kansas+city



  According to the Merriam-Webster’s online dictionary, an immigrant is “a person who comes to a country to take up permanent residence” (Merriam-Webster).Canada has welcomed immigrants from countries such as India, Jamaica and Africa to assist in the development of the economy, many of whom left their home country in search of better job opportunities and economic conditions. In a keynote address at the Citizen and Immigration Canada Conference, Attorney Colin Singer stated that between 1991 and 2001 approximately 1.8 million immigrants came to Canada. Asia and the Middle East accounted for the majority of immigrants with approximately fifty eight percent (58%). He further stated that approximately 800,000 of these arrivals chose to settle in Toronto (Singer, Part. A).  According to the Citizenship and Immigration Canada website, immigrants applying for admission into Canada are placed into categories such as economic and refugee. Economic class covers professional, skilled workers, investors, entrepreneurs and those who are self employed. A professional immigrant would be included in the category of skilled workers and is one who has education and experience in fields such as medicine, teaching, engineering, law, finance etc. An application is eligible for processing if employment was offered or his/her occupation is on the national occupations list. Citizen and Immigration Canada also state that the applicant is eligible then theymust meet the minimum requirements of at least one year of continuous full-time paid work experience of a specific skill type and this experience must be in the previous ten years before the date of application. An applicant may choose to either apply under the Federal Program which allows them to settle anywhere in Canada or under the Provincial Program which restricts the immigrant to a particular province. The professional immigrant is then selected upon exceeding a minimum amount of points based on their education, work experience, knowledge of English / French, age and other criteria that have been shown to help them become economically established in Canada (Citizen & Immigration Canada).  Statistics Canada states, in 2006 there were over six million immigrants whose place of birth was outside Canada. Approximately two and a half million of these immigrants were from Asia and the Middle East (Statistics Canada). Professional Immigrants often face a huge challenge to find jobs in line with their skills and education. Results from a survey by Statistics Canada and as reported in the Canadian Labour and Business Centre indicated that for the period 2000 to 2002, seventy percent (70%) of newcomers said they had encountered problems or barriers to enter the labour market. Some of the reasons given were inadequate Canadian work experience, unacceptable foreign credentials and barriers to official language skills( qtd. In Canada Labour and Business Centre, Pg. 17).  Immigrants have to adjust to changes such as learning a new language especially where English or French was not their native tongue. The Canadian Labour and Business Centre reported that according to Citizen and Immigration Canada, between 2000 to 2002 approximately seventy six percent (76%) of skilled workers were fluent in either English or French which means that twenty four percent ( 24%) could not speak either English or French. ( qtd. In Canada Labour and Business Centre Pg. 23) The Canadian Labour and Business Centre report further stated that the more a professional is educated the less the chance of getting into the labour market. According to the report In 2001, the rate of unemployment among immigrants was 1.5 times greater than that of Canadians born in Canada. The report further stated that as the professional level of education increases among immigrants, the unemployment factor also increases. The Canadian Labour and Business Centre further stated that immigrants with a bachelor’s degree have an unemployment rate that is three times greater than Canadian who obtain there degrees in Canada. The report clearly states that the highest figures occur amongst professional immigrants with a Masters degrees or Doctorates( qtd. In Canada Labour and Business Centre Pg 20).  This argument is further supported by an article on CTV’s website written on February 13, 2008 by their news staff <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">. According to their report, newly admitted immigrants to Canada experience difficulty entering into the labour market, despite being more likely to have a university education than Canadian born citizens. The report stated that in 2006, the unemployment rate for recent immigrants who possessed bachelor’s degrees was over eleven percent (11 %)which was four times the rate for Canadian born workers who had the same qualifications (CTV News Report). <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Further proof of this point can be found in an article entitled “Mean Making for South Asian Immigrant women in Canada”, written by Naghmana Zahida Ali who holds a Master’s in English Language. The article states of the author’s experiences as a recent immigrant to Canada. After trying on numerous occasions to find a job in her field, she eventually gave up and decided to settle for whatever employment she could find. The article stated that the author even applied for a job as a telemarketer and was refused because she had the wrong accent(Ali, Pg 18 ). <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Professional immigrants are often forced to being unemployed or taking whatever jobs they can get .Ali also gives an example of a doctor from Karachi Pakistan who came to Canada to escape political persecution. Unable to find a job in his profession due to the strict licensing regulations in Canada and now works as a security guard. Not only is it “financially degrading he says but also psychologically demoralizing” (Ali, 15-16). <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';"> <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">There are many who experience the same difficulties as there are restrictions and laws that must be followed such as those which are outlined by Attorney at law Colin R. Singer. He states that applicants who immigrate to Canada under the skilled worker class, whether they have experience as a physician or general practitioner are not required to provide evidence of licensing upon admission. They are required however that upon admittance, applicants with the intention to practice must write a series of examinations and licensing requirements dependent upon the province they reside. Even though immigrants attended school in their home countries and were licensed professionals, they are being forced to start over from the bottom which can be demeaning and frustrating for many.