Explaining the research

It further explains that the aforementioned studies have somehow underestimated the number of individuals who have entered the UK illegally, and also those who entered the country with the use of their own Visa, yet have decided to illegally overstay. In fact, the past studies had a central estimate of six hundred and eighteen thousand, a figure that should be revised to more than one million.

What do politicians have to say?

Some politicians, at present, are planning to provide benefits to those who have stayed longer than ten years in the UK, as they are made regularized citizens of the United Kingdom. However, Sir Andrew Green, the Chairman of the MigrationWatch in UK is strongly opposed to this plan since he does not like the fact that his country is going to reward British citizenship to the illegals who have stayed more than ten years, simply because they are illegal immigrants.

Aside from the citizenship, they are also going to be provided with complete access to the welfare state. This is not something the people of UK want as a form of punishment for those who illegally entered their country.

The United Kingdom presently has more than a million people, a number that can easily be doubled, or even tripled, once their relatives fly to the UK as they, through the Blue Card, will also be given the right to come to the UK, live there, and even work there. This is not something that gladdens today`s Brits since they do not want to waste billions upon billions of legal British money paid by the tax payers when the UK Government, itself, is already broke.

What do the voters have to say?

Voters in UK were asked through surveys whether or not they wanted to immigrants to be getting financial and other kinds of benefits as well. According to the results, fifty-four percent opposes with thirty-six percent strongly opposed to that particular notion. On the other hand, a thirty percent of the British population is in favor, with an additional five percent who were strongly in favor. The remaining percentage is made up of the people who still cannot decide.

Majority of the immigrants who enter the UK come from Ireland and the other countries that used to be part of the British Empire, such as Pakistan, India, the Caribbean, Bangladesh, Hong Kong, and Kenya.

It seems that a huge percentage of the British population is strongly opposed to having more and more immigrants into their country. In fact, some reports have been made stating that “Britain is already full

Attracting immigrants

The entire Europe is presently highly interested in attracting and inviting highly skilled immigrants for filling in the continents looming demographic crisis and shortage in the necessary and related skills. However, expert economists strongly warn European countries that they have to set some strict conditions first.

The main reason for their need of highly skilled workers is the widening demographic gap. It is because of this gap that majority of today`s students shy away from courses that involve technical and scientific studies. This makes it even more difficult to match the increasing demand for high skilled labor within Europe.

Today, the supply of specialists in certain technological courses is continuously receding. It is quite unfortunate that the European Union is presently unsuccessful in its efforts of attracting huge numbers of expert engineers and technicians from slowly emerging economies like India and China to work in their country instead. Examples of nations that have obtained success in this kind of endeavor are New Zealand, United States of America, Australia, and Canada.

Skilled labor

The results coming from the statistical research conducted by the Commissioner of Justice and Home Affairs, Frattini, indicate that eighty-five percent of the unskilled laborers decide to go to the EU and only five percent to the US. Sadly, however, merely five percent of the skilled labor workers only arrive in EU, since US, alone, absorbs a very huge share of highly skilled technicians, ICT specialists, and engineers, which accounts to around fifty-five percent of the total population of today`s most skilled mobile workforce.

Solution to the problem

It is because of this lag in the race regarding the best and most innovative brains that Europe is made unable to assert its position as a world leader when it comes to innovation. The first group or organization that tackled this particular issue is the Portuguese Presidency, with help from a high level conference on Legal Immigration.

It was on the thirteenth and fourteenth of September of 2007 that the Commission proposed its concept of the Blue Card in Lisbon. This Blue Card is actually part of their general strategy with regards to legal migration.

What is the Blue Card?

This Blue Card is actually the main policy initiative of the whole Europe in today`s global competition for the world`s best and very mobile brains. The main target, in this case, is to generate a single application process for workers who are not citizens of Europe yet live and work inside different European countries. This Blue Card proposal aims to attract more than twenty million very skilled employees and workers from the nations that are outside Europe.

Basically, the Blue Card is for use in Europe, while the Green Card is how individuals can obtain citizenship in the United States of America.

The current controversy in the United Kingdom today is the rule that allows illegal immigrants to earn British citizenship and the subsequent benefits if they manage to stay as long as fourteen years. This triggered a huge number of outbursts from the British people. They do not like the fact that the crime doers will be rewarded, provided that they are able to get away with their crime long enough, in this case, fourteen years.

Many are even quite surprised that this particular rule still even exists to date. It is a huge anomaly as compared to the rest of the policies established by the British Government, as majority of the British policies are obviously and very strongly opposed with illegal or irregular immigration into the country.

