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Русский New Canadian Immigrants: Check Your Health Coverage Entitlement Before You Arrive
December 2, 2018 – New immigrants to Canada are being advised to be aware of what health coverage they need before they arrive.
While Canada has an established public health care system, certain provinces impose a waiting period for new permanent residents, while work permit and study permit holders are also treated differently.
Experts say many newcomers do not consider what coverage they may need until they are already in Canada.
It means that health emergencies that happen in the gap between landing and establishing coverage are not covered, particularly in provinces where a waiting period exists.
Read More
Canadian Health Care for Immigrants: All You Need to Know FAQJason Cummings, general manager and senior broker at David Cummings Insurance Services Ltd, of Vancouver, says it is important newcomers do their homework.
“While Medicare is governed by federal legislation, each province and territory administers its own public health plan,” Cummings said.
“Some impose a Medicare waiting period on new residents, and some do not. Where a waiting period applies the new resident is responsible to pay the entire cost of medical services, including hospital fees, even in an emergency. “
A public health care waiting period of up to three months is imposed in three Canadian provinces, namely Ontario, British Columbia and Quebec. Yukon, Northwest Territories, and Nunavut also impose waiting periods.
For these provinces, interim medical insurance can be purchased to cover any unexpected health care costs.
In the seven remaining provinces the coverage is retroactively applied to the date of arrival after the registration is complete.
Immediate Health Coverage for New Permanent Residents
| Immediate coverage | Waiting period |
| Saskatchewan | Ontario |
| Manitoba | British Columbia |
| Alberta | Quebec |
| New Brunswick | Yukon |
| Nova Scotia | Northwest Territories |
| Newfoundland & Labrador | Nunavut |
| Prince Edward Island |
Where work permit and study permit holders are concerned, it again depends on the province or territory.
Work permits are required to be valid for a certain period of time, usually six or 12 months, to be covered, provided they will live and work in the same province or territory.
But the rules vary depending on the class of work permit, so candidates need to be aware of whether they are covered.
For study permit holders, there are even greater variations.
Certain provinces or territories:
- Never offer Medicare to international students.
- Offer Medicare only if the student is registered for a scholastic program longer than 12 months.
- Only offer coverage after the student has resided with study permit for 12 continuous months in the province or territory.
- Let international students on Medicare immediately or after that jurisdiction’s standard waiting period, if they possess a study permit valid for six months or longer.
“Provinces can also change their policy toward study permit holders, as international students studying in Manitoba can attest to,” Cummings said.
“Effective September 1, 2018, Manitoba Health implemented new eligibility criteria which made international students ineligible for coverage, regardless of their duration of permit or study permit.”
Whether you are coming to Canada as a permanent resident, a work permit holder or a study permit holder, the message is clear: never assume you will qualify for public health care coverage when you arrive in Canada. Do your research to avoid any unexpected consequences.
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.
- Published in 2018, Canada Immigration, Canada Immigration News Articles
An Expired Maple Leaf Residence Card Can Turn Canadian Immigrants Into Exiles (Audio)
Each year, thousands of permanent residents discover they cannot return to Canada after substantial time away and face losing their permanent status because of an invalid “Maple Leaf Card,” the Ottawa-issued Canadian Permanent Residence card.
According to government figures, in 2013 alone, 19,503 permanent residents had to apply for a one-time travel document to return to Canada after being away. But only 13,211, or 70 per cent (down from 76 per cent in 2012) were approved. Some 5,550 were refused and the rest were withdrawn.
The federal government introduced the Maple Leaf Card in 2002 to replace the old landing document as a means of enforcing residency requirements for immigrants. Permanent residents must carry the ID when they travel if they want to be readmitted to Canada. A PR card does not create or maintain one’s status as a permanent resident per say. It merely serves as proof of that status.
The wallet-sized plastic card expires every five years, and cardholders must apply for new cards until they become Canadian Citizens. But to maintain permanent residence one must live in Canada for at least two years within a five-year period to qualify for renewal. Canadian permanent residents travelling abroad without first renewing their card can end up in trouble.
