Whats New in Canada-Update on CA

[mayankpandya]

Canada: Recession Responsible For Low Birth Rate!

Canada: Post Recession: The world markets are slowing emerging from the Great Recession of 2008 – 2009. Canada’s post recession recovery is not impressive. As the recessionary hangover continues globally, Canada faces slow growth prospects. This essentially means that jobs are hard to come by and the security of existing jobs is debatable. Other concerns are decrease in housing prices and increasing interest rates. The recession has also had a significant effect on the birth rate.

Recession and Only Child Families: Recession in Canada has had an impact on the size of families. There are more only child families today. Though the little bundle gives immense joy, he also causes considerable strain on the finances. It is a fact that children are expensive. In good economic times, people tend not to consider the financial implications of having another baby. But today, couples have to take that factor into account while planning an addition to the family. Also, the fact that they already have a child to care for in the present economic scenario does not push them towards the decision for a second one easily. Parents feel that they would be able to offer best opportunities to a single child rather than two.

Recession and Delayed Families: A study for the European Union by the Vienna Institute of Demography has revealed that educated women in rich countries postpone having babies in recessionary times. This holds true for Canadian women too. Many couples are willing to wait just a little bit longer before entering parenthood, in spite of the biological clock ticking away. Newly married couples invariably have mortgages on their house, which is a priority. If job security is not guaranteed or if one partner is laid off, the pressure becomes immense and pregnancy is the last thing on the mind. This means that couples will have children when they are much older. Though unhappy about this, couples are not confident about their ability to raise children in the current scenario of economic downturn.

Recession and Fertility Treatments and Adoptions: Several couples undergo expensive fertility treatments like artificial insemination to fulfill their parenthood dreams. Such procedures become unaffordable during recession, adversely affecting growth of families. Adoption procedure expenses, not very affordable normally, take off to unreachable heights during recession. Canadians are adopting lesser children during this recession.

The Future Ahead: Effects of the falling birth rate are not apparent on a national scale right now. But economists worry that the results may be seen two decades later as acute shortage in the work force. This is exactly what happened during the Great Depression of the 1930s. It is time to learn lessons from history and adopt corrective measures right now.

 

[mayankpandya]

Canada: Immigration Rules Change, Targets Investors and Workers

Prominent Change – Last year Citizenship and Immigration Canada declared in the Investor Category of the Business Ranks and even in Skilled Working class a prominent change. This mainly highlighted the requirements for people belonging to either class to apply for Permanent Residence in Canada that included tests & operational field.

Eligibility Working Class: As per the changes implemented last year a person belonging to the Skilled/Independent Worker Rank should meet the following requirements:

The results of the language proficiency test written.
Authentic hiring letter in a particular employment field.
Have a year long experience in full-time payroll work experience or a two-year long experience in a part-time remunerated work.
Twenty Nice (29) other working fields were also mentioned that required one year experience.

Implications: If a worker has already filed an application for PR prior to 26 June, 2010, the amends made to the law are not applicable to them. The application will be assessed with respect to the previous legislation. Conversely, if a worker hasn’t applied yet that these changes will be applicable. The application will be assessed according to the new legislation. If you haven’t applied yet, do it as soon as possible before the quota for June is reached.

Eligibility of Investor Class: For the Immigrant Investor Program, the Canadian Government has suggested for new eligibility criterion. According to the new eligibility conditions, new investors should have a net worth of $1.6 million and should be willing to make an investment of $800,000. Until the changes are brought in, new investments will be halted. Investment applications received before June 26, 2010 will be entertained. This will help to avert a stream of applicants before the changes are brought in.

Implications: Similar to that of the working class, any application filed prior to 26 June 2010, changes will not be applicable. All the eligibility requirements will be assessed considering according to the previous legislation. Just in case one is yet to apply for it any changes in the criterion may be applicable. Plus, one will not permitted to apply till the time suspension on new Investor Applications is raised which is expected to remain until the fall of 2010.

Options – In such a case there are two options for the investors:

Wait until the suspension is raised and if the new criterion are brought in, just check whether you’re eligible and then decide.
You can resort to migrating Canada immediately in the Business Class’s.
Entrepreneur Category suppose you are eligible:
Your selection of the above two options depend on whether your application has already been assessed or is yet to be if you’re a part of Non-Clients of CanReach Immigration.

