Warsaw, July 14, 2008 - The Honourable Diane Finley, Minister of Citizenship and Immigration, today signed an agreement with Poland that allows youth from Canada and Poland to travel and work in the other country for up to one year. After signing, ratification will take place in accordance with Canada's new policy on the tabling of international treaties in Parliament.
The signing of the Youth Mobility Agreement between Minister Finley and the Polish Minister of Science and Higher Education, Mme Barbara Kudrycka, follows the announcement made by Prime Minister Stephen Harper during his visit to Poland in April.
"For more than a century, Poles have migrated to Canada and made great contributions to our country," said Minister Finley. "More than 800,000 people in Canada trace their roots to Poland. This Youth Mobility Agreement provides young Canadians and young Poles with even greater opportunities to work and travel between our two countries."
"Our goal is to give Canadian and Polish youth the opportunity to discover new countries and learn about the other culture," added Minister Finley.
"Canada and Poland have a long standing and strong relationship," said the Honourable David Emerson, Minister of Foreign Affairs."We co-operate in many areas to promote our common values of good governance, democracy and private sector development. The Agreement will serve to actively engage our youth to learn about our respective countries, develop skills for global careers and build networks to ensure an even stronger relationship between Canada and Poland for the future."
Youth Mobility Arrangements have resulted in more than 22,000 young Canadians choosing to travel and work abroad in approximately 40 countries each year, and 36,000 foreign youth working and travelling in Canada.
The International Youth Programs are managed by the Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade Canada (DFAIT). Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) is responsible for issuing work permits to participants of the programs.
The signing of the Agreement between Canada and Poland offers people between the ages of 18 and 35 the opportunity to work and travel in each other's countries. Benefits to participants of the youth programs include cultural discovery, international network building and gaining the skills and work experience to succeed in an increasingly globalized society.
This Agreement is another example of Canada and Poland working together to build a stronger relationship. On March 1, Canada lifted the visa requirement for Poland, allowing Polish citizens to visit Canada for up to six months without a visa.
For information on International Youth Programs, visit DFAIT's website at www.international.gc.ca/experience. For information on visiting Canada, visit CIC's website at www.cic.gc.ca.
For further information (media only), please contact:
Tim Vail
Press Secretary
Minister's Office
Citizenship and Immigration Canada
613-954-1064
Media Relations Unit
Communications Branch
Citizenship and Immigration Canada
613-952-1650
CIC-Media-Relations@cic.gc.ca
