Whats New in Canada-Update on CA

[fariza]

Really appreciate your tireless efforts Mayankpandya to post and keep making us aware of.... the updates... Thanks a lot

 

[mayankpandya]

Canada Summer Jobs 2011 invites applications

Toronto: New employment opportunities would own up for the youth in Canada this summer, with a Summer Jobs program opening up for applications.


The Canadian Summer Jobs 2011 program, is an initiative by the Government of Canada. It aims to provide funding and create summer employment opportunities for students across the country. The initiative focuses on helping the students, and thus the community, prioritizing on local opportunities.

The program encourages organizations with 50 or more employees such as the public sector employers, not-for-profit organizations and small businesses to create job openings for the youth, while fulfilling the needs of their organization as well. It is aimed at young people between the ages of 15 and 30, who are full-time students and those who intend to return to their studies in the next school year.

The government program supports students by providing them work experience opportunities and supports organizations, including the community service organizations.

It would assess applicants on the basis of – service to local communities, jobs providing with career-related experience, jobs supporting local priorities or early work experience; jobs with a salary which would contribute towards the student’s income; employers providing the youth with supervision and mentoring; project activities that are directed toward members of, and support the vitality of, an official language minority community; and employers who intend to hire priority students (such as the students with disabilities, Aboriginal students and students who are members of visible minority groups).

The Canada Summer Jobs by the Canadian Government has been taking place for a number of years and has helped the tens of thousands of Canadian students to get employment. In the 2010 Canada Summer Program itself, approximately 22,000 different organizations created 37,000 jobs across the country.

This year the government also announced an extra boost to the program, which would permanently increase the budget for Canada Summer Jobs by $10 million. With the aid of this additional funding, the government hopes to create as many as 3,500 additional jobs for students and thus strengthen the local economies of communities across Canada.

The applications opened on February 1 and would be accepted till February 28th. Interested employers can apply online at www[dot]service canada[dot]gc[dot]ca/CanadaSummerJobs 2011 Summer Jobs 2011 or at their local Service Canada Centre.

This initiative features as an important part of the Canadian Government’s long-term Youth Employment Strategy, which aims to help and provide young people with the tools, skills and work experience they require to successfully make a transition to the workplace from education.

 

[deep_pan]

+1 sir....

 

[mayankpandya]

Thanks for your +1

+1 sir....

 

[mayankpandya]

Plans for cuts in Canada visa numbers will affect family reunification of immigrants

Canada, 13th February: Planned reduction in Canada visas will have a direct effect on South Asian community members who desire to bring their parents to Canada.

Immigration experts feel that many of seniors wanting to come to Canada to reunite with their children living in Canada will probably be unable to survive after waiting for a period of 13 years.

Everyone is furious and surprised by the plans of Immigration Canada for reducing the number of Canada visas, says chief executive officer of SUCCESS immigrant services in Canada, Thomas Tam.

Parents depend on grandparents for childcare while grandparents look forward to meeting their children, adds Tam maintaining that grandparents are not considered a financial burden in any way.

Richard Kurland, a leading immigration lawyer in Vancouver, while quoting the data from Access to Information request said that Immigration Canada is likely to reduce number of Canada visas to 217,800 in the year 2011 from 230,450 in the year 2010.

This will result in a reduction of 5 percent in the total Canada visas issued by Citizenship and Immigration Canada, Kurland added.

Long waiting periods for Canada visas--

The new reduced number of Canada visas along with significantly long waiting period for receiving Canada visas will enable grandparents to reach Canada not before their grandchild graduates successfully from high school, Kurland quipped.

Already, a minimum waiting period for getting Canada visas is 13 years as nearly 147,769 applicants are in queue for a total of 11,200 Canada visas, Kurland added.

The number of Canada visas for Asian and South Asian immigrants is being reduced while the Canada immigration department is introducing an increase in the number of visas for wealthy investors and foreign entrepreneurs wanting to establish their businesses in Canada, noted Kurland.

Alternative suggested by Kurland---

Kurland accepted the fact that Canada immigration is justified in its concerns about the rising costs of healthcare for aged immigrants coming to Canada.

