Immigration news and views

How to move to Canada: Immigration website crashes as Donald Trump election victory looks imminent

2016-11-08T21:22:00.000-08:00

The Canadian immigration site has broken as people look to leave the USA.

The official website for 'Citizenship and Immigration Canada' has stopped working, apparently because of the sheer number of people looking to leave the country.
Canada's website would usually offer ways of applying either to live in or to become a citizen of the country. But all those people trying to access it actually are able to see is a long loading page and no access to the website.
Moving to live in Canada involves applying to get permanent residency in the country. There are a range of different types of citizenship, most of which require that people come for work or to live with their family.
Donald Trump looks all but assured to be the new president of the United States, leading to huge anxiety among his opponents. Similar pressure to leave the country was seen in the wake of the UK's general election and of the Brexit vote – an issue that the European Union is looking to potentially solve by allowing people to keep their European citizenship.
The country's official Twitter account appeared to reference the US election results in a tweet posted just as it became clear that Mr Trump looked set to move into the White House.

In Canada, immigrants are encouraged to bring their cultural traditions with them and share them with their fellow citizens. pic.twitter.com/MOuStZbSX7
— Canada (@Canada) November 9, 2016

Canada has been active in taking in refugees from a range of countries in recent months. The government has run a campaign to welcome people fleeing the war in Syria.

Need help or advise: leave a remark in the comment box below!

Changes Coming To The Canadian Citizenship Act

2016-08-01T05:53:00.002-07:00

Courtesy: Scott Bell

The Liberal Government has proposed amendments to the Citizenship Act (the “Act“). The amendments contained in Bill C-6 are largely an attempt to reverse the controversial changes to the Act made by former Prime Minister Stephen Harper and the Conservatives, which remain in effect today.

One of the major Conservative changes to the Act expanded the age group of citizens required to demonstrate a language and knowledge proficiency, which became mandatory for immigrants aged 14 to 64. The length of time immigrants are required to be physically present in Canada before applying for citizenship was also extended to four years (1,460 days) of six years. Additionally, immigrants became obligated to be present in Canada for 183 days per year for at least four of the six years preceding commencing a citizenship application.
Two of the Conservative amendments were particularly unpopular among the Canadian public. One was the requirement that immigrants declare an intention to reside in Canada after obtaining citizenship. The other controversial change was the introduction of a provision which allowed Canadian citizenship to be revoked from dual citizens who were convicted of terrorism, treason, or spying. Revocation also became a possibility for individuals who are members of an armed force or group engaged in armed conflict with Canada.
The Liberals promised to reverse these changes in the campaign leading up to the 2015 election. Following through on that promise, all of the Conservative changes to the Act noted above will be quashed by the proposed Liberal amendments.
Bill C-6 alleviates the citizenship requirements by shrinking the age group required to demonstrate language and knowledge proficiency to those aged 18 to 54. Further, applicants would only need to be physically present in Canada for three of five years before applying for citizenship and the 183 day presence per year requirement would also be abolished.
Immigrants would no longer have to declare an intention to continue to reside in Canada if granted citizenship, and the power to revoke citizenship on the grounds of convictions related to national security and engagement in armed conflict with Canada would be eliminated.
Conversely, the popular Conservative changes to the Act are not altered by the proposed Liberal amendments. Most notably, the provisions added by the Conservatives which reduce processing times by increasing the number of decision makers in citizenship applications will remain part of the Act.
Bill C-6 passed its third reading in the House of Commons and is now in its first reading with the Senate. It is anticipated that the Bill will pass its final requirements and that the Act will see these changes implemented by spring of 2017.

2016 Express Entry Draw #11: 763 Invitations, Lowest CRS Score 484

2016-05-19T13:58:00.001-07:00

May 18th - 2016 - Canadian Immigration authorities conducted the 11thround of invitations under Express Entry in 2016 and 34th overall, inviting 763 applicants for permanent residence. The lowest Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score was 484 a significant decline from the previous draw. It was the 10th draw in 2016 under the Express Entry System where the lowest CRS score was under 500.

Express Entry is an immigration system implemented by Canadian immigration authorities ("CIC") on January 1, 2015 which manages skilled worker applications under Federal Economic programs. This includes the Federal Skilled Worker Program, the Skilled Trades Program the Canada Experience Class and certain parts of the Provincial Nominee Program.

Stakeholders expect to see future CRS scores well below 500 this year to enable Canadian immigration authorities to meet targeted annual immigration levels for 2016.

Canada's Immigration Website Crashes Just As Donald Trump Wins Super Tuesday (Coincidence?)

2016-04-21T03:05:00.002-07:00

Shortly after Donald Trump declared victory on Super Tuesday, the official Canadian immigration website crashed and displayed an error message to users attempting to visit the site. According to Google Trends, the search term "how can I move to Canada" spiked around midnight ET, just as some final results from the Super Tuesday primaries were leaking in. There's no official evidence of causality yet, but the timing of the website crash seems pretty indicative of a lot of scared Americans jokingly or seriously looking to leave the country in the increasingly likely event of a President Trump.

Trump's Super Tuesday performance is definitely a frightening sign for anti-Trumpers. The business mogul won almost all the Republican contests Tuesday, save Texas, Oklahoma, Minnesota, and Alaska. Trump picked up 237 delegates on Super Tuesday; this gives him 319 total, putting him that much further above second-place Ted Cruz and that much closer to the 1,237 needed to earn the nomination. However, he didn't walk away from Super Tuesday without a couple scars. Texas was a somewhat significant loss for Trump — the Lone Star State was the most delegate-rich up for grabs on Super Tuesday and Cruz ended up with 99 Texas delegates when the precincts finish reporting. The race is far from over, as Trump needs several hundred more delegates to be eligible for the nomination. It might be a little soon to start thinking about a move up north.

Yet, Canada does seem like something of a safe haven for liberal Americans who are balking at the idea of a neo-conservative demagogue holed up in the White House for at least the next four years. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has already made headway in various social justice issues such as racism and feminism during his short time in office (and he's not bad to look at, either). Also, Canada's mercifully short campaigning season seems a lot less exhausting than America's 18-month slog toward the White House that takes politicians away from their jobs and keeps the country enraptured in a media circus for the better part of two years. Combined with the free healthcare, which definitely wouldn't happen under Trump's potential presidency, Canada seems like a snowy liberal paradise.

Canada needs to build on recent immigration reforms

2016-04-16T07:24:00.001-07:00

The federal government announced changes to Canada’s immigration system this week. It will make it easier for foreign students in Canada to stay and work after they graduate – these are the kind of immigrants Canada needs. But it also quietly approved changes that allow Atlantic Canadian seafood processors to use temporary foreign workers in seasonal jobs in place of Canadian workers.

The previous government changed the rules of the two main economic immigration channels: the temporary foreign worker (TFW) program and the permanent immigrant system that awards points to prospective immigrants. The changes were substantial and are likely to profoundly change the type of people who migrate to Canada.

Prior to the reforms, TFWs were substitutes for Canadian workers. The previous government’s reforms to Canadian immigration policy had some positive effects. Changes to the TFW program limited the types of workers companies can bring in, made the screening process more rigorous and set an employer-specific cap on TFWs. This removed major irritants under the previous system and its enforcement, particularly regarding the displacement of Canadian workers by TFWs.

The new seasonal exemption allowing for more TFWs in Atlantic Canada rolls back some of the positive reforms. TFWs there will now compete with residents for seasonal jobs.

In the past, permanent immigrants were not substitutes for existing Canadians because the criteria in the points system did not reflect what businesses were looking for.

The previous government’s major change to the permanent immigration system was creation of the express-entry system. The system now rewards candidates who have a Canadian job offer. Those people will be able to migrate to Canada much more rapidly than before. In contrast, it is much harder than it was for applicants without a job offer.

Taken together, changes by the previous government to both the TFW and permanent immigrant programs were designed to better meet current labour-market needs while safeguarding job opportunities for Canadian workers. However, they may have some unintended consequences.

First, it had become more difficult for international students here to become permanent residents under the previous government. One reason is that they will not likely have a job offer from a Canadian employer. Canada’s universities are among the best in the world and foreign graduates are among the best candidates for immigration. They have proven skills, are fluent in one of our official languages and are able to integrate seamlessly into Canadian society. It would be folly not to actively seek them out as permanent immigrants.

Second, beyond Atlantic Canada, TFWs will no longer be seen as competing directly for jobs with Canadian workers, including workers who are willing to move to where the jobs are. However, new permanent immigrants will increasingly compete with existing Canadian residents.

Finally, the new permanent immigration policy prioritizes skills in demand. That preference may decrease the immigration of workers whose skills may be more important in the longer term. The government should address these potential negative consequences as it plans its reforms. Immigration Minister John McCallum recently said he will adjust the express-entry system to facilitate the entry of recent international graduates of Canadian universities into the permanent immigration system. This fixes one of the unintended consequences of the previous government’s reforms.

