For the most part, Canada performs well in how it reaches out to immigrants compared with other countries. The annual Migration Integration Policy Index (MIPEX), which ranks 31 North American and European counties, places Canada third behind Sweden and Portugal, and just ahead of Finland and the Netherlands. Canada's major weakness, according to the latest MIPEX report, is a large backlog of immigration applications awaiting processing. It also noted that Canada does not extend the right to vote to those in line for citizenship as 18 European countries do.
Although a majority of immigrants who arrived under the Federal Skilled Workers program between 2002 and 2008 said in a survey that their jobs met expectations they had before coming to Canada, 22 per cent said their job experience had been disappointing. Among the factors cited were: the job was not in the desired occupation, foreign education and experience were not recognized, income was less than expected, cultural differences resulted in difficulty adjusting to the new work environment, language barriers and unfamiliarity with organizational structure and culture. Canada cannot afford to have a fifth of skilled workers who immigrate in search of a better life to be dissatisfied and unfulfilled.
Vancouver Sun: We need immigrants to grow our economy
Thomas Huddleston
Policy Analyst, Migration Policy Group
Thomas Huddleston is a policy analyst at the Migration Policy Group, a European think-and-do-tank. He coordinates MPG’s research for European cooperation on national integration policies, including the second and third editions of the Migrant Integration Policy Index (MIPEX) (published in February 2011) and the third edition of the European Commission’s Handbook on Integration.
