FAQ: Donald Trump’s U.S. Immigration Ban Executive Order

FAQ: Donald Trump’s U.S. Immigration Ban Executive OrderJune 26, 2017 – Donald Trump’s March 6, 2017 executive order banning travel from six majority-Muslim countries is partially in effect following a June 26, 2017 Supreme Court ruling.

The order bans travel from Libya, Iran, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen for a period of 90 days, provided the traveller has no connection with the United States.

We review the implications of this order following a number of important developments at the executive and judicial levels.

On June 26, 2017, the U.S. Supreme Court passed a ruling than allowed the executive order to partially come into force.

The ruling means travellers from Libya, Iran, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen – who do not have a connection with the U.S. – are banned from travel for 90 days. The U.S. refugee program is also suspended for 120 days, again for candidates with no U.S. connection.

The second version of the executive order is currently suspended indefinitely following rulings by courts in Hawaii and Maryland. Both rulings were upheld by appeals court decisions on June 12, 2017 and May 26, 2017 respectively.

Hawaii District Court Judge Derrick Watson said there was “significant and unrebutted evidence of religious animus” contained in the executive order. He put a temporary restraining order in place, which he then converted to a full preliminary injunction, with no date of expiry.

This comes after the original order was also suspended by a U.S. court, in San Francisco.

Trump has vowed to fight the rulings all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court in a process that could drag into months and years.

The new order, signed on March 6, 2017 and due to be implemented on March 16, 2017, revokes the old one, which created chaos when it was signed on January 27, 2017.

The key difference is that it drops Iraq from the list of countries banned.

The new Trump immigration ban means that:

  • Foreign nationals from Sudan, Syria, Iran, Libya, Somalia and Yemen are banned from USA immigration for 90 days.
  • The U.S. refugee program is suspended for 120 days.

The officials admitted the phase-in period was directly aimed at avoiding some of the problems caused by the immediacy of the original order.

Another key difference is that the new ban does not specifically target Syrian refugees. Under the old version, all Syrian refugees were barred indefinitely.

The new ban also says Canadian permanent residents from any of the six Muslim-majority countries will need to apply for a waiver to enter the U.S. (more below).

With authority in the hands of the U.S. Supreme Court, the case has now reach the highest judicial power in America.

The decision to partially reinstate the executive order came despite two injunctions from lower courts suspending the ban.

The U.S. Supreme Court does not reconvene until October, so the partial imposition of the ban is likely to remain until then. How long the hearing will take once the court reconvenes is not known, also the case could be given priority.

The executive order, signed on March 6, bans travellers from Libya, Iran, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen for 90 days. It also suspends the entire U.S. refugee for 120 days. It was due to go into effect on March 16, but was blocked by federal judges in both Hawaii and Maryland.

This was Trump’s second attempt an executive order after the original one was also suspended by the U.S. courts. The main difference between the two orders was the original inclusion of Iraq as one of the targeted countries.

The order caused chaos because of a lack of clarity on exactly who it covered and who it did not. Here is a list of the exemptions, many the subject of several announcements since January 27th.

  1. American citizens
    Immigrants from the seven countries who have American citizenship are not covered by the ban.
  2. Green card holders
    Despite initial confusion that saw U.S. green card holders barred from boarding flights, officials have now clarified that they are not covered by the ban. However, even those with permanent residency should expect greater scrutiny from border officials.
  3. Dual nationals

Those with dual nationality in one of the six countries are exempt provided they are travelling on a passport from an accepted country.

  1. Diplomats
    Anyone travelling with diplomatic credentials was exempt from the very start. Ye, the former Norwegian Prime Minister Kjell Magne Bondevik was stopped by US border control agents at Washington Dulles Airport and questioned for roughly an hour before being granted permission to enter the country. He had flown to Washington DC to attend the Trump sponsored National Prayer Breakfast but was held up due to an Iranian visa in his diplomatic passport.
  2. Special immigrant visa holders
    The U.S. has also made an exemption for Iraqi nationals with a special immigrant visa, who have worked with American authorities as translators or interpreters.
  3. Anyone with an exemption
    The U.S. authorities have the power to grant exemptions on a case-by-case basis.

The new ban says Canadian permanent residents from any of the six Muslim-majority countries will need to apply for a waiver to enter the U.S.

The wording of the ban directly deals with the case of Canadian landed immigrants, saying waivers will be granted on a case-by-case basis by a U.S. consulate or U.S. customs official.

