The recent changes to Canada’s immigration system, which include more emphasis being placed upon applicants’ language skills, could mean an increase in immigration from European countries in economic turmoil, such as Greece.
Youth in Greece have for years been honing their English language skills in what was an attempt by Greek regulators to make the nation more competitive on the international scale.
However, the recent economic turmoil in the country is likely to induce many of those English-speaking young workers to look elsewhere for opportunity – including Canada.
The current youth unemployment rate in Greece sits at 25 percent while the economy has reported its fifth consecutive year of decline. The situation has led many young graduates to look for work elsewhere, with a recent university poll in Athens finding that 4 out of 10 graduates plan on leaving the country.
Already the young Greeks have been increasingly headed to other nations within the European Union, including Britain and Germany. However, as the job market dries up, EU officials are considering placing limitations on such intra-continental migration and monitoring borders more closely.
Canada, Australia and the United States are increasingly looking like better options for the English-speakers.
“All Greeks love Greece. But everyone wants out. I am luckier than most because Canada is a solid option,” says Greek sculptor and taxi driver Tony Drakakis. “Even a 50 year old with several children wants to leave so that he can relax the next day and not always be worried.”
Source: Vancouver Sun