goodnews for post june 26...'coz they would receive their Visas in 8 mos
Federal Skilled Worker Program targets show need for reform
Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) is slashing the number of tradespeople targeted for selection this year, but the Canadian Construction Association (CCA) hopes to see more access for these workers.
Vancouver immigration lawyer Richard Kurland obtained data from CIC that reveals only 55,900 people are being targeted for selection in 2011 under the Federal Skilled Worker program.
The data, which was obtained using an access to information request, represents a decline of 20 per cent from 69,915 in 2010.
“The reduction in the number of people coming into Canada under this program initially sounds terrible,” said Michael Atkinson, president of the Canadian Construction Association (CCA).
“It doesn’t make sense to be reducing the number of people coming in, but these numbers don’t matter if the system is not working for the construction industry. Rather than worrying about numbers, the system needs to be fixed.”
As a result of this problem, the CIC started a process of public consultation on Feb. 17. It plans to overhaul the program.
“The Canadian Construction Association is hoping the reforms being discussed, with respect to the Federal Skilled Worker program, will make it more user friendly to the construction industry,” said Atkinson.
“The current system puts too much emphasis on language proficiency and post secondary education. If you don’t have a good score in these categories, you can’t get enough points to qualify for citizenship. The program has not worked for the trades.”
Jason Kenney, Minister of Citizenship, Immigration and Multiculturalism said their research points to some key changes that will guide policy reform.
To start, the current selection system awards a maximum of 16 points (out of a total of 100) for high proficiency in one official language.
CIC will consult on increasing the maximum points awarded for proficiency in the first official language from 16 to 20, and on establishing minimum language requirements, depending on the immigrant’s occupational skill level.
This means that tradespeople will have a different language requirement than managers or professionals.
Education points are awarded based on the credential and the number of associated years of education.
Skilled tradespeople often have a credential in their trade, but not the required years of education, so they are disadvantaged and lose points.
The proposal is to reduce the number of years of education required to claim points for a trade or other non-university credential.
This change would help improve access for skilled tradespeople, technicians and apprentices, who have valid post-secondary qualifications, but not the required number of years of study.
Younger immigrants have higher rates of employment and earnings than older immigrants.
For example, immigrants aged 45 or older experience unemployment rates almost double those aged 25–34.
The selection system currently awards the maximum 10 points to applicants up to age 49.
CIC will consult on proposed changes to award a maximum of 12 points until age 35, with diminishing points awarded until age 49.
Points wouldn’t be awarded after age 50.
Kurland’s figures from the CIC also show the number of people that are targeted to receive a visa under the Provincial Nominee Program is forecast to increase by nine percent to 40,300 in 2011 from 36,650 in 2010. He argued that the relationship between the numbers of workers being targeted by these two programs reveals a hidden government agenda.
“If you combine the two targets over time, the total is close to being the same, but the proportions are changing so there are more provincial than federal decisions in the overall selection process,” said Kurland.
“The design is to push down the cost of the selection decision to the provinces. The soft skills required for construction must be verified for every file and employers must also be checked out locally. The feds are leaving all the heavy lifting to the provinces.”
CIC estimates that skilled tradespeople currently make up less than three per cent of all federal skilled worker applicants.
The new program only accepts 20,000 applications each year and there are 29 occupations that only accept up to 1,000 applications.
“Unless you are a manager, a construction worker can’t get a footing,” said Kurland. “So, in terms of construction, the number of people in this program is insignificant.”
Once the number of applications hits 20,000 for the year, the process stops.
About 80 per cent of the people that apply under the new system get a visa in nine months.
For the remainder, it can take up to six or seven years to receive a visa.
This issue will be discussed during the CCA Human Resources Committee on March 8 at the annual conference in Hawaii.
Let the sun shine for us Lord!
