“You don’t need to invent anything, you just have to do traditional research where you look at history and then compliment that with scientific research where you’re trying to do something new. That can lead to a lot in the business and technology sectors these days” – Bill Buxton
A chat with Microsoft Principal Researcher Bill Buxton, Part I
Temporary residents seeking work permits or an extension of their visit in Canada can now apply online, Citizenship, Immigration and Multiculturalism Minister Jason Kenney announced today.
“Extending our online services to more temporary residents will significantly facilitate the application process by providing faster, more accessible and efficient services,” said Minister Kenney.
Forms submitted by mail often need to be returned because they are incomplete, adding additional time to the process. Applications online can only be submitted if they are complete, thereby contributing to faster processing. The service is open to all temporary residents except for co-op program work permit applicants.
Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) intends to make all types of applications available online in the future.
CIC first began offering online applications in June 2008, international students studying in Canada being the first to have access. Since then, international students have submitted close to 33,000 online applications. International students at over 200 participating educational institutions have been able to apply online for an off-campus work permit, confirm their eligibility online and renew their study permit while in Canada. They can also use our online services to apply for or extend the status of their dependent family members currently living in Canada.
Applicants can access CIC’s online services.
Furthermore, applicants who gain skilled work experience in Canada may be eligible to apply for permanent residence under the Canadian Experience Class.
Via Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC)
Canada’s announcement that it will impose visa requirements effective a minute after midnight Tuesday on the top two sources of refugee claimants — Mexico and the Czech Republic — prompted a quick and dissatisfied reaction from those countries.
Immigration Minister Jason Kenney said Monday that many of the asylum requests are either rejected or abandoned, raising questions about the legitimacy of the claimants’ allegations that they face persecution in their home countries.
The vast majority of the Czechs seeking asylum are from that country’s Roma minority, which has faced a long history of racism and persecution according to various international human-rights organizations.
Paul St. Clair, executive director of the Roma Community Centre in Toronto, said the asylum claims are genuine, as shown by the high acceptance rate from the Immigration and Refugee Board, and that there is an element of discrimination at play in the Canadian government’s decision.
"What other country do we retaliate against like this? It has something to do with the fact that these claimants are Roma," he said.
St. Clair suggested the Czech government may go to the European Union to seek retaliatory measures against Canada for the new visa requirement. If Canada requires a visa from the Czech Republic, a member of the EU, then Canadians may need a visa for all EU countries, he said.
The Czech Republic had complained already about rumours of Monday’s announcement. Once it was confirmed, the embassy in Ottawa swiftly issued a statement in response.
"The Czech authorities perceive this decision as one-sided on the part of Canada and inadequate and unfriendly in the context of the long-term good relations between the two democratic countries," the statement said.
Thousands of Czech tourists will be affected by the decision, the statement read, and the Czech government is holding a special meeting Tuesday to discuss "appropriate measures to be taken."
Mexico’s embassy in Canada was also quick to respond, saying in a statement that the government of Mexico "regrets the decision" and that "channels of collaboration remain open."
"Mexico will continue to promote actions toward modifying the Canadian measure as soon as possible," it said.
The new visa requirements stipulate that residents of the Czech Republic and Mexico will have to apply for temporary resident visas in order to visit, study or work in Canada.
Extra staff have been hired to process applications at Canada’s embassy in Mexico City and the Canadian government also intends to fund three new visa application centres, Kenney said.
Czech citizens however, have to send their applications to Canada’s embassy in Vienna, Austria, which the Czech government said in its statement "is not acceptable."
The immigration minister said the visa requirements will reduce the burden on Canada’s refugee system.
"In addition to creating significant delays and spiralling new costs in our refugee program, the sheer volume of these claims is undermining our ability to help people fleeing real persecution," Kenney said in a statement.
The government will permit a grace period, ending at 11:59 p.m. Wednesday, for travellers already in transit.
"The visa requirement I am announcing will give us a greater ability to manage the flow of people into Canada and verify bona fides," said Kenney, who is attempting to reform Canada’s backlogged refugee determination system.
"By taking this important step toward reducing the burden on our refugee system, we will be better equipped to process genuine refugee claims faster," he said.
The number of Mexican refugee claimants has almost tripled since 2005, rising from 3,400 to 9,400 in 2008, when Mexicans made up one-quarter of all asylum requests, the government said in a statement.
