Immigration newsletter 03 Sep 2008

The Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR) released a report showing that the United Kingdom's government, local authorities, and employers underestimate benefits that immigrants bring to the economy. Three beneficial effects that migrants bring to local economies: improving the 'skills mix' in an area, increasing an area's diversity, and changing the size and productivity of local areas in the UK. The IPPR said that employers benefit from diversity because diverse workforces tend to be more productive and creative, thus boosting business performance.

According to Citizenship and Immigration Canada Minister Diane Finley, details on how the government will prioritize skilled worker applications will be revealed in "early Autumn." Canada's Immigration and Refugee Act (IRPA) was amended during June of this year, giving Canada's federal government authority to prioritize the processing of Canadian immigration applications based on the country's 'socio-economic' needs. Little is known about the exact criteria that will govern the fast-tracking of skilled migrant applications, but Canada as a whole is facing shortages in the medical, financial, and IT sectors.

Canada will expand its Off-Campus Work Permit (OCWP) program for foreign students who graduate from Canadian universities. Eligible international students at the Maritime Christian College, a private university in Prince Edward Island, will now be allowed to apply for work permits. Previously, only foreign students of public colleges and universities were allowed into the OCWP program.

Since April, foreign students under the Post-Graduation Work Permit program have been able to obtain an open, 3-year work permit with no restrictions on the type of employment or even the requirement of a job offer. International students can use the OCWP program as a "bridge" into the Post-Graduation Work Permit program as the off-campus work permit is valid for up to 90 days after graduation.

The Canadian federal government will provide funding for the territory of Nunavut to help attract skilled immigrants. Over CAD $600,000 in a 3-year period will go toward online marketing, web-based tools, and to fund services to immigrants. The support is intended to promote the territory as a desirable destination for immigrants and to help with integration after arrival. Formally separated from the Northwest Territories in 1999, Nunavut has only 29,500 residents spread over an area about the size of Western Europe.

The Thunder Bay Multicultural Association will receive funding from the Canadian federal government to assist immigrants with settling and integrating into Canadian society. CAD $2 million in funding will go toward providing settlement services such as language training, a mentorship program, and referrals to employment-related programs and community resources. Thunder Bay is the most populated municipality in Northwestern Ontario. The area has a growing 'knowledge economy,' based upon medical research and education.

The government of Queensland, Australia has begun actively marketing the state as a desirable destination for skilled workers from the United States seeking work. Record unemployment in America's industrial states, due to manufacturing plants shutting down or laying off workers, has created a large pool of skilled workers looking for employment.

In response, Peter Beattie, until recently the 36th Premier of Queensland and now Queensland's trade commissioner, issued press releases stating that "Queensland wants you!" to various media outlets in the affected regions of the U.S. Queensland -- and the rest of Australia -- has a particular need for skilled workers, especially in the manufacturing, mining, and engineering sectors.