News
Canada Welcoming Growing Number of Indian Visitors, Students and Immigrants
Written by Press Rlease Thursday, 09 September 2010 12:58
CHANDIGARH, INDIA - Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) is helping a growing number of Indians to visit, study in and immigrate to Canada, says Citizenship and Immigration Minister Jason Kenney.
"For over a century, Canada has benefited from the talent and hard work of newcomers from the subcontinent," Minister Kenney said. "Some one million Canadians can trace their ancestry to India, and now a growing number of Indians are getting the chance to visit family and friends in Canada, study at Canadian colleges and universities, or indeed immigrate to Canada as permanent residents."
Last year, India was the top source country of immigration to Canada, with more than 32,000 permanent resident visas issued to Indian nationals, an increase of 13% from the year before, and 53% more than the three-year average from 1997 to 1999.
The number of Indian students granted visas to study in Canada has seen a steep increase in the recent past. By the end of 2010, it is estimated that the number of student visas that CIC issues to Indian students will have tripled over 2008 levels. This is in part due to the Canada-in-India Student Partners Program launched earlier this year by CIC in cooperation with the Association of Canadian Community Colleges.
"Thanks to the new Canadian Experience Class introduced by our government, many of these bright young Indians will have a convenient way to become permanent residents in Canada if they choose to do so at the end of their studies," Minister Kenney said.
The Minister also issued a progress report on visa services being offered out of the Canadian Consulate in Chandigarh, which assists would-be travelers from the Indian states of Punjab and Haryana.
The report reveals that in 2009, Canada issued more than double the number of visitor visas out of the Chandigarh office than in 2004, the year that the bureau was first opened. The increase in the number of visas issued in Chandigarh-from 3,300 in 2004 to 10,040 in 2009-is matched by an increase in the visa approval rate to 48%, up from 34% in 2006. Minister Kenney underscored that the number of visas issued by the CIC Chandigarh office in the first six months of 2010 exceeded the total number of visas issued in 2005.
"This is good news for those applying to visit family and friends in Canada," Minister Kenney noted. "While every visa decision is made on the merits of each application, these increased figures show that CIC officials have been working harder, and more efficiently, to make it possible for a growing number of bona fide travellers to visit Canada. I want to thank them for their hard work."
Minister Kenney also commended Indian officials for the progress made in addressing immigration fraud. "One of the reasons why many visa applications are rejected is that they include counterfeit documents, or have been mishandled by crooked immigration consultants. I raised this matter with Punjab Chief Minister Singh in early 2009, and am pleased to see that local authorities have increased their efforts to crack down on many immigration fraudsters. Even stronger enforcement of the laws against this kind of fraud and exploitation would help us to continue improving visa services to our clients."
Following his visit to Chandigarh, Minister Kenney will head to Hong Kong for the next leg of his Asian trip.
Country List for Immigration Medical Exams Updated
Written by CNM Friday, 03 September 2010 08:55
Most long-term visitors from Mexico, Croatia, the Bahamas and 42 other countries and territories can now enter Canada without a medical exam, Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) announced today. In addition, medical exams will no longer be required for agricultural workers from those 45 countries and territories.
The medical examination requirement remains in place for all temporary residents who will be working in an occupation in which the protection of public health is essential. This includes workers in the health sciences field and those working with children.
This announcement does not affect permanent immigrants or refugees, who will continue to be required to undergo a medical examination before entering Canada. Temporary residents planning to stay longer than six months may also need an exam, depending on CIC's periodic assessments of the health situation in their countries of origin.
"We are committed to ensuring there is a balance between welcoming visitors and newcomers to Canada while protecting the health and security of Canadians. CIC uses an objective threshold to determine whether a country or territory should be added or removed from the designated country/territory list," said Citizenship and Immigration Minister Jason Kenney.
Today's changes follow a regular review of the three-year average tuberculosis incidence rates of all countries and territories. A threshold of 15 cases per 100,000 is used to determine whether a country or territory should be included on CIC's designated country/territory list, which is then used to determine whether a temporary resident applicant requires an immigration medical examination.
Mexicans applying to be temporary residents in Canada should account for about 40 per cent of those who will benefit from today's announcement. In 2009, had Mexico not been considered a designated country, about 6,000 fewer Mexican applicants would have required medical exams. The cost for medical exams is based on local rates, with fees routinely costing up to $200, while the processing time for medical exams is generally between 2 weeks and 2 months.
"Today's changes will improve the free movement of people to Canada, while at the same time maintaining the integrity and fairness of our immigration system," continued Minister Kenney.
Four countries/territories have also been added to the designated country/territory list as a result of this review, including Wallis and Futuna.
For more information on medical examination requirements for temporary foreign workers, foreign students and visitors to Canada, please visit CIC's website here.
History of the Chinese Community in Canada promoted through a new project
Written by Press Release Wednesday, 11 August 2010 13:09
Citizenship and Immigration Canada will fund the University of British Columbia’s (UBC) efforts to preserve and share the history of Chinese-Canadians by various means, including archiving project materials prepared under the Community Historical Recognition Program (CHRP). Dr. Alice Wong, Parliamentary Secretary to the Honourable Jason Kenney, Minister of Citizenship, Immigration and Multiculturalism and Member of Parliament for Richmond, made the announcement today.
