Francophone immigration

Francophone immigration

18 th MINISTERIAL CONFERENCE ON THE CANADIAN FRANCOPHONIE SEPTEMBER 4 AND 5, 2013 WINNIPEG MANITOBA Francophone immigration FOR INFORMATION AND DECISION TAB FPT D Final version (August 9, 2013) RECOMMENDATIONS That the Ministerial Conference on the Canadian Francophonie stays abreast of all immigration-related developments and by identifying, where appropriate, relevant actions for the Conference. That the Conference communicate the results of the commissioned analysis of the impacts of Canadian immigration system reform on Francophone communities, and more specifically, the opportunities stemming from the reform, to the departments responsible for immigration and to other stakeholders. BACKGROUND Immigration is a priority for the Canadian Francophonie. Since 2006, Canada s Immigration system has been undergoing reform, and a series of changes have been announced, mainly for the purpose of aligning labour market needs with immigration efforts. Some changes have a positive impact on Francophone immigration. In accordance with the ministerial mandate established in June 2012 to stay abreast of all developments in Francophone immigration at the federal, provincial and territorial levels and communicate all relevant information on the file during the next ministers meeting, the Francophone Immigration Working Committee undertook a study to analyze the impacts of the announced and planned changes in immigration on Francophone immigration in the Canadian Francophonie. The results of that study will be presented to the ministers by Ronald Bisson, Consultant, with a focus on the impacts and the opportunities arising from the key changes to the Canadian immigration system, especially with respect to Francophone immigration. The new approach by Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) to support Francophone immigration as part of the Roadmap for Canada s Official Languages 2013-2018 will also be the subject of a presentation by CIC Official Languages Champion Les Linklater, Assistant Deputy Minister, Strategic and Program Policy. PAGE 1 OF 9

18 th MINISTERIAL CONFERENCE ON THE CANADIAN FRANCOPHONIE This presentation will explain questions such as the following: o Increase in the proportion of French-speaking economic immigrants settling in Francophone minority communities. o Cooperation with provincial, territorial and community partners to consolidate reception and settlement structures and thereby foster improved integration of immigrants within Francophone communities. The CIC presentation will demonstrate how this new approach lines up with the recent changes in Canada s immigration system (presented by Mr. Bisson). OBJECTIVE Inform the ministers of the changes made to the Canadian immigration system since 2006 through a presentation on the impacts and the opportunities for the Canadian Francophonie. PROPOSED SCENARIO AT THE CONFERENCE This subject will be presented by the Government of New Brunswick Update of Conference proceedings regarding Francophone immigration 5 minutes Synthesis and accomplishments Presentation by Ronald Bisson, consultant, Bisson & associé.e.s - 20 minutes Presenting the facts: overview of the reforms to Canada s immigration system Analysis, opportunities and effects Presentation by Les Linklater, Assistant Deputy Minister, Strategic and Program Policy, Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) 15 minutes CIC s approach to support Francophone immigration as part of the Roadmap for Canada s Official Languages 2013-2018 Discussion among ministers 10 minutes Question: Since the new Roadmap seems to foresee potential direct collaborations in francophone immigration between the federal government and the communities and organizations, how can we work with the federal government to ensure that non-governmental initiatives subsidized by the Roadmap also support provincial strategies relating to francophone immigration? PAGE 2 OF 9

18 th MINISTERIAL CONFERENCE ON THE CANADIAN FRANCOPHONIE CONSIDERATIONS Immigration is still important with respect to maintaining demographic weight for the Canadian population as a whole, as well as for the Canadian Francophonie. Immigration is mainly viewed by the federal government as a recruitment tool for the labour market and is aimed at economic prosperity. On November 16, 2012, the federal, provincial and territorial ministers responsible for immigration met in Toronto and agreed to build an efficient and flexible immigration system to promote economic growth, increase Canada s competitiveness, and respond to regional labour market needs. For some provincial and territorial governments, immigration is still seen as an important tool for maintaining the demographic weight of Francophone minority communities. The Roadmap for Canada s Official Languages 2013 2018: Education, Immigration, Communities makes immigration a top priority, primarily with respect to language training for newcomers, which is considered a key factor for integration. PAGE 3 OF 9

18 th MINISTERIAL CONFERENCE ON THE CANADIAN FRANCOPHONIE BIOGRAPHY Mr. RONALD BISSON Ronald Bisson, BA (Collège universitaire de Saint-Boniface -1971), Education Certificate (Collège universitaire de Saint-Boniface - 1973), MBA (University of Ottawa - 1989). Originally from La Broquerie, Manitoba, Mr. Bisson has lived in Ottawa since 1982. He has been working as a consultant in the private, government, and community sectors since 1989, offering services in strategic planning and organizational capacity building. He has more than 30 years of experience as a volunteer, board member, employee, and manager in various community associations at the local, provincial, and national levels. Over the past 10 years, he has completed about 75 mandates within the Canadian Francophonie, including planning exercises, conducting action research, and evaluating various local, provincial, and national initiatives. Very experienced in group facilitation, he has hosted working sessions for a large number of organizations and governmental institutions all over Canada. PAGE 4 OF 9

18 th MINISTERIAL CONFERENCE ON THE CANADIAN FRANCOPHONIE BIOGRAPHY Mr. LES LINKLATER Les Linklater is the Assistant Deputy Minister for Strategic and Program Policy at Citizenship and Immigration Canada, where he is responsible for overseeing policy and program development related to admissibility, selection, refugees and stakeholder relations as well as corporate planning and information sharing. Prior to this, he held positions in both policy development and service delivery at Citizenship and Immigration and Human Resources Development Canada, including overseas postings as a Foreign Service Officer in Manila and Damascus. PAGE 5 OF 9

