March 2, 2006
WE NEED THEM MORE THAN THEY NEED US:
Many skilled immigrants aren't staying (NICHOLAS KEUNG, 3/02/06, Toronto Star)
One in six male immigrants leaves Canada for better opportunities elsewhere within the first year of arrival, and those most likely to emigrate are the cream of the crop: businessmen and skilled workers.Those findings are part of a Statistics Canada report released yesterday, the first national study to get a firm handle on the extent of out-migration and "brain drain" among the country's new arrivals. Anecdotal evidence for several years has suggested immigrants are leaving in droves because they can't land suitable jobs in Canada.
Experts say the findings highlight the need for an integrated approach that focuses not only on selecting the right immigrants but also on keeping them by matching them with suitable opportunities.
"The people who are leaving the country are true migrants. They move by choice for pure economic reasons," said Jean Lock Kunz, associate project director of Policy Research Initiative, an Ottawa-based think-tank.
"In our global economy, there is a greater movement of people and businesses. We are going to see more and more people moving in and out. Every country will be competing for skilled workers. The key to keep them here is to match them up with the needs of the labour market, so they have a reason to stay."
Countries achieve the nativist dream of slowing immigration by killing their own economies, which is why it goes hand in hand with protectionism. Posted by Orrin Judd at March 2, 2006 8:18 AM
This part of the statement is true: "In our global economy, there is a greater movement of people and businesses. We are going to see more and more people moving in and out.
Every country will be competing for skilled workers."
However, this part is badly off: "The key to keep them here is to match them up with the needs of the labour market, so they have a reason to stay." Why? What leads them to stay is that therre is a dynamic business environment which offers wealth producing opportunity geater than any competitor. The "needs of the labor market" are real, but the person with capabilities will refuse to meet those needs if better alternatives exist. It's the shift in who now has the leverage that confuses people.
Posted by: Luciferous at March 2, 2006 11:49 AM"Experts say the findings highlight the need for an integrated approach that focuses not only on selecting the right immigrants but also on keeping them by matching them with suitable opportunities."
I couldn't agree more. However,I don't think "nativists" are trying to stem the flood of Mexican rocket scientists.
I would have thought keeping five out of six was a pretty good record. Ever spent a winter up here?
Among Hong Kong immigrants, which we have lots of, it is very common to establish residency and then return home, leaving the family here and spending just enough time here each year to keep the qualification alive. Security for the future. This may be why the study is about "male immigrants". What other reason would there be for such a distinction?
Posted by: Peter B at March 2, 2006 12:50 PMThis is nothing new w/ Candian immigration. Living in working class areas of Chicago for more than 60 years I have seen this apply to different group of Europeans in waves. The rules for entry to Canada were easier to meet so get to Canada then get to the US.
The following is entirely from first hand knowledge. Late 1940's best friends family from Italy, got to Toranto then Chicago, Cleveland and NY. The Berger family with French relatives who survived the Nazi get to Quebec then get to Chicago; Serbs families from South Chicago, get to Halifax and start buying the train tickets to Gary, Whiting, and Chicago; my daughter-in-law's family from Croatia get to the cousin in Winnipeg and then head South. The only open easily entry to the US I saw in the 1950's were the Hungarian refugees from the 1956 revolt.
They need to ask themselves why a hunger energetic go-getter would want to work himself hard in order to provide another shuffleboard court for the old-age home and then wait 6 months in queue for an MRI for himself.
Posted by: ray at March 2, 2006 5:18 PM