The Way Immigration

Merry Christmas from The Way Immigration!

IRCC has announced that International Students in Canada with study permits will now be able to work full time until April 30, 2024. After that date, they will be required to abide by the usual standard of working no more than 20 hours per week during the school term, and full time during scheduled breaks.

Politics and tax dollars. If you ever want to know why or what with immigration, look to politics and tax dollars. Canada imports immigrants because we don't have enough tax payers, and our birth rate is too low to maintain the standard of living we love without adding newcomers to our population. All of that free COVID money that was sent out by our government now requires record numbers of immigrants to be welcomed so that the tax base can increase. Currently, we are seeing Citizenship files being finalized at a record pace - 3 months on average - while already approved Permanent Residence applications are waiting months for just the issuance of the Confirmation of Permanent Residence document. It used to take 48 hours for the COPR to be issued, why is it taking so long now? I wonder if the Liberal government has shifted resources to processing Citizenship applications, to increase the number of new voters, as there is an election coming and the Liberals are trailing badly in the polls. Is that also the reason we are seeing so many new immigration programs being announced when the department cannot keep up with processing existing lines of business in a timely manner? Like the sudden announcement that families in Canada can sponsor their loved ones from Colombia, Venezuela and Haiti? Are you planning to vote based on which party enabled you to sponsor your family? Just wondering some things out loud....

Service Canada has announced some LMIA updates - notably, LMIA validity will be reduced from 18 months to 12 months (the worker must submit a work permit application before the LMIA expires), low skilled LMIAs will continue to enable a 2 year work permit duration, and the 30% cap on foreign workers in certain industries has been extended until next August 2024.

Invitations to sponsor parents and grandparents for Permanent Residence start going out today and will continue until Oct 23. IRCC is expecting to issue just over 24,000 invitations this year. A lottery system is in place for this program because Canada cannot absorb all of the parents and grandparents who want to immigrate here - mostly older folks who have not paid taxes in Canada, but who will use more health care services than average. Canadian immigration is all about balancing the budget, and ensuring that we import enough taxpayers to keep the country solvent for the foreseeable future.

Canada needs workers! Our office currently has employers who are looking for the following: framing carpenters, autobody technicians, experienced farm workers, heavy equipment mechanics, construction helpers. The LMIA's have already been approved. If you know of anyone with these skills who wants to come to Canada, or stay in Canada - please ask them to send a resume to our recruiting agency [email protected] and we will do our best to assist them. Min 3 years experience is needed.

Alberta's new dedicated Healthcare worker pathway is moving along quickly to date. Eligible applicants are receiving nominations within about a week of being identified by Alberta. The AAIP has also set up a dedicated contact person for this pathway, so that there is someone for applicants to contact directly, who presumably knows how to answer common questions that applicants may have. The first step is to have an active Express Entry profile and a job offer from an Alberta employer in an eligible healthcare position - Physicians, Registered Nurses, Licensed Practical Nurses, Nurse Practitioners, Physician Assistants, Occupational Therapists, Physiotherapists, Clinical Social Workers and Psychologists are all eligible.

Achieving Permanent Residence is the first step to becoming a permanent member of Canadian society, but once PR status is awarded, the next question is always "When Can I Apply for Canadian Citizenship?" Our recent blog post addresses several of the most common scenarios that need to be considered when calculating eligibility to apply for Canadian Citizenship.

Link:

When Can I Apply for Canadian Citizenship? | The Way Immigration Discover when and how to apply for Canadian citizenship, eligibility requirements, processing time, and costs. Get valuable immigration tips at The Way Immigration

Good news for British youth! Canada has signed a new agreement with the UK, starting in 2024, that will allow youth ages 18-35 to receive an IEC permit for 3 years instead of the current 2 years. Young Professional and International Co-op permits will also be available.

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New arrangement expands work opportunities for Canadian and British youth The governments of Canada and the United Kingdom are committed to providing Canadian and British youth with work opportunities that will empower them to achieve their full potential.

IRCC has announced that a new family sponsorship pathway will open for Ukrainians, to enable Canadian Citizens or Permanent Residents to sponsor their Ukrainian family members for PR starting in October. The list of eligible family members includes spouses, common-law partners, parents, grandparents, siblings and children or grandchildren. Family members must be inside Canada as temporary residents in order to qualify to be sponsored.

Link:

Canada launches pathway to reunite families and support Ukrainians - Canada.ca As Russia’s ongoing, brutal invasion of Ukraine persists, Canada continues to adapt its response to help those fleeing violence. Since its launch in March 2022, the Canada-Ukraine Authorization for Emergency Travel (CUAET) has provided temporary safe haven to over 166,000 Ukrainians. Now, we are i...