More consideration should be given to attract immigrants with skills the Canadian economy may need in future, while in less demand today. And the government should continue to promote economic opportunities for Canadian residents seeking employment in their own province or moving to other provinces in search of better opportunities. That could mean policies such as reforming EI to encourage workers to move where the jobs are, or introducing more competition in the airline market to ease travel within Canada.

Canada has historically had an immigration system driven by evidence, not political dogma. The new government should continue with that approach and build on its predecessor’s immigration reforms to help both existing Canadians and businesses that need workers.

Canadian Immigration Express Entry Pool Draw

2015-06-01T05:32:00.001-07:00

The ninth draw from the Express Entry pool was performed by Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) on May 22, 2015. A total of 1,361 invitations to apply for Canadian permanent residence were issued to candidates with 755 or more Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) points.

While the four draws before this most recent draw selected a portion of candidates who did not have a qualifying job offer from a Canadian employer or an enhanced provincial nomination, this ninth draw selected only candidates with a job offer or nomination. Receving a qualifying job offer supported by a positive Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) or an enhanced provincial nomination results in the candidate being awarded 600 points under the Comprehensive Ranking System and receiving a subsequent Invitation to Apply for permanent residence. A positive LMIA is required in order for a candidate to be deemed to have a qualifying job offer from a Canadian employer.
Express Entry
Eligible candidates may submit a profile into the Express Entry pool, where they are ranked according to the CRS. The government of Canada selects the top-ranked candidates on a priority basis when it performs one of its frequent draws from the pool. Candidates who are issued an invitation to apply for permanent residence then have 60 days to submit a complete e-application, from which point the government of Canada aims to process the application within six months. A number of early applicants have had their applications processed in under half that time.
For Free assessment visit: www.globalmigrationservices.com

Canadian Immigration: Express Entry January 2015

2014-07-19T01:09:00.003-07:00

In January 2015, Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) will launch a new electronic system called Express Entry to manage applications for permanent residence in certain economic programs. Canada needs high levels of immigration to meet current and future labour market needs, which will ensure our economic growth and long-term prosperity.

Express Entry will allow us to actively recruit, assess and select skilled immigrants under the following federal economic immigration programs:

the Federal Skilled Worker Program,
the Federal Skilled Trades Program, and
the Canadian Experience Class.

Provinces and territories will also be able to recruit candidates from the Express Entry system for a portion of the Provincial Nominee Programs to meet local labour market needs. Under this new system, employers will also have a key role in selecting economic immigrants. Employers will access candidates through Canada's new and improved Job Bank and through provinces and territories where applicable.

The Express Entry system involves two steps:

Step 1) Potential candidates complete an online Express Entry profile

Potential candidates will complete an online Express Entry profile where they will provide information about their skills, work experience, language ability, education, and other details. Those who meet the criteria of one of the federal economic immigration programs subject to Express Entry will be placed in a pool of candidates.

Candidates will be ranked against others in the pool. Only the highest-ranked candidates (those deemed to have the best chances for economic success), and those with qualifying offers of arranged employment or provincial/territorial nominations, will be invited to apply for permanent residence.

If a candidate does not already have a valid job offer from a Canadian employer or a provincial/territorial nomination, he or she must register with the Government of Canada's Job Bank which will connect him or her with eligible Canadian employers.

Where applicable, employers will be required to obtain a Labour Market Impact Assessment from Employment and Social Development Canada. There will be no fee for Labour Market Impact Assessments for permanent residence applications under the Express Entry system.

Completing an online Express Entry profile does not guarantee that a candidate will receive an Invitation to Apply for permanent residence.

Step 2) Citizenship and Immigration Canada will invite certain candidates to apply for permanent residence and process their electronic applications within six months.

Candidates will receive an Invitation to Apply for permanent residence if they rank among the top in the pool, based on their skills and experience. Candidates who have a valid job offer from a Canadian employer (subject to the Labour Market Impact Assessment process in place at that time) or have been nominated by a province or territory will be given high scores in the ranking system.

Candidates will have 60 days to submit an electronic application for permanent residence through one of the following programs:

Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSWP);
Federal Skilled Trades Program (FSTP);
Canadian Experience Class (CEC); or,
A portion of the Provincial Nominee Program (PNP)

Citizenship and Immigration Canada will process the majority of complete applications (i.e. applications including all the necessary supporting documents) within six months or less.

Candidates in the Express Entry pool who do not receive an Invitation to Apply for permanent residence after 12 months may resubmit their profile and re-enter the pool if they still meet the criteria. This provision will prevent backlogs and ensure quick processing times.

Express Entry will result in faster and more efficient service to potential skilled immigrants. It will also allow the Government of Canada to be more flexible and responsive to Canada's changing economic conditions and priorities.

This webpage will be updated on an ongoing basis.

Gearing up for the launch of Express Entry

Minister Alexander meets with key employers on Canada’s economic immigration system

July 14, 2014 —Toronto — Canada’s Citizenship and Immigration Minister Chris Alexander met with stakeholders and business leaders today about the January 2015 launch of Express Entry: a faster and more effective way for Canada to welcome skilled economic immigrants.

The Government of Canada, in partnership with provincial and territorial governments, has hosted a number of information sessions on Express Entry with employers across the country in recent months.

The Express Entry electronic application management system will apply to four existing economic programs: the Federal Skilled Worker Program, Federal Skilled Trades Program, Canadian Experience Class, and a portion of the Provincial Nominee Program. Through Express Entry, foreign nationals who meet the criteria for one of the federal immigration programs will be placed into a pool, from which employers will be able to consider candidates who meet their needs when they cannot find a Canadian or permanent resident for the job. The Government of Canada’s new and improved Job Bank will help facilitate matches between Canadian employers and Express Entry candidates.

Express Entry candidates who receive a qualifying job offer from a Canadian employer or nomination under the Provincial Nominee Program will be invited to apply for permanent residence soon after – a key distinction between the Express Entry system and the Temporary Foreign Worker Program, which is only used to fill temporary labour and skill shortages. Job offers will be subject to Employment and Social Development Canada’s Labour Market Impact Assessment in place at that time.

For more information on Express Entry, please see www.canada.ca/ExpressEntry.

Quick facts

· Canada’s Economic Action Plan 2014 will invest an initial $14 million over two years, followed by $4.7 million per year ongoing to ensure the successful implementation of Express Entry.

· Express Entry will transform Canada’s immigration system into one that is faster and more responsive to economic and labour market needs.

· Express Entry will allow Citizenship and Immigration Canada to select the candidates who are most likely to succeed economically in Canada, rather than passively process all applicants in a queue.

· Express Entry candidates who are invited to apply for permanent residence can expect faster processing times of six months or less.

Quote

“Our government is reforming Canada’s economic immigration system to make it faster, fairer and more flexible to ensure that Canada's labour market needs are met. Express Entry will connect candidates for permanent residence with employers who have been unable to find skilled Canadians or permanent residents for the job, and bring them here quickly. Our government is working closely with provincial and territorial partners, as well as employers to ensure that January’s launch of Express Entry is a success.”

Chris Alexander, Canada’s Citizenship and Immigration Minister

Offering "Express Entry" to Qualified Economic Immigrants

Actively Recruiting Talented Newcomers For the Benefit of Canada’s Economy

April 8, 2014 — Ottawa — Canada’s Citizenship and Immigration Minister Chris Alexander today announced that Canada’s active recruitment model for economic immigration will officially be called “Express Entry.” Set to launch in January 2015, “Express Entry” is a major step forward in the transformation of Canada’s immigration system into one that is fast, flexible and focused on meeting Canada’s economic and labour needs.

“Express Entry” will allow for greater flexibility and better responsiveness to deal with regional labour shortages, and help fill open jobs for which there are no available Canadian workers. “Express Entry” candidates who receive a valid job offer or nomination under the Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) will be quickly invited to apply for permanent residency – a key distinction between “Express Entry” and the Temporary Foreign Worker Program, which is only used to fill temporary labour and skill shortages.

Formerly referred to as “Expression of Interest”, “Express Entry” will be open to skilled immigrants and allow the government to select the best candidates who are most likely to succeed in Canada, rather than those who happen to be first in line. It will also prevent backlogs and allow Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) to better coordinate application volume with the annual immigration levels plan.

Qualified applicants can expect faster processing times of six months or less when invited to come to Canada in four key economic streams: the Federal Skilled Worker Program, Federal Skilled Trades Program, Canadian Experience Class, and a portion of the PNP.

With “Express Entry,” employers will have a key role in selecting economic immigrants and providing advice to the Government of Canada. To this end, Alexander also announced that over the course of spring 2014, CIC will work with provincial and territorial governments to hold a series of cross-Canada information sessions to provide employers with more information about this exciting new system.

