New Canada-US border-crossing regulation to start tomorrow

As of February 1, 2008, Canadians and Americans crossing a land border from Canada to the US will need to show both an official document with photo ID, such as a driver’s license, and proof of citizenship, such as a birth certificate.

This decision to toughen requirements, announced by American Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff, comes less than a month after US Congress decided to delay passport requirement. The requirement, that Canadians and Americans carry their passports across US land and sea ports, has been postponed until June 2009.

The rules will end the long-standing practice of allowing oral declarations of US citizenship at the border. In the last three months of 2007, customs officers reported 1,517 cases in which people falsely claimed to be US citizens when crossing the Canada-US border.

The new rules that require both proof of citizenship and a photo ID will apply to those 19 years and older when they seek to enter the United States through a land or sea port of entry. However, new rules will have no effect on those who cross the border on (a) Canadian or US passport; (b) US passport card (to be available in the spring); (c) pre-approved Trusted Traveler card, such as NEXUS, SENTRI or FAST card (used mostly by people who cross the border frequently); (d) Secure driver’s license (being tested in a handful of provinces); (e) US military ID with travel orders; (f) US merchant mariner document; and (g) One of several IDs issued to American Indians.

Canadians and Americans under 19 will need to show only a proof of citizenship.

Border crossing rules for Canadian landed immigrants, as well as people other than Canadian or American citizens, will be unchanged. This group will still need to show a valid passport and a visa, if applicable, to travel to the United States.

More than 800,000 people enter the US through land and sea ports each day. The biggest effect of the change will be at the Canadian border, since it applies to Canadians and Americans alike. Non-Americans coming in through Mexico already need extra documentation.

Canadian businesses and government capitalizing on business mentorship programs

Spearheaded by the Harvard Mentoring Project, MENTOR, and the Corporation for National and Community Services, this US-based initiative now gaining momentum in Canada as more companies celebrate National Mentoring Month (NMM) this January.

NMM was first held in January 2002 and after five years of raising awareness about the value of business mentoring, a growing number of Canadian companies are now setting up or expanding mentoring programs in the workplace to enhance career development opportunities, to offer another attraction and retention tool to employees and to build stronger ties between different generations and departments.

This type of mentoring relationship gives something back to a new generation of employees after learning by trial and error, while creating another mechanism to achieve business goals. These programs help reduce the possibility of repeating the same mistakes that past generations have made, which ultimately boosts productivity and reduces barriers to career advancement.

A month-long outreach campaign focuses national attention on the need for mentors, as well as how individuals, businesses, government agencies, schools, faith communities and nonprofits can work together to develop a national policy and/or framework which would provide a societal context for business mentoring programs for immigrants.

On the government side, Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) has also identified business mentoring as one strategy to address the complex issue of finding a job by newcomer to Canada for which he/she is trained and capable. CIC is interested in developing a model for business mentoring program, which can be offered through the Host Programs by Host program service providers. The suggested objectives of this model are (a) to build immigrants’ social capital and understanding of the Canadian labor market; and (b) to reduce barriers to employment by reducing racial stereotypes through increased cross-cultural understanding.

To achieve these goals and objectives, business mentorship or partnership programs will connect skilled immigrants (mentees) with established professionals in both the public and private sectors who share the same occupation (mentors). Toronto Region Immigrant Employment Council (TRIEC), Career Edge, Career Bridge, Association for New Canadians Mentoring Links, CARE for Nurses, Skills for Change, SUCCESS Job Mentoring Program, and Youth in Motion New Horizons Mentorship program are few examples of such community organizations whose programs may be applicable to business mentoring program for immigrants delivered through the Host program.

In Canada almost all mentoring programs are funded through local donations or community organizations, while very little funding is provided by federal or provincial jurisdictions. The YMCA Cross Cultural and Community Services in Kitchener-Waterloo and Cambridge regions of Ontario, however, recently received a new funding of $1.4 million from CIC, which will be used to fund a business mentoring program for immigrants, developed and administered by YMCA.

