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Competing for Immigrants
SUPPLEMENTARY OPINION OF THE BLOC QUÉBÉCOIS TO THE REPORT OF THE STANDING COMMITTEE ON CITIZENSHIP AND IMMIGRATION
From April 13 -25, 2002, three groups of parliamentarians, members of the Standing Committee for Citizenship and Immigration, carried out missions to obtain a more accurate understanding of the work entrusted to bureaucrats from Immigration‑Canada posted abroad, such as their broad responsibilities and capacity to assume them notwithstanding the clearly insufficient resources that they are given to minimize waiting times and ensure that delays are reasonable. The committee report rightly summarizes our opinions and its fifty-three recommendations appear to offer interesting alternatives for solutions that are in accordance with values of openness, equality, and respect for individuals.
The Bloc Québécois considers it appropriate to attach to the report a summary of the meeting held with officials at Immigration-Québec in Paris.
The Paris office currently oversees immigration services for occidental Europe and Israel. Thirty people maintain these services for more than fifty countries. Tunisian and Algerian files are now dealt with in Montreal while those that come from Morocco and Africa processed in Rabat.
Québec’s objective for 2003 is 45 000 immigrants. In Paris alone, in 2002-2003, we expect to approve 6 000 workers, while in 2001-2002, 3 700 selection certificates were issued. The average processing time per file is three months. The cost of a selection certificate (work permit) is $300 and is valid for three years. An interview is required only if the candidate does not obtain a passing score at the initial examination of the application. In reality, one out of every two applicants is interviewed. The validity of certifications and qualifications (study, work) presented by candidates from Western Europe generally requires very little verification.
It is interesting that the Québec Immigration section has been recently confronted by the use of a new selection grid and that it was able to avoid the invidious task of applying the new grid retroactively. In the spirit of justice and in the interests equality, the two grids were used simultaneously. The process was the following: from the effective application date of the new grid, all candidates who had submitted their application using the old grid were first evaluated with the new grid. If they did not qualify, there were automatically re-evaluated with the old grid.
The issue of the promoting immigration to Québec was also brought up at this meeting. It seems that previous strategies put in place are successful. Those aged 20‑35 are the target audience, and since they constitute the majority of internet users, this tool is particularly useful to advertise Québec, land of promise. Further, information meetings are organized in Paris and in other large cities. They speak both to universities and to technical workers and professionals. Attendance at these meetings varies between 60 and 200 people and the majority (70%) are men.
The Bloc Québécois hopes that the québécois example will encourage reflection that will be beneficial to applicants for permanent residence that deserve to be treated with respect and fairness.
Madeleine Dalphond-Guiral
Member of Parliament for Laval-Centre
Bloc Québécois critic for Citizenship and Immigration
June 7, 2002
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