Section 28(2)(a) of Immigration and Refugee Protection Act (IRPA) requires a permanent resident to be physically present in Canada for a total of at least 730 days in every five-year period. This is a moving time frame which Canadian permanent residents must respect on an ongoing basis.
Figures show the largest single group requesting one-time documents were immigrants who wanted to return from China (about 4,300), followed by India (1,800), the Philippines (1,545), France (880), the United Kingdom (850) and Abu Dhabi (740).
While refused applicants overseas can appeal a decision to an Immigration and Refugee Board tribunal (IRB), and can obtain a one time travel document to re-enter Canada for such purposes, less than one fifth are ultimately successful.
In 2013, for example, the IRB tribunal received 964 appeals but granted only 166 of them — or 17.2 per cent, down from a peak of 33.1 per cent in 2010.
It is estimated that between 5000-6000 lose their Canadian permanent residence each year due to non compliance with Canadian residency requirements.
For those using commercial carriers to travel back to Canada, the law places the onus on such entities to ensure compliance and that travellers have the legal right to travel to Canada.
There are exceptions to the residence requirement, for example, where one is accompanying a Canadian citizen or where a Canadian permanent resident is outside Canada employed on a full-time basis by a Canadian business or the federal or provincial governments and for humanitarian and compassionate considerations.
Immigrants from countries where visas are not needed can easily secure entry back into Canada without a PR card if they don’t travel by commercial transportation.
Applicants renewing their PR card must do so taking into account the long processing times after submitting a renewal application. Current delays now exceed two-months unless an applicant requests and qualifies for expedited processing.
- Published in May
Canada Sees Sharp Drop in Immigrants Becoming Citizens
The percentage of immigrants who obtain Canadian citizenship has fallen sharply from 79% to 26%, according to a study of immigrants who arrived between 2000 and 2008.
The fall is due to new rules and fees that have made it more difficult for people to become Canadian, says former citizenship director general Andrew Griffith.
Griffith’s report, which analyzes the effect of citizenship reforms, is based on official government data and shows that the proportion of Canada’s permanent residents who eventually acquire citizenship has been declining since 2000, with sharp drops recorded in the past few years. Figures for 2008 show that only 26% of permanent residents who settled in Canada that year have become Canadian citizens, compared to 44% in 2007 and 79% in 2000.
Griffith’s study also shows that the number of citizenship applications from visible minorities had been adversely affected since the launch of the new version of Canadian citizenship test. “In the past, citizenship was viewed as a stepping stone to immigrant integration, and it should be done earlier on,” says Griffith. “These changes have made it harder and prohibitive for some to acquire citizenship, turning Canada into a country where an increasing percentage of immigrants are likely to remain non-citizens, without the ability to engage in the Canadian political process.”
According to Griffith, government data shows that it takes immigrants an average of six years to obtain Canadian citizenship. And the numbers of 2008 show only the first wave of effects caused by the citizenship reforms, meaning further declines are to be expected.
“The permanent-resident-to-citizen conversion rate does generally rise the longer immigrants have been in Canada. But an 18% decrease between the 2008 and 2007 cohorts is alarming,” says Griffith.
However, Citizenship and Immigration Canada does not agree with Griffith’s analysis. Johanne Nadeau, spokesperson for CIC, says that Griffith might have misinterpreted the data as “he is not taking into account those (permanent residents) who are not yet eligible to become citizens because they haven’t met all of the requirements needed to begin the citizenship process.”
Nadeau says that Canada has one of the highest naturalization rates globally and “86% of eligible permanent residents for Canadian citizenship decide to acquire it”, mainly because of the benefits of Canadian citizenship over permanent residency, which includes the right to vote, and possession of Canadian passports.
The citizenship reforms introduced since 2010 include a new tougher citizenship test designed to evaluate an applicant’s knowledge of Canada’s culture, history, and values. The passing score for this test has also been increased from 60% to 75%.
Additionally, the increase in citizenship fees has added a further obstacle for those seeking citizenship. Last year the fee was increased from $100 per adult to $300 in February, and again to $530 in December.
