Canada proposes changing skilled immigration rules

Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) has proposed changes to the Federal Skilled Worker Program in the hope that these changes will result in immigrants that better meet their economic goals. CIC has begun consulting with key stakeholders as well as the public on the proposed changes.

A recent evaluation of Canada's skilled immigration program found that changes implemented in the last few years have resulted in more immigrants who can fit into and be successful in Canadian society. However, the CIC still feels that there is room for improvement.

"To stay competitive globally, we have to make sure the skilled immigrants we choose are the ones that we need, and the most likely to succeed when they get here," said Immigration Minister Jason Kenney.

"Research points to some key changes that will help us meet those goals," he added.

The proposed changes would place a higher emphasis on youth and language ability. Another interesting proposal is to make it much easier for skilled tradespeople to qualify for immigration. Countries are increasingly finding that they have too many professional level people and not enough tradespeople.

CIC will consult on:

• Requiring skilled immigrants to have a minimum level of language skills
• Making skilled immigration easier for tradespeople, technicians and apprentices;
• Making skilled immigration easier for younger applicants;
• Readjusting points scored for work experience to "other factors that better contribute to success in the Canadian work force"
• Reducing the potential for fraudulent job offers.

The Federal Skilled Worker Program -- introduced in June 2002 -- is a points based system which scores applicants on criteria such as language skills, age and education. For more information and a free Canadian skilled immigration assessment, see our Canadian immigration section.

UK experiencing a shortage of engineers

Ignacio Galan, the chief executive officer of Iberdrola SA, which owns Scottish Power Ltd has said recently that UK plans to develop renewable energy and improve power-generation and transmission systems will be serious affected by the shortage of engineers. Galan said that 80 percent of Scottish Power's engineers are likely to retire in the next 15 years.

Vince Cable the UK Business Secretary in the UK Coalition Government has also raised the issue of shortages of engineers in the UK.

Vince Cable said the following in a speech at the Liberal Democrat Party Conference in September 2010:
"Businesses cannot grow because of a shortage of trained workers while our schools churn out young people regarded by companies as virtually unemployable. The pool of unemployed graduates is growing while there is a chronic shortage of science graduates and especially engineers."

Moreover, the aerospace industry in the UK is threatened by a shortage of engineers, according to the British Business Secretary, Vince Cable.

"There is a chronic shortage of advanced engineers - a terrible shortage. There are different ways of supporting an industry without just injecting cash," Cable said as he toured the Farnborough Airshow in July 2010.

Cable has been a vocal opponent of the UK's immigration cap -- both the interim cap that went into effect in the summer of 2010 and the permanent cap set to start in April of 2011.

He helped support a provision that exempted Intra-Company Transfers from the Tier 2 visa cap; He still feels that reducing immigration will harm the UK's global competitiveness.

The Tier 1 highly skilled immigration programme will in effect end in April 2011. This will make it even more difficult for Britain's high tech and engineering sector to recruit suitable staff.

The aerospace industry is not the only sector facing labour shortages Manufacturing companies in the UK are also finding it difficult to recruit skilled workers; Needed as demand for goods rose 4% in the 12 months leading to June 2010.

Manufacturing grows in the UK, firms struggle to find skilled workers

The UK manufacturing sector grew by 4 percent in the 12 months leading to June 2010, twice the amount of the financial sector during the same period. But over 500 jobs remain unfilled.

Employers are complaining that the regional workforce do not have the skills to fill these positions, with those who do possess the skills working abroad.

The manufacturing sector is coming out of a downturn that was relatively short-lived.

"A year ago, we were in serious trouble," said a Sembcorp employee. "Since then, things have started to pick up a bit."

Many companies are struggling to fill posts, including Elring Klinger, an engineering firm based out of Kirkleatham. During the recession the company was forced to lay off 50 workers. Now that the UK is starting to come out of the recession, the firm is finding it unexpectedly difficult to refill their ranks.

Between now and 2016, approximately 11,000 new workers will be needed in manufacturing, engineering, and science, according to research by Semta, the sector skills council.

The planned immigration cap will likely make it more difficult for firms to find the help they need, although many are expected to take advantage of Tier 2 visas to shore up skills gaps.

