Bill 124, a piece of provincial legislation designed to tear down access barriers for internationally trained professionals immigrating to Ontario, was applauded at a public forum held Sept. 23 in Greater Sudbury. Of those who attended and spoke out at the forum, many immigrated to Canada years ago and were frustrated by the inequalities and inefficiencies of the current imigration system. A few at the forum said they were relegated to low-paying survival jobs while years of university training went to waste. The legislation, which was introduced by the government in June 2006, would force Ontario's 34 regulated professions to make sure their licensing process is fair, clear and open. The bill would also institute a fairness commissioner to ensure compliance from the regulated professions and create a new access centre to help newcomers get the information and referrals needed to work in their profession. According to John Caruso, a member of the board of director of the Greater Sudbury Chamber of Commerce, more than half of Ontario's skilled trades people are set to retire in the next 15 years. He calls Bill 124 timely because most of those retirees will be replaced by immigrants, who are the only source of net labour growth in the next decade. Just as immigrants settled in Ontario and helped build the province, sustained propersity depends on welcoming profesionaly trained immigrants, Caruso said at the forum.
Dr. Rayudu Koka, president of the Sudbury Multicultural and Folk Arts Association, said this trend is happening in many professions, including health care where 40 percent of physicians in Ontario are internationally trained. Niranjan Mishra, a professor of engineering at Laurentian University agrees, saying the bill helps remove some immigration barriers. He said many will come to Canada and have no idea where to go or how get started and believes this bill will resolve many issues which keep profesisonally trained immigrants working in survival jobs. According to the province, as many as 140,000 immigrants will arrive annually and more than half are university educated. Less than one percent of all the immigrants however will settle outside of the Greater Toronto Area. In order to attract more immigrants to Greater Sudbury, Mayor Dave Courtemanche said the city will spend the next couple of months building an on-line portal that will introduce newcomers to the city. "It makes sure our community is marketed as a place newcomers and immigrants will want to come," said Courtemanche, adding he's confident the number of immigrants making thier way to Greater Subdury will change, thanks to the portal and the proposed legislation. According to Sudbury MPP Rick Bartolucci, Bill 124 will be brought before Queen's Park for a second reading which he hopes will be passed quickly. If all goes well, the bill should be law by the end of the current legislative session, which ends in December. For more information, visit www.immigrationontario.ca
Dr. Rayudu Koka, president of the Sudbury Multicultural and Folk Arts Association, said this trend is happening in many professions, including health care where 40 percent of physicians in Ontario are internationally trained. Niranjan Mishra, a professor of engineering at Laurentian University agrees, saying the bill helps remove some immigration barriers. He said many will come to Canada and have no idea where to go or how get started and believes this bill will resolve many issues which keep profesisonally trained immigrants working in survival jobs. According to the province, as many as 140,000 immigrants will arrive annually and more than half are university educated. Less than one percent of all the immigrants however will settle outside of the Greater Toronto Area. In order to attract more immigrants to Greater Sudbury, Mayor Dave Courtemanche said the city will spend the next couple of months building an on-line portal that will introduce newcomers to the city. "It makes sure our community is marketed as a place newcomers and immigrants will want to come," said Courtemanche, adding he's confident the number of immigrants making thier way to Greater Subdury will change, thanks to the portal and the proposed legislation. According to Sudbury MPP Rick Bartolucci, Bill 124 will be brought before Queen's Park for a second reading which he hopes will be passed quickly. If all goes well, the bill should be law by the end of the current legislative session, which ends in December. For more information, visit www.immigrationontario.ca
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