Quick facts

· Canada’s Economic Action Plan 2014 will invest $14 million over two years and $4.7 million per year ongoing to ensuring the successful implementation of Express Entry.

· With Express Entry, 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.

· The Government of Canada’s new and improved Job Bank will help facilitate matches between Canadian employers and Express Entry candidates.

· Having a valid job offer or provincial/territorial nomination will guarantee Express Entry candidates an invitation to apply for permanent residence.

Quote

“Express Entry promises to be a game-changer for Canadian immigration and Canada’s economy. It will revolutionize the way we attract skilled immigrants, and get them working here faster. Our government is actively engaged with our provincial and territorial partners, and with employers, to make January’s launch of Express Entry a success.”

Chris Alexander, Canada’s Citizenship and Immigration Minister

Canadian Immigration Minister Jason Kenney replaced!

2013-07-16T04:25:00.001-07:00

PARLIAMENT HILL, Ottawa—Prime Minister Stephen Harper shuffled his cabinet Monday morning and offered up a few major promotions and what appears to be a demotion for one of his most effective ministers.

One of the biggest surprises was formerly low-profile Veteran Affairs Minister Steven Blaney jumping into a senior government role as minister of public safety and emergency preparedness, the post vacated by Vic Toews, who recently stepped down as an MP.

Another surprise was Jason Kenney moving from immigration, where he played a pivotal role gaining the ethnic vote for the Conservatives, to the relatively lower profile employment portfolio.

However, the employment file is an important one and Kenney is already familiar with some challenges there involving inter-provincial regulations and credentials recognition. And given the challenge employment faces due to a shaky global economy, it’s one area the PM needs a capable minister should things go badly.

In his place, Chris Alexander leaps into a high-profile role as minister of citizenship and immigration, though it is possible the file will be relatively quieter after the reforms Kenney has already introduced. Kenney will still play an adviser role in immigration.

Lisa Raitt goes from labour to transport. In her former role, Raitt was the government’s lead in an often tense relationship with organized labour, a file in which the government could face increasing tensions as it tries to reduce spending in the public service.

Shelly Glover leaps from the backbench into cabinet as the minister of Canadian heritage, a significant role previously filled by Christian Paradis. While Paradis was seen to have performed well in the role, he has been demoted to international development, a post that has become less influential after the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA) was moved under the Department of Foreign Affairs.

In a video posted to YouTube, Glover reflected on her “humble beginnings as a Métis girl in the city of Winnipeg,” saying she was proud of and grateful for the promotion.

Glover was a police officer before going into politics and is fluently bilingual, a skill particularly relevant to the heritage file.

Several big names stayed put, including Minister of Natural Resources Joe Oliver, who oversees ongoing efforts to secure two major pipelines. Minister of International Trade Edward Fast also stays, continuing his efforts to close a difficult trade deal with the European Union. John Baird stays as foreign affairs minister and Jim Flaherty continues as finance minister.

Government House Leader Peter Van Loan, who had been criticized by backbench MPs for his handling of caucus, will stay in place, but Chief Government Whip Gordon O’Connor will be replaced by John Duncan.

Peter MacKay and Rob Nicholson exchange roles, with MacKay now becomes minister of justice and attorney general while Nicholson takes over at national defence.

Rona Ambrose, previously minister of public works where she did much to deflect criticism over the controversial F-35 fighter jet procurement, has been moved to health. Her predecessor there, Leona Aglukkaq becomes minister of the environment, a file the government has faced strong criticism on. Aglukkaq replaces Peter Kent, who is now out of the cabinet.

Pierre Poilievre, one of Harper’s favourite spokespeople, becomes minister of state for democratic reform.

Julian Fantino becomes minister of veterans affairs.

Kellie Leitch was also promoted and now replaces Raitt as minister of labour and Ambrose as minister of status of women.

Diane Finley moves from human resources—which has now become Kenney’s employment file—to public works.

Kerry-Lynne Findlay goes from associate minister of national defence to minister of national revenue, where tax evasion has been a high-profile issue in recent months.

News courtesy EPOCH TIMES: http://www.theepochtimes.com/n3/179554-canadas-prime-minister-shuffles-cabinet/

5 Business Secrets They Won’t Teach You in the Classroom

2013-07-05T23:54:00.000-07:00

By Adam Toren:

At graduation, it’s important to remember one thing: College is only the beginning.

As you walk up to accept your diploma and move your tassel from one side to the next, you will join many friends, colleagues and family members who have similarly moved up through the ranks of higher education. And while graduation calls for celebration, the realities of the real world should soon set in — that is, the truths college never taught you.

Before launching your company, here are five secrets your professors likely didn’t teach you in the classroom:

1. College is chaotic, business is methodical.
The tortoise and the hare isn’t about speed, it’s about focus. While regurgitating information twice a semester during finals week got your through college, it isn’t going to cut it anymore. You can’t cram your way through your startup. You need to slow down the frantic pace, have a more even-keeled schedule and strategy. Keeping your nose to the grindstone will help fine tune your managerial and overall business skills. Remember, becoming a successful entrepreneur is a marathon, not a sprint.

2. Your major is more than book knowledge.
One of the most honest insights I discovered from an English professor friend was her explanation of what the students got out of her class. She believed that, while English wasn’t necessarily a circuitous major for a career, it was an opportunity to learn how to express yourself. College teaches you useful skills, but it is up to you to take it the next level.

3. Don’t brush off your electives.
It may seem like college electives were arbitrary and primarily used as an excuse to take Yoga 101. But these courses actually gave you credit for learning about areas outside your core classes and discovering different parts of yourself. If you found an unusual class, philosophy or club that piqued your interest, by no means forget about it. Take what you learned into the real world and apply it to your startup.

4. Group projects are productive.
I’m sure you are accustomed to dead weight in group projects — the people that do nothing but get the exact same grade as the hustlers. Don’t fret, you can turn this experience into a positive one through hiring the right people. Hire smart and use individual strengths for a stronger group. Good leadership means being able to form teams according to both compatibility and complementary skills. Use your negative group experiences to build better and more effective teams.

5. You don’t have to pay for knowledge
College is a great place to learn, but one of the most important aspects to realize about entrepreneurship is that it demands continuous learning. In other words, school isn’t over, as continuing your education and personal growth is vital. The best way to do this is by reading, getting involved with your community and seeking advice from others. If you’re strapped for time, invest in some audiobooks and learn something new while you make your commute.

About Adam Toren: Adam is a serial entrepreneur, mentor, investor and co-founder ofYoungEntrepreneur.com. He is co-author, with his brother Matthew, of Kidpreneurs andSmall Business, BIG Vision: Lessons on How to Dominate Your Market from Self-Made Entrepreneurs Who Did it Right (Wiley). He's based in Phoenix, Ariz.

Six Ways to Crush Procrastination

2013-07-04T09:22:00.001-07:00

Procrastination is something that everyone deals with. It’s hard to place too much blame on ourselves though, as the internet offers an unlimited amount of alternatives to doing our work. Since that’s the case, what are some proven ways to combat procrastination? Let’s take a look!

Learn to Pre-Commit

What’s the deal with "cramming"? Remember your college days, where everyone would practically brag about how they were able to pull off a miracle all-nighter? The crazy thing is, although cramming is far from optimal in terms of the quality of work that is produced, it is quite useful in getting a fire lit under our asses, isn’t it?

According to a study on procrastination, this last minute hoorah is inspired by the fact that there is no way out. Better yet, this feeling can be controlled (without the worry and paranoia) by "pre-committing" to a task before it’s begun. There are a couple ways to go about this, depending on the severity of your lethargy.

One of the more extreme (and highly creative) alternatives is a web app called stickK, which allows you to pre-commit to a goal that you must complete by a certain deadline. Big whoop, how is that going to stop me from procrastinating? Well, before you can set a goal up, you have to lay down some cash, and if you miss your deadline the money becomes locked and is donated to a charity that you hate! You can select other options and you don’t have to put in money, but c’mon, go big or go home! Also, can you honestly think of a better way to get yourself to take action than an impending deadline that will send your hard-earned cash to an organization you despise? What if you knew that $50 was headed to a place like the Westboro Baptist Church if you don’t get that new wireframe/article/logo finished? I rest my case!

Two other less dramatic ways to achieve a similar effect are to do the following:

Write down when and where you will complete a task (students who did this were far more likely to complete assignments).Make a public commitment by sharing your plan with a friend or simply emailing someone (“I will have that for you tomorrow by 5 PM”). Leave a healthy amount of time for emergencies, but don’t give yourself a week when you really need a day or two.

Set Macro Goals and Micro Quotas

Motivation is inter-woven with what goals you make as well as the plans you construct to achieve them. In a surprising study on motivation, researchers found that abstract thinking about goals can actually help with discipline. In the most basic sense, “dreaming big” isn’t all that bad advice (though dreaming too much can be harmful, more on that later).

