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Citizenship and Immigration Canada is tightening up language requirements across the board.
First came changes to the provincial nominee program — as of last July 1, applicants must pass a language proficiency test.
Another change comes into effect Nov. 1, requiring those applying for Canadian citizenship to provide documented proof of their proficiency in either English or French.
Leslie Allen, executive director of Westman Immigrant Services, said this latest change may pose a challenge for some applicants.
Many newcomers to Canada already speak English or French but lack documented proof such as high school certificates.
“There is also a cost to the testing, and so people are going to have to bear the cost of this test,” Allen said.
The Canadian Council for Refugees expressed concern earlier this month about the citizenship language requirements.
“Refugees applying for citizenship often speak good English or French, but they have learned it along the way and don’t have a piece of paper to prove it,” CCR president Loly Rico said in a press release. “They are struggling to get by and support their families: they want to become citizens, but they don’t have money to pay for an expensive language test.”
Previously, if applicants didn’t complete their written test, they were given the chance to complete it verbally.
“Sometimes people’s reading and comprehension aren’t at the same level and their speaking and understanding,” Allen said.
Meanwhile, efforts are being made in Brandon to assist foreign temporary workers in bringing up their language proficiency within two years of arriving.
Workers now have to pass an English test at a benchmark level of four to qualify for the PNP, which is 18 months after they arrive as a foreign temporary worker.
As Allen said in a previous interview with the Brandon Sun, it typically takes three to four years for a person to go from a level one to a level four.
Westman Immigrant Services has been asked by Maple Leaf Foods to do benchmark level testing for all the new foreign temporary workers that have recently come to Brandon, in an effort to get a good understanding as to what their language level is, Allen said.
“The province of Manitoba has been working very closely with (United Food and Commercial Workers) and they have started enhanced classes for language acquisition for foreign temporary workers,” Allen said.
Allen calls it “a step in the right direction.”
“Of course the obstacle is going to be … that’s a lot of English to learn in a very short period of time,” she said. “And under the best circumstances it could be a challenge, never mind working full-time and trying to do this. But I believe when people are motivated, great things happen and this group seems to be very motivated to be able to make this benchmark … in the next two years.”
Maple Leaf Foods’ latest recruitment effort is bringing roughly 200 workers from El Salvador and Honduras.
Two waves of workers have already arrived, with another group expected soon.
» jaustin@brandonsun.com
Republished from the Brandon Sun print edition October 17, 2012
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Citizenship and Immigration Canada is tightening up language requirements across the board.
First came changes to the provincial nominee program — as of last July 1, applicants must pass a language proficiency test.
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Citizenship and Immigration Canada is tightening up language requirements across the board.
First came changes to the provincial nominee program — as of last July 1, applicants must pass a language proficiency test.
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