Immigration officials admit failure to stop residency fraud

OTTAWA - Canadian immigration officials admit their refusal rate for Canadian residency applications at the embassy in Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates "should have been higher."
That's the conclusion of a 2010 quality assessment report unearthed by an Access to Information request provided to QMI Agency.
The embassy in Abu Dhabi handles visa applications from the Emirates as well as other Gulf countries, such as Saudi Arabia and Kuwait.
Officials say foreign nationals working in Gulf countries have been able to obtain Canadian residency using fraudulent sponsors who "go to great lengths to try and convince visa officers that they are residing in Canada when in fact they are not."
The report notes the motive is money because highly skilled workers, such as engineers and nurses from Canada and other western countries, get double the salary of other foreign nationals doing the same work.
"An Indian national working in Kuwait will receive a significant salary increase if he acquires a British passport," noted the report.
Immigration lawyer Richard Kurland sees another problem.
"If there's instability in that Middle East country Canada historically will pay to bring to safety Canadian residents - permanent residents," said Kurland. "So, it's a cheap insurance policy paid for by the people of Canada for non-residents."
Kurland says the consequences aren't tough enough for fraudsters.
"The only sanction practically is non-renewal of their plastic (residency) card," he said.
In an e-mail statement, immigration officials noted the government is cracking down on citizenship fraud.
Immigration Minister Jason Kenney refused comment.

Citizenship And Immigration Canada Will Increase Skilled Worker Visas In 2012

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Up to 10,000 more skilled workers could be admitted to Canada in 2012

Canadian Citizenship, Immigration and Multiculturalism Minister Jason Kenney told Parliament last week that he intends to increase skilled workers in Canada by between 8,000 and 10,000 during 2012, up from the current 47,000 to between 55,000 and 57,000.

“The government’s number one priority remains the economy,” said Minister Kenney, “We recognize the importance of immigration to our labour market and we value to contributions of skilled immigrants who add to our international competitiveness. We are committed to facilitating the arrival of the best and brightest in our country.”

This year, Canada’s overall immigrant intake was about 250,000. The government intends to keep that number consistent through 2012, which means that the additional skilled worker visas will take visas away from other Canadian visa categories.

If you are intending to immigrate to Canada in any kind of immigration category, get help. It’s a maze of regulations and paper work. More number do not necessary mean more approvals.

Canadian Immigration and Visas

Currently, Canada immigration is looking for a variety of skilled people who wish to immigrate and enjoy the Canadian way of life. The Canadian Skilled Worker class of visa leads to permanent residency in Canada.
If you are traveling to Canada on holidays, you may require a Temporary Resident Visa (TRV). Please visit the Travel Visa section of this web site for further details.
Canadian Immigration has Working Holiday Visas with several countries, allowing under 30s and students the opportunity to live and work in Canada for a limited period of time. For more information on the Canadian Working Holiday scheme, please visit the Working Holiday section of the Canadian Visa Bureau site.
Canadian immigration offers two classes of visas; temporary and permanent. The Temporary Canadian Visas and Permanent Canadian Visas are listed below.

Permanent Canadian Immigration

Skilled Worker Class

• Canada is looking for a variety of Skilled Workers. The Skilled Worker class of Canadian Visa leads to permanent residency. Applicants are required to meet the current pass mark of 67 points. You can apply as an individual or through Canada's Provincial Nominee Program.
  Business Class
• Business migration to Canada can happen under three streams; Investor, Entrepreneur and Self-employed. All Business Class applicants are required to prove their ability as well as meet the minimum pass mark for the Business Points Test.
  Partner Class
• The Canadian spousal policy sets out that most spouses and common-law partners in a genuine relationship with a Canadian citizen or permanent resident, regardless of status, are able to apply for permanent residence while remaining in Canada.
  Child-Sponsored Class
• If your child is a a citizen or permanent resident of Canada and is18 years of age or older, then they can potentially sponsor your migration to Canada via the child-sponsored Canadian family visa.

Temporary Canadian Visas

Canadian Travel Visa

• If you are visiting Canada on holiday you may be required to obtain a Temporary Resident Visa (TRV) and have a medical examination prior to entering Canada. For more information on holiday and visitor visas, visit the Canadian Travel Visa section of this site.
  Working Holiday Program
• Canada has Working Holiday Visa arrangements with several countries around the world. The Working Holiday program generally allows students and under 30s the chance to travel through Canada while supplementing their holiday with incidental work.

