Skilled immigrants to be offered 'express entry' to Canada in 2015

By Susana Mas, CBC News Posted: Apr 22, 2014 5:17 PM ET Last Updated: Apr 22, 2014 7:06 PM ET

The Canadian government is forging ahead with a new immigration system that will offer "express entry" to qualified immigrants starting in 2015 as a way to help fill open jobs for which there are no available Canadian workers.

Express Entry, formerly known as Expression of Interest, will be "a swifter path to Canada that will select immigrants based on the skills and attributes that Canada needs based on those identified by government but also by employers," said Immigration Minister Chris Alexander during a news conference in Richmond Hill, Ont., on Tuesday.

While the change in the name of the program was quietly announced in a news release two weeks ago, the government has been remodelling Canada's immigration system for the last 18 months or so.

Alexander said Canadian employers would be able to bring in workers through the Express Entry system with the long-term view that they would remain in Canada.

"You can bring your labour market opinion, your job offer, to the Express Entry system and ensure that the person you need comes to Canada as an immigrant, not as a temporary foreign worker. Not as someone who is here with an uncertain future and likely to go back, but as a full immigrant to Canada," Alexander said on Tuesday.

"And that I think is going to be very exciting because it's going to make the match between our economic immigrants and their families, and the needs of the Canadian job market much stronger."

Finding 'a match'

Under Canada's new immigration system, which would come into effect on Jan. 1, 2015, prospective immigrants would apply to express their interest in coming to Canada. In doing so, they would answer a series of questions about their professional skills, their education, languages spoken, etc.

Those applicants would then see their skills matched with labour needs identified by the provinces and territories, as well as employers.

While the subject of skills shortages has been hotly debated, Alexander maintained, "there are many parts of the country that have acute skills shortages, there are many sectors that have acute skills shortages."

In those instances where "a match" has been identified, Express Entry could be offered to anyone who has put in an application through one of the following four programs:

• Federal skilled workers.
• Federal skilled trades.
• Canadian experience class.
• Business class.

Alexander said prospective immigrants who apply through the Provincial Nominee Program could also benefit from the system but only if the province and territory in question has brought their program under the federal one.

"Provinces and territories will take their own decisions. We're in close touch with them. We have their support for the Express Entry system, they're very excited about it. And those that choose to come in early will benefit greatly," Alexander said.

Having a valid job offer, or a provincial or territorial nomination would guarantee that Express Entry candidates receive an invitation to apply for permanent residence.

Other features

Under the new program:

• Canada will be able to select "the best candidates" who are most likely to achieve success in Canada, "rather than the first person in line."
• An improved Job Bank will make it easier to find matches between Canadian employers and Express Entry candidates.
• The government will invest $14 million over two years and $4.7 million per year ongoing to ensuring the successful implementation of Express Entry.
• Qualified applicants can expect faster processing times of six months or less when invited to come to Canada, down from a wait of up to two years.

NDP immigration critic Lysane Blanchette-Lamothe was critical of the new system, saying it, "will promote the exact queue-jumping the Conservatives say they are trying to combat."

“This new program will put applicants in limbo because they may never be given a definitive answer on their application,” said Blanchette-Lamothe in a written statement.

McCallum told CBC News today that Canada's current immigration system is "anything but express." The Liberal immigration critic said he would like to see the government explain how it will process these applications in six months or less.

Alexander was in Richmond Hill on Tuesday to mark "the record number" of Chinese students and permanent residents welcomed to Canada in 2013.

China was once again "a top source" country for permanent residency in Canada, Alexander said.

"This article confirms why the Ottawa government is trying to kill all trades immigration in 2014."

Richard Boraks, July 8, 2014

Business leaders call on Ottawa to reverse 'alarming slide' in skills training

The Canadian Press Posted: Jul 07, 2014 6:28 PM ET Last Updated: Jul 07, 2014 6:28 PM ET

A new report by the Canadian Council of Chief Executives being released ahead of this week's meeting of Canada's provincial education and labour ministers is calling on the federal government to lead and create a national education and skills training strategy. (David Moir/Reuters)

A new report is urging Ottawa to work with the provinces and industry to put a stop to what it calls an "alarming slide" in the quality of Canada's education and skills training.

