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Canada becoming a more attractive choice for Irish immigrants than US

KERRY O'SHEA,

IrishCentral Staff Writer

Published Monday, March 19, 2012, 8:08 AM

Updated Monday, March 19, 2012, 9:23 AM

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Famine monument in Toronto

With Ireland’s economy still struggling, many native Irish people are flocking to Canada in hopes of finding employment. Just last year, there were 5,200 Irish temporary workers in Canada, up almost 1,000 from 2010.

The Herald News in Canada reports that Canada is now rivaling America in terms of attracting Irish immigrants. Boasting a more flexible immigration policy, Canada is gaining more and more temporary Irish workers.

"The word over in Ireland for the last two to three years is that Canada is the place to go," said Eamonn O’Loghlin, who came to Canada from Ireland 36 years ago and remains involved with several Irish-Canadian organizations.

"They can hit the ground running here,” added O’Loghlin. “They are all very well educated, there’s no language barrier, no real cultural issues and they have a very dynamic and caring Irish diaspora here already so there’s someone here on the ground.”

A column in the New York Daily News on Thursday said that with its stricter immigration policies, America is losing out on ample opportunity to welcome in educated Irish immigrants - something that is to the gain of our economic rivals.

On Sunday, the Irish Canadian Immigration Centre had its formal opening, a significant marker in the relations between Ireland and Canada to mutually support the waves of immigration.

“Canadians are opening their arms to new immigrants and I do think that’s why we’re seeing more to come here right now," said Cathy Murphy, executive director of the Irish Canadian Immigration Centre.

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While Canada has a long history of welcoming in Irish immigrants, the reasons for Irish immigration have always fluctuated over the decades. Murphy said, “I think the older generation feels quite a lot of empathy that the younger generation has to leave Ireland because of jobs, there isn’t a choice. They are not coming for adventure, they are coming out of necessity.”

The Irish government has been working to make sure its natives are well supported in Canada after they leave Ireland. In 2011,the Irish government spent close to $14.8 million on grants to support Irish people around the world; about $190,000 of that went to Canada, including to the new immigration centre.

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IrelandNorth | Apr 05, 2012, 08:36 AM EDT

If the one million Ulster-Scots were repatriated back to Scotland, that would free-up much needed jobs and space for the native Irish. Then Irish nationals would no longer be displaced from their own country, displacing native labour. Most Irish would chip-in to buy a one way ticket for them.

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Trishaboland | Mar 22, 2012, 06:42 PM EDT

I don't think many Irish would choose to go to Brazil Curitiba. First of all its Portugeuse speaking, secondly we don't have any real historical contacts with it other than possibly missionaries in the past. The Irish generally go to Anglophone countries, as this is where most of the historical links are, remember also we're not great linguists, and to live and work anywhere other than Anglophone countries, you normally need to speak the language of the country.

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ciaradexy | Mar 20, 2012, 07:41 PM EDT

Curitiba, Im sure if companies from Brazil host a jobs fair in Ireland, people will move there for work. Currently there is a work visa for Irish people to go there. Its available through Usit Now.

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Curitiba | Mar 20, 2012, 06:34 PM EDT

What about Brazil instead? Apparently it's the world's sixth largest economy, it's warm and nearer than Australia.

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Peterman | Mar 19, 2012, 10:24 PM EDT

Irish who need to emigrate for financial reasons could probably wait until the cows come home for an official invite to the US or Canada. Thank the Lord my GG Grandfather didn't wait in 1842. The family story is the ship was cheaper to go to Canada so Canada it was. They eventually crossed into the US. If you have to go, trust in the Lord and go, no official invites will be going out.

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faberm1 | Mar 19, 2012, 09:15 PM EDT

Canada has 1/10 of America's population and has a larger land mass than the USA. Canada needs immigrants. The USA really doesn't need immigrants at this time. We've absorbed the world's overflow for 250 years. It's not that we are anti the rest of the world. We've just absorbed all we can for the moment. Our own people are underemployed or unemployed. I think it is amazing that Ireland allows no immigration from the USA even on a temporary basis. Canada should be a more attractive place to immigrate for a long time to come.

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Murph46 | Mar 19, 2012, 06:50 PM EDT

George why would ICE want to remove someones wife from the plane?

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GeorgeDillon | Mar 19, 2012, 04:17 PM EDT

I wouldn't advise Irish people to emigrate to Canada. I spent a year in Toronto once and didn't like it. Oh wait, it was actually only a weekend, it just felt like a year. I read that a lot of Irish are heading for Alberta. Hope they bring their Long Johns. When the wind from the Yukon caresses their fat asses they'll wish they were back in good old Oireland!

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GeorgeDillon | Mar 19, 2012, 04:14 PM EDT

kerthialfad: I think there is already a good deal of vigilance by the ICE. I've often seen people turned away from US Immigration at Dublin Airport. In fact on more than one occasion my plane has been delayed because folks had been refused admission to the US and so the airline had to take their bags off.

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ciaradexy | Mar 19, 2012, 04:13 PM EDT

Also its quite easy to get a US work visa if you have a qualification thats in demand there.

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ciaradexy | Mar 19, 2012, 04:11 PM EDT

Bythebay, 300 Irish migrants with skills are arriving in NY weekly legally which proves our education system is excellent. Irish are being snapped up all over Canada, Australia and NZ which also proves our qualification and skills are excellent. Badly built structures are the result of unscrupulous developers using substandard building materials and NOT as a result of badly skilled trades people. Remember who built the cities of the US, Canada, Australia and the UK. Ive yet to hear of these cities falling down. Our education system cant be that bad if thousands of Americans are studying here every year.

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kerthialfad | Mar 19, 2012, 02:19 PM EDT

The Irish have a history of overstaying their visas in the US, there should be some kind of discouragement against them. I don't want to use the word: discrimination. Yet, we should, in our immigration policy, reward those who obey our laws, and play by the rules, and conversely penalize those nationalities who are the most flagrant violators.

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FastEddy | Mar 19, 2012, 01:50 PM EDT

Mexico too! Much better choices than the economically stagnated USA.

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wdwrkr371 | Mar 19, 2012, 12:59 PM EDT

Jesus bythebay I can see why you would visit Irish central your obvious love and respect for our people, country and way of life is strong. I am positively uplifted by your thoughts. I think you should immediately contact the Canadian PM and warn him we're coming.

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CitizenWhy | Mar 19, 2012, 12:21 PM EDT

Canada is better for families: national health service, excellent public schools, low cost unis, prudent banking not putting economy at risk of another recession, polite culture. The US, in its pursuit of nasty capitalism and nasty politics, has lost it.

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