The following appeared in today's National Post and, if true, it is long overdue. While the details are still sketchy, it appears that the government is finally admitting its failure to manage the immigration system, which is under enormous pressure and buried under the weight of over 800,000 applications.
MIGRANT BACKLOG TARGETED
Tories set to accept fewer immigration applications
John Ivison, National Post
Published: Thursday, March 13, 2008
OTTAWA - The federal government is set to reduce the number of new immigration applications it accepts in a dramatic change of policy aimed at cutting the backlog of nearly 900,000 people who have already applied to enter Canada.
Sources say Immigration Minister Diane Finley will table an amendment to the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act as early as today. The new legislation will limit the number of new applications accepted and processed annually.
The act currently requires the government to process every application that enters the system -- a provision that has led to the huge backlog and a wait-time of around four years for an application to be processed.
"It isn't sustainable," said one source, who added that the overall number of immigrants admitted to Canada is more likely to increase than fall in the coming years, even if the number of new applications accepted drops dramatically.
It is believed the amendment will be included as part of the legislation to implement the federal budget, making it a confidence matter.
Maurizio Bevilacqua, the Liberal immigration critic, said the Conservatives don't understand the role immigration plays in Canada's history. "The Conservatives are shutting the door on immigration because they fail to understand its importance to our labour markets and our nation-building. The lack of resources devoted to this issue shows they are not serious about immigration," he said yesterday.
In this year's budget, the government allocated $22-million to modernizing the immigration system. "It is not fair for prospective immigrants to wait for years before being considered, and it is not desirable to wait that long for the immigrants the country needs," the budget said, adding that the proposed changes will "more effectively manage the future growth in the inventory, such as addressing the number of applications accepted and processed in a year." The changes are designed to establish a "just-in-time" immigration system, where the wait time is reduced to an average of a year.
Ms. Finley has emphasized that the government is seeking to bring the "best and the brightest" to Canada.
"Immigration will play an increasingly important role in our long-term growth and prosperity, and we will continue to look for innovative ways to bring in talent from around the world," Ms. Finley told an audience in Mumbai, India, last November.
But critics contend that the new policy will target "economic class" migrants coming to Canada for work, rather than "family class" immigrants being reunited with Canadian family members, or cases where immigrants are admitted on humanitarian and compassionate grounds.
"The Conservatives are attacking family reunification but it attracts many skilled workers to come here," Mr. Bevilacqua said.
The government has made no secret of the fact it sees itself in competition with countries such as Australia and the United Kingdom for the most qualified immigrants. This is likely to mean the vast majority of applications accepted in future are from the "economic class" of migrants that currently make up around 60% of newcomers.
Canada accepts about 250,000 immigrants a year, a figure that has increased since the Conservatives took office. The backlog of applications grew from 50,000 when the Liberal party took office in 1993 to around 500,000 in 2000. By the time the Conservatives came to power in early 2006, it was around 800,000 and in the past two years that number has grown to around 875,000.
Some estimates suggest that as many as one-quarter of current applications are more than six years old.
The Liberals made a number of attempts to eat into the backlog. For example, when Liberal MP Dennis Coderre was immigration minister in 2002, he raised the total number of points required for admission to 75 from 70 (points are allocated on the basis of language skills, education and job offers).
However, under pressure from the Liberals' ethnic voting base, the party backed down and reduced the number of points required to 67.
In 2005, with an election pending, then Liberal immigration minister Joe Volpe announced he would increase the number of immigrants by 100,000 a year -- a rise of 40% from existing levels at that time.
The Conservatives have long argued the Liberals allowed political, rather than economic, factors to dominate their immigration and refugee policy.
A report by the Fraser Institute in 2005 suggested that only 23% of immigrants are net fiscal contributors to Canada at a cost to the taxpayer every year of more than $18-billion (although 60% of immigrants are from the "economic class," fewer than half that number pass the points test -- the remainder are spouses and children).
The government says it has already taken a number of measures to make the system more flexible and efficient, including the establishment of Foreign Credentials Referral offices in China and India and moves to make it easier for foreign students and temporary workers to obtain visas.
Thursday, March 13, 2008
Tuesday, March 11, 2008
CANADA IMMIGRATION REVOLVING DOOR FOR CRIMINALS
Nigerian man charged in international fraud scheme
TIMOTHY APPLEBY
From Tuesday's Globe and Mail
March 11, 2008 at 4:27 AM EDT
A Nigerian repeatedly deported from Canada appeared in court briefly yesterday on charges stemming from what police describe as one of the most elaborate stolen-for-export fraud scams Toronto has seen in years.
Police say the operation trafficked in everything from electronic gadgets to expensive rental cars spirited abroad in containers, from credit card fraud to the creation of phony health cards and social insurance numbers, was in business for more than 18 months, and netted up to $10-million.