In the first half of 2009, there were more than 5,500 Mexican claims, compared with roughly 3,700 over the first six months of 2008.
The Immigration and Refugee Board reviewed 5,654 Mexican claims last year and accepted 606.
"In 2009, the number of claims has increased, while the acceptance rate has decreased further still," said the government statement.
The acceptance rate is much higher for Czech claimants, at roughly 40 per cent. But the news release from Kenney, who has questioned whether that country could be an "island of intolerance" in Europe, still raises legitimacy questions.
"The relatively higher acceptance rate of refugee claims originating in the Czech Republic masks the troubling fact that more than half of the claims are abandoned or withdrawn before a final decision is made by the Immigration and Refugee Board," he said.
The Conservative government lifted the visa requirement on Czech citizens in late 2007 despite warnings of a repeat of what followed a similar decision in the mid-1990s, when there was a flood of Roma claimants before the visa rule was re-imposed.
Roma began arriving at the Toronto international airport almost immediately, with 840 claims filed in 2008 compared to five in 2006. Almost 3,000 claims were filed since the decision, more than half in the first four months of this year.
Immigration critics for the federal Liberals and NDP both slammed the Conservatives’ announcement.
"The Conservatives now run the risk of erecting new hurdles to legitimate travel for one of our NAFTA partners, with serious economic consequences for Canada," said Liberal MP Maurizio Bevilacqua. "Canada just recorded its first trade deficit in 30 years under this government — now is not the time to be building new firewalls around Canada."
Toronto immigration lawyer Max Berger said the move does not reflect well on Canada.
"To re-introduce this visa requirement, it really tarnishes our reputation in the international community with respect to refugee protection because we are slamming the door on genuine refugees," he said.
Via Calgary Herald
Victims of immigration scams or unethical/dishonest behaviour by immigration representatives are invited to participate in an on-line survey to provide input into the Government of Canada’s efforts to prevent fraud and other wrongdoing.
The survey, available on the Citizenship and Immigration Canada website for the next two weeks, is part of a campaign to inform immigrants about how to protect themselves against false claims from dishonest immigration consultants or unethical representatives. The information collected will be used to improve warning messages to potential immigrants.
“I’ve heard a lot of unsettling stories of how people have been taken in by dishonest immigration consultants or unethical representatives, such as labour, student or live-in care-giver recruiters,” said Jason Kenney, Minister of Citizenship, Immigration and Multiculturalism.
“Make no mistake – the Government enforces Canadian law when immigration fraud is proven. But we’d prefer to prevent the wrongdoing in the first place to protect the integrity of Canada’s immigration system and protect people from harm,” said Minister Kenney, who recently hosted a town hall meeting with ethnic community members in Toronto. A similar town hall meeting will also be held in Vancouver.
Individuals who would like to participate in the survey should go to www.cic.gc.ca. The questionnaire, which takes about 10 minutes to complete, will be available on the CIC website until May 17.
The information collected from the meetings and the survey will give the department a national picture of the nature and scope of the problem and inform efforts to prevent fraud. The survey is voluntary, confidential and does not ask for personal information, such as names or addresses, from people who participate. It is not designed as a tool to enforce Canadian law, or to deal with individual cases, so individuals who believe they have been a victim of fraud or wrongdoing should contact the police or appropriate authority. Please visit our ‘How to file a complaint’ webpage at www.cic.gc.ca/english/information/representative/complaints.asp for more information about appropriate authorities.
Potential immigrants should beware of unethical behaviour by immigration representatives. Do not be the victim of a scam. If the offer seems too good to be true, it probably is. To find out more about how to protect yourself against immigration-related fraud, please visit the CIC website.
A new online resource to help newcomers and prospective immigrants put their skills to work in Canada faster was announced today by Citizenship, Immigration and Multiculturalism Minister Jason Kenney.
“Each year, thousands of skilled newcomers arrive in Canada. It is in their interest, and in Canada’s interest, to do everything we can to help them put their skills to work here as soon as possible once they arrive,” said Minister Kenney. “This is one more tool to help them obtain the greatest benefit from their experience and education.”
“Planning to work in Canada? An essential workbook for newcomers,” will guide immigrants intending to enter the Canadian labour market, as well as newcomers. Using a step-by-step approach, it includes information on how to begin the credential assessment process, as well as how to explore alternatives when immediate access to a previous profession is not possible.
The workbook, produced by the Foreign Credentials Referral Office (FCRO), is available to individuals both in Canada and overseas.
