the inefficiency of CIC. Minister Jason Kenny is blind to reality and is just copying the Australian and UK systems. Canada will suffer in the long run. Remember “No immigrants then No canada.
This is not a democratic way to deal with FSW applicants
if it is not working they should completely close FSW
The 300,000 returned applications (probably on reason of older age compared to previous age-year of lodeging the application) is a history of Canada Immigration Mismanagement. It took you 10 years to assess and analyze for good your immigration strategy as provided by your 2002 immig law. But I just think that it is good for you to dispatch out those who were not served, like me as a sample, for 10 years now, because the applicant is no longer economically productive relative to age (or no longer qualified at current count of age requirement), and hasten the processing of fresh and current document with younger age. Thank you anyway, even though we lost it. At least the government of Canada is learning. Yeas, it may be a shame that poorly managed services and non performing strategies can negate your position as one of the best in the circle of nations providing professional service, but at least you are honest, saying so and implying that your nation cant handle it. Irresponsibility is erased or say neuralized by holding on the five letter word “honest”.
Just when you think you must be finally at the end of the process you aren’t.. Well at least not at the end you sought 5years back. During this period I managed to emigrate and work in Singapore, it took 2weeks to get a 5 year work permit and was all handled online. I agree it was time for a change to the inefficient system, the government was right to refund the fees to all the people who have waited patiently but they should at least ask them if they still wish to apply and offer priority in the new system. A friend of mine applied a month before me and cleared the system more than 2years ago, hard to believe I’ve been waiting 2years behind I thought it was moving along when the police checks where submitted more than 26months ago. Disappointed.
Alas!!! What should I say! This is the most outrageous thing I ever heard of.
Here we were waiting in line patiently for seven and a half years only to hear that we are not wanted an more. Great!!! This is how they should handle cases. Seven and a half years of our life wasted.
Our time may not be precious for the Canadian authorities but is very very precious as far as we are concerned. I never expected this unjust and unkind treatment from Canadian authorities.
This is how they should go about reducing the backlogs. Returning every applications to the persons concerned!!! They could have done this the moment they received the applications instead of making us wait for years!!!
This is contradicting with the values of Canada that these applicants are looking for with their immigration plans, these applicant paid for the immigration system’s mistakes over and over again, first with the unjustified long processing time, then when the retroactive announcement of November 28, 2008 did not include them so that they could cancel or resubmit back then, then when their colleagues of same professions were approved as they applied later, and finally the grand prize is for waiting patiently in line and believe in the system is to have your plans crashed in order to reduce the backlog.
This is absolutely ridiculous and completely unfair. Why couldn’t the government make a provision more like the 10 year super visa for parents? That, in my opinion, makes more sense as you agreed to process applications that have been pending for a long time and have limited the number of recent applications. Those who applied prior to 2008 have already suffered enough with the ludicrous processing time and now to throw this bombshell at them; you’re crushing so many families who hoped for a better life.
Not only that but you’ve made us (new immigrants to this country) lose faith in your establishment. My brother and sister-in-law applied under the FSW category prior to 2008. They will likely get their applications returned. All these years I kept telling them what a great country Canada is and how their lives would change here. I take it all back. Perhaps it’s time for me to move out of here. Goodbye immigration – welcome brain drain!
My wife and I sent our application through in October 2007 and to hear this news is quite disturbing. I regulary check the progress of the application but the status has not changed. Having my application form in the Q has subconsciously affected my career decisions over the past 4-5years and to think that I possibly missed out on certain career opportunities.
Nevertheless, I am going to re-submit my forms and join the back of the Q and hope that I can get it processed ASAP. What else can I do? I personally need closure knowing that I did what I could to provide a better life for me and my family….
@Elizabeth O’Leary – I can not speak for all immigrants. I can, however, speak for myself. I personally do feel that the Canadian Goverrnment does not owe my anything except a response stating whether or not my application has been approved, without having to stand in a Q for almost a decade (for some). The fact is that it was announced that Canada has got a skills shortage and invited skilled workers, from around the world, to apply. I for one saw this as an opportunity to work towards a better life so I filled in the official forms and paid my fee. So in the end, the Canadian Government does “OWE” me an answer. You, however, don’t “OWE” me a thing….
Scott (South Africa)
I firmly hope that this government decision will REDUCE waiting time for those who apply after 2008. canadian government must emphasise that waiting time should not be more than 15 months otherwise it will be the same musical chair i.e after three years return all those who apply after 2008 …Will government also return interest? IS CANADIAN GOVERNMENT AWARE THAT MONEY IS DEVALUATED?
Sad that Canada a G-8 nation is acting like a Banana Republic withoou any scruples and morals. Harper & Jason kenny are oblivious to some realities:-
A. “No immigrants No Canada”.
B. First stringers first choice of country is USA, UK, & Australia – NOT Canada.
B. Second stringers chose Canada as a lst resort.
C. Such quizical decisons will deny Canada even second stringers.
D. What is good for the Goose ( USA?UK) is not god for the gander ( Canada.
God Save Canada from Harper & Kenny.
This is bad news for us who waiting for immigration long time
I was 44 when I applied for FSW immigration. I had applied as teacher but now doing Masters in Social Works just to get a place in Canada. Now I am 50 and can’t apply anywhere. Is it the fault of backlog that they are 3,00,000?Refunding won’t ease the pain!! What about those 6 years, I had been waiting patiently for approval of my case and I couldn’t plan for my children, I couldn’t invest for property, I studied for 3years and just had to bore losses & losses just because of my case. Canada shouldn’t behave so impractically. No country should do so much discrimination..
It is a bad news for me. I can’t express my feelings after listening this news.
I submitted my case in april,2007. That means, canadian goverment wasted my 5 years while retaining my file in thier custody.
After that, they simply announced we are going to return all files submitted before feb,2008.
It is very unfair decision.
We chose Canada after having 18 years of education & brief experience but since 2005 have been waiting for our applications to be processed did not invest required amount to show liquidity, did not apply for other immigration programs & after all this..listening to have applications back. There are some words associated with developed countries Empathy, human rights, Consideration….& ETHICS.
This is not at all fair. We have been waiting anxiously since 2004. What am I going to tell my 8 year old son who is waiting to be rejoined with his cousins. Cannot express our feelings and emptiness. We could have applied elsewhere but chose Canada for family reasons. Atleast they should consider the old applications before 2008 and return the ones after 2008.
This is really bad news, after waiting for years, this is not fair to 300,000 people who devoted their time in waiting for their forms to be processed,
1, did canadaian government thought of how these 300,000 people will feel
2, 6,5,4,3 years is not a joke
3, at of 300,000, maybe 100,000 will die because of the shock, some strock, some will develop one sickness or the other
4, has this goernment failed, or are they doing well by letting 300,000 people supper for what they know nothing about.
THis is cruel and unfair. I depended my whole life on what you did! I waited so long. both me and my family! and now I’m odler. I have no chances to apply! THis is unfair! Where is you justice?! Why did you want us all to wait so long? Why? What am I supposed to do with my life?I related my whole life tot his decision!!!!!!!!!!!! This is cruel
Oh my Good, disaster, I’m so sad, this is very unfair decision.
I still wait my chance to be Canadian for 5 years, this is not fair, this is not fair
we disappoint Canadian government…….
It is not merely the question of refund of processing charges only, when a person applies for immigration in another country he has to withhold and take many decisions which cannot be reversed after such long years. Many of the applicants have already started the process to get settled in Canada and have educated their children accordingly and have already moved them to Canada instead of anywhere else, this decision if finalized will leave families disintegrated and devastated. This proposal raises many questions:
I. Why these applications before 27/02/2008 were accepted and people were kept waiting for a period of more than eight years?
II. What is the difference between applications received before 27/2/2008 and after 28/2/2208 and why can not the processing of applications filed after 28/2/2008 be suspended till the time these applications filed before 27/2/2008 are processed?
III. It is propagated by the Canadian Government that it is the Global Champion of human Rights but why is it playing with the rights of these applicants and have condemned them who are not just 3,00,000 individuals but families numbering into many more may be a million?
IV. Why such applicants should suffer for the delay caused by the CIC in processing their files?
V. Is not this proposal a question mark on the commitment of the Canadian Government about its own announced policies and would it not raise suspicion in the minds of future prospective Immigrants?
Join our facebook group to oppose this new proposal
http://www.facebook.com/groups/179730375479964/
This is akin to failing to honor a bond issued by a government. An admission that CIC is badly managed.
This was expected from the Canadian Government, Its not helping to clear backlog but its hows they cannot work under pressure. Look at Australia New Zealand. I think most of the skilled immigrants will now turn to these countries, as there has been a total breech of faith.
Feel sorry for all these people. Apply to other countries they are more capable that this govefrnment. Next we may hear people who have applied after 2008 to 2010 face the same faith.
The unemployment situation in Canada will surely ease, if Canadian Govt creates a Labour Court or tribunals similiar to Family Courts, where issues related to employment terminations and employment equity issues could be discussed and settled legally. After all our Immigration Act of 2002 has removed all the earlier available recource to Judicial Redresses, except for a minor judicial review which is imvariably denied to applicants. The statistics on Labour and Employments are mostly social constructions and displayed with some political agenda in mind. Immigrants do not steal jobs, they are just better educated and work harder at a lower cost. If Canada does not need them then some one else shall make use of them in the near future. Canada is a big country, with short history and near blind & short sighted government, which does not trust its own recent immigrant populations except at the time of elections !
Harper and company, kiss our votes “good bye” for ever.
It is wrong and awful. It will be much more humane to ask the applicant to pay additional fees to take care of the budget deficit. People have been hoping for years to come to Canada, built a new life and contribute. I am a successful naturalized USA citizen. I know how it feels. I hope the Canadian government is will come to sense and do the right thing.
This is really bad and good news. I was waiting for my papers since May 2006. Now I know for sure I’ll not be moving to Canada. Now I can plan my future better. My friend has moved there and is not able to get an appropriate IT job since 3 yrs. He even did his MBA in Canada and also learn’t French. I think this is goodnews for me, so I dont go there n goof up. And be under the miss conception that – Canada is the land of opportunity.
They had the chance now other places are better.
People this is you wake up call as well.
Thanks Sir for the update.
T
i believe the goverment has a prerogative in doing whatever they want. However, giving people false hopes is not what is expected from a responsible goverment. i knew that the program was heading for the rocks when goverment started a parallel program that will only take the applicants less than one year.
What the goverment should have done is fast track the pending applications on a first in first out basis but this was not done.
On what justification is the goverment returning all applications before 27 feb 2008 and retaining the ones submitted after? I believe First in First Out rule should apply even if the goverment wants to return some applications.
The goverment decision on this matter will bring untold and pschological trauma to the applicants waiting for these number of years with hope and for the goverment to dash it at the last minute. It is not just fair to the people that applied early and have kept hoping that one day their applications will be processed.
The goverment need to reverse her decision in the interest of objectivity, fair play and transparency.
The suddeen decision by CIC Canada to eliminate the immigration backlog of approximately 300,000 applicants who applied for immigration under the FSW program prior to February 2008 has come as shock to thousands of applicants who for over eight years have been holding on to their dreams to come to the land of immigrants, Canada. As CIC Canada now does not wish to process the backlog of applications, then why in the first place did they accept these applications and why did it take them eight (in some cases more) long years to realize this. The question that comes to mind is first of all why was the backlog allowed to be created why was the application fee not refunded earlier? CIC Canada has been holding on to USD130.0 million in application fees submitted by applicants in the hope getting immigration to Canada.
If we are to believe that Canada is a developed country belonging to the first world, then this should be reflected by CIC Canada to take back their decision to scrap the backlog and to start processing the application backlog on a priority basis.
I think we are in a leadership crisis. Why punish innocent visas applicants for the ineptitude. Its the government which came to create the confusion by allowing the backlog. Hitherto, there was one stream running on a first come first serve basis. Then from February 2008, the confusion was introduced where applicants after February 2008 were processed faster than their counterparts who applied before February 2008. My Brother applied in May 2007 and has had to wait till now, only to hear that perhaps he has to start all over again which is highly disappointing and repugnant to natural justice.
It is a sign of a confused government not knowing what to do. There are several alternatives to to solving this backlog problem
I am in line since 2010 and have “only” been waiting for two years. This is very bad news. What happens next, when will the next batch of people be ditched from the waiting list?
Waiting means that I cannot invest in a future in my current country. I just hope that I can get some clue in what direction it will go and when, now I know nothing. Even though Canada is (currently) my primary goal, I have started to look for alternatives, I just cannot wait for years for this to happen.
Really Its a heart breaking news, jason kenney kills dream of canadian immigration for 280,000 people
The reason shown behind this plan proves CIC’s inability to process the applications they had received for last 7-8 years. This is very much shocking for people like us who are waiting for last 7 yrs with the hope to go to your country. Dont CIC think that in this 300000 applications there were no talent to contribute in this country? only talented people are there who applied after 2008 Feb? we all request to CIC that to revoke this decision and pls give opportunity to us also.
what about the interest w lost in this 8years? canadian gov. will have to pay interest on our amount and the cost of ilts exams because this is yr ineficiancy to work .w need our money with double interest.
It seems that “justice” is a value which is not appreciated by the Canadian government!
Instead of speeding up the process to answer the questions of applicants u have easily erased the question. While making this decision u should have put yourselves in the applicants’ shoes.
I think we all have to wait for coming week or two for this decision to be selected for legislation,, we must expect changes for pre 08 applicants,, ,, cause lots and lots of applicants went over age waiting for decision ,,so how can they apply again? second what will happen to the applicants who paid thousands of dollars of non-refundable fees to immigration lawyers,,,,,,,, worst case scenario,, be prepare to file suit against Canadian govt . for wasting 7 to 8 golden years of applicants just waiting for immigration.
It’s very unfair, unjustified and disturbing for all my family members after waiting so much since Feb, 2007. I must say that, if a person fills his mouth with more than what he can swallow then he will vomit. It is so simple and the Canadian government has done exactly what that person should have done in the end. But, thinking of an insane and a government has to be little different. If, I was in their place, I would have processed all old applications first by stopping any more fresh cases before a certain date. Inability to process is not an excuse. Disappointment of this kind, is really very frustrating. O’ God help them to make right decisions not only ‘good’ decisions that are suitable to them .
It’s really a bad news for me. I waited so long 7 years and they will just junk my application? How about our expenses? When will they refund our money it and how can we get it? It’s really unfair!
Dear Sir thank you for your monthly journal of immigration
I think that is best start with process of selection. To put everyone on the best place according to quality .
who needs it…..after waiting for so long with high hopes, a word of
refund, will anyone appreciate this? PUT YOURSELF IN OUR SHOES!
Can any of those who implement this news, put yourself a few years younger,
change your identitly to meet the new requirements? try it, if you can, we can.
WHY DON’T CANCEL ALL THE APPLICANTS COMPLETELY FROM ANYTIME
TIL CURRENT, AND GO ALL OVER AGAIN, SEE HOW THE RESPONSE IS?
you killed our hope to find a new chance in life especially, we are waiting since 6 years , thank you respectable man( who created this idea ).