Griffith says he understands the rationale behind these government changes but believes that steps should be taken to promote inclusion rather than exclusion. “We need to make sure those who apply for citizenship take it seriously, but we don’t want to inadvertently create excessive barriers and shift the relationship of some of the communities with the country.”
Further controversial changes are set to come into force later this year that will make it harder to obtain citizenship. One such change is the requirement for citizenship applicants to have been present in Canada for four out of the previous six years, rather than the current requirement of three out of the previous four years.
- Published in March
Canada Raises Immigration Levels Under New Express Entry System
The Government of Canada will increase immigration levels significantly in 2015. Citizenship and Immigration Canada aims to welcome as many as 285,000 new permanent residents this year. This represents a significant increase in levels from previous years.
Canada’s increased immigration levels, coincides with the implementation of a new Express Entry immigration system which processes immigrants to Canada under Economic Class programs.
Applicants seeking permanent residence, who meet minimum criteria, are required to submit an online expression of interest profile to the Express Entry Pool. Candidates without an approved job offer or provincial nomination must also submit an employment profile to the Canada Job Bank.
Candidates in the pool will be available for consideration to employers who cannot access Canadians, and to provincial governments for nomination under Provincial Nominee Programs PNP’s.
The profiles of candidates in the pool are ranked under a Comprehensive Ranking System according to their age, education, language, experience, and other factors. The maximum score is 1200. Applicants with an approved job offer from a Canadian employer (positive Labour Market Impact Assessment) or candidates nominated by a province receive an additional 600 points. The highest ranked candidates will be considered by the Federal government for an invitation to apply (ITA) for permanent residence. The government aims to process applications in six months.
The government plans to conduct periodic draws throughout the year. An applicant can remain in the pool for up to one year. An applicant who does not receive an ITA during this period will be removed from the pool and will need to re-submit a new profile. Thus an applicant’s ranking in the pool will vary for each draw as new profiles enter and others are removed.
Immigration falls under a shared jurisdiction between the federal, provincial and territorial governments. Provincial Nomination Programs are widely viewed as an alternative option for many foreign nationals to gain Canadian permanent residency. Every province has implemented its own provincial nomination program, each with its own criteria, in order to promote immigration policies best suited to a province’s particular needs. The Province of Quebec promotes its own immigration programs under special status.
The role of the provinces will become significant under the Express Entry system. In addition to the existing Provincial Nomination Programs available through Canadian provinces and territories, currently British Columbia, Saskatchewan, Manitoba and Nova Scotia have launched express entry immigration programs that complement the Federal Express Entry Immigration system. A sponsor employer is not required for some of these programs.
To be selected under a provincial express entry immigration program, prospective applicants must meet the minimum criteria for one of the three federal programs available under the Express Entry system (the Federal Skilled Worker Program, the Federal Skilled Trade Program and the Canadian Experience Class). They must also complete a Federal Express Entry assessment profile.
From the Federal Express Entry pool, a participating province can select between 350 to 1,500 applicants for nomination to their province each year, depending on agreements with the federal government. Other provinces are expected to launch Express Entry programs in 2015.
An audio version of this article is available at https://soundcloud.com/immigrationca/canada-immigration-express-entry
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 a licensed human resources professional, he is a licensed Canadian lawyer in good standing with the Quebec Law Society during the past 25 years and is authorized by the Canadian government in all immigration matters.
Pulished: February 9, 2015
- Published in publications
Canadian Agencies to Share Personal Information of Immigrants (Audio)
Canadian Immigration officials will be allowed to share the personal information of citizens and permanent residents with other government agencies, under new proposals tabled on Friday. The plan would permit the sharing of information between immigration and border enforcement officials, Canada Revenue Agency, Employment and Social Development Canada, the RCMP, and other federal and provincial agencies.
The rules are being proposed to allow government agencies to be alerted to any changes in an individual’s immigration status as well as to authenticate the identity and immigration status of individuals and reduce fraud in the use of government services.
“There is a need to clarify and make explicit the legislative authority for CIC (Citizenship and Immigration Canada) to share personal information through its different business lines and with these partners,” the proposal states.