A paper commissioned by the Canadian Council of Chief Executives is being released ahead of this week's meeting of Canada's provincial education and labour ministers and industry representatives in Charlottetown.

• Shortage of skilled workers could jeopardize the economy

The report says only the federal government can lead and create a national education and skills training strategy.

It urges Ottawa, the provinces and the territories to form a body that's responsible for learning and training, which would set targets for all learning phases.

The report recommends creating a separate body to keep track of how well the country is meeting its learning goals.

'Canada is slipping steadily'

The paper cites statistics from the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development and other sources that "point to the irrefutable conclusion that Canada is slipping steadily down the international learning curve."

"The report we are publishing this week recommends a formal federal-provincial body to oversee learning and training in Canada," council spokesman Ross Laver said in an email.

"Not everyone would go that far, but there's no question we need a lot more co-operation and collaboration between different levels of government."

He also lamented the fact the country's labour ministers have met only once in the past four years, to discuss a job grant proposal at the urging of federal Employment Minister Jason Kenney.

"The minister deserves a lot of credit for trying to get everyone around the same table," Laver said.

"The irony is that he and Canada's provincial education ministers are actually going to be staying this week in the same hotel in Charlottetown — yet for the past four months the education ministers have refused to meet him.

"How can Canada hope to maintain a world-class labour force when the people who are in charge of developing education and training policy won't talk to one another?"

Private sector urged to do its part

The report also says the private sector needs to invest in more programs and training for their employees. It contrasts the situation in Canada to that of Germany, where employers work with governments and educators to create a highly skilled labour force.

"The German system ensures close co-ordination and co-operation between levels of government and with social partners...," it says.

"The close involvement of employers and employees at the national and state level promotes a powerful sense of responsibility among corporations that is reflected in their commitment to skills upgrading in the workplace."

Kenney has spoken highly of the German apprenticeship system. Earlier this year, he led a delegation of Canadian politicians from five provinces, along with business and labour union representatives, on a trip to Germany and Great Britain to learn about their apprenticeship programs.

"This article gets to the bottom of why Canada needs foreign workers … Canadian taxpayers and business do not want to pay for the training of trades people… our infrastructure is collapsing .. we don’t train the workers to fix the problem …"

Richar Boraks, July 8, 2014

 

"JASON & THE PROVINCES

There is a story about a German, a Frenchman and English and a Canadian.

They were each asked to describe “the elephant”.

The German examined the use of the elephant in war.

The Frenchman described the sex life of the elephant.

The Englishman noted the role of the elephant in the empire.  

The Canadian asked the question:  The elephant… a federal or provincial responsibility?

Which gets us back to Jason Kenney.

On June 20, 2014 Jason and Chris Alexander took it upon themselves to rip up the “Temporary Worker Agreements” with Ontario, Alberta, Saskatchewan, PEI, Nova Scotia etc.

Jason and Chris forgot that they do not control work permits… the provinces are equal partners in the work permit business.

See you in court."

Richard Boraks, July 4, 2014

"The attached article from the Toronto Polish newspaper, “Wiadomosci”, makes the point that Jason Kenney has put up “barriers” for “visitors” wishing to work in Canada"

Richard Boraks, July 3, 2014

"Kenney undeterred by business complaints"- Toronto Star. Thursday, June 26, 2014

Jason Kenney vows to push ahead with overhaul of temporary foreign worker program

Employment Minister Jason Kenney is undeterred by business complaints over temporary foreign worker overhaul.

SEAN KILPATRICK / THE CANADIAN PRESS FILE PHOTO

Employment Minister Jason Kenney is pushing ahead with a dramatic overhaul to the temporary foreign worker program, undeterred by complaints from business groups that the changes go too far.

By: Vanessa Lu Business reporter, Published on Wed Jun 25 2014

Employment Minister Jason Kenney is pushing ahead with a dramatic overhaul to the temporary foreign worker program, undeterred by complaints from business groups that the changes go too far.

Kenney cited growing research that the program has distorted the labour market, keeping wages virtually frozen in Alberta’s food-services sector, even at a time when the cost of living has jumped dramatically in that booming region.

