IMMIGRATION RIGHTS
IMMIGRATION RIGHTS
The changing face of immigrants: Canada’s recent shift to balance economic and family based immigration
Devinder Shory MP has been a member of the Canadian Parliament since 2008. He was born in Barnala, Punjab, India and studied for his BA and Law degrees from Punjabi University. Coming to Canada in 1989, Devinder worked in several jobs including driving a taxi before setting up his own law practice. He has served on the India Canada Association and has sat on many different Parliamentary Committees and the International Trade Committee.
Canada has long been described as a land of immigrants. From the earliest European settlers to the newest wave of newcomers from around the world, Canada has successfully absorbed a wide range of immigrants. Coupled with the duty to govern in the interest of existing Canadians, the high demand from potential immigrants requires the Government of Canada to maintain and improve an effective immigrant selection process to keep numbers manageable and ensure integration.
To that end, the current Government of Canada has taken steps in recent years to reform the immigration system. In discussing the recent reforms, I will address several main topics. Beginning with examples of the challenges facing immigrants to Canada, moving on to what immigrants should expect from the Government of Canada and what Canada expects from them in return, and finishing with legislative changes which have recently reformed Canada’s immigration system.
Challenges immigrants face in coming to Canada Language: The first challenge faced by new arrivals to Canada could be language. To
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thrive in Canada, newcomers must communicate in English or French. Although there are significant clusters of Canadians from particular ethnic backgrounds who can assist immigrants from their countries of origin, all public services and most private services are only available in Canada’s two official languages.
Participation in public life and responsible citizenship both require adequate language skills. Those without adequate English or French may become permanent residents, but will have difficulty passing the citizenship application language requirements. Furthermore, as recent research confirms, immigrants who have sufficient language skills fare better economically, since they enjoy much better prospects of finding work in their fields or using their skills.
Foreign Credential Recognition: Canada has very high professional standards for a wide range of occupations, but could perhaps better communicate these requirements to potential immigrants. Take my own immigration story as an example. Born and raised in the state of Punjab in India, I attended law school, earned my licence and began
practicing law. I later moved to Canada thinking that as a fellow Commonwealth country with a similar English Common Law heritage, Canada would allow me to set up a practice with minimal hassle. Instead, it took me nine years of working in low end jobs to provide for my family while requalifying before I was called to the Bar in Alberta. My story is not unique. In fact, I often joke that the safest place to have a heart attack in Calgary may be in the back seat of a taxi, since chances are the driver is an experienced, foreign-trained cardiologist. The current Government of Canada is taking steps to streamline the foreign credential recognition process without compromising our high standards, but must cooperate closely with provincial licensing bodies, since education and professional licensing are provincial jurisdiction.
Meanwhile, I believe that the Commonwealth should prioritize cooperation on foreign credential harmonization. More standardized qualifications and recognition would greatly aid professional and trades labour mobility and facilitate international operations and trade.
Skills Imbalance: The final challenge I will mention is
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