“CIC has relied on the Privacy Act to support some information sharing. However, this has created uncertainty regarding what information can and should be shared, and has limited CIC’s ability to share information.”
The plan gives the revenue agency a central role in the new information exchange network as it would allow immigration authorities to access the Income Verification Program in order to identify any false or inconsistent declarations of financial circumstances submitted by residency and citizenship applicants.
“This would help uphold the integrity of the immigration system as a whole and improve client service, both in the citizenship and across the government,” it said.
- Published in March
Measures in Response to Typhoon Haiyan in the Philippines
Operational Bulletin 560-A – November 22, 2013
Measures in Response to Typhoon Haiyan in the Philippines
Summary
This Operational Bulletin (OB) instructs officers about the measures currently undertaken by Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) in response to Typhoon Haiyan (or Typhoon Yolanda) in the Philippines.
Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) will continue to monitor the situation carefully as it evolves. If needed, it will also provide additional instructions through subsequent Operational Bulletins (OBs).
Background
Typhoon Haiyan made landfall in the central Philippines on November 09, 2013 (EST). The city of Tacloban in the central Leyte province bore the brunt of Typhoon Haiyan. It is worth noting that Tacloban city is about 852.1 Km southeast of Manila. Other parts of the central Philippines also sustained damage. However, Typhoon Haiyan did not affect major cities like Cebu City and Metro Manila significantly.
The Embassy of Canada in Manila did not face any adverse impacts on account of Typhoon Haiyan. Therefore, it remains open for providing services and support to its clients. In addition, Visa Application Centres (VACs) in Manila and Cebu City continue to remain open. Furthermore, Panel Physicians in the Philippines also continue to remain open.
The Special Program Coding
Officers would need to use the special program code UE4 for any applications relating to Typhoon Haiyan that they process on a priority basis. Typically, these applications would come from applicants who:
- Are from the affected areas and,
- Are personally affected by the typhoon
Officers would need to use the special program code UE4 in the following systems:
- The Global Case Management System (GCMS)
- The Global Case Management System – Citizenship (GCMS – Citizenship)
- The Field Operations Support System (FOSS) or,
- The Case Processing Centre (CPC) Systems
Officers might also come across certain Computer Assisted Immigration Processing Systems (CAIPS) affected by the problem. In this scenario, the officers would need to convert these cases to the Global Case Management System (GCMS).
Agents would need to record the project title as UE4 under the project screen. However, they would only need to do this for the citizenship module of the Global Case Management System (GCMS).
The office processing the case would need to apply the program code. However, this would only take place once an officer determines that the case meets the criteria for the special program code.
The Financial Coding (Internal Order Number)
The authorities have envisaged that situations could arise where officers need to carry out various efforts and activities related to Typhoon Haiyan. These activities and efforts would entail a certain amount of incremental costs. These costs would typically include salary and non-salary expenditures.
Therefore, the authorities have asked officers to code all efforts and activities related to Typhoon Haiyan to Internal Order (IO) number 1000819. This would enable the authorities to identify the financial impact on the Department.
The Current Measures
Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) is carrying out a number of measures at present, in response to Typhoon Haiyan. In particular, it is placing an emphasis on providing priority processing for family members including:
- Spouses
- Partners and,
- Dependent children
Therefore, it is asking officers to place the applications from the above-mentioned family members at the front of the queue for processing.
