Habang ang maraming mga bansa ay sinusubukan upang limitahan ang immigration, Canada ay welcoming ng mga bagong dating.

That’s according to this intriguing New York Times artikulo: “Defying takbo, Canada Lures Higit pang mga migrante:”

…Rancorous debates over immigration have erupted from Australia to Sweden, but there is no such thing in Canada as an anti-immigrant politician. Few nations take more immigrants per capita, and perhaps none with less fuss….

The article goes on to explain that:

Canada has long sought immigrants to populate the world’s second largest land mass, but two developments in the 1960s shaped the modern age.

One created a point system that favors the highly skilled. Ang iba pang abolished provisions that screened out nonwhites. Millions of minorities followed, may Chinese, Indians and Filipinos in the lead.

Kapag namin inilipat sa Canada mula sa US, I was struck by Canada’s notably more welcoming attitude toward newcomers, kung saan ang Beses article also notes:

Relative to its population, Canada takes more than twice as many legal immigrants as the United States. Bakit walang kagulo?

With one-ninth of the United States’ population, Canada ay keener para sa paglago, and the point system helps persuade the public it is getting the newcomers it needs. The children of immigrants typically do well. The economic downturn has been mild. Plus the absence of large-scale illegal immigration removes a dominant source of the conflict in the United States.

I was also surprised at the contrast between the U.S. “melting pot” philosophy — where successful immigrants are expected to assimilate into the great melting pot of American society — at Canada’s belief in itself as a multicultural country.

The majority of Canadians seem to feel that multiple ethnic groups can live side by side, and immigrants don’t have to give up their traditional culture to become part of their new Canadian community. Bilang Beses put it:

Pranses at Ingles mula sa simula, Canada also has a more accommodating political culture — one that accepts more pluribus at hinihingi ng mas mababa unum.

Ang Beses article gave lots of coverage to Canada’s Panlalawigan kandidato Programa, lalo na sa Manitoba, which has accepted approximately 50,000 new immigrants over the last ten years:

While the federal (imigrasyon) system favors those with college degrees, Manitoba takes the semi-skilled, like truck drivers, and focuses on people with local relatives…

The Provincial Nominee Programs are designed to attract immigrants who have particular skills that the various provinces require. Mga application para sa mga Provincial Nominees ay madalas naaprubahan mas mabilis kaysa Federal bihasang Worker Applications.

To learn more about Canada’s provincial nominee programs, follow the links from the Provincial nominees: Sino ang maaaring mag-apply pahina sa Citizenship at Immigration Canada website.

At maaari mong basahin ang buong New York Times artikulo dito.

Ano sa tingin ninyo? Is Canada more welcoming to immigrants than other countries? Leave a comment and let us know.

Larawan ni Michael Francis McCarthy (Flickr)