Glad the Canada Government is open about what they are doing and returning the fees along with the applications, and allowing us to reapply if we want. There is nothing we could do even if they choose to silently reject the applications without returning the fees.
What the hell is this? why they kept us waiting for such a long time? it is totally injustice, they should be sued, lets join and protest, they have pot our hopes and future in dark….where to go and what to do now? many of us have missed good opportunities in the hope of immigration? can they return us our those 7 years? r they going to give us compensation for such a big loss? we are fooled……
What is the surety that the cases after 2008 will be finalized on time ?
I paid a lot of money to Canadian immigration lawyer for imigrate to Canada and have been waiting about 6 years. I’m so sad to hear this news..
OMG!!! I’ve been waiting this for 6 years,and now you will withdraw our application?!!!It’s so unfair…
This is unfair. People have been waiting for 6yrs or more for their applications to be processed only to be told it will be returned. Will the processing fees paid be returned with interest? This is very unfair. This is clear failure of responsibilities on the part of the Canadian government.
It’s tremendously frustrating news. After waiting for four years and five months such disappointing decision has been taken without taking all those applicants’ feelings, plans and ambition into account. Furthermore, on December 13, 2010; I’ received an e-mail containing these words “Note that it is advisable to start gathering supporting documents before you receive this request to ensure there will be no delays to the submission” Oh my God, I think the concern decision maker can feels my dissatisfaction.
i think this decision should definitely be brought to court as its highly unfair…
That’s a disaster, I’m so sad, this is very unfair decision.
Whatever you are doing is good..
Great Work!!
Most immigrants don’t just come in penniless! Susan Stewarts comments is lopsided.
Lets tell those Canadians in other 1st world country to get out of the country and lets see
how they feel, not very nice words! Susan. Why is the backlog not the Canadian government’s problems. In the first place, everyone is responsible for creating a desire…Canada invited immigrants to help build the country, without immigrants, you think Canada will grow and prosper that fast in these 20years?
it is like an example of someone should know how much food one can digest before putting that spoonful into the mouth, and when you get choked, you blame on the one who offered or cook for you, not yourself.
I really feel bad about this new! I have been waiting for this since 2005 that I filed my application, my brother and his family have been waiting for me and my family! I am also a professional Medical Technologist,just bad that my profession is not included in 29 NOC. But, it is unfair because I have been waiting for 6 long yrs. now and yet all of the waiting is gone for a day decision!!! Canadian officials are no good!!!!People are mad at your decision! If I have the right to sue and complain I’ll do that!!!!
this is a very very bad news about pre 2008 FSW applicants. canada governmant should withdraw this new proposel, this would give great mental harrasment to pre 2008 applicants.
atleast they should process the occupation which are under current demand list.
we have been waiting genuinely for so long, it is torturing.
lets hope for the best. our MPs there should do something to save us.
Well, I kept waiting for almost 6 yrs. Friends and relatives kept asking surprisingly why it took time, I kept answering after checking with my lawyer and the CIC website that it is not only me, it is taking longer time to process FSW than Quebec or other Provinces. Like others, I put all my hope in it, looking for real estates, finding schools, even looking and applying for jobs, I even went there for a training for around 5 days. I even listen to the voice of reason and had my wife deliver our baby here instead in Canada so that not to fool the government because we believe in the government and human rights issues that Canada is the shelter for us and our family that we dream to live and work in it one day, for our young children. A dream after 6 yrs that end up just like that. Even if they return the money, does the money makes me younger. I think it the same to say your son is missing and not to confirm it is dead. Unfair decision. Unfair decision. Unfair decision.
Hi everyone!!!
Initially, I was upset to hear the news. I was humiliated and disgusted but then I realized, why should I feel like this? Its not their fault, probably, its our own fault. Here are some facts:
1. Northern America initially created an image of being a most well developed area in the world and then Canada projected the most safe and developed country and then offered immigration worldwide and generated almost a billion dollars (all interest free)
2. Then they kept using that money and kept people waiting for years and decades.
3. After that they analysed that most of the old revenue generated are old and might be a burden in our so called economy so lets cancelled all the applications and return the interest free loan to them.
4. But then they thought why to pay 100% amount and in first phase they start putting allegation on files and start rejecting and reduce the 50% of the backlog.
5. Or in other words, they saved not only 500 million dollars but also now they will just pay 50% of the interest free loan.
So, my question is that who are the idiots? US or Government? Obviously, its the applicants who bought the idea of better future and better life without realizing that we not only invested money but also our precious 7-10 years with beautiful dreams.
We for sure a victim of Canada but remember they will soon realize it and it will again back fire them. And by the way, last year first time in the history of Canadian Immigration the applicants have been reduced to 36000 which was 40% less than the previous years and it will for sure reduce further.
best of the luck to others
this is very bad news.
they ruined us and our future. what can we do now. i have lost so many opportunities but i didnt accept them for the sake of canadian immigration. they totally made us fool. this is very disgusting. ASHAMED ON THE PART OF CANADIAN GOVERNMENT
This is unfair…the parliament must block this proposed plan by the government.I think the immigration minister mr kenny has made fun of us for five years.how can they pay for several years of our lives.
Very disappointing and very disorganized….. they cant play with people’s life just like that…. unbelievable.
incredibale news..previously i thought canadian governmet is capable..
but it is shamefull for ur country…
This is open cheating
This decision is most unfair, unjust, irresponsible, and retrogressive. My advice to all concerned is to come together and head to court of competent jurisdiction to ask for reversal of this inhuman decision. This type of wicked unilateral decision on the part of Canadian Government cannot stand common sense in this modern day jurisprudence. It is flagrant and oppressive abuse of all known norms of PRINCIPLE OF LEGITIMATE EXPECTATION. The British Government did something similar to this with their Highly Skilled Migrant Programme, and the courts reversed their decision. So, it is up to those concerned if they will sleep over their rights and allow this irresponsible decision to stand.
canadian government can’t play with our life. govt. have justify with us.
This news has come to me as a shock. I had submitted my application in 2006 and waited so long and now to be told that my application will be returned without any consideration.
This is heartbreaking news and I am sure terrible for all hopeful applicants.
oh no!
Let’s apply to Australia!
This decision is unfair and unjust. it should be challenged by those concerned.
To susan stewart, you are such a low-Life racist. If you are not an aborigine, then you are also an immigrant. Make sure you live forever to protect canada, because if you die, then it will be a big shame. Sorry for all those you have been affected. Pls try other countries in Europe such as Denmark, Sweden. They also employ from abroad.
Well a very bad news but believe me since now they have made up their mind..they will scrap all the applications no matter how many cases we file against them..it’s simple their country their rules… We don’t matter to them since We are not Canadians..
It’s so unfair and unjust! I applied Sept. 2005 and waiting for more than 6 years! now, they are telling us that they will return all applications prior to Feb. 27, 2008 and refund the application fees…It’s not all about money!!! They depriving my HOPE and DREAMS to settle and reunite with my love ones..Please do something about it..Many of us are waiting for so long and hoping for a better opportunity..Thanks.
This is ethically and morally deplorable. Its nothing less than cheating . This act of Canadian immigration authorities or govt will be equivalent to misdeeds and fraudulent means adopted by immigration agents. why cic accepted so many applications and went beyond their means only to to fulfil its greed. Money is nothing, but with this action CIC will be putting its credibility at stake and it will be like a blemish on its face that it has to live with for all time. people who applied for immigration were adopting a genuine route and many of them were eligible on the basis of eligibility points. they were welcome at that time, and now they say they don’t need them. why,, and what is the guarantee that cic will not refuse new applications.they have tasted blood in the form of fees money and learned to feed on interest money.. its pure cheating with sentiments of people around the world..
Its very much dissappointing to hear the news that the Canadian Govt is returning the applications, we have been waiting since 2006 for the immigration to get clear. Govt. must think on this they should clear all the old applications and should ban new applications inorder to clear the backlog.
how you could do that? this is our life ! we are human ! do we have to pay your minister’s unability ? this is a policy or a trick ? ! we paid money and time , we paid around 600 $ only for taking IELTS class and participation in the Exam ! we participate in different ttraining class to improve our abilities befor coming to canada / it was what you asked us in acknowledge letter ! how could you treat like this?
you should make this decision at that time ,at least after Feb.2008 not now ,after 5-6 years
this is not fair ! how your newspapers are silent about this mater ? where are human rights NGOs in canada? are they sleeping ? you made our life frustrated ! we wont forget this / Never – ever
This is an outrageous decision! It just proves how inefficient the canadian offices everywhere are!, they just were messed up with all those new programs and simply forgot about the old SAP! Whatever happened to ‘first come first serve policy’they declare! And the processing time lines they announce online! They are atotal lie! You gave us false hope, lied to us and think you could just reject files and refund?! How about suspending our lives throughout these long years and losing opportunities in the hope for a better life in Canada?! I Will sue you for making us suffer this torure and discrimination! You are not any different from the third world countries! No structure, no proper plans or decisions! You will definitely lose lots of highly qualified brains. I will sue you for psychological damage and for financial exploitation. I WANT PROPER COMPENSATION for slashing our dreams
very much disappointing …… My 9 yrs old son was very schooked to hear this news…i had nothing to say him..
I am writing on behalf of all FSW immigrant applicants who applied before February, 2008. I am deeply shocked by the decision of the CIC closing all the files before February, 2008. This is completely injustice to the applicants. I applied for FSW immigrant in June, 2007 and it is almost 58 month since I have been waiting and hoping to migrate to Canada. I did not avail many other opportunities as I applied for FSW immigration to Canada and was 100% sure that Canada will take me today or tomorrow. In order to get FSW immigration I had to sit for IELTS and prepared myself for a long time, I spent 6 years from my life, I could not settle my mind anywhere and finally I could not able to plan many things because of the pending CIC decision. Having been kept our immigration files for many years without any decision all of a sudden CIC have decided to close the files without further processing when we lost 6-9 years from our golden life. Who is the responsible for this mismanagement? We applicant or the CIC who made us dreaming and immigrate to Canada as FSW? Our 6-9 years loss cannot be compensated by refunding even 1 million Dollars each instead of processing fees. It is completely against the humanity, injustice, cruel. No civilized Nation can take such a cruel decision like Canadian Government. Are we doll who you can play with? We all 300000 applicants are the Victims of the CIC. May Almighty God gives some humanity to Mr. Minister of the CIC.
It is not fair, always the Canadian government pretended to show it respects the human rights but it is against the human right that you collect money from the people who want to immigrate to Canada as processing fees, landing fees and so on .Then you make million dollars by their money over the years and now declare we make decision to return full of your money.
Off course you return full of money but the value of money changes over the time!and you have to return our money profit too.
One can find solace in this hope that canada still have some legislatures wiith their minds in place
Canadian Government is coning.In their any letter they have never mentioned that they may reject our file without any notice.
OK
At first they have to pay my compensation in 7 years and then I never go there
I thought Canada is a fair country but ………………………..
It’s really a disappointing news. I waited about eight years for my file. Now decision to return the file has been taken. Why they were go on accepting the new files when they were not in position to clear the backlog ? They must process as per natural sequence the old files first rather return them. In hope of Canada immigration I suffered heavy loss in terms of investment ,precious time, important career decisions and many things in my country. How they will pay this big loss ?. They must withdraw their decision and must start processing of our old files first.
I think the govt. of Cananda should consider the applications, made before 2008 at first and rather refund the money for those, who made application after 2008 with compensation. Of course this is reasonable, if they really were to take up such measures and surely, this would have reduced the injustice/unfairness a bit (for long awaiting and missed opportunities). I am afraid that they have got the whole thing wrong. We live in a civilized world and common sence should prevail. Thank s
Please I request all you applicants to hire a good Canadian Lawyer and take the Canadian immigration to court on this decision..just like in UK the applicants turned the table against the immigration UK in the HSMP case ,,, go ahead
Iqbal singh gill, i agree with you. who is gonna pay back for the years that we waited and lost many opportunities. This is really a foollish decision by Canadian govt. If they were not able to clear the back log that is there problem. They shud hve increased their man power but shud nt hve ever played with people lives
………………xtremely disheartened
Canadian immigration laws actually barred people of thinking to go to canada to start a new lifei dont what are they thinking about but the immigration laws and system has to be changed completely this is unfair you killed many dreams and hopes to have a new life .
I have to agree with Susan Stewart it is a privilege to come to Canada not a right so you are not accepted and are disappointed like many Canadians who can’t find jobs in this failing economy. Then right away cry let’s sue the Canadian government!!! The only thing this country owes you is a reply that you are not accepted and here is your money back!!! With almost 2 million people out of work we don’t need more people we need less. As Susan says why not support your own country and make it right and you can be with your family. What we need in Canada is manpower back in place and only allow just those that are truly needed in jobs that Canadians are not able to fill.So please try to improve your own country first, and as Susan says good luck.
this is disgusting to stop processing files. on the other side cic always says not to quit ur job and not plan anything until u get a decision. it is human nature to start building castles in air and get sad when they fall on ground. the basic rule:do not count chicken until hatched. it is not only canada but all developed countries. USA green card for employment based (EB3) has a wait of 14 years. family class from philipines to USA is 18 years.
what can u do? try to make ur own country better so u do not have to run away from it.Why not vent frustration to Indian goverment and ask them to bring trillions of dollers from Swiss bank? use ur energy against Indian govt.
I have three words for this forum and the CIC…class action lawsuit. If CIC implements this policy it will end up paying out billions in damages…the 130 million in refunds will pale in comparison to what lies in store for the Canadian government.
I would advise people to go to Consumer Court for wasting time (years & years), not fulfilling the committment , hurting people emotionally.
Such act is totally un-acceptable as if there was a backlog then fast track scheme announced in 2008 much have been deffered till backlog was cleared.
I would request people to stand up against such pathetic and inhuman decision.
my friend who worked in Canadian Immigration says that those who have underwent medicals might get through (means whose landing fee has been encashed by CIC). contact me for more details
This is Canadian Government’s Decision. They have full right to do whatever they want. It is not your right that by claiming just 67 points you should be allowed to be canadian residents. Its just a procedure – but stil – RIGHT OF ADMISSION IS RESERVED BY CANADIAN GOVERNMENT.
second – for all people who are saying – our lives are ruined – we missed important career decsions etc. etc.
please tell me – when did the Canadian Government (Immigration) told you to stop taking your career decision , make investments, marry,have kids etc. – rather they said – do whatever you want – just keep us updated – that is what was clearly written on their site.
The canadian PR was never granted toyou UNLESS you got it stamped – so just being in an illutuion that since you meet or exceed the point criteria – they MUST GIVE YOU PR -
then you all were being STUPID – FOOLS
DONT PUT YOUR WRATH ON CIC – it was you people – who made them do this.
I know many applicants – who were contacted by CIC saying that your application is eligible for FASTER processing after 2008 – you can withdraw previous and apply in FAST TRACK – NOBODY BOTHERED- feeling assured (they never gave any assurance though to anybody).
