'Phantom' Residents To Lose Status

A government internal report estimates that a whopping 98 per cent of "permanent residents" processed in Abu Dhabi, which serves the Gulf region, had no intention of remaining in Canada after their initial landing. Currently, 80 per cent of the permanent resident travel applications in the United Arab Emirates capital are for people who have failed the residency requirement. As a result, they must return to Canada to appeal the revocation of their status. "Unless something major happens in the region to make the Gulf less attractive for expat workers, there is not a pool of professionals who are serious about settling in Canada," notes the mission's annual overview, obtained under the access to information process. "The high application rate is related to what Canada can do for them, not the other way around." ... http://www.thestar.com/News/Canada/article/266633 [Proofreader’s note: this article was edited for spelling and typos on October 15, 2007]

Note: http://www.thestar.com/...