(Ali, Pg 15-16) <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';"> <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';"> <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">The government of Canada however is aware of these problems and has established programs thru the Human Resources Skills Development Ministry (HRSDC) to provide assistance. One such program works in collaboration with colleges such as Humber, Sheridan and Douglas .At Douglas College in British Colombia The Working Solutions Program for Skilled Immigrants was established jointly with the government-sponsored Skills Connect program. This program provides different services that are free of charge, to all professional immigrants. Under this program, there are also career consultants who work with immigrants on a personal basis. These consultants are trained career experts who have the required expertise in assisting internationally educated professionals. (Rous) <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';"> <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Another program establishes centers by the Ontario Ministry of Education and Training. These are called Centre for Internationally Trained Professionals and Tradespeople(CITPT) and are established in collaboration with Humber and COSTI, a United Way Affiliate to provide <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">free programs to help professionals obtain work related to their profession(Centre for Internationally Trained Professionals & Tradespeople ). The Government of Canada has launched several programs in collaboration with colleges, non-profit organizations and provincial government to assist in language training. One such program was launched in association with the Saskatchewan Government which was responsible for improving language of immigrants to a higher level. This will assist professionals to deal with job specific jargons and access the labour market (Government of Saskatchewan ). <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">There are professional immigrants however who have been successful in Canada. One such professional was Thomas Bata who migrated to Canada in 1938 as a professional in shoemaking and went on to establish the Bata Shoe Company that now has operations in five continents(The Happy Immigrant).Another success story in Canada has been that of Ed Mirvich who was born in Virginia, United States of America but whose parents originate from Lithuania. After business failures in the United States the family migrated to Canada and after some business failures they eventually established the Honest Ed’s line of business( The Happy Immigrant). <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';"> <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';"> <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Although professional immigrants initially face various challenges upon arriving in Canada, the opportunities exist that they can achieve their dreams once they are willing to make the sacrifice to overcome the hurdles they face. The Government is assisting by sponsoring different programs so that these challenges can be overcome as quickly as possible and both immigrants and economy will grow together. <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';"> <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';"> <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';"> <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Bibliography <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';"> <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Ali, Naghmana Z. "Meaning Making for South Asian Immigrant Women in Canada." __University of Toronto Libraries.__ 30 Jan 2009. < http://proquest.umi.com.myaccess.library.utoronto.ca/pqdlink?Ver=1&Exp=02-03-2014&FMT=7&DID=766029631&RQT=309&attempt=1 > <span style="font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA;"> __<span style="font-size: 10pt; color: #262a2c; line-height: 115%; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA;">Canada Immigration - Canada Immigration Financial Assistance __<span style="font-size: 10pt; color: #262a2c; line-height: 115%; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA;">. 04 Feb. 2009 <http://cifacanada.org/images/map-faces175.jpg>. <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';"> __<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Canadian Labour and Business Centre __<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">. 30 Jan. 2009 < http://www.clbc.ca/files/Reports/IHB_section_c.pdf >. <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';"> __<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Centre for Internationally Trained Professionals and Trades People (CITPT) __<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">. 01 Feb. 2009 < [|http://www.cftpt.org] >. <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';"> <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">"CTV.ca | New immigrants struggle in job market: study." __CTV.ca | CTV News, Shows and Sports -- Canadian Television__. 02 Feb. 2009 < http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/story/CTVNews/20080213/immigrants_jobs_080213/20080213/ >. <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';"> <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">"Ed Mirvish, Honest Ed Warehouse Owner, Producer of Live Theatre Productions." __Immigration to Canada, the land of opportunities.__ 03 Feb. 2009 < http://www.the-happy-immigrant.com/ed-mirvish.html >. <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';"> <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">"Immigrant - Definition from the Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary." __Dictionary and Thesaurus - Merriam-Webster Online__. 04 Feb. 2009 < http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/immigrant >. <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';"> <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">"Immigrant population by place of birth, by province and territory (2006 Census)." __Statistic Canada Table summaries__. 03 Feb. 2009 < http://www40.statcan.gc.ca/l01/cst01/demo34a-eng.htm >. <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';"> <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">"Immigrating to Canada: Skilled workers and professionals - Who can apply." __Welcome Page | Page d'accueil__. 03 Feb. 2009 < http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/immigrate/skilled/apply-who.asp >. <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';"> <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">"News Releases -." 03 Feb. 2009 < http://www.gov.sk.ca/news >. <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Singer, Colin. "Canada Immigration - The Challenges for Settlement Professionals under the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act - Canadian Immigration." __Canada immigration and Information on immigration to Canada__. 01 Feb. 2009 < http://www.immigration.ca/profile-government1.asp >. <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';"> <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">"Thomas Bata, Shoemaker to the World. Famous Canadian Immigrant." __Immigration to Canada, the land of opportunities.__ 03 Feb. 2009 < http://www.the-happy-immigrant.com/thomas-bata.html >. <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';"> <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">"Working solutions." __Canadian Immigrant Magazine Online__. 1 Feb. 2009 < http://www.canadianimmigrant.ca/careers/careerpaths/article/2826 >. <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';"> <span style="font-size: 10pt; color: #262a2c; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-ansi-language: EN;">"YouTube - Canada Immigration and Settlement Simplified- LoonLounge.com." __YouTube - Broadcast Yourself.__ 04 Feb. 2009 <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dGC3nvKghxA&feature=related>. <span style="font-size: 10pt; color: #262a2c; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-ansi-language: EN;">

<span style="font-size: 10pt; color: #262a2c; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-ansi-language: EN;">"YouTube - How immigrants can succeed in Canada." __YouTube - Broadcast Yourself.__ 04 Feb. 2009 <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AvplrntfZqg&feature=related>.

Nick Noorani- [|How Immigrants Can succeed in Canada] media type="youtube" key="AvplrntfZqg" height="344" width="425"
 * Extras**

LoonLounge- [|Assistance for Immigrants] media type="youtube" key="dGC3nvKghxA" height="344" width="425"