But there’s also the problem of setting up grandiose plans and becoming intimidated by your own lofty expectations. Since you don’t want to stop dreaming big, the best way to find a balance is to simply set “macro goals” and “micro quotas." Your goals should be the large scale things that you hope to accomplish, that much is obvious. But your quotas are what you must get done everyday to make it happen.

For instance, writer/designer Nathan Barry forced himself to write 1000 words per day come hell or high-water to get his 3 self-published eBooks done. The quota made each day approachable, and the goal was achieve because of it. Tim Ferris talks more about why even low quotas work in this video:

Basically, quotas help you take one day (or even hour) at a time, so setting the bar low can actually be beneficial, as it’s what gets you started. At the same time, these quotas shouldn’t impede on your long term goals, which help fuel the fire that keeps your motivation alive.

Always Hit the Ground Running

I’ve covered a plethora of research that shows "analysis paralysis" is one of the #1 causes of procrastination. Not knowing what to do is often worse than the work itself. That’s why you should always strive to hit the ground running for new commitments, especially in terms of how you start each and every day.

The night before, create a simple to-do list (forget apps, pen and paper!) that consists of 3 big things that you want to get done, and what work it will entail. Keep it at your desk for when you sit down, or in your bag if you commute to work, and get it out right away when it’s time to get down to business. With a clear list of what to work on right now, you won’t have to stare at a long list of obligations that should get done “someday.”

The Redirect Technique

Being too hard on yourself for procrastinating isn’t healthy. In fact, this study shows that self-blame is definitely counter-productive. The study examined study habits in particular, and had this to say:

“Forgiveness allows the individual to move past their maladaptive behavior and focus on the upcoming examination without the burden of past acts to hinder studying.”

Now, that doesn’t mean you should just give up, but rather that you shouldn’t let the fact that you don’t want to do something make you feel bad. Hell, if you read books like Daily Rituals, you’ll see that many great writers struggled with their work ethic throughout their entire career. Instead, you should try to redirect your worst procrastination sessions intoanything productive.

For instance, when I just can’t get myself to sit down and write, I will do small tasks that still need to get done, like answering support emails. While this technique can lead to ‘busybody’ work if you aren’t careful, it can also get you in the mood to work during periods where you have to do something. Thisresearch points out that it’s important to evaluate each task to make sure you aren’t engaging in "automatic behavior":

Often our behaviour is robotic. We do things not because we’ve really thought about it, but because it’s a habit or we’re unconsciously copying other people. This type of behaviour can be an enemy of goal striving. Ask yourself whether what you are doing is really getting you closer to your goal.

As long as the task you are redirecting to is still relevant to your goals, (say, finishing up some edits instead of creating a new article), it’s okay to forgive yourself and redirect your behavior.

Identify the Four Pillars of Procrastination

According to an academic study titled The nature of procrastination, there appear to be four pillars of procrastination that influence the population at large. Identifying which pillar is stopping you from doing a certain task may be helpful in overcoming the initial barrier in getting started. After all, research on theZeigarnik Effect shows us that getting started really is the toughest part!

Here are the 4 pillars:

Low task value: Simply put, tasks that we perceive as low value, either in terms of fun or long-term rewards. When a task in unpleasant or boring, we can attempt to tie more enjoyable activities to the task (“I’ll go knock out this project at the coffee shop while I grab my favorite drink”) as this research suggests, or we can forcefully add on artificial elements such as “no turning back” deadlines (as mentioned above).Personality: Unfortunately, personality plays a role in procrastination. Some people are just more impulsive than others. The upside is that although it’s hard to control our personality, it is far easier to control our environment. For instance, I love beef jerky, and I will literally stuff my face with it if it is in my cabinets. To keep my binges to a minimum, I put it on a high cabinet that requires a step-ladder to reach it, relying on the annoyance of getting to it rather than my own willpower. For work, I block out distractions by heading to quiet locations (like the library) and restrict myself from time-wasting sites with tools like StayFocusd.Expectations: If you expect to complete a task easily, then you are less likely to procrastinate. This pillar is a bit more difficult to hack, but the best trick is to simply realize that the first step is often the most psychologically difficult. It isusually the case that an impending ‘to-do’ will be far less horrific than we imagine it to be, so if we can just commit 5-minutes to trying it out, we can see what it’s really like.Goal failure: Fear of failure is a real thing for many procrastinators. This pillar really has to do with being confident in your abilities. For a more extensive take on that subject, I recommend this article on Inc, as well as this one on NerdFitness.

Do the “Right” Kind of Fantasizing

Fantasies about the future are generally okay to have and are all in good fun. But excessive fantasizing has been proven to be a goal killer and a huge reason people procrastinate (it tends to tie in with perfectionism). According to this study on motivation and fantasies, when you ‘build castles in the sky’ you may be sabotaging real, obtainable goals. The researchers tested subjects on how commonplace fantasizing about their future was, and followed up on their performance on a number of categories.

Take those subjects looking for a job. Those who spent more time dreaming about getting a job, performed worse. Two years after leaving college the ‘dreamers’:

had applied for fewer jobs,had been offered fewer jobs,and, if they were in work, had lower salaries.

Not good! But we also know that positive visualizations can be motivating and inspire us to push ourselves, so what’s missing? According to this study from the UCLA, the mistake is in what we visualize. Researchers found that those participants who engaged in visualizations that included the process of what needed to be done to achieve the goal (ex: fantasizing about learning another language, and visualizing themselves practicing every day after work) were more likely to outperform their peers.

There were two reasons the visualization the process worked:

Planning: visualizing the process helped focus attention on the steps needed to reach the goal.Emotion: visualization of individual steps led to reduced anxiety.

So don’t fret your day dreams, just make sure you’re not solely focusing on the rewards of the “good life” without remembering the very doable steps that are necessary to make it happen!

Go Get Em’, Sport

“No fear. No distractions. The ability to let that which does not matter truly slide.”

Wise words from the notorious Fight Club, and a final lesson on procrastination that I’d like to impart. For many of us, procrastination comes from an overload of obligations. Our ability to say “no” to things that aren’t really moving us towards our goals is a tough skill to learn, but since it becomes impossible to tackle difficult tasks when we’re suffocating under a bunch of meaningless obligations, it’s necessary that we acquire it. Productivity requires radical elimination. It may seem selfish, but you’ve got to take care of yourself before you can take care of anyone else!

New Pakistan (Nayya Pakistan)

2013-05-15T00:27:00.003-07:00

New Pakistan

What is it for:

A child:

Good solid foundation, good healthy environment to be brought up in, good education to equip them for competitive future life, good childhood with toys, parks, play areas, colorful clothes, good nutritious and tasty food, good health facilities!

A youth:

Could enjoy the most vibrant, enthusiastic, jubilant, and full of energy phase of life with friends: with availability of good, career oriented education, to be ready to kick start professional life which leads to enduring career

A young adult:

A settled life, with deserving employment and remunerations, affordable home to live in with family, ability to send kids to good schools, pamper kids and spouse by meeting their needs, providing them necessities and innocent luxuries to enjoy lives, have assurance of sustainability in career and availability of funds/pension/support towards the twilight of career and after retirement from professional life

An old person

When sees in rear view mirror; gets a satisfaction that had been responsible deliverer throughout his life, has got settled, married kids aho are happy in their lives when look ahead, could see smooth, serene and relaxing time with his partner and family till the final call is announced for them!

For All:

A country with life, job, family, home security, no discrimination, no corruption, no poverty, no class and status differences, no load shedding of power, and above all with equal opportunities and life style….and off course without suicide bombing and drone attacks!!!!!

Will new Government provide this all!!!!or we wait for another five years…..with no one to be blamed and but ourselves!!!!

Or we under the able captaincy of our captain; do all this without looking towards the government to avoid disappointment!

I’m new to Canada. How do I crack the job market?

