Race, Ethnicity, and Migration

Question 1

What are the three key trends related to race, ethnicity and migration?

Answer 1

Proportion of women among migrants has increased rapidly; more than half the world’s migrants are women
Distinction between countries of origin, transit, and destination are blurring.
Temporary migration has become much more important and common.

Question 2

List some factors contributing to the rapid increase in women migrants.

Answer 2

Demand for foreign labour in jobs traditionally worked by women.
Changing gender relations in countries means women have more independence
Domestic work
Marriage
Sex trafficking

Question 3

What are some “push” factors leading to people migrating from their countries?

Answer 3

Poverty
Inequality
Repressive political systems
Blocked opportunity for mobility

Question 4

Summarize the political economy approach to immigration.

Answer 4

Countries do not admit immigrants out of a sense of altruism but to supply employers with workers.

Question 5

What are some reasons why, according to political economy approaches, immigrants may be attractive to employers? (3)

Answer 5

Save money by receiving workers that are already educated and trained
Immigrants are willing to take jobs that native-born workers avoid
Used by employers as a way to disorganize the working class

Question 6

Why do some people have an issue with employers wanting immigrants to save money on education and training?

Answer 6

See it as a form of neocolonialism, where development aid is provided to rich, developed countries from poorer, less developed countries.

Question 7

What is neoliberalism?

Answer 7

Set of assumptions about the proper functioning of the government in the era of globalization.

Question 8

What are the 3 assumptions of neoliberalism?

Answer 8

Limited government; limited programs
Emphasis on self-sufficiency
Free markets are sufficient allocators of goods and services

Question 9

What are some drawbacks of the political economy approach to immigration? (4)

Answer 9

Demographics matter (aging populations, low birth rates)
Humanitarianism is relevant
Policies arise from complex set of social relations
Immigrants are diverse

Question 10

What are the three categories of permanent residents?

Answer 10

Economic immigrants, refugees or family-class immigrants

Question 11

What are the two general ways to become a refugee in Canada?

Answer 11

Through the Refugee and Humanitarian Resettlement program
Through the in-Canada Asylum program

Question 12

Who does the Refugee and Humanitarian Resettlement program apply to?

Answer 12

For people applying outside of Canada

Question 13

What are the two classes of refugees under the Refugee and Humanitarian Resettlement program?

Answer 13

Convention refugee abroad class
Country of asylum class

Question 14

Who does the convention refugee abroad class of refugees apply to?

Answer 14

People outside their country of citizenship or habitual residence and have a well-founded fear of persecution for reasons of race, religion, political opinion, nationality, or membership of a particular social group

Question 15

Who does the country of asylum class of refugees apply to?

Answer 15

People outside their country of citizenship or habitual residence and are seriously and personally affected by civil war or armed conflict, or who have been denied basic human rights on an ongoing basis

Question 16

Who decides the legitimacy of claims under the Refugee and Humanitarian Resettlement program?

Answer 16

UNHCR

Question 17

Who does the in-Canada Asylum Program apply to?

Answer 17

Those making refugee claims from within Canada

Question 18

What are all refugee claimants in Canada entitled to?

Answer 18

All have the right to an oral hearing to determine the legitimacy of their case

Question 19

Who qualifies as a refugee under the in-Canada Asylum Program?

Answer 19

If the Immigration and Refugee Board determines they are a convention refugee
OR
If they prove their removal from Canada to their country of origin would subject them to the possibility of torture, risk to life, or risk of cruel and unusual treatment or punishment.

Question 20

What are the three mechanisms by which refugees from abroad are brought to Canada?

Answer 20

Government Sponsored Refugees
Privately Sponsored Refugees
Blended-Visa Office-Referred refugees

Question 21

What are Government Sponsored Refugees?

Answer 21

Selected and supported for one year by the federal government

Question 22

What are Privately Sponsored Refugees?

Answer 22

Refugees supported for one year by charitable organizations and groups of five ore more who act as their “sponsors”

Question 23

What is the approximate cost of sponsoring a family of 4 refugees in Canada for one year?

Answer 23

$27,000

Question 24

What are Blended-Visa Office-Referred refugees?

Answer 24

Refugees initially selected by the federal government and resettlement costs shared with sponsors

Question 25

What was the significant change made to the review of refugee applications in 2012?

Answer 25

Designated countries of origin - countries from the governments view that do not persecute their citizens and thus do not typically produce refugees.

Question 26

Describe Canada's Safe Third Country Principle

Answer 26

Refugee claims must be made in the "safe" country in which they were last present Intended to prevent asylum shopping Cannot make a refugee claim in Canada if you're coming from a "safe" country

Question 27

What is a problem with the safe third country program?

