2014 Immigration Levels Planning

[Cheese]

Citizenship and Immigration Canada is consulting with stakeholders and the public on immigration levels planning.
We are seeking your feedback on immigration to Canada, specifically on the total number of new permanent residents Canada should welcome and how this overall total should be distributed among immigration categories. The consultation will explore a number of issues related to three main questions:

....the debate about immigration seems to be heating up. On Thursday, the Fraser Institute added fuel to the proverbial fire, publishing a paper that concludes recent immigrants "impose a fiscal burden on Canadian taxpayers" of approximately $20 billion a year.
"This paper proposes that immigration of parents and grandparents be stopped completely," the report, written by economist and former Reform Party MP Herb Grubel, states.
"The paper also proposes that the current immigrant selection process, which relies heavily on political considerations, be replaced with one that relies primarily on the private sector and labour market conditions."
In other words, immigrants should be allowed into Canada primarily based on economic considerations.



http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/departm...2014/index.asp


ends today unfortunately.

[CaramonLS]

It should be a better balance of both. Currently in Alberta the Labour market needs are significantly under served by immigration.

Currently at some of the Immigrant serving agencies here in Calgary there are many skills retraining programs that they are running with significant resources and assistance from the government.

So the question becomes - why retrain a skilled professional to become a power engineer or allow companies to spend resources on TFW help... or just bring Power Engineers here in the first place.

[ken0042]

Long survey but worth it. I'd like to see a focus on bringing people to Canada who have a strong desire to work, and to make sure families stick together. I see so many parents kept away from their children for several years while waiting for red tape.

[JohnnyB]

Thanks for posting this. Such an important issue for so many people in Canada. I'm very glad to have had an opportunity to fill out the survey.

My priorities are immigrants who are highly skilled (hold a pos-secondary degree), speak one of the major languages well and have an existing job offer.

[FlamesAddiction]

I don't have an issue with the total number of immigrants arriving, or the ones that are simply for family unification and not to fill labour deficits, but I think the problem is distribution. It's ridiculous to let in 250,000 immigrants per year and have 90% of them settle in 3 cities that aren't the ones that need them the most.

[Fusebox]

Originally Posted by FlamesAddiction

I don't have an issue with the total number of immigrants arriving, or the ones that are simply for family unification and not to fill labour deficits, but I think the problem is distribution. It's ridiculous to let in 250,000 immigrants per year and have 90% of them settle in 3 cities that aren't the ones that need them the most.

My parents immigrated to Canada in 1975 and were told that they were coming to Alberta - they were not eligible to live in any other province until they had put two years in here in Alberta.

I spoke with a co-worker who came to Alberta sometime in the late fifties or early sixties - he claimed that the federal government paid for the flights for him and his wife to move here and even gave them some money to "settle in", provided of course that they agreed to stay in Alberta for a minimum of two years.

Have the laws changed since then? I have no problem with immigration as I feel there is a huge need for skilled workers to help us realize the full potential of our economy, but I would agree, there is little benefit to let people in if they are going to settle in the three major cities where they are needed the least. How much influence does the federal government have in terms of dictating which areas of the country new immigrants are allowed to live and work?

[FlamesAddiction]

Originally Posted by Fusebox

My parents immigrated to Canada in 1975 and were told that they were coming to Alberta - they were not eligible to live in any other province until they had put two years in here in Alberta.

I spoke with a co-worker who came to Alberta sometime in the late fifties or early sixties - he claimed that the federal government paid for the flights for him and his wife to move here and even gave them some money to "settle in", provided of course that they agreed to stay in Alberta for a minimum of two years.

Have the laws changed since then? I have no problem with immigration as I feel there is a huge need for skilled workers to help us realize the full potential of our economy, but I would agree, there is little benefit to let people in if they are going to settle in the three major cities where they are needed the least. How much influence does the federal government have in terms of dictating which areas of the country new immigrants are allowed to live and work?

Same thing here. When my parents came over, they were settled in Northern Ontario because they needed miners and forestry workers.

From what I understand, it is different now and people can go and live wherever they want the minute they land.

[jofillips]

i personally could never see the assigning of immigrants to remote areas working today...
Anyways by my experience with them, immigration Canada seems to be doing its hardest to keep foriegners out by using the slow,waiting game - denying people the chance to work or educate themselves and even contributing time towards charity is illegal.

Plus I believe the skilled worker side is different to immigration - one is for the short term and the other for life....

[Cuz]

Originally Posted by Fusebox

My parents immigrated to Canada in 1975 and were told that they were coming to Alberta - they were not eligible to live in any other province until they had put two years in here in Alberta.

I spoke with a co-worker who came to Alberta sometime in the late fifties or early sixties - he claimed that the federal government paid for the flights for him and his wife to move here and even gave them some money to "settle in", provided of course that they agreed to stay in Alberta for a minimum of two years.

Have the laws changed since then? I have no problem with immigration as I feel there is a huge need for skilled workers to help us realize the full potential of our economy, but I would agree, there is little benefit to let people in if they are going to settle in the three major cities where they are needed the least. How much influence does the federal government have in terms of dictating which areas of the country new immigrants are allowed to live and work?

I am not sure if this is the answer, but it could have to do with mobility rights enshrined in the Charter.

[Fusebox]

Originally Posted by Cuz

I am not sure if this is the answer, but it could have to do with mobility rights enshrined in the Charter.

That's what I was thinking too, but as newcomers to Canada are not usually Canadian citizens right off the bat, I figured the government could tell them where to tough out the winters. Not sure though.

[BigNumbers]

I'd fill it out, but all I want to say is: either require English or French fluency, or a signed commitment to take a fluency test within 1 year of arrival.

Other than that, bring'em in!!