 

[mayankpandya]

Canadian Investment: Housing or Bonds?

Before you set your mind on a particular type of investment may it be housing or may it be bonds - for a better rate of return and for a feeling of long term security, you got to be a smart investor and consider all pros and cons of the best investment options to choose from. After all – It’s about Money – Real money – Your money!
n the case of a comparison between bonds and housing too there is a merit of certain degree of comparison when it comes to analyzing the many factors on investment. Some of the key factors that can be envisaged as the defining points are here to help you crack that tough nut.

Returns on Investment: The returns on investment on different types of investment will certainly vary. Bonds may have a lower rate of return on investment, whereas real estate can have a higher rate in both the short as well as the long term. One reason could be the in-elasticity of supply, which when explained in layman terms means that new land cannot be generated or manufactured and hence commands a higher price than bonds which are nothing but pieces of paper which carries an assurance from the issuing authority. Housing gets the cake on this count.

Safety: Safety is an issue that is very relative with every passing moment in time. When one considers land as a safe option to invest since the demand for the same will always either remain steady or increase but will never decrease, there are certain perils that are associated with investment in land. Especially vulnerable are the tracts of land that may come in between tectonic plates or in certain demographic or even geographical and political areas. Both can be safe as well as dangerous.

Rate of Appreciation Over Time: This particular aspect of investing is what really lures people towards it. Many people want to own a huge chunk of land which they envision will appreciate manifold over a long term span of time. However, the perils that could come in the way of realizing that dream can put a spanner in your work plans. And so, bonds are be a better option.

Value : Value being a subjective term can only be calculated when seen in light of certain factors. However, with bonds there is a certain fixed value that is always attached to it. Housing score here.

In view of all the above factors, it can be difficult to still pin point as to what can be the best option for a better investment with regards to Canada. It is observed that in spite of all the age long wisdom that humans have collected, one may still see that bonds will be preferred over housing as a safe investment option because of lesser risks involved.

 

[mayankpandya]

Canada Student Partner Programs Still Attract Indian Students

A major concern of Canadian Universities since 2009 has finally been addressed by means of the Student Partnership Program (SPP) being implemented in partnership between the Canadian High Commission and the Association of Canadian Community Colleges (ACCC). The SPP has succeeded in attracting large numbers of Indian students to Canadian Universities and colleges as Canada emerges as a preferred study destination for students around the world.

What has changed? According to the Canadian High Commissioner to India, Stewart G Beck, The number of Indian students enrolled in Canadian universities and educational institutions has steadily grown from 3000 in 2008 to 18500 in 2010. Many Indian students were denied visas until April 2009 before implementation of SPP which was responsible for expediting the student visa process and delivering higher approval rates without compromising on program integrity.

Canada as a study destination: Tejal Laul, director of Kampus Landing, a leading overseas education consultant based in Gujarat, India asserts that all community colleges promise an excellent quality of education and aside from Toronto or Vancouver which have been traditionally favoured cities by Indian students, studying at provinces in Quebec and Manitoba might have added advantages. The students’ Canada PR application is fast tracked if filed under Provincial Nominee Program. Colleges offer unique “co-operative education programmes” that allow students to work while studying.

Canadian universities offer diverse programmes that range from Commerce to Astronomy, Biology to Fine Art, and Media Studies to Theology. Apart from conventional study courses, there are contemporary ones like Animal Health Technology, Geology, Financial Services Management, Basic Musicianship, Intercultural and International Studies, Professional Writing, Stagecraft, Performing and Fine Arts, Associate of Arts degree amongst others.

Adult Education: According to Laul, Canada welcomes mature students’ applications. One can apply to study in Canada under SPP even at the age of 35 provided they have a genuine reason for wanting to get more education. If the mature students are not able to provide sufficient evidence to convince visa officers of their intentions, their application stands to be rejected.

What after school? Tejal Laul explains that colleges and technical institutes in Canada offer programmes that enable students to get a job directly by meeting the needs of employers or industry.

“Students studying under government-funded institutions can get up to a three-year work permit, leading to permanent residency. Finance, banking and investment are the emerging fields in Canada and present a promising future in the country. Jobs in Computer Science offer good pay and there is ample job opportunity for talented and skilled professionals”, she says.