“Those are the distortions we want to prevent,” Kenney told reporters in Toronto after a Skills Summit brought together business groups, union leaders, and academics.

“We want to prevent that from spreading to other sectors and regions.”

Calling it a broken policy of the past, Kenney announced sweeping changes last week to the temporary foreign workers program that include inspections to stop abuses and stiffer fines, including jail terms, for violators.

Employers with 10 or more employees will be allowed to have only 10 per cent of their workforce made up of low-wage temporary foreign workers.

But business groups like the Canadian Chamber of Commerce have been vocal, arguing that “good politics may not be good policy.”

The chamber’s CEO Perrin Beatty said companies are now facing an increase in application fees from $275 to $1,000, and the time the temporary foreign workers can stay will be capped at two years, down from four.

“In many regions, it will simply be impossible,” Beatty said in an interview, noting none of the lower-skilled workers will be permitted in Toronto because the region’s unemployment rate is 7.3 per cent — above the 6 per cent threshold.

He argued the federal government screens applicants, has the power to grant permits as well as to shut down businesses that abuse the program.

“Legitimate businesses would be glad to see a crackdown on anybody who is abusing,” Beatty said. “Why we would want to punish people who were using the program for which it was designed is beyond me.”

Allan Odette, president and CEO of the Ontario Chamber of Commerce, added that the issue has been politicized, and the new changes will have unintended consequences for businesses.

“This comes at a moment in time when the Ontario economy is still very fragile,” he said in an interview.

But Kenney insisted the issue isn’t about abuses to the program or the odd bad employer, but rather the simple fact that there are Canadians who can’t find work.

“There are adequate workers available in Canada for these kinds of low-skilled jobs,” Kenney said. “They may not all live in the right places.”

He went on to list young Canadians, aboriginals, persons with disabilities and newer immigrants, who are unemployed or underemployed.

“That’s our message to employers. We should put Canadians first,” Kenney said. “The temporary foreign worker program was always supposed to be, only a last, limited and temporary resort.

“It was never intended to be a business model.”

Data show that about 25,000 employers in Canada rely on temporary foreign workers. Of those, more than 6,000 use foreign workers for more than 10 per cent of their work force.

And in more than 1,100 workplaces, foreign workers make up at least half of all employees.

Kenney also hinted that the federal government is looking to reform the rules around the live-in caregiver program, later this year, due to abuses.

The program allows families to hire a live-in caregiver from overseas, often caring for children or seniors. And after two years, those caregivers can become eligible for permanent residence.

But Kenney said evidence from immigration officials suggest that as many as half of the participants in the program were coming to work for relatives in Canada.

As a result, applications ballooned and the waiting lists have grown to an unacceptable level, he added.

Syed Hassan and David Moffette, from the group No One Is Illegal, briefly disrupted the news conference, as they called for permanent immigration status for migrant workers.

“There is no permanent immigration for immigrants in the low-skilled sector,” Hassan said.

"JASON & BUSINESS

As predicted, it is now clear, that Ottawa and its chief spokesman Jason Kenney are anti business and anti economy.

The attached Toronto Star article confirms that this government is neither  conservative nor a believer in rational public policy. 

Rather than sit down and assure that the economy grows with the proper mix of highly qualified foreign and Canadian tradespersons, this government has abandoned any economic thought. Instead, Ottawa is fixated on pandering to the few, unskilled, bitter, and sometimes lazy locals who blame outsiders for their troubles.

This government faces an election in 2015. They have determined that they need votes from their “base”. Their “base includes those who fear change and lack the skills or work ethic to make something of themselves. To these scared individuals foreign workers are a good target.

The fact that unemployment will increase as businesses close for lack of skilled tradespersons is unimportant to this government …manipulation of fearful, unskilled voters trumps business sanity."

Richard Boraks, July 2, 2014

Provinces keep Ottawa in the dark on foreign workers violations

RENATA D’ALIESIO

The Globe and Mail

Published Friday, Jun. 27 2014, 7:41 PM EDT

Last updated Friday, Jun. 27 2014, 7:43 PM EDT

For employers of temporary foreign workers, there is supposed to be a price for breaking provincial labour laws: blacklisting from the federal program that allows businesses to hire outside the country.