And near the centre of the web, police say, was 39-year-old Edmund Ezemo, purportedly a Toronto resident, but in fact an illegal immigrant from Nigeria, who, with the aid of three passports and an array of forged documents, has slipped into this country at least eight times.
"He's got his hand in all the cookie jars ... he's been deported eight times; this will be the ninth," said Detective Dominic Sinopoli of North York's 23 Division.
An alleged accomplice arrested in December is also charged, and police are still seeking to question at least two or three others. Detectives believe the alleged ring was anchored in Nigeria, where wire-transfer documents seized in police raids suggest much of the merchandise ended up.
The operation came to light late last year when a North York electronics firm reported being defrauded of nearly $750,000 worth of goods, encompassing everything from consumer staples to elaborate mobile photo labs worth an estimated $80,000 apiece.
Those items were paid for with cheques that had been falsely certified, giving the thieves at least a week to disappear before the cheques bounced, police said.
Dozens of high-end rented cars are also believed to have been stolen and shipped abroad.
In addition, hundreds of credit card owners across Southern Ontario may have been defrauded when the thieves used bona fide names to create phony credit cards.
Scores of fake health cards, SIN cards, passports and other pieces of identification were also seized in the raids, and police suspect there are plenty of victims who have yet to step forward.
Mr. Ezemo is in custody at the Metro West Detention Centre and facing at least 25 fraud- or theft-related charges.
"Basically, he's saying nothing," Det. Sinopoli said.
TIMOTHY APPLEBY
From Tuesday's Globe and Mail
March 11, 2008 at 4:27 AM EDT
A Nigerian repeatedly deported from Canada appeared in court briefly yesterday on charges stemming from what police describe as one of the most elaborate stolen-for-export fraud scams Toronto has seen in years.
Police say the operation trafficked in everything from electronic gadgets to expensive rental cars spirited abroad in containers, from credit card fraud to the creation of phony health cards and social insurance numbers, was in business for more than 18 months, and netted up to $10-million.
And near the centre of the web, police say, was 39-year-old Edmund Ezemo, purportedly a Toronto resident, but in fact an illegal immigrant from Nigeria, who, with the aid of three passports and an array of forged documents, has slipped into this country at least eight times.
"He's got his hand in all the cookie jars ... he's been deported eight times; this will be the ninth," said Detective Dominic Sinopoli of North York's 23 Division.
An alleged accomplice arrested in December is also charged, and police are still seeking to question at least two or three others. Detectives believe the alleged ring was anchored in Nigeria, where wire-transfer documents seized in police raids suggest much of the merchandise ended up.
The operation came to light late last year when a North York electronics firm reported being defrauded of nearly $750,000 worth of goods, encompassing everything from consumer staples to elaborate mobile photo labs worth an estimated $80,000 apiece.
Those items were paid for with cheques that had been falsely certified, giving the thieves at least a week to disappear before the cheques bounced, police said.
Dozens of high-end rented cars are also believed to have been stolen and shipped abroad.
In addition, hundreds of credit card owners across Southern Ontario may have been defrauded when the thieves used bona fide names to create phony credit cards.
Scores of fake health cards, SIN cards, passports and other pieces of identification were also seized in the raids, and police suspect there are plenty of victims who have yet to step forward.
Mr. Ezemo is in custody at the Metro West Detention Centre and facing at least 25 fraud- or theft-related charges.
"Basically, he's saying nothing," Det. Sinopoli said.
Monday, March 10, 2008
B.C. FRAUD CAPITAL OF CANADA?
B.C. a major centre for fake IDs: Border Services
Chad Skelton
Canwest News Service
Monday, March 10, 2008
VANCOUVER - British Columbia has become an international centre for the production of fake ID cards, and a "loophole" in Canadian law means police in the province are largely powerless to stop it, according to an internal report by the Canada Border Services Agency.
"Several producers of counterfeit documents appear to be operating in British Columbia," states the CBSA report, obtained by The Vancouver Sun through the Access to Information Act. "Unfortunately, police agencies have found these activities difficult to prevent."
The problem, according to the CBSA report, is that under the Criminal Code, someone can only be found guilty of forgery if police can prove they intended their product to be used as a fake.
"Canadian counterfeiters are well aware of this loophole, and use euphemisms ('novelty ID,' 'for entertainment only') and/or lengthy disclaimers in order to circumvent the law," the report states.
A B.C. man who sold "novelty" IDs online was successfully convicted of forgery in 2005. But such cases are rare.
Nanaimo RCMP spokeswoman Const. Jen Allan said her detachment launched an investigation in January into a Nanaimo-based website offering fake U.S. drivers licences - fakeidpro.com - but dropped the case after deciding it couldn't prove intent.
