Immigrants in the workplace - Bayer and Sun Life get it right

Wonderful article in the Globe and Mail highlights the philosophy at Bayer Canada regarding diversity in the workplace. Here's a company that gets it - immigrants are good for Canada and good for business.

"So-called visible minorities often approach Bayer on their own, attracted by the company's growing reputation as an equal-opportunity employer. Bayer also seeks out new immigrants for its work force, in particular physicians and pharmacists from other countries unlicensed to practice in Canada.

"We pro-actively reach out to that pool of candidates," says Ms. Wan. "We go to local colleges to recruit them for our medical department."

And from Sun Life:

"As Canada grows and becomes a more culturally diverse country we need to ensure that we have advisers who represent all our key markets across Canada," Ms. McMullen says.

Read the article here

Canadian News on demand - one click away

CTV National News hosted by Lloyd Robertson and The National from CBC News hosted by Peter Mansbridge are both available online and a great way to keep current on events in Canada. Updated on a daily basis, you can learn a lot about a country from it's newscasts.

I particularly like The National, but both programs are full length newscasts and provide you with everything from International to National to human interest to weather. If there is a particular locale that you are interested in, then I suggest the following CBC local broadcasts (all links to the locale's evening TV newscast online unless otherwise noted. Some links will spawn an external Windows Media or Real player):

• Northern Canada
• British Columbia
• Calgary
• Edmonton
• Saskatchewan
• Manitoba
• Sudbury - CBC radio
• Windsor - CBC radio
• Toronto
• Ottawa
• Montreal
• Prince Edward Island
• New Brunswick
• Nova Scotia
• Newfoundland and Labrador

The Star: New Workers, New Skills

The Star just published a series on immigration, featuring 11 articles ranging from success stories to resources for immigrants in Ontario. Most articles are short and easy reads, and while they aren't deep, it's good to see the Star discussing immigration issues openly and myths being exposed and countered.

Foreign Credentials Referral Office: is your profession "regulated"?

Many professions are regulated in Canada. In many cases the requirements to become licensed to practice in a regulated profession amount to a "paper curtain" keeping completely qualified new Canadians from even seeking employment in their fields of expertise. Witness the classic "Doctor driving a cab" stories.

It's important for Skilled Worker Class immigrants to understand what they are getting themselves into before they begin the immigration process by getting as much information as possible about what will be required to find work in their fields. Often this involves a mix of educational, language and experience factors.

"The Foreign Credentials Referral Office offers internationally trained and educated individuals authoritative and accurate information on the Canadian labour market and Canada’s credential assessment processes. It also provides path-finding and referral services to immigrants. These services are offered overseas and in Canada to help immigrants apply their skills and credentials in the Canadian labour market."

The Working in Canada Tool is an online application provided by the Office that helps prospective immigrants and newcomers understand whether or not their profession is regulated and if so, some of the core requirements that will need to be addressed before they can practice.

I hope this information is of assistance to those of you intending to apply as Skilled Workers.

January blues

I don't mind sharing that I still have days like today - blue days, low days. On days like today I am filled with doubt and worry and I wonder if this wait will ever end. I know the day will pass and that my usual upbeat hope will return, but today it seems far away. I know we all have these days during the figurative winter of our patience. It's normal. We'll get there.

Check out the Loon Lounge

I got an email from the Loon Lounge the other day, and thought I would bring the site to your attention.

"LoonLounge is the Canadian immigration and settlement online community, made up of Canadians and people from around the world. With the collective knowledge and experience of a growing and engaged community, LoonLounge is the place where people inside and outside our country can work on building Canada together.

"LoonLounge was created to improve the Canadian immigration process for the millions of people involved: applicants waiting in the queue, new immigrants adjusting to life in Canada, Canadian employers waiting for skilled workers to arrive, and the many people around the world who dream of one day making Canada their home. By facilitating communication and centralizing member information, the purpose of LoonLounge is to empower Canadian residents, immigrants, and potential immigrants with the knowledge we need to build a stronger Canada together. "

The site is very much worth your attention. Tell them The Mind sent you!

Starting the year in context

In an article posted today in the Metro news, leading Canadian immigration lawyer Guidy Mamann provides some context to immigration levels, and their relationship to the economy, as well as what practical options that Minister Kenney has to exercise his power in the current political climate.

Minister Kenney has stated that immigration levels will remain essentially unchanged at between 240-265,000 people. How likely are the numbers to change given the retraction in the economy?

Here's an excerpt:

"...Up to 71,000 of these future immigrants will be coming to Canada under the family class as sponsored spouses, partners, parents, children, and grandparents. It would be unwise for the minister to tell Canadians that their close family members will not be coming to Canada this year due to a deterioration in our economic conditions. Another 27,200 permanent visas are reserved for protected persons who we are, more-or-less, bound to offer refuge or protection here. Then there is another 10,000 immigrants who we will be accepting for a wide range of humanitarian considerations. That will leave about 156,600 in the “economic class” of which a growing percentage is selected by the provinces and territories. Kenny is certainly not likely to take them on either."

Read the article here.