The economic recession has prompted a new trend of worker migration from the U.S. to Canada, according to new statistics from Immigration Canada.
In 2010 Americans applied for Canadian work visas at almost double the rate of two years prior. Last year, the Department of Citizenship and Immigration received 4,109 U.S. applications for work visas, versus 2,115 applications in 2008.
Americans, seeking refuge from high unemployment rates and increasing poverty in their home country, have now become the second largest group of temporary foreign workers in Canada, behind only workers from the Philippines.
The situation so far this year looks to remain much the same. Last month, once again Canada reported lower unemployment rates than the U.S. at 7.3 percent and 9.1 percent, respectively.
U.S. President Barack Obama has been trying to implement various economic policies in hopes of kick-starting his country’s recovery. Last week he proposed a new $447-billion job bill to stimulate the market, urging Congress to act quickly.
Source: Vancouver Sun