The SPP has clearly been a roaring success in luring Indian students back to Canada after a brief dry spell when students’ visa applications were rejected in large numbers.
The Canadian plans to take the SPP to China as a next step towards globalizing Canadian education.

 

[mayankpandya]

Canada Immigration: Federal Authorities May Relax Rules for Healthcare Workers!

Canada’s Federal Government has issued a public statement expressing their concern over the skills shortage the nation is experiencing. Human Resources and Skills Development Minister Diane Finley at a news conference on Wednesday in Ottawa said that there are known major shortages of workers in health care, information technology and skilled trades. Employers and other stakeholders have warned that even fields where vacuum doesn’t exist yet are heading towards the same fate.

Canada has been undergoing an economic and human resources crunch of late, mostly attributed to the older Canadians retiring from service. Minister Finley maintained that while Canada’s economy is on the mend, productivity and labour force growth are sluggish and that addressing the skills shortage will help growth rates gain momentum. She promised that her department was working on a plan to fast track the plan they had devised to this effect.

"Over the years, we've tried a number of different approaches that frankly, we saw during the last recession hadn't been as effective or efficient as they could be. We want to try something new. You can't keep doing the same old thing and expect a different result. This is becoming a skills crisis -- we want to avert that," said Finley.

She was joined by Mr. Perrin Beatty, president and CEO of Canadian Chamber of Commerce at her conference. “We have a skills problem in Canada, on its way to becoming a skills crisis unless we can successfully match the skills in this country with the needs that are going to be in the workforce," he said. As a possible solution, he suggested that a more informative federal government website be designed to include information about present day and projected shortages to apprise the citizens and immigrants desirous of working in Canada of the current situation in the country.

He also suggested that speeding up foreign credential recognition might attract international students to Canada in large numbers. The students might then be enticed to stay back in the country and contribute to the work force.

The Minister added that skills shortages and costly and mean reduced productivity and lower growth. "We need to work smarter if we are to see the kind of prosperity and growth that an expanding labour force guaranteed in the past," said Finley.
Beatty added that Canada's efforts will fail if they are not guided by the best possible intelligence. “This is not a battle that any of us can afford to lose," he said, expressing his concerns.

 

[mayankpandya]

Canada Immigration: "No HealthCare for Illegal Immigrants", says Court

Canada’s healthcare system rules just got airtight for illegal immigrants in the country. According to the new law passed by the Federal Court of Appeal, illegal persons are discounted the right to receive healthcare coverage in the country. This ruling has come into light after the court passed a ruling of similar nature in a case filed by Nell Toussaint, a Grenada citizen who settled in Canada since her visit in 1999.

Two sides of An Argument : Nell Toussaint failed to return to Grenada after expiry of her visa and had been staying on in Canada illegally. The court’s ruling to toughen healthcare laws has invited mixed reactions. Supporters say the decision will prevent medical tourism in Canada wherein tourists explicitly come to the country to get paid medical treatments.

A resident of Toronto, Toussaint developed kidney complications in 2006. She was already ailing from a host of other health problems including diabetes, blood clots and tumors. Unable to pay the bills herself, Toussaint applied for permanent residency in 2008. It would entitle her to receive a health-cover. Owing to nonpayment of the relevant fees, her application was not considered. She filed her case in several refugee rights and support organizations over the years, but her applications were refused. Toussaint however, later won a rule for her application fees to be considered, but her right to healthcare was refused.

Past Laze Results in Present Haze: Judge David Stratas, writing for the three-member Federal Court of Appeal argued that the federal government would have helped her cause had she not been an illegal immigrant. Another factor working against Toussaint was she had failed to pay up her residency- application fees, nullifying chances of processing.

The Court further argued saying that the appellant was at fault for endangering her own life and by not adhering to the laws of the country. Also Toussaint’s illegal immigration status was active for over ten years – raising more questions on her intent. Judge Stratas pointed out that had he ruled in favor of Toussaint it would have been unfair justice and also become an encouraging call for others to do the same and get away scot free.