Study Permits

• If you are planning to study in Canada for more than 6 months, you will be required to obtain a Canadian Study Permit. Some students are required to undergo medical examinations for their Study Permits.

Canadian Visa Bureau specialises in skilled worker migration to Canada. Canadian Visa Bureau also offers visas for holidays, working holidays, work rights and immigration.

7 TIPS ON IMMIGRATION TO CANADA FOR SKILLED WORKERS AND ADDITIONAL USEFUL INFORMATION

Question Number One: Can I change my Immigration Class after I have submitted my application?
Tip: You cannot change your immigration Class once you have submitted your application. We advise that you will read all the Immigration Classes presented in “My Immigration Consultant” e-book and apply to the class that best fits you.
Question Number Two: What happens if I do not meet the financial requirements set by Immigration Canada?
Tip: Applicants that have Arranged Employment (as defined by R82) do not need to meet these financial requirements. “Arranged employment” means a job offer in Canada that has been approved by Human Resources Development Canada (HRDC) or that is exempt from HRDC approval.
Question Number Three What happens if I do not meet the financial requirements and I do not have an Arranged Employment but I do have relatives or friends in Canada willing to help me financially?
Tip: If your relatives or friends have some extra money they could spare, then they could open a trust account in your name at a Canadian bank in Canada. When the Visa Officer is ready to ask you to provide proof of money to settle in Canada, only then your relative should open up the account and obtain a letter from the Canadian Bank stating;
that you have a trust account opened in your name; and to specify the total amount of Canadian dollars. Make a copy of the letter for your records and provide the Visa Officer with the original one.
Question Number Four Does Immigration Canada provide me with a job offer?
The Answer is No.
Tip: When you get our "Canada Immigration Expo"you will automatically have information that will give access to hundreds of job offers and employers all over Canada. It will provide you with the names of employers and their addresses where you could send your resume to. Additionally you will find samples of Cover letters and Resumes so that you could potentially be one of the best applicants for the job.
Question Number Five Is there a way that I could speed up my Immigration process?
Tip: Skilled Workers and Business Applicants, who wish to settle in a province that offers Provincial Nominee Program and have an approved job offer, will receive accelerated immigration process.
Question Number Six If I am short a few points for qualifying under the point system, is there a way that I could still apply to Immigrate to Canada and have a successful application?
Tip: If you are short a few points for qualifying under the point system, [color=#550000]"Canada Immigration Expo" will provide you with all available search tools and resources which will give you access to register on line with hundreds of Canadian recruiting agencies and employers to secure a job offer and ultimately obtaining the 10 points towards your eligibility
Question Number Seven If I will be asked to attend an Interview, would my performance have an impact in the Visa officer’s decision?
Tip: Yes. Your ability to meet the Canadian immigration criteria depends, of course, on your personal and professional background. By the same token, it also depends on the way you will answer the Canadian Immigration officer’s questions so that you manage to provide him/her, in less then ½ hour time, with the selected information that best underscores your merits, while avoiding unnecessary exhibiting your weak points.
In performing their assessment, the immigration officers have a duty to fairly treat each candidate, but they do not have a duty to protect your interests in particular. Given that the number of people who apply each year for immigration to Canada is considerably higher than the annual level established by the government of Canada, the immigration officers are rather expected to act selectively, in order to choose those who they consider to be the best.
However, we consider that it is our role, through information, guidance and valuable advice provided with "Canada Immigration Expo” and other resources, to promote your interests, and to make sure that you are effectively considered one of the best and that you are granted the permanent resident status at the end of the immigration process.
Additional Important and Useful Information

More Indians immigrating to Canada as skilled workers and students

"In 2012, Canada plans to admit between 240,000 and 265,000 new permanent residents. We have maintained the immigration levels despite the recession because our economic growth will require a steady stream of new immigrants to meet labour market demands," says Simon Cridland, spokesperson of the High Commission of Canada in Delhi.

In 2010 Indians were among the highest numbers of immigrants who moved to Canada under the following categories: skilled workers, Canadian experience class, entrepreneurs, self-employed, investors and provincial nominees. In total, 30,252 Indians gained permanent resident status in Canada in 2010, an increase of more than 4,000 compared to 2009. In terms of source country for immigrants, India was second only to the Philippines.

"For skilled Indian professionals, the economic categories are very attractive. Many Indians have done very well in this country as entrepreneurs, executives, academicians and in public life," says Deepak Obhrai, the Indo-Canadian MP from Calgary, Alberta.

