Voies vers la prospérité: Canada

Canadian universities say they are being hamstrung by a law that was intended to clamp down on immigration scammers. Bill C-35 was first titled the Cracking Down on Crooked Consultants Act. It banned unauthorized people from acting as “immigration consultants” to prey on people looking for a way into Canada. Though the bill was passed two years ago, it was only in May that universities received the final edict that it also applies to them. That means university staff cannot advise international students on matters like applying for a visa, work permit or permanent residence.

http://thechronicleherald.ca/novascotia/1145194-universities-immigration-law-hurts-enrolment

Les activités des quinze plus grands centres de traitement des visas du Canada à l’étranger seront paralysées, lundi. Les agents du service étranger, dont les diplomates canadiens, font un coup d’éclat après des mois de conflit avec le gouvernement fédéral. Les diplomates en grève ont décidé d’augmenter leurs moyens de pression, après qu’une tentative d’obtenir un arbitrage exécutoire avec le gouvernement fédéral eut échoué vendredi. L’Association professionnelle des agents du service extérieur a accusé le président du Conseil du trésor, Tony Clement, de négocier de mauvaise foi en insistant sur six conditions préalables avant d’accepter l’arbitrage exécutoire.

http://www.rcinet.ca/fr/2013/07/29/greve-dans-les-centres-de-traitement-des-visas-du-canada-a-letranger/

Le député provincial d’Ottawa-Centre, également ministre du travail, Yasir Naqvi, a officialisé une subvention de 119 000 $ de la Fondation Trillium pour le Fonds d’emprunt communautaire d’Ottawa (FECO). Cette subvention étalée sur deux ans permettra à l’organisme de poursuivre sa mission pour les nouveaux arrivants. À savoir des prêts à court terme pour des individus et des groupes proposant des concepts d’entreprise dignes d’intérêt et possédant déjà une certaine expérience de travail au Canada. «Cette subvention de la Fondation Trillium élargira leur champ d’action dans diverses communautés culturelles. Elle améliorera aussi les possibilités de travail indépendant pour de nombreux nouveaux résidents d’Ottawa», a fait savoir l’élu d’Ottawa-Centre.

http://www.expressottawa.ca/Actualites/2013-07-29/article-3332033/Une-subvention-de-119-000-$-pour-le-FECO/1

Britain’s Home Office confirmed Monday it will demand a 3,000-pound ($4,740) refundable bond for visas for “high-risk” visitors from six of its former colonies in Africa and Asia — a pilot scheme that has brought warnings at home and abroad that it will damage trade. Britain said in a statement Monday that it will go ahead with the pilot scheme despite the outrage, charges of discrimination and warnings of retaliation. […] For now, the targeted countries are Nigeria, Ghana, India, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka. Government data shows citizens of those countries applied for more than half a million visas last year. […] The Home Office said it hopes the bond system deters overstaying of visas and recovers costs of foreign nationals using public services like hospitals and schools.

http://www.cbc.ca/news/world/story/2013/07/29/britain-visas-africa.html

Ontario’s human rights tribunal has ordered a migrant worker to be paid $23,500 in damages after ruling he suffered racial abuse while working at a greenhouse in Leamington, Ont. The tribunal found that Adrian Monrose, a St. Lucian migrant worker who came to Canada under the Seasonal Agricultural Workers Program in 2009, was subjected to racist slurs while working for Double Diamond Acres Ltd. The tribunal found Monrose was fired and sent back to St. Lucia shortly after complaining about the racist comments he received from a supervisor. […] Monrose returned to Canada in 2010, he says solely to make this complaint.

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/windsor/story/2013/07/29/wdr-migrant-worker-human-rights-damages-awarded.html

Canadian foreign-service officers are poised to withdraw services at 15 embassies worldwide starting Monday in the most substantial action the union has taken since the dispute first began. As of Sunday evening, the foreign-service officers union had already shut down services at embassies that process thousands of visas for visitors, temporary employees and students, Timothy Edwards, president of the Professional Association of Foreign Service Officers, told Postmedia News. […] Meanwhile, Citizenship and Immigration Canada said it is prioritizing “urgent humanitarian visa applications” as the department monitors the labour situation. Alexis Pavlich, press secretary for Citizenship and Immigration Minister Chris Alexander, wrote in an email that all visa offices keep essential staff to deal with such “essential” services.

http://www.windsorstar.com/news/national/Foreign+service+workers+walk+Canadian+embassies+around+globe/8718734/story.html