I totally agree that the point system fails.
Canada is not looking for skilled workers, it is looking for anyone can do job as long as young. And the size of labor market for skilled workers is respectively smaller than the one in States.
But Canada wants to choose "highly educated" people from developing countries, like China and India. At the same time, it protects the jobs for Canadian licensed professionals and forces immigrants to do something else.
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Suing Ottawa
One couple in Alberta is determined to take on Canada's failing immigration system. Prem and Nessa Premakumaran are suing the federal government, accusing Canada of wooing professionals like themselves under false pretences.
Now living in Edmonton, Prem and Nessa were educated in the United Kingdom and worked for 20 years in London, England, in accounting and office administration before emigrating to Canada.
They claim that during their interview at the Canadian High Commission they were told they would have no trouble finding work in their fields given their experience and qualifications. Today, they complain, that they were sold a bill of goods.
"If they are looking for slaves to do the jobs, menial jobs, they should advertise they are looking, Canada is looking for slaves to do the menial jobs," complains Prem.
Since coming to Canada, it's been a constant struggle for Prem and Nessa to support their young family. In spite of their global experience and a booming Alberta economy, no one would hire them.
Instead of working in finance and office administration, the Premakumarans have been forced to take whatever jobs they could get to survive, cleaning hotel rooms and offices.
At one point Prem was even forced to shovel snow in front of Canada Place to make ends meet.
Ontario condemns federal immigration
So what's wrong? Ontario's Minister of Citizenship and Immigration Michael Colle blames a federal visa system that is out of touch with the reality of the job market. Colle says the federal point system gives priority to people with academic credentials regardless of whether there is work for them.
"The immigration system in Canada is broken," Colle told W-FIVE in an interview. "It's like inviting someone for dinner to your home and you basically feed them crumbs.
"The problem is that we in Ontario may need welders, we need construction workers, we need truck drivers. So the point system doesn't do you any good if you're a truck driver who wants to come to Canada from Romania. Yet if you're a PhD from Bucharest you'll probably get in but you may not get work but if you're a truck driver you get to work immediately. Well, then the point system isn't working? That's an understatement."
Bad news spreading fast
Our reputation as a nation that welcomes the world is at stake. And the bad news about how tough things can be for skilled newcomers in Canada is spreading fast -- via the Internet, messages posted by disappointed, highly technical immigrants who are plugged into the global marketplace.
A recent online article out of New Delhi warns "Far from being the El Dorado of repute, for many immigrants Canada has emerged as a land of unmitigated disaster. From rampant discrimination to hidden booby traps, Indians have been forced into an economic quagmire, having to settle for a dead end job."