2012-10-15T01:34:00.000-07:00

Special to The Globe and Mail

(Cinders McLeod /Cinders McLeod)

THE QUESTION:
I am an immigrant to Canada, with a sociology degree and two diplomas. I try not to let my co-workers know about my qualifications but they have devised plans in the guise of job promotions where they ask for my résumé and when they observe my qualifications they become more hostile and the posting is either withdrawn or someone else gets the position.
I am a hard worker and think nothing of starting from the bottom. However, it has come to the stage whereby I can no longer put up with this type of behaviour toward me. I have been told I am too confident and happy and that I should be taught a lesson. As a result, I’ve decided to leave Canada. It’s a shame, as I really like this country and I thought it would be great to be an immigrant. I have spoken to agencies who even offered to visit my employers. Do you have any advice for me?
THE FIRST ANSWER:
Greg Conner
Vice-president, human resources, League Financial Partners, Victoria
I can only imagine the challenges faced by you and other immigrant workers as they integrate into the Canadian work force. Workplaces are demanding and highly competitive for the average Canadian, let alone for its valued newcomers.
While educational background and credentials play a role, Canadian employers focus on a number of other key factors when selecting the best candidate for a job. Some of the most common include competencies, personality and behavioural traits, adaptability, and overall organizational fit. This approach can be unfamiliar to people who have previously been awarded jobs based on education or technical ability alone.
A number of wonderful organizations focus on offering support and assistance to immigrants seeking work in Canada, and I encourage you to reach out to them if you haven’t already. I also encourage you to familiarize yourself with as many Canadian employers as possible and learn what they look for in selecting a candidate. Perhaps most important, seek feedback from your current or prospective employers about why you haven’t been successful in obtaining a position. Most employers are happy to provide post-competition feedback, much of which can be helpful in preparing for your next interview.
Do not give up on Canada; we truly are a living mosaic made stronger by having immigrants who bring their cultural diversity for all Canadians to learn from, just as they learn from other Canadians.
THE SECOND ANSWER:
Zuleika Sgro
Human resources partner and talent manager, Questrade.com, Toronto
The work force is filled with difficult situations and to build your career you have to overcome adversities that you face. I advise you to truly ask yourself what you want, what you expect, and how you will get there.
The best advice I have received in my career is that you can and do create your own destiny – not others. By your description of your experience you may be focusing only on the negatives. Surely, there must be positive aspects to your experience in Canada.
I encourage you to research all the possibilities and opportunities in Canada before you move on. There is an employer out there for everyone – it just takes time. There are ample resources in Canada for newcomers. You are still the one who needs to get the job, but they will support you with resources to help get you there.
In terms of your qualifications and how you present them on your résumé, it is important for employers to see your most relevant experience to the role you are applying for. Be sure to focus on relevancy rather than disguising your qualifications. Be upfront with all the qualifications you have, but ensure they are relevant to the position. If you are overqualified, or under-qualified, the relevancy of your experience and skills will determine if it’s the right fit for you.

I'm new to Canada. How do I crack the job market?

2012-10-15T01:28:00.001-07:00

I’m new to Canada. How do I crack the job market? - The Globe and Mail

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Ottawa wants younger immigrants

2012-10-03T02:42:00.003-07:00

280,000 applications returned as Canada rejigs its entry rules

By Mahmood Saberi, Senior Reporter
Published: 12:47 October 2, 2012

Dubai: New immigration rules will make it tougher for older immigrants to get into Canada next year as Ottawa is looking for younger professionals with high language proficiency skills, consultants said.

The new rules, which will come into force in January next year, will benefit those in the age group of 18 to 35 years of age as the tougher points system is put in place.

In the new point system the 18 to 35 age group can score 12 points. “If you are 36 years old you will lose one point for each year, and so on,’ said Sohail Saleem, general manager at Premiers, a Dubai-based immigration firm.

“Earlier, if you are 49 years of age you could get 10 points, now if you are 47 years, you will get zero points,” he said.

Many of the applicants from this region are usually in their late 30s or mid-40s.

The other change is that your educational qualifications will have to be evaluated by a competent authority back in Canada, immigration consultants said. “That will take about between 30 to 45 days,” said Saleem.

The good news for emigrants is that Ottawa is opening up more categories in the special occupation list, said Jalil Parker, immigration consultant with Vision Consultancy Services in Dubai. \
Earlier the job category was limited to 29, but now it will include many more occupations including managerial jobs and in trade and services.

Under the new rules, you will get 15 points if you have six years of work experience. This has been dropped from the earlier 21 points if you had four years of work experience, said Saleem.

The language skills are also being given high importance and applicants have to undergo the IELTS (International English Language Testing System). More points will be given to applicants with high proficiency in the first language (English). The test is held at the British Council.

Consultants hinted that while the large number of applicants from here are professionals, language proficiency is not at par and some may require training before they pass this test. Others said this may be limit the number of applicants from China and Asia.

The largest number of emigrants to Canada are from China, India, Philippines and Pakistan. No figures are available as to how many immigrants go from the Middle East every year, but consultants said a “considerable” number are processed every year.

Nurses are one the leading professionals needed in Canada as the population grows older and needs more healthcare workers.

Under the new rules the application processing time is expected to be speeded up and could take between eight to 12 months.

Earlier, the backlog of applications reached 900,000 and it took anything between three to four years if your applied from the UAE,” said Saleem.

It would take anything from six to eight years if the application was sent from India or China, he said.

He said the sad part is that Canada has “ruthlessly” rejected the applications of 280,000 applicants who had applied before 2008. “This was done to speed up the application process,” he said.
http://gulfnews.com/news/world/other-world/ottawa-wants-younger-immigrants-1.1083807#.UGq_sKMT4uE.facebook

New Federal Skilled Worker Points System for Skilled Worker Immigration to Canada Program

2012-08-28T01:08:00.002-07:00

Finally, the specific details of the proposed changes in Canada's FSW Points system is now available online in Canada Gazette. Please note that it is still a proposal and may still be subject to changes. But most likely, this will be it. That's because the way I see it, what Kenny wants, Kenny gets. ;-)

2. The number of points for the second official language (French) would be reduced from 8 points to 4 points. 3. Significantly increasing the maximum points awarded for fluency in one official language from 16 points to 24 points. This is not final, but the computation could be as follows:

CLB 7 = 4 points (IELTS 6)
CLB 8 = 5 points (IELTS 6.5 for Reading, Writing and Speaking. For Listening it's 7.5)
CLB 9 = 6 points (IELTS 7 for Reading, Writing and Speaking. For Listening it's 8)

Age Factor
The proposal is to favor younger applicants by awarding a maximum of 12 points for applicants aged 18 to 35 and a reduction of 1 point for every year after 35:

36 years old = 11 points
37 years old = 10 points
38 years old = 09 points
39 years old = 08 points
40 years old = 07 points
41 years old = 06 points
42 years old = 05 points
43 years old = 04 points
44 years old = 03 points
45 years old = 02 points
46 years old = 01 points
47 years old = 00 points

Work Experience Factor
The proposal is to reduce the total number of points for work experience from 21 to 15, and increase the years of experience required to achieve full points, from four years to six.

1 year = 09 points
2-3 yeas = 11 points
4-5 yeas = 13 points
6 + yeas = 15 points

Adaptability Factor
The proposal is to change the adaptability criteria to emphasize factors that are shown to have positive impacts on an immigrant’s economic and social integration. Maximum is 10 points.
10 points - PA Previous Work in Canada (min. 1 yr at NOC 0, A, B)
05 points - Previous study in Canada — PA
05 points - Previous study in Canada — accompanying spouse/partner
05 points - Previous work in Canada — accompanying spouse/partner
05 points - Arranged employment
05 points - Accompanying spouse/partner’s official language (CLB/NCLC 4) 05 points - Relative in Canada (18 years or over)

The additional points (3-5) from Spouse's education is no longer included.

Education Factor
Education points would be awarded based on the equivalent Canadian educational credential and points would be redistributed in recognition of the credential’s relevance in the Canadian labour market. Designated organizations would work on a case-by-case basis to authenticate credentials obtained in foreign jurisdictions and determine their equivalent value in Canada. 25 points - Doctoral level
23 points - Master’s level or professional degree
22 points - Two or more post-secondary credentials, one of which is a three-year or longer post-secondary credential

21 points - Three-year or longer post-secondary credential
19 points - Two-year post-secondary credential
15 points - One-year post-secondary credential
05 points - Secondary school

Without assessment from the organization designated by Citizenship and Immigration Canada, you can't claim points for the education factor.

Pass mark would still be 67 points.

Canadian Immigration Minister Jason Kenny's News Release — Revised Federal Skilled Worker Program Unveiled

2012-08-23T01:37:00.001-07:00

Ottawa, August 17, 2012 — Proposed regulatory changes announced today to the Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSWP) will allow Canada to better select skilled workers who can “hit the ground running” upon arrival.

“The Federal Skilled Worker Program is Canada’s largest economic immigration program,” said Citizenship, Immigration and Multiculturalism Minister Jason Kenney. “The changes we are making to update the selection criteria are based on a large body of data and evidence we've accumulated over the years showing what skills and qualifications are most likely to lead to success for skilled immigrants.”

Following an extensive program evaluation, stakeholder and public consultations, as well as other research, Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) is proposing the following changes to the FSWP:

Making language the most important selection factor by establishing new minimum official language thresholds and increasing points for language;
Increasing the emphasis on younger immigrants, who are more likely to acquire valuable Canadian experience and remain in the workforce longer;
Increasing points for Canadian work experience and reducing points for foreign work experience;
Simplifying the arranged employment process to prevent fraud and abuse yet enable employers to staff positions quickly; and
Awarding points for spousal language ability and Canadian experience.