It represents a stark difference from the original Trump immigration ban, after which White House officials assured Canada Immigration Minister Ahmed Hussen there would be no change in the process of visiting the U.S. for Canadian permanent residents.

Permanent Resident Admissions To Canada From 6 Banned Countries

201420152016*
Iran16,77211,6685,549
Libya298244258
Somalia1,4911,1571,049
Sudan484359372
Syria2,0519,85427,063
Yemen149206140

Source: Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada
*Data for January to September only

New Canadian Citizens From 6 Banned Countries

201420152016*
Iran9,4219,0413,471
Libya422531306
Somalia7531,084798
Sudan670737476
Syria1,1011,355609
Yemen141189108

Source: Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada
*Data for January to September only

Nexus cards give pre-clearance for low-risk travellers at certain crossing points between Canada and the U.S. Holders are extensively screened by authorities from both sides of the border as part of the application process.

There have been reports of the U.S. authorities cancelling the Nexus cards of Canadians without explanation since the order was signed. This has happened to both citizens of the seven banned countries and card holders with no link to any of them.

Canadian Public Safety Minister Ralph Goodale has promised to seek clarification on this.

  1. Temporary Public Policy
    Immigration Minister Ahmed Hussen swiftly issued a Temporary Public Policy that gives those stranded at the Canada-U.S. border special temporary residence in Canada for up to 180 days. The policy also exempted the affected individuals from paying any fees usually associated with temporary resident applications, and gave them the ability to apply for a work permit.
  2. Justin Trudeau tweet
    Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau took to Twitter to voice his support for those affected by the order. His tweet read: “To those fleeing persecution, terror & war, Canadians will welcome you, regardless of your faith. Diversity is our strength #WelcometoCanada”.
  3. Local-level reaction
    Several of Canada’s provincial premiers and city mayors spoke out against the order, saying immigrants affected would be made welcome in their jurisdictions.  Advocates also called for Canada to suspend its participation in the Canada-U.S. Safe Third Country Agreement governing the treatment of refugee claims.
  4. Canada’s technology sector
    Technology industry leaders in Canada issued an open letter against the ban, signed by major companies including Spotify, PayPal, Google and Twitter. The letter read: “Many Canadian tech entrepreneurs are immigrants, are the children of immigrants, employ and have been employed by immigrants. As connected economies, decisions by the United States can directly impact every business north of the border. The recently signed Executive Order to block entry of citizens from seven countries has already impacted several in our community. As a community, we are all affected.”
  5. Canadian universities
    Universities Canada said the ban would have a profound impact on campuses across the country. The huge number of students and professors in Canada on temporary visas are affected by the ban. Canadian and U.S. academics are continuously collaborating on a wide range of projects which require them to cross the border. This also goes for nationals of the seven banned countries working in America, who may wish to come to Canada for study purposes. Under the ban, they will not be allowed back into the U.S.

In the short term, probably not. In the case of visa holders, U.S. approval does not automatically mean Canadian approval.

Immigrants find themselves at the start of the Canadian temporary visa application process, which has its own security checks and processing backlog.

The only way you could get straight across the border, for visit purposes (after applying for an Electronic Travel Authorization) is if you have a passport from a visa-exempt country.

Longer term, Canada has a number of immigration programs and plans to welcome 300,000 new immigrants in 2017.

Skilled technology workers are highly sought-after, although immigrants of all kinds of backgrounds and abilities are welcomed across the border every day.

The government is currently working on a new Global Talent Visa, for which the processing time is expected to be a few weeks, although it is slated only to be open to selected trusted employers.

In the case of refugees, Canada and the U.S. are both members of the Safe Third Country Agreement, which means refugees must seek asylum in the first country at which they arrive, and cannot present themselves at the Canadian border after being rejected by the U.S.

This has been the source of some controversy since the order was signed, with calls for Canada to pull out of the agreement. This is highly unlikely.

Unless you are rejected at the Canada-U.S. border, and therefore covered by the previously mentioned public policy, Canada is probably not an option.

All travellers to the U.S. can expect increased scrutiny when crossing the border, especially those who are dual nationals from one of the banned countries, or have visited one of the countries.

Travellers should be prepared to answer detailed questions about travel history, family travel history and much more. Nothing is off the table.

If you have visited one of the seven banned countries, be ready to explain why.

