POLSKA EMIGRACJA DO KANADY NA PRZEŁOMIE WIEKÓW XX I XXI W KONTEKŚCIE KANADYJSKIEJ POLITYKI IMIGRACYJNEJ

• Authors: Anna Reczyńska , Tomasz Soroka

Title variants

EN

POLISH EMIGRATION TO CANADA AT THE TURN OF THE 20TH INTO THE 21ST CENTURY AND CANADIAN IMMIGRATION POLICY

• Languages of publication: PL

Abstracts

EN

The last large wave of Polish immigrants (estimated at around 115,000) came to Canada in the years 1981-1996, mainly due to Canadian preferential immigration laws and family reunification programs. As the democratization of post-communist countries was progressing, emigration to Canada became a far easier venture for Central and Eastern Europeans. Currently they are subject to the same immigration procedures as immigrants from other regions. Acting upon the immigration law introduced in 1967, Canada prefers well-educated immigrants with significant capital, persons in economically productive age (between 21 and 49), professionally qualified, and competent in either of Canada’s official languages. In 2008 Canada abolished visas for Polish tourists. A year later the Canadian government launched a typical work and travel program for Polish young people, enabling them to gain up to one-year of work experience in Canada. Despite all these efforts and due to the fact that EU labor markets opened wide for Poles, immigration from Poland to Canada fell below one thousand people per year. Also, Canadian authorities gradually introduce new restrictions aimed at issuing work permits only to those who have guaranteed jobs and are highly unlikely to be a burden on the Canadian health care system and social services. Therefore, Canada’s government has recently been very actively promoting Canada among the most preferred groups of immigrants, including Poles living and working in the British Isles.

Keywords

EN

CANADA; POLISH IMMIGRANTS; CANADIAN IMMIGRATION POLICY; CANADIAN IMMIGRATION LAW

• Publisher: Wydział Studiów Międzynarodowych i Politycznych Uniwersytetu Jagiellońskiego oraz Polska Akademia Umiejętności
• Journal: Studia Migracyjne - Przegląd Polonijny
• Year: 2013
• Volume: 39
• Issue: 3(149)
• Pages: 5-18

Contributors

author

Anna Reczyńska

• Jagiellonian University

author

Tomasz Soroka

• Jagiellonian University