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Omar Yaqub

http://premier.alberta.ca/PlansInitiatives/economic/RPCES_ShapingABFuture_Report_web2.pdf - 0 views

premier.alberta.ca/...hapingABFuture_Report_web2.pdf

alberta trends work immigrants government

shared by Omar Yaqub on 09 May 11 - No Cached
    • Omar Yaqub
      Omar Yaqub on 09 May 11
       
      work with the federal government to change the immigration system - to help address critical shortages of workers at all skill levelsIt is in the interests of all Canadians that the Alberta economy remains strong. To realize the full potential of the oil sands and broaden the economic base, the province will need people from outside the country as well as migrants from other parts of Canada. The provincial government and industry must collaborate in demonstrating to the federal government the critical need to at least double the caps on the provincial immigrant nominee program. Advocate for immediate changes that allow temporary foreign workers with solid records to apply for permanent resident status while they are still in the country. Continue to work with the federal government to institute longer-term changes to better align the national immigration program with strategies for economic growth, making it more responsive to changing economic conditions and industry's workforce needs.Determine what is getting in the way of swift assessment of foreign trades and professional credentials related to these scarce skills, and remove barriers to full recognition of qualifications that meet Alberta standards. Pre-certify credentials from selected offshore institutions, and create a mechanism that allows all immigrants to determine their credential status before moving here. Expand initiatives such as the Immigrant Access Fund to help immigrants achieve credential recognition.
  • Omar Yaqub on 09 May 11
     
    Give a new alberta water authority the mandate to innovate in water stewardship, and realize the full benefit of our precious water assets Alberta needs all its citizens to develop the mindset and skills to thrive in today's world and drive economic growth - to be resilient, lifelong learners, healthy and productive, eager to achieve and perform, globally connected and informed seeking talent around the globe Like other countries with aging populations, Alberta in 2040 will be competing to attract the brightest and the best talent to the province's workforce to fill critical gaps. As early as 2030, demographers predict that domestic workforce growth in Alberta and Canada will have stalled, although higher birth rates in our Aboriginal population could indicate potential for some domestic population growth. Encouraging seniors who wish to stay in the workforce longer to do so could mitigate (but not solve) the problem. Employers could abolish their mandatory retirement age and other policies that discriminate on the basis of age.Employers in this province are already concerned about shortages of people to fill jobs at all skill levels, well aware that energy booms create huge demands for workers in service sectors as well as in construction and labour-intensive oil sands production. The very specialized skills and knowledge essential to success in broadening the economic base are in short supply in the province now because there have not historically been good opportunities in these areas. One key requirement is more people experienced in founding and growing technologybased businesses. While productivity improvements and the application of innovative business models may slow growth in the labour supply gap or change the mix of skills required over the  next three decades, we still expect to see an increasing  need to attract immigrants to the province to fill key gaps  at all skill levels.The number of immigrants to Alberta fr
Omar Yaqub

Canadian immigrants labour shortage - 0 views

www.canadianimmigrant.ca/...779

canadian work immigrants

shared by Omar Yaqub on 26 Apr 11 - No Cached
  • The labour shortage, particularly in industries like construction, means there are jobs that are not getting filled, while many immigrants are not getting jobs. Seems like it’s our immigration system that really needs the help
  • He was only half-kidding. Industries like construction, oil and gas, energy, transportation and manufacturing are reeling from a lack of unskilled labourers and skilled workers and tradespeople (i.e., welders, plumbers, electricians, sheet metal workers).
  • We’ve hired a couple of recent immigrants and they’ve worked out very well,” she adds. “It is production work so there is not a huge amount of communication involved, so it’s okay if their English isn’t yet the greatest.”
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  • Hiring temporary foreign workers has crossed her mind, but the thought of looking into the process overwhelms her. “It seems to have a lot of government red tape. We’ve all got so much on our plates right now, we’re all maxed out.”
  • Adding to that is the fact that hiring temporary foreign workers is inherently a short-term solution for a problem that has far-reaching effects. Even if the construction boom tapers off after 2010, the baby boomers will still be in retiring, and Canadians still won’t be making more babies, so it seems inevitable that the issue of worker shortages will keep arising
  • ratio of residents aged 65 and over to those of traditional working age (18–64) will rise from 20 per cent in 2006 to 46 per cent in 2050.
  • report by the Canadian Bar Association says temporary foreign workers are not meeting the needs of labour-hungry employers, because time is spent getting the person trained on the job, particularly where safety is concerned, and just when they are up to speed, employers have to start all over again with new workers.
  • Alberta Federation of Labour (AFL) President Gil McGowan says the AFL supports more permanent immigration to Canada. “Bringing in temporary workers, who are very vulnerable to abuse and exploitation is no solution,”
  • “Immigration policy should be about building a stronger society, not about importing cheap labour to serve the short-term needs of employers.”
  • Canadian Construction Association (CCA) is advocating for an expanded temporary foreign workers program for the construction industry, it also recognizes it can’t be the sole solution.
  • labour crisis has been like a mirror held up to the immigration system, reflecting its many flaws. Thanks to the shortsighted “points” system to immigration sales offices that falsely “recruit” immigrant professionals (see Publisher’s Note on page 3), the Canadian immigration system has lost sight of what Canada needs, how Canada works, and how to make immigration policies sophisticated and flexible enough to reflect these things.
  • In B.C., the provincial government is trying to do its part to fill its labour gap, partly by subsidizing the new Skills Connect for Immigrants programs that help skilled immigrants enter positions equivalent to their qualifications in such hot industries as construction, transportation, energy and tourism.
  • Six service providers have been chosen to administer the program, including ASPECT, Back in Motion, Camosun College, Douglas College, Multicultural Helping House Society and Surrey Delta Immigrant Services Society (SDISS).
  • “If immigrants move to B.C. to work in a field where there is a shortage, then we need to help them get their training and credentials recognized [through these programs],” says Minister of Economic Development Colin Hansen
  • Number 1 is career assessment, which includes credential and language evaluations. Number 2 is skills enhancement services. “For example, if a participant wants to go into CAD construction and wants to top up his training, we can help arrange that,” she says. Number 3 is a workplace practicum, which allows them to get a little Canadian experience.
  • “Although it’s not the end focus of our Arrive B.C. program, the largest gap is labourers,”
  • Proactive Personnel (www.proactivepersonnel.ca).
  • Omar Yaqub on 26 Apr 11
     