However, he suggested a simple alternative according to which each sponsored immigrant could buy a group medical insurance below $15,000 for elderly immigrants. Tam also highlighted about the pledge regarding financial responsibility of the sponsors towards new immigrants for a minimum period of ten years.

 

[mayankpandya]

Funding cuts in the federal government has threatened immigrant settlements across the country

The Canadian government has reduced funding for immigrants settling in the country particularly in the province of Ontario, because the money is now needed in the province where the pour of newcomers is growing.

Other provinces like Toronto have recorded low in immigrant settlements, while other parts of the country are settling more. At least 10 Greater Toronto immigrant service agencies have been told by the Citizenship and Immigration Canada that their program funding will not be renewed next year.

Funding cuts also threatens jobs across the country
Settlement agencies which offer language classes, helping in job finding as well as other immigration programs for newcomers are facing a loss of millions in funding. Together with the problem comes hundreds of jobs are also on the line of fire.
In other parts of Canada, Ottawa groups also have been hurt by the $35 million worth of cuts that will be funded into Ontario immigration organizations. The cuts would be boiling into job layoffs during the holidays.

Opposition parties made an action with regards to the situation
The Ontario Immigration officer held an emergency meeting with the management of seven out of ten agencies which would be to ask his federal counterpart to meet with him and reverse the decisions, noting that the defunded organizations are the ethno cultural organizations serving various ethnic communities.
Settlement programs across Canada are being cut a total of $53 million and which excludes the province of Quebec. More than $43 million of the cuts come from Ontario, in which settlement funding for the year 2011 will be down $344 million.

The Canadian government has defended the funding cuts
The Canadian Immigration Minister defended the funding cuts saying that the reason by the federal government for cutting the funds on immigration settlement programs is because more new Canadians are living and are choosing to live in some not so traditional locations. He also stated that the federal money spent helping immigrants adjust to life in Canada needs to be spread evenly across the country.
The Canadian Immigration Minister also stated that there will be some reallocations made resulting from the analysis of the efficiency in the country’s settlement programs.

The federal government’s defense has brought up more opposition
However, the Toronto Liberal MP slammed the cuts stating that he doesn’t think he’s ever seen such a harsh and draconian and inexplicable cut to the most vulnerable people in the midst of the crisis.
The Manitoba Interfaith Immigration Council Officer also made an objection to the funding cut, saying that “If they are making the system more efficient or redistributing the money the places where immigration is increasing, fine, but they’re cutting and holding onto the savings and that is just wrong.

The Ontario Council for Agencies Serving Immigrants, which represents 200 settlement organizations across the province, stated that more than have of the announced cuts have a direct impact on groups that have focused their work on radicalized immigrant communities.

 

[mayankpandya]

Temporary agricultural program can help migrant workers into Canada and in turn help its economy

Interest in temporary agricultural programs has been rising across the globe, with the temporary migration of foreign workers into high income countries have grown to about four to five percent a year since the year 2000.

The agricultural foreign workers can help producers meet their labor needs during peak agricultural periods in the countries they are working for when their workers and permanent residents are not available.

The Seasonal Agricultural Worker Program
The Seasonal Agricultural Worker Program is a program which lets employers hire seasonal agricultural workers from countries such as Mexico, and certain Caribbean countries. Employers can also hire seasonal agricultural workers through the new Agricultural Stream of the NOC C and D Pilot Project which does not restrict temporary foreign workers from Mexico and the Caribbean countries only.

Compared to the permanent forms of migration, the Canadian government considers the temporary migration more attractive for a number of seasons. Temporary migration in particular, permits greater flexibility in the labor market and can seem more acceptable to electorates that find permanent migration threatening.

A legal channel for labor migration could also reduce the flow of unauthorized immigrants. A less considered reason on destination countries is also the developing impact of migrants remitting income.

Offers under the Seasonal Agricultural Worker Program
Under the Seasonal Agricultural Worker Program, employers must offer a minimum of 240 hours of work within a period of six weeks or less, for a maximum duration of eight months between January and December. Non-profit organizations can also assist employers in hiring seasonal agricultural workers and apply for a Labor Market Opinion.

Government agencies assigned in the hiring of temporary foreign agricultural workers in Canada are Human Resources and Skills Development Canada which assesses the impact foreign workers entry to Canada would have, the Citizenship and Immigration Canada, which makes the final decision to whether individual foreign workers will be allowed to enter and work in Canada, and the Canada Border Service Agency which screens foreign workers at border crossings and airports.

