First things first, before you go berserk on the comments and crucify us for fear-mongering and sharing incorrect information, read this site's disclaimer note: "This website is intended to be used as general information only, not as legal advise." The intention here is to gather as much information from multiple sources as we can about this developing story to help our Kababayans decide what to do about their future here in Quebec. The big news circling around the Filipino and immigrant communities at large is that Quebec is making "major changes to the province's immigration process." And how is this going to affect approximately 18,000 skilled workers already in the process of applying for permanent residency? Under the new system proposed in Bill 9, Quebec's backlog of applicants would be wiped out and the system would start again from scratch. Priority would be given to those who meet French language and labour demands in a system that Immigration Minister Simon Jolin-Barrette described as "like Tinder." So what does this all mean?
Opposition parties criticized the CAQ’s plan in the National Assembly with Liberal MNA Dominique Anglade saying the bill could have massive repercussions. “It’s not only a piece of paper, we’re talking about the lives of people,” she said. “Now, we’re saying ‘We don’t even care, we’re not even going to open the files. Sorry, too bad, too late, we’re doing something different now.’ The impact? Very negative on the image of Quebec.” Quebec Solidaire weighed in as well. “We’re worried about that bill, we have big apprehensions,” said co-spokesperson Gabriel Nadeau-Dubois. “I mean, this party has a lot of times a rhetoric based on division, based on saying that immigration is a burden for Quebec society.” At this stage, Bill 9 is still the process, being debated under Quebec parliament and not a law yet. However, strong efforts are being made by the newly appointed provincial government, conservative party, Coalition Avenir Québec (CAQ) led by François Legault, who won in the 2018 election. Is this the end of your Quebecois dream?That is a complicated answer at this stage, depending who you are going to ask. But in attempt to answer, we dare to say, No! Until the bill is passed into law, everything is still up in the air. There are many oppositions to this bill, even all the way to Ottawa. "The federal government has rejected a proposal from the Quebec government to apply conditions before immigrants to that province obtain the status of permanent residents" The Globe and Mail reports. But does this mean you shouldn't make back up plans? Of course not! In fact, we urge you to make one. Have you heard the popular quote, "Luck Is What Happens When Preparation Meets Opportunity"? Quebec certainly still has a strong labor market. Strong demands for skilled personnel. Even severe labor shortage in some areas, like the healthcare industry. The problem most faced by many Filipino workers are getting their credentials accepted and reach acceptable levels of fluency in French. In dealing with this new challenge, it is a matter of perspectives, we think. When uprooting our lives from a relatively stable state in the Philippines, one must think why are you immigrating in the first place? Is it really just for the greener pastures? Is it going to be all worth your while? We urge all Filipino hopefuls out there not to give up. Where serious challenges are, opportunities arise. Who knows what's going to happen. Until this one becomes law, everything at this stage are speculations.
© 2021. Quepinos. Enjoyed reading this? Hit that share button. NOTE: We do our best to keep our articles up to date. However, we cannot guarantee that the information provided is always current and or complete. This website is intended to be used as general information only, not as legal advice.
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