Missing the Point(s): The declining fortunes of Canada's economic immigration program

8/9/2019 Missing the Point(s): The declining fortunes of Canada's economic immigration program

1/26

Missing the Point(s)

The declining fortunes of Canadaseconomic immigration program

Edwina OSheaBosch Fellow, Transatlantic Academy

p a p e r s e r i e s


2/26

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E [email protected]

Tis publication can be downloaded or ree at http://www.transatlanticacademy.org.

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3/26

Missing the Point(s)

The declining fortunes of Canadas economic immigration program

Transatlantic Academy Paper Series

April 2009

Ew OS*

B Fw, T A

I 3

O P-b S S 4

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A H R 18

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4/26

Missing the Point(s):

The declining fortunes of Canadas economic immigration program3

F

I E, v

v -

b

F,

x,

C

, b 4

x C

x C w w C : b

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b

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b

C

w v

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k

I w v

b , v M , 8, v

b -

B w v?

D

? W w x

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C

b

v ?

Canada has a

long tradition

of managing

an economic

immigration

program, but

despite 40 years

of experience

the Canadian

system is today

in a state of flux.

Introduction

1


5/26

Transatlantic Academy4

C b, C

176 I A I ,

bk 16, w C

w D

16, v

v E

A b

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vb w

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16 b b

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wk w I 166, Lb v

W P1

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b

w W

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v b

w

b k wk

v v

T

v w b v

1 D Mw I White Paper onImmigration Ow: Q P, 166

I C W P v w b v v

b bjv k x v

T 166 W P w

167 w v

F, w D

Mw I, b

b b k w

b w z T

v w

z v

w v C b

k Nx, w bw b kw 3

(

, b C

b)

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v

b C

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x,

b T

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Tk

w b k

w b w

w , w

T v

q wk

I v b w ,

3 CIC F O L: C Cz I ://www/ENGLISH//b//-6#6-7

Henceforth,

economic

immigrants would

be assessed

against a set of

selection factors

that measured

the potential of

the individual

to successfully

establish herself

in Canada.

Origins of the Points-based

Selection System2


6/26



, w ,

b-k , b b

w b wk C

b k b

b k Lb k

x 35 , w 5

q T w, ,

v

I ( )

b (1 ), w

, w 1 w A

4 w k b

4 G, A G G, Dv A, T E G C I P: P P C PbP, V XXV, N 4 1

I ,

wv, bjv

b

( w ) w w 15

F, -

bw k ,

b C

w bw 35 5 b ,

k bw

W 167 b

w b C

,

b bk 15 I

17, w Lb v,

b P T, k k

While the 1967

regulations

laid the basis

for a selection

system that

would be familia

to Canadian

immigration

practitioners in

2009, it remaine

embedded in

legislation dating

back to 1952.

Table 1. Selection Factors in the 1967 Immigration Regulations

Factor Maximum Units Notes

A 1

E

L Ab 1

O

D15

S V

P (SVP)1

P Sb 15

B F

A

E/

D

E

1T w v jb ;

D O L

A Rv 35 5 D

P M 5

S: G G, 14


7/26


8/26



Table 2. Selection Factors in the 1978 Immigration Regulations


A 1

E 1

L Ab 1

O

D15

S V

P (SVP)15

Ex 8

P Sb 1

B F

A

E/

D

E

1T w v jb ;

D O L

A Rv 35 5 D

P M 5

S: G G, 1


9/26


Immigration in the 1980s and 1990s:

Emerging Discontents3

The economic

downturn that hit

Canada in the

early 1980s with

accompanying high

unemployment led

to measures to

reduce immigration.

T w C 18 w

, w k

T b

Tb 3 Tk v

w

v jb ,

x 3

186, w

w

Table 3. Economic Immigrants as Component of Total Immigration, 1983 to 1992

YearEconomic

ImmigrantsTotal Immigrants Percentage

183 4,187 8,1 71

184 6,7 88,76 5

185 6,11 84,345 31

186 35,83 ,353 361

187 74,13 15,6 487

188 8, 161,574 46

18 ,145 11,55 471

1 7,3 16,445 45

11 86,57 3,83 37

1 5,83 54,818 376

S: G G, 1

W v

18 w

v , w

v w b w

v b

C A Tb 4 w,

w b

/b k , w

b

Sv w

v b


10/26



With the lifting

of restrictions

on independent

immigration that

accompanied

economic recove

in the mid 1980s

came renewed

attention to the

effectiveness

of the selection

criteria.