In addition to the mentorship programs, Canadian government, in partnership with provinces, territories and settlement providers, delivers a number of other programs that help newcomers settle, adapt and integrate into Canadian society. Some of these programs include (a) the Immigrant Settlement and Adaptation Program (ISAP), which offers orientation and interpretation services as well as referrals to community resources, counselling, general information and employment-related services; (b) the Language Instruction for Newcomers to Canada (LINC), which provides basic language training; (c) the Host Program, which helps newcomers by connecting them to Canadian volunteers who help them learn about community services, practise English or French, participate in community activities, understand the Canadian labour market, and find job contacts in their field; (d) Foreign Credentials Referral Office (FCRO), which help internationally trained individuals find the information and access the path-finding and referral services they need to put their skills to work when they arrive in Canada; and (e) The Enhanced Language Training (ELT) Initiative, which help immigrants improve their language, pronunciation and workplace skills, as well as improve their self-confidence through a variety of bridge-to-work activities and services.

Research probes into growing and increasingly serious shortage of IT professionals in Canada

A shortage of skilled workers in Canadian IT market is expected to reach an all-time high, surpassing demand levels experienced during the build-up to Y2K. While at the other end, this shortage could lead to an increase in starting salaries of IT professionals. This has been examined in various recently published reports, which look into the current IT employment issues such as the strong hiring market and the ongoing results of the skills shortage.

In the Robert Half 2008 Salary Guide, the Ottawa Division of Robert Half International reported that corporate growth in Canada is continued to surge in a wide range of industries including oil and gas, IT development, healthcare and professionals services, and IT investment has come along with it, resulting in “the demand for skilled IT professionals to rise to a level not seen in several years”. Edmonton-based recruiting firm David Aplin Recruiting also concurred by this trend in its recent findings.

Canadian positions that are especially in demand, according to Robert Half, are in project management, applications and Web development. Networking and help desk/user support are the fastest-growing positions, with Windows administration, network administration, and database management the most sought-after skill-set.

The economic impact of an IT labor shortage has been outlined in a new Conference Board of Canada study commissioned by Bell Canada. The report, entitled "Securing our Future", projects the creation of 58,000 new jobs in the industry next year and more than 90,000 vacancies in the next three to five years. The economic impact of the shortage could potentially be as much as $10.6 billion.

Research conducted by the Conference Board identified several major factors that contribute to a growing IT talent gap, including declining enrolments in IT-related post-secondary programs; demographic shifts such as population aging and a low fertility rate; under-representation of key population groups, including women and immigrants; and mismatches between skills of available workers and the ever-changing requirements of employers.

Based on the results of the Conference Board study, a prominent group of Canadian organizations has joined in a national effort to address a growing and increasingly serious shortage of IT professionals. Initiated by Bell Canada, the Canadian Coalition for Tomorrow's IT Skills will work collaboratively to develop insights for securing the future of Canada's IT workforce. The goal is to ensure a healthy national economy built on ongoing growth, productivity and competitiveness in the global marketplace. The national coalition will be focusing its efforts on three major areas: (a) raising the profile of IT and IT career choices among young people, with a specific goal of increasing enrolments in IT-related programs; (b) generating public awareness of the importance of IT to Canada by emphasizing the contribution IT makes to Canada's economic prosperity and competitiveness; and (c) developing and sustaining Canadian IT know-how.

Members of the Coalition for Tomorrow's IT Skills include the following companies, associations and other organizations: Bell, Hydro-Québec, Mouvement des caisses Desjardins, CGI, Gaz Métro, Nortel Networks, Rogers Communications, Canadian National Railway Company (CN), TD Meloche Monnex, Avaya Canada, Pratt & Whitney Canada, BMO Financial Group, The Standard Life Assurance Company of Canada, Air Canada, Loto-Québec, Canadian Tire Corp. Limited, Ericsson Canada, Métro Inc., Société des alcohols du Québec, LGS / IBM Canada, Exfo, Sapphire Technologies, National Bank of Canada, Cisco Systems Canada, SNC Lavalin, Bombardier, Ultramar, Pfizer, SAP Canada, Conference Board of Canada, TechnoCompétences, TechnoMontréal, Information Technology Association of Canada (ITAC), Information and Communications Technology Council (ICTC), Manufacturiers et exportateurs du Québec (MEQ), Computing Technology Industry Association (Comptia), Canadian Information Processing Society (CIPS), and the Toronto Board of Trade.

