IN CANADA, WE CHOOSE SKILL OVER SKIN COLOR. YOU SHOULD TRY IT, AMERICA | OPINION
A million immigrants over three years? Well, yes and no.
Canada changed the way it does immigration business about four years ago. The scales were completely tilted to give “immigrant status” to people already legally here. They complete their university studies in Canada, then get post-grad work in key occupations, and register their interest online with Immigration Canada to stay permanently. They get points for studying here, working here and paying taxes, and if they are young with great language skills, they are considered ‘top scorers.’ And an automated system e-mails an “invitation to apply.” They usually become “immigrants” about a year later.
What Canada doesn’t say is that the vast majority of these one million immigrants will be people who have legally been living in Canada for years. These are not strangers coming to a strange land.
The cost savings to government and immigrants are huge. Government does not shell out for language programs, public assistance, career training, or even unemployment costs, because the person has already hit the ground running. Integration costs are close to zip, when you are already living here, working, and paying taxes.
What really is going on is that the label on their forehead is changed from "temporary person" to "permanent resident." These are not strangers. These are neighbors who have been already here for years, and are contributing to Canada.
Canada changed the way it does immigration business about four years ago. The scales were completely tilted to give “immigrant status” to people already legally here. They complete their university studies in Canada, then get post-grad work in key occupations, and register their interest online with Immigration Canada to stay permanently. They get points for studying here, working here and paying taxes, and if they are young with great language skills, they are considered ‘top scorers.’ And an automated system e-mails an “invitation to apply.” They usually become “immigrants” about a year later.
What Canada doesn’t say is that the vast majority of these one million immigrants will be people who have legally been living in Canada for years. These are not strangers coming to a strange land.
The cost savings to government and immigrants are huge. Government does not shell out for language programs, public assistance, career training, or even unemployment costs, because the person has already hit the ground running. Integration costs are close to zip, when you are already living here, working, and paying taxes.
What really is going on is that the label on their forehead is changed from "temporary person" to "permanent resident." These are not strangers. These are neighbors who have been already here for years, and are contributing to Canada.
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