Table 4. Selection Factors, as Revised in 1986


A 1

E 1

Language Ability 15 R

Occupational

Demand1 R 15

S V

P (SVP)15

Ex 8

P Sb 1

Demographic Factor 1Nw v; v

B F

A

E/

D

E

1

A Rv 1 Sb

P M 7 R 5

S: G G, 1


11/26


T w 186 w bv b v,

b bw ,

v

A, b bw

b k v w , w

v b

wk vv I 13,

k

, w ,

Tk

w 186 , w b 13 v b w

The early 1990s

saw increased

interest in

adjusting the

balance between

economic and

noneconomic

immigrants.

Table 5. Selection Factors, as Amended in 1993


A 1

Education 16R 1; v

q x

L Ab 15

O

D

1

Specific Vocational

Preparation (SVP)18 R 15

Ex 8

P Sb 1

D F 1

B F

A

E/

D

E

1

Assisted Relative 5 R

P M 7 R 5

S: G G, 1

v 178 , w

w

v b k

I

, 1 w

j b bw

Pv, ,

w k

C

b ,

D -186,


12/26



5 b 1T w 16 v

w b kw 6/4

w v w

6

, w

4 w

W q,

w v bq

, w Tb 6

8 CIC 7 F F 7 I Ovvw:P T R Cz I C Rv ://www/// /7/x

The result was a

policy decision

in 1996 to strive

for what came to

be known as the

60/40 split in

which immigratio

levels planning

would reflect the

goal of 60 perce

of immigrant

admissions

coming from

the economic

categories, with

the remaining 40

percent drawn

from family

reunification

and refugee

categories.

Table 6. Economic Immigrants as Component of Total Immigration, 1993 to 2003

YearEconomic

ImmigrantsTotal Immigrants Proportion

13 15,66 56,73 41

14 1,31 4,37 456

15 16,63 1,87 51

16 15,37 6,73 555

17 18,351 16,38 54

18 7,11 174,17 56

1 1,51 18,55 575

136, 7,458 5

1 155,718 5,638 61

137,864 ,4 6

3 11,45 1,34 547

S: Cz I C (F F 7)8


13/26

During the 1990s

research by

both academics

and officials

began to point

to evidence that

recent economic

immigrants were

experiencing

more difficulty

integrating into

the Canadian

economy than had

been the case

in the 1970s.


B 1, v , w

w v

w T I A

w w

v I Nvb 16,

Lv Av G

(LRAG) x

w k v

I Db 17,

v , N J Nb: A

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b v:

x w, w wk

w

D 1, b b

b v

w x

C

b 17

A v w

z w x

w C-b wk, b w v

B 1,

w w w

A 18

1 w b

q v ,

D , w

b v b C

C, LRAG w

P, G & Sw, A, 5 T DE W I Pb C: U5 A S B R P S56, S C, A S B

b k I, w w

, ,

b, x k

O

v k b

w

w ,

b v O vk

, w k

T v

LRAG w

b w b 18 W P, B S

F 1 C1 I W

P, v v

T v v

w x ,

, w

, b v

16 I , v ,

- b

b k

w v x w

I, b LRAG -

, W P

b

I w b

k -

,

kw-b C

w b, ,

x k N -

b k w b , w v jb

w v b I

1 CIC B S F 1 C:Nw D I R P L, 18

Preparing for a New Century

4


14/26

The IRPA

selection factors

represent an

almost complete

realization

of a human

capital model

for managing

economic

immigration.



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b bjv ,

v wk C b

T v w z w

I R

P A (IRPA) Tb 7

k

67

IRPA v w

b wk W

b b w

x k (

N O

C v , A, B), w

T jb

I

x

jb, IRPA v,

b T

, w w 5 ,

v w v v q:

v w L

v w w 4

U IRPA b q b

b, b

-

B C ILETS Ab, w

b ,

b b b,

v C

v wk C, w

A bw 1 4

v , w w w

v w 44 b

A b Tb 7, IRPA

z

T

b k q

b w

v jb T

Table 7. Selection Factors in the 2002 Immigration and Refugee Protection Regulations


A 1 A bw 1 4 v

E 5

L Ab 4

Ab 1B bjv ; v

v C

B F

A

E1

P M 67

S: I R P R,


15/26


b, w b 4 bw T w

, w

v , w w v

, w

k w b v

v w- wk A

w

186 13, w w

C

I k wk ( kw

), IRPA v

v I w - IRPA, v b

x z w w kw

v Eb

v bw

v v, v

v xb

b w

b IRPA I, b

v

v w , b

-v

w , v b w w IRPA


16/26

By 2006 some

800,000 people

had applications

pending a

decision; more

than 500,000 of

the applications

were in the

traditional skilled

worker category.