STOP SLAMMING CANADA GOVT. DECISION – AND MOVE ON ALL YOU PEOPLE
they open the door for unleagle immigration . get visa and stay there. after many years they just distroy our family dreams. its easy to them because they think we are just nothing. all should take legeal action through humain right in UN.
They are a bunch of liars. The immigration fees value six years back is equal to 10 times now. They need to refund my lawyers costs and all the funds encountered.
Dear non-first nation Canadians, remember that the difference between intending immigrants and you is that new immigrants were INVITED to come unlike your forefathers who walked in and assumed citizenship sometimes after forceful subjugation of native north Americans. The first nation citizens are the most qualified to yaw yaw not you. Immigrants come to better their lives in your country. Your forefathers did the same. To take your advice and stay back to fix their home countries applies to them? Immigrants to your country are the top pickings of our lot and personally highly regrettable to me.
CIC have convinced the world that the machinery running it is inept and lacking in integrity. Future applicants are best advised to weigh their options critically and hold an option B. Remuneration should be with interest including a personal apology to each applicant. Else it can be assumed that CIC held on to funds solely for nation building.
Canada is a great country and individuals in its Government should not give it a bad name.
SHAME SUSAN, president OBAMA?
Shame on you Kenny! You are not qualified for being a Minister. You are crazy!
6 years ago, Canada government admitted my applications and gave me a file number. Now this government is responsible for fulfilling my case. Before receiving my application, government should had thought about this problem, not now. Because this government just can return our fee and applications and it can never return back our life. Is it democracy, justice and human right? My idea changed about Canada and I’m thinking to sue this disqualified government. Kenny deleted problem instead of problem solution! With this job, he ruined CREDIT of Canada. I suggest not to play with our soul and heart more than this.
LAWS ARE NOT RETROACTIVE.
If CIC and GoC really want to speed up, they should recognize that paper applications are the big hurdle … CIC should make it online. Except signature, what other proof or sanctity is left in the application? Money can be paid online, IELTS and any other doc can be scanned and submitted. This greatly reduces the processing time. This also reduces the burden of checking some of missing or incomplete information in the applications. My application was returned because, I missed to ‘tick’ my marital status in one place, but answered it at several places. Its really surprising, we need to repeat the answers several times in several forms and any deviation, the application gets returned / rejected.
sir its not only sad news but some families were totally depended on these cases .i am shocked from last 72 months we were waiting for decision govt has given us 52 months to wait after 72 months they have given this news (shoking).we had given lot oof to agency throug which we have applied as we did not have time to did ourself and +embessy fee.its totally courption of the canada govt they have taken crores from public and refused the cases.and more over we have crossed age of 50 after waiting the decision now we cant submit new file because of age ,these pepole are clever these pepole dont have heartsnow what i think we should all togeather and put up the cases on imigration canada govt.so we should
This is not fair. They should think about this matter.
I am sorry for my application to a so-called intellectual and job opportunity prospect country as Canada.
It is a disgrace for a western county to consider playing with the feelings, lives, hopes, and future of 300,000 people globally for more than six golden years!
If I were in your wretched shoes, I would try to hide my face in a wide and big dark bag in order to safe guard my disabilities.
This is too much all I can say after 8 yrs long waiting that “enough is enough”
I am a canadian citizen and I really feel bad for you guys. u should get 2gether and make lawsuit. this will really make a difference. u people should start e-mailing prime minister of canada about your concerns.
It’s not fair. Change your decision.
Hi guys
Have you started hiring a lawyer to sue the Canadian minister for putting such inhumane plan on the table. Bdw, I am sure the proposal would be rejected if sagacity prevailed amongst the majority of Canadian MPs. Else, the affected people would definitely move the Canadian courts. The proposal is against the universal principle of justice and fair play. Boos for the Minister who proposed it.
CANADIAN government should Reconsider this policy, people are waiting for a long time 6-8 years is not a small period of time many lives will change with this decision.
This is the most ridiculous decision ever made in such a level. The common sense say that they should process all the application they have already committed. Their original documents are kept in the immigration that stopped them from applying anywhere else in the world with the hope that their applications are under process.
Who will take the responsibility of all their years they have lost?
Who will and how they will compensate them? The Minister that came with that proposal should resign for it’s insanity. These sorts of one sided and irresponsible decisions are not even expected in third world countries. This is silly and they should take that to International Court of Human Rights.
Here is the email page of Canadian Prime Minister. Please follow the link to other forums. Everyone should send email.
http://www.pm.gc.ca/eng/contact.asp?pageId=30&featureId=10
Copy and pasted the link and it will take you the main page. Best of luck everyone for your efforts though am not one of you.
This is appalling behaviour by the CIC. My application has been “processing” for almost 5 years now, and I’ve been patiently waiting to provide supporting documents. This action from the CIC is unilateral, unfair and completely unethical – the opposite of everything that Canada purports itself to be, and the main reasons I wanted to immigrate there in the first place.
this is very bad decision by canadian govt. for all of us who are waiting for immgration for more than six to eight year. i request to canadian govt to revise this decision as it effect all on all of our family
My only question to authorities is that what compensation are they going to give now for wasted time period of 8 years? Can they provide people with some other options where they can be immigrated if not CANADA?? Please come up with some compensatory options for people who spent yearS of their lives in WAITING. This is not FAIR!!
My lawyer filed my application on December 2006. I received my File # on January 2007 and still waiting. When I heard the news from my lawyer about the proposal I was shocked and so disappointed. I have been waiting for a very long time so as the other applicant and this is what we get, our application will be returned. Our hopes and dreams to live in a country which they said the BEST COUNTRY TO LIVE IN is all gone. This proposal is injustice. This proposal is not the solution to the problem. They should process the application on a first come first serve basis. They should find a solution that will benefit all the applicants. If CIC is returning our application and fees they should return our lawyers fee too. I am asking all the applicants prior to February 2008 please voice your opinion and send an email or letter to Minister Jason Kenny.
Canadian government loosing its ethics and breaking promises.
When a government breaks a commitment then what about general ppl they should stop talking of human rights & well being
Hello sir, this very upsetting to know that our application are being returned as we had applied in December 2006. as you see we are waiting since 6 years almost in the hope that our visa will probably come this year. it is shocking to hear the news, we trusted the Canadian government and waited patiently. My all family lives in Canada and we all were eagerly waiting to live together there, you should have not done this. there are so many people like us. we trusted you blindly! also, when i applies i was 45 years old and thought the visa would come in 3-4 years. now i’m 51 years old and my age limit has also gone
now we cannot even apply again because of my age. There is no fault from our side, it is totally your problem that you took so many years to process. my children are depressed and cry many times. You broke our trust. please do something about it.
You talk about human rights, then you are doing against human rights. If Kenny doesn’t change his decision, it would be bad for Canada.
First Come first Serve …We wait for 06 Years and nows its a One way Decision…
Shame on you “GOVT OF CANADA”. You have done total unjustice to the applicants who waited so long for the immigration process. Not only that , they also held funds in banks which were required to be shown on immgration.
Who will pay for the time loss or the intrest on the money that was kept by you
Real Shame….We feel cheated…..Please thinks of us before you decide.
This is bad and upsetting news…… Is canadian government thinking to give any compensation for wasting time, & money?Its very disgraceful act by western countries and then dont say we have the best human rights…. Where are the rights of the people who have applied, trusted you by waiting more than 6 years…… Are you planning to give any compensation for their dreams which are broken?
Minister sir: Its your mistake that the processes are not upto the mark. Why we pay the penalty for your mistakes. CIC and other agencies should process files quickly and now the system is in place, you are just saying GET LOST we dont need you………….
That is the irresponsible statement by the Canadian government who is returning the applications only on the basis of that they can’t do their work, they are getting away from their duty. If Canada government think so, then i think that they are just at the verge of collapsing, they are just getting lazy like Indian government. On the behalf of this i just now do not want to go to Canada. and i also do demand from Canada govt. that they have to give back our processing fee with interest, after-all they have kept our money for a long time.
What a stupidity? Too disappointing.
I hope that all the affected applicants will accept the pain?
Thank God I had an option B and migrated to Australia. Hopefully with the fee returned, I can book a vacation trip ….
This is not fair
We patiently waited for 84 months in our application and recently read the news. I am very hopeful that I will be receiving our confirmation and updates by this month and was thinking positively that my family can go by the first quarter next year. I depended and devoted my time waiting for our application, but now I am depressed and upset of your plan. I am now 40 yrs old and my family is depending on me, we spent a lot for our paper’s updates and you always say that it is “on process”. We visited the Canadian Embassy Manila and said that we just have to wait. Now, the long wait is OVER… “Please don’t lose our trust” ……… But still HOPING and PRAYING that the Canadian Government will look for this MATTER!
please have a heart to those who waited so long Mr. Kenny. You decision is unjust. look for a better solution. Returning our application will degrade your fame as THE PROMISE LAND
My application was filed in May 2005. And now this terrible news!! I suggest that the Canadian govt instead of returning all applications hire more workers and work on clearing the backlog. India is a land of talented and skilled workers so there wont be a shortage of workers. Also there are scores of educated people without work all over the world.
This is the best option and it is being fair and just to applicants who have spent years and years waiting patiently. Just returning all applications is not the answer.
Hi very bad news all dreams shattered i just ask one Q supose canadian prime minister is standing in a Q for a ticket and my self comes from behind and do not stand in a Q how canadian prime minister will react will he allow me to get ticket or will send me back in Q to wait for my turne to come Just think and be united to fight this unfair dealing shame on canada dont wish to go there
I think the best way to reply for this un justifiable act of cic is that we all should make a union and approach the judicial system and file a case against such act. I’m sure if we all be together and find strong attorney, we can make them pay dearly for this stupid decision. Can anyone with sound knowledge in this area can help or guide us.
Canadian government can’t just make such unilateral decision(s) without any fault of the appliers. Many candidates like us were at the final stage (as fore-casted in CIC’s letter) and dreaming + preparing for the immigration; even left good and secured jobs (like 1st Class Govt Officer’s job), selling out properties & arrange loans to raise fund, etc in respective home countries. At this juncture, CIC can’t just say “NO” to us in an unethical pretext mainly for the negligence/ inefficiency of their offices. Canadian Govt must honour and lookout international legality for their such policy and must also compensate the victims all over the world for such inhuman penalty.
Is it any possibility that the Canadian govt. revoke this decision and how? I need your expert comments.
We all need to get together and hire a good lawyer, CIC should pay us 100 times more than the visa fees because they have literally cheated us and kept us waiting for so long, we need to ask for compensation of our dreams which cannot have any monetory value + financial loss + career loss ……….we will have to fight for our rights………we just cant allow this to happen……..
to all immigrants in canada. if you have family that was affected by the decision of jason kenney, lets have a ralegh in every town of canada with a petition list. this is not fair, and applicants prior to feb 2008 should be cancelled
This seems like a money making racket. Imagine how much money must have been earned in interest, by the Canadian government, on the processing fees, over the years. If they claim to be fair they should return the money, to the applicants, with interest. What about the huge amount of money made by Canadian lawyers that went into the Canadian system? The money people gave away for IELTS? They do not care about being fair. They play with the sentiments of aspirant migrants and rob them of their hard earned money. How much pain people went through collecting all documents, police certificates, IELTS etc., thinking they would move to a fair and just society and secure the future of their generations to come, only to find out that they were cheated at first step only. If they wish to be called being fair they should stop receiving all new applications and procees the ones they had comitted themselves for, at the first place. But I am sure they will not.
This is unfair.I hope CIC will withdraw the decision for hundreds of peoples sake.
I hope we will take a good news some day.
Thank you,
How is it possible that the most of you are blaming everybody and anything except yourselves? My goodness, are these the types of people and attitudes that are heading to Canada? Get over yourselves and move on, be a better example to your children by doing so!
My family and I have been waiting since February 2007 for a Decision. Putting your life on hold for that length of time – what a joke.
IN MY COUNTRY,MANY THINGS CHANGE OVERNIGHT BECAUSE OF A SUDDEN AND THOUGHTLESS DECISION BY THE GOVERNMENT.SO THE NEXT MORNING SOME PEOPLE ARE BROKE, SOME WITH SHOCKS, SOME STRESSED ,AND SOME BUNKRUPT
THAT IS WHY PEOPLE LIKE ME HAD DECIDED TO IMMIGRATE TO CANADA.NOW I LEARN
THAT CANADA CIC GUYS ARE DOING THE SAME.I HOPE AND WISH THEY CHAGED THEIR MIND
After going through with each feedback, I like to invite al of you to start putting a signed petition to governemnt to re consider the decission it is really awfull to people who been waited for so long, A positive response will help each of us to get a fairness out of from government.
thx
This is not acceptable. Its there mistake that they let the backlog pile up. This is not fair
Has it become a crime to be early. Why should early applicatins suffer? They should stop receiving new applications and deal with the backlogs first. What kind of stupid proposal is this? Canada is above this kind of controversy!
this is a very heart breaking newsfor all those who waited so long, leaving all the oppurtunities that have come across during thislong period. Long period led to strong hopes. In this decision there is no justice, i hope you dont impleent this policy full of injustice and losing dignity of canada for this very unfair line of action to tackle their own lack of strength to control backlogs. You should stop taking more application for the time being or limit them, and start processing the older one first.
there can be a lot of stratagies to avoid implementing this bad policy. i hope through this blog/channel we all can conveyour message to the concerned people and request themfor justice.
WOW!!! To everyone who is having their applications and fees returned… Exactly what you sent… AN APPLICATION!!! You filing your application with CIC was not a promise by them to allow you to immigrate to Canada but rather you asking to come here. CIC is doing what is right for Canada by removing the backlog and starting fresh with newer applications. Many of you, yes who have waited so long to be either accepted or denied no longer fit the requirements of the programs anymore, why would any country want to burden its residents with hundreds of thousands of people who would not be able to contribute to its economy but possibly only now burden it. No one should ever put their lives on hold in hopes of an acceptance of their application, hope for it to be accepted yes, but continue on with your lives and if the application is accepted then YEAH, move to your new country. Am I against immigrants… FOR SURE NOT, in fact my boyfriend was just admitted into Canada on a 2 year permit. I am a born Canadian and he an American. We worked hard to find him a job before asking for his entrance to be accepted, we waited only 3 months but in that time neither of us put our lives on hold, we lived each day still, hoping for him to be allowed entry and yes lucky for us he was, but for sure we did not sit waiting for an application acceptance. Those of you who are now having applications returned, if you still want to come here, work at it, not just send in an app and wait. And Holy Wow do not expect the canadian people to pay you for your wait and one hundred times lost interest on your fees… like I said definatly yous of those expecting this would not have benifitted this great country of Canada. and all of yous now bashing CIC and the Canadian Govt. I am glad you will not be entering MY country as you do not deserve to live here the way you are now talking. I love having my boyfriend here but we held our own fate in our hands and worked to make it happen!!!
