Canada has joined with other Western countries in condemning Iran's crackdown on dissidents, many of them scholars, artists and writers.

But about 500 Iranian-born Canadians have signed a petition to Ottawa's political leaders protesting what they say is worsening discrimination against Iranians who want to visit Canada, some of them internationally known dissidents on the blacklist of the regime.

"It makes no sense to deny visas to people who are moderates, and want to bring that message to Canada," said Saeed Soltanpour, host of the Glass Ceiling program on Iranian Television Canada. "Those people shouldn't feel that they are being left alone."

In a phone interview from Tehran, Ottawa's chargé d'affaires James Carrick said suspicions that Iranian visa-seekers have fallen victim to a backlash from the two countries' political tensions were unfounded, adding there was no policy to exclude Iranians from Canada.

Ottawa's ambassador to Tehran was expelled last year after Canada rejected Iranian candidates for ambassador to Ottawa. That followed years of wrangling over political and human rights concerns.

"There has been no change in our (visa) policy," Carrick said. "It's my understanding that in the past two years the approval rate for visas has increased."

Immigration officials say that each case is examined on its merits, and they must be confident those granted visas will return to their countries.

Those rejected received form letters saying that officials were "not satisfied" they would go back to Iran – a statement that leaves many puzzled.

Mohamad Tavakoli-Targhi, of the University of Toronto, who organized one of the world's largest gatherings of Iranian scholars in Toronto last July, said "the difficulty in securing visas this year was unprecedented," in spite of efforts to smooth the way by meeting with Canadian officials and travelling to Iran.

Only a minority of several hundred Iranian artists and intellectuals invited to other Toronto events this summer were granted visas, Soltanpour said.

One rejected applicant, Hasan Yousefi Eshkevari, is a prominent clerical reformer who planned to lecture on democracy and women's rights. And, said Soltanpour, the Canadian embassy has failed to return his passport.

Citizenship and Immigration Canada said it would look into his case.

Another, Mohsen Namjou – known as Iran's Bob Dylan – had his Toronto concert cancelled when the popular performer was denied a visa.

Speaking from Tehran, Mahmood Schricker of the Toronto-based Small World Music organization, said it was "the first time in eight years" that the government-supported performing arts group had an Iranian artist's visa application turned down. Namjou was later admitted to the U.S., Schricker said.

Relatives of Iranian Canadians, and prospective students, have also been barred from visiting Canada, a situation that sparked the "anti-discrimination" petition backed by Liberal MPP Reza Moridi (Richmond Hill), himself an Iranian-Canadian.

The petition calls visa refusals "arbitrary," and claims that those turned down on the grounds of "limited ties to Iran" have increased since 2004. It calls for an investigation of "any violations of human rights."

Relations between Canada and Iran have been rocky since former Canadian ambassador Ken Taylor helped to rescue a group of Americans from Tehran during the 1979-81 hostage crisis. They worsened with the 2003 murder of Montreal photojournalist Zahra Kazami, who died in custody in an Iranian jail.

Human rights groups have long argued for more open visa regulations in Western countries to allow Iranians better contact with the West, increasing their exposure to democratic societies. But Iran's poor international image, and its ongoing confrontations over its nuclear program, have lowered expectations that would happen soon.

The Honourable Diane Finley, Minister of Citizenship and Immigration, today announced that certain temporary foreign workers and students can start applying for permanent residence under the Canadian Experience Class starting September 17, 2008.

“With the Canadian Experience Class fully in place, Canada will be more competitive in attracting and retaining individuals with the skills we need,” said Minister Finley. “It, along with other recent improvements to modernize the immigration system, will go a long way in bringing Canada in line with its global competitors while further spreading the benefits of immigration into smaller centres across Canada.”

The Canadian Experience Class is a new avenue of immigration for certain temporary foreign workers and foreign student graduates with professional, managerial and skilled work experience. Unlike other programs, the Canadian Experience Class allows an applicant’s experience in Canada to be considered a key selection factor when immigrating to Canada.