All electronics are open to investigation, including phone and laptop, which you will be expected to unlock. Social media accounts, text messages and emails can and will be scrutinised.

Plan for it to take a much longer time to cross the border.

Canadian businesses and universities look set to benefit from the travel ban, which has served to make immigrants and potential immigrants feel uneasy about their status in the U.S. and how those that voted for Trump will welcome them.

The Canadian technology industry could benefit from this, by attracting skilled immigrants who would previously have been more likely to head in the direction of Silicon Valley.

Meanwhile, the tech giants who already have operations on Canadian soil could consider increasing their presence, and moving some of those no longer welcome in the U.S. north of the border.

Canadian universities are always looking to boost their international student populations, with domestic student numbers beginning to wane. A further draw is that changes were recently made to the Express Entry immigration system to make it easier for international students who graduate from Canadian universities to become permanent residents.

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Trump Wants USA Immigration Merit System Similar to Canada

March 3, 2017 – USA immigration could take on a similar look to Canada immigration under Donald Trump after the US president cited the Canadian system during a major speech to Congress.

Trump wants to introduce what he called a ‘merit-based’ immigration system similar to the Canada Express Entry model, which awards points to candidates and selects them via periodic draws.

He made the comments in his first Congressional address, during which he made a clear attempt to strike a more presidential tone after weeks of turmoil since his inauguration.

Trump’s broad vision for USA immigration comes after his attempt to ban travel from seven Muslim-majority countries using an executive order.

The US courts ultimately scuppered the original order, but a new one is promised soon by the controversial president.

Basic Principle

Trump Wants USA Immigration Merit System Similar to CanadaHis speech to Congress explained how he intends to change the US system.

“Nations around the world – like Canada, Australia and many others – have a merit-based immigration system,” he said. “It is a basic principle that those seeking to enter a country ought to be able to support themselves financially.

“Yet, in America, we do not enforce this rule, straining the very public resources that our poorest citizens rely upon.”

Canada Express Entry selects candidates for Canada immigration based on factors including work experience, education and language.

Each candidate is awarded a score and placed in a pool. Draws are then made and invitations issued to all candidates above a certain score, which changes with each Canada Express Entry draw.

The Trump team’s interest is focused on the idea of using points to select candidates for USA immigration – a narrow part of a wide-ranging Canada immigration system.

There is also a key and fundamental difference between the countries – America’s border with Mexico.

Canada is insulated in that it only has a direct border with the U.S., from where the motivation to cross illegally is historically minimal, although growing since Trump came to power.

The equilibrium of the relationship between Canada, the U.S. and Mexico looks set to change as Trump takes aim at the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), which he describes as ‘the worst trade deal ever signed’.

Positive Attitude

All these factors play in to Canada’s positive attitude towards welcoming immigrants, and the role they play in helping the Canadian economy grow.

Trump has promised to crack down on USA immigration, and introduce aggressive screening of Muslims wanting to enter the country. At one time during his election campaign he spoke of requiring all Muslims to sign a register.

New federal Foreign Minister Chrystia Freeland believes Canada has assumed the mantel of world leader on positive attitudes towards immigration and international trade following the election of Trump and Britain’s vote to leave the European Union.

She recently told the Montreal Council on Foreign Relations: “The complexity of the international situation presents enormous possibilities for Canada. I believe we are the best-placed country in the world to emerge from this complexity.

“Out of all industrialized countries, Canada is the only one to go up against this tendency. Canada is defending an open society and saying: ‘We are open to immigration … we are open to trade.’”

Freeland is keen to promote the message that Canada is open for business to the global economy, the opposite of the rhetoric coming out of its major competing nations.

There are fears Canada could be under threat from Trump’s plan to either tear up or make wholesale changes to NAFTA.

Skilled Workers

Trump has been significantly more negative towards Mexico, once again reiterating his plan to build a wall will be put into action during his speech to Congress.

In terms of immigration, there is a feeling Canada could benefit from bringing in skilled workers no longer welcome in the U.S. and the U.K.

Traditionally Canada has struggled to hold on to its bright young people, with an estimated 350,000 of them lured to Silicon Valley or other parts of America.

They could be about to be forced to beat a retreat back home, and Canada is waiting with open arms to welcome them.

Conservative estimates suggest Canada will have 182,000 vacancies in the technology sector by 2019. The growing sector is driving the economy, with 71,000 companies employing 5.6 per cent of the workforce and responsible for 7 per cent of the country’s output.