This is a very immatured decision, the government of canada at first promoted itself for the people to apply and also with selected professions then after having completed with hard efforts and expenses to mention some, making passport for the whole family is costly and having all the requirements takes money and time. after all these, you came for these decision to just eradicate all applicants with this certain batch. i am pleading for the cic to consider the waiting time. i supposed this is not the remedy for the backlog because the governemnt is still accepting new same professions applicants thus. very unfair . however, I am still praying that one day they will come to think to reconsider the decision and come up with a very convincing reasons. and to reconsider these sets of applicants for its not thier FAULT. its the system of the government that made thier waiting for so long.to
eradicate applications without a VALID CONCRETE REASONS is unjust. hoping for the governement to reconsider. thank you.
this is totally unjustified, we have to pay for their inefficiency and mismanagement ,I have submitted my updated docs in 2008 and they have been holding my original experience certificates for 4 years .The way they r working i think they will take another 5 years to return money and documents.
I guess cic / canadian govt didnt do a good job in terms of delivering the bad news.They should be put it in a nice way which would will make people understand.All i can say is people who ever is affected it a lesson learnt and lets move on a look for option B.If there is none then lets focus on what you are doing and excel on that.
how it is possible to take such a destructive decision keeping us waited for such a long time? have you ever thought what would be our mental situation? are you mad? try to re-think thousand times more to implement it. we didn’t apply to see our applications throwing to the garbage at the end. may GOD bless you from withdrawing that type of unfair and inhuman decision.
that means you the Canadian people played with us for the last 8 years? how have you thought that type to inhuman decision to be implemented?
It was very disappointing canada government and not fair, we’ve been waiting a long time to process, out of time and the future we create here can not wait for the decision to live in canada, but the results just like this?
Try you as an officer could feel like this situation? By giving arbitrary decision?
So far, we glorify and government regulations canada, but they were disappointing and inhumane.
this is heart breaking news i have waiting for year in hope to be citizen of canada one fine day,canadian government should reconsider this ,returning of payment will not be helpfull as agent already charged 2500 us $ as his fees.forget money.my time of 6 years waitng for this seems to be wasted ,as i did loose good opportunity hoping this immigrating to canada dream would be fullfilled one day.this is unhuman act from the constitution.please dont do this to us…….
This is another case of CIC’s improper decision. In 2004, it backed-out after paying $115 million to settle a Class-Action Law Suit filed against them. Hope that similar action will be taken by public sometime soon.
The CIC didn’t even try to find out from the applications filed before 2008 if there are applicants eligible under the current qualifying 29 categories. If yes, why they should be asked to apply again just because of the lack of understanding of the CIC staff involved in policy development / amendments and the delay in processing by the Visa offices at the Canadian Missions.
Also, policies should be made/amended looking at the current job market but should look at the future job markets and global economic conditions to be competitive in global labour supply and job markets. CIC should know the whole world is competing for Talent and if Canada miss the boat, other countries will get the benefit of wrong Canadian immigration policies.
I firmly agree with most of what people waiting so long had to say and all of us were constantly reminded that our applications would be assessed based on the set of rules which were in force at the time of the application. People placed their lives on hold for favorable decisions even more so after our documents were assessed and request for updated documents be forwarded. As for me, I was truly looking for the opportunity to migrate to Canada but I never kept my life on hold because since my application in 2007 and submission of updated documents in 2009 I have completed another undergraduate degree along with my gainful years of skilled work experience. At this point I’m matriculated into two medical schools and migrating to Canada is not ever nearly as important anymore. All of these accomplishments I was hoping to achieve in Canada; so while it may be argued that bundling of people who are not economic priority at this point was a consideration of CIC; there were lots of us with similar ambitions as me so let us refocus and move on. I still believe that the way is opened for dialogue because the policy is not yet implemented. I am sure there were other options that could be explored and it would not be as distasteful if suggestions were sought rather than just throwing back people’s applications in their faces. This also makes Canada appears as a place with suspicious and volatile immigration laws and policies and summarily fragile systems. This is unjust and unfair and Canada may regret this some day to come. The mighty USA is now realizing that its immigration policy being pursued for years was wrong and they have fallen so far behind such that they have implemented a program called STEM. Canada may implement something called TREE… Food for thought Minister Jason Kenney……
Some people say that migrating to Canada is a privilige and not a right, i agree; however, their is spmething called courtesy, fairness and respect. It is quiet distasteful and arrogant have applicant go through so many hoops and then find out that Canadian immigration have changed their minds. My husband sent in our application from 2007 only to find out that Canadian immigration has changed their minds.People were not asked to place their lives on hold but for us who only had our medical left to be completed as all the required documents were submitted. I for one was under the impression that Canadian immigration services was of the highest quality;it is sad to say that they have proven me wrong. After seeing how Canada has treated people’s application i think many highly skilled and educated person will think twice about making Canada their place of settlement. Why could’nt Canada have processed prior applications in order to clear the backlog. I will end by saying, be careful of how you treat and undermine people because life have a funny way of turning back on us. In the light of those looking at Canada, you have smeared your integrity not because you refused to process these applications under the skill worker program but because of how the situation was handle. As for my Husband and I we are moving to higher beights as he is pursueing medicine and I Criminal law. Just remember how the mighty USA had fallen.
I don’t really care who is the guy who did these changes (Kenney or Harper) but I am really feel bad for all lives that got cut up by CIC. It’s been a while for Canada to cherry-pick immigrants. Some were chosen as an advertisement for other immigrants and some because of their education. Many people were lost in transformation that let highly educated ones (PhD’s) to get trapped in cabbie jobs with their’s devoured first expectations. I am not saying it was bad for PhD’s but it’s really inhuman to let people down in ways that no one with rational mind could imagine. In fact, there were solutions to the particular problem like hire more officers to do the job; or by simple asking a new applicants to pay more money if it was not enough in the first instances (with a set prices of course). I am sure ppl put a lot of efforts, as well as, paid a lot to various services and fees like health care, lawyers, notaries, etc to get papers ready to be submitted. To get finally refused because no one find time to look in the application? How respectful is this!?! Did you expect outrun staff miraculously find time and finish off all backlogs? No, no one cared. No one did a thing. You could of just invest these 130 mills from 2008-2012 under like 5% and get 6.5 millions of profit that could of get counted toward immigration rather then cashing out cheques and leave. You know what is more cruel would be to do? I think, it is to show the statistics on how many applicants applied within Canada, got refused, and still living on birdy rights waiting to get poked! Or simply post on CIC website how many died waiting for 10 years in line. In my opinion people deserved more then welcome sign on entrance and ‘thanks for coming” on exit. Please post various statistics on CIC website so people know what’s truly going on and what changes will be taken in next 3 years!; or at least not like tomorrow we refusing 300k ppl because we found it’s right to do so. (and maybe think sorry after it). Respect and honesty is all what I am asking!!! Oh, and good job on satisfying your own ambitions: http ://www.reddit. com/r/canada/comments/r17iw/should_canada_delay_purchasing_f35_jets_to_save/
I applied for canadian immigration in nov. 2004 in FSW category. I was waiting like an idiot for 8 years and did not applied for other countries offering immigration such as Australia and UK. Now I have to pay a high price of putting my trust in canada. I feel myself betrayed and cheated as i have lost my chances with other countries as well with age. Whenever I contacted the Immigration office they replied me to wait patiently in Q and wait for my turn. There is other one case who applied one month after me and was processed and will proceed to canada this month. I am unable to understand how this happened that I did not even received any communication and the other applicant got immigration having similar qualification, experience and skills.
My kids and wife all are very upset, for years we had planned to make a positive change in an enabling environment of Canada. I regret the day Canada appointed Keney for the immigration ministry. He is certainly doing disservice through bad planning and management. I have always heard from wise men you break anything but never ever break trust of people. CIC has broken our trust.
The processing fee in not our main concern. If it would have been our concern we would not have paid that fee when we already knew it is non-refundable.
Still there is time to revisit the decision. If you want to create efficiency then wipe out all back log why to leave the cases after feb 2008. Some people also need to be punished who created these inefficiency and created trouble for 300000 applicants by delaying processing of their cases.
I think affected persons waiting beyond a certain time should have some reasonable legal consultation to file a class action law suit under the grounds that: planning for immigration involved foregoing certain opportunities; such as investments and retirement planning, waiting so long for a decision was inhumane and unjust; considering the constant changing of processing times, and the classic broadbrush refusal may result in severe psychological effects.. Any lawyer reading my post and seeing any probity in my case show yourself and take the case… While compensation may not even be any sweet deal to some others will accept for this unjust action. Reduction of applicants on the front end was a good strategy to reduce back end; why didn’t this have the desired effect. Canada should remember that such is a country built by immigrants. Immigrats will always do work that citizens will not do. Every profession is important…
Oh Susan Stewart; I can see how little educated you are: where did you get a word name yous. You need to use your canadian citizenship and educate yourself. Begin with an English class and learn to spell.Pity you….
Another appalling decision imposed by incompetent policy makers and oversimplified calculation made with the sole purpose of legalizing the robbery. Returning the fees cannot be satisfactory because all applicants were misled to submit “tons” of supporting docs, which had to be translated and certified. I had to pay a couple of thousands $ and I will claim refund of these costs too! Not to mention waste of time and energy and alteration of personal and professional plans, which cannot be compensated!
If this is the case. Why we should suffer because of their laziness. We hoped for such a long time. I think a mad person is running this department. Huh.
@ Susan, the only reason you are giving huge lecture to others is because you and your boyfriend were born in western countries and not in developing nations which is not in anybody’s hand. But you sound like if it was your birth-right.
Now everybody knows that canada and US are built by immigrants, pushing native-indians to the far west borders. Can you explain why it was fair back then and not today?
And in today’s world, do you think there is anybody out there not doing anything at all in their life and just waiting for this decision? That would be ridiculous. Those people who had been waiting for so long are still busy in the present but are frustrated about thinking of the future of their families.
I know many people who have such broad-minded thinking of accepting others, but there are always exceptions of narrow mind people. You are just one of them. Those who live in glass houses, shouldn’t throw stones on others.
I wonder what would be your reaction if you happen to be one of these immigrant applicants.
So, unless you go through the pain and frustration, you can give speech about life to anybody. Who cares?
really unexpected news from canada side..it shows inability to complete the work..
irresponsible way
Wow..very disturbing news.
I feel tired upon learning this news. In a period of more than 6 years, I am doing all the necessary documents like police clearances in every country i worked.Just to make all ok regarding the requirements..All my supposed plan in life was been redirected because of my Canada expectations,,it was a disturbing years. Sorry me.
This is the result of Conservative majority government making a fascist person like Harper as PM and red necks ruling the country. I beleibe all victims of this false advertising (immigration system) should file a law suit for the damages. Holding the processing fee for years and having people to alter their plans and go through various expenses is not something to be compensated by returning the processing fee to them neither backlog is the fault of the applicants but Canadian government. You are welcome to re-apply? sure but we will return your fee after few year because our hearts and minds changed!! one should be stupid to have a hope on this corrupted, racists and double-standard system if conservatives
I have always thought Canada was a lot better country than this. We had submitted our application through my Mom, who had a lot of points for the FSW category. Now that she is a bit older, we fall just below the cut-off for the minimum score, and will not be able to apply again. CANADA IS A FIRST WORLD COUNTRY, AND PEOPLE FOLLOW A LOT OF RULES, LIKE WAITING IN LINE, FOLLOWING THE “FIRST COME, FIRST SERVE” RULE.
NOW IMAGINE THIS, THERE IS A HUGE LINE AT THE IMMIGRATION OFFICE, AND AFTER HOURS OF HAVING WAITED IN THE LINE, THE IMMIGRATION OFFICERS COME AND TELL THE PEOPLE IN THE FRONT OF LINE TO GO HOME EMPTY HANDED, AND THE PEOPLE IN THE BACK OF THE LINE TO COME TO THE FRONT, I don’t think any part of the world would consider that ethical.
Let’s come together and protest, and show the Canadian Government that we were not born yesterday.
I applied in the year 2004 and still waiting for my FSW application to be approved. I lost hundreds of good job/business opportunities, haven’t purchased my home as I wanted to do this after reaching Canada, haven’t got married(I’m 45 year old now), don’t have kids, couldn’t do many important things in my life and my life changed for the worst due to my FSW application.
My friend who applied with me is already settled in Canada since last 5 years and earning $200000(two hundred thousand) a month. If the CIC and Kenney agrees to offer me $200000 a month till I turn 70 years, I’m ready to withdraw my application but only catch is Kenney himself has to sign this commitment letter.
Susan, your great grandfather who worked in a coal mine of Alberta was an immigrant just like us. Our English is much better than you and your grandfather.
Had I been incharge of CIC at that time, I would have definitely rejected your grandfather’s application for Canadian PR. Immigrants or their descendents have no legal right to lecture prospective immigrants. Only the Natives(Inuits) or the original inhabitants of Canada have this right whom your great grandfather killed in large numbers to make way for incoming European settlers.
Really surprised at the announcement because we were constantly reminded that our applications would be processed based on the set of rules which were in force at the time of our applications. To hear this now is very very very disturbing considering the extensive periods over which we have being waiting for case approval. This announcement speaks to a very frail immigration system undergoing constant remodeling and leaving people to languish and wonder. This is just not fair and all these posts should serve its purpose; especially so with the appearance of Lawyer Cohen at the senate committee making his presentation. Please open your ears minister Kenney; numerous ways of stream lining new applicants are available and should be considered rather than arbitrarily disrupting peoples’ lives in such a gross manner after such a very long time waiting in the queue. It would be much relief to the many suffering minds if minister Kenney reconsiders his anticipated actions.
These days,I can’t fall asleep easily because of CIC’s arrogant and ridiculous proposal(decision?) to eliminate innocent over 300,000 backlogs with a mere lip service saying “I’m sorry”.It’s really pissing me off!!!
I applied the end of 2007 and CIC received my application on Jan 11th,2008.
I did what I was asked to do.I submitted all related documents.I took a IELTS test and barely got a score enough to be passed!!!(L/R/W/S:7.5/7.5/6/6)
(Especially,it was a horribly demanding job for me to do two things (study and making money)at the same time)
After application,During the last 5 years,I dwelled on the future canadian life so much time and made a plan to live a succesful life with my family (me and my wife and my two kids) in CANADA.I graduated from a vocational school(one-year course) here in KOREA,and I majored in special welding.
Now I have worked as a tig/co2 welder for about six months.
The reason I chose a job as a welder is because i thought i would immigrate to canada SOONER OR LATER,expecting that I could make a living there and contribute to the economy of Canada as a competitive workforce.
HOWEVER,my dream is gone by their insane decision.RE-application is too painful for me to be considered.
I already invested my much time,money and energy in the immigration to CANADA!
Where can I get compensation for the loss of my time,money and energy?
AND I BELIEVE THAT THE REAL COMPENSATION IS NOT THE REFUND BUT THE ASSESSMENT OF THE SO-CALLED “BACKLOGS” based on the principle “first come,first served”
I am a christian and I pray every single day that I am able to immigrate to Canada for GOD’s glory and honor.
PLEASE CANADIAN GOVERNMENT,BE MERCIFUL!!!
I STILL STRONGLY BELIEVE THAT JUSTICE AND TRUE CONSCIENCE RULE CANADA.
we are waiting to dream comes true since 2006,with this news all hopes are dumped, we don’t known where to go …………. this is wrong…………
This is not fair at all wht we all will do . i was not expecting this reward of my patience.plz consider this decision.