About the rules

The rules that have been getting a lot of negative outcries are the ones responsible for permitting illegal immigrants who wrongly claim residence after their fourteen years of living in the UK, in this sense, hiding in the UK. These rules have been formalized in the Home Office, particularly in 2003, despite being such a loose concession before that year.

Same as adverse possession

The aforementioned arrangements are very similar to the legal status obtained by those who have squatter`s rights. Under the Welsh and English law, something like this would be considered as adverse possession. This particular arrangement allows illegal occupiers of English and Welsh to apply for land owner registration to the land they stayed in, as long as they survive living illegally for twelve years. According to the authorities of Home Office, not all of the application forms they receive are actually granted, despite how long their residence has reached.

Before they are granted, their cases are reviewed individually, taking in to account exactly how strong their connection is to the people and the country of United Kingdom. Of course, their criminal records will also be checked, together with their compassionate circumstances. Moreover, he added that those who submitted their applications and fell under asylum claims were more quickly dealt with as compared to the others.

“Yes!

The first wave of Canadian immigration

The first important immigration of non-aboriginal individuals into Canada happened in more than two centuries ago with the highly progressive settlement of the French people of Acadia and Quebec, along with small numbers of entrepreneurs from Europe and America, in addition to the military personnel that came from the United Kingdom.

This particular wave is responsible for the culmination of the influx of British loyalists who tended to flee in an attempt to escape the American Revolution. The places that the British loyalists fled from are the Mid-Atlantic States, which are presently regarded as Southern Ontario, Nova Scotia, New Brunswick and the Eastern townships of the Quebec.

The second wave of Canadian immigration

The second wave comprised of individuals who came from Ireland and Britain, as they were strongly encouraged to stay in Canada right after the War of 1812. The immigrants during this wave were primarily made up of the British army regulars who served during the war. They were invited to settle in Canada because of the threat that America was going to attempt an invasion in order to counter the influence of Quebec on the Canadian people. It is actually because of Quebec that a huge part of Canada knows how to speak French.

The British soldiers did their best in restoring normal settlement conditions in back country areas, along with a newly built plank road that is quite near to the highly organized land tracts in Upper Canada, which is now referred to as Ontario.

Also part of this second wave is the immigration of the Irish into Canada. They transferred to this country because of the Irish Potato Famine which actually occurred starting from 1846 right up to 1849. This famine caused thousands upon thousands more of the Irish people arriving right on the shores of Canada. Among the one hundred thousand Irish individuals who sailed to Canada back in 1847, there was an estimate of one death among five people.

The third wave of Canadian immigration

Majority of those who belong to the third wave of Canadian immigration came from the continental part of Europe. Many of them transferred before World War I, particularly between 1910 and 1913, and more than four hundred thousand in 1913.

The fourth wave of Canadian immigration

The fourth peak is also from Europe, especially the French-speaking populations. Ukrainians who live in Canada account for the largest population of Ukrainians that are outside of Russia and Ukraine itself.

However, Canadian immigration was not all about the increase, because some times also came that somehow decreased the number of immigrants into Canada, such as World Wars I and II, and also the world-famous Great Depression.

The Chinese in Canada

In fact, twenty-five thousand people moved from the Republic of China and went to Canada only in 2009 alone. Moreover, the total population of Chinese individuals in Canada has reached more than one million, since China is actually regarded by experts as the second top resource of Canadian immigrants. And aside from that, it is also considered as the number one source of permanent residents who end up deciding to stay in Canada. It is only in China, alone, that Canada got over twenty-five thousand permanent residents.

According to statistical data, Chinese communities within Canada have stayed for longer than a hundred and fifty years. In fact, they were the ones responsible for building the Canadian Pacific Railway that somehow united Canada from its Eastern part to the Western part back in the 1860`s. Aside from this, majority of Canadian immigrants who originally came from China today are very successful in various professional fields in Canada.

Chinese gift to Canada

One of the many gifts offered by the Chinese people to Canada is their great business sense and work ethic. They also like to take risks, and this characteristic of theirs, alone, has definitely made Canadian business chains much better. The Chinese people are also much more compassionate with regards to hiring more and more people, which is also a good way for the Canadian residents to come up with their own financial income. Through out the small businesses that the Chinese have all over Canada, for sure, Canadians will never have a problem with regards to employment.

Since majority of the economic growth is largely dependent on the business industry of Canada, the Canadian immigrants from China have contributed a lot to the success of the Canadian economy. A huge part of this is because they are simply good working people, especially with regards to business, and they always work very hard.

Still, however, no matter how good in business they are or how much they have contributed to the Canadian Government, they will still be treated normally once they experience problems related to their immigration.

