Here come the open borders... what Canada is saying...
U.S. immigration changes impact Canada: expert
Updated Fri. May. 18 2007 9:55 AM ET
CTV.ca News Staff
Proposed changes to U.S. immigration policy could have a significant effect on Canada's system, according to one legal expert.
"It's a very groundbreaking program," immigration lawyer Ravi Jain told CTV's Canada AM.
"It's a model for Canada in terms of the so-called amnesty," immigration lawyer Ravi Jain told CTV's Canada AM.
"I mean it's not an amnesty ... saying look, you've got twelve million people, all of a sudden you're illegal ... It's saying that there's a progression which Canada can learn from."
On Thursday, the White House and Senate came to an agreement on immigration policy that reached across party lines.
The plan would assess people coming to the United States on a number of factors including skills, education levels and job experience while downplaying the importance of family ties.
As well as tightening border security, the plan would also give millions of illegal immigrants legal status.
Under the new program, new low-skilled guest workers would have to return home in two-year stints. They would be able to have their visas renewed twice but would have to be out of the country for a year before applying for renewal. To stay in the United States permanently, workers would have to apply under the point system for a green card.
Jain said that the program could be beneficial to Canada because of its efforts to attract foreign workers. He says that people will be more attracted to Canada because they will not be required to live and work in the country in two-year stints.
"Canada doesn't say that," Jain said. "Canada says you can come on a work permit, you can extend it and then eventually can get permanent residence so it's good for this country."
A similar program in Canada could address the illegal immigrants working in the construction and trucking industries, Jain said, but he had doubts over whether the Harper government would adopt a similar program.
"We have maybe 500,000 or so illegal immigrants. This is a lesson for Canada. We can do this. But of course, there isn't the will. I mean you've got the Harper government who is ideologically against it," Jain said. "But who knows ... they've been Machiavellian before about changing their ideologies."
The proposed agreement also allows illegal immigrants to come forward and pay a $5,000 fine to gain a 'Z visa.' This would put them on the path to obtaining permanent residency, which could take between eight to 13 years. Heads of households, however, would have to return to their home countries first.
The immigration issue will be debated in the U.S. Senate next week and will likely face criticism from across the political spectrum. Liberals feel the proposal is unfair and conservatives have said it is overly permissive. |
