Older News

On last provincial nomination draw held last week, the province of British Columbia issued a total of 365 Invitations to Apply (ITAs) to foreign talents and international graduates currently working in the country. The ITA, which is actually a confirmation statement sent via email, serves as a formal invite to apply for permanent residency.

Tourism Minister Bardish Chagger strongly believes that an enhanced focus on LGBTQ2 (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Transsexual, Queer, Questioning and 2-Spirited) tourism will boost Canada’s reputation as a world-class, gender-equal tourist destination.

The province of Ontario announced that three new changes have been made to the Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program (OINP).

Two records were set during the latest nomination draw in Saskatchewan last Wednesday. On May 24, 2017, the Saskatchewan Immigrant Nominee Program (SINP) held the biggest draw ever for the Entrepreneur Program (SINP EP).

The Canadian government said that the ‘Invitations to Apply’ (ITAs) issued to Express Entry candidates have skyrocketed in its latest draw. There’s also a remarkable 9 percent decrease in the number of Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) points required to obtain an ITA, from earlier draw’s 538 to 491.

Canada’s population has already exceeded the 36 million mark, reported StatsCan, the country’s statistics bureau. Behind this fast growth is the record arrival of refugees and immigrants into the country over the past year.

Newest data from Canada’s statistics bureau revealed that over 320,000 foreign nationals obtained permanent residency in 2015, the highest over the past three decades.

According to StatsCan, Canada’s population has spiked to its highest level in thirty years at nearly half a million. The country’s statistics bureau revealed that the unprecedented growth was brought about by the increasing influx of foreign nationals applying for residency and citizenship in the country.

The Canadian government remains resolute on giving the controversial law a second look as one of its ministers faces legal barriers for her citizenship.

The number of workers under the Temporary Foreign Worker Program (TFWP) has sharply declined over the years, but the population of workers coming from outside the country continues to grow.

The Canadian Government’s website has stated that applying for permanent residency in Canada has now a shorter route via the British Columbia Provincial Nominee Program (BCPNP).

The Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has published a list of exemptions that allows foreign applicants between 18 and 35 to prolong their work permit’s validity legally.

Last week, John McCallum (Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship) completed a quick trip to New York. The primary focus of the two-day excursion centred on the burgeoning refugee and migrant crises around the world.

On the 21st of September this year, The Republic of San Marino and Canada signed a new agreement; extending more professional and travelling opportunities to the youths from both countries.

Last week, on September 15, the province of British Columbia (BC) extended invitations to 477 candidates to apply for the latest BC Province Nominee Program intake.

On September 7, 2016, the Department of Immigration, Refugee and Citizenship (IRCC) invited 1000 candidates to apply for permanent residency in Canada through the Express Entry program.

As of November this year, Canada will begin imposing a new rule for citizens. Canadians with dual citizenship will be required to carry a valid Canadian passport when entering the country via air travel.

The hiring process for foreign candidates can be very overwhelming. However, the Canadian Embassy is dedicated to helping employers find and secure qualified international hires. Here are three upcoming events to help companies learn more about the support available for global recruitment.

This week, the Government of Nova Scotia released a report about the skilled and diverse immigrants who have temporarily and permanently settled in the friendly province within the last year.

A budget of $138 million has been granted to the Department of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness for the overhauling of holding facilities and developing an alternative detention system for offenders of Canadian immigration laws.

The provincial government of Ontario will give a two-year fund of $3.35 million to 11 new Bridge Training projects, which will hone the skills of foreign workers who can serve as an asset to the province.

The Canadian province of British Columbia has imposed a new 15% property transfer tax on foreigners buying real estate in Vancouver as a way of maintaining the affordability of homes in the city. Taking effect last August 2, the new rule will increase the cost of housing to foreign nationals, who are mostly from China.

International students in Canada will now need two separate visas for their chosen course and its prerequisite class. The Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) made the changes after receiving reports of students using their visa to work in Canada despite failing their prerequisite program or required language class.

During a visit to Peel Region in Ontario last July 13, Immigration Minister John McCallum announced planned improvements to the immigration system, particularly to the family, work, and student visa categories.

The Canadian government is looking at the possibility of creating gender-neutral identity documents, as stated by Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau in a television interview following his appearance in this year’s Toronto Pride Parade.

The federal government and provincial leaders have introduced a joint initiative called Atlantic Growth Strategy to increase innovation, infrastructure, and immigration activities in Atlantic Canada.

The Entry-Exit initiative, a set of proposed changes on border information exchange between Canada and the United States, is on its way to implementation. Once the legislation is passed, travelers should expect several changes on the way they enter and leave Canada.

Recent data released by StatsCan show record-high numbers of new immigrants and employed foreign workers in the first half of 2016.