Another proposed change is the introduction of the Educational Credential Assessment – a mandatory requirement that FSWP applicants have their education abroad assessed against Canadian education standards by designated organizations. CIC will then award points according to how an applicant’s foreign educational credential compares to a completed educational credential in Canada. It does not necessarily guarantee that they would become licensed to practice in a regulated occupation.

“This is an important step we are taking to address the problem of immigrants arriving and not being able to work in their field,” stated Minister Kenney. “This new requirement will help potential newcomers make informed choices about immigration and Canadian career paths.”

CIC will be issuing a Call for Service Proposals on August 20, 2012, inviting submissions from organizations with expertise in foreign credential assessment to conduct the reviews. The deadline for submissions is September 21, 2012. For more information, please visit CIC’s International Qualifications Network website.
The full text of the proposed FSWP regulatory changes is now available online in the Canada Gazette. They also include improvements to the Canadian Experience Class and the creation of a new Federal Skilled Trades Program. The Department welcomes input from stakeholders and interested parties.
Final publication is scheduled for late 2012 and the new FSWP points grid will likely take effect in January 2013. While there is currently a pause on new applications (except for FSWP candidates with a qualifying offer of arranged employment or those applying under the PhD stream), CIC expects to begin accepting applications again early next year.
These changes have been announced by Minister Kenney in the past year.

Canadian Immigration Paused!!!

2012-06-28T14:41:00.000-07:00

Calgary, June 28, 2012 — Citizenship, Immigration and Multiculturalism Minister Jason Kenney today announced the latest step in re-designing Canada’s economic immigration system.
Effective July 1st, 2012, Citizenship and Immigration Canada will place a temporary pause on new applications to the Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSWP) and federal Immigrant Investor Program (IIP).
“We have been making lots of changes to our economic immigration system,” said Minister Kenney. “We will take the next six months to do a lot of the heavy lifting to get us closer to a fast and flexible immigration system.”
The pause will allow CIC to make important changes to its economic immigration programs before accepting more applications. This is an important step in moving towards a faster, more flexible immigration system, while immigration levels are at a historic high.
Since the launch of Canada’s Economic Action Plan 2012, Minister Kenney has announced a series of changes to CIC’s economic immigration programs. They include:

eliminating the backlog of old FSWP applications;
improving the selection of FSWs;
creating a new Federal Skilled Trades Program;
modifying the Canadian Experience Class to help transition successful skilled temporary workers to permanent residence;
changing business immigration programs to target more active investment in Canadian growth companies and more innovative entrepreneurs; and
moving towards a new application management system, to develop a pool of skilled workers who arrive in Canada ready to begin employment.

“This temporary pause on new Federal Skilled Worker applications will allow us to set the program on a new course as we intend to launch revised selection criteria soon,” said Minister Kenney. “The pause has no impact on the number of workers Canada admits into the country, as CIC continues to process applications already received. Current immigration remains at historically high levels.”
Application intake is expected to resume in January 2013, when the proposed FSWP regulatory changes – which will be published in the Canada Gazette in the coming months – are expected to come into force.
The Immigration and Refugee Protection Act allows the Minister to issue special instructions to immigration officers to enable the Government of Canada to best attain its immigration goals. Since the 2008 Action Plan for Faster Immigration, four sets of “Ministerial Instructions” have been issued relating to Economic Class applications.
Under this fifth set of Ministerial Instructions, CIC will also introduce a pause on new federal IIP applications. This pause will remain in place until further notice, allowing the Department to make progress on processing its existing inventory.
As Minister Kenney announced earlier in April, CIC will be consulting with provinces, territories and stakeholders on ways to reform the current IIP in order to maximize the economic benefit to Canada. The Department is also consulting on whether to create a new investor program on a short-term basis, to promote growth in the Canadian economy.
The temporary pause on FSWP applications does not apply to candidates with offers of arranged employment or those applying under the PhD eligibility stream.

News Release — Minister Kenney Hits the Reset Button: Sets the Foundation for New, Faster, More Flexible Immigration System

2012-06-28T14:35:00.001-07:00

eliminating the backlog of old FSWP applications;
improving the selection of FSWs;
creating a new Federal Skilled Trades Program;
modifying the Canadian Experience Class to help transition successful skilled temporary workers to permanent residence;
changing business immigration programs to target more active investment in Canadian growth companies and more innovative entrepreneurs; and
moving towards a new application management system, to develop a pool of skilled workers who arrive in Canada ready to begin employment.

Canadian Immigration Official Convicted of Fraud and Breach of Trust

2012-06-27T03:21:00.002-07:00

CIC office on Catherine Street in Ottawa where Serré worked (GOOGLE STREET VIEW)

Diane Serré, a former official at Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC), was found guilty of 15 counts of fraud and 12 counts of breach of trust by Ontario Superior Court Justice Catherine Aitken, for using her position at CIC to help 10 immigration applicants with their applications in exchange for gifts and cash remuneration.
The investigation that led to the charges against Serré found that she worked with her esthetician, Vivian Badaan-Dakik, and her husband, Issam Dakik, to find individuals willing to pay for preferential treatment by an official at CIC. Issam Dakik plead guilty to the charges laid against him in connection with the case and was sentenced to 33 months in prison in 2006.
In her 86 page decision, Judge Aitken found that the evidence of Serré’s culpability, which included hundreds of wiretapped conversations between Issam Dakik and Serré, was “absolutely overwhelming”, and determined that she received $25,900 from Dakik as part of the scheme.
Serré’s sentencing hearing will be held on July 27th.

Canadian Immigration Minister Jason Kenny Loses Immigration Battle

2012-06-15T09:32:00.001-07:00

Ottawa has suffered a major setback in eliminating its immigration backlog after the federal court ruled the government is obliged to process all applications it accepted into the system.
About 900 applicants under the federal skilled workers’ program sued Immigration Minister Jason Kenney for violating the pledge to assess and finalize decisions in a timely fashion.
They asked the court to order the immigration department to process their applications within a reasonable time frame.
In a decision released Thursday, Justice Donald Rennie rejected the minister’s argument that the delay is justified because he has the authority to make policies.
“The minister can set instructions that permit him to return some applications without processing them at all, and thus obviously there is no further duty in respect of those applications,” the judge wrote in a 24-page decision.
“However, for those that are determined eligible for processing, the duty to do so in a reasonably timely manner remains.”
In February 2008, the law was changed to give Kenney authority to issue ministerial instructions regarding which applications would be eligible for processing and to remove the obligation to process each application received.
As a result, the litigants argued, their applications were “warehoused” in a lengthy backlog from five to nine years.
Despite the new measure, the court said Ottawa still failed to finalize a file within the six and 12 months Kenney promised — the first ministerial applications have been outstanding between 24 and 52 months.
Immigration has until Oct. 14 to finalize the application of the case’s lead litigant, an IT project manager in China.
Although the court falls short on making an order for all 900 applicants, Thursday’s decision sets the stage for the prompt processing of the other litigants.
“So long as the applicants are not to blame for the delay, a fair application of Justice Rennie’s ruling would require Ottawa to finalize their applications by October 14,” said their lawyer, Tim Leahy.
The decision is final because the court refused the minister’s request for appeal, added Leahy. The next step is for opposing counsels to determine how to proceed with the remaining cases.

Minister Kenny Announces Plan to set more Realistic Employment Expectations for Immigrants

2012-05-30T22:54:00.001-07:00

05-30-12

The common stereotype of overqualified immigrant taxi drivers in North America has been proven to be truer than once thought by a survey conducted by the Government of Canada. The federal immigration survey looked at the tax forms of 50,101 cab drivers and determined that 14% of immigrant drivers hold a bachelor’s degree, 5.4% hold a master’s degree, and 200 cabbies in the Greater Toronto area alone are either physicians or hold a PhD.Other interesting highlights of the yet-to-be-publicly-released “Special Study: Who Drives a Taxi in Canada” found that 50% of cab drivers are immigrants, with business and management serving as their top field of study.Ottawa has taken note of the inefficient and even unethical tendency whereby vast pools of talent are brought into Canada under programs such as the Federal Skilled Worker category only to have their foreign credentials unrecognized. This results in a high opportunity cost for the Canadian economy, and high animosity, disappointment, and regret amongst Canadian immigrants.While some of the blame lies with the notoriously protectionist provincial professional associations, the federal government has made a proposal to help alleviate the problem. Jason Kenney, Minister of Citizenship, Immigration and Multiculturalism announced a proposal late last March which would require applicants to have their credentials assessed and verified by designated organizations before coming to Canada. Kenney maintained that such a proposal would give applicants and skilled workers a better idea of where they would fit in the Canadian economy, and would also screen out immigration Canada applicants who do not possess adequate levels of education.

