An article in the Toronto Star newspaper highlights major gaps in Canada's immigration policy.
Faced with an aging population and a desire to keep the economy growing, successive federal governments since 2001 have practised what is termed economic immigration policy.
The point system allows easier entry for immigrants with post-secondary education, professional training skills and even more points for those under the age of 35.
Three categories of economic immigrants are highly skilled and trained, skilled trades people and skilled with Canadian work experience.
The article revealed the experience of several immigrants who came with skills and professional training and found they could not get jobs in their field.
One worked for a year at a university in public health and epidemiology research. At the end of his contract, he wound up having to take an administrative job with Statistics Canada.
Once he got a green card to work in the United States multiple job offers came in. He moved there.
Another was an architect with experience but no job because he didn't have Canadian work experience.
Data backs up the notion that something is wrong with the Canadian economic immigration policy besides inadequate housing.
A recent survey found 30 per cent of immigrants aged 35 and under plan to move from Canada within the next two years.
Almost half of the immigrants (2.99 million) in the 2016 census identified as economic immigrants.
Too many trained professionals find jobs like driving a taxi, or working as a retail clerk frustrating, and dehumanizing.
Working in low skill jobs does not assist in keeping their skills current with their training.
Previous generations of immigrants were willing to take low skilled jobs for the sake of their children's future. Now skilled immigrants are courted around the globe. Better opportunities, lower cost of living and lower taxes lure them away.
Existing policy creates a mismatch between jobs and qualified immigrants. Statistics Canada data shows no shortage of highly skilled workers in Canada, except for medical workers.
Finding a way to match skills with jobs would be the solution, but the article quotes an expert source saying that is a complex task. Given that provinces are responsible for labour he is likely right.
The irony is that the one million temporary foreign workers whose sweat ensures we have a locally-grown supply of vegetables and fruits on the table are shut out from immigration to Canada.
Without them we would eat less vegetables and fruits or pay higher prices for imported food, and have fewer employees in the hospitality industry.
Federal bureaucrats and politicians need to revise immigration policies to fit the circumstances.
Ron Walter can be reached at ronjoy@sasktel.net
The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author, and do not necessarily reflect the position of this publication.