    The labour shortage, particularly in industries like construction, means there are jobs that are not getting filled, while many immigrants are not getting jobs. Seems like it's our immigration system that really needs the help
Omar Yaqub

Australia - The Keys to Australia's Immigration Success - Canada immigration news - 0 views

www.tcscanada.net/...canada-immigration-news.php

work australia immigration canada

shared by Omar Yaqub on 12 Mar 12 - No Cached
  • Australia and Canada faced similar challenges in reaping the benefits of newcomers, but experts say today's immigrants to the country Down Under are in faster, employed better and more quickly, and are making more money than those coming into Canada.
  • within just two years of bringing in major changes in 1999, Australia saw an "immediate surge of outcomes" for immigrants, and the immigration-related economic benefits for the country.
  • Canada's backlog of nearly 1 million applicants is another challenge, and, today, successful economic migrants to Australia are admitted within three months if they apply off-shore, and three weeks if they are already in Australia
  • ...13 more annotations...
  • modify the changes to the way you select economic applicants in the context of improving employment incomes,
  • Canada's immigration policies have increasingly focused on short-term labour market needs at the expense of longer term nation-building.
  • as provinces have been given more control over their immigrant intake, a national framework has fallen by the wayside
  • there is a lack of alignment in the immigration program between skills selection and labour market needs
  • Canadian Construction Association and Canadian Manufacturers and Exporters, the coalition is calling on the government to invest money in colleges—and to fix the immigration system.
  • by 2012, immigration will account for all labour force growth in Canada, and that two-thirds of the available jobs will require post-secondary education.
  • We need an overhaul to get more skilled trades into Canada quickly," Mr. Charette said. "When you look at Australia, they can get in in three to four days."
  • Success Key to Decision
  • she also said the recent changes brought in by the Conservative government, which give the immigration minister full discretion over how many and what type of immigrants get in, "makes sense." With data that showed economic migrants to Australia were struggling to find work and make a decent wage, the government of the day brought in mandatory language testing and credential assessment for economic migrants before they immigrate.
  • In Canada, however, English-speaking migration has disappeared, she said, adding that no one has yet been able to explain why.
  • Australia also made it easier for international students to apply for permanent status and, by 2005, 52 per cent had applied to stay. Not only do these students pay high costs for their education, they "overwhelmingly qualified for positions," Ms. Hawthorne said.
  • Canada's policies have been focused on increasing temporary workers to meet labour needs, Ms. Hawthorne warned not enough attention has been paid to economic principal applicants in Canada's immigration system.
  • And that's what's keeping people who are the permanent kind," she said. "This is not removing migration as a source of country building...but you're picking people whose immediate work outcome is much more likely to be positive, and they're equally likely to be diverse, and they'll have better longer-term outcomes, as will their children."
Omar Yaqub

Global Talent for SMEs « ALLIES Canada - 0 views

alliescanada.ca/...sme-projects

Work immigrants sme

shared by Omar Yaqub on 17 Feb 12 - No Cached
  • Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) have enormous potential as employers of skilled immigrants. At the same time, they can benefit from the skills, experience and innovation that skilled immigrants can bring to their organizations. ALLIES has undertaken research to better understand the programs and policies that can engage and influence the human resource practices of SMEs. Drawing on an examination of programs, policies and organizational efforts aimed at SMEs in ten provinces and 20 cities, and more than 50 interviews with key informants, this research proposes eight practical ideas for cities, governments and service providers.
  • A tailored strategy for SMEs is needed because SMEs are concentrated in different sectors than their larger counterparts. Recent immigrants are a large part of the workforce, and, overall, they have the skills, education and experience to contribute to Canada’s economy. Current programming does not focus on assisting SMEs to hire new workers. SMEs are motivated by immediate need and financial incentive. They want to mitigate the risk of hiring decisions, particularly when hiring outside of their personal networks. Because SMEs tend not to have formalized structures in place, they can easily and quickly adopt new practices. To be effective, programs for SMEs must be simple, straightforward, and available on demand. Hiring programs for SMEs should be targeted by sector or industry, or for growing businesses. SME programs need strong communications and marketing support to be successful.
  • Hiring Programs 1. Activity-focused internship – Positions for mid-level professional skilled immigrants will focus on a core business area (e.g. E-commerce, export activities, financial management). 2. One-stop shop for recruiting and HR support services – Gives SMEs a single point of access to a wealth of government and community programs, and provides screened, qualified candidates to employers ready to hire. 3. Online database of screened candidates – Provides on-demand access to qualified candidates in a particular industry or sector. 4. Wage and orientation subsidy – Encourages SMEs to hire a skilled immigrant, and enhances their capacity to provide orientation and training to new workers.
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  • Awareness and Education 5. HR Resources Online – This website will have customizeable tools on a wide range of human resource topics, and information about good practices for hiring immigrants. 6. Financial institutions provide information/education to business clients – Financial institutions will provide information to their small business clients at the time when they are most likely to be growing their business.
  • Communciations & Marketing 7. Corporate call – In these one-on-one visits, employer consultants can assess needs, recommend programs and services, and establish relationships with SMEs. 8. Business and industry associations – These organizations have established relationships and channels of communications with their SME members.
  • SMEs in our Cities Review a statistical snapshot of a local labour market and the skilled immigrant demographic in these fact sheets (PDF): Fast Facts | Calgary
  • Key Small Business Statistics – Find statistics about small businesses in Canada from Industry Canada.
  • Globe and Mail Coverage – Project connects immigrants with small businesses & An eight-point plan to get jobs for immigrants
Omar Yaqub

