The Canadian Immigration Integration Project (CIIP) was created to improve employment prospects for new immigrants to Canada. Currently a pilot project in Manila, Delhi, and Hong Kong, the program offers orientation to soon-to-be Canadian immigrants in their home countries to better prepare them for settlement in Canada. The initial success of these three offices has lead to the announcement that three more will be opened this month in Beijing, Gujarat, and Punjab.
While waiting for their medical and security clearances, soon-to-be Canadian immigrants can attend a day-long workshop at the overseas offices in which they are grouped by profession or by destination in Canada. After this orientation, participants receive 90 minutes of one-on-one counseling with Canadian representatives to create their own Canadian Settlement Plan. This orientation helps participants to develop a more realistic understanding about Canadian labour market integration and illustrates the steps they should take to better prepare themselves for life and work in Canada. Essentially, the CIIP reduces the number of immigrants who arrive unprepared for immediate entry into the Canadian workforce.
"The goal [...] will be to get those who are trained and ready to work in their fields of expertise into the workforce more quickly," explains Prime Minister Stephen Harper. The Canadian government has allocated $4.5 million to this three-year pilot project, with plans for future expansion. Funded by Human Resources and Social Development Canada (HRSDC) and in partnership with Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC), the program is managed by the Association of Canadian Community Colleges (ACCC).
Since January, one thousand skilled immigrants have participated in the program and have learned about Canadian labour market trends, skills in demands in different areas, career bridging programs, and licensing procedures. The first group of these participants is now landing in Canada as Permanent Residents and the value of their pre-arrival orientation is apparent. Many have already had their foreign credentials assessed, they have researched potential employers, and have contacted settlement agencies online.
As the CIIP continues to grow, it is calling on key stakeholders in Canada and abroad to become involved to create synergies between provincial, territorial, and municipal governments, regulatory bodies and industry associations, credential assessment agencies and providers of education and training, immigrant-serving organizations and Canadian employers, to name a few.
For those soon-to-be Canadian immigrants who are not yet served by a CIIP office, there is a wealth of advice and resources on the Canadian Immigration Integration Program website that can help individuals create their own Canadian Settlement Plan in preparation for life in Canada.