"The disclaimer on the website basically relinquishes the company from any guilt, in that they're very clear that the use of the ID is. . . for entertainment purposes only," said Allan.
The fact the site still sells fake IDs bothers police, said Allan, because the cards could be used by minors to buy alcohol, or make it easier for criminals to commit identity theft.
"Obviously this company cannot ensure that these IDs, novelty or whatever, aren't being used for illegal activity," she said.
While police have had difficulty pursuing criminal charges against makers of fake ID, the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act gives CBSA some authority to prevent the import and export of forged documents.
Using those powers, CBSA has begun seizing order forms for fake ID mailed to B.C. from outside Canada.
In 2006, CBSA made 45 such seizures involving 55 requests for fake IDs. In 2007, it made 89 seizures covering 117 orders.
"Nearly all Canadian addresses currently identified in connection with mail-order 'novelty' identification are located in south-western B.C.," the report states.
At least a half-dozen slick B.C.-based websites sell fake ID cards online - primarily U.S. drivers licences - although many receive orders at the same post office box in Nanaimo, suggesting the sites may be linked to the same person.
All the sites insist their cards are novelty items. But they charge between $69 and $100 per card and stress how realistic they look - including magnetic strips encoded with the cardholder's name and holographic images.
One site using a Nanaimo post office box, fakeidcenter.com, even boasts it has a "proven reputation," noting how it has been referred to by name in articles and books about identity theft.
Its order form also includes a warning to customers: "Do not write the words 'drivers license' anywhere on this order form or it may be seized by customs."
An email sent to the site's operator did not receive a response.
While police say it is difficult for them to go after producers of fake ID, there is some legal precedent for doing so.
In 2005, B.C. Supreme Court Justice Eric Rice found Mahmood Sommani guilty of four forgery-related charges for offering realistic "novelty" IDs out of a Vancouver office.
"The manner in which he conducted his business amounted virtually to an invitation to people to obtain forged documents for illegal purposes," Rice wrote, sentencing Sommani to six months in jail.
Sommani's conviction was upheld by the B.C. Court of Appeal last year.
Chad Skelton
Canwest News Service
Monday, March 10, 2008
VANCOUVER - British Columbia has become an international centre for the production of fake ID cards, and a "loophole" in Canadian law means police in the province are largely powerless to stop it, according to an internal report by the Canada Border Services Agency.
"Several producers of counterfeit documents appear to be operating in British Columbia," states the CBSA report, obtained by The Vancouver Sun through the Access to Information Act. "Unfortunately, police agencies have found these activities difficult to prevent."
The problem, according to the CBSA report, is that under the Criminal Code, someone can only be found guilty of forgery if police can prove they intended their product to be used as a fake.
"Canadian counterfeiters are well aware of this loophole, and use euphemisms ('novelty ID,' 'for entertainment only') and/or lengthy disclaimers in order to circumvent the law," the report states.
A B.C. man who sold "novelty" IDs online was successfully convicted of forgery in 2005. But such cases are rare.
Nanaimo RCMP spokeswoman Const. Jen Allan said her detachment launched an investigation in January into a Nanaimo-based website offering fake U.S. drivers licences - fakeidpro.com - but dropped the case after deciding it couldn't prove intent.
"The disclaimer on the website basically relinquishes the company from any guilt, in that they're very clear that the use of the ID is. . . for entertainment purposes only," said Allan.
The fact the site still sells fake IDs bothers police, said Allan, because the cards could be used by minors to buy alcohol, or make it easier for criminals to commit identity theft.
"Obviously this company cannot ensure that these IDs, novelty or whatever, aren't being used for illegal activity," she said.
While police have had difficulty pursuing criminal charges against makers of fake ID, the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act gives CBSA some authority to prevent the import and export of forged documents.
Using those powers, CBSA has begun seizing order forms for fake ID mailed to B.C. from outside Canada.
In 2006, CBSA made 45 such seizures involving 55 requests for fake IDs. In 2007, it made 89 seizures covering 117 orders.
"Nearly all Canadian addresses currently identified in connection with mail-order 'novelty' identification are located in south-western B.C.," the report states.
At least a half-dozen slick B.C.-based websites sell fake ID cards online - primarily U.S. drivers licences - although many receive orders at the same post office box in Nanaimo, suggesting the sites may be linked to the same person.
All the sites insist their cards are novelty items. But they charge between $69 and $100 per card and stress how realistic they look - including magnetic strips encoded with the cardholder's name and holographic images.
One site using a Nanaimo post office box, fakeidcenter.com, even boasts it has a "proven reputation," noting how it has been referred to by name in articles and books about identity theft.