Immigrants and Low-Paid Work: Persistent Problems, Enduring Consequences - 0 views

mbc.metropolis.net/...WP11-20.pdf

immigrants work canada

shared by Omar Yaqub on 21 Feb 12 - No Cached
  • Omar Yaqub on 21 Feb 12
     
    According to a 2008 Statistics Canada report, immigrants are 1.8 times more likely than native-born Canadians to earn less than $10 per hour. This report from Metropolis British Columbia: Centre of Excellence for Research on Immigration and Diversity attempts to address the issue of why immigrants tend to experience chronic low pay, how chronic low pay affects quality of life for immigrant families and individuals, and what strategies and solutions might assist in overcoming persistent inequalities in the labour market for immigrant Canadians.
Omar Yaqub

Canadian Immigration and Visas | National Occupation Classification List - 0 views

www.workpermit.com/...employee_list.htm

immigration work

shared by Omar Yaqub on 27 Feb 12 - No Cached
  • Code Occupation 0631 Restaurant and Food Service Managers0811 Primary Production Managers (Except Agriculture)1122 Professional Occupations in Business Services to Management (cap reached for June 2011 year)1233 Insurance Adjusters and Claims Examiners2121 Biologists and Related Scientists2151 Architects3111 Specialist Physicians3112 General Practitioners and Family Physicians3113 Dentists3131 Pharmacists3142 Physiotherapists3152 Registered Nurses (cap reached for June 2011 year)3215 Medical Radiation Technologists3222 Dental Hygienists & Dental Therapists3233 Licensed Practical Nurses4151 Psychologists4152 Social Workers6241 Chefs6242 Cooks7215 Contractors and Supervisors, Carpentry Trades7216 Contractors and Supervisors, Mechanic Trades7241 Electricians (Except Industrial & Power System)7242 Industrial Electricians7251 Plumbers7265 Welders & Related Machine Operators7312 Heavy-Duty Equipment Mechanics7371 Crane Operators7372 Drillers & Blasters - Surface Mining, Quarrying & Construction8222 Supervisors, Oil and Gas Drilling and Service
  • Canadian Eligible Skilled Occupations
  • Omar Yaqub on 27 Feb 12
     
    Canadian Eligible Skilled Occupations Code Occupation 0631 Restaurant and Food Service Managers 0811 Primary Production Managers (Except Agriculture) 1122 Professional Occupations in Business Services to Management (cap reached for June 2011 year) 1233 Insurance Adjusters and Claims Examiners 2121 Biologists and Related Scientists 2151 Architects 3111 Specialist Physicians 3112 General Practitioners and Family Physicians 3113 Dentists 3131 Pharmacists 3142 Physiotherapists 3152 Registered Nurses (cap reached for June 2011 year) 3215 Medical Radiation Technologists 3222 Dental Hygienists & Dental Therapists 3233 Licensed Practical Nurses 4151 Psychologists 4152 Social Workers 6241 Chefs 6242 Cooks 7215 Contractors and Supervisors, Carpentry Trades 7216 Contractors and Supervisors, Mechanic Trades 7241 Electricians (Except Industrial & Power System) 7242 Industrial Electricians 7251 Plumbers 7265 Welders & Related Machine Operators 7312 Heavy-Duty Equipment Mechanics 7371 Crane Operators 7372 Drillers & Blasters - Surface Mining, Quarrying & Construction 8222 Supervisors, Oil and Gas Drilling and Service Canada Guide for Employers Skilled Workers Assessment Points calculator Guide for Individuals Overview Skilled Worker Immigration Shortage Occupations Family & Dependants International adoptions US vs. Canada Resume (CV) Format IT professionals Provincial Nominee Program Canada business immigration Working Holiday Program Canada Study Permits Relocating to Canada Immigration to Australia Canada United Kingdom United States more countries » Immigration assessments Tier 1 (General) Assessment UK employee work permit Australia skilled immigration Canadian skilled workers US green card lottery US H-1B for individuals US L-1 appraisal form US Green card assessment German green card General assessment Eligibility certificate Full assessments list
Omar Yaqub

Hiring Skilled Workers and Supporting their Permanent Immigration - 0 views

www.hrsdc.gc.ca/...poarremp.shtml

work immigrants

shared by Omar Yaqub on 24 Feb 12 - No Cached
  • Hiring Steps Make a permanent offer in a skilled occupation to the Skilled Worker and submit an application for an Arranged Employment Opinion - Updated (EMP5275) Employers using a third party representative must complete the "Annex to the Appointment of Representative" form and send it with the AEO application. Send the application form to: Service Canada
  • An arranged employment opinion (AEO) is based on these factors : The job offer is permanent; The job offer is genuine; The wages and working conditions offered for the job are comparable to those offered to Canadians working in the occupation; The employment is full-time, not seasonal.
  • HRSDC reviews the application and if appropriate, provides you with an AEO letter of confirmation supporting the job. Please be aware that a positive HRSDC AEO letter only supports the Skilled Worker's application for permanent residency, but does not allow for the person to work in Canada. There is another process if you plan to employ the person and, at the same time, support their permanent immigration to Canada.
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  • You send a copy of the AEO letter to the Skilled Worker. Tell the person to apply to the appropriate visa office for a  Skilled Worker permanent resident visa. Tell the Skilled Worker to include your written permanent job offer and the AEO letter of confirmation with the permanent resident application, along with other documentation required by CIC. The application is point-rated and these documents improve the Foreign Worker's score and the opportunity to receive a permanent resident visa
  • Omar Yaqub on 24 Feb 12
     
