Report by BC's Acting Auditor General says an immigration program needs a better plan to recognize fraud and misrepresentation

A report by BC's Acting Auditor General says an immigration program needs a better plan to recognize fraud and misrepresentation. The audit examined the Provincial Nominee Program which fills labour gaps with immigration applicants. Last year, the program allowed 6500 immigrants to become permanent residents, based on their job skills and the need for those skills in BC. More than 85% of immigrants who became permanent residents through the program stayed in B.C. and more than 90% of those who have come since 2012 were still employed. But the audit says although individual cases were given due diligence, there are gaps in the system itself which may see fraud going undetected. Since 2017, the ministry refused 83 applications because of misrepresentation, and it sanctioned 16 employers for fraud. The fraud included people being hired for jobs that did not exist, or people inflating their qualifications on their applications. The report recommends the program create a structured risk assessment plan that would allow it to ensure appropriate safeguards are in place, rather than depending on the due diligence conducted on a case by case basis.Book lovers who have been cut off from their regional library because of COVID-19 will soon be allowed to check out reading and video material. The so-called Takeout Service begins this week on a branch-by-branch basis. Library users will be able to place holds using the online catalogue. Staff will then collect the requested items and connect with the customer to arrange a time for pick up. All materials will be quarantined for 72 hours between loans. For more information about the Takeout Service go to virl.bc.ca/takeout. Or you can keep an eye on the Vancouver Island Region Library's Facebook page and Twitter feed.Tourism marketing organizations hope a series of federal and provincial grants will help them weather the downturn, as a result of COVID-19. There are 3500 tourism-based businesses on Vancouver Island, the Gulf Islands and the Sunshine Coast. The CEO of Vancouver Island says close to 25 per cent of island tourism businesses expect they will permanently close because travel restriction are killing their businesses. On Sunday, the federal government announced a $30 million dollars program for local groups that promote tourism. The Province says It will provide $1 million dollars to the Tourism Association of Vancouver Island, to assist in providing services to tourism operators to keep their businesses afloat. Tourism is a $20 billion dollar a year industry in BC.This update is made possible by a grant from Heritage Canada, the local journalism initiative of the Radio Fund of Canada and listeners like you. Please contribute to keeping initiatives like this alive at chly.ca/support.Written and reported by Lisa Cordasco, News Director for CHLY 101.7FM.Have a tip? Email: [email protected] Find us on social media at Twitter: @lisacordasco / @chly1017FMFunded by Sustaining Donors and the Community Radio Fund of Canada and Heritage Canada’s Local Journalism Initiative. Sustain CHLY’s News Department for many years to come by signing up for a monthly Sustaining Donation.