Sensibility versus Rights: The court’s stand on Toussaint’s case has been hailed as a sensible one. It acts as a potential barrier for people who intend to come into Canada and exploit the medical laws for their own benefit. The detractors of the ruling however opine that the Court’s verdict violates Toussaint’s rights of life and equality.

 

[mayankpandya]

Ottawa Launches New Immigration Strategy

The city administration machinery has awoken from its giant slumber of ‘All is well.’ In what can be termed as a ‘Better late than never’ kind of an action plan, the city is gearing up to not just sit up and take notice but also to extend a helping hand to immigrants.
Red Carpet Welcome: Officials in the city have formulated new ways to not just welcome new immigrants but also put in place new ways, methodologies and help to make life easier for not just the new immigrants but also to the immigrant population already in the city. The people who have been in the city since a long time in the past and who did not have much to call their own may heave a sigh of relief.

In what can be termed as the first of its kind initiative taken and as a step away from the conservative and passive method of just bestowing citizenship and leaving the immigrants to figure things out for themselves. As a result of those policies, many talented people literally lost their way and their hopes of a better life here than what they lead in their impoverished countries of origin.

Statistics show… but mere figures wouldn’t help: It seems that it is the common aim for all those involved to make this city the most obviously natural choice among and for expats who are looking to move in and settle down in a Canadian city. They also do acknowledge that there is a stiff competition from other cities that are vying to attract immigrants to add to the influx of more hands to contribute to the overall progress of the city.

Figures available with the authorities show that nearly 6,300 immigrants locate to Ottawa yearly and they contribute 100% to the net growth in the city’s labor force. Additionally 2,700 more arrive as workers on a temporary basis and 2,300 more as students in various colleges and universities.

Royal Presence boosts applications: Due to the recent visit of the members of the English monarchy, namely Prince William and his wife, Catherine the Duchess of Cambridge, Canada expects to see a huge surge of applications from immigrants to settle in the city. The mount of media attention that was created around the event is seen to be a major catalyst that will help to encourage immigrants from all over to flock there for citizenship. In a major function organized, around twenty five immigrants ranging from age seven to forty seven took the oath of citizenship and were bestowed the status of citizenship of Canada. Governor General of Ottawa, David Johnston administered the oath and they were later welcomed into the fold by Prince William and the Duchess of Cambridge.

Active participation in embracing new additions: Some 200 local groups have come together and formulated The Ottawa Immigration Strategy which has designed a blueprint that identifies ways to simplify the process of integration of the immigrants into the mainstream society of Ottawa.

It includes a host of ways to make life more comfortable and easy to assimilate the new arrivals to start a new and better life in Ottawa.

 

[mayankpandya]

Plenty of jobs in Canada for students this summer

Canada, 12th July: Canada is likely to become a favorite for foreign students this summer as there are a plethora of job opportunities for students.

With student employment options becoming bright, Canada student visas are going to become more attractive now.

Canada businesses to hire new employees—Here is yet another good news for job seekers in Canada as a large number of Canadian businesses are going to go on a hiring spree. This has been revealed by a latest survey undertaken by Bank of Canada.

The survey revealed that the intentions are set to recruit more employees in the coming next one year across almost all sectors and regions in Canada. The summer business outlook Bank of Canada revealed that the number of businesses in Canada wanting to hire new workforce this year is stated to be around 57 percent while the percentage of those planning to cut off their workforce this year is said to be just four percent.

This upbeat scene in Canada job market is due to a favorable domestic employment report for the month of June this year, the third consecutive month of job gains in this nation.

New job postings in Service Canada Centres for Youth—There have been 14 new employment postings on the job bank of the SCCY (Service Canada Centers for Youth) which equals to around 60 job vacancies, revealed Shelby Mulcahy, the lead youth services official.

The SCCY is involved in being a platform for the employers and the potential job seekers in Canada. It offers free services for job seekers in the age group between 15-30 years. As of now, the organization is going to extend its services to people aged 12-15 years, Mulcahy added.

Varied jobs for youth and students this summer—Students and youth can go for jobs varying from office jobs to general labor. And there are plenty of jobs including part-time and full-time jobs targeted towards students and youth.

Presently, there are around 626 jobs in Grande Prairie in different categories. In the month of June itself, 28,400 new jobs were created, reveals Statistics Canada. Since the beginning of the year 2011, a total of 191,800 new jobs have been created in Canada till now.

