Canadian Immigration News

A study commissioned by Quebec's immigration minister contends that the idea of a foreign-trained immigrant driving a taxi cab to make ends-meat is an overstated pretense.

On February 28, the Honourable Monte Solberg, Minister of Human Resources and Social Development Canada (ESDC), announced a new Canadian immigration initiative to increase the involvement of Canadian immigrants in the workplace.

While an unseasonable cold burst means that the arrival of spring has not yet brought much improvement in the weather, the spirit of growth and renewal of the season may be seen in the Canadian economy. In the month of March, job growth in Canada exceeded expectations by 500 percent, capping off a record first quarter.

The Minister of Citizenship and Immigration, the Honourable Monte Solberg, launched Canada's Citizenship Week 2006. He marked the occasion by taking part in a special citizenship ceremony swearing in 35 new Canadians.

As Prime Minister Stephen Harper shuffles his cabinet, it has been announced that the Honourable Diane Finley will become the new Minister of Citizenship and Immigration. The Honourable Monte Solberg will be moving on to become Minister of Human Resources and Social Development.

As a wealthy and democratic country that has been built on immigration, Canada has a long-standing tradition of opening its borders to individuals seeking asylum from persecution or unsafe conditions. In the spirit of this tradition, Canada will be opening its doors to over 5,000 refugees from Bhutan who have been living in refugee camps in Nepal for over a decade.

In an announcement earlier this week, Citizenship and Immigration Canada has stated that Canada will now recognize same-sex marriages performed abroad for all immigration purposes. While Same-sex marriage is legal in Canada, until now the Canadian government had only recognized those unions performed in Canada.

In response to the demands of faith communities across the country, Citizenship and Immigration Canada is examining ways to make it easier for religious leaders to obtain landed immigrant status. Many of these clergy arrive to serve communities on temporary resident visas but are unable to meet the requirements for permanent residents.

Canada will be opening its doors to 2,000 refugees of the Karen ethnic group, in a move announced by the Honourable Diane Finley, Minister of Citizenship and Immigration. Canada first accepted a group of 810 Karen in 2006 for resettlement.

At a conference of Information Technology industry leaders, skilled workers, and educational institutions, a consensus was made clear: Canada’s IT needs more immigration to meet labour demands.