    Hiring Skilled Workers and Supporting their Permanent Immigration
Omar Yaqub

http://employment.alberta.ca/documents/tfw-annexb-occ-sp-steam-pipe.pdf - 0 views

employment.alberta.ca/...w-annexb-occ-sp-steam-pipe.pdf

work immigrants alberta tfw

shared by Omar Yaqub on 09 Apr 12 - No Cached
  • Omar Yaqub on 09 Apr 12
     
    Canada-Alberta Temporary Foreign Worker (TFW) Annex Pilot on Occupation Specific Work Permits   Steamfitter-Pipefitter Background The TFW Annex is an addition to the Agreement for Canada-Alberta Cooperation on  Immigration. The Annex includes an agreement to implement a number of pilots.  One of the pilots allows Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) to issue an  occupation-specific work permit for TFWs working in Alberta in the steamfitterpipefitter trade (NOC 7252). Initially, this permit allows TFWs to be employed for up  to one year by one employer or a Group of Employers recognized by CIC and  Human Resources and Skill Development Canada while working toward trade  certification.  Once certified, foreign workers can apply for a two-year open work permit, allowing  them to move between employers without the employer applying for a labour market  opinion. Eligibility Steamfitter-pipefitter is a compulsory trade in Alberta.  To work in this occupation,  TFWs need a job offer from an employer and an approval letter from Alberta  Apprenticeship and Industry Training (AIT) for the Qualification Certificate Program  before they come to Alberta. More information on the AIT certification requirements  to work in a trade in Alberta can be found at www.tradesecrets.alberta.ca.  For applicants who are not currently trade certified, work permits will be issued for  one year allowing the foreign worker time to become certified under the Qualification  Certificate Program. Once certified, CIC will issue an open work permit for an  additional two-year period.  TFWs currently certified and working in the steamfitter-pipefitter trade in Alberta are  eligible to apply for the two-year open work permit before the expiry of their current  work permit. The job letter from the employer must indicate a wage that is consistent with the  prevailing wage paid to Canadians in the same occupation in Alberta and that the  working conditions for the occupation meet
Omar Yaqub

III. Overview of the Provincial Nominee Programs (PNPs) - 0 views

www.lco-cdo.org/...able-workers-baxter-sectionIII

work immigrants

shared by Omar Yaqub on 15 Mar 12 - No Cached
  • According to all PNP agreements signed to date, provincial governments hold exclusive authority to establish program criteria, nomination quotas, and administrative schemes, leaving the federal government with a limited role to monitor basic admissibility requirements under the IRPA and to negotiate evaluation processes for each provincial program. The language of the framework agreements indicates unequivocally that these programs are designed for the provinces to occupy maximum jurisdictional space.
  • At the level of program design, current PNP agreements enable the provinces to establish their own criteria for making nominations and to set target numbers for nominees from year to year.
  • Most provinces have created distinct sub-categories or streams in their PNPs based on skill level, family statues, or planned business development, and sometimes restrict these to specific industries and occupations.
  • ...15 more annotations...
  • All existing PNP streams for lower-skilled workers require nominees to first become temporary workers admitted into the province through one of the federal TFWP streams and to work under a temporary permit for a minimum time period before they are eligible to apply as a nominee (6 and 9 months are common). Other program steams for higher-skilled workers allow nominees to be recruited form outside Canada and to arrive directly without first applying through the TFWPs.[lx]
  • A second common feature of PNPs is that they, like the TFWPs, are essentially employer-driven and thus reflect strongly the interests and demands of influential private actors.  Employers directly generate the demand for foreign workers, sometimes participate actively in developing specific PNPs, and invariably exert a high degree of practical control over nominee recruitment and selection processes.
  • PNPs to provide access to permanent immigrants whose employment skills are specifically selected to meet these labour requirements is clearly attractive to businesses. PNP immigration processes also tend to be much faster compared to those at the federal level, closing the sometimes-lengthy gap in time between the point at which employers identify labour needs and the point when workers are actually available to fill these positions. PNPs may also allow employers to bypass the federal LMO requirements under certain conditions, which is significant since employers have expressed some frustrations with the time and resources they need to devote to fulfill these requirements.[lxv]
  • [t]he PNP and the TFW Program are popular with some larger employers but often prove too costly for smaller ones to adopt.”[lxvi] Large businesses can more easily afford the significant administrative costs that can attach to recruiting, transporting, re-settling, and training nominees, such that the demands of these enterprises are most likely to dominate nominee programs
  • recent example, Maple Leaf Foods spent an estimated $7,000 per worker to employ individuals in their Brandon, Manitoba processing plant, bringing them to Canada initially through a TFWP and subsequently nominating them for permanent residency through the Manitoba PNP.[lxvii]
  • the federal-provincial agreements on immigration with Ontario and Alberta contain annexes that provide provincial governments and employers with greater flexibility in assessing labour market needs, without requiring input from HRSDC in the form of an LMO
  • Ontario and Alberta annexes explicitly recognize that pursuant to s. 204(c) of the IRPR, CIC is authorized to issue a temporary work permit without requiring a prospective employer to seek an LMO if requested to do so by the province
  • Under these sub-agreements, Ontario and Alberta agree to establish procedures and criteria to govern this authority, and to provide annual estimates of the number of temporary work permits issued by this route
  • A few critics of the TFWPs and PNPs in Canada have pointed out the overriding problem of employer control both in the policy-setting realm and in the actual workplace. Their criticisms raise concerns about effects on national immigration policy, on labour protection policies, on the realization of actual protections for vulnerable workers, or as some combination of these
  • [s]ome argue that letting employers choose who enters is against all the principles that have shaped Canada as an immigration country
  • Alboim and Maytree target the devolution of decision-making and program development from the federal government to the provinces and private interests, resulting in fragmentation of immigration priorities and procedures
  • Others have focused specifically on the fact the PNPs bind foreign workers closely to employers, exacerbating rather than relieving some of the real insecurities that figure prominently in the TFWPs
  • Some proponents of existing PNP models have countered that the problems associated with employer control over economic immigration are overstated and maintain that market-based incentives will effectively penalize abusive employers. These parties believe that economic immigrants will be attracted to responsible employers, such that employers will have adequate incentives to place voluntary restraints on formal and informal bargaining power.
  • But this argument rests on the dubious assumption that information about employer practices is readily available and that it will be accessible by temporary foreign workers – who, as discussed below, face significant barriers related to language, education, cultural, and access to support services. Without this information, so-called “reputation effects” are unlikely to place serious restraints on employers’ actions
  • Overall, it is generally clear that implicit standards of self-regulation fall well below what is necessary to protect workers, particularly in light of the broad employer discretion now inherent in existing PNP models. The main questions, taken up in the following section, are about what aspects of nominee program design premised on this discretion actually contribute to workers’ insecurities and about whether responses by governments and third-party actors can be considered sufficient to meet the resulting concerns.
Omar Yaqub

