Canada is the Most Welcoming Country

by Albert Smith

Immigrants and temporary migrants have become increasingly important to Canada’s population growth and its economy. Canadians are grateful to the contributions of foreign workers, and have established a vast network of settlement services to help newcomers feel at home. A recent HSBC survey has given Canada the top spot when it comes to friendliness and welcoming newcomers by the locals. According to the HSBC Bank International’s Expat Explorer Survey, people who relocate to Canada have comparatively easy time making friends with locals, joining local community group and learning a new language. In fact, 95 percent of people surveyed said that they have made friends with locals in Canada. A close second spot was acquired by Germany with 92 percent, followed by Australia with 91 percent. The study surveyed 2,155 Expats in 48 countries and measured the relative friendliness of the countries based on four categories: number of respondents who joined the community groups, number of respondents who joined local groups, percentage who bought property, and respondents’ ability to befriend locals.

Record numbers expected in 2009

by Gareth McConnell

A further 240,000−265,000 new permanent residents are expected to move to Canada next year. The number has been boosted by the increase in the number of provincial nominees to 26,000 and a slight increase in economic migrants (156,000). The numbers of economic migrants coming to live in Canada will be boosted by the Action Plan for Faster Immigration, introduced by Jason Kenney, minister for citizenship, immigration and multiculturalism Canada (CIMC), earlier in 2008. This new set of regulations were intended to increase the speed with which people can be accepted by Canada immigration under the Federal Skilled Worker Program.

It's time to YAK in Canada!

By Peter Nowak

Fido, Solo and Koodo are going to have some new competition next year, although the newcomer's brand name won't end in "o." Globalive Communications Inc., the big winner in this summer's government auction of cellphone airwaves, will launch two separate wireless services in the second half of next year — one discount brand officially named Yak and another as-yet-unnamed core brand. Yak, which is the same banner that Globalive uses to sell land line, internet and long-distance services, will compete directly with Fido, Solo and Koodo, said company president Anthony Lacavera on Thursday. Those are the discount brands of Rogers Communications Inc., Bell Canada Inc. and Telus Corp., respectively. Yak will target the same customers Fido, Solo and Koodo cater to — namely, cellphone users who are more price sensitive and interested in voice and text rather than advanced smartphone features such as e-mail and web surfing, he said. Globalive will also compete with the core brands from Rogers, Bell and Telus, which offer smartphones and data services, through a core brand. The Toronto-based company plans to launch a countrywide network, with the exception of Quebec, by the end of 2009, with backing from Egyptian telecommunications billionaire Naguib Sawiris.

US citizens emigrate to Canada quickly

by Bryan Palmer

Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) has collaborated with US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) to create a system called NEXUS which allows nationals of both countries to cross the border and quickens immigration to Canada or America. A pilot programme has been in place for nearly a year and it has proved successful enough for the governments of the U.S. and Canada to roll it out. NEXUS currently operates at selected land crossings and airports in the U.S. and Canada, including the Woodstock-Houlton crossing in Belleville.

REJECTED: Inadmissible Family Member(s)

by Gianpaolo Panusa

Most applicants are shocked to discover that if any family member is inadmissible - whether accompanying you to Canada or not - then the applicant is inadmissible as well. This is certainly one of the least understandable of immigration rules. If your family member will not accompany you to Canada, then why should it matter if that family member has a medical condition or criminal record that keeps them out of Canada? I believe the answer lies in the fact that once you become a permanent resident, you do have certain rights to sponsor family members, and can even try a humanitarian and compassionate application as a last ditch effort in most circumstances. The legislation is circumventing those processes by ensuring that the applicant never becomes a permanent resident in the first place. Whatever the reason, it is a harsh rule and I think it is ripe for re-evaluation.