Canada has always been one of the most favoured destinations for immigrants across the world. In 2009, 4,640 people migrated from the UAE to Canada, according to statistics from the Canadian Embassy in the UAE.
Recently, Canada has altered its immigration policy to focus more on economic recovery from the lingering effect of the financial meltdown in 2008-2009. Jason Kenney, Citizenship, Immigration and Multiculturalism Minister, told a news conference in Toronto in June: "As we recover from the recession, increasing economic immigration will help ensure employers have the workers they need to supplement our domestic labour supply."
Accordingly, Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) has updated the eligibility criteria for federal skilled worker applicants.
"To be eligible, applicants must either have a job offer, or they must have experience in one of the 29 in-demand occupations," says a spokesperson from the Canadian Embassy in the UAE. In addition, all applicants must submit the results of an independent language test before they are considered.
However, simply being eligible to apply as a federal skilled worker or securing a job in Canada does not guarantee a visa. Having an offer of employment is one of the factors that makes applicants eligible to apply as a federal skilled worker. All eligible applicants are assessed against six selection factors and have to meet the skilled worker selection criteria. They have to pass security, criminality and health checks as well.
"Security and medical screenings are important in the overall assessment of an applicant in order to determine if he/she is eligible for admission in Canada," says the spokesperson. "These assessments ensure that anyone who wants to come to Canada does not have a criminal record; does not pose a risk to Canada's security; is in good health; has not violated human or international rights; has a valid passport and/or other required travel documents; and has not violated the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act."
From this year, the Canadian government is limiting the number of applications considered for processing to 20,000 a year, for those who are applying under the occupation list. This step has been taken to balance the demand-supply ratio of the labour market. Within the 20,000 limit, a maximum of 1,000 applications per occupation will be considered. The limit does not apply to applicants with an existing job offer.
Though the Canadian government does not offer any financial support to new skilled worker immigrants, approved applicants can move to Canada without a job. They must provide evidence that they have adequate financial resources to support themselves and their families when they land in Canada. The minimum amount of money they require is determined by the size of families and these amounts are updated every year.
People with employment offers do not come under the minimum funds requirement category.
The embassy spokesperson says that to find a suitable job, one needs to plan well in advance and research the job market and its requirements thoroughly. The Canadian government provides assistance in helping immigrants secure employment, and regularly runs programmes to assist newcomers participate actively in the economic, political, social and cultural life of the country.
Sponsoring families
If an applicant migrates as an economic immigrant in one of the five specified categories — skilled workers, Quebec skilled workers, Canadian experience class, investors, entrepreneurs and self-employed, and provincial nominees — then immediate family members can also accompany the main applicant, provided they are included on the application form from the outset and pass all of the standard health, security and criminality checks.
One can also immigrate to Canada with the purpose of re-uniting with family members, who are Canadian citizens or permanent residents, and can also be sponsored by them.
The decision to hire an immigration representative entirely depends on the discretion of the applicant, and is not a requirement of the government of Canada. The government treats every application equally and does not offer any special preference to applications filed by immigration representatives. Applicants who wish to engage immigration representatives must use the services of only authorised representatives of CIC. "CIC has introduced a legislation on June 8, 2010, to crack down on crooked immigration consultants who exploit prospective immigrants. The legislation is aimed at improving the way in which immigration consultants operate," says the spokesperson.
How to obtain citizenship
To become a Canadian citizen, the applicant must be a permanent resident and stay in Canada for at least three years (1,095 days) out of the four years (1,460 days) immediately preceding the date of the application for citizenship.
In addition, you must also develop an understanding and appreciation of the rights and responsibilities of citizenship and the country's history, values, institutions and symbols. You also need to have adequate knowledge of one of Canada's two official languages — English and French.
The spokesperson highlights that Canada takes citizenship and immigration fraud very seriously and citizenship can be revoked if a person falsely represents himself, commits fraud or conceals material circumstances when applying for citizenship, or if he obtains citizenship as a result of fraudulently obtained permanent residence. n
In-demand professions in 2010
To be considered a skilled worker, an applicant must have a year of continuous full-time or equivalent part-time paid work experience in any of the following fields in the past ten years:
- Restaurant and food service managers
- Primary production managers (except agriculture)
- Professional occupations in business services to management
- Insurance adjusters and claims examiners
- Biologists and related scientists
- Architects
- Specialist physicians
- General practitioners and family physicians
- Dentists
- Pharmacists
- Physiotherapists
- Registered nurses
- Medical radiation technologists
- Dental hygienists and dental therapists
- Licensed practical nurses
- Psychologists
- Social workers
- Chefs
- Cooks
- Contractors and supervisors, carpentry trades
- Contractors and supervisors, mechanic trades
- Electricians (except industrial and power system)
- Industrial electricians
- Plumbers
- Welders and related machine operators
- Heavy-duty equipment mechanics
- Crane operators
- Drillers and blasters — surface mining, quarrying and construction
- Supervisors, oil and gas drilling.
Log on to www.cic.gc.ca in order to find out how to apply and obtain free applications kits.
