Canada Immigration Blogs by Attorney David Cohen

Over the past year we’ve seen quite a few changes in Canadian immigration. The trend continues towards the decentralization of immigration selection, with more and more power being put in the hands of provinces through Federal-Provincial agreements. More people are coming to Canada through Provincial Nomination Programs (PNP). The PNP’s also show another ongoing trend in Canadian immigration: a focus on jobs. Whether through PNP’s or other streams, the Canadian immigration story of 2007 has been: if you have a job waiting for you, you can get to Canada sooner. Read More »

In Canada, we enjoy first-class social services such as healthcare and education. To pay for these services, the government has a number of sources of revenue… from income taxes to goods and services taxes (VAT). While most government services are free to the user, some – including visa services – charge fees to cover administrative costs. Read More »

From the day Permanent Residents land in Canada, they have nearly all the rights and obligations of Canadian citizens. Aside from the right to vote, a Permanent Resident who landed in Canada yesterday and a native-born Canadian pay the same taxes and in return have the same expectation to services from the government. That is, unless they get sick. Read More »

Niagara Falls is one of the wonders of the world, and a point of Canadian national pride. The Falls lie on the border with the United States, however the more impressive Horseshoe Falls are within Canada’s jurisdiction. While Canadians take pride in ownership of the better share of the famous waterfall, recent incidents at the nearby border crossing with the U.S. call into question how much control Canada really holds over its famous landmark, and who may enter the country to see it. Read More »

Canadians went to the polls earlier this month in a series of Federal by-elections marked by controversy. Chief Electoral Officer Marc Mayrand announced that in light of the Canada Elections Act he would not require women wearing burka or veils to show their faces in order verify their identity. Until recently this was not an issue as there was no requirement to present photo identification when voting. However, that changed when Parliament recently passed Bill C-31, which amended the Canada Elections Act to include a new requirement; that voters present photo identification. As a result, the question of how to identify women who wear veils was raised. Read More »

Ontario is Canada’s most populous province and a beacon for newly arriving immigrants. In fact, well over half of new immigrants arriving in Canada settle in Ontario. On October 10, residents of the province will head to the polls to elect a new government. As the campaign picks up momentum, it is becoming clear that this fall’s vote will have major implications for multiculturalism in Canada. Read More »

U.S. Supreme Court Justice Louis Brandeis famously said, “Sunlight is the best disinfectant.” He meant that openness and transparency are fundamental elements of a true democracy. As Canadians, we pride ourselves on the strength of our democracy and the rights which are enshrined in the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms.

Recent events have brought rights and democracy in Canada into question. Read More »

Buyer Beware

A series of articles in the Toronto Star recently shone a powerful spotlight on the immigration consulting industry. What they found does not speak well for the industry. Read More »

Equality is a fundamental Canadian value. Whether you are a fifth-generation Canadian or you have just received your Canadian citizenship this morning, you are entitled to exactly the same set of rights and responsibilities. Or at least that’s the way it’s meant to be. Read More »

Canada needs more doctors. This message has been trumpeted for years by politicians, hospitals, and by many ordinary Canadians, who are unable to find a family doctor and are frustrated by the long delays to see a medical specialist. For a country that prides itself on having a first-class public health care system, things could be a lot better. Read More »