And this is only due to positive developments in the economy of Canada. This is despite the fact that rate of joblessness in Canada is still at 7.4 percent.

 

[mayankpandya]

Canada Immigration: Charged of Unruly Behavior on Grounds of Alcohol or Drugs, You Are Not Welcome Here!

Canada Immigration: If you have been considering migrating to Canada, it would be advisable to not to consume alcohol or drugs and get charged with a relative crime. According to Canadian law, if a person is convicted of a charge of unruly behavior as a result of consumption of alcohol or drugs and/or related crimes, he/she will be restricted access to enter Canadian territory.

Sports Celebrity or A Pain: A classic case in point can be cited of the American League baseball player Miguel Cabrera who was arrested by police when he was driving in an inebriated state. When stopped on the highway by highway patrol, he yanked out a bottle of whisky and had a couple of swigs.

An attorney who represented the Detroit Tigers player to subpoena and also to take sworn affidavits from the witnesses who claimed to see Cabrera unable to control himself when asked to get out of his car, which had smoke come out of the bonnet after being pulled over by highway patrol.

Character versus National Pride: County Judge Cliff Barnes asked as to what makes this case so special when compared to the hundreds of DUI cases that he hears on an everyday basis. The defense attorney replied with a retort that since Cabrera was a player of a major League baseball team and had to fly to Canada for a match to be played there. In addition, that if he had the DUI charge active, he would be refused entry into Canada and that he is one of the best players to represent the team.

According to the Citizenship and Immigration Canada website (www.cic.gc.ca): "If you have been convicted of driving while impaired by alcohol or drugs, you will probably be found criminally inadmissible ... a term used to describe a person who will not be allowed to visit or stay in Canada."

Course of Law: The county Judge didn't seem swayed hearing the Canadian argument. However, he was forced to agree that this particular case was more complex than the many DUI cases that he had presided over in the past. This was also due to the fact that witnesses had specifically reported seeing Cabrera being drunk even well before the arrest.

Cabrera has been charged with DUI, one count of misconduct and non violently resisting arrest. He has also been charged with a citation for an open container of liquor in a vehicle. A second citation with regards to resisting an officer on a misdemeanor count was dropped.

Wisdom at Last: The judge scheduled a status hearing for August 11 while adding that he planned to schedule a date to start proceedings of trial at that date. The date will most probably be set in September. However, when the defense attorney asked if October would be a better date, the Judge reminded the defense attorney that this was a DUI case and not a murder case, which can be pulled on for a year or more.

 

[mayankpandya]

News Release

Minister Kenney launches national consultations on immigration levels and mix

Calgary, July 12, 2011 — Citizenship, Immigration and Multiculturalism Minister Jason Kenney has launched a series of cross-country consultations on immigration issues, beginning today in Calgary.

The Minister is meeting with stakeholders and the public to discuss the important issue of immigration levels and mix. Following the Calgary session today, the Minister will meet with stakeholders in Vancouver on July 18, Toronto on July 20 and Montreal on July 22. Online consultations will take place later this summer and will be open to the public.

The purpose of the consultations is to seek feedback on immigration levels, including the appropriate level of immigration for Canada, and the most suitable mix between economic, family class and protected persons. Discussions on system management to provide improved services, such as reasonable processing times, and addressing issues such as fraud, will also be included.

In planning for the total number of people to admit as permanent residents, CIC not only balances immigration objectives but also considers several other factors, including broader government commitments, input from provinces and territories, and current and future economic conditions. The Department must also consider its operational ability to process applications in a timely manner, as well as the capacity of communities to welcome newcomers.

In addition to presenting an opportunity to gather input from stakeholders and the public on key questions facing CIC, the consultations also allow the Department to share with stakeholders and the public some of the considerations and difficult choices involved in managing a global immigration system.

The consultations present an important opportunity to generate greater understanding of the trade-offs involved in setting immigration levels. There are competing visions and diverging goals for the future of the immigration program, and there is no single right answer on what the focus should be. Engaging stakeholders and the broader public in that conversation is a key part of developing a plan that will work for Canada going forward.