It provides information about:
These efforts, along with the work of the FCRO, will help ensure continued progress and that internationally trained individuals have the information they need to have their qualifications assessed and recognized in a manner that is fair, consistent, transparent and rigorous.
The FCRO, established in May 2007, is also working with federal, provincial and territorial partners, and with foreign credential assessment and recognition bodies, to strengthen foreign credential recognition processes across the country. This is accomplished through improved coordination of foreign credential recognition issues, policies, programs and services, information sharing and the exchange of best practices.
For more information, please visit the FCRO website at www.credentials.gc.ca.
By Jason Buckland, Sympatico / MSN Finance
There’s a hotly-contested issue surrounding this recession that hasn’t seemed to draw much media attention, subsequently gliding a bit under the social radar.
And it’s a two-pronged matter, really: what impact is immigration having on the struggling Canadian economy, and – because of the downturn – should the federal government now tighten the valve that lets those from foreign countries inside the border?
The matter appears to have divided Canadians into two fairly radicalized groupings. One thinks we need to focus on helping native Canucks find work instead of giving a fresh group of immigrants a crack at those jobs. The other suggests new immigrants can help boost the economy by offering more federal tax revenue to work with.
Let’s take a look at the defence for both cases:
Against Recession-Time Immigration
According to the Toronto Star, data implies many who came to Canada during the recession of the early 1990s, when PM Brian Mulroney left immigration levels untouched, had trouble finding work and “never recovered from chronic unemployment and underemployment.” In 1993, the same year 256,703 people arrived from all over the world, Canada’s unemployment rate shot to 11.4%, the highest level in decades. If we don’t drastically reduce the number of immigrants arriving in 2009 while the economy wheezes, they will only strain Canada’s resources and flood unemployment lines and welfare services. Not only that, but immigrants unable to find work are more likely to take jobs from Canadians for lower pay, driving down long-term labour wages as a result.
For Recession-Time Immigration
The belief here, the Star details, is that immigration is always a benefit simply by virtue of population growth. Consider a case study of Markham, Ont., one of Toronto’s ever-growing metropolis boroughs: mainly based on the entry of immigrants, the town’s population grew 80% – from 145,000 in 1991 to 261,600 in 2006 – in just 15 years. That rise has led to “rapid residential and commercial development … (and is) attracting big corporations such as IBM and soon-to-come Honda Canada.” Immigrants, by cultural practice, are also more inclined to become home-owners that will support the crumbling housing market by consistently paying down their mortgage. More focus should be put on preventing talented workers from bolting Canada for opportunities abroad than preventing immigrants from coming into our country – especially if they could now be required to master one of the nation’s languages before they can enter.
Whatever avenue Stephen Harper’s government decides to pursue on immigration policy, this isn’t a problem limited to Canada. Barack Obama’s administration is facing a similar controversy in the U.S., having an even tougher time addressing the issue because of the massive to-do list currently facing Congress.
Canada will “substantially increase” the number of foreign students it admits this year, Immigration Minister Jason Kenney announced today.
Australia brings in 10 times the students from India that Canada does, he said at a conference in downtown Toronto for more than 1,400 unemployed or underemployed internationally educated professionals keen to figure out the secrets to finding work in Canada.
He wouldn’t elaborate on how many more students would be lured here but made the point that they have a chance, while studying, to understand the labour market and the language and put themselves on a “much faster pathway” to immigration.
Foreign students, 176,116 of them in Canada as of the end of 2007, are eligible when their visas expire to apply for the new Canadian Experience Class to become permanent residents. More than 65,000 of those students were in Ontario.
“We are not receiving enough foreign students,” Kenney said at a scrum during the conference.
“They have a huge advantage because of the Canadian Experience Class. Canada is looking to Asia as well as India for potential students. Universities are happy to get them, he said, because foreign students are “a source of revenue” since they pay the highest tuition fees.
Kenney also said he expects a “significant reduction” in the number of temporary foreign workers brought in to Canada because of the economy and unemployment. Ottawa imported a record number of new migrant workers, 115,470 in 2007. Despite rising jobless numbers, the restaurant industry is still clamouring for foreign workers to fill jobs, Kenney said.
From: TheStar.com
Source: The Globe and Mail.com
OTTAWA — Immigration Minister Jason Kenney says the number of new arrivals to Canada could fall if labour markets contract and there are no jobs for them to fill.