More people are employed in technology than a combination of oil and gas, mining and forestry – a startling indication the Canadian economy is undergoing a significant transition, meaning it needs workers with the right expertise.

The British Columbia city of Victoria is growing as a technology hub, but companies are spread all over Canada looking for the right kind of people to help them grow. There are jobs everywhere for those with the required qualifications.

The message is simple: If the U.S. and the U.K. no longer want these skilled workers, Canada is ready to take them.

Interested employers: Kindly contact us here to receive further information.

Interested candidates: Find out whether you qualify to Canada by completing our free on-line evaluation. We will provide you with our evaluation within 1-2 business days.

Read more news about Canada Immigration by clicking here.

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Canadians Told Rights Are Protected Under Canada-U.S. Border Preclearance Deal

March 3, 2017 – Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has sought to reassure Canadians they will be protected when screened by US officials as part of expanded Canada-U.S. border preclearance.

Extra powers will be given to U.S. customs officials working on Canadian soil as part of a deal originally reached by former Prime Minister Stephen Harper and previous president Barack Obama.

But new President Donald Trump’s USA immigration crackdown has Canadians fearing the prospect of extreme vetting taking place at Canada-U.S. border preclearance centres.

The Canada-U.S. border deal is covered by Liberal Bill C-23, seen as a positive when it was introduced in June 2016 as it seeks to speed up the process of crossing the border in either direction.

Canadians Told Rights Are Protected Under Canada-U.S. Border Preclearance DealQuick Facts: The Canada-US Border

  • Longest international border in world at 8,891km, 2,475km of which is with Alaska.
  • 3 million Canadians travelled to the USA in February 2016, with 2 million moving in the other direction.
  • 400,000 people and $2.4 billion in trade cross the border each day.
  • Canada and US are second and fourth largest countries in the world by area.
  • Canadian provinces and territories on border: Yukon, British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Ontario, Quebec, New Brunswick.
  • US states on border: Alaska, Washington, Idaho, Montana, North Dakota, Minnesota, Michigan, Ohio, Pennsylvania, New York, Vermont, New Hampshire, Maine.

But attitudes have changed in light of Trump’s recent executive order banning immigration from seven Muslim-majority countries, with Canadians facing heightened scrutiny and invasive questioning when trying to cross the Canada-U.S. border.

Trudeau said recently: “When you’re doing preclearance in Canada, the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms and Canadian laws are in place, so there is extra protection when Canadians go through American customs in Canada because they are protected by the Charter on Canadian soil.”

In December 2016, a bill that would expand U.S. border pre-clearance in Canada was adopted by the American Congress.

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The move is aimed at enhancing trade and security on both sides of the border between the two countries.

It will see pre-clearance centres added for train travel, with the potential for bus and car journeys to be pre-authorized in future.

The hope is to ease border bottlenecks that slow down the movement of goods and people.

The bill has been several years in the making, taking so much time that many though it would never become law.

The legislation originated with Stephen Harper’s previous Conservative government.

Pilot projects are expected at Montreal’s central train station and on the Rocky Mountaineer line in Western Canada.

U.S. customs offices will be established at both locations, where the necessary checks will take place to allow trains to pass straight across the border.

If the pilots are a success, the project will be expanded to include further travel, plus bus and then car journeys.

Pre-clearance is nothing new in Canada, with centres already established at most major airports. Toronto’s Billy Bishop and Quebec City’s Jean Lesage will be added as part of the new agreement.

Specifics of the legislation allow American agents to carry weapons, question and detain travellers. The bill does not grant customs agents the power to arrest.

Interested employers: Kindly contact us here to receive further information.

Interested candidates: Find out whether you qualify to Canada by completing our free on-line evaluation. We will provide you with our evaluation within 1-2 business days.

Read more news about Canada Immigration by clicking here.

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2017 Express Entry Draw #6: Continued Record Number of Invitations Issued, Another Record Lowest CRS Score (Audio)

Article Audio:

March 1, 2017 – Canadian Immigration authorities conducted the 6th round of invitations under Express Entry in 2017 and 56th overall, inviting 3884 applicants for permanent residence, under all programs.  The lowest Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score was 434, a continued record low, and reflecting a steady decline from previous draws.

2017 Express Entry Draw #6: Continued Record Number of Invitations Issued, Another Record Lowest CRS ScoreIt was the 6th draw in 2017 under the Express Entry System where the lowest CRS score was well below 500. It was the 8th draw since immigration authorities substantially modified the express entry comprehensive ranking system in November 2016.