Its order form also includes a warning to customers: "Do not write the words 'drivers license' anywhere on this order form or it may be seized by customs."
An email sent to the site's operator did not receive a response.
While police say it is difficult for them to go after producers of fake ID, there is some legal precedent for doing so.
In 2005, B.C. Supreme Court Justice Eric Rice found Mahmood Sommani guilty of four forgery-related charges for offering realistic "novelty" IDs out of a Vancouver office.
"The manner in which he conducted his business amounted virtually to an invitation to people to obtain forged documents for illegal purposes," Rice wrote, sentencing Sommani to six months in jail.
Sommani's conviction was upheld by the B.C. Court of Appeal last year.
Thursday, March 6, 2008
HAZEL IS RIGHT ON!
The legendary Mayor of the City of Mississauga, Hazel McCallion, who is going strong at age 91, is right on when she complains about the cash being doled out to multicultural groups which do not integrate into society. See National Post story of today :
Multicultural cash divides us: Mayor
McCallion says grants used to set immigrants apart
Natalie Alcoba, National Post
Published: Thursday, March 06, 2008
Peter J. Thompson, National Post File
Mississauga Mayor Hazel McCallion criticized federal multicultural funding as dividing immigrants instead of uniting them, and called for better integration of newcomers.
"An awful lot of money is spent on multiculturalism and on keeping our immigrants separated rather than integrated," Ms. McCallion said in an interview.
"They've been given all kinds of money over the years to have their own organization, their own programs, and I think there should be more money spent on integration, in other words, encouraging them to get involved in all the organizations within a community like the service clubs and the sports groups."
Ms. McCallion said she knows the value of cultural groups and does not want to "cut off" their funding.
However, she argues in favour of stepping up outreach efforts that help integrate the growing number of new residents who are choosing to live in the cities outside of Toronto.
According to 2006 Census data, Peel and York regions had the highest immigrant population growth in the Greater Toronto Area, with a 32% and 34% increase, respectively, from 2001 to 2006. Toronto, by comparison, had the lowest in the region, with a 2% increase.
Immigrants now make up about half of Toronto's population, 49% of Peel region's and 43% of people living in York.
Ms. McCallion first raised her concern about multicultural funding during a discussion of the Census data at Mississauga council last week.
Experts say that when it comes to managing Canada's diversity, multiculturalism and integration should work in tandem.
"I think the mistake that is often made is that multiculturalism separates people, but in fact it is a policy of integration," said Wsevolod Isajiw, author of
Understanding Diversity.
He said by allowing immigrants to retain their customs and identity, they become more secure in the Canadian system, and a greater part of it.
"Certainly, it's worthwhile to spend some money to invite immigrants of various cultures and identities to participate together, to exchange ideas together," said Mr. Isajiw, professor emeritus at the University of Toronto.
Some argue that such a policy of "interculturalism," which works to establish cohesiveness in a rainbow of cultural identities, should be the wave of the future.
"We know that by 2017 visible minorities will actually become a majority here in Canada and that speaks volumes," said Sandeep Agrawal, an expert on multiculturalism and ethnic enclaves from Ryerson University.
While it may develop organically, Mr. Agrawal argues for a systemic approach that encourages groups to engage in a cross cultural dialogue.
Ms. McCallion wants to see more immigrants participating in civic groups, in sports clubs and arts committees.
"We have to go out and invite them to join us," she said. "A lot of them are shy because they've come to this country and they're not accustomed to the service clubs. So we have to go out of our way to make sure that we make an effort to integrate, not just to leave it up to them."
She said more organizations should follow the Mississauga Hockey League's lead, which has a new program to encourage children from different cultural backgrounds to lace up and hit the ice.
"That's what has got to happen in all the sports groups," she said. "[Immigrants] have a major contribution to make to all organizations.
Multicultural cash divides us: Mayor
McCallion says grants used to set immigrants apart
Natalie Alcoba, National Post
Published: Thursday, March 06, 2008
Peter J. Thompson, National Post File
Mississauga Mayor Hazel McCallion criticized federal multicultural funding as dividing immigrants instead of uniting them, and called for better integration of newcomers.
"An awful lot of money is spent on multiculturalism and on keeping our immigrants separated rather than integrated," Ms. McCallion said in an interview.
"They've been given all kinds of money over the years to have their own organization, their own programs, and I think there should be more money spent on integration, in other words, encouraging them to get involved in all the organizations within a community like the service clubs and the sports groups."
Ms. McCallion said she knows the value of cultural groups and does not want to "cut off" their funding.
However, she argues in favour of stepping up outreach efforts that help integrate the growing number of new residents who are choosing to live in the cities outside of Toronto.
