Curator of Canadian Immigration Exhibit Also an Immigrant

Starting May 1, 2013, the New Media Wall at the Ryerson University Image Centre in downtown Toronto, Ontario, will be displaying a multimedia exhibit about various aspects of immigration to Canada, particularly by refugees.  Among those whose works will be on display at the Canadian immigration exhibit will be Ruth Kaplan, Andrew Suri and Meera Margaret Singh.  The first exhibit curator of the Ryerson University Image Center, Dr. Gaelle Morel, is herself an immigrant from France.  She describes herself as a “happy immigrant” and hopes to engage viewers of different backgrounds who will see digital photos and videos displayed on eight large screens.  The “Here and There” Canadian immigration exhibit will be held at the Ryerson University Image Centre May 1-June 2, 2013, and also June 19-August 25, 2013.  

Speaking of this exhibit, Dr. Morel recently declared, “Canada is a country of immigrants; a country that needs immigration; a country that is defined by this subject.”  She went on to say, “When you think Canada, you think immigration.”  The truth of these statements can be seen, not only at the “Here and There” exhibit, but also throughout the Greater Toronto Area (GTA) and across Canada, whose population is becoming increasingly diverse as hundreds of thousands of foreign nationals immigrate to Canada every year.  Just in 2012, there were 257,515 people from around the globe who were approved for Canadian immigration and of that number, 98,826 moved to the province of Ontario.  With a population of 2,750,000 (October 2012), Toronto, is among the most ethnically-diverse cities in Canada, with large immigrant communities from every region of world.

People immigrate to Canada for different reasons, but a common thread is a desire to find better opportunities for life.  Canada has a good reputation for its humanitarian efforts and offers a new home to many refugees across the planet who are experiencing very difficult (and often dangerous) situations in their home country.  Others apply for Canadian immigration because they hope to fill one of the thousands of Canada job openings that are going unfilled across the country because of a severe labor shortage.  All likely want to enjoy the high standard of living that is available in this incredible country of immigrants. 

Written by: Canadian Visa Expert - Immigration services 

Saskatoon Breaks Down Language Barrier for Immigrants

Thousands of people approved for Canadian immigration move to Saskatchewan every year after being issued a Permanent Resident Visa to Canada and this has resulted in a growing diversity of languages being spoken in the province.  According to the Canadian census conducted in 2011, there were 16 new foreign languages being spoken in Saskatchewan that year that were not being used in the province just five years earlier. 

This is well illustrated in the city of Saskatoon where 4,000-5,000 people per year approved for Canadian immigration settle.  In addition to hearing English, French, Ukrainian and German in Saskatoon, one can also hear immigrants speaking Arabic, various African languages, Tagalog, Urdu, Punjabi, Spanish, Russian, Vietnamese, Chinese and around 70 different languages.  As the number of foreign languages spoken in Saskatoon has increased, so has the need to break down language barriers to help those who immigrate to Canada more easily adjust to their new country and integrate into Canadian society.

Saskatoon (population 222,189) has several programs to help those who immigrate to Canada and move to the city improve their English skills and also receive necessary services.  For example, the Open Door Society and Newcomer Information Centre offer free English-language learning classes to immigrants, which can help them in so many areas of life, such as applying for Canada job openings, shopping, making friends, attending additional educational programs, receiving healthcare and other daily tasks.  The city has also printed a helpful brochure with phone numbers for various services in 14 languages.  Furthermore, Saskatoon’s police department has increased the number of interpreters available to assist immigrants in a variety of languages.

There are several reasons that thousands of people granted a Permanent Resident Visa to Canada decide to move to Saskatchewan each year.  In many cases, the new arrivals were approved for Canadian immigration through the Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) for Saskatchewan which offers a visa to Canada for skilled foreign workers who have job skills that are in high-demand in Saskatchewan and who meet additional requirements.  Others move to Saskatchewan in search of Canada job opportunities, particularly since this province has the lowest unemployment rate in Canada (3.9% as of March 2013).  Saskatchewan’s two largest cities also have the lowest unemployment rates of any city in Canada, with Regina (population 210,556) boasting a 3.5% unemployment rate in March 2013 and Saskatoon having an unemployment rate of 4.0% (March 2013).  

Therefore, if you immigrate to Canada and want to go to where there are lots of Canada job openings, these two cities in Saskatchewan offer many employment opportunities to immigrants.  Saskatchewan also has large immigrant communities, a high standard of living, and is a beautiful place to live.