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.
CBC News – N.B. Driver’s Licence Program Doesn’t Apply to Many Immigrants from Outside Europe
Drivers from 18 European countries as well as those from Australia, New Zealand, Japan, Republic of Korea and Taiwan can exchange their licences for New Brunswick licences. The province recently added Ukraine to that list. In a joint statement released on Aug. 4, Black Lives Matter New Brunswick, the New Brunswick African Association, the Nigerian-Canadian Association of New Brunswick and Conseil provincial des personnes d’ascendance africaine du Nouveau Brunswick, called for the government to extend the courtesy to all newcomers regardless of their country of origin.
Toronto Star – Are You Waiting for the Confirmation of Your Extended Work Permits? It May Be in a Stranger’s Inbox
As officials are rushing to renew more than 93,000 expired and expiring work permits by the end of this year, some applicants are shocked to find in their email and immigration accounts the documents that belong to someone they don’t know. What’s more, the department has explicitly warned in the letter and on its website to “not email us to ask questions” to avoid penalties. So some are resorting to social media to find the real owners of the documents.
CTV News – Major Immigration Backlog in Canada Leaving Thousands of Trained Health-Care Professionals on the Sidelines
In February 2021, Sharlene Ullani applied for permanent residency after years spent working in Canada as a caregiver for children. Eighteen months later, the internationally trained nurse with more than seven years experience hasn’t heard anything from Immigration Canada about her application status. Online, the government only estimates the processing time for permanent resident card applications. As of Aug.2, that wait is 2.6 months, or 81 days.
CBC News – Newcomers Waiting Up to 9 Months for N.B. Medicare Card
While wait times for medical treatments are increasing for many New Brunswickers, some newcomers are struggling to even get a medicare card. New Brunswick Multicultural Council president Moncef Lakouas says he’s hearing about cases where newcomers are waiting up to nine months to get one — and said it’s having a snowball effect.
CBC News – Ontario Regulatory Colleges Have 2 Weeks to Find Ways to Register Foreign-Trained Nurses, Doctors Faster
Sylvia Jones sent directives Thursday to the College of Nurses of Ontario and the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario directing them to make every effort to register those nurses and doctors “as expeditiously as possible” so they can practice in the province and provide reports in two weeks on how they will accomplish that. The minister also directed the nursing college to develop supports for the internationally trained nurses — for example, to bring their skills to Ontario standards — to allow them to practice “in a timely way.”
Global News – New Brunswick Offering Ukrainian Refugees Easy Access to Driver’s Licences
The provincial government announced today that recently arrived Ukrainian nationals who already have a valid Ukrainian licence can obtain a provincial passenger vehicle licence for $90. Public Safety Minister Bill Hogan issued a statement saying the reciprocity agreement will help the province create a welcoming environment for Ukrainians, who are fleeing the Russian invasion of their country.