Indians have chosen to move to popular cities like Vancouver, Toronto and Calgary.

"Calgary now has over a 1,00,000 Indians. Various provinces have their own nominee programmes to attract skilled immigrants to fill in local shortages," added Obhrai.

In addition to skilled workers, another popular Canadian immigration route for Indians is the student category. Recent initiatives from Canadian immigration like the post-graduation work permit programme and Canadian Experience Class have become attractive options for Indian students. In 2011, it is estimated around 13,000 Indian students studied in Canada.

The Canadian Experience Class fast-tracks permanent residency visa applications for skilled temporary foreign workers and graduate students who have spent time in Canada on temporary visas.

In order to be eligible for this visa class, applicants must be either: a temporary foreign worker with at least two years of full-time skilled work experience in Canada, or a foreign graduate from a Canadian post-secondary institution with at least one year of full-time skilled work experience in Canada. Applicants must also be fluent in English or French and apply while working in Canada or within one year of leaving their job in Canada.

If you would like to apply for a Canadian visa WorkPermit.com can help. WorkPermit.com has been dealing with visa applications for over twenty years. We have an in-house immigration attorney and would be delighted to have an opportunity to help you with your visa application. Please feel free to contact us for further details.

Finding-Selecting-Choosing a Canada Immigration Lawyer for your needs

How do you find and choose a Canada immigration lawyer?  How do you decide which one to use?  How does the Canadian Government regulate who can call themselves a immigration consultant or Why Hire A Immigration Lawyer or Consultant vs Do-It-Yourself?  Who can charge to represent your application?

Many people ask friends "Who did you use?" or "Do you know someone who can help me or my business about Canada immigration?"  Many people do research with their favorite Search Engine.

On the web, after qualifying your search terms to include such things as:  languages spoken by the lawyer, city, or immigration category -- you may want to look for a Client testimonials section on a lawyer's web-site see example below. 

You should also look for a information about specific experience and qualifications of the lawyer you wish to consider, e.g. in BC, have they made a point of saying to the Law Society that they have a Preferred Area of Practice in Canada Immigration Law?  or in Ontario, has the lawyer become formally Certified as a Canada Immigration Law Specialist? 

see also lawyers with experience in Immigration Litigation when seeking help with an appeal(s) - or lawyers with experience with Canada's Anti-Terrorism Act s/a www.justice.gc.ca/en/anti_terr/act.html Department of Justice Canada / Ministière de la Justice Canada - web info

e.g. Toronto Missisauga area J. Eastman LLB. former counsel with Justice Canada

for example see Toronto lawyers with Canada Immigration Specialist Certification

for example see Vancouver lawyers with stated Preferred Area of Practice in Immigration Law

Why choose a Lawyer who has developed-acquired "special expertise" in Canada's Citizenship & Immigration Law?  Why not a general practice lawyers, or a lawyer who you know has done a great job with your other family or personal matters, and what about "Immigration Consultants"?

Canada's laws and regulations in the area of immigration seem to change more frequently than other areas, you want someone who not only keeps up with the latest developments but also can handle potential legal and bureaucratic complications, e.g. where you may need formal legal representation at a Tribunal or a higher court to sort out / appeal your application if it is refused-rejected by an immigration officer or manager or tribunal.

Choosing between a number of specialists, consider -- if a lawyer has taught Canada immigration courses-workshops to other lawyers/government-officials/public-groups (e.g. through the local Lawyers' Continuing Legal Education Society, professional development program) you may assume they are experienced in this area of law, and worth contacting for an interview, or sending a email to e.g. sample courses.

Other Things To Look For In Selecting a Lawyer

Has the lawyer been featured in any news articles, from credible publications e.g. city, regional, national newspapers or TV stations?  An example is the profile that CBC [Canadian Broadcasting Corporation] gave to Ed Corrigan, Immigration and Refugee Lawyer who works out of London, Ontario. Reading things like news articles give you another view of what type of cases this lawyer or law firm handles and a little bit about their "style" of dealing with clients and of course the media.

Has the lawyer had articles published in recognized Canada Law Journals [e.g. www.journal.law.mcgill.ca?

e.g. David Matas, Canada Immigration / Human Rights Lawyer, Winnipeg, Manitoba and his article in the McGill Law Journal, article The Universal Declaration of Human Rights: Fifty Years Later in 2000 see www.journal.law.mcgill.ca/abs/vol46/1matas.html - ABSTRACT [with link to entire article]

The problem with testimonials on a lawyer's web site, are they are often self-serving, you don't expect them to put up a testimonial from an unsatisfied former client. However they serve a purpose in giving you an idea of the range of clients they have dealt with.

