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Fed up Brits should come to Canada, says Minister sent to lure workers to emigrate
Last updated at 09:46am on 01.07.08
Canada is putting skilled British workers on a fast track for immigration visas to exploit our soaring cost of living.
Its officials believe superior public services and the ability to weather economic turmoil will lure Britons fed up with fuel and food prices and with the state of schools and hospitals.
Alberta's employment minister Hector Goudreau has been sent to this country to 'target' those tempted by a new life overseas.
It is one of the most audacious recruitment raids since Australia poached a million Britons - known as the Ten Pound Poms after the ship fare they paid - in the 1950s and 60s.
Scenic: The Three Sisters mountain peaks in Alberta, Canada
The Canadians want GPs, teachers, nurses, electricians, carpenters, engineers, construction workers, management consultants, and cardiac and diabetic specialists.
Anyone of any age can apply, although workers who fit skills and experience criteria will be fast-tracked for visas.
Last night - on the even of Canada Day, Canada's national celebration - there were fears that the scheme will deepen the crisis in the NHS and other services struggling with severe staff shortages.
Mr Goudreau, who has been in Britain for a week, said: 'Somebody from London might be able to sell their small flat and come to Alberta where they can buy a detached house with a huge back yard and huge front yard for the same amount.
'The cost of living is considerably less than in the UK. Our salaries are comparable or even higher, so anyone who moves over would be able to make money and set some aside.'
Mr Goudreau added that the economy in Alberta - which is founded on oil reserves - was constantly growing, and has remained steady despite the global credit crunch.
He went on: 'We are looking at attracting 50,000 foreign workers within the next year alone.
'There is beautiful scenery, the health care system is second to none in the world and our educational system is second to none in the world. We have some of the lowest business taxes, there is no province sales tax on goods.'
The province covers a large chunk of prairie and Rocky Mountains and its major cities are Edmonton and Calgary.
Its population is 3.4million - less than half London's - and it covers an area twice as big as Japan.
The average annual salary in Alberta for civil engineers last year was £44,428.
And while income tax is higher in Canada, the living costs are much cheaper.
Alberta officials, who are also targeting workers from Germany, America, Mexico and the Philippines, have been encouraged to focus on Britain by figures showing a record 200,000 Britons left the country for new lives abroad in 2006.
Mr Goudreau said: 'There has been a recent change in the UK economy which is part of the reason we are targeting it, it is a very important priority for us.
Racing attraction: The Grand Prix in Edmonton, Alberta, last year
'If there are a lack of future or opportunities here we will encourage the individuals who feel this way to come to Alberta.
'There are tremendous opportunities, all over the world the people are feeling the housing crunch, but we aren't. We might have some very little dips, but we have a very stable economy which is set up for the future.
Last night, medical experts warned of the dangers if too many workers are attracted by the offer.
A British Medical Association spokesman said: 'Potentially Canada's gain is the UK's loss because we will lose highly trained and skilled doctors.
Stunning cities: Vancouver in British Columbia
'Some are looking to go because of the lack of specialist training places in the UK. Places are highly sought after and competition for them has increased in the last couple of years.
'Added to that a lot of junior doctors are very demoralised at the moment and so they are seeking employment elsewhere.' Sir Andrew Green, chairman of Migrationwatch UK, said: 'Emigration has doubled in the last couple of years because of the economic slowdown here in the UK, and the quality of life in places like Canada.
Alternative life?: Hector Goudreau, Minister for Employment and Immigration in Alberta, wants fed-up Britons to move to Canada
'Also people find the UK is getting more and more crowded and they see crime rates going up.'
In 2006, a record 207,000 British citizens left this country. A third went to Australia or New Zealand, more than a quarter to Spain or France, and one in 12 to the United States.
Nearly 1.6million British citizens emigrated in the decade after Labour came to power in 1997. They have been replaced by foreign workers, with the overall population increasing by more than a million in ten years. A recent survey by YouGov found 37 per cent of adults are thinking about moving abroad because of the growing financial pressure of life in this country.