The success of the Seasonal Agricultural Worker Program
The Seasonal Agricultural Worker Program was started in 1966 in which the constant pressure from Canadian growers brought Jamaican workers to harvest field crops in the provinces of Essex country, Ontario. The government extended the program in 1974 which included Mexican workers to be hired since the Canadian growers continued to experience labor shortages during the time and they resulted to contract unauthorized migrants from Mexico and Portugal.

Today, migrant workers can work in nine Canadian provinces which testified to the program’s success despite having Ontario receive 90% of the workers.

Migrant workers provide labor for fruit harvesting, canning, and food processing, bee and flower production, ginseng, sod, tobacco, and greenhouse vegetable harvesting. The hourly wage for the migrant workers is generally at $8.85 CAD. Workers harvesting tobacco however can earn $9.63 CAD per hour.

 

[fariza]

Funding cuts in the federal government has threatened immigrant settlements across the country

Other provinces like Toronto have recorded low in immigrant settlements, while other parts of the country are settling more. At least 10 Greater Toronto immigrant service agencies have been told by the Citizenship and Immigration Canada that their program funding will not be renewed next year.


The Ontario Council for Agencies Serving Immigrants, which represents 200 settlement organizations across the province, stated that more than have of the announced cuts have a direct impact on groups that have focused their work on radicalized immigrant communities.

Grave news indeed... But just wondering how could Toronto been a low choice for settlement currently? Is it due to already saturated job opportunities? Well it seems things are moving in both direction so rapidly....So many of us already spared a significant time for PR processing and it seems a lot more needed to put on researching on "Landing choice as well!! May God make it easier for us.....

 

[nano24482]

Biggest news right now

Canadian dollar is finally greater in value than American dollar.
Good for Canadians who are sending money to their home country and bad for us, applicants.

 

[mayankpandya]

Agreed to you ...

Biggest news right now

Canadian dollar is finally greater in value than American dollar.
Good for Canadians who are sending money to their home country and bad for us, applicants.

 

[mayankpandya]

Immigrant visas to drop 5 per cent: records

Cuts would most affect overseas parents, grandparents

New figures indicate the federal government hopes to reduce overall immigration next year by five per cent, mainly by cutting back on family reunification visas.

Among the hardest hit by the lower immigration targets will be parents and grandparents seeking to join their children in Canada, according to numbers obtained from the Citizenship and Immigration Department through the Access to Information Act.

The figures indicate the government will issue about 11,000 family reunification visas for parents and grandparents overseas, down from more than 16,000 last year.

Richard Kurland, the Vancouver-based immigration lawyer who filed the access-to-information request, said he is surprised the government has decided to grant fewer visas to parents and grandparents, considering how the Conservatives have courted new Canadians as voters.

Kurland told CBC News the slashed rate and the 140,000 applicants already in the queue mean a parent could wait 13 years for a visa if he or she were to apply today.

"Frankly, there's a better chance of the parents seeing a coffin before a Canadian visa," he said.

Kurland said he believes the political logic lies in a backlash in public opinion following the arrival of two boatloads of Tamil migrants off B.C. in recent months.

He called the government's position disingenuous, since it has attracted some newcomers, so-called economic immigrants, with a promise their parents and grandparents will soon be able to follow.

Restricting family reunification visas will only make it harder for those who immigrated legally to adapt to Canada, argued Sharry Aiken, who teaches immigration and refugee law at Queen's University.

"The presence of family, which is one of those softer variables — it's very hard to quantify — can make a huge difference as to whether someone settles here and integrates effectively," Aiken told CBC News.

Spouses, kids get priority: Kenney

Speaking in Etobicoke on Sunday, Immigration Minister Jason Kenney responded to plans to reduce family reunification visas, suggesting this is necessary so "priority" applicants — and their spouses and children — can be processed first.

"There have to be choices made," he said.

"I know that the most popular thing they could do politically would be to say that this year, we're going to go from 14,000 to 100,000 parents and grandparents. …But it wouldn't be responsible because that means fewer economic immigrants coming and paying taxes, or fewer refugees to save from refugee camps."