Foreign nationals who have an immigration status that might have lapsed because of certain delays in air traffic for the past few weeks can now breathe easily. In fact, Ottawa has been making some special allowances right after the airspace above Europe was shut down because of an ash plume that has been spewing from an Icelandic volcano.

In fact, immigration minister Jason Kenney has stated that temporary residents who have been unsuccessful in their attempts to leave the country because of disruptions in air travel, especially once their Visas have already expired on or after the fifteenth of April has absolutely no need to worry because their status will be automatically extended for an additional thirty days, all for free.

However, they are actually very different from one another. In fact, they have more than ten differences between the two of them.

What is a Blue Card?

Blue Card, unlike its green counterpart in the United States of America, does not automatically provide its holder with permanent residency. It is considered valid up to two years. However, if they want to stay longer in Europe, for more than a couple of years, then they can easily renew their Blue Card.

It is through this Blue Card that foreign nationals are invited to enter the country as they are allowed, including their corresponding families, to reside, be employed, and travel all over Europe.

How to get a Blue Card?

If they feel attracted to Europe`s new Blue Card policy, they should just procure the enlisted requirements that they should complete first before they are provided with their very own Blue Card. They have to submit a recognized diploma that comes along with proof, stating that they have had professional experience in any given career for at least three years.

And, of course, they have to obtain a job contract, with one of the million of different companies in Europe, that runs for as long as one whole year. This job contract should indicate a salary of three times the regular minimum wage. Still, however, they must not think that the Blue Card ties to them to their job, because this card only attaches its benefits to the individual or the holder of the card.

And, although possession of a Blue Card does not automatically make that certain holder a European citizen, he or she will be granted permanent residency after five years, automatically. This is something definitely worth waiting for.

Today, the Blue Card is being actively talked about in various debate session. In fact, two issues have been raised up and are considered to be the most divisive. First is the regular definition of the terms highly skilled worker and also the destiny of the pre-existing nationwide schemes that are targeted at attracting and inviting foreign laborers who are qualified.

In fact, questions have been raised regarding how the level of income of a certain national from a third world country is enough for deciding what that worker`s value or benefits will be.

The target of the Commission in proposing the Blue Card is to harmonize the varying member state procedures, aside from providing migrants that are efficiently skilled. This Blue Card serves as their grant to move feely within the EU.

It is through the Blue Card that different countries within Europe will have more opportunities to define their quotas for foreign nationals who work in Europe. Examples of such countries are Austria and Germany, as they have consistently been implementing their restrictive quotas.

Some have gone to the UK as asylum seekers, as they seek for protection as refugees under the laws established during the 1951 Refugee Convention of the United Nations.

The reasons

Moreover, based on the studies conducted about the aforementioned issue, half of the population growth that occurred between 1991 and 2001 was due to the foreign-born immigration. Nearly five million were born abroad, which accounts for more than eight percent of the population during that time. Perhaps the lacking part of the study is that the census did not include any immigration status or how long they intend to stay in the United Kingdom.

Latest studies

According to the results of the latest studies, it was only in 2008 that five hundred ninety thousand individuals arrived in UK for living purposes, while around four hundred and twenty-seven thousand former residents left. This indicates that the net inward migration can be accounted for around one hundred and sixty-three thousand.

Furthermore, the total net immigration merely in 2007 was two hundred thirty-seven thousand, which increased a huge forty-six thousand individuals in only one year. It was just in 2006 that one hundred forty-nine thousand and thirty-five applications were submitted to the UK Government in order to acquire British citizenship, an amount that is thirty-two percent less during 2005.

However, the number of those who were allowed to be British citizens in 2006 was one hundred fifty-four thousand ninety-five, which is five percent less than the percentage in 2005. Furthermore, the biggest ethnicity group that was granted to become citizens of Great Britain came from the Philippines, Pakistan, Somalia, and India. Despite their legal entry to the UK, there were one hundred thirty-four thousand and four hundred thirty individuals who were granted permission to settle in the UK, a number that is twenty-five percent less than the number obtained back in 2005.

Migration to Eastern and Central Europe

It is a good thing that the migration processes from Eastern Europe and Central Europe has increased largely since the year 2003, along with the accession to the EU of the eight states of these parts of Europe because of the free movement of labor that is happening today.

Points-based system

Currently, the UK Government is phasing in a newer kind of system, particularly a points-based immigration system for the individuals who come from countries other than those included in the European Economic Area.

Entering UK illegally

Those who enter the United Kingdom without the proper authority will be termed as illegal or irregular immigrants. Aside from that, they will also be branded as illegal immigrants if they used false documents during they entry or if they overstayed past their Visa expiry.