However, it is only doing this for family members of Canadians and permanent residents who:
- Are from the affected areas and,
- Are personally affected by the typhoon
Therefore, the applicant or the sponsor carries the responsibility for self-identification. The applicant or the sponsor would also need to show that they:
- Are from the affected areas and,
- Are personally affected by the typhoon
The Steps Taken by Overseas (Visa Office in Manila) and In-Canada (Centralised Processing Region and Domestic Regions in Canada)
Overseas (Visa Office in Manila) and In-Canada (Centralised Processing Region and Domestic Regions in Canada) offices are:
- Providing priority processing for new and existing applications for citizenship certificates (proof of citizenship) and permanent resident cards
- Providing priority processing for applicants from affected areas who are significantly and personally affected by the Typhoon, on request
- Providing priority processing for adopted dependents of Canadian citizens and permanent residents, on request
- Monitoring messages received in the following electronic immigration mailboxes for identifying the priority cases from the affected areas:
- Assessing new temporary resident visa applications from overseas – especially those from people in the affected areas and people who are family members of Canadians and permanent residents, in a flexible and compassionate manner
- However, the authorities are not waiving the regulatory and statutory requirements in these cases
- Assessing in-Canada temporary resident extension applications received from visitors, workers and students of Filipino origin, in a flexible and compassionate manner
- However, the authorities are not waiving the regulatory and statutory requirements in these cases
The Passport Program (Passport Program’s Rapid Response Team)
The Passport Program’s Rapid Response Team is:
- Issuing the Emergency Travel Documents to affected Canadians for returning to Canada, as appropriate and,
- Waiving the requirement for affected Canadians to provide proof of travel
The Affected Areas
The affected areas include:
- Leyte Province
- Northern Samar Province
- Eastern Samar Provinces
- Samar Province
- The Northern portion of Cebu Province
- Parts of Panay Island (including Northern Iloilo and Capiz)
- Parts of Masbate Island
- Northern Palawan (Coron) and,
- Boracay Island
The Significantly and Personally Affected
The authorities denote significantly and personally affected persons as being those individuals who have lost the following on account of Typhoon Haiyan:
- Family members, especially spouses, partners and dependent children of Canadian citizens and permanent residents
- Property and / or,
- Livelihood
The Establishing Family Members
In certain cases, officers might require some functional guidance in establishing identity and relationship. For this, the officers would need to refer to OB 179-B.
The Immigration Medical Examination
All applicants would need to complete an Immigration Medical Examination (IME). Only then would the officers be able to finalise their applications. Applicants would need to refer to the Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) website for a complete list of Panel Physicians in the Philippines.
Officers would need to process Immigration Medical Examinations (IMEs) on a priority basis. This is especially so for applications that meet the eligibility for priority processing.
The Medical Insurance
Officers would need to make sponsors and applicants aware of the availability of private medical insurance, prior to their arrival in Canada. It is worth noting that not all provinces and territories extend immediate health coverage to recent arrivals. This is applicable even to permanent residents and temporary residents.
The New Sponsorship Applications for Parents and Grandparents
The temporary pause on new sponsorship applications for parents and grandparents continues to remain in force.
Officers would need to notify applicants of the possibility of applying for the Parent and Grandparent Super Visa. The authorities would assess their applications in a flexible and compassionate manner. However, this would only apply to applicants who are parents or grandparents of Canadians and permanent residents.
The Potential Refusals
Officers could come across cases of potential refusals of applications from the affected areas only. They would need to send the case details to the specific distribution list mentioned on the Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) website. They would also need to communicate with the Case Management Branch (CMB) in this regard.
Source: Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC)
- Published in 2013
Canada Increases Economic Class Immigration Levels in 2015 (Audio)
 |
The Government of Canada will increase immigration levels significantly in 2015. Citizenship and Immigration Minister Chris Alexander announced that Canada aims to welcome as many as 285,000 new permanent residents this year. This represents an increase in levels from previous years by about 20,000. It is expected that the majority of economic class admissions to Canada will come from the Federal Skilled Worker program.
The announcement coincides with the implementation of the Express Entry Immigration system under the Economic Class. This includes theFederal Skilled Worker Program, Federal Skilled Trades Program,Canadian Experience Class and certain elements of the Provincial Nominee Program.
Persons with suitable education, work experience, age and language abilities under one of Canada’s official languages and who are selected under the Express Entry Immigration system to apply for permanent residence.
