Canadian Immigration News

Driven by greater than expected job creation in December, Canada's unemployment rate fell back down to the 30-year low previously reached in May 2006.

A new simplified application process seeks to expedite the permanent resident application queue.

The Government of Saskatchewan has recently announced an $8.5 million infusion of funds into immigration and settlement services for the 2007-2008 fiscal year. This budget represents a 40 per cent increase over 2006-2007.

Amnesty International, as well as The Canadian Counsel for Refugees (CCR), has voiced their collective concern over the real-world implications regarding the Canada/US "Safe-Third Country Agreement". The human rights advocacy groups believe that procedures initiated through this legislation may in effect obstruct valid refugee claimants from gaining access to Canada's refugee determination system.

The Government of Canada has reduced the Right of Permanent Residence Fee (RPRF) from C$975.00 to C$490.00 effective Wednesday, May 3, 2006.

The Canadian permanent resident (PR) card was first introduced in June 2002 in order to heighten Canada’s border security and provide immigrants with secure and convenient proof of their status in Canada. Valid for a five year period, the cards that were first issued in 2002 will begin expiring in the coming months.

In its eighth consecutive year, Quebec’s Action Week Against Racism is a clear indication that the province is open and welcoming to diverse cultural groups and that it is working to ease the settlement and integration of newcomers into Quebec society. The theme of this year’s event is The Workplace: A Racism-Free Zone and it is dedicated to encouraging the open discussion and development of ideas to make Quebec a society free of any discrimination. Given the importance ofQuebec immigration to maintaining population and economic growth, the ideas and results that come from this week will be very valuable to all Quebec society.

A new agreement between the Quebec government and the Government of Canada grants international students the right to seek off-campus work in all regions of Quebec, including Montréal and Québec City. Nearly one hundred schools across the province are eligible to participate under the newly tabled regulation.

While recent Canadian census told of the importance of immigration for Canadian growth, cities and provinces across Canada are devising strategies to attract newcomers to their region. The mayors of Atlantic Canada are confident that the quality of life in their cities will be the key to attracting immigrants to work, live and stay in their cities and towns.

Thursday June 01, 2006 – Roughly a dozen dissenters began vociferously objecting to government policy regarding deportations as Federal Immigration Minister Monte Solberg took the stage at a downtown church in the nation’s capital yesterday.