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World Experts, Authorities at First Migration Expo in the Philippines
World experts and authorities agree: migration is the answer to recession.
Aware of the continuing need for specific occupations and professions in Canada, Australia, the United Kingdom, New Zealand and the United States, world experts and authorities from the United States, UK, Australia, New Zealand and Canada will discuss the various temporary and permanent migration options for Filipinos in a two-day migration expo. The Migration Expo, titled the First Migration, Overseas Opportunities, Visas and Employment or MOVE, is scheduled to be held from July 31 to August 1, 2009 at the SMX Convention Center. The two-day event also will also include various Philippine government agencies involved in documentation and processing of those seeking to visit, study, work and reside overseas. "There are approximately 12 million Filipinos overseas as permanent and temporary residents abroad: three million in the United States; 500,000 each in Canada and Europe including the UK, 300,000 in Australia and New Zealand. The Philippine Overseas Administration reports that 4,000 Filipinos leave daily to pursue employment abroad. About a million Filipinos are deployed through the POEA annually," says Crispin R. Aranda, Executive Director of the Immigrant Visa Center, MOVE organizer and main host of the weekly TV show, Amerika, Atbp., currently on NBN Channel 4, aired Sundays from 11 AM to 12 noon. Amerika, Atbp., is now in its ninth year of broadcast, the longest running TV show on visas, migration and migrant affairs. To travel abroad, a person must provide evidence of identity and nationality. Hence the agencies invited to be part of the Migration Expo are the National Statistics Office (for birth, marriage documents) the Department of Foreign Affairs (for pass porting); the National Bureau of Investigation for police clearance; the Department of Social Welfare and Development for travel of minors as well as inter-country adoption; and attached agencies to the Department of Labor - the Philippine Overseas and Employment Administration, the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration and the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA). Attorney Norma Molinar, an immigrant advocate and member of the American Immigration Lawyers Association with law offices in San Francisco, California and Charles Kelly, a Registered Immigration Adviser from the UK have confirmed their attendance. Representatives of State, Regions and Territories of Canada and Australia have signified their intention to participate. Ten provinces in Canada have their own permanent residency schemes called Provincial Nominee Programs: Alberta, British Columbia, Manitoba, New Brunswick, Newfoundland & Labrador, Nova Scotia, Ontario, Prince Edward Island, Saskatchewan and Yukon Territories have their own specific list of professions and occupations in demand, including a list of occupations to be invited through Strategic Recruitment programs. Aranda, who hosts and produces Amerika, Atbp.. the TV show said "representatives of countries with permanent migration programs with Embassies and consular posts in the Philippines have been invited to participate as well, including the United States of America (with its own array of public speakers); Canada, Australia, New Zealand and the UK to provide information to potential visa applicants on the most current procedures regarding applications as visitors, students, workers and residents and how they may qualify for sponsorship on the state or regional levels." Among the countries with permanent migration programs, Canada and Australia seem to have a longer view of the current economic downturn. Instead of decreasing the number of migration residencies, Canada instead streamlined the list of occupations that Canada will accept starting 2009. Australia for its part, selected occupations that it needs now to keep it competitive edge and - like Canada - be better positioned with the skills and professions they need - when the world economy picks up. Australia thereby, published its Critical Skills List. The UK for its part overhauled its immigration laws - the first in 45 years - and designed 5 levels of visa classifications to get qualified and eligible students, temporary workers, highly skilled professionals and temporary labor. Canada’s list of priority occupations is shown below. To qualify an applicant must have either one year experience in the occupation, or must have a job offer or must have been a student or resident in Canada for at least a year. PRIORITY OCCUPATIONS, CANADA: 6 - 12 Months Processing
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