Canada Looks at Britain for Skilled Immigration Opportunities
01/07/2008 by Tabitha Holland
As Canada celebrates its birth, the Canadian government reiterates the need for highly skilled immigrants and British workers are seen as a key source.
Today is Canada Day and despite the notion that immigrants pose a threat to national identity, the need for skilled immigrants to come and fill labour shortages is a core issue.
UK workers and skills are now being tapped and seen as essential to do jobs that lack workers. Therefore British workers have been put on the fast track system for Canadian immigration visas.
The Canadian government seeks to attract British workers by exploiting the fact that the cost of living in Canada is far more accessible than within the United Kingdom. The economy in Canada is currently stable even during the harsh times of the credit crisis and housing is cheaper and healthcare superior.
Minister of Employment and Immigration in Alberta, Canada, Hector Goudreau, has been given the job to actively recruit British talent and convince them to apply for a fast-track visa. "The cost of living is considerably less than in the UK. Our salaries are comparable or even higher, so anyone who moves over would be able to make money and set some aside," says Goudreau.
Canada desperately needs skilled workers and have had to look overseas to fulfil this. Within the next year the government hope to attract as many as 50 000 foreign workers to the Alberta area alone.
This however has embittered many Briton who feel that this can effectively result in a serious brain drain down the line.
"Canada is looking for doctors, carpenters, engineers, nurses and teachers, however despite this, Britain needs to make sure it retains its own talent," says Christian Clarke of www.globalvisas.com. He adds that, "Therefore it must be ensured that the UK does not suffer a loss of those citizens who are greatly beneficial to the nation."
Canada is a popular destination, commonly ranked in the top five places to live. Therefore it is an attractive choice for Brits, a drain on the UK's human resources however, needs be avoided at all costs.
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