It already costs over $1,000 to apply between the application fee and the landing fee, so immigrants basically pay for their application to be processed as it stands. There is very little subsidization going on. One GOOD thing about the new Harper rules is that when you get rejected, you get rejected quickly, and you get your application fee back. When I was rejected in February, my $550 cheque refund from the Canadian government arrived the last week of March. That didn't happen in the old system, it would have taken 6 months. But that doesn't mean its alright, because my application would have most likely been approved under the old system, because I had every qualification met. So getting that money back quickly wasn't a consolation prize.
And getting back to the list of 38, which is the core of the problem with the Harper immigration program, that's pretty much it. That list needs to be gotten rid of after they come up with a program to hire a few more processing agents at high-traffic consulate offices where apps are processed.
That, and Canada should consider increasing the amount of immigrants coming in to 500,000 new residents per year instead of it being stuck at 200-250k per year.
The United States has over 1 million new legal immigrants every year, illegals notwithstanding. Source:
http://www.csmonitor.com/2006/0516/p01s02-ussc.html
Canada would be well served if it increased its rate to bringing in 500k per year, just to compete if anything else. Again.. Canada is bigger than the US and only has 35 million people.
My solution to Canada's "problem" is that if an immigrant wants to earn the right to live anywhere in Canada start a program where immigrants are more easily passed if they agree to do sponsorship work in remote regions for a few years. Go to Newfoundland, towns in Manitoba or Sasketchewan, New Brunswick. Start a government program similar to Americorp in the United States, but instead of using Canadian nationals, use immigrants to feed the poor, build housing for the homeless and earn points by giving to Canadian society. Maybe potential immigrants could work in a program at remote Canadian health centres and hospitals as support staff to relieve the Canadian Health system of some cost concerns, then that real world Canadian experience could help them get a job after being approved as their immigration goes through. After a 12 month program is completed, you essentially "graduate" from the program and can become a Canadian resident and move wherever you wish.
This could do wonders for rural infrastructure, health, and aboriginal concerns. An entirely new version of outreach where the Canadian economy benefits greatly.
Earned citizenship could be a new category. I would gladly work abroad in Canada's smaller communities for a year or two if I could earn the right to residency and live anywhere I wanted.
Note, Americorp isn't an immigration program, i'm just using that domestic model in the USA for US youth and apply it to an immigration program that could theoretically work well as a new idea.