To qualify for admission to the Express Entry Immigration as a Federal Skilled Worker, applicants must meet the following conditions:
Essential Conditions:
- Possess one-year of continuous full-time paid work experience or the equivalent in part-time continuous employment within the previous 10 years in one of 347 eligible occupations listed under the applicable National Occupational Classification system; AND
- The work experience must be classified within Skill Type 0 (Managerial Occupations), Skill Level A (Professional Occupations), or Skill Level B (Technical Occupations and Skilled Trades) within the meaning of the National Occupational Classification system; AND
- Score sufficient points under the skilled worker point gridcomprising of six selection factors. The current pass mark is 67 points;
- Undergo language testing from a recognized third party and demonstrate intermediate level language skills in English or French corresponding to the Canadian Language Benchmark of 7)
- Possess suitable settlement funding;
- Undergo a successful security background and medical examination.
Persons who are qualified under one of 90 skilled trades from the following NOC Skill Level B:
- Major Group 72: Industrial, electrical and construction trades;
- Major Group 73: Maintenance and equipment operation trades;
- Major Group 82: Supervisors and technical occupations in national resources, agriculture and related production;
- Major Group 92: Processing, manufacturing and utilities supervisors and central control operators;
- Minor Group 632: chefs and cooks;
- Minor Group 633: butchers and bakers.
A program for people who have suitable skilled work experience in Canada and want to immigrate permanently.
Applicants with work experience in the following NOC occupations will not be considered:
- 1221 Administrative officers
- 1241 Administrative assistants
- 1311 Accounting technicians and bookkeepers
- 6211 Retail sales supervisors
- 6311 Food service supervisors
- 6322 Cooks
Every province has implemented its own provincial immigration program(Provincial Nominee Programs PNP), each with its own criteria, in order to promote immigration policies suited to a province’s particular needs.
Provincial Nomination Programs are widely viewed as a fast-track option for many foreign nationals to gain Canadian permanent residency.
In addition to the existing Provincial Nomination Programs available through Canadian provinces and territories, Saskatchewan, Nova Scotiaand Manitoba promote express entry immigration programs that complement the Canada Express Entry Immigration system. A sponsor employer is not required.
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.
- Published in January
Pilot Project for Foreign Spouses and Dependent Children of Highly Skilled Canadians or Permanent Residents Returning to Work in Ontario
Operational Bulletin 229-A – April 23, 2012
Pilot Project for Foreign Spouses and Dependent Children of Highly Skilled Canadians or Permanent Residents Returning to Work in Ontario
Issue
The authorities released Operational Bulletin 229 on November 24, 2010. Initially, this pilot was due to conclude on May 23, 2012. However, the authorities have extended this pilot program by a further span of 18 months. As a result, this pilot would remain in effect until May 23, 2013. Therefore, this Operational Bulletin would be effective until then, as well.
Background
The parties concerned with the Canada-Ontario Immigration Agreement agreed to certain terms. These terms found mention in the Temporary Foreign Worker (TFW) annex to the Agreement for Canada-Ontario Immigration Agreement. The parties signed this agreement in August 2008.
According to Article 4.3:
“4.3 Where a Canadian Permanent Resident or Citizen who has left Canada returns to Canada to re-establish their residence in Ontario and work in Ontario as a Skilled Worker, and he/she is accompanied by a foreign spouse or common law partner and/or dependents, Canada agrees to issue open work permits to that spouse or common law partner and those dependents upon application, provided the applicants are otherwise legally able to work in Ontario. These open work permits should have a validity period of two years.”
In addition, Article 4.3 of the Annex mentions that officers would need to provide an exemption to the dependents described in the above-mentioned excerpt. This waiver would ensure that these dependents do not need to obtain a Labour Market Opinion (LMO). However, the applicants would still need to meet all the admissibility criteria. Only once they meet this, would the authorities give them the status of a Temporary Resident in Canada.
Readers could view the entire text of the Canada-Ontario Immigration Agreement on the CIC website.
The Pilot Parameters
This pilot began on November 24, 2010. The authorities had envisaged that it would run for an initial duration of 18 months, concluding on May 24, 2012. Thereafter however, the authorities concerned have extended this pilot by one year – from May 24, 2012 to May 24, 2013 – inclusively.
The terms of the pilot would only apply to qualifying foreign nationals as described subsequently. Moreover, the terms would only be applicable to qualifying foreign nationals destined to work in the province of Ontario.
