This is an interesting article relating to the constant problem of immigrants not bing able to get jobs etc in Canada.

One interesting sentence points out "Canada cannot afford such waste. In just six more years, this country will have to rely on immigration for all of its net labour force growth."

The whole article can be read here:

http://makeashorterlink.com/?A165239AA

regards
Jane

There are three reasons for this:

1. The immigration system does not distinguish between applicants who have qualifications acceptable in Canada, and those who have not.

2. Until recently (2002), there was far too little emphasis put on ability to speak English or French. Lack of language competency virtually guarantees unskilled work, no matter how many degrees the person has.
Even now there is arguably too little emphasis on *real* fluency in English and French.

3. Government is constantly *talking* about a shortage of labour, but is this really the case in Canada? If employers can fill their vacancies from the Canadian market as it is, where's the pressure on them to hire newcomers? (which may well be different from the situation in the US or even the UK).

Jeremy

I agree! If there were REAL need for professionals, then it would be businesses who lobby the government to issue work permits like US IT business lobby could extend H1Bs for another year recently.
I think it's mostly Canadian government who needs these new arrivals to fill out the unskilled positions for which Canadians show no interest. For governments, more people means more tax!

All governemnts talk about this. The reality is that each country will have a degree of unemplyment that is a ntaural part of society. Some will not - some cannot work. The norm seems to be about 6-7% of the working population. Just because the government or industry says there is or isn't a problem may it may only be short term attitude. There is always a company looking for brighter and cheaper people to make the coffers grow but there is not always a time when governments want more people. More people may add to taxes but only if they are productive. Otherwise they are a drain. But a dwindling population and an ageing population is a major drawback for any country. Canada is losing people - not gaining them and as all western nations has an ageing population.

But if it becomes a major player even on the oil platform it will outshine most western nations hands down. But it will need to fill the jobs coming up.

I read a lot about protectionism and Canada. It could be Germany or France or anywhere going through the aspect of third world suddenly catching up and biting them in the ares. Would you not worru about where the next pay check is coming from. Maybe thats why not until you prove to the nation you are in that you want to be one of them that they begin to trust you. It is human nature.

Perhaps that is why after months doors start to open? That happens in business. Being around means being trusted and you do eventually get a break.

I'm in my fourth winter in Calgary ... part of my last job interview a month ago covered how I find the winters ...

Joking and loyalty to Alberta aside, we really do have a long winter ... the place is mainly white or brown from October through to May ... I've seen snow every month of the year apart from July so far ... if the trees break bud any time before late May, they're usually stripped bare by a snow storm.

Nobody in Alberta takes you seriously until you've lasted a couple of winters without cracking up ... you know you've settled when you even get to like it ... let's face it, I haven't had to cut the grass for six months

In six years time maybe the PR points level will be 25, AOR is received in a week, with free processing, free meds and $10k settlement allowance plus free flights, removals. Oh and all PR cases turn round in 90 days ? In 2010 the UK immigrant total for Canada was reported as 259. Australia 650,000, NZ 1,405,575.

eek... :scared: it must be an alternative dimension/ time warp thingy.

At some point the article is essentially correct-while not as bad as Europe, from what I understand Canadian fertility is below replacement levels and without immigration there won't be enough workers to pay for retirees. The problem in Canada is less funding pensions, and more funding hip replacements, but the general issue is the same. Of course it is really immigrants from the Third World who have higher fertility (their societies just aren't quite done the demographic transition yet). From what I understand Britain has similar problems.

Of course this doesn't really help unemployment rates-since that is related to economic productivity and labour laws, and not some lump of labour fallacy.

What! Do the Canadians not retire to the bedroom? The trend it seems is to go south to the US where qualified people can earn better money to return at a later date to retire. On reading the dailies in Canada that I have peeked at it has/is or was anyway a big issue. Educated and born in Canada but made good in the US seems to be the story.

The bottom line is 31 million people for a G7 nation, one that is a leader financially and professionally in the world market is simply not enough people to maintain a growing economy. It will stagnate and that will be sad.

[QUOTE=SANDRAPAUL]What! Do the Canadians not retire to the bedroom? The trend it seems is to go south to the US where qualified people can earn better money to return at a later date to retire. On reading the dailies in Canada that I have peeked at it has/is or was anyway a big issue. Educated and born in Canada but made good in the US seems to be the story.

To be really better off in the U.S one has to be in the top third or so of the wage scale (though it does depend where one moves). The U.S standard of living is certainly higher-but its skewed because the upper middle class and the wealthy are far better off then the upper middle class and wealthy Canadians. If you're middle class and certainly if you're poor Canada is usually a better bet (though if one looks at the stats the poverty rates are essentially equal).

[QUOTE=markedel] Sorry. I should have said University educated.

Does 'poverty' in Canada have the same definition as 'poverty' in the US?

I'd think if one had to be 'poor', Australia beats both countries (Canadian welfare levels, southern US climate).

Jeremy

I'm not sure if the responsibility for this situation can be defined. How many barriers are created by the Federal Government?, how many by the Provincial Government and how many are local? Is it really a function of government at all or is it the free market at work?

1. The federal government doesn't want the Canadian population to decline.
2. Local employers and markets want the best talent available at the lowest price.
3. Local professional and trade organisations want to protect their members' interests and try to prevent the easy import of skilled labour.
4. The provincial governments play the middleman between the all the interested parties and in reality, they somehow they have to handle the fallout....
5. ... which they do by dumping the responsibility on local town halls, who also have their own issues to deal with.
6. Of course, European emigrants usually bring lots more cash with them than people from poorer countries ... if they give up and head home, their money is usually spent, so the net result is a benefit to the Canadian economy in general.

Life is a grey area ....

Otherwise you are dead! The social benefits is different than the generous UK one, so you have to work any job, even low paid survival ones. And generally decent people who used to do professional jobs (engineering, medical, etc) they are not those who drain Canadian benefits; they are hard working people, who will do any job to bring a loaf of bread to the family; because being under benefits for these people is worse than death!

I've been to France & Germany, what you see there is racism/xenophobia. But Canadian protectionism has nothing to do with racism, because it's not the immigrants or foreigners, it happens among provinces as well: as part of my (damn low paid) job I talk to people all around Canada to get their opinions, and for example people in the west are defensive against Eastern companies trying to expand there. it is sort of localism/protectionism which includes employment as well!


Won't burst your bubbles! Enjoy your dreams!

Precisely. There is no overall immigration management it's fragmented and subject to wide variation based on factors like location, local economies, climate etc.