Express Entry is an immigration system implemented by Canadian immigration authorities (“CIC”) on January 1, 2015 which manages skilled worker applications under Federal Economic programs. This includes the Federal Skilled Worker Program, the Skilled Trades Program the Canada Experience Class and certain parts of the Provincial Nominee Program.

Stakeholders expect to see between 12-15 draws and up to 30,000 invitations during the first six months of 2017, with CRS scores well below 500 to enable Canadian immigration authorities to meet targeted annual immigration levels for 2017.

Read our 2015 Express Entry Year-End report, here.

Watch for our 2016 Express Entry Year-End report shortly.

What this means for employers

Employers are encouraged to consider securing an LMIA or nomination under provincial nomination programs (PNP’s) to ensure long term retention of employees.

We provide Canadian employers with unparalleled immigration legal services and recruitment of foreign nationals through our in-house enterprise Global Recruiters of Montreal (www.grnmontreal.com). We bring approved candidates to Canada in the shortest time possible. Employers in a wide range of industries can directly benefit from our unique position as one of Canada’s leading online immigration firms in the industry to meet both their recruitment and immigration requirements.

Interested employers wishing to seek our assistance are invited to contact us here for further information.

What this means for candidates

It is expected that the majority of applicants to be issued (ITA’s) under Canada’s Express Entry Immigration system in 2017 will require a CRS score well under 500 points, enabling a significant number of applicants to receive permanent admission to Canada without a job offer or nomination under a provincial immigration program.  However, securing an approved offer of employment is highly recommended.

Find out whether you qualify to Canada by completing our free on-line evaluation. We will provide you with your evaluation results within 1-2 business days.

Resources:

  • Immigration.ca News Articles – A daily news source outlining the latest developments in immigration, employment and the economy with commentaries by Attorney Colin Singer.
  • At Global Recruiters of Montreal we are dedicated to developing long-term strategic alliances with client companies and candidates alike.  We strictly adhere to our guiding principles of honesty, integrity and confidentiality.

Colin R. Singer is immigration counsel for www.immigration.ca and Managing Partner of Global Recruiters of Montreal. He is one of Canada’s foremost senior corporate immigration attorneys. Colin is internationally recognized as an experienced and recommended authority on Canadian immigration and foreign recruitment. In addition to being licensed human resources professional, he is a licensed Canadian lawyer in good standing with the Quebec Law Society for more than 25 years and is authorized by the Canadian government in all immigration matters.

Interested employers: Kindly contact us here to receive further information.

Interested candidates: Find out whether you qualify to Canada by completing our free on-line evaluation. We will provide you with our evaluation within 1-2 business days.

 

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Manitoba Nominee Program Issues More Than 320 ITAs In Latest PNP Draw (Audio)

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March 1, 2017 – The Manitoba Nominee Program issued more than 320 Invitations to Apply in the most recent draw made under its Provincial Nomination Program (PNP), made on February 27, 2017.

Of those ITAs, 200 went to skilled workers already in Manitoba, with a minimum points score of 719.

Manitoba Nominee Program Issues More Than 320 ITAs In Latest PNP DrawA further 124 ITAs were issued under a Strategic Recruitment Initiative (SRI) to skilled workers from overseas, for which a minimum score of 575 was required. An SRI is when a batch of permanent residents are invited to apply to fill a specific labour market need.

This was the 27th overall draw for Manitoba immigration.

The Manitoba Nominee Program’s previous draw, made on January 27, 2017, saw a total of 189 ITAs issued, with 150 of them going to skilled workers in Manitoba. The lowest ranked candidate issued with an invite scored 734 points.

The remaining 39 ITAs went to overseas workers under another SRI. The minimum score was 707 in this category.

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Provincial Nomination Program Manuals

Overseas skilled workers from several professions were not included in the latest Manitoba Nominee Program draw.

Those professions were:

  • Registered nurses
  • Secondary and elementary school teachers
  • Vocational and college instructors
  • University professors
  • General and specialist physicians

The Manitoba Nominee Program draw statement said this could be because of a large backlog of applications, low labour market demand, or significant barriers labour market participation.

If candidates with scores higher than the thresholds stated above did not received ITAs, this could be down to not providing a valid language test number, or an existing language test may no longer be valid.