New cap on Canada work permits for temporary foreign workers comes into effect on April... - 0 views

www.visaplace.com/...s-comes-into-effect-on-april-1

work immigration

shared by Omar Yaqub on 01 Mar 12 - No Cached
  • New cap on Canada work permits for temporary foreign workers comes into effect on April 1 2 EmailShare  2EmailShareSome temporary foreign workers’ time in Canada limited New changes to the Temporary Foreign Worker program are designed to protect temporary foreign workers but will also limit their time in Canada: temporary foreign workers who have worked in Canada for four years will not be allowed to work in Canada until another four-year period has passed. Among the new rules, employers who are unable to provide proper wages or working conditions will receive a two-year ban on hiring temporary foreign workers, and their names will be made public. The history of the employer will be looked at much more closely, ensuring that they have a history of following employment and Temporary Foreign Worker Program laws. Another change is that the government will be looking much more closely at the genuineness of the job offer. Employers will be required to sign a contract with their employees that covers wages, conditions and duties involved with the job, and all recruiting costs, airfare and medical coverage must be handled by the employer. Some exemptions for four-year limit The limit will not apply to seasonal farm workers under the Seasonal Agricultural Worker Program. The changes to the Temporary Foreign Worker program will come into effect on April 1.
Omar Yaqub

Provincial Nominee Programs Across Canada - 0 views

www.cnmag.ca/...nominee-programs-across-canada

work immigrants

shared by Omar Yaqub on 12 Mar 12 - No Cached
  • In 2010, over 36,000 people entered Canada under the PNP. And in 2012, Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) intends to welcome up to 45,000 people under the PNP. These totals include nominees, spouses and dependents. This is seven times more people than came to Canada under the PNP in 2004.
  • In the fall of 2010, the Council of Atlantic Premiers expressed concern that current federal immigration policies do not serve the present and future needs of the Atlantic provinces and they called on the federal government to remove the caps on PNP nomination certificates.
  • Nova Scotia wants to double immigration, and hopes to issue 1,500 certificates per year by 2020.
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  • Province of Manitoba disputed the original cap of 4,600 nominees. They successfully argued that the Manitoba PNP is critical to long term prosperity and population growth in Manitoba.
  • This resulted in over 15,000 nominees and their families moving to Manitoba in 2010. This accounted for 77 per cent of total immigrants to Manitoba. And Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Public Safety, Candice Hoeppner recently announced that the Canadian Government  would continue to grant Manitoba a record amount of space in 2012.
  • Alberta will also receive a record amount of space in Canada's Provincial Nominee Program in 2012.
  • Alberta's PNP has increased almost 20-fold since 2004 – when 400 people were admitted – to over 7,000 in 2010. 23 per cent of immigrants to Alberta in 2010 came through the Alberta PNP.
  • Ontario PNP allows for the nomination of up to 1000 permanent residents each year. If this number seems low, it is because the Province of Ontario receives by far the largest share of immigrants through the federal government's other immigration streams. As a result, the Ontario PNP has focused on helping people who are in the process of earning an advanced degree in Ontario to obtain permanent resident status which enables them to live and work in the province indefinitely. Foreign workers and business investors may also be eligible.
Omar Yaqub