I think this is a scam. They needed the money so accepted the app fees to use for building Canada but not really to accept them as immigrants. This is the easiest way to earn/collect millions of dollars which they used for many years. WE WERE ALL BEING FOOLED RIGHT UNDER OUR NOSES! THIS IS A MONEY-MAKING SCAM!
pls all pre feb27 2008,i strongly believe that we should pass this information to USA so they can help us talk to canadian goverment,canada respect USA very well,this is against the principle of natural justice to return all application that have been in backlog for many years just like that.
somebody should explaing this to USA goverment in writhing very well,USA have visa lottry that makes thousands of people to immigrate every year still they are strong in economy.
we have skills and we applied, why trying to make us look like fools.
@ Jessica Young
Read back through the posts and tell me again, “And in today’s world, do you think there is anybody out there not doing anything at all in their life and just waiting for this decision? That would be ridiculous.” Yes for sure ridiculous!!! Tell that to Rameesh who…” I lost hundreds of good job/business opportunities, haven’t purchased my home as I wanted to do this after reaching Canada, haven’t got married(I’m 45 year old now), don’t have kids, couldn’t do many important things in my life and my life changed for the worst due to my FSW application.” and then he has the audacity to do lip service to my grandfather… Wow he really has no idea.
@ Rameesh You talk about my past as if you know me… You really have no idea.
and to your friend making $200,000/month Wow congrats to him, what does he do…sell drugs LOL and offer you $200,000/month to withdraw your application ROTFLMAO… they dont have to pay you anything, just need to reject your application as unsuitable!!! I feel bad for all those whose applications are being returned but no one was told to put there lives on hold while waiting for an application to be accepted or returned, sending in an application was not a guarantee that a person would be allowed to immigrate but rather a possible opportunity. Too bad the world is the way it is and people are not allowed to come and go as they would like, History has made it what it is and hopefully the future will change the course of things to come.
I wonder if the Canadian Govt will afford to compensate us for our time, money and effort that has been invested in our goal to Immigrate to Canada.
The bill is presently in the millions of dollars per person. They are going to get bankrupt very soon. They will be loosing most of the cases.I agree it is a privilidge to live in Canada, and at the same time it is also a privilidge to Canada for keeping people like me on hold for so long. The bill keeps increasing by the second. Keep this in mind they will be paying for this dearly.
Best of luck Canada.
To all victimd of this immigration fraud: Immigration minister does not know what is he doing and make decision in rush just to satisfy his roots (racists and rednecks and of court coorporations). Wjile he is preventing educated applicants he is issuing hundreds of thousands work permit for cheap labor with no qualification.
The solution for this is a leagal action and suing Canadian government for billions to compensate the abuse and false advertising and deception so that Kenney will see the impact of his decision and canadian tax payer to see the result of voting for bunch of idiots
i don’t want to comments about cic decision to reduce the back log by returning the file with money which we have paid for the processing. But how they will compensate the time??
Only lazy immigration officer are working and doing no thing only taking salaries.
I cannt suggest other to apply for canada . If you apply now your application will be approved after you reborn ( death).
To Susan,
I suggest you to go back to where your grandpa escaped from. No aboriginal authority acepted his immigration application and he forced himself to Canada abusing natives. Even UN has condemned Canadian government’s treatment of the aboriginal, so did the Amnesty Int. Here is not a place for racial ranting. What Ramesh and others are saying is completly rartional and your government will pay a high price for this crime. As a Canadian taxpayer I don’t want my tax goes to fight a losing case brought to Canadian by an extremely uneducated prime minister and his gang of ministers.
How can I trust Canada to apply again for immigration. What if after many more years they come with the same idea and trash my application .
This is the difference between USA and Canada.
FINALLY!!!
This is from a white canadian woman- we dont need anymore immigrants for a few years especially third world immigrants. We are more skilled than these outsiders. Canada now has a 25% unemployment rate. My nieces and nephews cannot even find a minimum wage job- one wants to become a doctor! Please just stay in your own countries or try to fix your own countries, canada already has too many immigrants!
Janice Marquis,
First of all you are in no way more skilled than an educated immigrant especially third world ones. 9 or 10 family practitioners in Ontario are first or second generation immigrants and they are doing much better than Canadian couterparts. Specialist are the same. Immigrant children are doing way better in schools and universities in science while whte kids are failing. Of course you have lost the competitivness and this anti-immigrant trend goes deep into jealousity and inabilty to compete and accept the reality. Anyway, regarding Jason Kenny’s overnight decision, this should be decided in the court. Meanwhile whether or not immigrants come to Canada, your jobs will vanish. It will go to them. They do better and cheaper
Earlier this year Canadian immigration announced their plans to stop the processing of Federal Skilled Worker (FSW) visa applications submitted before 27 February 2008 and reject these applications in order to reduce the backlog of visa applications. However, more recently, the immigration department has reportedly instructed its visa officers not to return the applications and continue processing the visas.
This was date posted May 30, 2012 on Workpermit website.
Question: is this a SURREPTITIOUS way for Canadian Immigration Officers to deny FSW visas without the refund of the processing fees. Canada would save the $130M in their coffers and have a big laugh. Let us all look out and brace ourselves for this and let us continue to use this blog.
Why wasn’t this news given the same publicity on CIC as the former news of the planned rejection. Well maybe my first assumption is indeed correct; LET’S SEE HOW IT GOES FROM HERE ONWARDS.
@ janice; your comment has a racial overtone. Immigration Canada knows better than what you are saying.
I heard that CIC has reversed its earlier decision to return 300,000 FSW applications and fees associated with the processing. I wonder if Canadian Immigration Officers are going to swing the paint brush in another direction and just slowly deny FSW Visas in an effort to save the Government the millions in their coffers. I would like all of us who have been assessed and asked to submit updated documents to be on the look out and to report any refusals on this blog. On the other hand this may be a slow boat to the land of never never never!!! and applications will never be approved in 50 years. By that time we would have all died with the system. I think that if there is any truth to this story a mere continue to process from CIC was not enough. The wait has been long and recently became painful with the announcement to curtail processing. Why not say approve en block all applicants waiting 5 years and over; provided the medical, security and settlement funds are acceptable by the authorities. Although my application is not yet 5 years old; I am advocating for a humane cause. The streamlining currently taking place with the 29 occupations would continue in force and guess what the back log will be no more in 2 to 3 years and there will be a manageable system in place thereafter… Well that’s one suggestion. Let’s hear what others have to say and hopefully our suggestions will go a long way into helping to provide a solution to this perennial situation.
Janice Marquis. Your name tells that you are very European and not native Canadian. This means that you might be a second or third generation European IMMIGRANT (uppercased on purpose). This also means that your ancestors came to this country as colonizers and in the best cases came as IMMIGRANTS but behaved as owners of the house. I just wanted to open your eyes to the reality that you are as much IMMIGRANT as other immigrants in this country. My advice to you is that wake up to this reality whether you like it or not. However, if you don’t like the current immigration policy of the country, you may Pack and go back to France or Spain to your country of origin. I am sure so many people will happy after your departure.
DEAR MS SUSAN
I DONT MEAN TO PATRONIZE YOU, BUT I DO LIKE YOUR ZEST TO DEFEND MR KENNYS IMMIGRATION POLICY.NO ONE IS DOUBTING YOUR FORE FATHERS CREDENTIALS OF SETTLING IN CANADA EUROPE .U SEEM TO HAVE LOST THE LOGIC OF THE POINT MADE MADAM. IT IS SIMPLE, PEOPLE WHO APPLIED TO IMMGRATE PRE 2008 FEB DID SO UNDER OLD SET OF RULES SET BY CANADIAN IMMIGRATION AUTHORITIES. ANY RESPONSIBLE, SANE , MATURE INDIVIDUAL ,ORGANISATION ,OR COUNTRY IS DUTY BOUND TO HONOUR ITS COMMITMENT. THAT IS THE NORM OF ANY AGREEMENT, I AM SURE TO IN CANADA MS SUSAN. TODAY IF CANADA DENIES THE PRIVILAGE TO IMMIGRATE IT HAS THE ABSOLUTE RIGHT TO DO SO, BUT KINDLY BE MATURE ENOUGH TO BE PRACTICAL ,LOGICAL ,TO KEEP YOUR WORD WHEN MADE. THESE ARE THE SENTIMENTS OF THE PEOPLE WHO HAVE APPLIED. IF INDIA A EMERGING ECNOMIC POWER WERE TO DENY A FINANCIAL AGREEMENT WITH CANADA WHICH WOULD RESULT IN LOSS OF JOBS IN CANADA HOW WOULD U FEEL. PL DONT BE PETTY IN YOUR APPROACH LOOK AT THE LARGER PICTURE. CANADA ENJOYS A GOOD REPUTATION IN WORLD AFFAIRS , ANY ACTION TAKEN TO LOOK AFTER, PROTECT SMALL INTERESTS MAY SEVEARLY HARM ITS LONG TERM INTERESTS. SO MS SUSAN I REPECT YOUR OPINION ON IMMIGRATION , BUT DO SEE THROUGH WHAT YOUR GREAT COUNTRY REQURIES AS OF NOW, AND ONE MORE THING YOUR ESTEEMED FORE FATHERS CAME TO CANADA IN NEED OF BETTER OPPORTUNITY FROM EUROPE, IT IS EVOLUTIONARY FOR ANY LIVING ORGANISM TO LOOK FOR BETTER POSSIBLITY DEEM FIT ,THAT IS WHY ANIMALS ,BIRDS, AND WE AS HUMANS CHANGE OUR HABITAT AND HAVE A RIGHT TO IMPROVE OUR LIVING CONDITIONS . THIS MONOLOGUE IS ALSO FOR OF MR KENNY, AND THE HIGHLY HONOURABLE PM OF CANADA MR S. HARPER.–THANK YOU , WOULD BE SPLENDID TO HEAR FROM, U, MR KENNY , AND HIS EXCELLENCY THE PRIME MINISTER OF CANADA MR STEPHEN HARPER.
How about people who are thrown out of Canada after spending their entire life there because Canadain Border gave Wrong information? How about being locked away from your family , your children your grandchildren & never being able to live at home again because of a total stranger making a decision on your life based on his own conclusions, mis-information & UN-truths? Doesn’t matter what proof you have.. Doesn’t matter how much loyalty you have to Canada. Doesn’t matter if your only family in the world is in Canada. Doesn’t matter you’ve never ever committed a criminal offense. Doesn’t matter if you paid into Canada pension all you life. Doesn’t matter if you have investments in Canada … ? You have to have MONEY to hire a laywer to fight. You have 15 days to file. I have lost all faith in justice. I’ve never been in trouble in my life. 53 yrs old. A mom. Housewife employee. Never been arrested or in any kind of trouble. Kicked out because of WRONG information given to me & a Canadian Border Officer at port of entry power tripping on me& trying to force me to sign a relinquishment of my residency . Threatening me if I didn’t sign they would deport me. This all happened when coming to pick up my minor son for March break. No attorney present. Intimidation harassment & finally deportation. An appeal filed. Crown side faxes they’re reply the day BEFORE my hearing. I was told arguments had to be received 21 days Before the hearing. I had no attorney BC I didn’t have the money. My family witnesses were all documented to speak on my behalf
But judge did not allow them. He said these people all cannot speak here. We will be here all day. I was told a decision would be mailed & it would be a long time. I was told my status & visa status stayed intact until decision was made to take it away. Then I receive a call from Canadian Border Service telling me I was supposed to report in when I returned to United States. Which the judge did not tell me. I feel like I am locked away from my family my children & alone in the world because of wrong information for given to me by people who did not do their jobs right. I received my papers as a child. My parents got them I lived 40 yrs in Canada. I’ve lost my only retirement because I have to be a resident to collect my Cpp. Imagine loosing your entire life children home pension & being told you cannot be around your family no longer because of a decision you made based on wrong information? I did everything I was supposed to do & based a decision on the information by the government only to be punished down the road. I am so lost with out my kids my family & my home Most days I don’t even want to be on this earth. I feel like I have been sentenced to life prisonment. It’s soooo wrong!
I have applied for skilled immigration before 27 February, 2008.
Now information come to me that all application received before 27 February, 2008 will be return to applicant. I just what to know how much time does it take to pass the bill in parliament and starting to return the files.
DEAR JANICE
NICE TO SEE YOUR COMENTS ABOUT IMMIRATION POLICY TO CANADA. YES REGARDING THIRLD WORLD COUNTRY IMMIGRANTS COMING TO CANADA YOU DID MAKE SOME INTERESTING COMENTS. IN INDIA FOR EVERY VACCANCY FOR MED SCHOOL 15000 ASPIRANTS TAKE THE EXAMINATION NO WONDER WE HAVE SOME OF THE BEST DOCTORS IN THE WORLD. YOUR NIECE AND NEPHEW NOT FINDING MINIMUM PAYING JOBS ,HAS IT EVER OCCURED TO YOU THAT THEY MAY BE INCOMPETENT AND INEPT TO FIND THOSE MINIMUM PAYING KIND OF JOBS. YES IF YOUR NIECE WITH LITTLE HARD WORK ,AND EFFORT MAY CERTAINLY REALIZE HER DREAMS TO BE A DOCTOR. SO JANICE PLEASE REFRAIN FROM MAKING SWEEPING STATMENTS WITHOUT ACTUALLLY REALIZING THE INTERNATIONAL RAMIFICATIONS OF STATMENTS MADE BY CANADIAN CITIZENS. CANADA AND CANADIANS ENJOY ONE OF THE BEST REPUTATIONS IN THE WORLD SO KEEP IT THAT WAY. THANK YOU.
Janice Marquis r u PM of CANADA
DEAR MR KENNY
THE SOLUTION YOU HAVE PROPSED IS CERTAINLY A NOVEL WAY OF SOLVING THE IMMIGRATION BACK LOG. ONE WONDERS WHATS UP YOUR SLEEVE NEXT?
i do agree with this that if canada government could not provide the jobs to the earlier inhabitants/citizens they should pass resolution to stop further immigrants. so that the new comers can utilize their hard earn not for immigration and to stay in their own countries and survive there.
The biggest frauds and cheats are not immigration consultants, as the CIC immigration official website states, but it is the Canadian government itself.
i do agree, if canada government could not provide the jobs to the earlier inhabitants/citizens they should pass resolution to stop further immigrations. so that the new comers can utilize their hard earn money and skill in their own countries.
Dear White Canadian women
Though we live in third world but our color is fairer than you, so please stop claiming to be snow white. please donot claim to be more skillful than any other human being. if your nieces and nephews cannot find jobs than its not because of any other human being but because of their own in competencies. Please leave this racist approach. Your Government is playing in the hands of corporates. and soon you will learn that what the havoc they play to your country. as far as i am consider i only wanted to immigrate to Canada because of its social and political justice, however with this decision i dont think that Canada is a worth living now
I am in this batch.i planned my career in Canada and this shit happened . It’s so frustating. God help me
My suggestion is that these candidates should be given an option of “Speedy Immigration”, since the candidates have beenn waiting for years. In my case it about eight years now.