Kenney made his remarks during an announcement of preliminary figures showing Canada welcomed the highest number of legal immigrants in 2010 than it had in more than 50 years.

CBC's Hanna Thibedeau speculated that the timing of Kenney's announcement, which indicated Canada admitted 280,636 new permanent residents last year, may have been a pre-emptive move to "dull the blow" from critics of the new visa cuts.

Parents and grandparents often aren't viewed as a help to the economy. But Aiken said many immigrants entering the workforce rely on parents and grandparents for child care and help around the home.

The numbers show the government will issue about 56,000 federal skilled worker visas overseas, down from nearly 70,000 issued last year — a drop of about 20 per cent.

'Frankly, there's a better chance of the parents seeing a coffin before a Canadian visa.'— Richard Kurland, Vancouver immigration lawyer
Among the biggest losers from Canada's reduced immigration targets are those applying under the federal skilled worker program — a category the government has repeatedly said it wants to prioritize.

The numbers in this group will drop by 20 per cent this year over last, with just 56,000 workers being allowed into Canada — compared with 70,000 last year.

Kurland said cutting the numbers will only undermine the government's recent success in slashing the years-long waits for those same skilled workers.

Figures obtained by CBC News from Citizenship and Immigration Canada show new skilled-worker applicants now receive an answer in less than a year, but only if they have a skill on a list of 29 drawn up by the immigration minister based on a controversial change introduced in 2008.

Under the old system, applicants waited more than five years for a response. Applications made under that system are still being processed, but the backlog now contains more than 300,000 applications.



Read more: http://www.cbc.ca/politics/story/2011/02/12/canada-immigration-rates.html#ixzz1DuwL1Z1b

 

[mayankpandya]

News Release

Canada welcomes highest number of legal immigrants in 50 years while taking action to maintain the integrity of Canada’s immigration system

Ottawa, February 13, 2011 — In 2010, Canada welcomed the highest number of legal immigrants in more than 50 years, at 280,636 permanent residents, Jason Kenney, Minister of Citizenship, Immigration and Multiculturalism and Parliamentary Secretary Dr. Alice Wong announced today in Toronto and Vancouver.

“While other Western countries cut back on immigration during the recession, our government kept legal immigration levels high. Canada’s post-recession economy demands a high level of economic immigration to keep our economy strong,” said Minister Kenney. “In 2010, we welcomed the highest number of permanent residents in the past 50 years to support Canada’s economic recovery while taking action to maintain the integrity of Canada’s immigration system with the introduction of the Preventing Human Smugglers from Abusing Canada’s Immigration System Act.”

According to preliminary data, last year Canada admitted 280,636 permanent residents, about six percent more than the government’s planned range of 240,000 to 265,000 new permanent residents for 2010. This is in line with Minister Kenney’s announcement in June of last year that Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) would adjust its 2010 immigration plan to meet the need for economic immigration. The 280,636 number is about 60,000 higher than the average annual intake of permanent residents the Government of Canada admitted in the 1990s.

“It’s important to understand that the ranges are for planning purposes only. The key number is how many immigrants Canada actually admits. For 2010, that number is 280,636, with the growth coming mostly from skilled economic immigrants,” said Parliamentary Secretary Wong.

The high number of economic immigrants in 2010 has helped CIC decrease application backlogs in the federal skilled worker category, reduce wait times under the Action Plan for Faster Immigration, and better meet labour market needs. Before the Action Plan for Faster Immigration, which Minister Kenney announced within one month of becoming Immigration Minister in November 2008, Canada was obliged to process every immigration application it received, even if it meant creating large application backlogs in popular immigration categories. For example, in 2008 Canada had a backlog of over 640,000 people in the federal skilled worker category waiting as long as six years to be processed.

“Last year, the backlog of people who applied before the Action Plan was drawn down to 335,000 applicants, which represents close to half the number of people who were awaiting a decision in 2008,” said Minister Kenney. “I’m very pleased that a higher number of admissions in 2010 means that more people are now out of the lineup and well on their way to beginning a new life in Canada.”

A recent evaluation confirmed that immigrants selected under the federal skilled worker program are faring well in Canada and filling gaps in the work force. It found that skilled workers who already had a job offer when they applied for permanent residence fared best of all, earning on average $79,200 three years after arriving in Canada. About two thirds of those admitted in 2010 in the permanent resident category were economic immigrants and their dependants.