UK recruiting doctors from India

The BBC reports that the UK's National Health Service (NHS) is recruiting junior doctors from India in an attempt to head off a shortage caused by tighter immigration rules brought in over the last few years.

"We pulled the plug on overseas recruitment far too quickly," said Professor Derek Gallen, postgraduate dean of medical training for Wales.

"[We didn't] realise what the implications of that action would be two, three or four years down the line," he added.

The Welsh Deanery is one of four medical training schools across the UK which has been recruiting in India this year.

The medical training schools are trying to recruit in the areas of paediatrics, obstetrics, gynaecology, anaesthesia, as well as accident and emergency.

Canberra, Australia lures skilled migrants

The Australian Capital Territory (ACT) Government will send "Live in Canberra" delegations to Amsterdam, London, Cape Town, Durban, Dublin, and Johannesburg in an attempt to attract skilled migrants to the Australian capital.

The Live in Canberra program will travel to these cities between 9 February and 28 February 2011. The program will work in conjunction with the ACT Government's Skilled and Business Migration Program to promote opportunities in Canberra and the lifestyle of the city.

"The campaign will incorporate one immigration expo and 15 targeted skilled and business migration seminars," said Jon Stanhope, Chief Minister for the ACT.

"One-on-one meetings are scheduled in each city with skilled workers considering a move to Canberra and with locally based migration agents wishing to promote Canberra's opportunities to their clients," he added.

"The team will speak to people with skills that are in demand in Canberra's local industries including health, building and construction, finance, administration, management, engineering and [Information and Communications Technology (ICT)].

According to Stanhope, the ACT's economy ranks first in Australia and unemployment is close to record lows. He stated that Canberra must "continue to attract a steady flow of skilled workers to ensure our economy maintains its momentum."

UK closes consultation on student immigration; Tighter controls likely

For some non-EU citizens who wish to study in the UK, applying now for a student visa may be advisable. The UK Government concluded a consultation on stricter student immigration rules on 31 January 2011. Immigration Minister Damien Green has said recently that stricter regulations are "in the best interest of legitimate students".

According to the UK Border Agency, the eight-week consultation received over 30,000 responses. The consultation proposed a number of measures for curbing UK student immigration, including:

• reducing the number of people coming to the UK to study at 'below degree' level
• introducing tougher English language requirements
• making students prove academic progression to extend their visa
• limiting student work-rights and reducing the circumstances under which a student can bring family members to the UK
• implementing a stricter accreditation process for educational institutions, with more rigorous inspections

Presumably, many of the responses to the consultation were from people working in the education sector who stand the lose under stricter student immigration rules. The education sector is a 5 billion pound-per-year industry in the UK and depends heavily on higher fees paid by international students who come to study on a Tier 4 (Student) visa.

In a speech to the Reform Think Tank conference in London, Green said that he recognised the importance of student immigration to the UK's economy, but that he wanted to eliminate abuses in the system; He mentioned disreputable colleges as being a problem.

"Some of those who come to study at less reputable institutions are genuinely in search of education which they do not receive," Green said.

"They may have been misled by questionable agents overseas or by these colleges. In either case, unsuspecting students may end up out of pocket, without the education they wanted and stuck illegally in the UK," he added.

Green said the Government would "do nothing to prevent those coming here to study degree level courses", although its unclear whether some or all of the proposed measures -- such as family re-unification and work rights -- would apply to those studying degree level courses.

The UK Border Agency said the results of the consultation would be announced in the coming weeks.

Bulgaria to benefit from EU Blue Card

Starting on 1 June 2011, highly skilled workers from outside the European Union can apply to work in Bulgaria under the EU Blue Card scheme. The blue card would allow a skilled worker with a job offer to take employment in member states under the directive. It may also be possible to work in more than one EU member state using the same Blue Card.

"[One of the] requirements for a non-EU citizen to get a blue card are a higher education certificate," said Hristo Simeonov of the Bulgarian Ministry of Social Policy and Labour.

Many European companies, including Bulgaria, are experiencing shortage of highly qualified and highly skilled workers.

The EU Commission has given EU member states until 1 July to implement the blue card directive. Not every member state will take part in the program. For example the UK is one Country that will not allow entry of people under the Blue Card scheme.