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Rogers and CIBC first to launch ‘mobile wallets’ in Canada

2012-05-19T00:52:00.003-07:00

TORONTO • A joint venture between Rogers Communications Inc. and the Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce to turn smartphones into wallets capable of making day-to-day transactions with the swipe of a device represents the tip of the iceberg in a burgeoning mobile payments market, executives from both companies say.
The country’s fifth-largest bank and its biggest wireless carrier said Tuesday each is looking to partner with additional players in the nascent space.
“It will scale from here,” David Williamson, CIBC’s senior vice-president of retail and business banking said in an interview following a press conference at the bank’s Toronto headquarters.

Importantly, the partnership hinges on a new standards framework the Canadian Bankers Association announced Monday that clears many of the security and logistical obstacles that have held back the deployment of a so-called “mobile wallet” for years.

With the concerns resolved, CIBC and Rogers — alongside credit-card issuers Mastercard and Visa Canada — will enable smartphone devices to act as a physical CIBC credit card and pay for groceries, gas, restaurant bills and other small ticket items by the end of the year.
Mr. Williamson said this is the first such deal to develop from the code, which had been in the works for months. While the bank is firmly focused on its partnership with Rogers, Mr. Williamson would not rule out working with competing mobile providers, such as BCE’s Bell Mobility and Telus Corp.
“At this time it would be fair to say we would like to bring this to others,” the executive said.
A spokeswoman for Telus, the country’s third-largest carrier, said talks are taking place between it and financial institutions. “We are currently working with a number of banks to offer this service in the near future,” spokeswoman Elisabeth Naplano said via email.

Requests for comment from Bell was not immediately returned.

The new opportunity for both financial institutions and wireless providers is based on near-field communications (NFC) technology, which sends data such as a person’s card “credentials” over very short distances. In this instance, the data housed on a Rogers phone would be received by a small terminal near a traditional cash register.
Credit card companies, which have been fast to roll out mobile payment solutions of their own using their own cards, are logical partners because of their extensive “tap and go” networks already in place with merchants country wide, as well the loyalty and rewards programs they offer through their bank-sponsored cards, bank executives said.
Rogers will charge a flat-rate “rent” for a customer’s CIBC credentials to be stored on their SIM card, the small, removable chip that acts as a digital repositories for wireless usage, numbers, contact information and other personal data.
Rob Bruce, president of Rogers wireless and wireline operations, said roughly 300,000 customers have phones equipped with NFC technology in the market now, with the goal to have three-quarters of a million devices in use by the end of the year without specifying how many are CIBC credit-card holders and therefore eligible for the solution.
In an interview, the executive said it was “premature” to speculate on what other financial institutions Rogers may partner with, but he said the company is working aggressively to broaden the program. “We’re in very good shape,” he said.
While wireless credit and payment models have been in place for some time in emerging economies that lack large-scale banking infrastructure, there are only two other commercial NFC deployments like the one announced Tuesday in the world, Mr. Bruce said — underscoring the leap in innovation both CIBC and Rogers are taking. The first is from Telefónica SA of Spain while a second venture has been launched by a South Korean carrier.
The sole handset partner supporting the CIBC-Rogers NFC solution to date is BlackBerry maker Research In Motion Ltd. Apple Inc.’s iPhone currently has no plans to bring on NFC technology, a blow to consumer adoption perhaps but boon to rival smartphone makers.
Mr. Bruce said a “robust” roadmap is now in development for devices using Google’s Android platform.

Posted in: Financial Services News, FP Tech Desk Tags: CIBC, Mobile, mobile payments, Rogers

Immigrants seeking low-skilled jobs to face mandatory language testing: Jason Kenney

2012-05-19T00:15:00.002-07:00

Thousands of newcomers destined for low-skilled jobs Canadians don’t want in far-flung parts of the country will now be subject to mandatory language testing, Immigration Minister Jason Kenney announced Wednesday during a stop in Saskatoon.
Starting July 1, Kenney said Provincial Nominee Program applicants in semi and low skilled professions will be tested and will be required to meet a minimum standard when it comes to listening, speaking, reading and writing in Canada’s official languages — English and French.
Additional changes will be made to the program to ensure economic streams are also prioritized.
As a result, immigrants coming to Canada under PNPs will arrive with much better language skills and will be selected for the impact they can have on Canada’s economy,” he said in a news release.
“We have supported enormous growth in the number of provincial nominees in recent years because it makes sense for the provinces and territories to have the flexibility to meet regional needs.”
The new language requirements will impact tradespeople, those in manufacturing, sales and services, as well as certain clerical and assistant categories.
Applicants will be required to provide valid test scores from a designated testing agency.
Temporary foreign workers who arrive before July 1, 2012 and transition to the provincial nominee program within a year have a one-time exemption.
More than 38,000 workers and their families came to Canada last year through the program which gives the provinces and territories a greater say in immigration in a bid to fill gaps in their local labour markets.
It’s also helped spread out the immigrant population as more and more people have been choosing to settle outside traditionally popular provinces like Ontario and British Columbia.
An economic boom in Saskatchewan, for example, has seen the program grow to 5,354 immigrants in 2010 compared to just 173 in 2003.
Kenney hinted in January that the government would bring in language proficiency requirements as a means of cracking down on fraud.
At the time, he suggested a “correlation” existed between high levels of immigration fraud and regions that don’t make language proficiency a top priority.
He said it was a particular problem with immigrant investor programs in Eastern Canada.
In fact, allegations of fraud, mismanagement and a series of lawsuits prompted the government to shut down immigrant investor programs in Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island and New Brunswick.
Some provinces were allowing consultants to run fast and loose and attract people who had a lot of money but no language proficiency,” Kenney said at the time.
With a file from The Calgary Herald

Posted in: Canada, News, Politics Tags: immigration, Jason Kenney

Kenney says Canada not tossing would-be immigrants

2012-05-18T23:46:00.002-07:00

The Canadian Press

Date: Friday May. 18, 2012 6:07 PM ET

REGINA — Immigration Minister Jason Kenney says the federal government is not tossing aside anyone who has been trying for years to get into Canada.
Ottawa is legislating away a backlog of 280,000 applications made before 2008, saying it's a necessary part of modernizing the immigration system.
Kenney said it wasn't fair to have people wait years for a decision on their application.
"We have to get to a fast system that connects employers with immigrants by bringing them in in a matter of months. We won't get to that fast system unless and until we deal decisively with the old backlog that we inherited and that's why we're taking this difficult but necessary step," Kenney said in Regina on Friday.
Some would-be immigrants announced this week that they will take the federal government to court over its decision to return their applications.
Toronto lawyer Lorne Waldman said he was immediately flooded with emails by people who were furious about the changes. They'd followed all the steps they were told to take to come to Canada, only to be pushed aside, he said.
Kenney said that's not the case.
The minister said those who are having their applications and related fees returned can reapply under new criteria established for the skilled worker program.
"We're not tossing anyone aside. We're simply making a responsible decision to get to a fast system by reducing this huge backlog and the seven-, eight-year wait times," said Kenney.
"Every one of those folks is more welcome to apply for our new and increasingly flexible immigration programs. If they want to come to Canada and they're qualified, they will, and they'll be able to come in more quickly under the new system that we're developing."
The seven-year backlog represents people who applied to get into Canada before Kenney rejigged the federal skilled worker program to fast-track applications from people the government feels can fill holes in Canada's economy.
Kenney said the government stands behind the legislative action to eliminate the backlog, despite any legal challenge.
"In terms of court challenges, we've always anticipated there'd be some immigration lawyers who try to make a buck by suing the government. That happens to us all the time, but we're very confident of our legal position," he said.
"This legislation has been closely examined by the Department of Justice and we believe it's lawful, it's fair and it will survive any judicial challenge."

Immigration applicants angry at new CIC proposal

2012-05-18T23:25:00.004-07:00

On Friday March 30, 2012, Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) proposed new legislation that would reduce the country’s backlog of Federal Skilled Worker (FSW) applications – by eliminating all files submitted before February 27, 2008, when the selection criteria was changed, and which had not been seen by immigration officials before March 29, 2012.

根据新法案，如果一份在2008年以前递交的申请已经走过了第一步程序，那么还是会继续审批下去－－那些被毙掉的申请则不在考虑之列。

Under the proposed legislation, if an applicant submitted their file before 2008 and it moved past the initial stage, it would be processed regardless – meaning the applications being closed weren’t being evaluated anyway.

政府估计这一政策会影响28万人，包括他们的家属。

The government estimated this would affect 280,000 people, including dependants.

