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| Subject: Canada - The Promise Land? |
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Random thoughts of a potential Canadian immigrant.
The wide-spread debate on Canada and it´s dissatisfied new immigrants has captured my attention for the last year or so, ever since I applied for Canadian immigration myself. I believe that the solution of "doctors & engineers driving taxi cabs" lies not in band-aid solutions like workshops for new immigrants or ESL classes. These solutions are rather temporary in my eyes. The real solution lies in the re-structuring of the points system.
1. Canada should identify key occupations that are necessary for the economic development of the nation and entice professionals within those industries to apply for Canadian immigration by giving them more points. For example: Canada needs farmers, welders, truck drivers. If you fit into this category you will get 20 points.
2. The current Provincial Nominee Program is ineffective since potential immigrants require a Canadian job offer to be able to apply for the program. How is somebody in Bangladesh for example going to contact an employer in Manitoba when it is a well known fact that most employers will not hire somebody from another country without ever interviewing them. It does happen but in most cases it doesn´t. One possible solution is to encourage the deployment of immigrants to parts of Canada by encouraging them with the points system. For example: Canada needs more people in Manitoba and Saskatchewan. If you are willing to move there for a period of 5 years or more you will receive 15 points. If you are a farmer and willing to move to Saskatchewan, bloody hell - you´ve just earned 35 points. Good on ya mate!
3. Applications with arranged employment (Canadian job offers) should be fast-tracked. 6-12 months processing times will be ideal.
4. International students in Canada should be encouraged (and not discouraged) to stay in Canada after they graduate. Yes they have come out with new programs to entice students but Toronto, Montreal and Vancouver are exempt from these new laws. And since most International students study in these major cities it is rather ineffective. Canada needs fresh graduates with a clean slate, with an open mind and a willingness to learn and absorb a Canadian way of life at an early age.
There is a lot to be said about the current Canadian immigration screening process - the infamous ´points system´ is proving inefficient. However, not much can and will be done in the near future. For those currently in the process of an immigration application wondering if this is the right choice for you, or if you will find it hard to find a job, or if you will simply just blend in - that´s upto you and you alone. I find that the earlier you come to Canada the better. Recent graduates for example will find it the easiest. I´ve learnt that in Canada it´s almost always who you know rather than what you know that get´s you that foot in the door. Recent graduates have the opportunity to intern or volunteer in the occupations that interest them, mainly for networking opportunities within the industry. Your education coupled with your experience is the surest way of securing a position within your industry.
One should also come to Canada with an open mind and embrace the Canadian way of life. Several new immigrants prefer to build brick walls around themselves and members of their own culture. Although that is encouraged and a wonderful aspect of Canadian culture one needs to explore beyond those walls and blend into canadian society. It is great for a country to welcome people from all cultures but it is even greater for people from all cultures to live together in harmony and to exist as ONE.
Embracing qualities of Respect, Morality, Etiquette, more-than-adequate language skills and a general awareness of Canada - it´s economics, politics and sociology will guide you in the direction of becoming a successful Canadian.
Canada is a wonderful country. I did at one point think Australia should have ben my first choice but with the recent culture clashes in the nation I realize that my decision to apply for Canadian immigration is the right one. Canada does have its issues to deal with - government corruption, ´western alienation,´ Qu?bec seperation, gay/lesbian rights, gun laws, health care, child care (as have been hot topics of the 2006 federal election) but this is manna when compared to wide-spread hunger & poverty, civil unrest, rampant corruption in government, wars, human rights violations, hate crimes, and the latest - eavesdropping by national security agencies(chuckles*).
I am not claiming to know a lot about the Canadian immigration process or the plight of recent immigrants or determining who will be sucessful in Canada or who will not. These are random thoughts of a potential Canadian immigrant with no scholarly bearing.
That being said, I look forward to the day my PR card sits in my wallet and I can sip on a can of Canadian high up in the rockies with a maple leaf tattoo on my arm that says "I am Canadian" :)
[18-12-2005,01:26]
[**.231.247.10]
Candice |
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(in reply to: Canada - The Promise Land?)
