At Home: Canada’s immigration stats changing
Statistics Canada says that the ethnicity of Canada is changing. Groups that make up what are considered Canada’s visible minorities are now larger than ever before. The statistical agency tells us that a full 16 per cent of the Canadian population comprises those minorities. This translates into over five million people nationwide.
Visible minorities in Canada include those of Chinese descent, South Asians, Filipinos, Latin Americans, blacks, and Koreans, among others.
Although the term ?visible minorities? was called a racist term in 2007 by the United Nations Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination, Statistics Canada continues to use it in regard to the ethnic groups immigrating to Canada. The employment equity policy of the Canadian government also uses the term to help identify those who can benefit from targeted employment programs.
The majority of Canada’s visible minorities primarily make two Canadian areas home, as Toronto and Vancouver continue to draw by far the highest numbers of these immigrants.
In fact, approximately 43 per cent of the entire population of Toronto now comprises visible minorities. Vancouver is nearly the same, with approximately 42 per cent of its total population being from these groups.
Statistics show that the vast majority of immigrants from such minorities settle in major metropolitan areas within Canada, even if Toronto or Vancouver are not their destinations. The shortage of workers in places like Alberta still does not translate into a higher percentage of immigrants settling there, where jobs are plenty.
As CTV News reports, Stats Canada states that in 2006 more than two hundred ethnic origins were represented in Canada’s immigrants. Worldwide, Canada is still considered to have one of the friendliest policies toward the immigration of ethnically diverse groups. Currently, Canada could not maintain its population base without massive immigration, as the birth rate continues to remain lower than at any time in history.
In Foreign News: UK immigration policy changing
Britain has moved ahead this week with new regulations on immigration. Prime Minister Gordon Brown has said that while Britain is still ?happy to look at what you have to offer to our country,? there will be a new system for managing all the immigration applications.
The Brits have been struggling with how to reduce the influx of workers who only possess low skill levels and to increase the immigration of highly skilled labour. Many politicians there have been working to alter the way migrant workers are judged for the value which they could bring to Britain. It is a common opinion in the British Isles that workers who only bring low levels of employment skills are not of the most benefit to Britain.
A brand new five-tiered system for assessing immigrants will help limit those approved to work there. This system requires applicants to pass an English test (unless they have a minimum of £1 million to invest in the British economy). Another criterion applicants will face with the new system is based on the current income of an applicant in their home country. Those from wealthier native countries must show higher income than those from less economically stable countries. Income levels are pre-set by British officials by country.
The full five-tiered program will not take effect immediately. The second tier will not begin until later in 2008 and focuses on filling current labour needs in Britain from immigration applicants. Later on, the rest of the five tiers will become a part of the new regulatory process. These levels of assessment will deal with matters of immigrating students, temporary workers, and younger applicants.
Britain’s latest immigration regulations will also deal with fines that will be levelled against any business found to be employing illegal immigrants.
