Immigration.ca - Canada Immigration News - December 2006
The Progressive Conservative Leader John Tory announced his party’s plans to dispose of the barriers that keep Ontario’s skilled immigrants underemployed for long periods of time with the introduction of a new comprehensive plan. The implementation of the plan’s 14 recommendations will help speed up the economic integration of skilled immigrants by working with universities, colleges and regulatory bodies to prepare and accredit workers in their homelands while they wait for permission to move to Canada.
The report is a yearlong process of consultations between PC members and organizations of professional immigrants, associations providing assistance to skilled immigrants as well as members of the post-secondary education community.
Along with speeding up the process, the plan will also be providing increased assistance to newcomers once they have arrived in Canada and helping them integrate within the Canadian workforce. Some of the 14 recommendations include the following:
- Building a web portal that provides accurate credentialing information and opportunities for potential immigrants before they move to Canada.
- Expand the Ontario Student Assistance Program to make loans available for new Canadians bridging or upgrading their training.
- Provide more supports for ESL training.
- Use the platform of TVO to provide effective general language, training and integration information to help new immigrants to adjust to Canada.
- Leverage on our existing system of colleges and universities and support them in providing training opportunities overseas.
- Expand bridging, mentoring and work experience programs for new Canadians by including more small and medium sized businesses.
Tory has met with countless new Canadians over the years who faced challenges with skills or credentials upon entering the country and states that steps must be taken to address the problem of why it is so difficult for Ontario to properly integrate skilled immigrants into the workforce.
Immigration Minister Mike Colle agrees with Tory that the status quo wastes immigrant potential and is “glad to see the party that was bashing immigrants for the last 50 years is finally recognizing that (immigrants) should be given a fair chance”. Colle has also stated that he believes that Tory does not understand “the scope” of the problem as the PC plan involves very little money to make substantive change. Colle states that the key will be getting Ottawa to provide the hundreds of millions of dollars it committed a year ago to the economic integration of immigrants.
Sources: www.ontariopc.com; www.thestar.com