Invited stakeholders represent a variety of perspectives, including those of employers, labour, academia, learning institutions, professional organizations, business organizations, regulatory bodies, municipalities, settlement provider organizations and ethnocultural organizations.

A report on the consultations will be available on the CIC website once stakeholder and public consultations have been completed.

More information about the online consultations will be available on the CIC website in the coming weeks. Interested participants may sign up online at www.cic.gc.ca/english/department/consultations/index.asp.

Follow us on Twitter at www.twitter.com/CitImmCanada.

For further information (media only), please contact:

Candice Malcolm
Minister’s Office
Citizenship and Immigration Canada

 

[mayankpandya]

Canada determined to curb human smuggling

Canada, 14th July: Canadian immigration minister Jason Kenney has reiterated the federal government’s stand on controlling human smuggling in the nation.

He was speaking after recent attack on human smuggling by Canada last week.

A Tamil ship carrying migrants heading allegedly towards Canada was stopped. Kenney said that there are clear indications about the ship carrying undocumented Tamil migrants heading towards Canada. He, however, denied to talk about the details revealed by intelligence reports.

He maintained that intelligence officials are working on the matter.

Immediate need for anti-human smuggling laws in Canada—Kenney asserted on an immediate need for passing of anti-human smuggling law in Canada if the nation wants to control the possibility of human smuggling.

He said that Canada happens to be the softest destination for smuggling of undocumented immigrants and for the refugee claimants. Canada is known to be a place that is relatively easier for entering by migrants, he stated.

Such a law would help in preventing abuse of Canada immigration system by all those involved in human smuggling, Kenney maintained. The law would enable in imposition of compulsory prison sentences as well as prosecution of all those found to be guilty, he added.

The owners of the ships and the ship operators involved in human smuggling will also be liable to punishment under “The Preventing Human Smugglers from Abusing Canada’s Immigration System Act”.

Loopholes in Canada immigration policies--The vessel MV Alicia, supposedly heading towards Canada, was carrying around 90 Tamil asylum seekers hailing from Sri Lanka was stopped midway by Indonesian officials.

Such an incidence involving undocumented immigrants moving towards Canada brings forth the fact that Canada must focus on reforming its more laxative immigration policies, especially family reunification system, Kenney warned.

He cautioned that if any person involved in human smuggling activities is successful in positive asylum, then he can not only become a Canadian permanent resident but also offer sponsorship to his family members enabling them to immigrate to Canada. Human smuggling networks are primarily carried out by financial motives in mind without giving any consideration to humanity, Kenney said.

He asserted on sound immigration system in Canada keeping in view the low rate of population growth and majority of baby boomers reaching retirement age.

 

[mayankpandya]

Canada Immigration: Health Care Costs is a Big Burden for Undocumented Workers in Canada!

The case of an illegal immigrant from Grenada came up for hearing in the Federal Court of Appeal. The case made headlines and received a widespread coverage in all the major media newspapers in Canada where the court decided to set up a precedent to dissuade people of foreign origin to visit the country through an illegitimate method and stake their claim to the free benefits that are available to legalized permanent citizens of the country.

Background: It was during the year 1999, that Nell Toussaint; a female immigrant arrived in the city of Toronto in Canada from Grenada on a temporary visa valid for six months. Legally speaking, she was supposed to leave the country within the stipulated period mentioned on her passport. Her decision to stay back without any extension of the temporary visa turned her into an illegal immigrant.

It was around the year 2006 that Nell started developing health problems as she suffered from a kidney disease. As the disease aggravated further, her poor health made it impossible for her to survive and support herself. Her deteriorating health led to several other problems since she suffered from tumors and blood clots and she became a chronic case of diabetes. The prohibitive costs of treatment in hospital and the rising medical bills made it impossible for her to pay her bills from the resources available to her.

Legal Recourse: She was left with no other alternative, but to file an application to change her status from a temporary visitor to a permanent resident in order to avail of the health care coverage in the state of Ontario. While applying, she did not deposit the requisite fees along with her application which turned out to be one of the major reasons for the rejection of her application.

Under an Order in Council passed during the year 1957 which proposes to broaden the ambit of coverage of medical treatment to any person who is being dealt with by the Immigration System of the country, Nell applied under this Order in Council which the court rejected even though she had applied twice against the verdict of the Federal Court. Nell’s arguments were based on the fact that under the Charter of Rights and Freedoms, she had a right to her life, freedom and safety which had been denied to her. It was just last Friday that the court released their decision rejecting her plea.

