Canadian Immigration News

The federal department of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has published an operational bulletin covering the temporary public policy for applications for permanent residence on humanitarian and compassionate (H&C) grounds as a result of lifting the temporary suspension of removals (TSR) on Haiti and Zimbabwe.

The International Skilled Worker - Express Entry sub-category of the Saskatchewan Immigrant Nominee Program (SINP) has reopened. The government of Saskatchewan updated its website the morning of Wednesday, July 20 to announce that this Canadian immigration option was now open to new applications.

Today, July 19, Quebec’s Ministry of Immigration, Diversity, and Inclusion (MIDI) announced that the next intake period for the popular Quebec Skilled Worker Program (QSWP) will open on August 16, 2016 at 8:30 a.m. Montreal time, and will receive up to 5,000 applications. The intake period may remain open until August 22, or until the intake cap of 5,000 applicants is reached, whichever occurs soonest.

Today, July 19, Quebec’s Ministry of Immigration, Diversity, and Inclusion (MIDI) announced that the next intake period for the popular Quebec Skilled Worker Program (QSWP) will open on August 16, 2016 at 8:30 a.m. Montreal time, and will receive up to 5,000 applications. The intake period may remain open until August 22, or until the intake cap of 5,000 applicants is reached, whichever occurs soonest.

Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC, formerly known as CIC) has updated the conditions for issuing a study permit to a student who is required to complete a prerequisite program before he or she begins a second program in a Designated Learning Institution (DLI).

The number of Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) points required by candidates for immigration to Canada through the Express Entry selection system to receive an Invitation to Apply (ITA) for permanent residence remained at 482 in the latest draw from the pool, which took place on July 13. A total of 747 candidates were invited to apply.

Quebec’s Minister of Immigration Kathleen Weil has announced a new promotional campaign to encourage immigrant enrollment in French-language courses. The $750,000 initiative will focus on promoting courses through social media and community websites, as well as in newspapers, on the radio and on public transport. Ms Weil outlined the plan yesterday, Monday July 11.

The first ever Canada-Newfoundland and Labrador Immigration Agreement was signed by Canada’s Minister of Immigration John McCallum and Newfoundland’s Minister of Advanced Education and Skill, Gerry Byrne, in St. John’s, Newfoundland, this week. This agreement intends to improve connections between the provincial and federal governments in order to encourage immigration to Newfoundland and Labrador.

In discussion with local community members in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canadian Minister of Immigration John McCallum emphasised that his department is “committed to streamlining things, to getting rid of silly rules, to improving the way the system operates.”

The government of Canada is set to remove Romania and Bulgaria from the list of countries whose citizens require visas in order to travel to Canada. Immigration Minister John McCallum is expected in Brussels this week, where it is expected that progress will be made on resolving a long-standing visa dispute with the two Eastern European countries, both of which are members of the European Union (EU).