Archives for May 2007

Four years ago, Statistics Canada launched a program to track the successes, challenges and attitudes of new immigrants to Canada over a number of years. The results are in, and recent immigrants are giving the thumbs-up to their newly adopted nation.

The recently released report is from a Canadian government program that aims to better understand the immigrant experience. The initial report presents a very promising picture. Three quarters of the immigrants surveyed state that they are very happy with their new lives in Canada, while only 9 per cent are not satisfied. The most important factors mentioned by respondents in contributing to this happiness were quality of life, future prospects for their family, and Canada’s peaceful nature.

If faced with the same decision today, the group of newcomers felt strongly that they would still make the choice to come to Canada. After arrival, over 90 per cent of the immigrants participating in the study planned to settle permanently and apply for citizenship. In addition, approximately half hoped to bring more of their relatives over through family sponsorship.

Four years after arrival, over two thirds of the recent immigrants who participated in the study said that their life in Canada has already met or exceeded their expectations.

“Initially as immigrants, you are focused on settling down, doing a balancing act of trying to fit in while preserving your heritage,” states Naresh Roy Patel, a trustee of a new Indian heritage museum in Toronto. Slated to open in July, the new Swaminarayan complex, which includes a Hindu temple and a Haveli, is a signal that Indo-Canadians have established themselves in Canada and are ready and proud to share their cultural heritage with their fellow residents. “As the community has prospered and established itself [in Canada], now is the time to think of our legacy. And that’s what this is all about.”

As for other communities, the Muslim immigrant experience in Canada is showcased in a successful new television show about a Muslim community in the province of Saskatchewan. The show attracted a record number of viewers for its premiere on the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. It will soon be aired in France and Switzerland, and several other European and American broadcasters have expressed interest in it.

Indian, Muslim, and a multitude of other cultures are finding their place and establishing themselves in the fabric of Canadian society.

The Agreement for Canada-Alberta Cooperation on Immigration will streamline immigration to Alberta, making it easier and faster for foreign workers to settle in the province.

Signed last week by the Minister of Citizenship and Immigration Canada, the Alberta Minister of Employment, Immigration, and Industry, and the Premier of Alberta, the new agreement addresses Alberta’s chronic labour shortages. With a booming economy, the province needs to attract more skilled workers, and more importantly, it needs to retain them. The agreement recognizes that community and integration services are an important part of keeping the newcomers in Alberta to build up the workforce.Under the new deal:

• There will no longer be a limit on the number of immigrants that Alberta can nominate for Canadian Permanent Residency (under the Provincial Nomination Program), allowing the province to select and retain newcomers with skills that are in demand.
• The agreement will develop mechanisms to make it easier and quicker to get the foreign workers needed to meet growing labour force demands.
• A pilot project will be launched, aimed at fast-tracking the entry of foreign health care professionals.
• The Government of Canada has committed to “fair and ongoing” funding for immigrant settlement services in Alberta and recognizes the importance of involving community stakeholders in developing programs and services to help newcomers integrate into Alberta society and the Alberta work force.

The Agreement for Canada-Alberta Cooperation on Immigration builds on the established collaborative relationship between Alberta and Canada on immigration issues. “It sets out a framework for enhanced federal-provincial immigration cooperation and partnerships,” notes Alberta Premier Ed Stelmach who has been pursuing a “made-in-Alberta” approach to immigration since he took office in December.

To qualify for the Alberta Provincial Nominee Program, applicants must receive an offer of employment from an Alberta employer. The position must be in a skilled occupation for which there is a short supply of workers in Alberta. In the past, the program focused on occupations that required more highly-skilled training such as physicians, managers, and educators. Under the new expanded program, nominations can be made for occupations in manufacturing, tourism, and transportation. There is also a new focus on international student graduates who have received a job offer in Alberta.

The news of the Alberta PNP expansion was announced just as this newsletter was being released. Please check the Canadavisa Alberta Provincial Nominee Program webpage in the coming days for details about the new categories.

Learn more about Alberta.

A new report released by the Association of Universities and Colleges of Canada projects that on a national scale, Canadian university enrolment over the next ten years will increase by up to an additional 150,000 students. Labour market demand, immigration, and international students are important contributing factors to the increased participation rates.

Canada’s increasingly knowledge-based economy is fuelling national university enrolment growth by demanding more and more skilled knowledge workers. Since 1990, the number of Canadian jobs that require a university education has doubled, and remains the fastest growing segment of the labour market.

This new report indicates that a greater percentage of university-aged Canadians (18-21 years) will pursue higher education. To further stimulate enrolment rates, the Association of Universities and Colleges of Canada report calls on Canadian universities to attract more adult learners, distance learners, graduate students, visible minorities, international students, and student from less advantages economic backgrounds.

The international student body is an important driver of increased university enrolment rates at Canadian universities. Additionally, many foreign students are staying in Canada upon graduation and contributing to the Canadian labour force on Post-Graduation Work Permits. Provinces have implemented International Graduate streams in their Provincial Nomination Programs to encourage these students to stay and to become Canadian Permanent Residents.

Also fuelling increased post-secondary enrolment is immigration to Canada. Jeffrey Reitz, Professor of Ethnic, Immigration and Pluralism Studies at the University of Toronto states that, “many immigrants come to Canada particularly to provide a good education for their children.” He adds that children of immigrants are doing well in Canadian schools. New Canadian immigrants and their children are important drivers of increased university participation rates. They will ensure that Canadian universities can continue to produce world-class graduates and a strong and vibrant workforce to fuel the Canadian economy.

According to a recent study by consulting firm Deloitte and Touche LLP, many North American CEO’s are having trouble finding IT workers and are looking to foreign skilled workers to staff their organizations.

Read Full Article on CanadaVisa.com…

Canada needs more doctors. This message has been trumpeted for years by politicians, hospitals, and by many ordinary Canadians, who are unable to find a family doctor and are frustrated by the long delays to see a medical specialist. For a country that prides itself on having a first-class public health care system, things could be a lot better.

>> Read Full Blog on CanadaVisa.com . . .