The Verdict: The court further commented that while it agreed in principle that the medical condition of Nell was acute and was literally fighting death, yet it mentioned that lack of medical coverage was entirely her own negligence, when she could have applied for immigration with the necessary fees. Despite the fact she stayed over in Canada for more than a decade, she had not thought of taking the right step of getting her status changed to a legal citizen of the country.

Hope For The Best: While the legal battle between Nell Toussaint and the Federal Court may not yet be over since another court has passed a ruling to waive off the fees which was to be deposited with her application for residency. This could trigger a restart of the process of immigration all over again and in case she wins the case, it would be the Ontario government ending up paying the medical and health care bills of an illegal migrant, Nell Toussaint.

The Rule of Law Prevails: There is hardly any doubt that medical treatment not only in Canada but the world over is not only exorbitant, but extremely prohibitive. The coverage of health care treatment abroad is available only to legal immigrants who have become legalized citizens of Canada, thus it is essential that anyone migrating to Canada follows the rules and procedures and act responsibly.

 

[mayankpandya]

Canadian Job Market: Chiefly Part Time Jobs Available to Immigrants if Not Full Time!

Canadian Job Market is observing a relative trend in increase in GDP on baais of Part time jobs. Helped by an increase in the part time workforce, the Canadian economy has seen a progressive trend in the rate of employment in the past few years. In fact, this is the third straight month that has seen increases in the number of employment opportunities created in that region.

An Unusual Contributor To The Solution: The official statistics in Canada shows that the country’s unemployment rate which is pegged at around 8 per cent has held steady with more number of people entering the workforce of the country. The part time sector was the main positive contributor to this increase which added thrice more number of jobs than the full time jobs that increased by 7,000. An overall increase of 10,000 jobs was what the economists had predicted and hoped for.

Deputy Chief Economist of BMO Douglas Porter said that the report was a small point in favor of the Bank of Canada which will slowly raise its key interest later this year. In fact, the Canadian results compared better to the results of the US economy for the month of June which gained just 18,000 jobs. Although this sounds to be a better sounding figure, the comparison in terms of percentage of population getting employment would stand Canada as the clear winner.

Active Government, A Rarity! The Canadian public sector added 51,000 jobs as compared to the private sector that could add just over 22,000 jobs. However, these gains were offset by the decline in the number of people who were self employed. The gains were fuelled mainly by the transportation sector and the warehousing industry while industries like the technical, scientific and professional sectors lost around 20,000 jobs in the same period comparatively.

The provinces that saw changes in their figures were Ontario, Alberta and Nova Scotia who posted gains in employment in June, while Quebec, Newfoundland and Labrador saw losses of opportunities for the citizens there.

Mixed Bag of Results: Although Ontario saw a marginal slump in comparison to last year, there was a rise of 40,000 jobs in that province this year. In fact, many factors that affected countries south of the border and also as far away as Japan have reduced the expectations of production that would contribute to the growth in exports to countries as far away as the Far East.

Road to Recovery: With the recent spate of natural calamities in Japan, the exports and logistics as well as warehousing sectors are facing a severe shortage in the job creation and potential feel good factor that peace all around the world can influence. However, all the countries are facing this calamity with a stoic sense of resilience.

Much to the relief of the population of the world, the overall figures of the resource allocation to be the means to a global end is the factor that can propel the world for the common good in the world.

 

[mayankpandya]

Thanks to US Health Care & Canada's Health Care Policies Medical Tourism in Asia Finds More Takers Than Ever!

About Health Care: Canadian citizens seem to be at a disadvantage given the rules their health service departments have formulated. Like their American counterparts, Canadian patients face a horde of issues concerned with getting the right medical care owing to lengthy waiting periods, increasing costs and difficulty obtaining ‘non standard treatments’.

Maryann Ayim Tells It All: The plight of Canadians is made evident by an account of medical tourism written by Maryann Ayim following denial to health care services in Alberta, Canada. Ayim, aged 61who made her foray into mountaineering at the age of 55 was diagnosed with osteoarthritis and joint deterioration especially in the left hip. Despite being otherwise healthy, she was pronounced too old to undergo a hip resurfacing surgery as per health care laws in Alberta and was advised a total hip replacement.