More than 603,000 Britons live in Canada but Mr Goudreau was keen to concentrate on his home province.
'Alberta is a big province, so whereas there is hardly any snow in the south in the winter, there is plenty of opportunity in the north for skiing, snowboarding and skating,' he said.
'Then in the summer there are water-based activities such as boating, fishing and whitewater rafting. We also have baseball and soccer. There is also a lot of culture, if you prefer the opera, musicals or ballet, we have a network of beautiful provincial parks.
'It is known as the melting pot of Canada as we have a lot of immigrants coming here.'
Among the different nationalities living in Alberta are Chinese, Germans, Spanish, Ukrainians and Filipinos.
Alberta's booming economy is based on having the second largest concentration of oil in the world. There are 173billion barrels in oil sands which can be recovered with today's technology. There is also an estimated 315billion barrels of potentially recoverable oil.
Reader views (28)
I love it! We send you Madonna, Gwyneth Paltrow, etcetera, and we get thousands of skilled professionals to increase our prosperity! Thanks! It just proves that the former Colonies are superior! After all, we traded trinkets and beads for Manhattan...
- Smiley, Alexandria, VA USA, 01/07/2008 21:33
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A Toronto daily paper reported yesterday that police in Calgary, Alberta, have been so successful in recruiting British bobbies and other officers from abroad that it has had to cut back its recruitment efforts. It has been so overwhelmed by the number of applications from outside Canada, it has temporarily suspended accepting any more from foreign officers.
On its website, the Calgary Police Service stated: 'Since its launch in 2006, the Service's international recruiting program has been a great success. It has attracted candidates from all over the U.K. and beyond ...
'In order to efficiently and effectively manage the incoming files, the Service has decided to scale down its international recruiting efforts.'
Some may say it's a fair cop ...
- Wonderer, Toronto, Canada, 01/07/2008 21:16
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I've spent the last 5 months in Los Angeles and I can't wait to get back. I hate my fellow Britons, they do nothing but moan!!
No-one has any pride in this country anymore, yet we expect immigrants who come to UK to feel British and respect the land that it's natives can't wait to leave.....
The amount of times I've sat at dinner tables and pubs in England to hear someone moan about the state of the country, but offer nothing how they are proud to be English or make this country great...they only want to go to France, Italy, Oz or New Zealand, wherever.
I'm being two faced as I'm doing the exact thing, but I'm at least proud to be born here, proud of the British spirit of old that engaged with the world and led by example, now we have a country dominated by little Englanders who are obsessed with immigration although in my middle classed existence I only see them filling the jobs the little Englanders don't want for them or their children - cleaning offices or taking up highly skilled jobs that pay poorly like teaching or medicine in the NHS.
So bugger off to Canada and in my case go to the US, but don't slag off the state of the country in the same breath!
- Martin, London, 01/07/2008 15:02
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I'm a Brit who is emigrating to Canada. I feel that the only sensible reason to make such a move is for love of the country you are moving to, not frustration with the one you are leaving. Canada is a spectacular country and right now it offers a much better standard of living than I could hope to afford in the UK, but that might not last forever and it's a long way from home. Go for the mountains, go for the outdoor lifestyle, go for the beer. Don't go just because you're miserable, as you might find that you end up bringing that along with you...
- Matthew Boulton, London... Vancouver soon!, 01/07/2008 14:19
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Boy, misery just loves company. I am from East London but have lived in many countries in the past but still consider this place a wonderful country to live in. My only problem is all the negative people moaning constantly about everything. Yes, it has problems but so does every place you care to mention. Still, I wish all the people moaning would just up and leave and leave it at that. Just go! or are you all mouth?
- Gary, London, 01/07/2008 14:16
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As Michael from London indicates, it's all relative. But, if he is saying we should shut up and be grateful, then he is a fool - just because Brits do not face the sort of oppression that is prevalent elsewhere, it does not mean we should accept our lot. We live in a country that used to have a positive feel about it, but now that feeling is gone for the most part. I lived in a city for 30 years and have lived in 'the sticks' for 13 years - I can honestly say that my judgement is not clouded by sensationalist reporting to see the state we are in as a nation.
