It's time to reduce backlog facing skilled immigrants

Recent immigrants to Canada often lament the lack of opportunities afforded newcomers on arrival to this so-called promised land.

Many end up working in non-skilled, low-paying jobs just to make ends meet and the Canadian dream quickly turns into a perpetuating nightmare. Are we comfortable with the fact that most new immigrants live below the poverty line?

Demographic statistics reveal a troubling reality for economic growth in Canada.

Immigration accounts for 70 per cent of labour force growth and will account for 100 per cent labour force growth by 2011.

With a birth rate of just 1.5 children per woman - an all-time low - Canadian society is already beginning to feel the impact of a withering population. (A healthy replacement birth rate is 2.1 children per woman.)

Ontario's Ministry of Education predicts that, by 2010, elementary and secondary school enrollment will drop by nearly 100,000 students from 2002 numbers.

The lack of skilled workers - and workforce members at any skill level - is expected to reach a shortfall of 1.2 million by 2020.

With most of the industrialized world facing the same shortage, a massive increase in immigration is necessary to counter the population loss.

Last week, the federal government introduced reforms to the country's immigration policy.

While the opposition parties predictably criticized the proposed changes, suggesting the government is closing the doors to immigrants, nothing could be further from the truth. In fact, the amendments will make it easier for deserving applicants to come to Canada and are aimed at ensuring this country continues to welcome skilled immigrants at increased levels for years to come.

The amendments will be brought forward in the government's upcoming budget implementation bill. If passed, the changes will include:

allowing the minister to cap the backlog of potential immigrants and cut off applications if the queue gets too long (some now wait up to six years to be processed).

The law would give the minister the power to set the number of applications, by type, processed in any year (allowing the minister to fast-track skilled immigrants over those applying on grounds of family reunification).

For our national immigration strategy to be effective, it must first and foremost meet the needs of this country. There will always be room for admission on compassionate grounds, but overall, the new policy will aim to fast track skilled immigrants now waiting up to six years for applications to be processed.

Immigration policy must be treated as an investment plan for the future of Canada, rather than simply putting pressure on already stretched social programs. At present, non-skilled immigrants account for more than half of the current intake.

According to Statistics Canada, immigrants admitted in 1970 were earning the same income (and paying the same taxes) as their Canadian-born colleagues by 1980. Yet those admitted in 1990, were at just 80 per cent of Canadian-born earnings 10 years after their arrival. Why is this happening? The future of this country depends on closing this gap and ensuring newcomers can live the "dream" they were promised by immigration recruiters. These domestic issues and the solutions to this discrepancy, need to be front and centre for governments at all levels.

In the late 1980s, immigrants became net economic consumers rather than net economic contributors. Family reunification considerations contributed to a decline in the quality of economic immigrants.

In 2007, 430,000 temporary and permanent residents were admitted to Canada, an increase of 60,000 from 2003.

We need immigrants not only as salvation for a looming labour crisis, but also as taxpayers who can help sustain social programs and build a more prosperous Canada for everyone into the future.

This country has a long way to go in ensuring skilled immigrants find meaningful work once in Canada and that should be an immediate and primary focus of any immigration strategy.