There was little information available to her to explain why she was rejected save for her age which didn’t seem to be the limiting factor in such a surgery because having led an active life over the last five years, her bone density was perfect and her muscles could take more strain than most other women’s. However, the law without exceptions barred her from receiving the treatment she desired.

The Indian Way: “It is my great good fortune to have a physiotherapist whose climbing partner had travelled to Apollo Specialty Hospital in Chennai, India for a hip resurfacing procedure with the surgeon, Dr. Bose. Sarah recommended that I think about this option”, she recounts.

Ayim was aware of superiority of hip resurfacing over hip replacement and jumped at the prospect, initiating correspondence with Dr. Bose by e-mail.

In late 2007, she made the trip to India for her surgery in Chennai. While she had her own reservations about getting operated upon in a country where millions die from lack of medical care and poverty is a reality, her doubts were laid to rest when she was escorted to her private room in the Apollo Speciality Hospital. She received a quality of medical attention and hospitality which Canadians could only dream of and which were denied to her by Alberta Health Services on shady grounds.

Ayim was back to indulge her mountaineering fetish within 5 months of her surgery. The return could’ve been sooner had it not been for the extreme winter in Canada.
Maryann proudly beams as she tells us, “in a one month period less than a year post-surgery, I did a total of 13,896 meters vertical ascent which included ten significant mountain summits and a 90 km four day backpack over four mountain passes in the Columbia Icefields carrying a 70 pound pack”.

This just one of the many story, that are waiting to be told.

US Health care loss and Canada’s Health Care loss seem to be turning in to a good business in South Asia. Medical tourism to Asia is fast gaining popularity around the world. Apparently, the people have realized that they do not need to be tied down and suffer when there are world class medicos waiting to help them on another part of the planet.

 

[mayankpandya]

Welcome Home: Canada’s Student-Exchange Program Making A Difference

The families based in North Nanaimo are preparing to play perfect hosts to 32 Japanese visitors later this month. This is a part of the of the student-exchange initiative undertaken by the Muskoka Language International. The project aims to establish a connection between visiting foreign students and the Canadian citizens.

A warm welcome: The student-exchange program has been set up to help students coming in to Canada from abroad to adapt better to the Canadian culture and way of life. In the initiative’s latest bid, 32 Japanese nationals will be stationed in the homes of Nanaimo families from July 25 to Aug 9.

During the period of time, the students will spend time with families and begin an exchange of topics discussing about each other’s culture, tradition, and lifestyle. It will be a learning experience for both sides. The Japanese students, who generally have restricted English, will get an opportunity to expose themselves to the Canadian way of speech and jargon. Families from one of the schools in Nanaimo – the Dover Secondary School – participate in this exchange four times a year.

Win- Win for Canada and Migrated Students: The authorities’ in-charge pays the families a salary ranging in between $25 to $30 to manage the expenses – like transportation, grocery etc. For most of the families that play hosts to the teenaged students, it’s a very noble and inquisitive exercise.

Marjorie Dobbyn has been hosting and interacting with exchange for over a decade now. She welcomed her first exchange student 11 years ago. She says its helps one and other to learn about different cultures. The student-exchange initiative has enabled her to bond with other homestay families in Nanaimo. And their interactions most comprise of exchanging stories and discussing ideas about being a better host.

Students of the Rising Sun:
Dobbyn speaks very highly of the Japanese students who visited Nanaimo in the past. She paints them in a very positive light. Japanese people value courtesy very much and are extremely polite. The students usually express gratitude profusely for small acts of generosity. The Japanese girls often use their culinary skills and cook up meals as a token of appreciation.
Dobbyn reckons mingling with international students benefits both sides equally and broadens horizons and understanding. A common perception states that for many of the Nanaimo residents, hosting exchange-students is an uphill task, however Dobbyn refutes saying that proper organizational skills can make it a pleasant experience.

A Sumo Salute: The visit of the students culminates at the multi-purpose room of the Dover Secondary School, where the students and families put together a Japanese-themed entertainment show, which turns out to be a heartfelt experience for all.