Janice and Susan,
I quite appreciate your concern for the state of your country, if it is true that the influx of immigrants actually serve as a drain on your resources and if truly immigration does not yield any thing positive to your life.
I come from a third world country and I am probably more educated and intelligent, than your nieces and nephew. But if they are in my country they would be given the choicest jobs on a platter of gold just because of the colour of their skin. In my own country! Don’t lump everyone from third world together as unqualified. You are actually showing that you are narrow minded and perhaps untravelled or uneducated. I will not include the obvious with respect to your disposition to people of colour.
Because of the legacy left behind by colonial masters, most third world country leaderships are found to be fatally corrupt and there seems to be no end to it.
You may not be aware that immigration is a very expensive venture and that these immigrants bring in a huge contribution free of tax, to your country to enable you, your nieces and nephews live a high quality of life.
Personally I have no compunction about immigration because we have canadians, Americans, Europeans and even Asians plundering the oil wealth of my country as we speak. At least, I am equally and hopefully fairly assessed before approval for a job is given to me ahead of your loved ones unlike in my country where a technician from wherever is made the boss of a Masters holding THIRD WORLD employee, because he is white, really.
my sympathy is with u but u should blame your govt. why they r accepting the applications of immigrants when they r unable to provide jobs to existing population.we r also victims as these facts r never in our knowledge and we have spent our money and time in waiting for immigration,assuming that Canada is a big country with less population and required skilled persons for its development. Your Govt. is duping u and other people as well so don’t bother about us fix your own country first.
Janice,
Are you or your grandparents (or their parents) Native Indian? If not, you are an outsider (immigrant) as well. I think you need to read more books and do more research. A lot of immigrants are more qualified than the average Canadian born (white or non-white), Most Canadians can’t even construct a proper sentence.
There are many places in Canada that need immigrants. I think you would sound more intelligent if you suggest that they go to less inhabited provinces.
Yeah Anonymous, Janice, Inderjit, and all others who can see that the immigration status of Canada needed to be looked at in a really hard manner. Those who have applied for immigration and are now having their applications returned… It was an APPLICATION for immigration!!! not a “Promise you will be able to immigrate”. To those of you who say you have given up opportunities and put your life on hold for 8 years… Take an opportunity when it is presented to you and if your application is accepted then yeah move to Canada but if not you have still moved on with your future.
Canada needs to put their resources into developing the work force that we already have here and not compounding the problems by just accepting more population that will put a drain on our resources.
To all those whoi are now badmouthing Canada that it isnot “The Promise Land” anymore… WOW!!!! kinda glad you violent people will not be living in this country…MY COUNTRY!!!!
I live amongst many reserves and I see first hand how they are enjoying the toil of my immigrant ancestors, they are not and do not want to live in teepees and chase buffalo… this may sound harsh to some but it is the truth. Canadian Natives have accepted the “white man ways” and are enjoying my forefathers hard work to make this the country that people now want to immigrate to. I am more than sure that if Canada waas an “unbroke” land with no employment, no health care, no social programs, nostructured democratic government NONE of the “now treturned Applications would be wanting to immigrate here. They want to immigrate here to enjoy the benifits provided by my hard working immigrant forefathers who did help to make Canada the beautiful country that it is. Remember again…YOU PUT IN AN APPLICATION!!!! When you are applying for a job in Canada “only those selected for an interview will be contacted”. Its wonderful that CIC even cantacted you that your application was received and under consideration.
Oh and now I cant wait to hear the harsh comments that come from this post.
And further, I am not against immigration at all… My boyfriend just immigrated here from USA. We worked hard to find him a job before he got here aas it was not even possible for him to apply without guaranteed employment first. Willing to wait 8 years for immigration??? not a chance, we took our future and made it happen and did not even consider waiting with our future in someone elses hands. Move on, Make a life for yourself, and if the opportunity arises… Take it. And good luck!!!!
Dear Mr. Sanjeetgiani
Canada put out an offer for people to apply to immigrate to Canada. Many people sent in applications for the possibility of being able to immigrate. In fact huge amounts, so many so that there was a huge backlog created. CIC acknowledged that individuals applications had been received and would be put into the process to be either accepted or denied. Everyone’s wait started. Many people seemed to think they needed to put their lives on hold while they waited, many people moved on with their lives while they waited. Applications were accepted and applications were denied. And many people waited for their decision. Now we in present day 2012. There is still a huge backlog and the present government has decided to as they see it ” fix” the problem. Their solution, although not seen as positive by many< is to return the applications, probably feeling that many of these people no longer qualify, but if they do they have the opportunity to reapply. They had their APPLICATIONS returned. Esactly that THEIR APPLICATIONMS, not guarantee, not a promise, an APPLICATION.
@ Shamrock and Jam Jam
What a novel idea for the CIC to keep and continue processing the backlog of applications and eventually deny them all because the applicants no longer fit the requirements. This would serve many purposes…
-alleviate the anger of the applicants in having their applications returned because they would still be being processed until they were denied
-save thousands of $ in returned processing fees as the applications would eventually get processed
-create job security for CIC who would be processing these applications
INGENIOUS
Susan stewart.
Your sadistic, uneducated and ignorant comments simply futhers the logoical arguments of people here: that you are a colonizer, an abuser and a barbaric fanatic redneck who voted for a fascist con like Harpo the puppet of corporation. I somehow understand where your pain is coming from: sein first generation immigrant kis are doing excellent in science while yours can only play with their ipods, seeing that a 40 years old person immigrate and find a job and stablish a life in Canada with hard work while you are on drugs should be painful but worse news is that they do not have to come to CAnada to make your low life miserable as CAnada is going to them where ever they are. Open your eyes if you can and see how you have surrounded to China and India…
just to regain the confidence the government of Canada must withdraw their decision and must start processing on first come first served basis
@ Susan
as you are delighted to see people losing their hope and denying their right to have their application processed (and if you can have some elements of rationality you would understand that denying to process an application after 7 years has some sort of responsibility on those who accepted it at first place), simply makes one wonder if you are in healthy state of mind. Anyways, since that you chobby kid, the so-called minsiter of anti-immigration has backed down from his over night decision- realizing that he would have his butt on fire in the court, he started alternative fradulant way as you admired: process and deny. Guess what still this childhood thinking will not save him as the denial should come with solid reason otherwise court cases will be on him. Anyways I suggest you seek mental health consultaton as geting the joy out of people’s misery is a strong sign of pshychological disorder
Susan I agreed with you at the start and still do 100%. My grandparents came late 1800′s and in my opinion were immigrant settlers. They were taken off the boat stripped of everything they had and sent out west to camps and began the extreme hard work of helping shape Canada to what it is today without killing one native and became friends with some. People then were promised land well guess what that never happened! Never once did my grandparents say lets sue the government. My grandparents had no one here to go to and all my grandmother said was that life was very hard but we survived. She washed peoples clothes, scrubed out houses and washed dishes and other jobs just to feed her five children. There is documentary that I feel people should watch called Freedom had a Price just to see what our ancestors went through! I do not object to immigration but in the economic times we are facing with over 2 million people out of work something should be done. When are ancestors fought in the 2 wars they fought for their freedom and rights for themselves and to make a better future for their children and their childrens children. The government went about this the wrong way and took out manpower which was in place back in the 60′s and 70′s letting just enough people in to do the jobs Canadians could not fill so now we are in one big mess. Chung Sung Youn wrote he has taken a 6 month special course in welding and feels he should get a job in Canada. Well my daughter is a second year apprentice and still has another year to go before she has her papers and with over 8% welders out of work will she have a job to go? That remains to be seen. What puzzels me is how do people from another country feel they should be more entitiled than her? We all have ancestors but why did some come and do all the hard work to make Canada what it is and now and everyone would like to come and benefit from it. As they say immigration may have built this country but immigration will destory it. As it stands now are agricultural land is disappearing to house newcomers so where do they think they are going to grow food for future generations? The government sure has srewed this up!!!!!
Oh Susan you have refused a reasonable suggestion. You need to take English lessons; who would employ you when you can’t even spell “EXACTLY” not esactly. Novel or crooked idea; I’d much prefer to get back my hard earned cash rather than leave it to provide social security benefits to you. I am not suffering where I am living in a third world country. I’m educated, I work for a fortune 500 company; and just like creating options. Canada or no Canada I will still live comfortable. For my personal settlement funds I have over $80,000.00 Canadian without having to sell my house or my car. That’s just savings and I can bet you are going from pay cheque to pay cheque or unemployment to unemployment cheque or probably living in shelter. Personally I would not give up my job to do menial work in Canada; not over my dead body. I have read a lot pf the horror stories of professionals committing suicide; jumping off over pass into high ways; doctors driving taxis and chemists as waiters. As a chemist Canada doesn’t represent the ultimate hope for me. My children are all born in the USA and I travel whenever I want; so take a cue.
Thank God! (elhamdallah!) (praise shiva), etc, etc, we have enough immigrants in this country who do nothing but complain and show disdain to our society. Immigration should hit the reset button by stripping all these 3rd world immigrants and their “Canadian” born children of citizenship and sending them back to their countries. As far as immigrating to Canada I believe the only non-western immigrants who can thrive in our culture/society are Koreans, Japanese, and Chinese. All the others should be sent home.
I had applied in 2005 i met all the requirement at that time, i deposited the file and got File No. I was waiting for the Immigration I did not go to Australia as i had opportunity to move to Australia on study base with my family, I did not start any business, I just worked with this hope that i will be migrating, Now This news has spoiled my career, My advise to The Canadian Government is that they should charge additional fee to process the files rather than to return them, all applicants will be ready to pay whatever fee is charged
Ok they are going to return our fee money…………..what about the interest for seven and half year? Shall they return this too or we will have to give a donation, you are smart CIC.
From: Tim L. • Re: Announced changes to FSW submitted before Feb 2008
It means that the Minister, believing himself to be all-powerful with respect to immigration, has abolished, effective the day before, all FSW applications lodged before 28 February 2008 except for 20,000 which had previously been assessed. Sometime after the Budget has been passed, he has promised to refund the processing fees. However, he could just as easily, the day the Budget is passed, reverse that position, too, effective the day before he had made it — or maybe the day before he was born. He may also believe that he has the power to declare
today to be yesterday and yesterday to be tomorrow.
His decision will have no direct effect on the litigation, involving 700+ FSW litigants, but may result in others not being permitted to join. I would expect that decision to come within a week or so. (It will not affect the litigation because the lead litigant’s file had been assessed and, thus, the Minister has not purported to have refused it.)
CIC’s written arguments are due on April 10th and the hearing has been tentatively set for June 5th. We will have to see how to deal with the beheaded files included in the litigation. Details may be found at: unfairCIC.com
I would expect that a class-action lawsuit will eventually be launched on behalf of all those whom the Minister has ordered beheaded. The net result, if successful, would be return to the status quo, whereas the unfairCIC litigation, if successful, will result in CIC being ordered to finalize their applications within one year.
(2 months ago)
Well like I said this blanket planned refusal is a case for a clas action suit.; so lets follow and see… I’ll keep updating from my other blogs.
Follow this link:
http://unfaircic.com
The list of litigants is growing; lets force CIC to make urgent decisions or pay damages to people who have been waiting and by the projections contained therein; may never have their files assessed.
Cheryl,
As a sign of good faith, you are welcome to go back to where your papa came from. It does not seem you get it
Thanks Jam Jam for the link. I think instead of complain people should joined the lawsuit to show the Harpo and his puppet minister of immigration that there is higher price than returning an application fee after years. People across the Canada are started speaking and raising their voices against Harper and his anti-canada decisions, just see how these two hero doctors standing tall against Harper’s puppet:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=75FmimeFnu8&feature=player_embedded
Together we will teach hard lesson to all conservatives
@ Jam Jam… We do not need you or your ignorance of others in Canada. You are so well off in your “third world” country stay there and make it a better place for yourself and your family and those that want to immigrate somewhere else. Give back to your country so that it will develop into a “Canada” . I cant imagine the ignorance you would show once you arrived here if this is what you portray on a chat forum. No, I do not live paycheque to paycheque, am not on unemployment. Take what you say you have and X that by 10 and you may get close to what i have in savings and assets, I am not on drugs, do not have a mental problem but do have a computer that when you accidentally hit the “s” key instead of the “x” key directly below it spells “esactly” instead of “exactly”. Oh the anger in yo wverflows to thing such a small typo would be picked up LOLOL Very LOUD in fact.
@Ebi I do feel for those having their applications returned after hoping for so long. I am more saddened that they would put their lives on hold after submitting an “APPLICATION”. Live on with your lives as an “APPLICATION” is definatly not a promise. For those who gave up opportunities while they waited… such a shame that you would not continue on with your lives.I am hoping that my fingers and my computer did not make any more spelling errors that will bneed to be pointed out LOL
SPENT 5 YEARS OF MY LIFE IN WAITING , WAITING AND WAITING. AND MY INNOCENT NEPHEW
IN TORONTO IS ALSO WAITING FOR MY FAMILY,,, AAHHH VERY SAD … WILL COURTS OF CANADA ACCEPT THIS DECISION??
Brian I am where I am because this is where my papa came from. That would be Canada!! I do get it the government of Canada has made a lot of mistakes that have to be fixed. Now are you here because this is where your papa came from?
Susan’s ancestors were not immigrants, they were colonists. Europeans who conquered the people and lands (clearing forests, building settlements, mapping, etc) of Canada in ways that new immigrants do not. The sense of entitlement that these people are displaying is horrifying. Canadians were nice but it’s too many and now Canadians are angry. The rules were broken and now they are being fixed which means many who already immigrated here should never have been allowed in. The is a lot of support in Canada for these changes.
Very much frustrating news. My plan in life was misaligned, in past 6 years everything was not directed in fix path because of expecting this Canada immigration chance. Its a big damage each life long range planning. The effort of preparing the documents, money and time, all and all. Without any chances suddenly it collapses. Very much unfair to many of us. How can it be like this with the most respected country of equality and fairness.
@Cheryl,
so you are first nation character then? The way you think and speak tells us a lot. That you are an immigrant who think has privilidge over the others cause your papa forced him to this country few decads ago??? As I mentioned go back to your country
Susan stewart,
You need mental help. You have sadistic thoughts and obviously you can not think healthy. BTW the price tag of your puppet immigration miniister will be heavy but since you do not work or pay taxes you won’t feel it
Susan,
“APPLICATION” is definatly not a promise???
sure it is not. Holding the appllication fee for 10 years is not a promide either for you but court may think otherwise. Anyways as your name shows you are a typical white colonizer who badly defeated by immigrants in Canada. See how kids are doing in schools and how your are doing. Your pain can be explained . Your lack of confidence is obvious but deleting 300,000 imigration applications will not save you cause you are not capable of competing against immigrants or in global market. Thanks for the confession
Again, for few sick rednecks here I post this for your pleasure to see how these two heros pissed on your government and its decisions:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=75FmimeFnu8&feature=player_embedded
Angry? locate a well close to yourself
Folks,
Do not the racial and anti-immigrant ranting of a couple of people here to frustrate you. Their frustration comes from their subcouncious feeling of imcompetence or delusion of supremacy. I have lived in Cnada and now these white supremacists or Nth generation immigrants inside out. They know nothing and can do nothing but to vote for a corrupted person who has comitted more scandals in few years he had the power than anybody else in Canada’s history.