Britons have been showing a growing interest in migrating to Canada after the United Kingdom decided to leave the European Union on June 23.

A total of 773 Invitations to Apply (ITA) were issued to Express Entry candidates who scored 482 or more Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) points in the June 29 draw.

Businesses can still employ up to 20% low-wage temporary foreign workers (TFW) out of their overall workforce after the government of Canada cancels its plans of reducing the cap to 10% on July 1.

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau will fulfil his promise to remove certain visa requirements that restrict the entry of Mexican nationals in Canada, effective December 1, 2016.

The Quebec Skilled Worker Program (QSWP) has reached its maximum of 5,000 applications for the first intake for the year 2016, which closed on June 14.

Travelers exiting Canadian borders will soon be subjected to collection of biographic data as part of the information exchange agreement between Canada and the United States.

John McCallum, the Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) mentioned three ways to make Canadian citizenship easier to obtain for highly capable individuals.

Canada is looking at ways to speed up the hiring process of foreign workers in the tech industry.

Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has added a new step to the list of requirements that should be submitted when applying for a Super Visa.

Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has issued 752 Invitations to Apply (ITA) in the latest Express Entry draw on June 15. The passing Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) point for this draw is 488.

The 14,000 new jobs added in May decreased the unemployment rate in Canada by two points, giving the country its lowest jobless population since July 2015. The numbers have also surpassed the rate expected by Statistics Canada.

Finance magazine MoneySense released the 2016 edition of its annual list of the best places to settle in Canada, with Ontario showing positive ratings in most categories that the ranks were based on.

Almost four months since living up to its promise of resettling 25,000 Syrian refugees, the government of Canada released figures detailing the expenditures incurred by the initiative dubbed as #WelcomeRefugees.

A total of 972 Invitations to Apply (ITA) were issued to successful candidates following the three recent nomination draws in the past week.

The federal government must review and improve current policies to save the future of Canadian immigration. This is what legal and immigration experts collectively expressed in an internal report that revealed poor retention rates among immigrants.

Recent actions taken by the federal government of Canada indicate that the proposal to grant temporary foreign workers (TFW) permanent residence is on a positive path.

Businesses in Yellowknife will be able to hire temporary foreign workers (TFW) again after winning an exemption from the hiring ban.

According to Public Safety Minister Ralph Goodale, the government of Canada is willing to terminate the planned information-sharing deal with the United States if the US abuses the conditions set around the agreement.

The Quebec Immigrant Investor Program (QIIP) has resumed accepting a maximum of 1,900 new applications, beginning on May 30, 2016, until February 28, 2017.

The Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has launched the Mobilité Francophone work permit stream to encourage French-speaking workers to live in the smaller communities outside of Quebec.

The federal government of Canada has put into effect a range of special measures to help Canadian citizens, permanent residents, foreign workers, and international students affected by the wildfires in Fort McMurray, Alberta in early May.

The Canadian Federation of Independent Business (CFIB) proposed to allow permanent residency of Temporary Foreign Workers (TFW) under low-skilled or entry-level categories.

The Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program (OINP) is continuously accepting applications from international students and foreign workers with job offers that have been approved through the Employer Pre-screen process. 

The Liberals are planning to scrap Bill C-24, a Conservative bill that allows the government power to strip dual nationals of their Canadian citizenship.

The Canadian Trucking Alliance wants truck driving to be classified as a skilled occupation to invite immigrants who can help patch up the emerging manpower shortage in the trucking industry.

Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) is taking steps to shorten the waiting time for the immigration sponsorship of children, spouses, parents, and grandparents.

Five thousand eight hundred candidates were issued Invitations to Apply (ITA) for immigration to the Canadian province of British Columbia (BC), following an electronic draw of entries on May 12. The recent total is higher than the previous number of annual nomination allocations, which was 5,500 in all.

Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has issued 799 Invitations to Apply (ITA) for permanent residency in Canada, upon completing the latest Express Entry draw on May 6, 2016.

The number of immigrant entrepreneurs granted permanent residency in Canada has increased through the Start-up Visa Program. More employment opportunities have opened as a result of the grants.

A report released by the Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) revealed that skilled workers in the food industry have the highest likelihood to gain permanent residency status through the Express Entry program.

According to a new report published by fDi Intelligence, a division of the Financial Times Limited, Ontario ranked 1st in top list of destinations for foreign direct investment (FDI) in North America, followed by U.S states and Canadian provinces in 2014.

Brief Overview

Express Entry is the new selection system for Canadian immigration, designed to select skilled workers for immigration to Canada. It is not a new immigration program nor is it a visa. Rather, it facilitates the selection and processing of Canada’s economic immigration programs: the Federal Skilled Worker Program, the Federal Skilled Trades Program, the Canadian Experience Class, and a portion of the Provincial Nomination Programs.