Excellent points, Candice, you´ve obviously been doing a lot of research. There´s no question you´ve figured out where the problems are.
Let me play the devil´s advocate on the solutions you´ve suggested though, and let´s see what others think:
0. I believe that the solution of "doctors & engineers driving taxi cabs" lies not in band-aid solutions like workshops for new immigrants or ESL classes. The real solution lies in the re-structuring of the points system.
-- The problem is that Canada *does* need doctors and engineers. There is a real shortage of them. Changing the points system so doctors get 100 points won´t do anything about the core problem of their foreign credentials not being recognized.
1. Canada should identify key occupations that are necessary for the economic development of the nation and entice professionals within those industries to apply for Canadian immigration by giving them more points. For example: Canada needs farmers, welders, truck drivers. If you fit into this category you will get 20 points.
-- As long as they also meet other standards (language skills, being able to integrate), I completely agree.
2. The current Provincial Nominee Program is ineffective... One possible solution is to encourage the deployment of immigrants to parts of Canada by encouraging them with the points system. For example: Canada needs more people in Manitoba and Saskatchewan. If you are willing to move there for a period of 5 years or more you will receive 15 points. If you are a farmer and willing to move to Saskatchewan, bloody hell - you?ve just earned 35 points.
-- It´s something I believe has been considered in the past. Nice idea too, but with potential for abuse of the system. Even now, in your application you have to provide the city where you plan to live, but guess what? You don´t have to actually even step foot in that city when you get your PR.
3. Applications with arranged employment (Canadian job offers) should be fast-tracked. 6-12 months processing times will be ideal.
-- It already is, if employers go through HRSDC.
4. International students in Canada should be encouraged (and not discouraged) to stay in Canada after they graduate. Yes they have come out with new programs to entice students but Toronto, Montreal and Vancouver are exempt from these new laws.
-- If I´m not mistaken, if the pilot project works out, this will be the case across Canada.
[18-12-2005,02:33]
[**.93.69.34]
typo |
(in reply to: Canada - The Promise Land?)
Bravo to both of you. lots of good ideas. I agree-we need to do more about recognizing credentials . If a university has a substandard medical program - then Canada should be telling that applicant up front what will be required for that applicant to practice. they can decide from there.
hopefully someone from CIC lurks about this forum. they could learn a few things!
To both of you... I hope your applications go well.
[18-12-2005,03:35]
[***.20.170.23]
Sharon |
(in reply to: Canada - The Promise Land?)
Mine went very well Sharon - I moved to Canada nine years ago ;)
Thanks for the wishes though.
[18-12-2005,04:01]
[**.93.69.34]
typo |
add one more point (in reply to: Canada - The Promise Land?)
i think the current point system for age should be revamped . if the immigrant is younger there are more chances of succeeding.instead of giving same points for age group 21-49 they should categorise it for age like australia and New zealand does. i mean people who are oldies like above 40 should be given negative points and people who are below 29 should be given additional extra points. in my opinion , if you are younger than 30 you are likely to succeed more .
[18-12-2005,05:35]
[**.69.183.98]
Syd |
(in reply to: Canada - The Promise Land?)
Good job candice.
[18-12-2005,09:35]
[**.238.3.17]
Scientist |
RE: Sharon's post (in reply to: Canada - The Promise Land?)
"The current Provincial Nominee Program is ineffective since potential immigrants require a Canadian job offer to be able to apply for the program. How is somebody in Bangladesh for example going to contact an employer in Manitoba when it is a well known fact that most employers will not hire somebody from another country without ever interviewing them. It does happen but in most cases it doesn?t."