According to 2006 Census data, Peel and York regions had the highest immigrant population growth in the Greater Toronto Area, with a 32% and 34% increase, respectively, from 2001 to 2006. Toronto, by comparison, had the lowest in the region, with a 2% increase.
Immigrants now make up about half of Toronto's population, 49% of Peel region's and 43% of people living in York.
Ms. McCallion first raised her concern about multicultural funding during a discussion of the Census data at Mississauga council last week.
Experts say that when it comes to managing Canada's diversity, multiculturalism and integration should work in tandem.
"I think the mistake that is often made is that multiculturalism separates people, but in fact it is a policy of integration," said Wsevolod Isajiw, author of
Understanding Diversity.
He said by allowing immigrants to retain their customs and identity, they become more secure in the Canadian system, and a greater part of it.
"Certainly, it's worthwhile to spend some money to invite immigrants of various cultures and identities to participate together, to exchange ideas together," said Mr. Isajiw, professor emeritus at the University of Toronto.
Some argue that such a policy of "interculturalism," which works to establish cohesiveness in a rainbow of cultural identities, should be the wave of the future.
"We know that by 2017 visible minorities will actually become a majority here in Canada and that speaks volumes," said Sandeep Agrawal, an expert on multiculturalism and ethnic enclaves from Ryerson University.
While it may develop organically, Mr. Agrawal argues for a systemic approach that encourages groups to engage in a cross cultural dialogue.
Ms. McCallion wants to see more immigrants participating in civic groups, in sports clubs and arts committees.
"We have to go out and invite them to join us," she said. "A lot of them are shy because they've come to this country and they're not accustomed to the service clubs. So we have to go out of our way to make sure that we make an effort to integrate, not just to leave it up to them."
She said more organizations should follow the Mississauga Hockey League's lead, which has a new program to encourage children from different cultural backgrounds to lace up and hit the ice.
"That's what has got to happen in all the sports groups," she said. "[Immigrants] have a major contribution to make to all organizations.
Wednesday, March 5, 2008
HR PROFESSIONALS FACE DIFFICULTY IN HIRING
Immigration Policies Force U.S. and Canada Employers to Boost Recruiting Efforts
Survey of human resource professionals cites challenges and solutions
ALEXANDRIA, Va.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Roughly two-thirds of human resource professionals in the U.S. (66 percent) and Canada (65 percent) say tougher national immigration policies have caused their companies to increase efforts to recruit and retain local talent.
A report released today by the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) and the Canadian Council of Human Resources Associations (CCHRA), “2008 Global Talent Sourcing in the U.S. and Canada,” also examines how and why foreign workers are recruited.
“Human resource professionals value the local labor pool but know that sometimes the most highly qualified talent is found in the foreign workforce,” said Susan Meisinger, president and chief executive officer of SHRM.
Of the HR professionals polled, 25 percent in the U.S. and 35 percent in Canada said the primary reason they recruit foreign nationals is an inability to successfully attract local workers with the necessary skills. That difficulty in hiring qualified local people is particularly acute in fields requiring highly scientific or technical skills, such as in health care.
Canadian firms (37 percent) are more likely than U.S. firms (17 percent) to hire foreign national workers to fill vacant positions during the next 12 months. When asked if their organizations “most likely will not hire” foreign workers within the next 12 months, U.S. HR professionals (47 percent) agreed nearly two to one over their counterparts in Canada (25 percent).
“A tightening labor market is forcing organizations to increasingly rely on immigration as a source for new talent. Governments and corporations alike must ready themselves to take on this challenge,” said Lynn Palmer, CCHRA CEO.
The HR professionals reported seven key actions taken by their companies as a result of tightened immigration policies:
Increased efforts to recruit and retain citizen and legal-resident workers: U.S. (66 percent), Canada (65 percent).
Recruited foreign students pursuing education in the employer country: U.S. (19 percent), Canada (24 percent).
Decided against outsourcing internationally: U.S. (18 percent), Canada (14 percent).
Hired foreign nationals under different types of visas due to unavailability of preferred visa types and/or delays in document processing: U.S. (16 percent), Canada (22 percent).
Decided to outsource internationally: U.S. (11 percent), Canada (16 percent).
Hired local national into foreign subsidiaries first then transferred when possible: U.S. (11 percent) and Canada (12 percent).
Set up international “virtual” teams: U.S. (6 percent), Canada (5 percent).
Other notable survey findings include:
Paperwork processing time was cited as the most frequently encountered challenge in recruiting foreign workers, according to HR professionals from both countries.
About one-half of HR professionals from the U.S. and Canada said the average verification and hiring process for foreign national workers is more time-consuming now than it was just two years ago.
