Proposed changes in Canada Immigration Rules
Canada as a place has always been in the priority list of immigrants due to its high standard of living and ample opportunities available there. It has been attracting large groups of immigrants from all over the world. In the recent times many remarked changes have been proposed and implemented in the Canada immigration rules. Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) has introduced changes in the procedures and categories of both temporary and permanent immigration like Temporary Foreign Workers; Federal Skilled Worker and also in Federal and Family Class permanent immigration.
Temporary Foreign Workers
Of late there have been instances of severe exploitation faced by the migrants at their workplace. These occurrences have somewhere made the hopeful immigrants be a bit apprehensive before taking the final plunge of going to Canada. The Canada government to avoid these cases of acting as a deterrent to the inflow of immigrants has proposed certain amendments to the Immigration and Refugee Protections Regulations. These changes have been put forth to protect the interests of those immigrating to Canada under the Temporary Foreign Worker Program. These changes induced by the government are highly necessary for the following reasons :
- Reduction of exploitation of the workers under the temporary foreign worker program
- Increment in case of an employer's responsibility towards his foreign employee because if the
- employer fails to comply with the rules then he will be charged with harsh punishment.
- Work permits issued under this program is for a temporary phase only
- Strengthening the government to keep an eye on the temporary foreign workers and their employers.
Changes to the immigration rules
According to the new rules imposed by the government it is now necessary for the employer to prove that his employment offer to the temporary foreign worker is genuine and not fake.
It is necessary for the employer to show that his past record with foreign staff has been well. If a case of manhandling is found in terms of meager wages and inhuman working conditions then the employer will be barred for two years to hire temporary foreign workers.
Full details of the employers, ineligible to employ foreign workers to be given on the Citizenship and Immigration Canada's website.
A four year work limit to be put on the temporary foreign workers followed by another four years where they will not be given the authority to work in Canada.
These changes will be applied in practicality from 1st of April 2011 so as to ensure the fair treatment of
workers in Canada under the Temporary Foreign Worker Program.
Federal skilled worker
The Canada government has initiated certain amendments in the Federal Skilled Worker Program also. Past history shows that changes made in this category has yielded positive results which has acted as a driving force to make the government introduce new ones. These changes have been proposed by Citizenship and Immigration Canada keeping in mind the needs of Canadian society and economy. Some of the changes proposed by CIC under this program are :
- CIC has proposed to increase the minimum number of points which can be attained by an applicant from 16 to 20 in the language category.
- Increase in the number of points from 10 to 12 for applicants between age of 25 - 34 keeping in mind factors like adaptability.
- Reduction in the number of years required of education for doing trade.
- Reduction in the maximum number of points from 21 to 15 in the area of work experience.
- Assessment of the job offer given by the employer to avoid potential fraud.
These changes to the Federal Skilled Worker Program have been proposed with the intention of providing better facilities to the immigrants to fulfill their economic goals but as of now have just been limited to theory and not put into practice by the CIC.