The coalition is also working with Canadian universities and schools to change perceptions about IT professions to try and convince more Canadians to enroll in these programs. It is expected that the coalition, together with the corporate and public sectors, will help turn the tide of the professional IT shortage, and reverse the flow of outsourcing of these important, high-paying jobs beyond the borders.

Bell is also working on its own program, called First Jobs, which will attempt to fast-track qualified foreign workers into jobs in Canada.

City of Mississauga integrates new Canadians into the workforce

With well-established infrastructure and state-of-the-art facilities, Mississauga is considered to be an employer of choice for newcomers since last many years. The City is assisting new residents in seeking employment and integrating within the community through innovative training programs and community partnerships.

Mississauga participates in four programs to assist new immigrants with their search for employment in the workplace, and this participation is coordinated through City’s Human Resources Division. The largest of these programs is the Career Bridge Intern Program supported by Toronto Region Immigrant Employment Council (TRIEC), which costs the City to $50,000. This funding is provided to four, four-month, intern placements each year within departments that have opportunities available. In 2006, three out of five interns have secured more permanent work within HR Division.

Other programs the City participates in include (a) The Mentoring Partnership in Peel, which is an alliance of community agencies, and recruits experienced professionals to mentor internationally educated professionals. Mississauga has registered 10 employees as mentors; (b) The Accessible Community Counseling and Employment Services (ACCES) Program that connects employers with well-trained, highly skilled candidates. The City also participates in ACCES programs including Engineering Connections, Talk English Café, and Skills without Borders Conference; and (c) Volunteer Placement Program, which is a Dufferin-Peel Adult Learning Center program for skilled immigrants. The City has provided 11 volunteers with co-operative training for eight full weeks.

Mississauga is Canada’s sixth largest city with a population of more than 700,000. Mississauga is a progressive municipality delivering quality municipal programs and services to its residents. As a vibrant and diverse community, Mississauga is known for its economic strength and for being Canada’s safest city.

The Canadian government announces new funding to support and encourage seniors

The Canadian government has announced a new funding of $16,592,175 for 915 projects under the New Horizons for Seniors Program (NHSP) across the country, which will be used to ensure that seniors have the opportunity to participate and take an active leadership role in their communities.

Initially, a total funding of $1,117,021 is being provided to 56 communities in Alberta, $1,598,466 to 58 communities in British Columbia, $619,901 to 35 communities in Nova Scotia and $196,800 to 14 communities throughout Prince Edward Island under these projects.

In Budget 2007, the government of Canada announced an additional investment of $10 million per year for two new components of the New Horizons for Seniors Program: raising awareness of elder abuse and providing capital assistance for upgrades to facilities and equipment used for existing seniors' programs. Projects funded under these new components will be announced in the spring of 2008.

The federal government is also acting to address the needs of Canada's seniors through the introduction of a series of important measures that include: (a) establishing the National Seniors Council to advise the Government on issues of importance to older Canadians; (b) enabling 1.6 million low-income seniors to benefit from increased monthly benefits available under the Guaranteed Income Supplement (GIS) and to make a one-time application for the GIS. As long as these seniors file income tax returns every year, they will never have to reapply; (c) providing more than $1 billion in tax relief to Canadian seniors and pensioners in Budget 2007; (d) allowing seniors to build their retirement savings in Registered Pension Plans and Registered Retirement Savings Plans for an extra two years until age 71; and (e) raising the amount that seniors can claim under the age credit on their tax returns for 2007. With less income taxed, seniors save more.

Since its beginning, the NHSP has funded over 2,600 projects across Canada, inspiring seniors to bring their leadership, energy and skills to projects that benefit and strengthen communities.