<--It does happen. How are they going to contact potential employers? Via internet and telephone, or for those lucky individuals who can afford it, on visitor visas to Canada while acting as tourists. I don´t see why skilled workers should be allowed to immigrate here if they will be unemployed when they arrive...it makes the points system you´ve suggested moot, ineffective, and potentially more disappointing than you say some ppl already believe it is. I think the provinces are looking out for the best interests of the potential immigrants with the current policies, by expecting them to have credible job offers, and preventing them from coming here and driving taxis or having to resort to working in positions they are overqualified for.
"One possible solution is to encourage the deployment of immigrants to parts of Canada by encouraging them with the points system. For example: Canada needs more people in Manitoba and Saskatchewan. If you are willing to move there for a period of 5 years or more you will receive 15 points. If you are a farmer and willing to move to Saskatchewan, bloody hell - you?ve just earned 35 points. Good on ya mate!"
<--How will more points prevent unemployment and wasted skills and experience on the part of the person migrating? Great suggestion, but I don´t see that it solves the current problems.
"Applications with arranged employment (Canadian job offers) should be fast-tracked. 6-12 months processing times will be ideal."
<--- I agree with typo that it already is. For example, in Saskatchewan, as soon as your job offer is verified, you are eligible to obtain a work permit to come here and work while your status is processed. I think Saskatchewan´s January 2006 policies are expecting maximum wait times of 9 -12 months to PR for small business rural entrepreneurs who submit a business plan and a minimum business investment($75,000.Cdn+/-).
"International students in Canada should be encouraged (and not discouraged) to stay in Canada after they graduate. Yes they have come out with new programs to entice students but Toronto, Montreal and Vancouver are exempt from these new laws. And since most International students study in these major cities it is rather ineffective. Canada needs fresh graduates with a clean slate, with an open mind and a willingness to learn and absorb a Canadian way of life at an early age. "
<---I disagree with you here. Having an "open mind" includes a willingness to relocate. Too many people are moving to and settling in the three major cities alone, preventing other Canadian cities from growing as a result of the depravity of skills these graduates have to offer. In addition, there is a lot of existing encouragement for international students. I don´t think naturalized Canadian students have opportunities for so many scholarships, internships, and bursaries as I have seen available for international students.
"Canada should identify key occupations that are necessary for the economic development of the nation and entice professionals within those industries to apply for Canadian immigration by giving them more points. For example: Canada needs farmers, welders, truck drivers. If you fit into this category you will get 20 points."
<---The provincial nominee programs already do this as well. You don´t get extra points, but key occupations have been identified and Canadian approved credentials give a potential immigrant more consideration in the approval process, when combined with other standards, such as the ones typo mentioned "(language skills, being able to integrate)" and the existing job offer. Ability to integrate is not necessary to consider once a person has the job offer, as they will have already integrated on their work permit before their PR is recieved.
[18-12-2005,12:47]
[**.11.125.125]
CD |
(in reply to: Canada - The Promise Land?)
I all cherish the robust opinions of each contributors to this ´debate´.There are a lot of contradictions in canadian immigration process. Your certificate is evaluated based on point system yet once U are in, U cannot use same certificate to get desired job.
One need to brace up if U are in canada as what are readily available are menial/odd jobs, to add insult to injury those odd job can only even be secured thru agency and not thru the company/factory itself.The factory might be paying the agency $20/hour. U know what the agency in turn will be paying U $8-$9/hour.And from these little amount by the time they deduct tax from every paycheck U might end up getting $5-$7/hour.
U need to now decide what U will do, will U continue this agency odd job for life as some people are already stuck in there? or just go back to start afresh from school(university). The professional like pharmacists,doctors, dentists etc are not finding it easy in Canada.U will be asked to write various professional exams that can easily be passable.In Ontario alone over 4000 medical doctors are unlicensed and are therefore driving taxis,selling pizzas, working in the factory.
Those immigrants that can persevere will easily go back to school and start afresh in courses like nursing, etc.Those who cannot persevere will be hoping that one day ´he go better´.So many foreign brains and talents are been wasted readily in Canada.May God help all of us!
mayoo
[18-12-2005,20:22]
[**.49.243.154]
Mayoo |
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