Canada and Portugal sign new Youth Mobility Arrangement
Ottawa, May 4 (IBNS): A new bilateral Youth Mobility Arrangement (YMA) between Canada and Portugal was signed May 3 by Ahmed Hussen, Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship, and José Luís Carneiro, Secretary of State of Portuguese Communities Abroad, media reports said.
The signing ceremony was witnessed by Canada's Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Prime Minister of Portugal, António Costa, who is currently touring several Canadian cities.
YMA would further open avenues of exchange between Canadian and Portuguese young people by allowing Canadian and Portuguese youth aged 18 to 35 to work and travel through the Working Holiday, International Co-op, and the International Experience Canada (IEC) Program and gain international experience.
More than 45 years since Working Holiday initiative originated in 1951, between Canada and Germany following the Second World War in 1967, Canada is still very committed to fostering cultural exchanges between young people.
“I am pleased that we are able to reach this arrangement with Portugal and further strengthen the great relationship between our two countries...allows youth to immerse themselves in a different culture and develop life skills, all while improving their employability back at home...will give Canadian and Portuguese youth the opportunity to broaden their perspective of the world and gain a better understanding of each other’s cultures, languages and societies while traveling and working abroad,” said Hussen.
Canada is home to a vibrant Portuguese-Canadian community with more than 480,000 Canadians of Portuguese origin.
“I am very happy that we have signed today our Youth Mobility Arrangement which I am confident will give great impetus to people-to-people contacts, thus enabling Canadian and Portuguese youth to gain a better understanding of each other’s culture, language and society...will ultimately contribute to bringing us closer together, while improving mutual knowledge of the existing opportunities in both our countries...embarking on a journey that will enable them to discover different ways and traditions, increasing at the same time their personal and professional wealth,” Carneiro said.
Portugal would reportedly be added as destination to the 33 partner countries and territories already available to young Canadians looking for an international experience.
This new arrangement will enable up to 2,000 Portuguese youth to travel and work in Canada, while 2,000 young Canadians may travel and work in Portugal per year.
(Reporting by Asha Bajaj)
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