In addition, the authorities have restricted the occupations for the Canadian or Permanent Resident re-establishing in Ontario only to accommodate:
- Health professionals and,
- Academics in post-secondary public institutions
This is in accordance with the purposes prescribed for this pilot project. The authorities would first complete the review of this pilot project. Only then would they consider making any changes to these parameters.
The Pilot Procedures
Applicants for this pilot program would need to refer to the Temporary Foreign Worker’s Guidelines (FW 1). This manual contains all the:
- General eligibility criteria
- Conditions specified by the work permit and,
- The processing procedures
All the above-mentioned details would continue to apply in conjunction with the procedures listed below.
Eligible Participants
- To become eligible for obtaining an open work permit under this pilot program, the applicants would need to meet all the following criteria
- They would need to:
- Be a spouse, a common-law partner or a dependent child of a Canadian citizen or a Permanent Resident, who:
- Is returning to work in Ontario as:
- A Health professional or,
- An academic in post-secondary public institutions
- This Operational Bulletin lists the occupations allowed under this pilot project at the bottom of this document
- These conditions are in accordance with Section 2, Interpretation of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Regulations (IRPR)
- Can provide a letter from the Province of Ontario – Ministry of Economic Development, Trade and Employment, Business Immigration Branch, 18th floor, 56 Wellesley Street W, Toronto, Ontario, M7A 2E7 (Phone: 416‑325‑6975; Fax: 416‑325‑6653, [email protected]), confirming:
- The employment
- The location and,
- The occupation
- The applicant would need to provide this letter for confirming the employment, location and occupation on behalf of the returning Canadian citizen or permanent resident
- Be eligible to work in the Province of Ontario
- Situations could emerge where the applicants are working-age dependents
- In this scenario, the employers of these working-age dependents would need to bear the responsibility of ensuring adherence to the provincial minimum age employment standards
- Have the Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) Case Processing Centre – Mississauga (CPC-M) approve their application for Family Class sponsorship, filed by the returning Canadian citizen or permanent resident
The Process for Issuance of Open Work Permits
The process for issuing open work permit involves the following steps:
- Officers could issue a non job-specific open or open / restricted work permit to a foreign spouse, common-law partner or a dependent child
- Officers would not need to check whether the applicant has a Labour Market Opinion (LMO) from Service Canada accompanying the application
- In this situation, the dependent would need to apply for the work permit and pay the appropriate fees
- Officers could issue these work permits based on the medical examination requirements, if applicable. This is applicable especially if the officers are issuing a restricted work permit to the foreign spouse, common-law partner or a dependent child.
- The work permit only enables the participant to work in the Province of Ontario only – for the purposes of this pilot
- Applicants could apply for an open work permit:
- Overseas, or,
- In Canada to CPC-Vegreville via:
- Mail or,
- E-Application
- Applicants, who are nationals of visa exempt countries, could also apply at a Port of Entry
System Instructions
- Officers would need to enter the Labour Market Opinion (LMO) exemption code as T13
- This is in accordance with section R204(c) of the IRPR, which states that this is “an agreement entered into by the Minister with a province or group of provinces under subsection 8(1) of the Act”
- Special Program Code
- Officers would need to use the NEW Special Program Code #160 “RCS” for the spouse, common-law partner or dependent of the Canadian citizen or permanent resident in the:
- Field Operations Support Systems (FOSS) or,
- Computer Assisted Immigration Processing System (CAIPS)
- Officers would need to use this code for:
- Assisting immigration and border services officers, when they review these applications and,
- Facilitating statistical research, evaluation and policy development purposes
- Officers would need to ensure that the spouse, common-law partner or dependent’s work permit lists:
- The province of Ontario only in the Province field and,
- That this work permit is only valid for work performed in the province of Ontario in the printed Conditions
Duration and Extensions
Officers would issue this work permit for a span of two years. There would be no extensions to this work permit.