Appendix 1 SUMMARY Written by Ronald Bisson et Matthieu Brennan ANALYSIS OF REFORMS TO CANADA S IMMIGRATION SYSTEM AND ITS IMPLICATIONS ON COMMUNITIES OF THE CANADIAN FRANCOPHONIE CONTEXT This purpose of this research was to review all of the changes that have been made to Canada s immigration system since 2006 and to analyze their impact on immigration in the country s Francophone communities. We reviewed all source documents pertaining to the changes made to Canada s immigration system since 2006, including the following: 1. Consolidated Statutes of Canada, published by the Department of Justice of Canada. 2. Official announcements published in the Canada Gazette: 1. Regulations 2. Ministerial instructions 3. Government notices requesting comments 3. Operational bulletins and official news releases of Citizenship and Immigration Canada. We also reviewed the decisions made by federal institutions that have an impact on immigration, including Human Resources and Skills Development Canada, the Canada Border Services Agency, and Public Safety Canada. Two resources accompany this paper and were submitted under separate cover to the Ministerial Conference on the Canadian Francophonie: A document master list showing all of the documents reviewed, and official CIC data on immigration levels by class and by province and territory, from 2001 to 2011. The summary presents an overview, in schematic format, of the immigration reform initiated in 2006 and the authors' analysis of its impact on the country s Francophone communities. PAGE 6 OF 9

OVERVIEW OF IMMIGRATION REFORM SINCE 2006 Reform: Transition from an offer from immigrants to come to Canada to an invitation from Canada to immigrants Reform is based on four pillars: 1. Economy 2. Efficiency 3. Authorization or accreditation 4. Public security Budget Act 2008: The Minister of CIC can make changes to policies and programs by order: ministerial instructions Two ways to enter Canada 1. Permanent residents Economic Class Immigrants: 1. Federal Skilled Worker Program 2. Quebec-selected Skilled Workers 3. Canadian Experience Class 4. Business Immigration Program 5. Provincial Nominee Program 6. Live-in Caregiver Program Family Class Immigrants: 1. Spouses, partners, and children 2. Parents and grandparents Protected Persons Class: 1. Government-assisted Refugees 2. Privately Sponsored Refugees 3. Protected Persons in Canada 4. Dependents Abroad of Protected Persons in Canada Humanitarian and Compassionate Grounds/Public Policy New mandatory conditions for eligibility 1. Speak one of the two official languages 2. Have a diploma equivalent to a Canadian educational credential New system: Pool of Expression of Interest 2. Temporary residents 1. Visitors 2. Temporary foreign workers 3. Foreign students PAGE 7 OF 9

CHANGES WITH A MAJOR IMPACT ON COMMUNITIES OF THE CANADIAN FRANCOPHONIE 1. Maintaining the federal government's commitment: target of 250,000 immigrants a year 2. Target for French-speaking immigrants in communities of the Canadian Francophonie by 2023: 4.4%, or some 9,000 to 10,000 a year Economic Immigration Skilled Workers 1. Pool of Expression of Interest (end of 2014) 2. FPT Shared Vision (November 2012 statement) 3. Immigrant selection by employers and governments 4. Classification of applicants New Points System (67 out of 100) 1. Official language (mandatory) 2. Education, including Canadian equivalency (mandatory) 3. Age 4. Work experience 5. Arranged employment Provincial Nominee Program 1. Economic immigration 2. Transition from temporary to permanent residents (employees and students) through PNP up to 80% in some provinces Class Established by Ministerial Instruction 1. No more than 5 years 2. 2,750 applications a year Humanitarian 1. Commitment 25,000 a year 2. Federal sponsorship increases from 12,500 to 14,000 a year 3. Tightening rules 6. Adaptability PAGE 8 OF 9

AUTHORS ANALYSIS Our conclusion: The reform of Canada s immigration system will have a positive effect overall on Canada s Francophone communities. Communities will need to adapt. 1. Communities will have to switch from a reactive approach to the reception and settlement of immigrants who go to organizations and institutions within the community to a proactive approach to implementing new strategies abroad and in Canada. 2. Reform will shift the work of communities from a sectoral basis (education, economy, health, settlement) to a geographic basis (municipality, town or village, region, depending on the case), which will make the role of Francophone immigration support networks more important. 3. The Canadian Francophonie in targeted countries will have to have a higher profile to increase the number of potential Frenchspeaking immigrants who join the expression of interest pool and want to settle in provinces with an Anglophone majority; hence the increased importance of Destination Canada and pre-departure services. 4. Francophone, bilingual, and Anglophone employers, the provinces and territories, and Francophone post-secondary institutions will be the driving forces that must be mobilized in order to increase the number of French-speaking immigrants who settle in Canada s Francophone communities. 5. We can predict, in four to eight years: a. a substantial decline in language training; b. an increase in specialization, professionalization, and accreditation of service provider organizations; c. the introduction of a case management and voucher system enabling immigrants to access services according to their needs; d. the establishment of Francophone non-profit organizations and private businesses authorized to provide immigrants with advice, recruit skilled and temporary workers, and offer settlement services to refugees; e. an increase in the selection of immigrants heading for Francophone communities in Canada through arranged employment offers. PAGE 9 OF 9