You know the expression: 'damned if you do, damned if you don't'? No matter how you act, someone will sure enough turn up with a negative comment about what's going on. I really believe that this dictum is so true and can readily apply to most or all situations.
Please read my comments below and consider the author's opinion.
Turn on your radio, turn to your favourite news talk-show and for years you will have heard much debate about our immigration system and the kind of immigrants coming to Canada. Ranting like 'Why do we need more university-educated workers coming to Canada?' 'Why aren't we getting more labourers to help us here with our shortages?' 'There are so many [you put in the name of the practitioner] who come to Canada and drive taxis!' There was and still is no lack of couch-chair political commentators willing to offer their wise suggestions and wisdom on how the immigration system could and should be run, in a more productive and proficient manner.
And to be frank, maybe just maybe some of these folks had some valid points. Who hasn't heard the nightmarish stories of the foreign highly-trained professionals who immigrate to Canada, can't find a job in their chosen career field and sadly end up working in a totally different profession?! Why not be honest about it all and tell prospective immigrants upfront that we are looking for a certain type of immigrant with these specific credentials? Trust me, it would save a lot of heartache! And the clincher is that if someone still truly and sincerely wants to come to Canada, he can get the desired training in order to fit into one of those 29 areas. (True, some still require a healthy university training; but some do not.) Ultimately, it really is ok if the government changes its criteria from time-to-time in order to adjust to new realities and situations. A more transparent system, from both the government's and the potential immigrant's points-of-view would allow applicants to proceed with more focus, certainty and empowerment.
Well, it appears that the Minister has listened to these calls! During this past summer, the Federal Skilled Worker program underwent an overhaul. Generally speaking, effective 26 June last, a person applying under this program must submit the results of his language test and a) have an 'arranged employment' i.e. an employer offering a job; or b) have at least one year of experience in the previous 10 years in the list of 29 professions provided by the government. The maximum number of applicants to be accepted for processing under this program (which does not include 'arranged employment') is set at 20,000 per year, with a cap of 1,000 applications within each occupation category. As of 29 October last when the government released its most recent figures, 2,988 applications (out of 20,000) have been received; the largest groups are 900 in the ' Professional Occupations in Business Services to Management' category and 405 in 'Registered Nurses' category.
Now at least, prospective immigrants may have a better shot of knowing what's really in demand and finding a job when they arrive in Canada.
So what's a bloke to do if his profession is not on the list? Some thinking / strategizing is required. There are other options, like applying through Quebec's system (get a life - just learn some French!). Or trying through the available Provincial Nomination programs or other federal programs.
Changes?? Can be a drag, but isn't everything in life a 'work-in-progress'?