In reality, the flow of information on wayward employers is scant between provinces and the federal government. Ontario, one of the largest users of temporary foreign workers (TFWs), doesn’t have an information-sharing deal with Employment and Social Development Canada. The province also does not keep track of whether TFW employers have broken labour laws.

Even where agreements exist (Alberta, British Columbia, Manitoba and Saskatchewan), Ottawa isn’t told about every violation. Alberta has investigated more than 1,700 complaints since 2007 – about one every working day – related to the treatment of foreign workers, figures provided by the province reveal. But only serious contraventions are relayed to Ottawa and what is done about the cases that are passed on is not clear.

The federal Employment Department did not respond to follow-up questions on the issue. Employment Minister Jason Kenney acknowledges that the lack of communication between Ottawa and the provinces poses a significant challenge to enforcement. He is now pressing provinces and territories for action.

“We need effective information-sharing agreements with the provinces,” Mr. Kenney told The Globe and Mail editorial board recently. “It’s hugely important. When their labour standards agencies identify unsafe working conditions in a work site that has TFWs, the provinces should be informing us automatically, so we can then blacklist that employer from using the TFW program.”

Mr. Kenney said he will raise the issue with his provincial and territorial counterparts next month at a job skills forum in Charlottetown. He also plans to urge them to regulate labour recruiters. Many provinces don’t.

His department recently sent letters to all provinces and territories, asking to strengthen existing information-sharing deals and establish agreements where none exist. In a missive to Ontario’s deputy labour minister obtained by The Globe, a senior federal official states that Ottawa wants a deal signed by the fall.

Deputy employment minister Ian Shugart also urged Ontario to bolster its foreign worker legislation to include penalties for “unscrupulous employers and recruiters.”

The federal government has itself been criticized for haphazard enforcement of TFW rules. In announcing a major overhaul last week, Mr. Kenney pledged to hire more inspectors and fine employers who abuse the program up to $100,000. The minister noted that information needs to flow both ways and provinces must be told when federal officials have concerns about TFW employers.

“Chances are if they’re loose with the rules on the federal immigration side, they’re probably also loose with the domestic labour rules,” the minister said.

Alberta Labour spokesman Jay Fisher said the federal department has not yet identified what changes it is seeking with Alberta’s agreement, in place since 2008.

Alberta was the first province to keep track of labour grievances involving foreign workers. Most of the 1,700 complaints centre on pay issues, such as compensation for overtime, statutory holidays and vacations. (Workplace safety issues involving TFWs are not tracked separately.)

But Mr. Fisher noted no document has been created for communicating violations to federal authorities. Instead, provincial officials evaluate concerns on a case-by-case basis, touching base with federal counterparts by phone or e-mail when warranted. Minor breaches are not passed on.

What has been done with that information over the years is unclear. On its website, Employment and Social Development Canada lists five employers who have had their foreign labour permits suspended or revoked, all in 2014.

The department declined to disclose how many permits were halted for misconduct before this year. It also refused to reveal how many employer compliance reviews it has done.

When it comes to monitoring TFW complaints, Alberta and Manitoba are anomalies.

Because Ontario does not separately track contraventions by employers of foreign labourers, violations are not relayed to the federal government.

“We do not track the immigration status of any complainant,” said Craig MacBride, press secretary for Ontario’s Labour Minister. “Our databases catalogue incidents by type. It’s the most useful way for us so we can track trends, know what areas are of most serious concern and respond appropriately.”

The two sides have been negotiating an information-sharing deal for four years and reached an agreement in March. Final signoff is still required.

Follow us on Twitter: @GlobePolitics

"Ottawa and its laughable Labour Market Information

Ottawa and its laughable understanding of the foreign worker program in Ontario

Service Canada is a joke when it refuses LMO’s on the grounds that there are available tradespersons in Ontario (cement finishers, butchers etc).

The attached Globe and Mail article confirms what we have suspected all along … that Ottawa has no idea how many Canadians are unemployed in any Ontario sector or trade.

The article also makes it clear that Service Canada’s anti employer “Compliance” process is a joke. Service Canada does not work with the people who know what is happening on the job site … the provincial government. "

Richard Boraks, July 2, 2014