Canada's new Tech Talent Strategy offers open work permits to up to 10,000 Tech workers who have a US H-1B visa and their immediately family members. This will make it very simple for highly skilled tech workers from the US to take up jobs in Canada - and hopefully transition to Permanent Residence. Work permits are expected to be issued for 3 years and will allow the holder to work for any company in Canada.

Canada’s Tech Talent Strategy - Canada.ca The Government of Canada is embracing Canada’s emerging role as a leader in global tech talent recruitment and attraction to ensure Canada is not only filling in-demand jobs today, but also attracting the skills and business talent to create the jobs of tomorrow.

Temporary foreign workers can now study while working in Canada. Anyone holding a work permit that was applied for prior to July 7, 2023 can now study in Canada without needing to apply for a study permit and without any restrictions on the type of length of program. This will be a 3 year pilot program that expires in 2026.

New measure to benefit foreign workers looking to improve their skills Every year, thousands of temporary foreign workers bring their skills to Canada, helping to drive our economy and fill critical labour market gaps. While they play an important role in Canada’s prosperity, foreign workers sometimes face barriers in the types of study programs in which they can enr...

Attention Filipinos. We want you to know that Canada is not allowing visa free travel for everyone with a Philippines passport. It is ONLY for those who have had a visa for Canada within the past ten years, or who have a currently valid US visa. Everyone else still needs to go through the regular TRV application process. And while we are clearing up misconceptions - YES, visitors can apply for a work permit from inside Canada BUT they still need an LMIA from a Canadian company and it takes 5 months to get the work permit issued. It is not simply that Filipinos can come to Canada now as visitors and start working. That would be too easy!

Citizens of 13 countries can now travel to Canada with just an eTA instead of needing a visitor visa - IF they have had a valid Canadian visa within the past decade, or they currently have a valid US visa. The new rules apply to citizens of Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Costa Rica, Morocco, Panama, Philippines, St. Kitts and Nevis, St. Lucia, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Seychelles, Thailand, Trinidad and Tobago, and Uruguay.

This is part of a program to reduce TRV processing by granting known and low risk travellers easier access to Canada. Successful results with this new list of countries is expected to result in the addition of more countries by Spring 2025.

https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/news/2023/06/eligible-travellers-from-13more-countries-now-qualify-for-visa-free-travel-to-canada.html

This is good news. IRCC has now made open work permits available to spouses and dependent children who have applied for Permanent Residence through the Family Class (overseas pathway) but who are living inside Canada with their sponsors. Traditionally only inland applicants could gain the open work permit. This is a great step, but we can't help but wonder...does this mean that overseas sponsorship processing is going to remain very slow?

https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/news/2023/05/canada-is-reuniting-loved-ones-through-new-immigration-measures-new-measures-also-address-labour-shortages-in-canada.html

Job offers for Express Entry can provide more CRS points if they meet certain criteria. We have written a blog post that explains who can claim Arranged Employment points and who cannot.

Express Entry Job Offer & LMIA: Requirements, Process, and Tips Discover the importance of a valid job offer and LMIA for Express Entry. Learn how to obtain an employment letter and secure arranged employment to enhance your Express Entry application. Get expert guidance and insights.

Sometimes people have more than one option to apply for Permanent Residence in Canada, and the major issue is sorting out which option makes the most sense. We have written a new blog post that examines the key factors to take into consideration when deciding between different ways to apply for PR in Canada.

Spousal Sponsorship or Express Entry - The Way Immigration Wondering whether to choose spousal sponsorship or express entry for immigration to Canada? Get expert advice and insights at The Way Immigration website.

Canada's government employees went on strike last Wednesday, including IRCC and ESDC staff. Thus far, we have not noticed any difference with IRCC processing - we have still been having files finalized since the strike started. ESDC, however, seemingly stopped processing LMIA's about a month ago - long before the strike started. LMIA's were being processed in about three weeks and now are in excess of seven weeks with nothing moving at the present time.

The Alberta Express Entry program requires that applicants have 300 CRS points to be eligible, BUT that is not the only criteria. You must also have some kind of connection to Alberta (like you are working here, you studied here, or you have family here) OR you have work experience in an occupation that Alberta is targeting. To participate in the Alberta EE program, you need an invitation from Alberta. It's a myth that the Alberta Express Entry is the easiest program to get Permanent Residence. There are millions of people who have a CRS score above 300. But Alberta will only choose a few thousand each year.

Alberta Advantage Immigration Program : AAIP Express Entry The Alberta Advantage Immigration Program (AAIP) express entry stream formerly known as AINP is an application stream that operates by invitation only. Read more for details...