- Alan Clark, Sudbury, Suffolk, 01/07/2008 14:06
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In parts of Canada residents still don't lock their house doors and feel perfectly safe and unconcerned about potential theft.
And we still continue to live in Britain? Why . . .
- Fraser, Telford Park, 01/07/2008 13:25
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Canada offers a multi-cultural society yet they don't appear to have the same problems as Britain in respect of providing basic education for their kids, why is that?
- Fraser, Telford Park, 01/07/2008 13:24
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In another recent ThisIsLondon article it confirmed Vancouver as being the best place in the world to live yet "nowhere in Britain" got a positive mention at all! Why was that? Is Britain simply perceived as a "trash can" (with some ancient history) by the outside world? Perhaps worth a visit but certainly not a place to live and bring up a family? Are things really so bad in eastern Europe that Britain is still considered a desired destination? Or is it simply down to our lax immigration policies and procedures together with the last days of a true NHS service?
- Fraser, Telford Park, 01/07/2008 13:23
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The article states that taxes are higher in Canada but is that really true when you take into consideration ALL of New Labour's indirect and invisible taxes that burdens the majority of the population? These, of course, being in addition to the direct taxation! Then there's council tax, TV licence tax, car tax, congestion charge tax etc etc . . .
- Fraser, Telford Park, 01/07/2008 13:23
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It is said that "a country is what you make of it". Just look what the New Labour government has done to Britain over the last 11 or so years in power!
Canada Day is a great day to put this article out!
- Fraser, Telford Park, 01/07/2008 13:22
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I am fortunate enough to live in a rural village surrounded by countryside. We moved here to get away from city life yet we cannot get away from the growing oppression that is life in Britain today.
There are so many costs, financial and otherwise, being heaped upon all of us by the government that the only way out of this infuriating, ever-growing insanity is to emigrate.
Life here is becoming more and more depressing because we live under the government of a party whose former leader and now his replacement (who couldn't balance the accounts in his last job), are focussed to the point of obsession with being players on the world stage.
All I can see is that Britain will be left as a withered excuse of a nation.
- Alan Clark, Sudbury, Suffolk, 01/07/2008 13:21
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Happy Canada Day, eh!
- Fraser, Telford Park, 01/07/2008 13:17
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My family are professionals and have been thinking of leaving London for a while. It is tough here especially if you are raising children. I have a burning desire to go for numerous reasons, the violent crime, the cost of living, my kids can't get into their local schools because of waiting lists so have to travel out of area. The dumbing down in education. The lack of general respect and courtesy for each other both young and old as we go about our daily lives. London, used to be a place to call home now I need to find a place to call home. Glad this article was emailed to me.
- Helen, South-East London, London, United Kingdom, 01/07/2008 12:51
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Anybody who wants quality of life then come to Canada. it's a beautiful Country offering opportunities, ideal for children and space to grow.
- Tony, Toronto, Canada, 01/07/2008 12:41
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Steph, I couldn't have expressed it better myself. In 20 or 30 years time the only people left in this country will be the scrounging Brits who live off the state, the do-gooding left wingers (who let's face it have been the ruination of this country in the first place) or those from other shores. All the 'decent' 'English' people would have emigrated elsewhere. I probably will too. This country's had it.
- Sue, Orpington, Kent, 01/07/2008 12:24
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Why do we British keep whining on about immigration and in the same breath talk about emigrating too?
I have lived in many countries but none are so obsessed with not wanting to adjust as this island.
- James, James , London, 01/07/2008 11:55
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I hate to break it to Ben, but Canada is just as affected by rising food and fuel costs - I was in the country last week, and it was one of the main items on the news agenda. And Canadians burn through much more fuel than their British counterparts, if only because the distances they have to travel are that much greater.
