News

1. Canada and Poland sign Youth Mobility Agreement

July 15th, 2008

A new agreement between Canada and Poland will allow young people in each country to travel and work in the other for up to one year.

The Youth Mobility Agreement was signed between Canadian Immigration Minister Diane Finely and Polish Minister of Science and Higher Education Barbara Kudrycka.

"For more than a century, Poles have migrated to Canada and made great contributions to our country," Finley said.

"More than 800,000 people in Canada trace their roots to Poland. This Youth Mobility Agreement provides young Canadians and young Poles with even greater opportunities to work and travel between our two countries," she added.

According to Citizenship and Immigration Canada, the agreement will allow people between the ages of 18 and 35 the opportunity to benefit from "cultural discovery, international network building and gaining the skills and work experience to succeed in an increasingly global society".
Youth Mobility Workers, also known as Working Holidaymakers, can earn valuable work experience which can aid them in immigrating to the host country on a more permanent basis.

Canada is in the process of opening ties with Eastern European countries that joined the European Union in recent years, partly in response to the EU pressuring Canada to treat all of its citizens equally in regard to issuing visas.

On 31 October 2007, Canada lifted visa requirements for citizens of the Czech Republic and Latvia. On 01 March 2008, Canada lifted visa requirements for citizens of Poland, Slovakia, Lithuania, and Hungary.

Source: Citizenship and Immigration Canada

2. Shortage of Skilled Trades people in the housing market means opportunities for new Canadians

July 9, 2008

The housing market in Canada has seen its share of ebbs and flows in the past few years, but one thing that remains a constant is the unequivocal need for a strong team of skilled and dedicated workers.

John Hrynkow, an Edmonton-area builder who took up the position as president of the Canadian Home Builders' Association in April 2008, said that "Our industry has been dealing with a chronic and growing shortage of skilled people for some time now." The message is clear: the average age of tradespeople is reaching retirement age, and there is an active recruitment effort in effect by several provinces trying to fill the gap.

In Calgary, housing companies and building trades have been teaming up with Calgary Board of Education schools offering summer mentorship programs, Registered Apprenticeship Program opportunities, on-the-job training, in an attempt to instigate changes in the curriculum that will entice students and those new to the workforce.

Hrynkow says that although the issue of labour shortages has been looming for some time, the federal government has generally been slow to recognize that resolute action must be taken. Recently, the situation has been addressed by federal officials who have attempted to alleviate the shortage by providing the provinces with resource assistance.

Meanwhile, as the federal government has taken steps to improve and modernize Canada's immigration system, Hrynkow thinks this is just the beginning in terms of steps towards improvement, and much remains to be done.  Steps that still need to be taken include new bilateral Labour Market Agreements between the federal and provincial governments that address the distinct skill needs of the industry. These agreements should include accountability provisions and performance indicators for residential construction.

"These are key areas where effective government action is critical," says Hrynkow. "The strength of our industry, and our capacity to innovate, relies on skilled people."

Source: The Calgary Herald

3. More relaxed work permit rules a sigh of relief for Foreign Post-Graduate students in Canada
July 7, 2008

Not having the burden and added stress of having to find a job only three months after graduating from a post-graduate program has made a world of difference for foreign students studying in Canada.

Foreign student Buri Sen from the University of Windsor, who will be completing his Master's degree this August, was pleasantly surprised when he received an e-mail from student services announcing that the federal government had discarded the prerequisite that foreign students obtain employment in their field of study within 90 days or be forced to leave the country.

"It's a huge gift," Sen commented over the phone from Windsor.

The new rules, which came into effect in April of this year, barely registered on the Richter scale of most Canadians, but come as a huge relief to International students studying here, as well as academic institutions attempting to allure new students into Canadian post-graduate institutions.

The new rules, which were initiated by the Conservative government, allow students to obtain post-graduate permits, valid up to three years, and not necessarily in their field of study. The length of the permit is dependant on how long they studied here. It must be applied for within 90 days of graduating, but is not dependant on a secured job, which is an enormous weight off recent graduates, who are often hard-pressed to find suitable employment right away.  This is a boon for Immigration, according to Darcy Rollins, director of international education for the Manitoba government, who claims this much needed change gets rid of "ridiculous requirements" that turned off potential foreign students.

The new rules are a benefit to foreign students that are already fully immersed in their lives in Canada, have picked up the language skills and developed social and networking communities as well as labour market experience. There are more than 64,000 international students in Canada.

Immigration Minister Diane Finley announced concerning the changes "Our ability to retain international graduates with Canadian qualifications, work experience and familiarity with Canadian society will help increase our competitiveness and benefit Canada as a whole."

Source: Ottawa Citizen

4. Canada in the global economy
July 3, 2008

Today's global economy is a rapidly changing and fiercely competitive arena. Powerful new players such as Brazil, Russia, India and China offer tremendous market and investment opportunities, but also represent new sources of competition.

Traditional economic powers—including some of Canada's key trading partners in North America and Europe—are responding to global competition with strategies to boost their capacity to capture market share, gain technological advantage, attract foreign investment capital and establish critical links to global value chains.

Canada must do the same or risk losing competitive ground, including in our most important traditional markets like the United States. Without a doubt, the North American continental partnership is an important competitive advantage that Canada must nurture and grow. Innovative Canadian companies have much to gain by tapping into America's deep investment pools and innovation networks that are so adept at the commercialization of new ideas.

Canadian firms must also look beyond North America—as our competitors around the world are doing—for export opportunities, to gain access to global value chains, connect with global innovation networks, find joint venture partners, license technologies, and attract talent and investment capital.

To advance their commercial engagement strategies across the U.S. and around the world, Canadian companies need: reliable market access; timely information on market, investment and partnering opportunities; and on-the-ground support to forge the right connections and partnerships.

The Government of Canada is committed to helping Canadian companies achieve global commercial success and to making Canada a magnet for global investment, enterprise and talent. Canada's international commercial network - the Trade Commissioner Service—is working to meet the increasingly sophisticated needs of globally engaged Canadian companies.

Free trade agreements are being pursued to provide Canadians with better access to markets where their commercial interests show the greatest potential for growth. New bilateral agreements on foreign investment and science and technology cooperation are providing solid foundations for cultivating stronger commercial linkages in key markets like India and China.

Strategically targeted efforts are also raising awareness of Canada's many commercial advantages. Furthermore, the advantages Canada is building through tax cuts and upgrades to infrastructure, especially at Canada-U.S. border crossings and Canada's Asia-Pacific Gateway, are strengthening our competitive position in North America, Asia and beyond.

Through its long-term economic plan, called Advantage Canada, the federal government is providing the foundation for global success by investing in people, knowledge, and modern infrastructure. Canada is a modern, ambitious and dynamic player with a strong track record of success in global commerce.

In the face of rising global competition, our future prosperity hinges on how well we harness our advantages to maintain our place as one of the world's great trading nations and most successful economies.

Source: Foreign Affairs and International Trade Canada