The National Occupation Code list (2006) of eligible occupations as part of the Ontario pilot for returning high-skilled Canadians or Permanent Residents of Canada
Health Professionals | Post-Secondary Education (Academics) for Public Institutions |
3111 – Specialist Physicians | 4121 – University Professors |
3112 – General Practitioners and Family Physicians | 4122 – Post-Secondary Teaching and Research Assistants |
3113 – Dentists | 4131 – College and Other Vocational Instructors |
3114 – Veterinarians |
|
3121 – Optometrists |
|
3122 – Chiropractors |
|
3123 – Other Professional Occupations in Health Diagnosing and Treating |
|
3131 – Pharmacists |
|
3132 – Dieticians and Nutritionists |
|
3141 – Audiologists and Speech-Language Pathologists |
|
3142 – Physiotherapists |
|
3143 – Occupational Therapists |
|
3144 – Other Professional Occupations in Therapy and Assessment |
|
3151 – Head Nurses and Supervisors |
|
3152 – Registered Nurses |
|
3211 – Medical Laboratory Technologists and Pathologists’ Assistants |
|
3212 – Medical Laboratory Technicians |
|
3213 – Veterinary and Animal Health Technologists and Technicians |
|
3214 – Respiratory Therapists, Clinical Perfusionists and Cardiopulmonary Technologists |
|
3215 – Medical Radiation Technologists |
|
3216 – Medical Sonographers |
|
3217 – Cardiology Technologists |
|
3218 – Electroencephalographic and Other Diagnostic Technologists n.e.c. |
|
3219 – Other Medical Technologists and Technicians (except Dental Health) |
|
3221 – Denturists |
|
3222 – Dental Hygienists and Dental Therapists |
|
3223 – Dental Technologists, Technicians and Laboratory Bench Workers |
|
3231 – Opticians |
|
3232 – Midwives and Practitioners of Natural Healing |
|
3233 – Licensed Practical Nurses |
|
3234 – Ambulance Attendants and Other Paramedical Occupations |
|
3235 – Other Technical Occupations in Therapy and Assessment |
|
Source: Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC)
- Published in 2012
Halifax Mulls Letting Canadian Permanent Residents Vote
Halifax, Nova Scotia may become the first Canadian city to let permanent residents, who are not Canadian citizens, vote in municipal elections. Mayor Mike Savage said Tuesday that he asked city staff to investigate the possibility and prepare a report.
“Their kids go to school, they pay tax, they’re entrepreneurs, they’re business people, they’re working,” he said. “What they can’t do is vote.
Even though no Canadian city currently permits non-citizens to vote in Calgary, Saint John and North Bay are discussing the idea, according to Immigration Settlement and Integration Services. Last year, Toronto city council voted to extend municipal voting rights to permanent residents but the province of Ontario has not yet agreed to amending the necessary legislation.
“It’s less than 100 years since women got the vote in Canada and only really half a century since aboriginal Canadians voted. Every time you look to extend the franchise some people will say, ‘Does that make sense?’ I think it’s time to look at it for permanent residents.” Savage said, adding that it could be good for Halifax and for its new residents.
“In a place like Nova Scotia, particularly Halifax, we want people to come here, we want immigrants. We want them not only to come but to stay and we want them to be involved in so many things,” he said.
The proposed extension would not apply to temporary foreign workers or students who aren’t permanent residents.
Claudette Legault of Halifax’s Immigrant Settlement and Integration Services said 40 countries let newcomers vote, including Ireland, New Zealand and Denmark. She said it would be especially valued by those who were politically active in their old country and are keen to get involved in Halifax. Legault added that newcomers drive over the same potholes as other residents, go to the same schools and use the same parks.
“For people who haven’t had the opportunity to vote, Canada represents an opportunity to engage in the democratic process in a real way,” she said.
Wan Jin Huang, who currently can’t vote, is backing the idea. She said many immigrants are highly educated and have lived in different places, and could bring good ideas.
“If I had the chance I would want to,” she said. “I live here and I hope it becomes better. They can make the city better,” she said.
If the Halifax staff report finds the idea promising, it will go to regional council. If council backs it, the city would ask the provincial government to change the legislation.
Source: CBC News
- Published in August