Foreign Qualifications for Jobs in Canada - 0 views

www.welcomebc.ca/...index.page

work bc immigrants

shared by Omar Yaqub on 24 Feb 12 - No Cached
  • The assessment process In regulated occupations: The first step is to contact the relevant regulatory authority to determine what they need from you, and to discuss expected costs, timelines, and other requirements.
  • Some things that may be required during the assessment processes are: Complete an application form and provide necessary documentation.Required documents vary depending on the occupation; however, they often include educational transcripts, reliable references, employment history, resumé, and completed application form. Have your educational credentials assessed.Some regulatory authorities will perform the assessment of educational credentials internally. Others use external organizations to do this.The International Credential Evaluation Service (ICES) will assess your credentials (education) on a fee-for-service basis; however, an ICES assessment is not always required. Before paying to have your credentials assessed by ICES, contact the relevant regulatory authority to find out what they require. Regulatory authorities may also assess other aspects of your qualifications, using some of the following approaches: Verifying previous work experience by contacting work references Practical assessment of job-related competencies Oral interview with applicant to verify information and to determine job-related capabilities As part of the assessment process, you will likely be required to: Take exams Pay fees Provide additional documentation or clarify information upon request
  • The total cost for the assessment process varies, depending on the occupation and the regulatory authority’s requirements. You can expect to pay anywhere from a few hundred dollars to several thousand. The length of time that the certification process takes also varies depending on the occupation—anywhere from a few weeks to several months. It is recommended that you contact the appropriate regulatory authority (PDF - 94KB) prior to arriving in BC, or as soon as possible after you have arrived, in order to determine the process and requirements for the occupation in which you would like to work. To assist you in determining which regulatory authority is responsible for your occupation open the following: www.tilma.ca/pdf/BCRegulatoryAuthorities.pdf
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  • Upgrading options If a regulatory authority or employers require that you upgrade your qualifications in order to become certified and/or employer, there are a few options to consider if you require assistance: Regulatory authorities often have links with specialized educational or “bridging” programs within educational institutions that will assist individuals with international qualifications. Services to support language upgrading can be found on this website. You can contact post-secondary institutions directly. Check out the Skills Connect for Immigrants Program – an individualized employment bridging program providing assistance with the assessment and career planning process, skill upgrading, workplace language supports and workplace practice opportunities. Contact the InfoCentre for Skilled Immigrants. Contact your local settlement agency.
  • In non-regulated occupations: Since employers decide whether your qualifications will match the requirements for a specific job, you should check with the employer that you are looking to work for to determine whether an independent assessment of your educational credentials or past work experience will be required. Employers will be able to give you information regarding the requirements for demonstrating that your qualifications will be accepted for a specific position in BC
  • Prepare You can do as much research as soon as possible to learn: if your desired occupation is regulated, and, if so, you can learn about the occupational standards that you must meet in order to become certified about any requirements necessary to become certified or employed about the various employers that can be found within your desired occupation or sector
  • Pan-Canadian Framework for the Assessment and Recognition of Foreign Qualifications In cooperation with other provinces, territories, and the federal government, British Columbia has recently announced a pan-Canadian framework to improve the recognition of qualifications for immigrants coming to the province to seek work in regulated occupations. The framework is designed to make Foreign Qualifications Recognition process faster, fairer, more transparent, and consistent across the country; getting you working much sooner. This framework will result in a number of changes, including: better information to help you prepare for qualifications assessments more ways to begin the qualifications assessment process before you get here faster and cost effective processes for assessment opportunities for upgrading your qualifications more support to individuals like yourself and employers
Omar Yaqub