How connected to their local community is the lawyer you're considering. Do they mention on their web site that they are a member of a local business group? -- help fund raising efforts for English as a Second Language tutoring program? (considering programs like this have had budget cuts in many local schools in e.g. BC in recent years) -- the purpose of seeing this is that it helps give you an idea of one way a lawyer has a "feel for" the community-social-business environment in which you may want to immigrate to.

Many of these factors may have no bearing on how you choose to select a lawyer, but they do help you evaluate different lawyers web sites. One immigration lawyer advises prospective clients, that .... immigrating to another country is a major decision that can have short and long term costs, you are looking for someone that you are going to depend on probably not only for yourself but also your family's well being, in terms of getting through the immigration process as quickly and painlessly as possible.

The relevance of a web site according to search engine queries is a topic of much discussion, you will get different results using the same search term e.g. "Canada Immigration Appeals Lawyer" on ... Google.com from Yahoo.com from MSN.com from Teoma.com (Teoma is owned by AskJeeves.com) and not to forget Gigablast.com a small search engine that produces results disproportionate to its size.

Why Do People Migrate to Canada?

The 10 provinces and three territories that make up Canada annually receive a great number of people relocating and looking to start a better life. This is no wonder because, among other things, Canada gives the same rights to landed immigrants that it does to citizens. Consistently ranked as one of the top countries to live worldwide, there are many reasons to migrate to Canada.

Related Searches:
Immigrate United StatesImmigrate Lawyer Health Care
Canada offers all its citizens and permanent residents universal health care regardless of income level. Most provinces offer coverage free of charge, excluding dental work. The system is mostly funded publicly and most services are supplied by private enterprises. In general, prescriptions are dispensed to seniors free of charge. A substantial social security network exists as well and includes unemployment insurance, welfare, family allowance and senior pension.
Economy
Today Canada's GDP is ranked one of the world's highest. In the areas of human, social, financial and natural resources, Canada is ranked consistently high by the World Bank. One of the top trading nations worldwide, its market-oriented economy competes and production patterns rival the United States. Canada is a member of the G-8, an economic partnership of industrialized nations, and of this group, the country's debt burden is the lowest.
Education
Canada's education system is highly touted worldwide. Among member countries of the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (O.E.C.D.), Canada is first in net enrollment for 18- to 21-year-olds in public and private post-secondary education. Part of the reason for this is an average low cost for tuition.
Diversity
An ethnically diverse country, Canada's residents come from all walks of life. The minority population in Canada is just below 20 percent, and its immigration rate is the highest per capita in the world. The largest groups in the country are of northern European ancestry, while both Asian and Slavic minorities are visible, especially in the larger cities of Toronto and Vancouver. Toronto was recently singled out as the most ethnically diverse city in the world by the United Nations.
Crime
Compared with its southern neighbor, Canada's violent crime record is substantially lower. Murder, aggravated assault and robbery statistics are far below similar stats for the United States. For murders in Canada, weapons are only involved on average 33 percent of the time, and this may largely be the result of strict gun laws countrywide.
Climate
Canada is famous for its bitter winters. But for populations in the southern portion of the country, whether inland or along the coasts, climate is varied. Southern Canada receives four distinct seasons, with summers being surprisingly warm and, in some cases, uncomfortably humid.

How can I apply to immigrate to Canada?

Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) establishes immigration policy and makes decisions on who can enter Canada.

If you want to immigrate to Canada, you need to apply through CIC. The type of application you make, depends on which immigration category you want to apply under.

Immigration Categories

You can apply for permanent residence under the following categories:

·Skilled workers and professionals

·Family class immigrants (sponsorship)

·Investors, entrepreneurs and self-employed people

·Refugees

You can apply for temporary residence under the following categories:

·Foreign students

·Temporary foreign workers

·Visitors

Eligibility

All applications are evaluated on specific requirements and regulations.

You may need to meet certain health and security requirements. For example, you may have to get a medical examination or show any record of arrest or conviction.

CIC may also want to interview you or see other documentation.

How to Apply

Most immigration applications are made outside Canada, but some can be made inside Canada in certain circumstances.

Visit CIC's website for more information about how to apply and where to send your application.

Usually, you have to pay a fee for each application you make. If your application is refused, you will not get a refund. Information and other assistance at CIC offices is free.

