Hi
1. Read it, but there is always going to be a backlog, unless the points are raised back to 75. At 75 points (before the Liberals lowered it as an election ploy) the no. of skilled worker applications balanced out with the quota, within +/- 5%
2. If the Refugee lawyers don't like the new Refugee rules and IRB rules, then the rules are probably on the ball. Lawyers have a tendency to howl when their ox is gored.
3. Actually he is about the only Immigration Minister who has actually taken an interest in the Dept. Previous Ministers, it was just a stop onto something better. They never bothered to push legislation that the Dept. pointed out that would clear the backlogs, expedite refugee claims. (I lie, the safe 3rd country with the US got done. But the proposal was to extend it to other countries, which never happened)
4. One of the worse decisions was to separate the Investigation function and enforcement and the POE Immigration from CIC to CBSA. CBSA really doesn't care about the Immigration function at POEs, as you probably know from the problems that are reported here. Inland investigation with CBSA, they are only interested in the "big score". Routine investigation, just isn't done anymore. A prime example is the "buying of AEOs" All it would take is a visit to the prospective employer, to see it s/he actually exists, where there are multiple AEOs.
5. Processing times in-Canada are getting to be ridiculous.
6. Should be interesting to see how far the Mandamus application goes for the pre 2008 Skilled work applicants. Probably nowhere, but the lawyers should make a bundle.
1. I agree. I wonder what kind of impact his plan to reshuffle the way points are distributed will have. I'm not a huge fan of FSW apps in general. I try to manage expectations but lots don't want to hear it. PNP and CEC are the way to go if you fit.
2. LOL! Very true. But the lawyers and my group are always whining about something!
3. Couldn't agree with you more. Hey, he got rid of CSIC and that was enough to get my vote. He takes his job seriously and is actually trying to fix some of the historical problems that people have been complaining about forever. He's also pushing the Conservative agenda which sometimes bothers my left of centre inclinations but for the most part, I can live with it. The guy is smart and tough. He's got a backbone and that doesn't come along very often in politicians. Maybe future Ministers of this portfolio will take a page out of his book. Predictions are that he's on his way to the top job.
4. Before my time in the immigration world so I don't know about the "good old days". But yeah, the fraud is unbelievable. I hate AEOs in general. I've worked on a few that I knew for a fact were genuine because the applicants were TFWs in Canada. And I can see AEOs working for only a small percentage of business types where they can afford to wait up to 2 years for the employee to land. And you are spot on about CBSA as well. The lack of training on the immigration piece is astounding at times. I now bring my copy of the Act and Regs with me if I have to take a client to the POE. If I can't go, I send them armed with a letter for the CBSA officer detailing the appropriate sections pertaining to the applicant. And the phone is glued to me waiting for the call that everything went ok. So far so good, knock wood. But I'm sure my time is coming.
5. BEYOND ridiculous.
6. It will be interesting. They are going to make a HUGE fortune if they can convince enough applicants to go for it. The FC says that "each application must be considered on its own merits" to grant mandamus. Plus, that big one-word change in A11(1) from "shall" to "may" is something they should be worried about. I would love to see the FCA and/or SCC rule on the legality of the Minister's quotas and priorities, however. Those questions were certified previously to FCA but never made it as CIC issued the visa so the appeal was moot. I personally don't have an opinion but would love to see what the high courts would say.
Immigration Forum