The new post grad work permit public policy is now in effect. If you have a PGWP that expired, or will expire, between Sept 20, 2021 and Dec 31, 2023, you are probably eligible to receive a new 18 month work permit. This includes those of you who have overstayed in Canada and are currently out of status.

https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/work-canada/permit/post-graduation-work-permit-holders.html

An eTA is needed to travel to Canada when you are from a country that does not require a visa. It's a simple process that costs $7 and can be completed online. There are plenty of scam websites that pop up, and make themselves look like they are related to the government of Canada. The fees charged are much higher than $7, but you also don't know who you are giving your information to. Our newest blog post explains more about obtaining an eTA the proper way.

https://thewayimmigration.ca/immigration-tips/what-is-an-eta-application-for-canada

Some international students with post grad work permits can now qualify for an additional 18 months work permit extension. The new program opens April 6 for a limited time.

Canada announces extension of post-graduation work permits for up to 18 months to retain high-skilled talent Employers are facing unprecedented challenges in finding and retaining the workers they need during this period of economic recovery and growth.

700 Students from India to be deported from Canada - this is why you don't work with an overseas "agent" for your immigration to Canada. Your life and your future is at stake!

Link:

India Canada Visa News: Canada to deport 700 Indian students as visa documents found to be fake | India News - Times of India India News: Unsuspecting students as advised by Mishra contacted another college, less known, and took admission to available 2-year diploma courses. The classes

One of the benefits of submitting an inland spouse or common law partner sponsorship application is the option to apply for an open work permit. With the change from paper to online sponsorship applications, the process for submitting the open work permit application has also changed. In our newest blog post, we answer many of the most common questions about this process.

Open Work Permit during Spousal Sponsorship - The Way Immigration Learn about spousal open work permit processing time, application requirements, and document checklist in Canada. Our guide covers common law partner requirements and implied status sponsorship.

Working remotely has become more common in the past couple of years, but there are many factors to consider with respect to the immigration implications of remote work. We have published a new blog post that deals with the most common immigration scenarios involved in working remotely.

Can I Work Remotely from Canada? A Guide to Remote Work and Canadian Immigration - The Way Immigration Explore remote work options in Canada and learn about Canadian immigration requirements for remote workers. Our guide covers working remotely for Canadian companies and from other countries.

Alberta has received an increase in nomination spots, from 6500 in 2022 to 9750 for 2023. This is good news. However, in 2022, Alberta received almost 22,000 Ukrainians on 3 year work permits. Considering that most Ukrainians will need at least 12 months of work experience in order to apply for PR, there will likely be a significant shortage of PNP spots in Alberta by the end of this year and continuing as long as the CUAET program exists. The message: apply as soon as you qualify for Alberta PNP, don't delay.

https://www.alberta.ca/release.cfm?xID=866020462D120-A171-CE85-4BB947B333BF2AB8

Applying for spousal sponsorship online is a more complicated process than the old paper applications were. We have a blog post that gives some great tips on the new process.

Link: https://thewayimmigration.ca/immigration-tips/spousal-sponsorship-canada-online

Canadian citizens who have children born abroad often underestimate what will be involved to obtain a Canadian passport for their newborn. We have a new blog post that breaks down the process.

The Way Immigration on LinkedIn: How to apply for proof of Canadian Citizenship for my child? Canadian citizens who have children born abroad often underestimate what will be involved to obtain a Canadian passport for their newborn. We have a new blog…

The IEC pools opened yesterday for working holiday, young professional and international co-op work permits. The IEC program allows young people from 60 different countries to apply to work in Canada for a set period of time, usually 6 months to 2 years. At the same time, Canadian youth have the opportunity to apply to work in those 60 different countries.

If you are coming to Canada on an IEC work permit, our best advice is to understand your options for Permanent Residence even before you arrive to Canada. Time passes quickly once you are here, and you usually need at least 12 months in the same job in order to qualify for residence. Planning ahead ensues that you give yourself the best chances to remain in Canada for as long as you want to. Book an appointment with our office to gain clarity on what your options will be.

Weird stuff is happening in the IRCC portal ever since the change over to the new NOC system. NOC codes are just disappearing from the screen completely, and cannot be re-entered. AOR letters for temporary files like work and study permits are being issued up to two weeks after the file has been submitted, instead of within 24 hours. And we actually have a case where someone is shown to be eligible for CEC class, but they only have a couple of months of work experience in Canada (yes, the dates of work are entered correctly). The moral of this story is - double check what the IRCC portal is telling you, and make sure you know what you are eligible for. Even if you manage to actually get into it - it still doesn't work properly all of the time.