Archive for January, 2010

Processing Update: Canadian Skilled Worker applications

Published by
graham
at January 29, 2010 in Canada Immigration. 3 Comments

The Canadian immigration department has advised that the processing time for Skilled Worker applications is currently 12 months, however, additional staff are being hired in order to speed up processing time, so this should hopefully be reduced.

200 C-50 cases are being received per week, and the annual target for 2010 is 17,000, up from 14,000 previously.

The top C-50 applications are as follows: accountants & financial managers, physicians, registered nurses, college instructors, managers according to C-50 list.

Anna’s story – a migrant’s experience of Canada

Published by
graham
at January 27, 2010 in Canada Immigration. 0 Comments

Canada may be vast beyond the imaginings of many Europeans, but for Anna, a science student who migrated there from Slovakia, the scale of the country is just another part of what makes Canada so special.

‘I remember coming here and being amazed at how big Canada is’, says Anna. ‘In Europe, travelling two hours gets you into a whole other country. In Canada, it’s a quick trip in the same province, sometimes just to the town next door.’

Anna spent six months learning English upon her arrival, at which point she embarked on an outstanding academic career made possible by the opportunities the county’s education system has to offer.

Anna joined University of Victoria’s microbiology program and graduated with top grades. She went on to win the University of Victoria Jubilee Medal for Science, the National Research Council Women in Science and Engineering Award, and a National Millennium Excellence Award.

Outside of academia, Anna cites volleyball as her passion and spends a lot of time coaching and refereeing for the game.

If this wasn’t enough Anna has also volunteered as a clinical geneticist, and has carried out tutorial work at the University of Victoria.

‘I truly enjoy everything Canada has brought me—opportunity, sports and study’, says Anna.

Memories of the citizenship ceremony are still vivid in her mind and she remembers the time spent studying for the test.

‘I do think of myself as a Canadian while always remembering my Slovakian roots. Becoming a citizen seemed a natural step after our move here, and while I was only a teenager, I remember it as a solemn occasion.’

Anna is now embarking on a Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council Postgraduate Scholarship, and she plans to study medical genetics at the University of Calgary on her way to a professional career.

Anna’s story highlights the opportunities that Canada offers to those who wish to work hard and develop their potential in one of the most dynamic and multicultural countries in the world.

Canada sets out 2010 immigration policy

Published by
graham
at January 21, 2010 in Canada Immigration. 2 Comments

The Canadian Government is continuing to focus on immigration as a key means of furthering economic growth. The immigration policy Action Plan aims to attract 250,000 new permanent residents in 2010, with the focus being on finding skilled migrants to contribute to the current economic revival.

Adjustments to the admission ranges for 2010 have allowed provinces and territories to set the numbers of skilled workers and investment requirements that each region requires.

The Government believes that provinces and territories should be key participants in shaping immigration policy and that they should take more responsibility for implementation.

The Government hopes that by supporting a regional program of immigration, they will ensure that the economic benefits of migration are applied across the country. The Action Plan also aims to speed up immigration by allowing provinces and territories to assist in clearing the current backlog of federal skilled worker applications.

New online visa application system announced

Published by
graham
at January 7, 2010 in Canada Immigration. 2 Comments

The Canadian immigration department has announced a new online application process for those seeking Canadian work permits. Temporary residents in Canada will also be able to use the new system to extend their visas.

Jason Kenney, the Canadian Minister of Citizenship, Immigration and Multiculturalism, says that the new system will fix a number of problems in the existing process and the result should be a faster, and cheaper, service.

Applying online means that it will now be impossible to submit applications with incomplete information, and any errors can be corrected much more quickly than before.

International students have been able to make online applications since June 2008. The extension of this service to temporary residents may signal the beginning of a gradual rollout to all other application types

Canada remains migrant friendly in 2010

Published by
graham
at January 6, 2010 in Canada Immigration. 0 Comments

Canada maintains its positive attitude to migrants in 2010, and the country will continue to welcome a quarter of a million new immigrants every year.

This is in contrast to the attitude of several European countries, including Ireland, Denmark, Czech Republic and Spain, who have been actively trying to lower migrant numbers.

“We are planning for the economic recovery”, says a spokesperson for Immigration Minister Jason Kenney, who is upbeat about Canada’s growing economy.

Government sources say that there is a need for immigrants to replace an aging population and that a recession may not be a good time to cut back on immigrant numbers when they bring tangible job creating benefits to the economy.

As a result of this attitude, Canada is keen to respond positively to new talent. Recently, the Government helped 80 Indian IT consultants from Hartford, Connecticut, re-locate to Charlottetown and Halifax after the collapse of the Hyderabad-based Satyam Computer Services.

Canada’s migrant friendly attitude is also helped by its religious tolerance. The Pew Center for Religion and Public Life ranks Canada among the most tolerant in the world.