Read more: History of the Chinese Community in Canada promoted through a new project
Passion for helping others brings rewards
Written by CNM Monday, 19 July 2010 00:00
Like many immigrants, Ethiopian-born Yusuf Abdulmenan left behind his home, his extended family and an established career in search of a better life. “When I lived in Ethiopia, I worked as a land surveyor for the government,” says Yusuf. “But because of unsafe conditions I decided I had to leave my country.”
With only his hopes and determination to guide him, Yusuf first moved to Italy to continue his education, working long hours as a retail sales clerk to pay for his schooling. It was during this time that he discovered a passion for helping his customers and talent for being able to understand and meet their needs.
Turning new interests into a successful new career
After completing his studies, Yusuf immigrated to Canada in 1987. While willing to take on any work that could help make ends meet, he found himself gravitating towards jobs that involved putting his people-skills to good use. When a friend in the insurance industry told him about the opportunity to become a financial advisor with Sun Life Financial, Yusuf knew he had found his calling.
“I was attracted to an advisor career because it allows me to do things that are meaningful and enjoyable to me,” he comments. “Every day I get to interact with so many different people and most importantly, help them take care of themselves and their families by building financial security.”
Although Yusuf didn’t have much experience in financial services, Sun Life Financial’s Career Academy provided extensive classroom training to help Yusuf build his product knowledge and business development skills. He also benefits from the continued support and mentorship of managers and more experienced colleagues in his financial centre.
Community ties help build a business
Since becoming a Sun Life Financial advisor in 2005, Yusuf has qualified each year for the company’s Order of Merit and for numerous performance-based recognition and reward programs.
Yusuf credits his effective networking within the Ethiopian community as playing an important role in his achievements. “Insurance is an unfamiliar concept to many Ethiopians,” he notes. “Since we have language and culture in common, I am better able to help them understand the importance of insurance and other aspects of ensuring financial health and well-being, which in turn has helped me expand my client base by gaining trust and respect.”
In order to give back to the community that has contributed so much to his professional growth, Yusuf is actively involved with P2P Canada, a charitable organization that provides assistance to orphaned Ethiopian children diagnosed with HIV/AIDS. He recently spearheaded a fundraising campaign at Sun Life Financial, who also donated to support the cause. At the local level, he also volunteers to help promote HIV/AIDS education and awareness amongst youth in the greater Toronto area.
Helping families create better financial futures
While his cultural ties are important, Yusuf attributes his ongoing success to a deeply rooted sense of integrity and commitment to looking after the best interests of others that has allowed him to enjoy ongoing success. Financial Centre Manager Vince Evangelista agrees: “Yusuf truly cares about people and about the industry,” says Vince. “As an example, after hearing about one woman’s bad experience with an advisor at another insurance company, he went out of his way to help her contact the right people and resolve the issue, even though there was nothing for him to gain financially.”
While Yusuf enjoys the professional recognition and financial rewards that come with career success, to him, “the greatest reward of being an advisor is the satisfaction you get from helping families build a better life and a better financial future.”
If you’re interested in learning more about the advisor career with Sun Life Financial, please send an email to This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or visit www.sunlife.ca/careers/advisor.
Sun Life Financial advisors are contracted with Sun Life Financial Distributors (Canada) Inc., registered in Quebec as a financial services firm.
Minister Kenney announces 2010 recipient of Paul Yuzyk Award for Multiculturalism
Written by Press Release Tuesday, 29 June 2010 14:03
Today, Paul Nguyen was honoured as the recipient of the 2010 Paul Yuzyk Award for Multiculturalism by Citizenship, Immigration and Multiculturalism Minister Jason Kenney.
"I am pleased to announce that Paul Nguyen of Toronto is the winner of this year’s Paul Yuzyk Award for Multiculturalism," Minister Kenney said at an event celebrating Canadian Multiculturalism Day. "Mr. Nguyen's work in the Jane and Finch neighbourhood and his activism on issues affecting at-risk diverse youth in his community deserves recognition."
Mr. Nguyen is dedicated to improving race relations and promoting multicultural understanding in Canada. He works towards breaking down stereotypes and barriers facing at-risk youth and visible minorities using social media and filmmaking. In particular, he has created the Jane-Finch.com web site: an online portal that has become a strong voice for youth and residents in the Jane-Finch community in Toronto.
The Paul Yuzyk Award for Multiculturalism is an annual honour bestowed upon an individual or group that has demonstrated a dedication to the advancement of diversity, multiculturalism and the integration of new Canadians into Canadian society. It commemorates the late Senator Yuzyk’s pioneering legacy in establishing multiculturalism as one of the fundamental characteristics of Canadian identity.
To further mark Canadian Multiculturalism Day, Minister Kenney also launched Inter-Action, Canada’s new multiculturalism grants and contributions program. The new program has a Projects stream and a new Events stream designed to foster intercultural understanding, civic memory and pride, and respect for core democratic values.
"Canada’s future is being built by Canadians of all backgrounds integrating into a proud and democratic society," said Minister Kenney, as he issued a call to action for project proposals from eligible organizations. "Inter-Action, our new multiculturalism grants and contribution program, will invest in Canada by supporting projects and events that promote intercultural understanding and equal opportunity for people of all cultures and faiths."
For additional information on the Paul Yuzyk Award for Multiculturalism, or further information about Inter-Action, including details of the Calls for Proposals and the General Application Form and Guidelines, please visit: www.cic.gc.ca
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