Importing Foreign Workers- The Basics - 0 views

www.singleton.com/...reign_Workers-_The_Basics.aspx

work immigrants

shared by Omar Yaqub on 02 Mar 12 - No Cached
  • Canada has agreed to the inclusion of the following service sectors in the GATS agreement: business services, communication services, construction services, distribution services, environmental services, financial services, tourism and travel related services and transport services.
  • A GATS professional is one who seeks to engage, as part of a services contract, in an activity at a professional level, provided that the person possesses the necessary credentials and qualifications. There are nine accepted professions under GATS:
  • • engineers; • agrologists; • architects; • forestry professionals; • geomatics professionals; • land surveyors; • legal consultants; • urban planners; and • senior computer specialists.
  • ...23 more annotations...
  • Under GATS professionals may only work in Canada for a period of 90 days in any 12 month period
  • Spouses Spouses (including common-law partners) of temporary foreign workers can apply for a work permit without a confirmation from HRSDC, provided that the principal applicant is authorized by a work permit to work in Canada for at least six months. Initial this category was only available for spouses of skilled workers but recently it has been expanded to cover spouses of any temporary worker. The spouse of a temporary worker may apply for an open work permit, which allows the spouse to accept almost any job. The spouse's work permit will expire when the principal applicant's work permit expires.
  • As a general rule, a person who is not a Canadian citizen or a permanent resident must hold a valid work permit in order to work in Canada. Work permits are issued by Citizenship and Immigration Canada (“CIC”). Further, as a general rule, prior to the CIC issuing a work permit, the employer must receive a confirmation of employment from Human Resources and Skills Development Canada (“HRSDC”). This confirmation of employment is referred to as a “Labour Market Opinion” (“LMO”).
  • Foreign workers may also require a temporary resident visa to work in Canada; however, citizens and permanent residents of the U.S. are exempt from this requirement.
  • Under Canadian immigration law, it is the worker who must apply for and receive the work permit.
  • foreign worker must submit to CIC a copy of the HRSDC confirmation of employment and a detailed description of the employment offer (provided by the employer). There is a non-refundable fee of C$150 for processing an application for an individual work permit.
  • worker may apply for a work permit before entering Canada, at a port of entry or from inside Canada, depending on the worker's status
  • Generally, temporary foreign workers must apply for a work permit before departing for Canada, although the actual work permit will be printed and given to the foreign worker at the port of entry when he/she enters Canada.
  • If the foreign worker is from the U.S. or if the foreign worker does not need a temporary resident visa to visit Canada and an exemption is available from the requirement to obtain a confirmation of employment
  • the foreign worker is prohibited from applying for a work permit until his or her arrival at a port of entry.
  • If the applicant has been working in Canada for at least three months under an exemption, other than as a business visitor, but wants a permit to accept another job the foreign worker can apply for a work permit while already located in Canada
  • The worker is expected to abide by the terms and conditions set out in the work permit. Work permits are valid only for a specified job, employer and time period. However, workers can apply to the CIC to modify or extend their work permit. An application to extend a work permit should be made at least 3 months prior to the permit's expiry.
  • It is currently taking CIC over 117 days to process an application to renew or to change the terms and conditions of entry to Canada
  • Once the application is submitted the foreign worker can continue in employment pending approval of the extension, as long as they remain in Canada while that application is pending.
  • If the employer dismisses the foreign worker, the employee must apply to change their status to a visitor or find a new employer and apply to change the work permit to that new employer. There is no positive obligation on any employer to report the change in employment status to Immigration
  • Confirmation of Employment As a prerequisite to issuing a work permit, an immigration officer will generally require a Labour Market Opinion or a "confirmation of employment" from HRSDC. An employer who wishes to hire a temporary foreign worker is responsible for having the job offer validated by HRSDC. HRSDC will base its confirmation of employment on the following factors:
  • guidelines introduced by Service Canada for minimal recruitment efforts are as follows and are strictly adhered to:
  • NOC O and A Occupations You will have conducted the minimum advertising efforts required if you: • Conduct recruitment activities consistent with the practice within the occupation (e.g., advertise on recognized Internet job sites, in journals, newsletters or national newspapers or by consulting unions or professional associations); or • Advertise on the national Job Bank (or the equivalent in Newfoundland and Labrador, Saskatchewan or the Northwest Territories) for a minimum of fourteen (14) calendar days, during the three (3) months prior to applying for a LMO
  • If HRSDC is satisfied that the employment offer to a foreign national will not adversely impact the Canadian labour market, it will issue a confirmation of employment or LMO to the employer and enter the confirmation of employment into a database that can be accessed by immigration officials.
  • The employer then generally sends the foreign worker a copy of the LMO, as well as a detailed employment offer to be presented to immigration officials when the worker applies for his/her work permit at an overseas Canadian Consulate or upon the worker's arrival at a port of entry, if the worker is coming from a country that is visa exempt. Upon receipt of the HRSDC confirmation, immigration officials will decide if the foreign worker otherwise qualifies for a work permit.
  • confirmation process through HRSDC is a distinct stage from that of the work permit issuance by CIC. Currently the processing time at HRSDC is estimated at 3 to 5 weeks after receipt of acknowledgement of the application. Acknowledgements of receipt are currently taking 2 to 3 weeks.
  • Workers who require a work permit but not a confirmation of employment include those who are found to provide a significant benefit to Canada, spouses of temporary foreign workers, information technology workers, graduate students under a specialized work program and those who qualify for exemptions under NAFTA and GATS.
  • a 4 year cap on LMOs and an expiry date so foreign workers must rely on it within 6 months of issue or new recruiting efforts will be required.
Omar Yaqub

Tapping Canada's immigrant capital - The Globe and Mail - 0 views

www.theglobeandmail.com/...article2017418

Work immigrants competitiveness

shared by Omar Yaqub on 19 May 11 - Cached
  • hiring newcomers to help drive expansion into new markets
  • A new report released exclusively to The Globe and Mail shows almost one in five companies have hired a skilled immigrant to help diversify their global client base. Of those employers who hired immigrants to help them expand overseas, 93 per cent said it was effective, according to the March poll of 461 employers, conducted for the Toronto Region Immigrant Employment Council.
  • A Conference Board of Canada report in October found that every 1-percentage-point increase in the number of immigrants to Canada can increase the value of imports into Canada by 0.21 per cent, and the value of exports by 0.11 per cent. The report urged employers to hire more immigrants as a way to drive innovation and build global competitiveness.
Omar Yaqub

Rebuilding Professional Lives: Immigrant Professionals Working in the Ontario Settlemen... - 0 views

www.threesource.ca/...uilding_professional_lives.pdf

immigrants work

shared by Omar Yaqub on 14 Apr 11 - No Cached
  • Omar Yaqub on 14 Apr 11
     
    This study looks at how some foreign-born and foreign-trained professionals in Ontario have acquired a new post-immigration profession in the form of settlement work, after not being able to practice their respective pre-immigration professions. The study explores the professionals' pre-immigration education and work history, reasons for migrating to Canada, expectations they had about coming to Canada, choices they made about pursuing professional practice, efforts they put towards that or some alternative goal, and their eventual professional reconstitution as settlement workers.  
Omar Yaqub

Immigration overhaul would let employers choose prospects - The Globe and Mail - 0 views

www.theglobeandmail.com/...article2354767

tfw immigration canada government

shared by Omar Yaqub on 06 Mar 12 - No Cached
  • Minister Jason Kenney said he plans to build a faster, more flexible, just-in-time immigration regime. He’s also going to redesign the points system, on which immigrants are judged, to emphasize language ability and youth.
  • he wants to create a new economic stream for trades people, who currently don’t qualify under Canada’s education-focused federal skilled worker program
  • employers will soon be able to hand-pick prospective immigrants and send them to the front of the line for assessment
  • ...3 more annotations...
  • he’ll be considering a pre-assessment system, as they have in Australia, that evaluates the credentials of skilled professionals before they immigrate to see whether they will qualify to work in Canada.
  • create what’s known as an expression-of-interest system, whereby employers and provinces could sort through and assess a pool of applicants. Promising candidates could then be streamed quickly to the head of the skilled worker program or a provincial nominee program.
  • overall imperative is to better align our intake of newcomers with the jobs that exist right now.”
Omar Yaqub

