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.
Citizenship and Immigration Canada – Due to Continuing Violence in Syria, Government Closes Visa Office
Due to the continuing violence in Syria, the Visa and Immigration Section at the Canadian Embassy in Damascus is closed and services have been transferred to neighbouring visa offices, Jason Kenney, Minister of Citizenship, Immigration and Multiculturalism announced today. “Following this redistribution, the visa offices in Lebanon (Beirut) and Jordan (Amman) will become full service offices,” said Minister Kenney. “Now applicants in those countries will have access to full immigration services in their home country.”
Migration Expert – Study Shows Canadian Provincial Nominee Program Works
A new study by Citizenship and Immigration Canada reveals that most Canadian immigrants selected under the Provincial Nominee Program are succeeding in the country. The study evaluated the economic outcomes and mobility of migrants who came to Canada on work visas through the Provincial Nominee Program which allows provinces and territories to nominate and sponsor potential migrants, from 2005 to 2009. According to the report, the overall results are good despite some differences in economic outcomes by province or territory and by the PNP stream.
Toronto Star – Foreign Workers Face Being Sent Home Over Work Permit Snarl
Thousands of temporary foreign workers are at risk of losing their permission to work in Canada and being sent home — ironically, just as Ottawa is fast-tracking work permit processing. Since November, many foreigners working in skilled jobs and trades in Canada have had their renewal applications rejected. Some are being forced to collect wages under the table while trying to restore their work status. Legal experts blame the chaos on two government departments being badly out of sync in processing the documents required to get a temporary work permit.
Toronto Star – Rebuffed Afghan Combat Interpreter Wrongly Accused of Taking Story to Media
A Canadian Army commander and senior diplomat decided a highly praised Afghan combat interpreter didn’t need safe refuge in Canada, faulting him for complaining publicly about delays, an internal document shows. The former head of Canada’s elite special forces, and our deputy ambassador to Afghanistan, turned down Sayed Shah Sharifi’s visa application last fall, just weeks after he spoke to the Toronto Star in July. They didn’t believe Sharifi’s claims that the Taliban want to kill him for aiding Canadian combat troops, an essential qualification for a visa under a special program.
London Free Press – Tories Pitching “Significant” Immigration Reform
As Parliament resumes sitting on Monday with pensions and the 2012 budget top of its mind, the Conservatives will also throw what the prime minister has called “significant reform of our immigration system” into the mix. Immigration Minister Jason Kenney told Sun News Network on Thursday one of the biggest changes will be to “invite businesses to go overseas, recruit the people who they think will work well in their companies, give them those job offers, and then we’ll bring them in (to Canada) on a super-fast basis.”
Niagara Falls Review – Conference Hopes to Help Immigrants Overcome Their Fears
Immigrant women who are abused often face isolation as well as social and language barriers that prevent them from seeking help, a conference of newcomers to Canada was told Thursday. As a stark example of those barriers, Det. Sgt. Richard Ciszek started his presentation by asking the audience to raise their hand if they would call the police if they needed assistance. Not one of the 145 participants raised their hand.
