Canada to attract more immigrants, also from Poland

Polish news site Onet has reported the Canadian government planning to provide more assistance to new immigrants, including Poles, in terms of acknowledging qualification, jobs, and housing. In the US meanwhile Immigration officials often raid places were illegals work or congregate or take them from their homes and institute deportation proceedings. Canada has only 34 million people and plenty of wide open spaces to settle.

Among the immigrants are the Poles . Some of considering moving to Canada in search of work and a new place to live can expect to facilitate the recognition of qualifications . This problem is subject to negotiation and to be regulated by the free trade agreement between Canada and the EU. It is estimated that the agreement could be signed next year.

However, those who believe that sufficient qualification in a respected profession can convert. The Canadian government announced changes to immigration policy , and has recently introduced new rules which have come into force next year. I began to consult , but the government indicates that some points rather not be subject to negotiation.

Canada is a great country to live in. There are loads of Poles there, in fact I married one of them. For those that want to work and learn the gov't sets up immigrants quite well. They want them to succeed. They don't just lure them to Canada and set them up in slums. There are many that will always take advantage no matter which country and culture.

Trades people make bank in Canada. If you can set up your own company you will do well. Rig pigs in the Alberta oil sands make crazy money. Some cities are super expensive and don't make any sense to immigrate to- for example: Victoria, Vancouver, Toronto, Montreal. If you go to some of the smaller cities and towns you will have better opportunities just because the cost of living is better.

But if you just want to go and work for 6 months to send money home- don't do it. You will not have saved enough and probably won't even be able to afford the flight back. Canada is for those that want to immigrate and assimilate.

My in laws still live in Canada. They started out in subsidized housing then were able to buy their first home- now they are living in their second home mortgage free. The health care is good (contrary to what you may have read-it is good) the social systems are good, schools are good. Everything is good in Canada.

There are problems like with any country but it is still a great country to live in.

I miss living in Vancouver... Canada is a great country to live in.

Is there strong pressure on immigrants by the authorites to assimilate? Can a person or group that wishes do retain their native culture free to do so without interference? If an immigrant is able to freely communciate but has an obvious Polish/Slavic accent in his/her English or French, is that a liability when seeking a job? In other words, if there any grass-roots gut reaction against the foreign born as such?

let me just clarify what I mean by assimilate.
In the U.S. total assimilation is expected, which in my opinion is one of the reasons the states is a mess. The "melting pot".

In Canada we are considered a "cultural mosaic"--sounds a bit cheesy but it works. Immigrants are not expected to give up their culture- but they are expected to learn one or both of the languages, and adapt to Canada. They are able to practice their own languages, religions and culture without problems.

In fact, I celebrated more Polish customs when living in Canada than I do now. I was married in a Polish church in Canada and we usually did all things Polish at Easter and Xmas. Now that we are in Poland and our families are in Canada- I do the preparations so it is turkey and my Canadian traditions.

My in laws go to Polish church and have Polish friends but they don't live in a Polish ghetto. They enjoy Canada and didn't want to live in little Poland while living there.

We have quite a few Polish friends that still live in my home city in Canada. They are educated, home owners, living in different parts of the city- not in one community. They have made a life for themselves in Canada and have kids that speak both Polish and English and even French.

That is the Canadian meaning of assimilate.

However when an advert goes out like the link it often attracts the bottom feeders who are pretty much trailer park trash no matter where they live. The thing is- Canada is so far away- the bottom feeders that are sucking all the benefits and causing problems in the UK will not be able to do the same damage because a flight to Canada is about 4000 pln--they can't take a cheap flight or drive back like they do now.

There is no cheap flight to Canada- it is all or nothing.

You just reminded me of how good it was back in Canada... I recently had a LONG talk with my wife on whether it is better to live in Canada or in Poland...

you know, I don't think it is one or the other. Poland is great and Canada is great. But what I miss about Canada is the feeling of belonging somewhere. The people in Canada are more open and accepting. I have met really nice people here but it isn't the same. There is no sense of belonging to a community here. Everybody has closed doors and high fences- communal parks are few and far between- you don't get a chance to meet your neighbours here.

We usually go to North Van for our holiday. My best friend has a son who is submerged in hockey- but it is such a community thing--and this is what I miss.

We did arrange a bbq for our osiedle which carried over to our basement- there are twenty houses in my osiedle- we had great success with this and the residents just kept saying what a super idea and we should do this again. I guess it is not normal here for people to try and get to know each other? I used to have an acquaintance in Canada who was Polish- she didn't like the Canadian style because she felt as though everybody was trying to know her business. I don't think it is like that at all.

We are here for a while but I definitely want to go back. Canada is a great place to live.

You just reminded me of something not many people talk about... I feel that people that grew up under communism can be a bit (and sometimes more than a bit) paranoid about their privacy and others nosing into their business... That is something you never see in Canada!