If you are in Canada, you can call the CIC Call Centre for more information about your situation at 1-888-242-2100. You can also get assistance from a settlement agency. To find a settlement agency in your area, go to Services Near Me.

For More Information

·Come to Canada - If you want to come to Canada, this new tool can help you figure out what your options are and how to apply. This tool is useful for people who want to immigrate, study, work or visit Canada. This resource is from Citizenship and Immigration Canada.

·Canadian Embassy, High Commission or Consulate - A list of Canadian visa offices outside of Canada.

·Immigration and Refugee Board (IRB) - An independent tribunal that is responsible for hearing refugee claims and appeals.

·Canada Border Services Agency - CBSA is responsible for border services (port-of-entry services), customs and enforcement of some immigration laws in Canada.

OTTAWA — Citizenship and Immigration Minister Jason Kenney says changes are coming to Canada’s immigration system to make it more flexible in an effort to combat labour shortages.

Kenney told CTV’s Question Period that the government is planning to change the points system for selecting immigrants to recognize the skilled trades. This policy change would alter the focus of the traditional immigration preference for university-educated migrants including engineers and doctors.

“People who are skilled tradespeople have an almost impossible job of coming to Canada under our current system because the skilled worker program basically selects people with advanced university degrees,” Kenney told CTV.

He said by opening up the border to more trade-oriented workers, the federal government will be able to attract “hidden jewels” that will help fill labour shortages in specific areas.

NDP MP Olivia Chow said the federal government would serve Canadians better by training people out of work at home, before looking abroad to fill labour needs.

“We have 1.4 million Canadians looking for work and the apprenticeship programs and school training programs can certainly be ramped up,” Chow said. “Those (companies) that train workers — and train unemployed workers especially — should be rewarded with a tax break.”

She said Canada has relied on immigration too often to fill needs in the labour market, where there are plenty of options at home.

Chow said only bringing in workers would make it difficult for those who gain residency or citizenship to bring their families to Canada.

Kenney said there were plans to make it easier to deport people from the country found to be inadmissible by immigration officials.

“We’ll be coming forward with legislation on that in this term of Parliament to streamline the number of almost endless appeals that exist,” he said.

“When these people hire clever lawyers, they’re able to go back with endless appeals,” Kenney said. “We need to say, ‘You get your day in court in Canada, but not 20 years in court.’ ”

Chow said there is no need to change the rules surrounding deportation to remove people from Canada. Instead, she said, the Canada Border Services Agency should keep better track of individuals set for deportation.

A scathing auditor general’s report released in November said the CBSA was lacking guidance, training and information to properly determine who should and shouldn’t be let into Canada.

In an effort to track down people set for deportation, the CBSA rolled out a most wanted list to enlist the public’s help in tracking down people convicted of serious crimes and suspected war criminals that have slipped past the CBSA.

Kenney used as example the case of Leon Mugesera, a suspect wanted in his native Rwanda and accused of inciting the 1994 genocide — where close to one million minority Tutsis and moderate Hutus were slaughtered. Mugesera was shipped back to his homeland this month after at 15 year legal battle over his deportation — an example that Chow said was extreme.

The minister also said there were no plans to expand the recent changes to government regulations making it mandatory for immigrants taking the oath of citizenship to reveal their faces, even if they wear traditional coverings like the niqab or burka.

He said it was already standard procedure for face coverings to be removed in interviews with visa officers.

“The general principle should be that when citizens are interacting with the government, with the state, they should be showing us who they are, uncovering their faces, and I think we’re taking a reasonable approach to that,” he said.

Immigrating to Vancouver? Beware of housing costs

Vancouver is now the second least-affordable place to live behind only Hong Kong amongst the world’s English speaking cities.
Vancouver has even surpassed Sydney, Australia to take the number two spot.
What does “least affordable” mean?
The study looked at 325 cities across the globe, and compared median incomes to median house prices.
They found that Vancouver’s median home price of $678,000 was over 10 times the median household income of $63,800. A ratio of 3 or under is considered affordable.
However, if you’re dreaming of immigrating to Vancouver for the mild climate, laid-back atmosphere, and its ocean and sand beaches, don’t be dismayed.
This study only covers the city of Vancouver. There are a number of cities close to Vancouver with much lower housing costs and transit (busses or trains) into Vancouver.
For example, Surrey and Langley offer much more affordable housing than Vancouver, and they are only between thirty and sixty minutes from Vancouver.
Other areas include Coquitlam, Port Coquitlam, White Rock, Delta and others that share the climate and atmosphere of Vancouver, but not the sky high prices.
Also note that British Columbia is a large province, and there are very affordable cities in the island, interior and northern regions. You won’t get the mild climate of Vancouver, but you will still get the awesome scenery and outdoor experiences of British Columbia.