“Obviously we will monitor the economic situation and, if it’s absolutely necessary, the government can always modify the targets. But it’s our intention to maintain those targets where we are today,” Mr. Kenney told reporters on Wednesday afternoon.
Canada, he said, is planning to receive 245,000 to 260,000 permanent residents next year. That means immigration levels would remain about the same as last year when there were 247,000 permanent residents allowed into the country.
The minister told MPs at a Parliamentary committee on Tuesday that most other developed countries have made significant cuts to their intake levels for 2009 because of the economic situation.
“Canada stands alone in having announced its intention to maintain the same planning levels for permanent residents because we are looking to the mid to long-term,” he said. “We believe that when we have reached the recovery we have to face the labour market realities that we will need newcomers to help fuel the jobs of the future.”
But, he said, the government will closely monitor the labour market developments this year. The deputy minister for immigration will be meeting with his provincial colleagues at the end of March to review the economic data to if modifications are needed “to reflect the emerging labour market situation,” Mr. Kenney said.
In addition to the permanent residents, the government allows foreigners to come to Canada on a temporary basis to fill jobs that have gone vacant. There were nearly 170,000 of those temporary immigrants in 2008.
If the government must cut immigration targets because of rising unemployment, NDP immigration critic Olivia Chow says the temporary class should be the first group to be trimmed.
“Permanent immigrants increase the economic vitality and productivity of Canada. We have an aging population and we need more young families coming to Canada. The target of 265,000 permanent immigrants should not be lowered,” Ms. Chow said in an e-mail.
“In an economic downturn, the minister should curb the temporary foreign workers program instead. The Conservatives fast tracked 200,000 temporary foreign workers into Canada last year. Many of them are exploited and drove down wages of ordinary working families.”
Mr. Kenney said programs that bring temporary foreign workers and immigrants selected by provinces to Canada are market sensitive and based on concrete job offers. “So we fully anticipate that the intake of people in those streams, temporary workers and provincial nominees, will probably decrease perhaps significantly.”
On Tuesday, Liberal Senator Pierrette Ringuette of New Brunswick, characterized job losses across Canada as “statistically huge.”
Ms. Ringuette said she would like the government of to bring back a “Canada First” policy with regard to jobs and to “halt the program of foreign workers so that Canadians will have the first opportunity to obtain these jobs and to work in Canada.”
Really good article from Kaieteur News
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Visas cannot be guaranteed by Consultants
Canadian immigration website says…
Immigration representatives do not have special connections with Canadian government officials and cannot guarantee anyone a visa.
This is according to the official website of Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC).
Recently several persons have been reportedly conned by individuals who claimed that they were in a position to secure them student visas to study in Canada.
The website www.cic.gc.ca, warned persons not to be the victim of a scam. ‘If the offer seems too good to be true, it probably is’. It pointed to some of the schemes used by con artists.
These include guaranteed work permits, free scholarships, high paying jobs in Canada with minimal or no experience needed, and free air tickets and accommodation.
Schemers would also fool gullible people with the offer of earning CAN$4000 a month as a hotel cleaner.
In the recent cases highlighted by this newspaper, several persons were shown application forms to a Canadian institute, which the schemers purported were from the university.
In fact these forms can be downloaded from the internet.
The website stated that persons who are seeking to immigrate to Canada do not need to hire an immigration consultant to apply for a visa or for Canadian citizenship.
It explained that only authorized officers at Canadian Embassies, High Commissions and Consulates can decide whether or not to issue a visa.
The website warned that persons should not be tempted into using false documents as this will result in the refusal of their application.
“Beware of internet scams and false websites,” the website warned.
Processing fees are the same at all Canadian visa offices around the world and fees in local currency are based on official exchange rates and correspond with the amount in Canadian dollars.
The website stated that Canadian visa offices will never ask anyone to deposit money into an individual’s personal bank account or to transfer money through a specific private money transfer company.
However, there is nothing wrong with having a professional assist with the filling up of visa application forms or even offering advice on the procedure of applying for a visa. This is, however, not necessary and they cannot guarantee a visa for any amount of money.
Several persons who have been victims of the recent scheme have made reports to the local police, who have since launched an investigation. A leading legal luminary told Kaieteur News yesterday that persons who had paid money to the scheme in Canada should report the matter to the Royal Canadian Mounted Police.
Canada boasts one of the world’s most transparent immigration systems in the northern hemisphere.
