Fed up Brits should come to Canada, says Minister sent to lure workers to emigrate

Canada is putting skilled British workers on a fast track for immigration visas to exploit our soaring cost of living.

Its officials believe superior public services and the ability to weather economic turmoil will lure Britons fed up with fuel and food prices and with the state of schools and hospitals.

Alberta's employment minister Hector Goudreau has been sent to this country to 'target' those tempted by a new life overseas.

It is one of the most audacious recruitment raids since Australia poached a million Britons - known as the Ten Pound Poms after the ship fare they paid - in the 1950s and 60s.



Scenic: The Three Sisters mountain peaks in Alberta, Canada

The Canadians want GPs, teachers, nurses, electricians, carpenters, engineers, construction workers, management consultants, and cardiac and diabetic specialists.

Anyone of any age can apply, although workers who fit skills and experience criteria will be fast-tracked for visas.

Last night - on the even of Canada Day, Canada's national celebration - there were fears that the scheme will deepen the crisis in the NHS and other services struggling with severe staff shortages.

Mr Goudreau, who has been in Britain for a week, said: 'Somebody from London might be able to sell their small flat and come to Alberta where they can buy a detached house with a huge back yard and huge front yard for the same amount.

'The cost of living is considerably less than in the UK. Our salaries are comparable or even higher, so anyone who moves over would be able to make money and set some aside.'

Mr Goudreau added that the economy in Alberta - which is founded on oil reserves - was constantly growing, and has remained steady despite the global credit crunch.



He went on: 'We are looking at attracting 50,000 foreign workers within the next year alone.

'There is beautiful scenery, the health care system is second to none in the world and our educational system is second to none in the world. We have some of the lowest business taxes, there is no province sales tax on goods.'

The province covers a large chunk of prairie and Rocky Mountains and its major cities are Edmonton and Calgary.

Its population is 3.4million - less than half London's - and it covers an area twice as big as Japan.

The average annual salary in Alberta for civil engineers last year was £44,428.

And while income tax is higher in Canada, the living costs are much cheaper.

Alberta officials, who are also targeting workers from Germany, America, Mexico and the Philippines, have been encouraged to focus on Britain by figures showing a record 200,000 Britons left the country for new lives abroad in 2006.

Mr Goudreau said: 'There has been a recent change in the UK economy which is part of the reason we are targeting it, it is a very important priority for us.

Racing attraction: The Grand Prix in Edmonton, Alberta, last year

'If there are a lack of future or opportunities here we will encourage the individuals who feel this way to come to Alberta.

'There are tremendous opportunities, all over the world the people are feeling the housing crunch, but we aren't. We might have some very little dips, but we have a very stable economy which is set up for the future.

Last night, medical experts warned of the dangers if too many workers are attracted by the offer.

A British Medical Association spokesman said: 'Potentially Canada's gain is the UK's loss because we will lose highly trained and skilled doctors.

Stunning cities: Vancouver in British Columbia

'Some are looking to go because of the lack of specialist training places in the UK. Places are highly sought after and competition for them has increased in the last couple of years.

'Added to that a lot of junior doctors are very demoralised at the moment and so they are seeking employment elsewhere.' Sir Andrew Green, chairman of Migrationwatch UK, said: 'Emigration has doubled in the last couple of years because of the economic slowdown here in the UK, and the quality of life in places like Canada.

Alternative life?: Hector Goudreau, Minister for Employment and Immigration in Alberta, wants fed-up Britons to move to Canada

'Also people find the UK is getting more and more crowded and they see crime rates going up.'

In 2006, a record 207,000 British citizens left this country. A third went to Australia or New Zealand, more than a quarter to Spain or France, and one in 12 to the United States.

Nearly 1.6million British citizens emigrated in the decade after Labour came to power in 1997. They have been replaced by foreign workers, with the overall population increasing by more than a million in ten years. A recent survey by YouGov found 37 per cent of adults are thinking about moving abroad because of the growing financial pressure of life in this country.

More than 603,000 Britons live in Canada but Mr Goudreau was keen to concentrate on his home province.

'Alberta is a big province, so whereas there is hardly any snow in the south in the winter, there is plenty of opportunity in the north for skiing, snowboarding and skating,' he said.

'Then in the summer there are water-based activities such as boating, fishing and whitewater rafting. We also have baseball and soccer. There is also a lot of culture, if you prefer the opera, musicals or ballet, we have a network of beautiful provincial parks.

'It is known as the melting pot of Canada as we have a lot of immigrants coming here.'

Among the different nationalities living in Alberta are Chinese, Germans, Spanish, Ukrainians and Filipinos.

Alberta's booming economy is based on having the second largest concentration of oil in the world. There are 173billion barrels in oil sands which can be recovered with today's technology. There is also an estimated 315billion barrels of potentially recoverable oil.