Can Canada Slash Immigration Backlog?
27/05/2008 by Bryan Palmer
Calls to modernise the Canadian immigration policy have been met with proposed changes that should ultimately reduce the massive backlog, however could these amendments in fact increase the backlog?
The Canadian government has long struggled with build ups of potential immigrants, with as many as one million applications making up the queue. A solution to this is vital, therefore changes that fast track those with highly needed skills and experience in order for them to be brought to the work force quicker have been suggested.
"Canada offers amazing opportunities to foreigners," says Bryan Palmer of www.globalvisas.com, "but there is a backlog that puts some people off. However if well thought out changes are put into place more people can benefit from what Canada has to offer in terms of safety, economic opportunity and a multicultural society and the country can then fill shortages in sectors such as medicine and engineering."
However many question if the current proposition is merely a bureaucratic way of showing favouritism toward certain groups or occupations but also if the backlog will in fact be extended as it will only apply to those who filed their papers after February 26.
This means that the wait for those who applied before February 26 could be even more extended as they are pushed back in the queue if their skills are not seen as essential. The waiting time could increase if this comes about, say critics.
Because of this many prospective skilled workers are lost to other countries like Australia and New Zealand where the waiting time could be as little as 6 months. Also in Australia highly skilled migrants get a job at a quicker pace than in Canada, and often in their profession. 66% of immigrants in Canada get work in 6 months with just 30% of these are in their fields as apposed to 83% job placement in Australia.
To deal with such factors Canadian Employee Relocation Council Executive Vice President, Stephen Cryne announced yesterday that a cross-Canada meeting will be held with business and government to work on this issue and debate how Canada can quickly and easily get the 600 000 odd highly skilled people currently waiting for residence into the country quickly and easily in order to contribute to the workforce.
As Cryne says, "…it's not just immigration policy that needs to be modernised but we also need to remove restrictions that prevent full mobility of workers within Canada."
Immigration experts often believe that a way to curb backlog could be through more staffing and increasing the annual migration quota from the 200 000 of today. Raising the points based pass mark from 67 or completing the immigration process within Canada itself could also be solutions to the problem.
Time will only tell if amendments will cut down the queue or in fact add to it.
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