Otherwise, if you received an ITA as part of an SRI, you may not have provided the invitation number in your expression of interest.

The draw statement urged candidates to make sure their expression of interest files are fully updated with the latest information.

All candidates working in regulated occupations and fully licensed to work in Manitoba have been selected in the latest draw, but the statement warned that if you cannot prove this, your subsequent application will be rejected.

Where this applies, the Manitoba Nominee Program advises candidates to reject their ITAs.

Interested employers: Kindly contact us here to receive further information.

Interested candidates: Find out whether you qualify to Canada by completing our free on-line evaluation. We will provide you with our evaluation within 1-2 business days.

Read more news about Canada Immigration by clicking here.

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Canadian Citizenship Application Numbers See Sharp Decline Since Fee Increase (Audio)

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March 1, 2017 – Increased fees and tightening of the rules have resulted in Canadian citizenship application numbers dropping by half between 2015 and 2016, the latest figures show.

In the first nine months of 2016, just 56,446 citizenship applications were submitted to Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada, compared with 111,993 during the same period of 2015.

As recently as 2014, the citizenship fee was $100. The previous Conservative government raised it to $300, and then to $530 in 2015.

The citizenship application fee remains competitive when compared to Canada’s international peers.

In the US, citizenship applicants pay US$725, which works out as roughly CAN$960. In the UK the fee is £1,236 (CAN$2,030), while in Germany it is the equivalent of CAD$360, in Sweden CAD220 and France CAD$77.

Canadian Citizenship Application Numbers See Sharp Decline Since Fee IncreaseCanadian Citizenship Application Fees

2014 and before$100
2014 to 2015$300
2015 to present$530

With the numbers dropping off so dramatically in 2016, there are calls for the fees to be returned at least to the $300 level.

Canadian permanent residents enjoy many of the same rights as citizens in Canada, although they are not allowed to vote or run for political office, or hold certain jobs that require a high-level security clearance.

For the rights and obligations of a Canadian permanent resident, click here.

For the rights and obligations of a Canadian citizen, click here.

The previous Conservative government also made number of other citizenship changes in 2014, including introducing the power to strip citizenship from dual nationals.

Bill C-24, the Strengthening Canadian Citizenship Act, saw several changes to the process of granting citizenship, including making children as young as 14 take a test on language and knowledge of Canada and increasing the time a permanent resident needed to live in the country before qualifying.

The Liberals are currently working on a bill to repeal many of the changes under Bill C-6.

Summary of proposed changes under Bill C-6

  • Applicants must be permanent residents of and physically reside in Canada for at least 1,095 days (three years) during the five years before the date of their application, and repeals requirement that applicants must be physically present in Canada for at least 183 days in each of the qualifying years.
  • Applicants between the ages of 18 and 54 must meet basic knowledge and language requirements.  Applicable criteria will be defined under future regulations.
  • Repeals a requirement that adult applicants must declare their intent to reside in Canada once they become citizens.
  • Restores consideration of time spent in Canada as a non-permanent resident (non-PR) for most applicants to a maximum of one year of credited time.
  • Reduces the period to three years for adult applicants to file Canadian income taxes, if required under the Income Tax Act, to be eligible for citizenship.
  • Repeals authority to revoke Canadian citizenship from dual citizens who served as members of an armed force of a country or an organized armed group engaged in armed conflict with Canada.
  • Repeals authority to revoke Canadian citizenship from dual citizens who are convicted of terrorism, high treason, treason, or spying offences, depending on the sentence received.
  • Authorizes Minister to seize documents used in fraudulent citizenship applications.

The federal government said recently that it has no plans to stop revoking citizenships while it decides if it will repeal the law that grants it power to do so.

Despite apparent support from within the Liberal party for the citizenship-stripping law to be changed or revoked – including from Immigration Minister John McCallum – no suspension of the practice will take place.

Currently the government can take away the citizenship of anyone accused of mispresenting themselves in order to get access to Canada, without the need for a hearing.

Bill C-6 is expected to come into force before Canada Day, July 1, 2017.

Interested employers: Kindly contact us here to receive further information.

Interested candidates: Find out whether you qualify to Canada by completing our free on-line evaluation. We will provide you with our evaluation within 1-2 business days.

Read more news about Canada Immigration by clicking here.

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Children With Canadian Citizenship Held In Immigration Detention

February 28, 2017 – Canada immigration is working to overhaul its immigration detention system, but that does not make a report detailing how children have been held despite having Canadian citizenship any less troubling.