Economic Immigration Post IRPA:

Continuing Malaise5I w IRPA,b k w

, w

,

w : w

, k v v

, k

w w

v C ( x

v w PD) B w

F x, 7, v

z b v

A b b( ) b w

68 v !11 T

k C

v ;

bw v

IRPA

v C v IRPA

A ,

w w

v b C, b

w C w x L

w kw, b

x C, w v

, bw, b b

bk

Processing times and the backlog

W v, bk, w w

w C , b 6

b w

11 S: CIC bwb- N b; w z qk w k v z

B 1

8, ;

5, w

k wk T w q

w - b

v v k

IRPA

q v

q

T b

kb

-IRPA , bw 6, 13 A

w v w z,

bk w O,

, k wk

w v b z, bk

k wk w,

k wk w , w

Tb 8

W b

v qk

v, b , v

w bk T -

k wk v , b

v

bw v

v A w

b w, v

w, b -k

wk k,

w

1 S k b Hb M Sb, z , b H CS C Cz I, M 1,6

13 S A R P, 3 8 Avb: ://www/EGLI//b/x


17/26

Between 1980

and 2000, the

earnings of

immigrant men

fell by 13 percent,

while the earnings

of Canadian-

born men rose

by 10 percent.


B z k wk

x

bk -k wk P

IRPA, w v x

G O

L C

b kw b P-

IRPA, w

x k b

W v

b , k k wk b T

b k

14 S ://www/////x

(z) w

w , j

bw C b w

j -v

Deteriorating immigrant outcomes

B ,

w

, w b

v-b C

T , w w

b b

Cz I C, w

x- , w

w bw C

w 1

18 1

w k

w

T

b 1 w

w, w

w Bw 18 ,

b 13 , w

C-b b 1

E w b 6

, b w

w b w C-b

w15 I 1 w

b v

b B

,

w v 17 w

C-b wk w wv 18 w 85

C I w v

15 P, G & Sw, A, 5 T DE W I Pb C: U5 A S B R P S56, S C, A S B

Table 8. Processing Times in SelectedImmigrant Categories, 2007

Immigrant

Category

Processing time (months)

for 50 percent/80 percent

of cases

A A 1/37

F-Sk

Wk36/68

Qb-Sk

Wk8/15

Pv

N7/11

F C

(

)

5/8

F C

(

)

11/1

S: Cz I C14


18/26

These findings

suggest that

the decline in

the economic

performance of

recent immigran

can be explained

in large part

as the result of

the changing

composition of

immigrant intake



1 w 7 C,

wk16

A w , v

v , v w

v q

w b b q

jb k W ,

x,

q , w

b C I

A,A, S A, w w

W E A

16 Ibid.

b bv w wk x, w x

v w

x U S

E Tk

b x

k A

, w

v C k E F

v v-b C,

x v b b k17

17 A, Ab & Sk, Mk, 4 Ex D E E C IC: 166- A S B R PS 45, S C, A S B


19/26


Foreign credential recognition

A

b b kw b w

v b b,

b

b v A

, b bv,

w k b C

v x

, w b

w b I, v b b

wk b

b C ,

v w

q V qk

: v v

j v

b, v

bw w v v,

w w A b

v , v b 7 w F

C R O (FCRO) w

v x

N bv

v, b

w w v b

vb k

v q b wk C

Growing numbers of provincial nominees

A w , w

LRAG , v

b 1

w v, v

T v b

,

, , b , b

w b

v T w

W b

v w

v , b 5, w bk

k wk b v

, b v

w b

A w Tb ,

v w qk

5 1, ,

17, 7

W b v

w v xb

w w

b IRPA , qk

b v

v v

k wk

Ad Hoc Responses

6

Table 9. Provincial Nominee Admissions, 1999 to 2007

Year 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007

Admissions

(

)

477 1,5 1,74 ,17 4,418 6,88 8,47 13,336 17,5

S: Cz I C (F F 7)


20/26

This trend toward

a two-step

process helped

drive temporary

foreign worker

volumes to recor

levels, and forced

the government

to reallocate

resources from

permanent

immigrant

processing.