New List of High Demand Occupations for Canadian Immigration

The Canadian immigration of skilled workers or professionals is based on the high demand professions recognized by Canadian government. Citizenship and Immigration Canada has issued an updated list of professions in which Canada has shortage of professionals. Effective June 26, 2010, the list of high demand 29 profession  for Canadian Immigration under Federal Skilled Worker class is following:

0631 Restaurant and Food Service Managers
0811 Primary Production Managers (Except Agriculture)
1122 Professional Occupations in Business Services to Management
1233 Insurance Adjusters and Claims Examiners
2121 Biologists and Related Scientists
2151 Architects
3111 Specialist Physicians
3112 General Practitioners and Family Physicians
3113 Dentists
3131 Pharmacists
3142 Physiotherapists
3152 Registered Nurses
3215 Medical Radiation Technologists
3222 Dental Hygienists & Dental Therapists
3233 Licensed Practical Nurses
4151 Psychologists
4152 Social Workers
6241 Chefs
6242 Cooks
7215 Contractors and Supervisors, Carpentry Trades
7216 Contractors and Supervisors, Mechanic Trades
7241 Electricians (Except Industrial & Power System)
7242 Industrial Electricians
7251 Plumbers
7265 Welders & Related Machine Operators
7312 Heavy-Duty Equipment Mechanics
7371 Crane Operators
7372 Drillers & Blasters – Surface Mining, Quarrying & Construction
8222 Supervisors, Oil and Gas Drilling and Service
There is a cap of 10,000 applications per year with maximum of 500 applications per occupation per year will be considered. However, it does not apply to you if you have Arranged employment offer.
If your application is received at CIC, Sydney Canada after cap of 500 is reached  your application will be returned.
We can help you in assessing your eligibility as Federal Skilled Worker class or provide you the best alternate option to immigrate to Canada.  Click Here to Contact us to check out if you qualify.

Calgary – The place to Immigrate to in Canada

With the fastest growing immigrant population in Canada, and the country’s first Muslim mayor, Calgary is poised to reap the rewards of Alberta’s energy boom for a wide spectrum of Canadians, including many of its newcomers.

Calgary is the largest city in Alberta, and as such is benefitting from the province’s current status as Canada’s top oil-producing region. Several statistics point to Alberta’s rising fortunes:

Alberta’s population has risen 37 percent in the last decade.

Alberta has the most highly educated population per capita in Canada.

Alberta has the highest gross domestic product per capita in Canada at CAD$70,824.00.

Alberta has been named the most economically free jurisdiction in North America.

Calgary is serving as the hub of this economic transformation. Calgary was ranked the world’s fifth most livable city by The Economist magazine last year, and a quarter of its population is made up of visible minorities, including its mayor Naheed Nenshi. Nenshi’s parents are immigrants from Tanzania.

“There are very few places in the world where a kid from a minority ethnic community, a minority faith community, could be elected… mayor without anyone blinking an eye,” said Nenshi.

What’s more, a large proportion of Calgary’s coming 100,000 jobs over the next eight years in the oil industry will have to be filled by new immigrants according to industry sources.

Some of the main jobs that will be on offer are for engineers, electricians, and construction workers. Among these positions are several that are on the list of 29 qualifying occupations under the Federal Skilled Worker program.

These include electricians:

NOC 7241 - Electricians

NOC 7242 - Industrial electricians

And construction workers:

NOC 7265 - Welders and related machine operators

NOC 7312 - Heavy-duty equipment mechanics

NOC 7371 - Crane operators

NOC 7372 - Drillers and blasters – surface mining, quarrying and construction

Additionally, engineers are one of the three strategic recruitment streams of the Alberta Immigrant Nominee Program, which can mean a fast-track to immigrating to Alberta from outside Canada for several types of engineers. For a list of the specific engineering specialities that fall under this stream, see Engineering Occupations.

Lastly, it can’t hurt that Canada’s now long serving Prime Minister, Stephen Harper, who last year finally won a majority in Parliament, represents a district in Calgary, and remains committed to his vision of Canada as an “emerging energy superpower”. To realize this vision, Calgary, Alberta, and their growing pool of skilled immigrant labour, will surely be part of the mix.