The University of Toronto report highlights how an average of 48 children a year find themselves held in detention centres in conditions that can do them harm.

The report, titled ‘Invisible Citizens: Canadian Children in Immigration Detention’ says the best interests of children are being ignored and their human rights violated. At a time when Canada is being held up as a beacon of pro-immigration policy, it has not made comfortable reading for the federal government.

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Federal Government to Consult Canadians on Immigration Detention
Canada Must End ‘Harmful Practice’ of Putting Immigration Detainees in Jails
Canada Border Services Agency Seeks Contractor to Run Community Supervision Program

Children With Canadian Citizenship Held In Immigration DetentionThe Canada Border Services Agency, which is responsible for immigration detention, has since responded, saying it welcomed the report and highlighting the recently released National Immigration Detention Framework, design to overhaul the system and target some of the issues raised.

A CBSA statement says detention is used for children with Canadian citizenship only as a final option, and only after all other avenues have been explored.

“CBSA legislation and policy is clear in that children are detained only as a last resort and only after officers carefully consider what is in the best interest of the child(ren),” the statement reads.

“Detention guidelines require officers to consider all reasonable alternatives before detaining a minor under the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act.

“In cases of individuals detained with minors (including those with Canadian citizenship), CBSA officers work with the parent(s) and child welfare authorities to determine what is in the best interest of the child.

“In all cases, the parent’s view is an important factor that is taken into consideration. The assessment may result in a child staying with their parent in an immigration holding centre if it is deemed to be in the best interest of the child(ren).”

The federal government announced in August 2016 it would spend $138 million on improving Canada’s immigration detention system.

New, bigger holding centres in Laval and Vancouver will command the majority of the spending, as the government looks to reduce the number of detainees housed in provincial jails.

There have been 15 deaths in CBSA custody since 2000 and three this year, giving further fuel to calls for the system to be modernized.

The agency estimates there are up to 500 immigration detainees held at any one time.

The deal to use provincial jails to hold those deemed a security risk, a flight risk, or who have health problems holding centre are not equipped to deal with, was made under the previous Conservative government.

As well as moving away from all forms of detention as much as possible, the Liberal government also want to improve health care on offer and increase transparency by making the holding centres open to the Red Cross, United Nations, lawyers and spiritual advisers.

A Red Cross report in 2014 found holding centres were overcrowded and inadequate health care available.

One option being considered is community supervision with a contractor already being sought to run a scheme that would oversee regular reporting, run substance abuse programs, offer help finding jobs and education opportunities and assistance with finding accommodation.

Interested employers: Kindly contact us here to receive further information.

Interested candidates: Find out whether you qualify to Canada by completing our free on-line evaluation. We will provide you with our evaluation within 1-2 business days.

Read more news about Canada Immigration by clicking here.

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Immigration.ca – Live Stream Series – Thursday March 2, 2017

Join our upcoming Immigration.ca Live Stream Series!

Join Attorney Colin Singer’s Facebook Live on March 2nd @ 11:00 AM (Eastern Time/ Toronto Time).

Place: https://www.facebook.com/immigrationca/

Topic: “Federal Skilled Worker Program Eligible Occupations Under Express Entry Immigration”

Questions: Submit your questions on our Facebook Page (Event Post on Facebook)

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Montreal Declared Sanctuary City For Undocumented Immigrants in Canada

February 22, 2017 – Montreal has been declared a sanctuary city for immigrants without documentation, following a drive by the Quebec city’s mayor.

A motion put forward by Mayor Denis Coderre has been unanimously adopted by the Montreal City Council.

It means undocumented migrants will get access to city services including shelters, food banks and housing without being reported to federal authorities.

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Immigrants In U.S. Are Crossing Quebec Border Illegally

Montreal Declared Sanctuary City For Undocumented Immigrants in Canada“A lot of these people are victims. They’ve been victims of terrorist acts, they’ve been kicked out of their country or left because of their situation – from sexual orientation to political refugees,” Coderre said.

“Some of them have been here six, seven, eight years.”

“We have the capacity to provide services under our own jurisdiction so when we are talking about housing when we are talking about basic service we will be able to do that.”

Montreal joins the Ontario cities of Toronto, Hamilton and London, as well as Vancouver in British Columbia as cities which have declared sanctuary status.

