05-15-12
Minister of Immigration Jason Kenney profoundly doubts the capacity of the existing federal Canadian immigration system and has plans to rectify its weaknesses. His reforms address the contentious issue of the country’s growing the labour gap, created by Canada’s industrialization in the Prairies and exacerbated by the country’s aging work force. Under the existing system, he criticizes the acute disconnect between skilled workers arriving to better their standards of living and the lack of employers who neither are willing to hire them nor acknowledge their qualifications.
Nevertheless, Kenney’s aggressive attack on the system’s shortcomings may not be entirely called for. According to the 2010 Migrant Integration Policy index, Canada rates among the top five countries internationally for integrating its immigrants. It is true that newcomers are encountering greater difficulties in establishing themselves financially, as skilled immigrant workers frequently earn less than their Canadian counterparts and find themselves faring more poorly than newcomers from previous years. However these short-term struggles are often mitigated by longer-term successes. Second-generation immigrants are attaining more education than the Canadian average and find their niche despite the initial setbacks encountered by their parents.
While admittedly Canada cannot choose immigrants based on the projected success of their offspring, the government must also bear in mind that providing student visas to enthusiastic immigrants can allow Canadian institutions to cultivate a new crop of skilled workers whose expertise will be ripe for the labour market.
Provincial nominees who receive temporary worker permits have their average earnings surpass the Canadian average within a year from their arrival. Not only do these programs ease the population pressure upon Canada’s metropolitan trifecta, it also helps to redistribute skilled workers towards the Atlantic and Prairie Provinces.
Canada’s temporarily-closed federal skilled worker program saw successful applicants making an average of $79,200 within three years of their arrival. Although temporary residents are not comparatively enjoying as much success as they have in previous years, the same can be said for Canada’s domestic, home-grown labour force. Several structural weaknesses in the economy will continue to encumber the labour market and Jason Kenney has much to be proud of in spite of his criticisms upon Canada’s Federal Skilled Worker program.
This program has served as an excellent avenue for several migrants who wished to attain permanent residency visas in Canada; however migrants must now explore other options given that the threshold of applications for the program has been reached. Our website provides our clients with a free immigration assessment form as well as other resources that will inform you about the Canadian Immigration process.