HR professionals from the U.S. reported the greatest average degree of difficulty in hiring foreign national workers was from countries not included in NAFTA, consistent with recent visa supply shortages. HR professionals from Canada reported the greatest average degree of difficulty in recruiting citizen and landed immigrant status workers.
Survey of human resource professionals cites challenges and solutions
ALEXANDRIA, Va.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Roughly two-thirds of human resource professionals in the U.S. (66 percent) and Canada (65 percent) say tougher national immigration policies have caused their companies to increase efforts to recruit and retain local talent.
A report released today by the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) and the Canadian Council of Human Resources Associations (CCHRA), “2008 Global Talent Sourcing in the U.S. and Canada,” also examines how and why foreign workers are recruited.
“Human resource professionals value the local labor pool but know that sometimes the most highly qualified talent is found in the foreign workforce,” said Susan Meisinger, president and chief executive officer of SHRM.
Of the HR professionals polled, 25 percent in the U.S. and 35 percent in Canada said the primary reason they recruit foreign nationals is an inability to successfully attract local workers with the necessary skills. That difficulty in hiring qualified local people is particularly acute in fields requiring highly scientific or technical skills, such as in health care.
Canadian firms (37 percent) are more likely than U.S. firms (17 percent) to hire foreign national workers to fill vacant positions during the next 12 months. When asked if their organizations “most likely will not hire” foreign workers within the next 12 months, U.S. HR professionals (47 percent) agreed nearly two to one over their counterparts in Canada (25 percent).
“A tightening labor market is forcing organizations to increasingly rely on immigration as a source for new talent. Governments and corporations alike must ready themselves to take on this challenge,” said Lynn Palmer, CCHRA CEO.
The HR professionals reported seven key actions taken by their companies as a result of tightened immigration policies:
Increased efforts to recruit and retain citizen and legal-resident workers: U.S. (66 percent), Canada (65 percent).
Recruited foreign students pursuing education in the employer country: U.S. (19 percent), Canada (24 percent).
Decided against outsourcing internationally: U.S. (18 percent), Canada (14 percent).
Hired foreign nationals under different types of visas due to unavailability of preferred visa types and/or delays in document processing: U.S. (16 percent), Canada (22 percent).
Decided to outsource internationally: U.S. (11 percent), Canada (16 percent).
Hired local national into foreign subsidiaries first then transferred when possible: U.S. (11 percent) and Canada (12 percent).
Set up international “virtual” teams: U.S. (6 percent), Canada (5 percent).
Other notable survey findings include:
Paperwork processing time was cited as the most frequently encountered challenge in recruiting foreign workers, according to HR professionals from both countries.
About one-half of HR professionals from the U.S. and Canada said the average verification and hiring process for foreign national workers is more time-consuming now than it was just two years ago.
HR professionals from the U.S. reported the greatest average degree of difficulty in hiring foreign national workers was from countries not included in NAFTA, consistent with recent visa supply shortages. HR professionals from Canada reported the greatest average degree of difficulty in recruiting citizen and landed immigrant status workers.
CENSUS SHOWS IMMIGRANTS BETTER EDUCATED
The latest release of figures from the most recent Cesnus in 2006 shows that immigrants are better educated than ever. However, other sets of statistics from the same Census also show that unemployment amongst immigrants is higher than in the general population, and that recent waves of immigrnts do not do as well as previous ones. So, what is the problem> We are bringing educated immigrants with skills that do not translate into jobs in the labour force and we need to retool the system: if we need computer programmer sand engineers, why do we waste processing resources on PhDs in philosophy and geography? We need to establish different priorities, so we can tap into the educated immigrants who can find jobs only. Also, not all degrees are created equal and that is a factor that must be considered. See this article from the Globe and Mail today:
Immigrants better educated than general population
ELIZABETH CHURCH
EDUCATION REPORTER
March 5, 2008
Alberto Fonseca arrived in Canada last summer from Brazil, armed with job experience, a master's degree and a place in the geography PhD program at the University of Waterloo. Next week his wife - a master's student in urban planning - will join him.
Together they plan to spend the next four years studying, polishing their English and perhaps starting a family. Depending on how things work out, Mr. Fonseca says they may remain in Canada, far from family and friends.
"It is tough, but that is part of the fun," said Mr. Fonseca, 30, who picked Waterloo because of its expertise in mining sustainability, his area of research.
Increasingly, newcomers to Canada are like Mr. Fonseca and his wife, bringing with them a level of education that exceeds that of the general population and accounting for a growing proportion of those with university and advanced degrees.
Close to one-third of immigrants are university graduates, compared with 23 per cent of the general working-age population, according to numbers from the 2006 census released yesterday. Those numbers also show a huge jump in qualifications of the newest arrivals, with more than half of those who came to Canada between 2001 and 2006 holding a university degree.