Critics say the move is merely symbolic, and that now Montreal needs to make tangible policies to help vulnerable people in the city.

Quebec is currently dealing with a surge in illegal immigrants crossing the border from the U.S.

Five times the number of people entered Quebec from the U.S. illegally in 2016 compared to the previous year, according to Canada Border Services Agency figures.

The notable increase – to more than 1,200 claiming refugee status in 2016 – comes as immigrants look to flee a crackdown from the Donald Trump administration.

New U.S. Department of Homeland Security guidelines demand the mass arrest and detention of those in the U.S. without status.

The document, issued by DHS Secretary John Kelly on February 17, 2017 and which calls for the hiring of thousands of enforcement personnel, outlines how the federal government plans to tackle illegal immigrants in the United States.

It follows in the wake of President Donald Trump’s Executive Order banning immigration from seven Muslim-majority countries and suspending the U.S. refugee program.

Interested employers: Kindly contact us here to receive further information.

Interested candidates: Find out whether you qualify to Canada by completing our free on-line evaluation. We will provide you with our evaluation within 1-2 business days.

Read more news about Canada Immigration by clicking here.

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2017 Express Entry Draw #5: Continued High Number of Invitations Issued, Record Lowest CRS Score

February 22, 2017 – Canadian Immigration authorities conducted the 5th round of invitations under Express Entry in 2017 and 55th overall, inviting 3611 applicants for permanent residence, under all programs.  The lowest Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score was 441, a continued record low, and reflecting a steady decline from previous draws.

It was the 5th draw in 2017 under the Express Entry System where the lowest CRS score was well below 500. It was the 7th draw since immigration 2017 Express Entry Draw #5: Continued High Number of Invitations Issued, Record Lowest CRS Scoreauthorities substantially modified the express entry comprehensive ranking system in November 2016.

Express Entry is an immigration system implemented by Canadian immigration authorities (“CIC”) on January 1, 2015 which manages skilled worker applications under Federal Economic programs. This includes the Federal Skilled Worker Program, the Skilled Trades Program the Canada Experience Class and certain parts of the Provincial Nominee Program.

Stakeholders expect to see between 12-15 draws and up to 30,000 invitations during the first six months of 2017, with CRS scores well below 500 to enable Canadian immigration authorities to meet targeted annual immigration levels for 2017.

Read our 2015 Express Entry Year-End report, here.

Watch for our 2016 Express Entry Year-End report shortly.

What this means for employers

Employers are encouraged to consider securing an LMIA or nomination under provincial nomination programs (PNP’s) to ensure long term retention of employees.

We provide Canadian employers with unparalleled immigration legal services and recruitment of foreign nationals through our in-house enterprise Global Recruiters of Montreal (www.grnmontreal.com). We bring approved candidates to Canada in the shortest time possible. Employers in a wide range of industries can directly benefit from our unique position as one of Canada’s leading online immigration firms in the industry to meet both their recruitment and immigration requirements.

Interested employers wishing to seek our assistance are invited to contact us here for further information.

What this means for candidates

It is expected that the majority of applicants to be issued (ITA’s) under Canada’s Express Entry Immigration system in 2017 will require a CRS score well under 500 points, enabling a significant number of applicants to receive permanent admission to Canada without a job offer or nomination under a provincial immigration program.  However, securing an approved offer of employment is highly recommended.

Find out whether you qualify to Canada by completing our free on-line evaluation. We will provide you with your evaluation results within 1-2 business days.

Resources:

  • Immigration.ca News Articles – A daily news source outlining the latest developments in immigration, employment and the economy with commentaries by Attorney Colin Singer.
  • At Global Recruiters of Montreal we are dedicated to developing long-term strategic alliances with client companies and candidates alike.  We strictly adhere to our guiding principles of honesty, integrity and confidentiality.

Colin R. Singer is immigration counsel for www.immigration.ca and Managing Partner of Global Recruiters of Montreal. He is one of Canada’s foremost senior corporate immigration attorneys. Colin is internationally recognized as an experienced and recommended authority on Canadian immigration and foreign recruitment. In addition to being licensed human resources professional, he is a licensed Canadian lawyer in good standing with the Quebec Law Society for more than 25 years and is authorized by the Canadian government in all immigration matters.

Interested employers: Kindly contact us here to receive further information.

Interested candidates: Find out whether you qualify to Canada by completing our free on-line evaluation. We will provide you with our evaluation within 1-2 business days.

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