As I have mentioned before, the only practical way to have this challenged and to hold those criminals in government of Canada accountable, is through legal system. There are big loopholes in the childish justification of immigration minister on his overnight dream of rejection of 300K of applications and there are definite penalties and compensation even if by a remote chance court to uphold CIC decision which is highly remote and most likely the court will order to resume the processing of the applications with the critria of the time of application. Whether the climate change or backlog is irrelevant and can not be used by Harper to defned himself.
This will only happen if you take legal action.
Fresh from Jason Kenny’s kitchen:
http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/information/applications/skilled.asp
it says:
Note: As of July 1, 2012, CIC will temporarily stop accepting applications for the Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSWP). This temporary pause does not apply to those with a qualifying job offer or applying under the PhD stream. We will likely start accepting applications again when the revised FSWP selection criteria take effect. Proposed FSWP changes should come into force in early 2013.
so basically he will only accept investors with 3.2 million capital or temp work permit as cheap labour for Alberta’s remote villages. Conservatives will love it. What they won’t like is the long term impact of it
Canada is full. Immigrants should kindly go home.
It looks like Harper and Jason Kenney are using aliases of Susan and Janice.
@Stefan,Susan,Janice all of you you also come out of Canada so that your country could have some breathing space. Racists should be thrown out of Canada for good and packed off to Australia and UK from where they came.
Strefan, after you. The way you talk you clearly show how Canadian you are. If you are not first nation you are immigrant and do please leave. This country does not need rednecks or fascists. This is liberal country buildt on immigration. If you do not know that, you have compeletly lost it
So we are better off taking back our refunds and move on; leaving Susan with her Canada because when she dies she will be burying Canada with her as well and all immigrants will fart when she starts to rot….
Shamrock, I don’t know what to say. Canada under Conservative government is showing its fascist face. People now can easily see why Germans followed Hitler in WWII. Governments fool people and make them ignorant and arrogant, as you see in some cases here. The selfishness of these people has no limitation. They say since they came earlier they do not let others to come as if they own this country. They have abused the real owners of this country (natives) and seeing new generation immigrants are doing better in harsh condition make them very agitated. I have a freind who have joined a legal action on this but the outcome is not clear as yet. For those rednecks here i quote Albert Einestien saying ‘ the difference between stupidity and being genuis is that the second one has a limit’. One day Canada will feel sorry for this. Jason Kenney, the so-called immigration minister is a child who runs a ministry by his hatred rather than rationale. What these rednecks won’t like is the impact of immigration cut to economy, with the housing market down, the economy will go to further recession
This is action on the part of the Government is disappointing beyond words. Changes in rules should not lead to the discarding of applications in the pipeline. They should “grandfather” them so that they are considered under the old rules as applications submitted under the new rules. That way, the process would be equitable.
I am taking into account the words of Susan:
“Take an opportunity when it is presented to you and if your application is accepted then yeah move to Canada but if not you have still moved on with your future.”
Dear ms susan, i am one of the thousands of people who did not avail opportunities as I had faith in the Canadian system. When we deal with human beings, let us not forget of Human Rights and Responsibilities. Taking time for processing our case is their Right,
and it was our responsiility to co-operate by waiting. We did our bit for 9 years. Now when
it ‘s your turn to honour your deed , it is very inhumane to throw people like that.
it’s your
it’s
Mr Kenny
HOW DO YOU PLAN TO RETURN MY EIGHT YEARS OF LIFE?
its a bad management style…If you can’t take immigrants don’t take more than 130 million and keep it for 6 to8 yrs with no interest …. you sold false merchandise and you not only have to give what you took back , but give also a compensation to all that you deceived….and for patriots talking about their grandparents,,,wake up its 2012 …you don’t hide your deception by pulling out the racism or patriot card , the immigrants are clear on what they want, why aren’t you?
Well here is a link that can rev up our class action law suit against CIC: http://www.canadaclassaction.com/
RE: Skilled Worker Backlog 2012 Update Opposing legislation to eliminate the backlog of federal skilled worker applicants? We invite all affected applicants to join our team …
Canada Class Action canadaclassaction.com
Canada Immigration Developments
http://www.canadaclassaction.com/
My dear friends and vctims of immigration fraud. what you are saying is correct. Harper’s government has done a very cruel, dishonest and fradulant decision and passed it as law as part of their budget benefitting from their majority in the Parliament. The majority that they won with rigged election!
The damage this government has caused to hundreds of thousands of people who have done nothing wrong but trusting Canada is huge, diverse and can not be compensated. No matter what Jason Kenney sells it to Canadian public, backlog or economic change, the reality is his government’s hatred of immigrant rooted in their belief system. Concervatives never liked those who did not look or think like them. They are alarmed that changing dermography would result in them losing the votes. The matter is personal and political rather than backlog or anything else. At the same time, by cimitting this crime (immigration fraud) they have bought the votes of those racist and rednecks who feel weak comparing themselves with educated and young and determined immigrants. They see how first generation immigrant kids are graduating with high degrees from universities while their own kids are dropping off the schools.
Looking at the legal side, though the application for immigration is not a promise of acceptance, holding the fee for years and acknowledging the receipt of your application and providing you with estimated processing time, is a cimmitment to process those applications. The psomise that is broken due to some stupid reasoning that only Kenney can understand it. As I see this government deserves a huge class action law suit to pay the price of abusing people’s trust and using their application fees with the intention of not processing those applications for years
Hello Jam Jam (and other interested parties),
The next issue of CIC News is coming out tomorrow. It includes a feature that explores the events that led to the elimination of the backlog. It will also be telling pre-February 2008 applicants exactly what they can do to fight the decision.
-The CIC Team
I believe that instead of accepting anymore immigrant applicants, the Canadian Government should focus on reducing national deficit and creating more fiscally efficient government infrastructure, an integral part of which is tied to immigration policy and processing times.
It should be a lesson for all those people who despite of being skilled are not utilizing their skills to uplift their country’s status. Shame on all those people who has been wasting their time waiting on Que and blaming Canadian Government instead.
I believe that PR should be something that should be evaluative rather than greed to settle your self in developed nation. I truly welcome the step taken by Canadian Government to return applications for immigrants. I suggest to return all other applications that are in the que. not just prior to 2008. But also others that are of 2009 and other.
Truly a commendable decision.
I seriously doubt the skills of all those so called FSWs who are applying for Canada for PR and are blaming Canadian Government now. If you guys call yourself skilled workers then why dont you all work for uplifting your own nation. Why are you all desperate to show that you guys are skilled to Canadian Government and begging like beggars!
All you guys have left is shameless attitude that will carry you all to nowhere. Some people loosed 5 and some 8 years What were yo guys doing until then? Is the Canadian Government responsible for it? NO. Its yo guys who have wasted your time. So stop blaming Canadian Government. And atleast now respect the decision of the Canadian Government and start working on upgrading your so called skills.
If it is for business purpose that is completely understandable. Bu what is it with so called skilled workers???
I completely dont understand it. This is my question to Canadian Government. If these people are begging like beggars to get Canadian PR. Then how can you think that these people can be responsible citizens of Canada tomorrow? These people’s intention is clear they want to earn money and fulfill their selfish dreams. Thats it…
Please strictly evaluate these kinds of so called skilled workers so that they dont get the PR just because their so called relatives are settled at Canada or anything like that. These people are not being honest to their country how would they do good to Canada? All these people are bunch of rats who will run away before the ships wrecks…
Its high time to put an stop to all other applicants after 2008 as well. That should include applicants from 2009 and consecutive years. My suggestion is for those FSWs. Because if these so called skilled workers were skillful then why would they blame Canadian government now? .
This question is to the Canadian Government.
I am a student from Nepal. In Nepal also there are many such so called FSW applicants who are doing crime to get Canadian PR. I dont want to disclose the name but its true that it has happened. There is a case in Nepal. One of the so called FSW applicant has done marriage to a girl who has Canadian relatives at Canada. So taking advantage of it. Both of them did the marriage just a contract marriage. This man is a college lecturer. He hide this from his parents that he is married now. No one knows about this marriage. His Canadian PR process is in process. He has applied to Canadian PR at around 2009 or somewhere.
They decided to take divorce after they reach Canada. but this man destroyed the life of another girl whom he have given word to get married. Now this man is playing with another girls life. What should the other girl do? Because this man did this paper marriage three years back and applied for Canadian PR. And the other girl met this man after one year. But this man did not told anything about his paper marriage and kept her in darkness.That man has remained away from the first girl for three years. They are never living together. The boys family, friends, colleagues does not even know bout this marriage. so how can it be a genuine marriage? Now this girl’s life is completely destroyed. This man is using both girls to his selfishness.
What can she do to get justice. It is an incident of one of my friend. And its true and I can provide the evidence if required.
This kind of crime is happening to get Canadian PR. People get so low to get sch immigration permission. I therefore completely support Canadian Government’s decision to return the applications of so called FSWs. This is all about justice and equality to all in true sense.
To all those friends who have wasted their time. My only suggestion is that its not too late. Please stop following shortcut to your dreams. Start working now with whatever and wherever you are.
Can you all imaging a man doing this to a girl? Now that girl is living a life f a hell. She is waiting for that man’s medical to come. If that will happen we girls would not have faith in Canadian Justice ever again. I request to halt the PR process of this man. This man is an applicant from Nepal and is a lecturer. His date of birth is 1979, july 1. most probably. If the Candian government will not take action against this man this man and others like him will never get a lesson and will always cheat Canadian Government. Therefore, waiting for the justice to happen….
cynderella.
First of all you are not justice minister to apply the justice.
Second, you are blindly generalizing a case to 300,000 applicants. This is so ignorant of you and shows your understanding or as a matter of fact lack of it.
Third, speaking of justice, those 300,000 applicants some of them waiting 10 years and altering their plans, gpoing through costly process and losing money and time are demanding justice and just to disappoint you, there are few legal action in process which will be costly for government of Canada on top of the shame the Conservatives are already in. I do not expect you can get the complications surrounding the offence committed by government of Canada.
Anyways, as you say you are a student, I can can understand that you do not understand anything about Canada and its liberal values. Here in Canada we do not spy on people and we do not generalize the cases. Each case has its own situation. If you were really an student you should have learnt that first. So before you speak learn how to speak
Cynderella,
Why don’t you leave Canada for Canadians. We have enough arrogant and fanataic uneducated people here. We don’t want another one imported from Nepal as student. As the level of bitterness manisfested in your uneducated comments, you have exposed yourself as a person who has personal conflict of interrest with FSW. As you showed lack of any knowledge, just to shake you up, we have a lot of top surgions and doctors, nurses and engineers who have come to Canada as FSW and doing much better job than those got their education in here. btw, it seems that you have confused this site with immigration site. If somebody has used you and dumped you and you want to report him this is not the place. You can take your bitterness somewhere else. As per you own logic being used and abused is OK and it is absed person’s issue. That is what you mentioned about those applicants whoes applications terminated unjustly. But again there is a price tag for this. Since yourself is a burden on Canada and taxpayers like me, you won’t feel it though. Get over it, take a hike
DEAR SUSAN
HI. JUST OPENED THIS SITE TO SEE YOU REPLY TO MY OPINION ON 14 JUNE. NICE VERY INTERESTING. NO OFFENCE MADAM BUT DO YOU WORK FOR THE GOVT OF CANADA? YOUR OPINON ABOUT IMMIGRATION REMINDS ME OF THE NAZI’S DOCTORINE AND THE SUPREMACY OF THE ANGLO-SAXON RACE HAVING ITS ORIGIN IN THE PRE DOMINANCE OF THE PURE BLOND HAIRED BLUE BLOODED ARYAN RACE. MADAM YOU SPEAK OR RATHER REFER IT TO AS JUST AN APPLICATION THATS ALL LOSE GET IT SO WHAT ,HOW DOES IT MATER? OK MS SUSAN WE ARE NOT TALKING ABOUT GETTING A JOB OR BEING FIRED THE NEXT DAY AND ITS COOL. WE ARE TALKING ABOUT INTERNATIONAL POLICIES WHERE IN GOVTS MAKE COMMITMENTS AS PER EXISTING POLICIES AND HONOUR THEN . POST 2008 YES CANADA HAS THE ABSOLUTE RIGHT TO AMEND ITS POLICIES WITH REGARD TO IMMIGRATION. PRE 2008 CANADA HAS THE MORAL OBLIGATION TO HONOUR ITS COMMITMENTS. KINDLY DO NOT WHIP UP A HYESTRICAL CAMPAIGN OF ZYNOPHOBIA OF SELF PERSECUTION BY RAVIGING NORMADIC TRIBES FROM MONGLIA ,CHINA ,INDIA ,KOREA, WHO WOULD DECEND UPON THE CANADIANS.WE ARE TO MATURE AND CIVILIZED TO DO SO?PL DO UNDERSTAND THE INTERCISES OF WHAT TRASPIRES AT INTERNATIONAL LEVEL. I AM SURE YOU DO FEEL VERY STRONGLY ABOUT YOU OPINION AND FEELINGS AND RIGHTLY SO. IN THE FUTURE IF CANADA FEELS THAT POST 2008 FAST TRACK INDIVIDUALS ARE NO LONGER IN DEMAND ,WOULD THEIR APPLICATIONS ALSO BE RETURNED. AGAIN YOU WOULD SAY ITS JUST AN APPLICATION SO WHAT? IS THIS A RIGHT ATTITUDE FROM CITIZENS OF A COUNTRY WHO CONSIDER THEM SELVES THE MOST CIVILIZED PEACEFUL AND MATURE ON THE GLOBE? HITLER, MUSSOLONNII ,IN EUROPE FOLLOWED IT, KHOMER ROUGE IN CAMBODIA, TALIBAN IN AFGANISTAN , MILITANTS IN CHECHENEYA [FORMER USSR ] AND THE ENTIRE SOVIET UNION FOLLOWED IT TILL ITS FALL UNDER PRESIDENT MAEKHIL GORBOCHOF, HUTU REBELS IN RWANDA {AFRICA}. SO YOU SEE HAVING A CLOSED MIND SET AND FOREIGN POLICIES COMING OUT OF A UNNESSARY FEAR OF THE OUT SIDE WORLD NO MATTER HOW MINSCULE RESULTS IN PEOPLE ADOPTING ZYONIST LEENINGS. YES AS A MATURE COUNTRY CANADA CAN STOP IMMIRATION FOR GOOD KEEPING IN VIEW THE COLLOSOL , SEVERE STRAIN IMMIGRATION IS CAUSING TO ITS NATURAL RESOURCES, BUT COMMITMENTS MADE NO MATTER HOW BAD OR GOOD THE DEAL TURNS OUT TO BE , HAVE TO BE HONOURED. THAT IS WHAT ANY ORGANISATION ,COUNTRY WOULD DO. AND ONE MORE ASPECT MS SUSAN TODAY THE WEST IS DEVELOPED ,DO PLEASE REMEMBER THAT CHINEASE ,INDIAN , MESOPTIMAM [IRAQ}, EGYPTIAN CIVILIZATIONS WERE HIGHLY CIVILIZED WHEN MORDERN DAY ANGLO -SAXONS IN EUROPE WERE CANNIBALS DEVOURING FLESH OF ANY KIND WHEN THESE CIVILIZATIONS WERE GROWING THEIR FOOD AND LIVING IN ORGANISED TOWN IN PLACES LIKE MOHAN -JO -DARO ,HARAPPAN CIVILIATION, THE NILE DELTA . SO DEAR MY DEAR MS SUASN NOW ITS YOUR TIME BUT CAN YOU BE ARROGANT ENOUGH TO SAY IT WILL LAST FOR EVER…….? PLEASE THIS IS NOT MEANT TO BE OFFENSIVE AS THEY ARE MY VIEWS FROM A PERSON LIVING FAR AWAY. AS THEY SAY IN YOGA AND MEDITATION ” WHAT APPEARS IS NOT WHAT IT PROMISSES TO BE….WHAT DOES NOT APPEAR IS WHAT IT WAS ALWAYS MEANT TO BE”. TAKE CARE GOD BLESS YOU AND YOUR GREAT COUNTRY .