The final implementation of the Canadian Experience Class reflects what was originally proposed on August 9, 2008. The main difference is that those who have left Canada, but otherwise meet the requirements as workers or graduates, will be eligible to apply provided they do so within one year of leaving their job in Canada. Under the proposal, CIC had suggested that applicants would be required to have temporary resident status and be present in Canada to be eligible to apply. The Government of Canada has since chosen to cast a wider net to avoid missing those with the Canadian experience we want, through residency restrictions.

The final regulations for the Canadian Experience Class will be published in the Canada Gazette.

The Honourable Diane Finley, Minister of Citizenship and Immigration, announced today a pilot project that will centralize the intake of applications from prospective immigrants applying under the federal skilled worker category.

With funding provided in the 2008 budget, which set aside $109 million to help meet the growing demand for permanent and temporary immigration, a centralized intake office will be established at CIC’s Case Processing Centre in Sydney, Nova Scotia. Over 30 additional staff will eventually be hired and trained. The centre will begin reviewing applications in October.

“In order to get the people we need to this country, we need to process applications faster,” said Minister Finley. “This pilot is one of several measures we are taking to help reduce wait times overall. By centralizing the intake of federal skilled worker applications, we are alleviating some of the workload in our overseas visa offices. This allows visa officers to focus more on processing applications.

“In addition to improving the way we process applications, this centre will create new jobs in Nova Scotia,” the Minister added. “This is a win situation for Nova Scotians, for Canadians and for prospective immigrants.”

CIC will evaluate the effectiveness of this pilot after 18 months and will adjust as necessary. The Department is also taking other measures to reduce wait times and address the immigration backlog. These measures include sending more staff to help out in areas around the world where wait times are the longest, redistributing work from busy to less busy visa offices, and reconfirming the interest of the applicants who have been waiting the longest.

Mr. Ramin Asadi will be in Tehran office to meet with applicant from September 28, 2008 (7 Mehr) for two weeks.
To book an appointment, please call 021-88661277.

آقاي رامین اسدی از تاريخ 28 سپتامبر 2008 (7 مهر ماه) به مدت دو هفته براي مشاوره و پاسخگويي به متقاضيان مهاجرت به کانادا در ايران حضور دارند.

براي گرفتن وقت مشاوره با دفتر ما در تهران 88661277 تماس بگيريد.

More Canadian immigrants are choosing to move to smaller cities rather than the economic hubs of Vancouver, Montreal and Toronto, reports the Canada Immigration Newsletter.
Statistics released from Citizenship and Immigration Canada show that a considerable amount of people are immigrating to small and mid-sized cities.

In 2007, the number of people moving to Charlottetown increased by 73 per cent on the previous year, while Saskatoon welcomed 40 per cent more immigrants over the same period. In Moncton, immigration numbers increased by 31 per cent, and Alberta revelled in a massive 93 per cent increase in overseas migrants.

Citizenship and Immigration Canada said the shifting pattern in Canadian immigration is in part due to the Provincial Nomination Program (PNP) which focuses on attracting immigrants to regional parts of the country.

According to the news provider, studies have shown that immigrants have a more successful integration to society if they move to smaller towns or cities, where unemployment rates are lower, incomes are higher, and there is less demand for housing.

The regional areas of Canada have been welcoming the influx of immigrants because of the economic and cultural benefits; there has been a country-wide need for overseas workers to work in specialised occupations in the Canadian workforce because of a growing skills shortage.

According to Citizenship and Immigration Canada Minister Diane Finley, details on how the government will prioritize skilled worker applications are to be revealed in early Autumn.

The changes come as a result of amendments to Canada's Immigration and Refugee Act (IRPA) which came into law in June of 2008. The amendments give Canada's immigration minister the ability to prioritize the processing of Canadian immigration applications based on the country's 'socio-economic' needs.

Priority processing is expected to affect applications under Canada's federal skilled worker category received on or after 27 February 2008. Previously, applications in the federal skilled worker category were processed on a 'first-come-first-serve' basis.

While little is known about what criteria will govern the fast-tracking of skilled migrant applications, Finley noted that Canada as a whole is facing shortages in the medical, financial, and IT sectors.

Canada's federal skilled worker category is a points based system similar to schemes used by Australia and the UK. It assessed applicants based on criteria such as age, education, and work experience.