T b, b bv,v

, w W

, 7,

w b v

b k wk

b z

Expansion of the Temporary Foreign

Worker program

P ,

C w

wk b,

- z b

k W x

b w C

b w Mx v

Cw Cbb ,

wk jb

w k G w

wk q

w v b b q

C T x, x,

N A F T A

(NAFTA), k

wk wk C (

C U S)

T b wk

C, w

wk C w

, b w

5 ( Tb 1) T

7, w w

8 b, w k b b b

Tw v

wk v T , w

w-k wk

w

A

, , w k bk

k wk F

w ,

b k b v

wk ( wk

k wk

b )

b bb w

w

w U S

v W wk C

w w

b

C U S (

kw B S), 7, v w

w v

wk w

w C, w

w

C T w w-

v wk v

v, v

Table 10. Temporary Foreign Workers in Canada, 1997 to 2007

Year 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007

Admitted 17,1 116,651 11,775 111,16 13,46 11,7 1,848 13,7 165,18

Total 165,755 178,587 187,561 18,64 18,884 1,867 5,481 57,8 3,37

S: Cz I C (F F 7)


21/26

Each of these

measures sought

to respond to one

aspect or another

of the discontents

plaguing the post-

IRPA economic

immigration

program For the

most part, though,

the solutions

addressed only

the symptoms,

not the causes,

of the problems.


v wk ,

z k wk q

Canada Experience Class

I 7 C v

IRPA

w C

Ex C (CEC) A b bv,

w CEC w w

w

, b x

kw R I S

b

I k

w x

k wk , :

F Sk Wk P (FSWP)

b k v

b k

wk FSWP

v b

k k ,

T F Wk P

18

L x

v w , w

v -

b , C v

w bk Mv,

k, k v b

k v w, ,

18 Canada Gazette, V 14, N 3 A , 8

T q w CEC IRPA

Dv w ,

w b wk C

wk w ,

w b

C, CEC v w

I CEC, v

w w b v

w

qv Pv N Qb

T w w b z w 1

, 36 68 q

z k wk Eq ,

CEC w b w v,

, v CEC v,

w b w

w k wk B

k

wk

Impact of the ad hoc responses

E

-IRPA F

, ,

, , b I

, w xb

b k

wk F x, b

Pv N v

, w v, CEC

w w b

v v w vb k wk I

b w , b

wk, w

,

v w

,


22/26



w k wk

T FCRO w

b b w

b

A w v, b

T v, b

v w, w b

w b

bkz k b C

A v wk

v

b

N b b w

w C

z x j

C ,

b z

I x,

b v

v b IRPA w

, v b

vb b v IRPA Ev

k b b v

,

w w

-IRPA


23/26

The most

obvious impact

of the ministerial

instructions

is to return

the Canadian

economic

immigration

program to

its roots.


A CEC b 7 F B,

v b b w

v

b I Fb 8,

b, w

I R

P A T v w

k v

b k T v

w bq

B C-5 w : , IRPA

w q k ;

, w v

w k

, b

w b

Fw B C-5,

Cvv v w,

w w

T v

k wk v Fb7, 8 ( b )

w v

b b T

w b

w b , w

O ,

Pv N, b ,

, ,

w b

F k wk,

b w x

w b

C b k,

38 b

w v

w T

-k (, , ,

) v (

) v

w k (b,

, k)1 A w

v jb , w w

C b wk

,

x, w b v

T bv C

T

k

v

x w

167 ,

O bw

, b C-5,

:

b b b

IRPA B b

b w w

b k w

w IRPA

T b B C-5 x

v b

k Nw

w v qk b ,

,

b T v b Pv

N ,

1 F x ://www///k/-w-

Back to the Future: Bill C-50 and a

Return to Labor Market Driven Criteria7


24/26



w b zw x b O

k

b b b

b A

v Fb 8, w w w

b bj ,

w q

T 8

w b I

, wv, 6, k wk

b Fb 7, 8,

w w Cv w b

D v

b w

q

w

36 68 I k, v

C

, v

w b w b

C , w

k v


25/26

While there is

no doubt that

recent immigrants

face integration

challenges, the

most pressing

issues facing

the system

relate to intake

management

and not the

selection model.


W k v?A k k

v C? A

v

?

T w q T

b C b k

v ;

, v vb w

T vb w

1

1, w b IRPA T j w

, b k FCRO

k v w

W b

,

k

A wv , k

v

k wk T w C-5

O D L b k

C-5

w k wk , w

M I B

w v b w bk

bk P

w

I w

v v

k wk v b

w C-5

A CEC, wk w x

k (NOC , A, B

IRPA k wk)

k v v

b

W w

w v

w C

Pv w v b

C b k,

k x , A x

b k v

v b

w B Hw ,

A b b

,

-

C

I , k

k T

b , b

v

Ov, b

b,

S Hw, L T I ES P Lb Mk O D QM C A IRPP C, V 14, N5 M 8

Conclusion

8


26/26

1744 R STReeT, NW

WAShiNgToN, DC 20009

T: 1 202 745 3886

F: 1 202 265 1662

e: [email protected]

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Documents

Missing the Point(s): The declining fortunes of Canada's economic immigration program