Brief Overview

Express Entry is the new selection system for Canadian immigration, designed to select skilled workers for immigration to Canada. It is not a new immigration program nor is it a visa. Rather, it facilitates the selection and processing of Canada’s economic immigration programs: the Federal Skilled Worker Program, the Federal Skilled Trades Program, the Canadian Experience Class, and a portion of the Provincial Nomination Programs.

As of February of this year, visitors to Canada will be automatically considered for a Multiple-Entry Visitor Visa. This visa allows visitors to enter Canada for periods of 6 months at a time for up to 10 years without having to reapply each time. In addition, the government processing fees have been reduced from $150 CDN to $100 for each application. These changes were brought about to simplify the application process for applicants, promote tourism and trade, as well as encourage multiple visits to Canada from travelers.

On July 14, 2014, Canadian Citizenship and Immigration Minister Chris Alexander met with business leaders and various other stakeholders to provide further details concerning the launch of the Express Entry program which is set to replace the processing of certain visa applications by January 1, 2014.

According to a news release issued by the Government of Canada, a new immigration intake system, known as Express Entry, will start replacing the current system starting from January 2015. Express Entry is expected to create major changes in how foreign skilled workers apply for a Canadian work visa.

According to an announcement made by Canada employment minister Jason Kennedy and immigration minister Chris Alexander, major changes in the Temporary Foreign Worker Program (TFWP) have been put into effect.

On April 26, 2014, the Minister of Citizenship & Immigration Canada issued a new set of Ministerial Instructions to immigration officers concerning the processing of applications under the Federal Skilled Worker, Federal Skilled Trades and the Canadian Experience Class programs.

Under the terms of these ministerial instructions, up to 38,000 applicants will be accepted for the following programs between now and December 31, 2014:

The Canadian Tourism Commission (CTC) will hold a road show, "Focus Canada-India", to promote Canada as a tourist destination for Indians.

Ottawa, December 13, 2011, according to the latest announcement from Citizenship, Immigration and Multiculturalism Minister Jason Kenney, Canada will extend its international visa application centre (VAC) network into West Africa.

Montreal, December 9, 2011, Immigration and Multiculturalism Minister Jason Kenney announced that the Government is investigating 6,500 people from more than 100 countries for fraudulently attempting to gain citizenship or maintain permanent resident status.

December 8, 2011, a border deal between Canada and the U.S will be disclosed at a meeting between Prime Minister Stephen Harper and the U.S. President Barack Obama in Washington.

According to Kuwait's Undersecretary of Higher Education Dr. Khalid Al-Saad, the government expects to grant more scholarships for Kuwaiti students to Canada.

British Columbia (BC) Premier Christy Clark has suggested provincial governments should have more control over Canadian immigration policy and who is approved to live and work in the country.

With an average of 250,000 immigrants each year, Canada is encouraged to provide more programs to help new immigrants feel welcome and adapt to the Canadian lifestyle, especially in smaller communities.

November 7, 2011, Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) has set a goal to provide the provinces of Manitoba, Alberta and British Columbia with a record number of immigrants under the country's Provincial Nominee Program in 2012.

Quebec, Canada will continue to welcome record number of immigrants, Immigration Minister of Quebec Kathleen Weil indicated on November 1, 2011.

According to the latest news from Citizenship and Immigration Canada ( CIC), the government will accept more federal skilled workers in 2012.

Canada will accept up to 1,000 international PhD students per year as permanent residents, according to the latest news from the Canadian Citizenship, Immigration and Multiculturalism Minister Jason Kenney.

According to the latest announcement from Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC), immigrant workers applying for visas under 29 eligible occupations should consider the cap applied to each category before it is reached.

October 19, 2011, Minister of Citizenship, Immigration and Multiculturalism Jason Kenny introduced Parks Canada’s participation in the Cultural Access Pass program for new Canadian citizens.

Visiting Canada to enjoy a range of winter activities makes for a great holiday.

According to a new study revealed on October 18, 2011 Canadians still favour ongoing high levels of immigration.

Canadian tourism insiders have emphasized the importance of the government's new coordinated strategy to attract more tourists to the country.

Canada's revised asylum system, which would allow Czech citizens to travel to Canada without a visa, will not be launched until June 2012, according to the latest news.

According to the Human Resources and Skills Development (HRSD) Canada, the facilitated process for bringing immigrant IT workers to British Columbia has been extended until December 31, 2011.

According to the Reputation Institute's most recent study, revealed September 27, 2011, Canada has the highest reputation ranking of 50 countries surveyed.

Canadian municipalities claim that the government's support for new immigrants in language training and employment assistance ignored the basic needs of people coming to Canada.