Canada’s government to help temporary foreign workers and foreign student graduates become permanent residents
Waterloo, August 12, 2008 — The Honourable Diane Finley, Minister of Citizenship and Immigration, today announced the details of the Canadian Experience Class, a proposed new avenue for immigration for certain temporary foreign workers and foreign student graduates with Canadian work experience. Unlike other existing programs, this proposal will allow an applicant’s Canadian experience to be considered a key selection factor when immigrating to Canada.

The Canadian Experience Class will allow certain temporary foreign workers and certain foreign student graduates with managerial, professional, or technical or trade work experience to apply to become permanent residents, and eventually Canadian citizens. All applicants, depending on their occupational skill level, will be required to demonstrate either basic or moderate language skills. Proposed regulatory changes have been pre-published in the Canada Gazette for a 15-day comment period. Final regulatory changes will be published following this comment period.

“The Canadian Experience Class is one more measure this government is proposing to make our immigration system more attractive and accessible to individuals with diverse skills from around the world, and more responsive to Canada’s labour market needs,” said Minister Finley. “This new proposed avenue for immigration would also go further to spread the benefits of immigration into smaller centres across Canada.”

Temporary foreign workers and foreign students are generally spread out across the country and contribute to the growth of smaller communities as well as metropolitan areas. Individuals applying for permanent residence through this new avenue could apply from within Canada while continuing to work and continuing to contribute to their local communities.

The Canadian Experience Class comes after a number of recent initiatives the government has undertaken to help newcomers succeed and to help make Canada a more attractive destination for skilled individuals from around the world. These initiatives include changes to the Post-Graduation Work Permit Program; the establishment of the Foreign Credentials Referral Office; increased investments in language training and other programs and services aimed at helping newcomers successfully settle and integrate into their new communities; and, most recently, changes to the immigration system that would allow for priority processing of certain skilled applicants and reduced wait times for those wanting to immigrate to Canada.

Through the Canadian Experience Class, newcomers will be more likely to make the most of their abilities while undergoing a more seamless social and economic transition to Canada. And, in turn, their cultural and economic contributions will enrich Canada.

“Choosing newcomers based on knowledge of our labour market and experience within Canadian society would make Canada a more attractive destination for skilled individuals from around the world,” added Minister Finley. “International students and skilled workers would be more likely to choose Canada if they knew their time in Canada and contribution to Canadian society would assist in their eligibility to apply to stay permanently.”

بر اساس قانون جدید مهاجرت ، دانشجویانی که هم اکنون در کانادا تحصیل می کنند و سایر افرادی که با ویزای موقت مشغول کار هستند، می توانند می توانند پس از دو سال تحصیل یا کار، جهت اخذ ویزای دائم، از داخل کشور، تقاضا کنند.
خانم دایان فینلی، وزیر مهاجرت و شهروندی امروز با اعلام این مطلب افزود، این برنامه از اکتبر امسال و در راستای جذب بیشتر نیروهای متخصص خارجی به اجرا در می آید.
برای اینگونه افراد ، تجربه کار و حضور در کانادا، می تواند به عنوان امتیاز ویژه در هنگام درخواست ، مد نظر قرار گیرد.
این درحالیست که مطابق قانون قبلی، همه افراد مقیم موقت، برای درخواست مهاجرت می بایست از خارج از کانادا اقدام می کردند.
از سوی دیگر "برنامه تجربه کانادایی" یا Canadian Experience Class Program به فارغ التحصیلان خارج از کانادا ، اجازه می دهد از این پس همزمان با ادامه کار یا تحصیل در این کشور، به کسب مجوزهای لازم بازار کار بپردازد.
برخی از رشته ها و تخصص هایی که از طریق این برنامه می توانند اقدام کنند عبارتند از: محققین،مدیران مالی و بازرگانی،حسابداران، ریاضی دانان، مهندسین، داروسازان، پزشکان و پرستاران دارای مجوز، تکنسین های مهندسی،تکنسین های علوم پزشکی، طراحان و گرافیست ها، لوله کش ها و نجارها.
دولت کانادا معتقد است در صورت استفاده از کسانی که به نوعی با بازار کار کانادا آشنا هستند، سرعت جذب و رشد آنها بیشتر می شود.
آنان پیش بینی کرده اند ، افرادی که از این طریق مشغول بکار می شوند ، در مدت 10 سال اولیه می توانند درآمد خود را به بیش از 60 هزار دلار در سال برسانند، این درحالیستکه درآمد مهاجران عادی طی این مدت ، حداکثر به 42 هزار دلار در سال می رسند.
مخالفین که عمدتا از حزب نئو دمکرات هستند ، به دلیل اینکه در این طرح کارگران کم سواد ساختمانی و فنی و همچنین کشاورزان نادیده گرفته شده اند ، آن را ناعادلانه می دانند. هم اکنون 165 هزار کارگر موقت در کانادا مشغول بکار هشتند که 90 درصد آنها، افراد کم سواد هستند.

