The Quiet Shift in Canadian Immigration Policy St. Christopher House Staff Assembly November 6, 2009

The Global Forum on Migration and Development

World Governments Bilateral agreements, temporary migration (“circular migration”, ex. Canada’s SAWP) Flexible labour, limited social costs Remittances (World employers)

The Shift From permanent migration to temporary migration “Permanent migration has constituted the cornerstone of Canadian immigration policy since Confederation.” (Ravi Pendakur: 2001)

Canada: major waves of permanent migration  1940s-50s: European immigration, family reunification  1960s-1970s: Labour-force requirements and family reunification **1962

Permanent Residency vs. Temporary Labour Migration Mobility Family Reunification Full protection under the Charter Path to citizenship/political participation *versus employer-tied work permits

The Numbers, 1980-present YearSkilled Workers Employment Authorizations ,74529, ,45369, ,350126, ,22775, ,92097, ,569102, ,522134,784

2006: Institutionalizing the Shift Expansion of Temporary Foreign Worker Program  Beyond agriculture and live-in care sectors  “Occupations Under Pressure”  Shortages claimed by employers, provincial and federal governments (unions not invited)

Excluded Underemployed and unemployed workers already in Canada  Youth  Women  Internationally-trained landed immigrants and refugees  Workers with disabilities

Temporary Migration as Path to Permanent Residency Budget 2007: To ensure that Canada retains the best and brightest with the talents, skills and knowledge to meet rapidly evolving labour market demands, the Government will introduce a new avenue to immigration by permitting, under certain conditions, foreign students with a Canadian credential and skilled work experience, and skilled temporary foreign workers who are already in Canada, to apply for permanent residence without leaving the country. Recent international graduates from Canadian post-secondary institutions with experience and temporary foreign workers with significant skilled work experience have shown that they can succeed in Canada, that they have overcome many of the traditional barriers to integration, and that they have formed attachments to their communities and jobs. (Department of Finance Canada: 2007, 218, emphasis added)

2008 June: change of Immigration and Refugee Protection Act through Budget bill August: Canada Experience Class November: 38 Occupations Prioritized

Resources and Decision Making Shift from public determination to private Shift away from processing permanent residency applications filed first come, first serve (900,000+ backlog) Shift away from family reunification

Temporary Migration as Path to Permanent Residency YearInitial Entry, Live-in Caregivers Permanent Residents, Live- in Caregivers 20035,1102, ,7412, ,2213, ,3873, ,8403,433

Overall Retention Rate Only 10, 043 temporary live-in caregivers, out of 19, 072 became permanent residents, = 52.7% (28%)

Missing Numbers? Deported Undocumented Forever “temporary”

Building Society?

Building Citizenship and Labour Force: Permanent Migration

Employer-demands vs. Long Term Needs permanent residency and family reunification to build citizenship and labour force in Canada adequate resources for settlement and labour force integration human development as basis for Canadian trade, investment, and international development assistance policies

Question for all Canadians Canada is a country which has struggled to come to pride itself on values of equality and pluralism. Do we want to keep striving for people-oriented development, or do we want to become a conflicted society like the USA: increasingly dependent on the use of migrant workers coupled with intensifying racism and social tension?