At the same time, we did our part to meet the needs of provinces and territories through a record number of immigrants in the provincial nominee program, representing an increase of 20 percent from the previous year.

“Since 2006, our government has allowed for the provincial nominee program to expand significantly, from 8,047 people in 2005 to 36,419 in 2011,” said Minister Kenney.

Canada continued to welcome a high number of temporary residents, including 182,322 temporary foreign workers and 96,147 foreign students. That is 28,292 more foreign students than in 2005. And with the creation of the Canadian Experience Class in 2008, eligible foreign students can apply for permanent residency from within Canada. According to a study commissioned by the Government of Canada entitled Economic Impact of International Education in Canada, foreign students are estimated to contribute more than $6.5 billion to Canada’s economy every year.

“We continued to admit an increasing number of foreign students to Canada last year through joint efforts among the federal government, provincial governments and other partners,” said Minister Kenney. “Our government’s initiatives such as the Student Partners Program have also helped to attract and admit a high number of foreign students, particularly from China and India.”

In 2010, Canada also maintained its humanitarian tradition by welcoming 7,265 government-assisted refugees and 4,833 privately sponsored refugees. This represents 63% more privately sponsored refugees than in 2005.

“These refugees played by the rules and came to Canada through legal streams,” noted Minister Kenney. “It is important to note that while Canada is maintaining its humanitarian tradition of providing a safe haven for legitimate refugees, we will not stand by while our immigration system is being abused by queue jumpers and human smugglers. Bill C-49, the Preventing Human Smugglers from Abusing Canada’s Immigration System Act, sends a clear message that the abuse of our immigration system will not be tolerated.”

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

 

[mayankpandya]

Officials of Canada immigration department to be authorized access to women’s shelters

Canada, 14th February: Canada immigration officials will soon be given powers to enter women’s shelters for rounding up of suspected undocumented immigrants staying in Canada.

A new ruling is likely to be introduced by Canada immigration department –CIC (Citizenship and Immigration Canada) shortly.

This will enable immigration officials of CBSA (Canada Border Services Agency) to pick undocumented women immigrants staying in shelters without having legal immigration status.

When can CBSA officials enter women’s shelter—?

As per the directive, if an immigrant is facing enforced removal but is still found to be staying in Canada, then, the CBSA officials will have jurisdiction to order removal of such individuals at the earliest. The CBSA officials will have such authority under the IRPA (Immigration and Refugee Protection Act).

The policy that came into effect on 4th February states that the CBSA will be exercising extreme discretion while working towards removal of undocumented immigrant women from shelter. Moreover, such officials will be taking extra care for ensuring protection of women from abusive situations.

Alberta Council upset by CBSA policy—

According to provincial co-ordinator of the Alberta Council of Women’s Shelters, Jan Reimer, the ruling is likely to result in violation of women’s rights and hence, is against the principle of safety ensured by shelters.

It’s a matter of urgent concern for the council to somehow convey this message to women immigrants staying in such shelters that they are liable to be apprehended here, added Reimer.

We must provide reassurance to women that shelters have been and will always continue to be a welcoming and a safe place for women subject to victimization of abuse, Reimer asserted.

Earlier too, Canada immigration officials had been avoiding the issue of entering the shelters of undocumented immigrant women following severe criticism after a raid was made by the officials on a women’s shelter in Toronto in 2010. Several women’s and migrant advocacy groups had been promised by the CBSA officials for staying away from the women’s shelters.

Only female officers to enter shelters---

The Border Services agency has assured that the investigations by the CBSA officials will be undertaken with utmost compassion adding that only female officials with prior written permission will be allowed gain entry into the shelters.

 

[mayankpandya]

Immigration bill will undergo a fast track for skilled workers

The House of Commons Immigration Committee in Canada has recommended killing the controversial government bill which would enable the Immigration Minister to have more power to decide who can be a permanent resident in the country.

The proposed bill was said to be amending the Immigration and Refugee act, which would in turn remove the Immigration Department’s obligation to process all permanent residence application, and allows the Immigration Minister to do a fast track on certain kinds of application.