Canada expands occupations in high demand list for Temporary Foreign Worker Program

Canadian government has announced to expand the occupations in high demand list for Canada’s Temporary Foreign Worker Program to make it faster and easier for employers in Alberta and British Columbia to meet their labor force needs. These occupations in high demand are classified in the pilot version of Expedited Labor Market Opinion (E-LMO) project, which has now been expanded up to 33 occupations after addition of 21 new occupations on January 14, 2008.

Started in September 2007, the E-LMO pilot project was implemented to facilitate the entry of foreign workers in Alberta and British Columbia by reducing foreign worker application process time from five months to three-to-five days for employers in twelve specific occupations in construction, hospitality and tourism sectors. However, to be eligible for expedite processing, Alberta and BC employers must meet certain conditions. These include making reasonable efforts to find qualified Canadians or permanent residents, not having any labor disputes in progress at the employer's workplace, and that working conditions, including pay, meet minimum standards.

In the recent expansion, 21 new occupations have been added to E-LMO pilot project, raising the total occupations in high demand to 33 and representing 50 per cent of the total volume of labor market opinion applications from employers in Alberta and BC. The expanded E-LMO list not only includes more occupations in the construction sector, but also covers occupations from manufacturing, engineering, maintenance, sales and services sectors.

The expanded E-LMO list now includes these occupations: Carpenters, Crane Operators, Construction Laborers, Steamfitters and Pipe fitters, Ironworkers, Heavy-Duty Equipment Mechanics, Machinists, Roofers, Industrial Electricians, Welders, Surveyor Helpers, Commercial Janitors and Caretakers, Specialized Cleaners, Mechanical Engineers, Civil Engineers, Electrical and Electronics Engineers, Petroleum Engineers, Mechanical Engineering Technologists, Hotel and Hospitality Room Attendants, Hotel Front Desk Clerks, Food and Beverage Servers, Food Counter Attendants, Food Service Supervisors, Industrial Meat Cutters, Courier Drivers, Residential Cleaning and Support Workers, Manufacturing and Processing Laborers, Tour and Travel Guides, Registered Nurses, Dental Technicians, Pharmacists, Snowboard and Ski Instructors, and Retail Sales Persons and Sales Clerks.

For the occupations in expanded E-LMO, it has been established that employers in Alberta and BC have not been able staff available positions with Canadian citizens or permanent residents. Therefore, extensive labor market assessment each time an employer wants to hire a foreign worker in one of the high demand occupations is no longer necessary. It will drastically reduce the overall recruitment time to hire a temporary foreign worker and for a greater number of occupations.

In Alberta and BC, this pilot project will run until September 2008.

The E-LMO pilot project is part of the $50.5 million that the 2007 federal budget set aside to improve the Temporary Foreign Worker Program over the next two years. The improvements include reducing processing delays and responding more effectively to regional labor and skill shortages, so employers could better meet their human resources needs.

In addition to this pilot project, the federal government and British Columbia have signed a Memorandum of Understanding that will strengthen protections for temporary foreign workers. A similar agreement with Alberta was announced in July 2007.

Canada announces new funding for a national research project on globalization, migration and diversity

The Canadian government has announced a new funding of $7.5 million over five years for a national research project, which will explore the effects of migration on the strength of economy, the security of nation, and the relationships between different cultures living side by side within the Canada.

The Metropolis Project for research on globalization, migration and diversity is being funded jointly by the Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) and the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC). The funding includes $3.1 million from SSHRC and $4.4 million from a consortium of federal departments and agencies led by CIC.

The funding will ensure the continued operation of five regional research centres based in Halifax/Moncton, Montreal, Toronto, Edmonton and Vancouver. These centres bring together universities, governments, NGOs and the private sector to form one of the largest networks of policy makers and scholars in the world in the field of migration and diversity research.

The Metropolis Project was established in 1995 as an SSHRC and CIC joint initiative and has grown into a unique partnership of policy makers, researchers and practitioners that is both national and international in scope. It supports research, public policy development and knowledge mobilization on migration, diversity and immigrant integration in Canadian cities as well as around the world. Metropolis also provides invaluable training for students who assist in this research.