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 – ‘It Demolished Me’: Refugees Forced to Pay High Tuition in Quebec Often Can’t Afford to Study
Post-secondary education can be an unattainable dream for young asylum seekers in Quebec. Considered international students, they must pay fees 27 to 40 times higher than residents to study. Valentina Castellanos and Jorge Blas don’t know each other, but they have a lot in common. They both arrived as asylum seekers in Quebec with their families as teenagers, but unlike many their teenage classmates, higher education felt out of reach.
Toronto Star – Canada’s Record-Setting Invitation to Immigrants After COVID Shortfall an ‘Absolute Shock’
Canada has set a record for the number of skilled migrants invited to apply for permanent residence on a single day, as the government scrambles to make up for an immigration shortage caused by COVID-19 and the resulting travel restrictions. On Saturday, Feb. 13, the immigration department held its latest draw from a pool of candidates and issued 27,332 invitations — five times more than its previous high of 5,000 people — to hopeful candidates already living in the country.
ICI Manitoba – Immigration et immersion : deux voies prometteuses pour la francophonie
Le document de travail du gouvernement fédéral sur les langues officielles évoque l’immigration et l’immersion comme vecteurs pour contrer le recul du français au pays. La francophonie manitobaine accueille favorablement les promesses d’Ottawa. Selon Salwa Meddri, coordonnatrice du Réseau d’immigration francophone du Manitoba, le plan d’Ottawa s’inscrit dans la suite logique de discussions entérinées depuis plusieurs années, entre autres pour moderniser la Loi sur les langues officielles.
Radio-Canada – Langue française : Ottawa veut donner un « coup de barre »
Des juges bilingues, plus d’immigration francophone, un commissaire avec du « pouvoir » : le gouvernement fédéral dévoile son plan de match pour mieux protéger le français au pays. Un projet de loi doit être déposé plus tard cette année. « L’utilisation du français est en recul au Canada et sa vitalité inquiète », peut-on lire dans les premières pages d’un document de travail, préparé par la ministre des Langues officielles Mélanie Joly et dont Radio-Canada a obtenu copie.
Global News – Delays in Processing Permanent Residence Applications Causing ‘Uncertainty’ for Skilled Immigrants
A skilled foreign worker who immigrated to Nova Scotia in 2017 is expressing her frustration over waiting more than a year to have her permanent resident (PR) application completed. “It’s just mind boggling that they expect temporary foreign workers, people who want to stay here, to stay here with all of that uncertainty and not be able to make life decisions,” Karen Simpson, a Dutch citizen who has been waiting since February 2020 to receive her PR card, said.
Global News – ISANS Launches Youth Explore! Program to Help Young Newcomers
Immigrant Services Association of Nova Scotia is launching a new program to support young newcomers to the province with issues they face when settling into life in Nova Scotia. ISANS says the Youth Explore! Program will help newcomers between the ages of 16 and 25 who are facing drastic life changes. Jennifer Watts, CEO of ISANS, says the program will particularly help those who haven’t been able to connect with others due to a variety of reasons.