At more advanced levels, the gap is even wider. Immigrants now account for close to half of all those in Canada who hold a PhD and 40 per cent of those who have a master's.
"These figures are quite dramatic," said Claire Morris, chief executive officer of the Association of Universities and Colleges of Canada, which has long called on governments to increase funding for graduate studies. "Given the growth in jobs for advanced-degree holders, we haven't been producing the number of graduates we require."
"These figures are quite dramatic," said Claire Morris, chief executive officer of the Association of Universities and Colleges of Canada, which has long called on governments to increase funding for graduate studies. "Given the growth in jobs for advanced-degree holders, we haven't been producing the number of graduates we require."
The census figures indicate that about 57 per cent of all those who hold a PhD - both immigrants and Canadian-born - earned their degree in Canada.
What the numbers do not indicate is whether these recent, highly educated arrivals are putting their credentials to work. "The whole skills recognition issue is a complicated topic. It is one we are hoping to do more research on," said Roland Hébert, an analyst with Statscan's Centre for Education Statistics.
In the case of Mr. Fonseca, he said his wife will likely take a job as a babysitter or in a restaurant at first, but hopes to eventually work in her field. "All of a sudden you come here and you are considered a nobody," he said.
By and large, the new census numbers paint a picture of a country in which education levels are generally on the rise, but where specific groups and regions still lag behind national averages. They show the most educated population is concentrated in major cities and in the youngest group of working Canadians, those between 25 and 34. About 29 per cent of young adults in this group had a university degree in 2006, compared with 18 per cent of those between 55 and 64. By contrast, younger adults were less likely than this older group to be educated in a trade.
Sixty per cent of all working-age adults had some form of postsecondary education in 2006. At the other end of the spectrum, 15 per cent had less than high school.
Young women are more likely than their male counterparts to have a university degree - 33 per cent, compared with 25 per cent. Business is the top choice of study for both genders, with one in five graduates from colleges and universities specializing in this area. The top 10 choices of areas of study were quite different for men and women after that No. 1 pick. Women favoured the health professions and education, men mechanics and repair technologies and engineering.
Individuals with higher levels of education were also more likely to pull up stakes and move to other parts of the country - especially the booming provinces of Alberta and B.C. The census numbers show Alberta gained more than 10,700 residents with university degrees between 2001 and 2006 and British Columbia added about 9,900 to its population.
Saskatchewan lost more than 5,400 university graduates during this same period, and Manitoba shed about 4,400.
*****
CENSUS
By and large, the new census numbers paint a picture of a country in which education levels are generally on the rise, but where specific groups and regions still lag behind national averages. The most educated population is concentrated in major cities. Alberta and B.C. are benefiting from the migration west of highly educated workers.
PERCENTAGE OF PEOPLE AGED 25-64 WHO HAVE A UNIVERSITY CERTIFICATE, DIPLOMA OR DEGRE
National average 23%
TOP CITIES
Canadians living in major urban areas are far more likely to have a university degree than the national average, with city dwellers accounting for 83 per cent of all university graduates. These cities had the highest concentration of university degree holders in 2006:
Ottawa-Gatineau: 35%
Toronto: 34%
Calgary: 31%
Vancouver: 31%
RECENT* IMMIGRANTS WITH AN EARNED DOCTORATE
People's Republic of China: 3.070
India: 1,200
United States of America: 1,010
Iran: 910
Russian Federation: 780
*2001-2006
By region
Europe: 27%
Africa: 11%
Central and South America, Caribbean and Bermuda: 5%
U.S.: 7%
Asia: 49%
Oceania and other**: 1%U.S.
**Includes Greenland
Note: University degrees include bachelor's degrees, certificates above a bachelor level, doctoral degrees in medicine, dentistry, veterinary medicine, optometry, law, master's degrees and doctor of philosophy degrees.
SOURCE: STATISTICS CANADA CENSUS, 2008
Immigrants better educated than general population
ELIZABETH CHURCH
EDUCATION REPORTER
March 5, 2008
Alberto Fonseca arrived in Canada last summer from Brazil, armed with job experience, a master's degree and a place in the geography PhD program at the University of Waterloo. Next week his wife - a master's student in urban planning - will join him.
Together they plan to spend the next four years studying, polishing their English and perhaps starting a family. Depending on how things work out, Mr. Fonseca says they may remain in Canada, far from family and friends.
"It is tough, but that is part of the fun," said Mr. Fonseca, 30, who picked Waterloo because of its expertise in mining sustainability, his area of research.
Increasingly, newcomers to Canada are like Mr. Fonseca and his wife, bringing with them a level of education that exceeds that of the general population and accounting for a growing proportion of those with university and advanced degrees.
