Swedes urged to adopt Canada’s immigration model

A new Swedish book adds voice to a chorus of voices urging the Swedish government to adopt Canada's immigration system.

The Globe and Mail reports the book, titled Kanadamodellen — "The Canada Model," touts our country's targeted immigration programs, points-based recruitment scheme, and ethnic networks of support in major cities that help newcomers find employment.

"We looked at Canada, and we saw that it worked — even though Canadians don't always say this, from a Swedish perspective we felt that Canada is a model that should be followed," Martin Adahl, one of the book's editors, told the Globe.

In Sweden, as in other countries in Europe, governments are struggling with annual influxes of asylum seekers and refugees crossing their borders in large numbers.

These immigrants are typically unemployed in large numbers, marginalized and far poorer than the native-born population.

Adhal says immigrants to Canada fare much better than newcomers to countries in Europe because of several factors.

First, it grants immediate access to employment, home and business ownership to new immigrants and refugee claimants.

Second, it has a network of charities and non-governmental organizations that help settle and employ new arrivals. And third, it has a relatively open labour market, in which employers can easily hire and fire people, which makes it easier for immigrants to enter the work force.

The Swedish accolades for our immigration system comes just weeks after Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney praised Canada's immigration laws saying the U.S. should study our policies

Specifically, Romney likes Canada's point system where potential immigrants earn points for graduating university, speaking English, or having family in Canada.

"I understand that Canada and Australia have policies that work pretty well," he said at a town hall meeting in Miami.

"You decide what are the attributes that you're looking for, and you provide points on that basis. And people can then go on the web and see where they are, and how many people are ahead of them."

As is often said - imitation is the highest form of flattery.

If others are copying, or even thinking about copying components of our immigration system, then we must be doing something right.

What do you think?

(Getty Images)