I absolutely agree with you, Susan. And I knew you would be called a racist for speaking truthfully about your feelings. The majority of people that I know feel exactly the same way you do. We’re so tired (and bored) with the liberal/fascist dogma regarding multiculturalism. I worked somewhere wherein I would see plane loads of third world immigrants being brought into Canada. All of them had a brood of kids, yet lacked job skills, money, clothing (except for what was on their backs), and only a few could even understand English. Guess who is paying to look after them? US!
Oh, and Susan, the bottom line is this regarding immigration into Canada. If someone is DESPERATELY trying to immigrate into Canada, it’s only because the person immigrating is going to BENEFIT by living with us, however, if you are against them immigrating it is not because you are racist, rather, but because you are not benefiting from them immigrating here. It’s not racist at all, but simple self-preservation … a matter that has no racial indemnity. Thus ignore them trying to suppress your absolute freedom of speech by their race baiting propaganda. Seek solace by enjoying our European contributions to science, medicine, arts and entertainment, physics, transportation, aeronautics, mathematics…. the list is endless.
Elizabeth, first let me tell you that you are NOT a racist. This is an old trick pulled out by very desperate people in an attempt to silence your very valid opinion and concerns. In fact, it’s a trick that most Canadians have grown tired of… yawn. Oh, and the technology they are using to post about you being a racist, is technology that we created. Isn’t it ironic? lol
I”m planning a vacation, and I am having trouble deciding what part of my lovely country I shall visit first. Decisions, decisions.
Hi this has to count as a disgraceful decision by Canada Immigration. Does anyone know of any legal action groups that are fighting this that I can join. I applied under the Federal Skilled Worker programme from the London office in Oct 2007.
Donna,
Something is telling me you are the same character as Elizabeth/Susan looking at you sadestic attitude. There is a lot to be told about your comments but I remebered a Persian colleague of mine quoting ‘the best answer for idiots is the silence’ and he was right as silence is the best reaction for ignorant and uneducated people like yourself. Canada does not belong to you or Cons like you. It never will.
Stuart,
I am sorry to hear what this irresposible government has done. I have helped my friend to join a group of litigants represented by Tim Leathy (unfaircics.com) and the decision is yet to be made. You can read more about the current status of the application with the court using the mentioned URL or email the lawyer who is Toronto-based. I am aware that there are multiple legal actions are launched in parallel. Maybe others here have more detail on those actions. It seems that at the, end all will be part of bigger class action lawsuit against the government of Canada for the fraud it has comitted.
Every immigrant that comes to canada is putting canadians in the hole. We do not need the levels of immigration (which is the highest in the world) at taxpayers expense. It costs 10000 canadian for every immigrant who comes here. One in every two goes on welfare. Some are joining criminal gangs. Some do open small businesses but usually its a corner store or a business that only hires THEIR OWN. There used to be a mutual respect when the minorities were 10% and whites were the majority. Now everyone disrespects everyone- it is a banana republic. There are some foreignors coming here who think low of women and in my field, they no longer pay a wage. An example of this is medical transcription.
This is totally Humiliating and Unfair decision people who were waiting were strongly trusted on Canada’s government and didn’t tried for any other options ………..
I don’t have words to show my grief my all sympathy is with all the victims of Canada immigration who has applied before and after 2007, why I am saying after 2007 because that can also be retuned in future please mentally prepare yourself for it ……………….
hi, the canadian immigration system is a crime. every applicant works hard for his application and have a lot af costs, but what does the goverment ?? nothing , the application forms sleeps many man years oncthe table of the visa bureos. Did the goverment knows that every applicant have a lot of costs and a lot of time spent in his application. I mean that is a great shame to canada. Go in a other place – its better for you
I feel very sorry for those Canadians who think that their lives are miserable because of the immigrants. Migration is both natural and desirable, and respecting diversity is a fundamental condition for a peaceful life (not to forget is a right guaranteed with the United Nation).
We (as people) tend to fear those who are different than us, but unless we overcome this fear, we will never be able to learn more, to embrace more, and to eventually become better people because we tried to understand “them”. We are all people, and we all have the right to look for better future for us and our children. If Canadian Government had given hope by accepting applications to thousands of applicants, then they have the obligation to review each application on case-by-case. It is not just about fairness, it is about responsibilities of governments to their citizens and to the people who are not their citizens.
While, I would never put on hold my life while waiting (for anything), I have been there and I know that many people that apply may not even have another chance. Coming from a “transitional country”, where the unemployment rate has been chronically high, I can say that I loved my job (yes, because I was capable, I found a very good job). However, I worked over 80 hours a week and was underpaid. In other words, although I did not have time to spend my money, the pay check was so small that it hardly covered the monthly expenses. I still loved my job, because it offered self-fulfillment-I knew I was doing good to society.
But then, the reality stroke me hard, I was getting older with almost no perspective to find a better paid job (elsewhere in my country that I love so much). So, it was not because I did not try, it was because there was a better chance elsewhere. And, fortunately, my knowledge and skills were recognized, and I grew up to like and even love my host country. Yes, I can love two places and two countries. I never gave up my country’s citizenship. I just have dual. And, I work on projects that bring me back to my country, but I also contribute with my work to my host country. I pay taxes to my host country and I think that is fair.
So, to all those in this forum who rushed to generalize based on one case: not all cases are immoral, not all who come are “beggars”; in fact, if this was the case, not many Western developed countries would host so many immigrants. I believe I do not rush to generalize based on my case as I really think that there is a reason why developed countries are interested in bringing qualified people to their own land. And, perhaps there is a need beyond the economic logic, too.
Hello Susan Stewarts, you don’t speak like somebody educated, if you have a bias against people coming over to your country keep it to yourself; people like you should have existed in the 13th century. Keep your mouth shut as somebody wise, or speak foolishly as usual.
The unfortunate news is that on September 18, 2012 the Federal Court has declined to extend beyond September 29, 2012 the bar imposed on CIC to act on closing the pre Feb 2008 files. Thus, as of October 1, 2012 the pre Feb 2008 applicants can expect to see the refund cheques flowing. However, the agony with the class action lingers until about November when arguments for counsel will be heard by the presiding judge on whether true class action or managed proceedings will take precedence.
Although I strongly support and feel the pain of so much of my fellow pre Feb 2008 applicants; our expenses, time, missed opportunities, my position after all the ramblings is that we should not be forcing ourselves onto or into a country which appears to abhor immigrants that much. So what is it all about with the taking in of over 4,000 Iranian refugees into Canada and the dining of Minister Jason Kenney with some of them? Cheap labour or what? Our qualifications and experiences outside of Canada have no value and according to all that I have read FSW are at the bottom of the pack. I have completed additional studies and gained further experience and such proof of my additional qualifications was submitted to CIC and there wasn’t even the courtesy of an acknowledge receipt. Upon introspection my file was submitted in 2007 and a letter from CIC stating that a review would be conducted within a year was kept and additional documents were requested and submitted. In my opinion the consent to hold those files were long ago decided; so much so that the FIFO rule was totally ignored. So whoever wants to apply under the newly designed plan more power to you but another round of MI will follow soon because of the inept structure of the new points grid. I am patiently awaiting my refund and my original documents; otherwise I will view my missing documents as a breach of the confidentiality of my information and that’s what I am going to sue CIC for. Everything else was not a right but a privilege, even when it was glaringly a fake and a promulgated fraud and assault on human rights. We were waiting like innocent lambs to be slaughtered.
why did they slash out applications before 2008 why not all of them?fuck on canada government n go to hell ,its very disappointed decison after waiting more than 6 yrs they r returning applications where were they before it?were they sleeping in the hell ?
Hope that Canadian immigration officers and Minister Kenny will consider our application filed before 2008, instead of extending humanitarian consideration to Vietnamese refugees, Iranian, and the like of those who will bin Canada for Government Support, Skilled Federal workers with good credentials and experience be taken in. for sure they will be of great value to their economy.
Prayers for them to be more considerate..probably instead of bombarding the issue a positive approach to the situation will be taken at its best.. or paid check be paid with corresponding interest rate for devaluation of money..that being use up to sustain their economyeconomy..
@ Jam Jam, In addition to what you mentioned; it is my understanding that the presiding judge had declined to extend the voluntary stay of action because CIC has areed not to destroy the files for two years… This brings me back to the same question that I asked before: whether this will be a SURREPTITIOUS way for Canadian Immigration Officers to deny FSW visas without the refund of the processing fees. Canada would save the $130M in their coffers and have a big laugh. Let us all look out and brace ourselves for this and let us continue to use this blog. a more charitable approach will emerge wherby the PRE fEB 2008 backlog files will not be processed within the two years and eventually the refund will follow. Either way CIC may not be able to afford the refund at this time irrespective of the announcement.
The next big issue is the challenge to legality of bill 87.4..
Dear Marls
I would eliminate the title of “MR’ from Kenney’s name. He is simply a gangester of Harpers conservative choosend to eliminate the immigration from Asia and middle-east and direct it toward England, US and Canada’s allies while shifting immigration to temp. worker system *new slavor). Everyday he is selling buch of lies about immigrants and how much they cost for Canada and public blindly buys it. Concervative have committed the bisggest shame in immigration history and who who votes and supported them have participated in the crime. Jason Kenney do not have a normal IQ level to run a ministry or foresee Canada’s future need. Even after he rvised and announces new FSW application critria nobody should trsut his world as he can change it over night
If you don’t like the way Canada handled things- no one is asking you to move there! Remember you want into our country, not the other way around.
As one of the pre- 2008 applicants, praying that Canadian Government revise laws integrating international and universal human rights policies.To all pre-2008 applicants, God has a better plan for us just never stop praying and pursuing your dreams.
Here is a print report from the Toronto Star:
Ontario immigration strategy calls for more power to pick newcomers
Published on Wednesday October 03, 2012
Share on twitterShare on facebookNicholas Keung
Immigration Reporter
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Ontario needs to attract at least 135,000 newcomers a year, raise the ratio of skilled workers and take charge of immigrant selection to keep its economic engine running beyond 2014, says a government-appointed panel.
The findings of the expert panel will be presented to provincial Immigration Minister Charles Sousa on Wednesday, seven months after it was appointed to tackle declining immigration to the province, skill shortages and the falling economic performance of newcomers.
The report will form a blueprint for Ontario’s “first-ever” immigration strategy. Despite long being the top destination for newcomers to Canada, the province has seen its share of immigrant intake dropping by almost one-third over the past decade. In 2001, 59.3 per cent of immigrants (148,640) landed in Ontario; last year, it was just 40 per cent, or 99,000 individuals.
While Ontario is expected to face a shortage of 364,000 skilled workers by 2025, the report found that only 24 per cent of internationally trained immigrants in Ontario were working in their actual field of training in 2010. That compares with 62 per cent for the Ontario population overall.
“A natural decline in the relative size of Ontario’s working age population — due primarily to aging and low fertility rates — will put pressure on public finances as fewer workers support more retired Ontarians,” warned the 60-page report, obtained by the Star.
“Without any further immigration to Ontario, it is anticipated the working-age population will begin to decline by 2014.”
According to the 13-member panel — made up of economists, people working in immigrant settlement, and corporate and industry leaders — newcomers who have been in Ontario for less than five years earned 23.2 per cent less than their Canadian-born counterparts in 2011. Across Canada the average earnings were slightly better — though still 21.6 per cent less than well-established Canadians.
Ontario’s unemployment rate for immigrants last year was the second-worst in the country at 15.7 per cent — double the province’s overall unemployment rate of 7.6 per cent.
The economic struggles Ontario immigrants face have much to do with the province’s transforming economy, says the report. Jobs in the manufacturing sector, as a share of all Ontario jobs, have declined by 35 per cent in the last decade.
Compounding the problem is the decline in the number of immigrants in the skilled category, from 64 per cent in 2001 to 52 per cent in 2011.
In contrast, 71 per cent of immigrants arriving to other provinces were in the skilled class, a group that is overall better educated and generally has an easier time integrating into the labour market than those in the family reunification and refugee classes.
Since 2008, Ottawa has restricted the federal skilled worker program to “narrow and often outdated” occupations that do not meet Ontario’s labour market needs, the report suggests. The federal government has also limited the province’s ability to select its own immigrants by capping the quota for provincial “nominees” at 1,000 a year.
“This focus has come at the expense of overall human capital, and has subsequently contributed to worse long-term outcomes for immigrants,” said the panel, headed by Julia Deans, past CEO of Greater Toronto CivicAction Alliance, a consortium of community groups.
The report says it is important to renew Ontario’s partnership with Ottawa — the two have been without an active immigration pact since March 2011 — and to allow the province “a greater role” in selecting immigrants to ensure its specific needs are met. It holds up as an example Quebec, which has been allowed to pick its own immigrants by enacting its own immigration legislation.
Twenty of the report’s 32 specific recommendations deal with immigrant selection, including:
• Raising annual immigrant intake to 135,000 and the proportion of skilled class to 65 to 70 per cent of all immigrants to Ontario.
• Revamping the federal skilled worker program by eliminating the priority occupation list.
• Piloting a new Expression of Interest immigrant selection model to “enhance the flexibility, responsiveness and speed of economic immigration.”
• Promoting Ontario as a destination, as well as various programs available, such as the Provincial Nominee Program and Canada Experience Class.
• Shifting the focus of the federal temporary foreign worker program from attracting low-skilled workers to more high-skilled ones. “It should not be used to bring low-skilled workers into the labour market other than in limited circumstances,” the report recommends.
• Incorporating recruitment of immigrant entrepreneurs into the province’s Open for Business strategy.
Susan Stewart you are a POS…all Canadians hail from immigrants you clueless, xenophobic he!fer.
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