The Media Roundup provides links to recent and archived articles, in both English and French, on immigration and diversity appearing in the national and local news. Some international content is also included. Articles are updated weekly.
Globe and Mail – PEI Worried by Drop in Foreign Workers Available to Work at Fish Plants
Prince Edward Island’s Premier says he raised concerns about a drop in the number of temporary foreign workers available to work at the province’s fish plants during a meeting Monday with the federal Employment Minister. Wade MacLauchlan said Tuesday he expressed the growing concern among seafood processors over potential worker shortages during his meeting with Pierre Poilievre in Ottawa. In an interview from Toronto, he said the number of foreign workers for the 2015 fishing season that begins in early May will be about 25 per cent lower than the figure allowed under the program since rules changed last June. […] Ottawa introduced new rules to be phased in by July 2016 that limit the number of temporary foreign workers that large- and medium-sized companies are permitted to hire. […] Meagan Murdoch, a spokeswoman for Mr. Poilievre’s office, provided an e-mailed comment saying the federal government wants to ensure that Canadians are given the first chance at jobs.
Vancouver Sun – Immigrants to Metro Vancouver’s Tri-Cities Battle Language Barriers, Isolation
Immigrants who settle in the Tri-Cities, one of the top destinations in the province, face significant challenges in terms of English language ability, navigating the health care system and social isolation, new research finds. The region, which includes Coquitlam, Port Coquitlam, Port Moody, Anmore and Belcarra, receives about 2,100 new immigrants each year, according to the 2011 Census. Forty per cent of Tri-Cities residents are immigrants. Language training was the biggest need identified, with almost two-thirds of those surveyed by Reichert & Associates on behalf of the Tri-Cities Local Immigrant Partnership group saying they needed help. The research will be used by the group to inform a strategic plan for immigration to the Tri-Cities, due in March 2016. Sandra Wilking said her organization, S.U.C.C.E.S.S., along with others that provide English classes to newcomers, is having to put people on six- to 12-month waiting lists. […] Despite the fact that almost all immigrants (98 per cent) said it was important to feel connected to your community, just 44 per cent said they felt welcome in their neighbourhood, 47 per cent were neutral on the question and nine per cent reported feeling unwelcome.
The Guardian – French-Speaking Newcomers Share Struggles, Successes in P.E.I.
Finding work and having their past work experience recognized are two of the challenges newcomers face when they move to P.E.I., a round table on Francophone immigration has been told. The round table was held in Charlottetown recently as part of the Rendez-vous de la francophonie. The first discussion took place last fall. The round table discussions provide the opportunity for French-speaking newcomers to freely share with the host community the struggles and successes they experienced becoming part of their adopted province. […] The fact immigrants often have to start over again at the bottom of the ladder because their degrees and work experience are not always recognized was outlined as a challenge. […] During the discussions, the newcomers also noted several positive points concerning their decision to live in Prince Edward Island […] the Island is calm and non-violent, and the Francophone community is open to the newcomers. […] These discussions will contribute to the considerations that will shape the CIF’s strategic plan. […] The CIF is an organization that welcomes and helps French-speaking newcomers settle on Prince Edward Island, by facilitating their social, economic, educational and cultural integration.
CBC – Language a Barrier to Proper Health Care for Windsor`s Newcomers
Language is a barrier to providing quality health care to newcomers in Windsor, according to the local health unit and the multicultural council. Navigating the health system is a challenge faced by many people with limited English skills, said Camila Alves, the community diversity educator for the Multicultural Council of Windsor. “It can be very dangerous for a patient,” said Alves who spoke at a conference Tuesday addressing the topic along with members from the Windsor-Essex County Health Unit and the medical community. “That’s a major issue for newcomers and immigrants, where to go, who to look for,” said Aves. “What research shows and what the LHIN has done with it is that newcomers end up waiting the longest time in order to seek assistance and end up in emergency departments.” Alves said in order to improve the situation, there needs to be a long-term commitment to breaking down the language barrier from all parties involved. […] While hospitals receive funding for language services, private practices do not, so the cost gets passed onto the patient, who usually cannot afford it.
Toronto Star – International Students in Limbo Under Immigration System Changes
Thousands of international students were rejected for permanent residence this winter, caught up in changes to Canada’s immigration system intended to speed up recruitment of skilled workers but criticized as leading to uncertainty for prospective immigrants and employers. Numbers obtained by The Globe and Mail under access to information laws show that almost 8,000 applications submitted last fall under the Canada Experience Class (CEC) were returned because they were received after the 2014 cap in the program was reached. International students made up at least 40 per cent of those eligible for CEC – which is also open to highly skilled temporary foreign workers. […] Other countries that have changed their immigration rules have seen steep drops in international students. The U.K., for example, had a 50-per-cent decline in students from India and Pakistan after it imposed limits on these students’ ability to work in England after graduation. With international tuition fees more than double those of domestic students, Canadian universities can ill afford to lose international students.
Globe and Mail – More Immigrants Coming to Nova Scotia Than at Any Time in the Last 10 Years, Government Says
More immigrants chose to make Nova Scotia their home last year than at any time in the last 10 years, the provincial government said Monday. Immigration Minister Lena Metlege Diab issued a statement saying 2,661 immigrants settled in the province last year. But the trend hasn’t been a straight line of steady growth. Since 2004, when 1,771 immigrants arrived in Nova Scotia, the number rose almost every year and peaked at 2,651 in 2008 before dropping off to 2,138 in 2011 and rebounding steadily in the past three years. Among last year’s immigrants, 717 people came through the Nova Scotia Nominee Program — the highest number yet for the program. This year, a total of 1,050 individuals are expected to gain permanent residency through the program, the government says. Diab also said more immigrants are choosing to stay in the province. She said the latest figures from Statistics Canada indicate 71 per cent of immigrants who arrived in Nova Scotia between 2007-2011 stayed in the province.
