Canadian Immigration News

By Kevin Berger
Nov. 4, 2004

David Cohen, partner of Cohen-Campbell, a leading Canadian immigration law firm, had barely settled into work Wednesday morning when his phone startedringing with Americans seeking legal guidance to taking up residence in the land of the maple leaf. The Bush victory did it, they told him: America's shiftto the right had finally squeezed them out of their own country. Farewell Ten Commandment statues in public squares, hello single-payer healthcare.

Canada's aging population, coupled with the current economic boom, leaves key Alberta growth industries clamoring for skilled workers.

Federal Minister of Citizenship and Immigration, the Honourable Monte Solberg, will address a National Business Symposium on June 15th. The discussion is expected to explore solutions to Canada's massive labour shortage. The gathering will be held at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre.

Citizenship, Immigration and Multiculturalism Canada (CIMC) Minister Jason Kenney has announced the Canadian Government’s plan for immigration in 2009. He stated that between 240,000 and 265,000 new permanent residents will be welcomed to Canada in 2009; up to 156,000 of them in the economic category.

While appearing before a committee of the United States Senate, Microsoft founder and Chairman Bill Gates noted that Canada is attracting the best and brightest immigrants to its borders. Gates suggested that his home country had much to learn from its Northern neighbour in terms of immigration policy.

Fox proposes that Mexican workers be able to work in Canada temporarily, a solution that borrows its concept from Canada's Seasonal Agricultural Workers Program.

Mexico, which is part of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), has risen to the top of Canada's refugee claimant list.

Maple Leaf Foods has abandoned its program at its Brandon, Manitoba plant to bring in workers from China, after it was revealed that 61 workers had paid fees of $10,000 to the immigration consultant hired by the company. The actions were not illegal, however the company was concerned about the debt burden faced by the employees.

According to Statistics Canada (Statscan), Alberta's population increased by five times the national average in the fourth quarter of 2005. The Prairie province has not seen growth of this magnitude since it struck oil in the late 1970s.

The Manitoba government is being proactive in its search for foreign skilled workers who are qualified to alleviate labour shortages in the province.