As for the question about why immigrants want to come here, I suspect it's because they have a slightly more realistic view of Britain - which is that, for all the sensationalist reporting and inveterate moaning by its inhabitants, it's actually a pretty nice place to live, certainly relative to many Eastern European or African countries.
- Michael, London, 01/07/2008 11:52
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The government of Québec introduced a similar system to attract French people over there. Unfortunately, the emigrating process is not as easy as it looks, and if like me, you are a modest office clerk working for an administration, you are of no interest whatsoever for anyone! Of course, they speak our languages, but first of all, Canadians are North Americans and I quickly found out we don't have much in common... And then you have to put up with having 5 months of snow every year...
- Jacques, Cannes - France, 01/07/2008 10:56
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Steph from London. Would the 'native Brits' you're referring to be the same dole-scrounging ones who are too good to work as street cleaners or fruit pickers and who haven't 3 GCSEs to string together? As the daughter of Caribbean immigrants, I'm tired of the racist overtones that always come out in arguments about immigration whenever the economy is in a poor state or crime is high. What makes you think that 'true native Brits' have anything to offer the culture of other countries except loutish drunken behaviour, teenage pregnancy and a general inability to converse in a foreign language?
I know the country's in a bad way, but just think about what life would be like if every immigrant left. Who would work in hospitals or on the public transport system? Not the true Brits who are only good for complaining it seems.
- Dani, London, 01/07/2008 10:42
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The irony completely lost on Brits complaining about immigration only to become immigrants themselves.
- Darren, London, 01/07/2008 10:41
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I would consider moving to Canada if it wasn't for the arrogant French Canadians I've met, I think I'd rather move to New Zealand, a far nicer place.
- Lee Fromage, London, 01/07/2008 10:31
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After all of the skilled labour has left to seek out a better life who will be left behind to fund all of the welfare scroungers, illegal immigrants and terrorists.
Hopefully nothing but MPs and civil servants so that they can finally see the mess that they have made.
- Jimbob, Kensington, 01/07/2008 10:23
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Labour should really be taking notice of this, or rather the reasons why so many of us have left or are leaving or just want to leave.
It really will be Britain's loss if all our skilled people go to places like Canada or Aus.
I m sorry to say but most of the people arriving here do not have skills, money or anything to offer Britain, rather they are just coming to get a ready-made life. The things we have to work our backsides off to get many new-arrivals get for nothing.
I doubt very much labour will take any notice, that's ok hopefully it will cost them the next election.
- Billybob, London, 01/07/2008 10:19
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The problem is the true native 'Brits' would emigrate leaving what's left of Britain to the other 'brits', the one's that we grant citizenship to in the hope that we all 'get on' as one happy family. This cannot be further from the truth, we are all just co existing and there's hostility in the air. There's more to this than the weather, public services and economic turmoil.
Much as I hate this country now and all it stands for I don't want to be left with the pitiful benefit scrounging residue and left squirming on the pavement with a cowards blade in my belly because I foolishly wanted to go out one night.
- Steph, London, 01/07/2008 09:26
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This country is sinking fast. Its time to be selfish and think of yourself and family. Uncontrolled immigration, an over crowded country, high taxes, rising fuel costs, rising food costs. Why would anyone want to stay. In fact why do immigrants want to come here? My family and I will be looking to get out, I would recommend if you can make the move do so.
- Ben, London, England, 01/07/2008 09:19
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My friend comes from Alberta and the one thing he continually mentions is the cold and he's not talking about just a few degrees below zero. Ironically though, he wants to live here.
- Mark, South-East London, 01/07/2008 08:59
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Why is it all there seems to be now days is how bad things have gotten in the UK. Stop being so negative! There are still plenty of people wanting to move to the UK, it's just that that's all the papers will report on to make Labour look incompetent. I'm sorry but I have definitely tired of "the state of...." and "fed up with....". Can't Brits ever be happy with their own country? No, I suppose, because, I forgot, it's a hell-hole (sarcasm implemented)
- Lauren, London, 01/07/2008 00:23
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