Close to one-third of immigrants are university graduates, compared with 23 per cent of the general working-age population, according to numbers from the 2006 census released yesterday. Those numbers also show a huge jump in qualifications of the newest arrivals, with more than half of those who came to Canada between 2001 and 2006 holding a university degree.
At more advanced levels, the gap is even wider. Immigrants now account for close to half of all those in Canada who hold a PhD and 40 per cent of those who have a master's.
"These figures are quite dramatic," said Claire Morris, chief executive officer of the Association of Universities and Colleges of Canada, which has long called on governments to increase funding for graduate studies. "Given the growth in jobs for advanced-degree holders, we haven't been producing the number of graduates we require."
"These figures are quite dramatic," said Claire Morris, chief executive officer of the Association of Universities and Colleges of Canada, which has long called on governments to increase funding for graduate studies. "Given the growth in jobs for advanced-degree holders, we haven't been producing the number of graduates we require."
The census figures indicate that about 57 per cent of all those who hold a PhD - both immigrants and Canadian-born - earned their degree in Canada.
What the numbers do not indicate is whether these recent, highly educated arrivals are putting their credentials to work. "The whole skills recognition issue is a complicated topic. It is one we are hoping to do more research on," said Roland Hébert, an analyst with Statscan's Centre for Education Statistics.
In the case of Mr. Fonseca, he said his wife will likely take a job as a babysitter or in a restaurant at first, but hopes to eventually work in her field. "All of a sudden you come here and you are considered a nobody," he said.
By and large, the new census numbers paint a picture of a country in which education levels are generally on the rise, but where specific groups and regions still lag behind national averages. They show the most educated population is concentrated in major cities and in the youngest group of working Canadians, those between 25 and 34. About 29 per cent of young adults in this group had a university degree in 2006, compared with 18 per cent of those between 55 and 64. By contrast, younger adults were less likely than this older group to be educated in a trade.
Sixty per cent of all working-age adults had some form of postsecondary education in 2006. At the other end of the spectrum, 15 per cent had less than high school.
Young women are more likely than their male counterparts to have a university degree - 33 per cent, compared with 25 per cent. Business is the top choice of study for both genders, with one in five graduates from colleges and universities specializing in this area. The top 10 choices of areas of study were quite different for men and women after that No. 1 pick. Women favoured the health professions and education, men mechanics and repair technologies and engineering.
Individuals with higher levels of education were also more likely to pull up stakes and move to other parts of the country - especially the booming provinces of Alberta and B.C. The census numbers show Alberta gained more than 10,700 residents with university degrees between 2001 and 2006 and British Columbia added about 9,900 to its population.
Saskatchewan lost more than 5,400 university graduates during this same period, and Manitoba shed about 4,400.
*****
CENSUS
By and large, the new census numbers paint a picture of a country in which education levels are generally on the rise, but where specific groups and regions still lag behind national averages. The most educated population is concentrated in major cities. Alberta and B.C. are benefiting from the migration west of highly educated workers.
PERCENTAGE OF PEOPLE AGED 25-64 WHO HAVE A UNIVERSITY CERTIFICATE, DIPLOMA OR DEGRE
National average 23%
TOP CITIES
Canadians living in major urban areas are far more likely to have a university degree than the national average, with city dwellers accounting for 83 per cent of all university graduates. These cities had the highest concentration of university degree holders in 2006:
Ottawa-Gatineau: 35%
Toronto: 34%
Calgary: 31%
Vancouver: 31%
RECENT* IMMIGRANTS WITH AN EARNED DOCTORATE
People's Republic of China: 3.070
India: 1,200
United States of America: 1,010
Iran: 910
Russian Federation: 780
*2001-2006
By region
Europe: 27%
Africa: 11%
Central and South America, Caribbean and Bermuda: 5%
U.S.: 7%
Asia: 49%
Oceania and other**: 1%U.S.
**Includes Greenland
Note: University degrees include bachelor's degrees, certificates above a bachelor level, doctoral degrees in medicine, dentistry, veterinary medicine, optometry, law, master's degrees and doctor of philosophy degrees.
SOURCE: STATISTICS CANADA CENSUS, 2008
Saturday, March 1, 2008
CTV STORY ON OBAMA NAFTA STANCE : SOMEONE IS LYING
Here is the "follow up to the confirmation of the confirmation after the denial" by US presidential candidate Barack Obama on the story that CTV broke, where a "senior official" with the Canadian Embassy in Washington revealed that Obama aides basically told the Canadian Embassy that his anti-NAFTA stance was simply talk to win in Ohio. My take on this: someone is lying...big surprise....and the source stands by the story.
CTV.ca Obama campaign mum on NAFTA contact with Canada
CTV.ca Obama campaign mum on NAFTA contact with Canada
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