Answer 27

Not all "safe" countries accept refugees from the same source countries (e.g., US doesn't generally accept Columbians, but Canada does)

Question 28

What is the largest category of immigrants to Canada?

Answer 28

Economic immigrants

Question 29

What are the 3 main categories of economic immigrants?

Answer 29

High-skilled workers Caregivers Provincial/territorial nominees

Question 30

What are the three programs that fall under the skilled workers category?

Answer 30

Federal Skilled Worker Program Federal Skilled Trades program Canadian Experience Class

Question 31

Who assess PR for economic immigrants?

Answer 31

Express Entry System

Question 32

When was the Express Entry System first introduced?

Answer 32

January 2015

Question 33

Outline the 2 steps in the Express Entry System process for Federal Skilled Workers

Answer 33

Determine if they are eligible to apply Complete an Express Entry Profile

Question 34

What makes an individual eligible to apply as a Federal Skilled Worker under the Express Entry System?

Answer 34

Minimum of 67/100 points on the points system

Question 35

What is the business class of immigrants?

Answer 35

Business Immigration Program designed to admit individuals who can invest in or start a business in the country

Question 36

What are the two categories of business class immigrants?

Answer 36

Investors Self-employed

Question 37

If approved as an investor in the business class of immigrants, what is a requirement?

Answer 37

Those approved must invest a minimum of $2 million in an Immigrant Investor Capital Fund

Question 38

What is the maximum amount of investors granted PR in Canada each year under the business class of immigrants?

Answer 38

60

Question 39

How does someone qualify as a self-employed business class immigrant?

Answer 39

Must have relevant experience and have the intention and ability to set up a business that, at minimum, will create employment for themselves. Also have a revised points system with a much lower threshold

Question 40

What are the three criticisms of business class immigrants?

Answer 40

Ethical issues raised in association with what amounts to the sale PR status and a Canadian passport Business immigrants can be characterized as "transnationals" Some argue it helped create a "race-relations" problem in places such as Vancouver

Question 41

What are transnationals?

Answer 41

Individuals whose business interests as well as their identities and social and personal lives straddle more than one country.

Question 42

What are the two pilot programs for caregivers?

Answer 42

Home Child Care Provider Pilot Home Support Worker Pilot

Question 43

When are the caregiver pilot programs due to expire?

Answer 43

2025

Question 44

When are caregivers able to apply for PR?

Answer 44

After working for two years in Canada and having at least one year of post-secondary education or its overseas equivalent

Question 45

Why do some say the caregiver is exploitative by its very nature?

Answer 45

Highly dependent on employers, making it difficult to say no Also want to reach the two-year employment minimum, quitting could put this in jeopardy.

Question 46

What are provincial nominees?

Answer 46

Helps employers fill jobs for which there are no workers in Canada

Question 47

What are the demographics of caregivers?

Answer 47

Tend to be mainly women and most come from the Philippines or the Caribbean

Question 48

What would make someone qualified as a provincial nominee?

Answer 48

Individuals must have the skills, language abilities, education, and work experience needed to make an immediate economic contribution to the province/territory that nominated them

Question 49

Describe the family class of immigrants.

Answer 49

Individuals can sponsor spouses, parents, grandparents, dependent children, and children they intend to adopt, as well as orphaned brothers, sisters, nephews, nieces or grandchildren whom are under 18 and unmarried Sponsors must agree to financially support family members for 3-20 years

Question 50

What does the length of time required to support a family class immigrant depend on?

Answer 50

Age and relationship

Question 51

Describe the difference in the proportion of family class immigrants in 1994 and 2017.

Answer 51

1994: 40% of total immigrants 2017: ~28%

Question 52

Why has the family class of immigrants declined?

Answer 52

Due in part to perceptions that family class immigrants make fewer positive economic contributions than other categories of PRs.

Question 53

What is another concern of the government related to family class immigrants and how is this curtailed?

Answer 53

Concerned that spouses are not in real relationships Must live with spouse for at least 2 years If relationship evolves, cannot sponsor a new partner for five years.

Question 54

What are the two classes of marginalized migrants?

Answer 54

Temporary workers and non-status immigrants.

Question 55

What are the two programs for temporary workers?

Answer 55

Temporary Foreign Worker Program International Mobility Program

Question 56

How are marginalized migrants different from other migrant categories?

Answer 56

No right to PR and are admitted to Canada to do specific jobs for specific lengths of time.

Question 57

Why are there concerns over exploitation of marginalized migrants?

Answer 57

In some provinces such as ON, they are not protected by provincial labour standards pertaining to hours of work, time off between shifts, overtime pay, vacation pay, working on public holidays

Question 58

What are the 3 different circumstances that could lead to individuals being non-status immigrants?

Answer 58

Human trafficking Visa over-stayers Failed refugee claimants