公民及移民部长杰森•肯尼在一次接受《多伦多星报》的采访时表示：“我能理解他们的失望感受，他们耐心地按部就班等了那么久，最终等来的只是申请被退回。我对此表示遗憾。”但是“如果我们不坚决地处理旧案的积压，我们的未来会一直受到拖累。”

“I can understand their frustration and I regret the fact that they waited patiently in the queue only to find out that we’re returning their applications,” Citizenship and Immigration Minister Jason Kenney said in an interview with the Toronto Star. But “if we don’t decisively deal with the old backlog, we’ll be carrying it well into the future.”

公民及移民部的一位发言人Nancy Caron对《大中报》表示，如果这项议案获得正式通过，移民部将向那些受影响的申请者退款。

If the proposed legislation is enacted, CIC will refund affected applicants’ fees, Nancy Caron, a CIC spokesperson, told Chinese News.

他又说：“在新议案正式生效之前，部里仍旧要求签证办公室继续审批技术移民的申请，”这包括那些在2008年2月27日递交的申请。

“Until these changes come into force, CIC has instructed visa offices to continue with the processing of FSW applications,” including those submitted before February 27, 2008, he said.

这项议案宣布后一个月，世界各地有很多愤怒的申请者同时举行了抗议活动，包括伦敦、昌迪加尔、以及香港。

One month after the legislation was announced, many outraged applicants held simultaneous protests in cities around the world, including London, Chandigarh and Hong Kong.

姜一鸣参与组织了在香港的示威活动。做为一个组织“2008之前积压人士协会”的一员，他与别人合写了一份请愿书，并带领80位申请者在加拿大驻香港领事馆进行了游行。

Yiming Jiang helped organize the Hong Kong demonstration. As part of a group called the Pre-2008 Backloggers Association, he co-wrote a petition and led 80 applicants in a march outside Hong Kong’s Canadian embassy.

“我们不是移民部的试验老鼠；我们是人，”请愿书中写到。“移民部的政策失误不应该让我们来付出代价，部长想出名想疯了，也不应该由我们来买单。”

“We are not the mice in CIC policy experiments; we are human beings,” the petition read. “We should not be made to pay the price for CIC’s... policy failures and the Minister [sic] insatiable thirst for publicity.”

示威者把请愿书交给了大使馆的一位移民项目经理。

The protesters gave the petition to an immigration program manager at the embassy.

姜先生在2007年12月递交了他的技术移民申请。他目前的工作是担任化妆品配方师及生产经理，但是“非常乐意在加拿大的众多化妆品公司里找一家效力”，他对《大中报》表示。

Mr. Jiang submitted his FSW application in December 2007. He’s currently working as a cosmetic formulator and production manager, but “would very much like to work in one of the many cosmetic companies of Canada,” he told Chinese News.

但是，依政府在2008年颁布、代号为“C-50法案”的规定，按照“国家职业分类”划分的职业当中有29种，如果你属于其中之一并且证明有经验，你的申请才会被接受。这些职业包括厨师（国家职业分类号码为6242）、家庭医师（号码为3112）、以及护士（号码为3233）。而姜先生的职业属于“销售代理”（号码为6221），则不在29种之列。

However, under the government’s so-called “Bill C-50,” enacted in 2008, FSW applications are only accepted from foreigners with proven experience in one of 29 NOCs (National Occupational Classifications), including cooks (NOC number 6242), family physicians (NOC 3112) and nurses (NOC 3233). Mr. Jiang’s NOC, sales representative (6221), is not on that list.

“我们递交申请的时候，移民部曾经承诺过，我们的档案肯定会按照规则进行审批，”他告诉《大中报》。“他们告诉我们说要耐心，排队等候。”

“CIC has been promising us our files will always be processed according to the rules when we submit our applications,” he told Chinese News. “They told us to be patient and wait in the queue.”

在C-50法案出台之前，申请者的审核标准除了考虑其工作领域，还包括语言技巧，在加拿大的亲戚有多少，以及教育程度。但对他们并没有职业限制。

Before C-50 was introduced, applicants were evaluated based on criteria such as language skills, number of relatives in Canada and education, in addition to their field of work. They were not limited to certain occupations.

姜先生还表示，只有36％的申请者在那些规定的领域里工作。而根据移民部自己在2010年的评估，技术移民在来加拿大三年内有89％能找到工作或者自雇，还有95％以上的受访雇主表示，技术移民能够达到或者超过他们的预期。

Moreover, only 36 percent of applicants worked in their chosen fields, Mr. Jiang said. Yet CIC’s own 2010 evaluation discovered that 89 percent of FSWs were employed or self-employed three years after landing in Canada, and more than 95 percent of employers surveyed indicated that FSWs were meeting or exceeding their expectations.

“加拿大是一个自由的国度，”姜先生说。“即使在中国我们也可以自由挑选我们喜欢的工作领域。加拿大移民部没有任何权力干预我们的工作选择。”

“Canada is a free country,” Mr. Jiang said. “Even in China we have the freedom to work in whatever fields we like. CIC has no right whatsoever to interfere with our job preferences.”

移民部的Caron女士表示，新法案对于加拿大“与国际上的人才竞争者保持同步”是必要的。

CIC’s Ms. Caron said the new legislation was necessary for Canada “to keep pace with our competitors for global talent.”

“如果加拿大的审核系统跟不上劳动力市场的变化，我们的结果就是奖励那些最耐心的申请者，而不是最优秀的申请者，”她表示。“一个现代化的、有成果的、讲究效率的经济移民体系是不能这么运作的。”

“If Canada’s processing system is slower than the pace of change of the labour market, we end up rewarding the most patient applicants over the best applicants,” she said. “This is not how a modern, effective and efficient economic immigration system should be run.”

清除个案积压可以让移民部把精力集中到审批那些“按照目前的标准、更适合于弥补加拿大目前经济面临的短缺”的申请者。Caron表示。

Eliminating the backlog will allow CIC to focus on processing immigrants “who apply under the current eligibility criteria and are more suited for shortages in the Canadian economy today,” Ms. Caron said.

“受影响的申请者可以按照技术移民目前的审核标准重新申请，”她表示。“如果他们有加拿大现在需要的技能，他们可能会得到非常迅速的审批。”

“Affected applicants can re-apply under the current FSW selection criteria,” she said. “If they possess the skills Canada needs now, they are likely to receive much faster processing.”

自从C-50法案颁布后，联邦政府已经把技术移民的申请个案削减了50％，从2008年的64万人减少到2011年的31.4万人。移民部官员估计如果按目前的速度处理剩下的积压申请，要到2017年才能处理完。

Since Bill C-50’s introduction, the federal government has reduced the FSW backlog by 50 percent, from more 640,000 people in 2008 to around 314,000 by 2011. CIC officials estimate that processing the remaining backlog would take until 2017.

据“2008之前积压人士协会”估计，如果维持2010年的审批力度，到2015年就会把积压个案全部清理完。但是2011年的审批力度下降了一半。

The Pre-2008 Backloggers Association estimates that maintaining 2010 processing levels, which dropped by half in 2011, would allow the government to finish processing the backlog by 2015.

添礼熙，一位多伦多的移民律师，正在准备向新法案提起诉讼。他估计如果新法案获得通过的话，集体诉讼会随之而来。

Tim Leahy, a Toronto-based immigration lawyer, is arranging litigation against the proposal. He expects a class-action lawsuit will be filed if the new legislation goes through.

“据我了解，加拿大政府以前还从来没有干过这么缺德的事情，”他说。

“To my knowledge, the Government of Canada has never tried to legislate such unethical behavior before,” he said.

添礼熙说“移民部暗示他们很得意的‘职业分类表’能够满足加拿大劳工市场的迫切需要，这是在误导公众，”特别是他们知道只有36％的移民会继续从事原理的工作。

Mr. Leahy said that “CIC is misleading the public by implying that their much-vaunted ‘occupation list’ will assure that ‘urgent labour markets’ are met,” especially given the organization’s knowledge that only 36 percent of immigrants pursue their chosen occupation.

“不但如此，那29种职业里面有18种是需要先拿执照才能从业的，所以只要能够看透表面，就不难理解移民部的说服根本不可信。”添礼熙表示。

“Moreover, the fact that 18 of the 29 occupations require licensing before being able to practice their trade or profession makes it obvious to anyone who looks beyond the surface that CIC’s assertion is devoid of credibility,” Mr. Leahy said.

添礼熙本人也是一位移民，来自底特律。来加拿大之前他做过外交官，是一个福利项目的主任，移民后成为一名律师。

An immigrant himself, from Detroit, Mr. Leahy was a diplomat and benefit program director before he moved to Canada and became a lawyer.

“对我来说，做一个成功的移民，要能够随机应变，具有多种多样的经验，”他表示。总的来说，一个移民“如果来加拿大之前就有不止一个职业，那么来后会更容易找到工作。”

“To me, the successful immigrant is one who can improvise, one who possesses varied experience,” he said. After all, an immigrant “who has had more than one career before immigrating has more chances to find employment in Canada.”

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