Canadian Immigration News

Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) has launched an exciting new pilot, the Entrepreneur Start-Up Visa program, on April 1, 2013. The program, which will connect promising foreign entrepreneurs to Canadian organizations that will assist in start-up operations, is the first of its kind in the world.

The backlog of permanent resident applications waiting to be processed by government officials has been reduced by 40 percent, according to Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC). CIC believes that this reduction will help to create an immigration system more responsive to the needs of applicants and Canada as a whole.

The government of Quebec announced today that it will extend the duration of the current Quebec Skilled Worker (QSW) program. The QSW program, initially scheduled to accept applications until March 31, 2013, will continue accepting applications until July 31, 2013.

The Government of Canada has announced that it will be taking steps to reform the country’s temporary foreign worker program to ensure qualified Canadians are not passed up for jobs. This plan, announced in the 2013 budget this past Thursday, has outlined a number of new measures that will be taken to prioritize the hiring of Canadian citizens and permanent residents.

The Canadian Border Services Agency (CBSA) found 54 Americans working without authorization in Canada last year, according to Global News agency. This number makes the US the largest source of illegal foreign labour, at least among individuals who were apprehended.

A recent poll has confirmed that Canadians favor responsibility in immigration, including measures such as setting limits on intake of immigrants. When asked the question “should Canada accept all qualified immigrants who want to enter the country, or should we limit the number of immigrants allowed each year?” a majority voted for the latter. This majority was somewhat greater amongst respondents born in Canada (73 percent) than respondents born outside of Canada (58 percent).

Since its launch in December 2011, the new Parent and Grandparent Super Visa program has seen great success. To date, over 15,000 Super Visas have been issued to qualifying applicants. This translates to over 1,000 new Super Visa issuances each month.

2012 saw Canada reach its highest sustained level of immigration in history, continuing a seven year trend.

Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) has officially announced that the new Federal Skilled Worker program will include a list of designated occupations.

The Canadian Experience Class (CEC) is Canada’s fastest growing immigration program, with over 9,353 visas issued in 2012. This exceeded the program’s yearly target of 7,000 by 34 percent.