Current Canadian Immigration News Stories

Quebec Immigration Minister Yolande James recently announced that the first $900,000 of Quebec's $6 million settlement funding will go to nine groups located in Villeray, St. Michel, Ahuntsic-Cartierville and the east of Montreal Island, where there are significant immigrant populations.  The goal is to help 600 newcomers secure employment through these community organizations.

Citizenship, Immigration and Multiculturalism Minister Jason Kenney has announced that as of March 31, Lebanese citizens applying to immigrate to Canada may choose the visa office in Beirut, Lebanon as their main point of service. 

Statistics Canada recently released population growth numbers for the last quarter of 2008.  The 0.19 per cent increase is the fastest fourth-quarter growth rate since 1992 and can be largely attributed to net international migration, says the agency.

Human Resources and Skills Development Canada (HRSDC) Minister Diane Finley has signed three new agreements with her counterparts in the European Union to improve labour mobility between Canada and the EU.   The goals of these agreements are to improve foreign credential recognition, facilitate international labour mobility, and strengthen the Canada-EU partnership.

Citizenship, Immigration and Multiculturalism Canada (CIMC) Minister Jason Kenney recently announced that, effective immediately, travelers from Croatia will no longer need to obtain Temporary Resident Visas to visit Canada.  The announcement was made to an audience of Canadian-Croatian immigration associations at the Croatian Cultural Centre in Norval, near Toronto, Ontario.

With its stable banking system and solid economic history, Canada has been weathering the economic slowdown better than many other industrialized countries.  Some individuals seeking greater economic stability are turning to Canada as an immigration destination and as a secure place to make an investment.

Citizenship, Immigration, and Multiculturalism Canada (CIMC) Minister Jason Kenney has announced a new online resource to help Canadian immigrants and prospective immigrants integrate into the job market more quickly and to obtain work in their fields.

The Government of British Columbia (BC) has allocated $4.9 million to help ease the transition into life in Canada for newcomer youth and young adult immigrants.  Programs and projects in thirteen BC communities will focus particularly on newcomers who are facing language and settlement barriers. 

British Columbia (BC) recently became the first province in Canada to introduce legislation clear the way for full labour mobility for all trades and professions across the country.  The new BC bill will allow a person who has been certified in their trade or profession in any Canadian jurisdiction, to work in their field in any other jurisdiction in Canada.  Similar legislation is being enacted across the country as the federal and provincial governments work towards full national labour mobility. 

"It's a great time to come to Saskatchewan," says Saskatchewan Premier Brad Wall, citing abundant job openings and solid economic growth in the province, amid economic uncertainty in other regions of Canada and around the world.