Citizenship handed out too soon, immigrantion not managed well enough

[gsyh]

1. Citizenship: I really think that citizenship had been handed out and kept too easily. Instead of 3 years, it really should require 6-10 years, with 4 years set as an exception for immigrants under the age of 18 who have been raised in our schools. If people were to actually live aboard, the naturalized or the native-born, I think they should

Comments

[siobhan63]

There is so much that is so wrong with that post, i don't know where to start. I'm sort of assuming you're applying this to independent immigrants (aka skilled worker class) and not family sponsorship? Because most of it doesn't make any sense at all for family class.

Anyway, having gone thru the immigration process to get my husband here, i completely disagree with just about everything you've written. He'll be eligible to apply for citizenship next year and he can't wait - he wants to vote, to have a say in how the country's run. Making people wait 10 years is retarded. Way to alienate people.

It's mostly a brainstormng

[gsyh]

I'm frustrated with our approach of not having CLEAR and not confusing rules and expectations for immigrants, and our horrible human resource management that leaves them fending for themselves and an unacceptable number failing. It should not be 'easy' for them to land here, but once here, I want the 'failure' rate next to zero, they should not HAVE to go back because they don't have a job and they should be able to feel at home here, know our laws, their responsibility, their rights, have networking that makes them feel that they are a belonging part of the rest

Re: It's mostly a brainstormng

[jawnbc]

You seem to be generalizing from your own (or your close acquaintainces', or the media's) accounts of migration to Canada. Which is problematic for all sorts of reasons.

PhD's driving taxis blah blah blah. Nuclear scientists bussing tables natter natter natter. Anyone in Canada with a PhD knows they've limited their job prospects by getting that credential (like me). They should also know that the keys to making one's self marketable in academic circles is remarkably transparent: do research and publish it in peer-reviewed journals. O f which there are thousands. In English, French, German, or any other Western language

//You seem to be generalizing from your own (or your close acquaintainces', or the media's) accounts

[gsyh]

Of course, this is mostly a layman's view of what's wrong and what could be done, not a studied-trialed-and-corrected draft, while I do like international stuff I doubt that the serious study of immigration is something I will pursue

[allhatnocattle]

I have an uncle in Australia who used to visit Canada once every 4yr.s (or sometimes more often) to renew/maintain his Canadian citizenship. I know he hasn't been back here for at least 8yr.s now. Of my four cousins, all born in Melbourne but with dual Aussie/Canuck citizenry, only one has ever even visited here. Granted, my Uncle used to work at the Canadian consulate back when Canada had a consulate in Melbourne, so that may add something of an explanation. But he's lived in Oz for about 40yr.s now

Ditto on the cheapening citizenship part

[gsyh]

I like to travel too, and will when I could, I may even live a while aboard, and some people get teaching positions elsewhere, either way, people aboard must still pay our taxes just like other citizens, you can't have it both ways. It cause money to move people out of jams, so pay the taxes

[ungarsfragile]

Shrug.

All I know is, living in Canada for over a decade, including seven years of grade school and three years of university (graduating early, I might add), I was denied citizenship because my "Quality of Residency" as a landed immigrant wasn't high enough. Which puts me in the strange position of being a canadian expat who won't be able to move home..

So if it's easy to become a canadian citizen, it's news to me.

Hmmmn, too easy and too hard?

[gsyh]

2. Residency....there should be a maximum set for how long one is a resident before they must be granted citizenships, unless there are very compelling written-in-stone reasons not to.

Unless there are compelling reasons why you shouldn't be granted citizenship, I think after living and working here for 10 years, people should be granted it.

[ringzero]

The system is messed up and biased against skilled, integrated, capable people.

[_social_retard_]

This is silly, but I wont bother to pick it apart.

If you don't feel like doing a through critique

[gsyh]

What major fault of the suggestions in this post really struck out?

Re: If you don't feel like doing a through critique

[_social_retard_]

Well Im not sure what you were trying to get at for starters. Making people wait longer to become citizens, why? What would that do besides more time and effort and stress for everyone involved

I'm not sure about the length of time myself

[gsyh]

I think it should be flexible depending on the circumstances...hence the 6-10 years thing, it can be as soon as 6 if they settle in really well, but either way, we should have set a maximum where we'll have to grant citizenship. They had 10 years to soak up Canada, and if they couldn't or wouldn’t want to live here they wouldn't still be here by now (especially if something along the suggestions are set in place).

The problem I see with not having a maximum on residency is that it'll be unjust for the government to have a whole big group of people who are on their feet, contributing, living here just like other citizens, but without the right to vote, this could really result in a situation of exploitation. Also, I doubt anyone who've been here for 10 years, paying 10 years of taxes, would be someone who decided to seek and accept citizenship here on a whim because they watched a movie where our country is the utopia...