Canada’s reason on doing a fast track
The Canadian government stated that doing a fast track on the immigration processes in the country, particularly in 38 high demand occupations would dramatically reduce that waiting time for the processing of coveted workers in the sectors of health, skilled trades, finance and resource extraction, geochemists, speech language pathologists, university professors, as well as plumbers and chefs.
The government defends the change made saying that it will help reduce a backlog of almost a million permanent residence applications and make the country’s immigration system more responsive to labor market needs. This act on the other hand is opposed by the committee, which argues that the bill will fail to address a backlog since there will be an exemption on the applications which were filed before February 27, 2008.

The bill has faced great opposition from critics
Opposition criticized the bill saying that the changes made would jeopardize the predictability and fairness of the current system and it will cause a great impact on the family and humanitarian classes of applications, since the bill was being rushed without giving enough public consultation. The changes made would also give the Immigration Minister a more discretionary power over the applications.
Critics of the plan has also said that the changes made would leave the less skilled workers permanently stuck at the back of the queue. Also, the change would give virtually no change on the status of permanent workers, but will double the number of temporary workers over a period of five years. There is also a huge number of people being laid off in the financial services, and the government’s classification of high-demand jobs are said to be absurd, as stated by the New Democrat Immigration critic. She also suggested that there should be departments that will constantly update on what kind of skills are needed in the country, instead of a minister that will send a decree from high above that will politicize the system.

The Canadian government justifies its action
The Canadian government on the other hand defended its action saying that the change made would bring Canada in line with the practices of countries such as Australia and New Zealand, who are able to welcome skilled immigrants in a much faster way.
Now that the bill was successfully passed, the Immigration Minister’s next step would be to launch consultations with the provinces of Canada in order to ensure that the government was able to accurately define the priorities of the immigration.
The country will now be able to develop a set of instructions to guide the processing decisions of immigration officers including whether applications are prioritized, retained or returned with a refund, as stated by the Immigration Minister.

 

[mayankpandya]

Canada admits record number of immigrants

An announcement made by Jason Kenney, Minister of Citizenship, Immigration and Multiculturalism, on 13th February, 2011 states that in 2010 a whopping number of 280,636 permanent residents were accepted by Canada.

The highest number in the last fifty years and six per cent more than the actual quota set by the Canadian government. One of the reasons for such a high number of acceptances was to help “support Canada’s economic recovery” says Mr. Kenney.

Canadian Prime Minister admits that abuse of immigration must stop.
Stephen Harper, Canadian Prime Minister called for a stop to what he called “abuse of immigration”. However, some European leaders including the Prime Minister of UK admitted that they had failed to give the immigrants what they had come looking for – inclusiveness.
On the other hand a Danish resident voiced the fact that the immigrants came to a foreign land seeking what the country can do for them, instead of the other way round. He said when the immigrants understood their duties towards the country they adopted as home, things would be better.

The abuse of immigration
Some blog comments say most of the immigrants become permanent residents of Canada to dump their children and aged parents in the country because of certain benefits, while they live and work in other countries. Apparently this arrangement helps the immigrants to avoid foreign-student tuition fees and their spouses can avail the GST facility provided by the Canadian government. Richard Kurland who is a Quebec immigration lawyer said he was irked to see “their (immigrants’) absence of contributions to our country.”

The other side of the story
A lady who has been living and working in Canada for the past twenty years says “Clean up the Canadian racism which the immigrants face in his work place.” She goes on to say even after twenty years of working she is described as not having ‘Canadian experience’ so crucial for promotion – she is still at the bottom where she had started in the first place. Her husband sends money regularly from abroad, which helps her and her children to live comfortably.

Bill introduced to treat justifiably with illegal immigrants and stop abuse of Canada’s Immigration System
Bill C-49 proposes to take harsher steps with the organised illegal human trafficking into the country by boats etc. whereas justice will also be enacted upon those who come solo with false documents.

The Canadians blame the government
Sentiments are running high on both sides with the Canadians blaming the government for encouraging immigrants for vote-banks. They raise issues like the immigrants crowding their cities, lack of English speaking neighbours and refute ‘multiculturalism’.
The immigrants have strong counter arguments and the slinging match can go on; but what could be a sane approach to a simmering pot boiler?