کمبود شدید کادر بهداشتی درمانی در سراسر کانادا باعث می شود ، جهت گیری پذیرش مهاجر به سمت متخصصین رشته های علوم پزشکی سوق یابد.
چدیدترین لیست منتشره از سوی سازمان توسعه منابع انسانی کانادا (HRSDC) ، با عنوان " مشاغل منطقه ای تحت فشار" نشان می دهد که تمامی شغل های مرتبط با بهداشت و درمان و بویژه پرستاری ، مورد نیاز شدید تمامی ایالت هاست.
این گزارش می تواند به عنوان مبنای تصمیم گیری برای چگونگی پذیرش مهاجر طی سال جاری قرار گیرد.
بر اساس قانون جدید مهاجرت که خردادماه گذشته به تصویب پارلمان کانادا رسید ، وزارت مهاجرت و شهروندی این کشور، مختار است ، متناسب با نیاز بازار کار کانادا به رشته های خاص، متخصصین متقاضی مهاجرت در آن حوزه را سریعتر جذب کند.
این تصمیم شامل کسانی خواهد شد که بعد از 27 فوریه 2008 تشکیل پرونده داده باشند.
گزارش HRSDC پس از مطالعه و بررسی 10 سال وضعیت بهداشت و درمان کانادا تهیه شده و نشان می دهد، در همه سال های مذکور، میزان نیروهای مورد نیاز، از استاندارد ملی کمتر بوده است.
از جمله رشته هایی که بیش از بقیه مورد تأکید قرار گرفته می توان به پزشکان عمومی و متخصص، فیزیوتراپ و شغل های مرتبط، پرستار و سرپرستار اشاره کرد.
برخی دیگر از رشته هایی که کمبود آن اعلام شده عبارتند از: بهیار و کمک پرستار، تکنسین شنوایی، تکنسین فیزیوتراپی و تکنسین رادیولوژی
روند رو به رشد نیازمندی کشور به حدی است که اخیرا ، انجمن پزشکی کانادا از نیاز فوری به حداقل 26،000 پزشک و 20،000 پرستار یاد کرده است.
افزایش جمعیت از یک سو و توسعه برنامه های بهداشت عمومی دولتی ، بازنشستگی سریع کارمندان این حوزه و عدم توانایی دانشگاه های کشور نسبت به تربیت نیروی مورد نیاز از سوی دیگر ، موجب بروز بحران در این بخش شده است.
این درحالیست که کانادا قوانین سختی برای پذیرش مدارک پزشکی اخذ شده در خارج از این کشور دارد و متقاضیان می بایست چندین نوع امتحان و دوره ویژه را برای گرفتن مجوز طبابت یا پرستاری طی کنند.
انتظار می رود وزارت مهاجرت همزمان با اجرای این طرح ، تسهیلاتی را نیز برای جذب سریعتر متخصصین در بازار کار تأمین کند.
اخیرا وزارت بهداشت ایالت انتاریو اجازه داد فارغ التحصیلان پزشکی دانشگاه های امریکا و کشورهای مستعمره بریتانیا، بتوانند همزمان با شروع کار عملی ، طی 5 سال خود را با استاندارد های کانادا تطبیق دهند.
کارشناسان پیش بینی کرده اند، به این ترتیب احتمال دارد مدت زمان انتظار متقاضیان مهاجرت در رشته های علوم پزشکی برای اخذ ویزا به یک سال یا کمتر کاهش یابد.