Cities of Migration » Immigrants as Innovators: Boosting Canada's Global Comp... - 0 views

citiesofmigration.ca/...en

immigrants innovation canada

shared by Omar Yaqub on 02 Feb 11 - No Cached
  • Omar Yaqub on 02 Feb 11
     
    Immigrants as Innovators: Boosting Canada's Global Competitiveness / Michelle Downie.  Toronto: Conference Board of Canada, 2010. The report is designed to help Canadian government officials and business leaders, as well as cities and communities, recognize the potential value of immigration to innovation performance. The report also provides Canadian leaders with insight into how they can better foster and capitalize on the innovative 1potential of new Canadians.
Omar Yaqub

It's a paradox: high unemployment with serious labour shortages - The Globe and Mail - 0 views

www.theglobeandmail.com/...article1913704

work trends competitiveness immigrants

shared by Omar Yaqub on 23 Feb 11 - No Cached
  • Almost every government, from Beijing to Ottawa, is nowadays forced to use immigration to fill job shortages, at the same time as it devotes expensive social programs to helping the jobless. This, to put it mildly, has been creating tensions.
  • 34 per cent of corporations now regard “shortage of skilled labour” as their main business constraint
  • another 13 per cent regard their biggest problem as “shortage of un/semi-skilled labour.”
  • ...7 more annotations...
  • federal government, with one ear on these urgent business needs and another on a Conservative rank-and-file who aren’t keen on immigration, is striking a compromise by keeping the numbers more or less steady.
  • Canadian businesses, both large and small, are lobbying Ottawa hard to increase its immigration numbers above the current rate of more than 280,000 per year.
  • lmost one in seven companies can’t find enough uneducated, non-experienced people.
  • German government recently concluded that its shortfall of immigrant workers is costing the economy 20 billion euros a year, leading to a strong push from business to push immigration above its current level of 600,000 per year, even though there are officially 3 million jobless Germans (or 6.6 per cent).
  • Raising pay in sectors with shortages would encourage people to get the needed education to work there, it would encourage older workers to stay on longer and it would encourage foreign workers with the right skills to move” to your country,
  • high-unemployment regions are physically far from the labour-shortage regions, and poorer people tend to be rooted in the places they grew up. Welfare changes provide a one-time fix; after that, the shortages often return.
  • United States, despite its paltry welfare programs, will still be short 35 million workers by 2030; Europe, despite its generous decent minimum wages, will need 80 million. The most direct and politically feasible solution, the one most governments will continue to use to square the circle and fill the hole, will remain immigration.
Omar Yaqub

The Way We Culture: Edmonton's Plan for Multiculturalism? - 0 views

www.google.com/...view

immigrants edmonton

shared by Omar Yaqub on 20 May 11 - No Cached
  • Omar Yaqub on 20 May 11
     
    With 24%, or almost one in four Edmontonians having immigrated to Edmonton in their lifetime, Edmonton is certainly a multicultural city.(1)  With the population now more than 722,260 people, there are over 180,565 neighbours, coworkers and friends in Edmonton whose comforts of urban culture and urban design are likely somewhat to very different than the Canadian status-quo. Based on the language spoken at home, Figure 1 shows the nation of origin of many new Edmontonians, including 40% from India, the Philippines and China, thousands from Germany, the Ukraine, Poland, Spain, the Middle East, Vietnam and many other countries. Edmonton is home to over 70 different ethnic groups.(2)  This multiculturalism could be called one of the backbones of the Canadian identity - and one which the Canadian government continues to pride itself on at national and international levels. At our municipal level, the City of Edmonton has stated it "acknowledges the diversity of Edmontonians and [has charted] a course of inclusion where all people can be confident of the opportunity for success in [the] city".(3) However, to truly plan for a multicultural city we must include and go beyond hosting food and dance fairs and funding cultural associations. To build a city that is reflective of its people means to provide room for the very public spaces and culturally-relevant buildings that inhabit and nurture the essence of urban culture that exist in its people's way of being. So how does the City of Edmonton contribute to the celebration and accommodation of the diversity of its citizens through the built form? The City's newly released 'Ways' documents including The Way We Grow (Edmonton's Municipal Development Plan (MDP) for urban growth) and The Way We Live (Edmonton's plan for community development and social service delivery) provide some insight to Edmonton's plans for cultural inclusivity through urban design using a livability framework.(4, 5) From the MDP Th
Omar Yaqub

Immigration: The low-hanging fruit across the border | The Economist - 0 views

www.economist.com/...immigration

immigrants trends competitiveness

shared by Omar Yaqub on 13 May 11 - No Cached
  • At a time when America is concerned about excess housing supply and anxious to boost its innovative capacity it is madness that so many willing immigrants, including high-skilled workers, including those educated in America, find it difficult to impossible to gain permission to work in the country on a stable, long-term basis.
  • The lump of labour fallacy is seductive, and in times of economic hardship it becomes very difficult to convince people that more competition for scarce jobs will make their lives better. Here again it is clear that weak labour markets are the enemy of liberalism, and those concerned for the future of free markets should do what they can to alleviate that weakness.
  • immigrants are people and they deserve a chance to move to maximise the return to their skills. When an immigrant moves to a rich country, that increases his or her welfare and boosts the productive potential of that country, which is good for everyone.
  • ...1 more annotation...
  • Historically, relatively open immigration rules have been both a sign of and a source of national strength. If America can return to a more open past, the prospects for its economy will be considerably enhanced.
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