What is a Green Card Marriage?

It is when foreign nationals intend to marry a citizen to avoid the usual immigration laws. This is actually regarded as a crime in the United States. They are thinking of a special blessing as their means to acquire citizenship, instead of building a life together as a family.

It is through Green Card Marriages that foreign nationals do not even try to get themselves a Visa in order to obtain permanent citizenship and residency. It is an American law that spouses of citizens and permanent stayers in the US are not required to get their own Visa anymore. Unfortunately, it is this particular law that is being widely and very popularly taken advantage of by many foreign illegal immigrants.

To date, many individuals or companies are still hiring unauthorized employees. Such situation is regarded as the Magnet for Illegal Immigration. Since lots of today`s employers are very willing to hire illegal immigrants in to obtain higher pay, as compared to what they would most likely get back in their home of origin, they feel much more inspired or motivated to gather the guts necessary for successfully crossing the border.

What does Mexico have to say?

It was actually in 2003 that the former President of Mexico, Vicente Fox, said that Mexico`s most effective source of foreign income is the remittances they get. In fact, he even states that the income they got merely from remittances beat what they received from foreign investment, tourism, or oil. Furthermore, he also states that the money transfers that the country got, after the Mexican consulates gave out identity cards to Mexicans who are now America citizens, largely increased.

Vicente Fox has stated that Mexican workers located in the US sent around twelve billion dollars to their families located back home. And in 2005, the World Bank released its statement that Mexico got more than eighteen billion dollars in remittances only, ranking third from China and India.

The network effect

Expert demographer, Jeffery Passel, who works in the Pew Hispanic Center, stated that the flow of Mexicans living and working in the US has generated what is called a network effect. This network effect occurs when more immigration cases take place as more and more Mexicans transfer to the US so that they can join their relatives who are already living and getting quite comfortable there.

Why do they choose to illegally immigrate in the first place?

Many expert analysts believe today that the Government`s delays, high expenses, and further inefficiencies in the processing of Visa applications and working permits, add up to the huge number of those who opt to be illegal immigrants. In fact, it was only in 2007 that the Green Card applications obtained a back log amount of more than one million. It is a sad thing that those who apply for their Visa need to get used to the waiting time of three years.

Detaining the illegal immigrants

In fact, more than thirty thousand individuals who happen to be no American citizens are detained in the immigration center on any day. This number includes Overstayers of all ages, even children. They are detained in more than two hundred detention centers, prisons, and jails situated all over the country. Furthermore, it was in 2007 when the US Government could not decide right away whether or not to deport a huge group of illegal immigrants, as big as three hundred thousand people, back to where they came from.

What is deportation?

Deportation is finalized in administrative and removal proceedings that are all held under the US immigration law. Removal proceedings, usually, are conducted normally in the Immigration Court and are presided over by a particular immigration judge. From 2003 right up to 2008, the number of deportations coming from the US has increased by more than sixty percent. The Mexicans accounted for approximately two-thirds of those who were submitted for deportation.

Deportation-related complications ensue when the parents turn out to be illegal immigrants yet their children are American citizens because of their birthright. Some federal appellate courts have been strongly upholding the direct refusal by the Immigration and Naturalization Service to sustain the deportation of these illegal immigrants simply based on the grounds that they have children who are citizens of the United States. In fact, more than three million children who are US citizens have at least one illegal immigrant for a parent, back in 2005, and at least thirteen thousand American kids had one or both parents deported starting from 2005 up to 2007.

Seeking for a sanctuary

Elvira Arellano, a Mexican woman sought sanctuary at a local area in Chicago, particularly a church. She intended to impede immigration authorities from separating her from her US-born eight-year-old son.

The same thing happened to Sadia Umanzor, who illegally entered the US from Honduras. In fact, her situation became quite famous as it was the center cover story of the New York Times for their issue for the seventeenth of November in 2007. According to the paper, she was actually a fugitive form a deportation order that occurred in 2006. She was arrested so that officials could detain her while anticipating for her deportation orders. However, a certain judge postponed her deportation proceedings and placed her on house arrest instead because of her US-born six-month-old baby.

Mass deportations

In the entire history of America, there have only been two instances of mass deportations. It was in the 1930`s that around five hundred thousand Mexicans and Mexican Americans, alike, were deported and coerced into emigrating. Experts in the field of immigration stated that this forced migration was a form of racial removal program, since a huge percentage of these individuals have already acquired their US citizenship.

Some politicians have called for a commission in order to study the possible deportation of US citizens and legal residents today. Since history can always repeat itself, in the event that illegal immigration becomes a felony, there will be a massive deportation of US citizens.