Ottawa needs to hire more staff and invest in better tech to process immigration applications because delays in getting skilled workers into the country are hurting Canadian businesses, says a think tank specializing in labour mobility. “Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) should resume normal staffing levels, as we understand that there was a substantial
Canada has announced a new open work permit and two pathways to permanent residency aimed specifically at Hong Kong residents. The move comes in response to China’s imposition of a controversial national security law earlier in 2020, giving it broad new powers in Hong Kong. Canada is also enhancing existing programs to help people from
Foreign nationals working in the film and television industry are to get access to 14-day Canada work permit processing in a new federal government measure. The measure, announced by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) on September 28, is open to candidates applying from outside Canada the U.S., or those applying from the U.S. who
Ottawa has introduced a temporary public policy to allow visitors to apply for a work permit without needing to leave Canada. The move announced on Monday, August 24, is designed to benefit employers having difficulty finding workers and allow temporary residents to contribute to the COVID-19 economic recovery. Previously, visitors already in Canada when approved
Candidates for the Atlantic Immigration Pilot (AIP) can submit Work Permit applications online as of Monday, August 17, as part of the federal government’s coronavirus response. A Program Delivery Update was issued Monday confirming the move, with paper applications still accepted until September 1. The Atlantic Immigration Pilot operates as a partnership between Canada’s federal
Ottawa has made further significant changes to help international students wishing to study in Canada start a new program online from this fall due to the coronavirus pandemic. Changes to the Study Permit application process and to how time spent studying online counts toward a Post-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP) were announced on Tuesday, July 14.
As US President Donald Trump moved to clamp down on international students affected by the coronavirus crisis, the numbers of study permit arrivals in Canada remains strong. The US announced on Monday that foreign students whose classes have been moved online for the fall semester would either have to transfer to another school or have
Canada has provided updated guidance for which work permit holders are exempt from travel restrictions related to the coronavirus pandemic. The update, published on June 19 by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC), is designed ‘to ensure that non-optional and non-discretionary travel are being interpreted as intended’. It covers discretionary and non-discretionary travel, additional priority