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.
CTV News – Age and Immigration: ‘Very Difficult’ for Applicants Once They Turn 40
Canada is credited for having one of the world’s most immigrant-friendly policies, ranking fourth internationally in the Migrant Integration Policy Index. But the criteria used to prioritize applicants based on age leaves many at a disadvantage, even though they might have the qualifications Canada is looking for. With immigration backlogs and several technical glitches on the Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) online portal during the pandemic, many have become ineligible for certain programs that consider age as a criterion.
CBC News – New Community Hub Helping Edmonton Refugees Thrive
The first time Moumneh Aldwamna set foot in the new Islamic Family Social Services Association (IFSSA) community hub, she spotted the sewing machines and got to work. Five months after arriving in Edmonton, the 63-year-old Syrian refugee launched her first business — a home-based, online venture stitching tote bags and made-to-order dolls. Aldwamna’s experience is exactly what organizers at IFSSA envisioned when they designed the downtown space in a strip mall behind MacEwan University.
CBC News – Recruiters and Employers Increasingly Taking Advantage of Temporary Foreign Workers, Advocate Says
Temporary foreign workers are reporting paying recruiters and employers thousands of dollars to obtain a permit to work in Canada — only to end up with nothing. CBC Radio-Canada spoke with multiple experts who say some employers and immigration consultants in B.C. often take advantage of workers from abroad. Pawan, a young woman from India, says she was asked to pay $30,000 in an attempt to obtain a temporary foreign workers [TFW] permit in Canada but instead was charged exorbitant fees by a TFW recruiter and her eventual employer without ever obtaining one.
Radio-Canada – Favoriser la formation et les diplômes étrangers contre la pénurie de main-d’œuvre
Plus de 88 % des Estriens sondés dans le cadre d’un sondage Ipsos mené pour le compte de Radio-Canada estiment qu’investir dans la formation professionnelle représente une bonne idée pour contrer la pénurie de main-d’œuvre. Ces derniers étaient questionnés sur les meilleures propositions pour attirer davantage de travailleurs sur le marché de l’emploi. La reconnaissance des compétences et des diplômes étrangers pour les nouveaux arrivants vient tout juste derrière, avec l’approbation de 84 % des personnes sondées.
Toronto Star – Canada’s Immigration Minister Leaves Door Open to Extending Afghan Resettlement Programs
As Canada reaches the halfway point of meeting its commitment to resettle 40,000 Afghan refugees, Immigration Minister Sean Fraser says he’s not ruling out lifting the current cap and welcoming more into this country. But for the moment, he says, his main focus is the 8,500 people to whom Canada has already promised refuge who remain stuck in Taliban-controlled Afghanistan.
Global News – ‘I’m Free to Learn’: 17-Year-Old Afghan Refugee Excited for Future in Edmonton
Nargis and six of her family members arrived in Edmonton in January 2022. The 17-year-old fled Kabul with her three brothers, sister in law and parents when Kabul fell to the Taliban in August 2021. Catholic Social Services helped the family find accommodations, offered settlement support, counselling and orientation sessions to adjust to life in Canada. Nargis was part of a group of 170 Afghan refugees — about half of which were under 18 years old — that came to Edmonton.
