Canadian Immigration News

The Honourable Jason Kenney, Secretary of State for Multiculturalism and Canadian Identity, recently announced that the Government of Canada would soon issue a formal apology in Parliament for the Komagata Maru tragedy.

The Honourable Jason Kenney, Secretary of State for Multiculturalism and Canadian Identity, recently announced that the Government of Canada would soon issue a formal apology in Parliament for the Komagata Maru tragedy.

A new pilot project has been launched by the federal and Alberta governments to fast-track the entry of internationally-trained nurses into Alberta's health care system.

Launched less than a year ago, the Foreign Credentials Referral Office (FCRO) is a tool to help newcomers and prospective immigrants obtain the information they need to prepare themselves for work in Canada in their fields.

On June 22 of last year, Prime Minister Stephen Harper apologized to the Chinese Canadian community for Canada's past immigration policies and the head tax once charged to newcomers from China. Survivors or their surviving conjugal partners have been offered $20,000 in symbolic payments.

Citizenship, Immigration and Multiculturalism Canada Minister Jason Kenney is currently finalizing a new policy to help Afghans who have become endangered through their associations with the Canadian military and Canadian diplomats. Afghans who have been seriously injured as a result of working with the Canadian military and those who face threats from insurgents because of they have assisted foreigners, will be eligible for fast-track Canadian immigration.

Human Resources and Social Development Canada (ESDC) has announced that the Expedited Labour Market Opinion (E-LMO) pilot project to bring in foreign workers to Alberta and British Columbia, has been expanded for an additional 21 occupations. It will now be much faster for Alberta and BC employers to hire temporary foreign workers for a greater number of occupations.

The Strategic Occupations Stream of the British Columbia Provincial Nomination Program (PNP), currently a pilot project, has expanded beyond tourism and trucking to include workers in the food processing industry.

The European Commission presented a report this week that criticized Canada's lack of transparency and the delays it has caused in the negotiations over removing visa requirements for the eight most recent EU members.

To obtain permission to hire a foreign worker, Canadian employers must satisfy Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC) that they have first undertaken sufficient efforts to hire Canadian citizens or Permanent Residents. An important element of this recruitment is the minimum advertisement requirement for the position.