If you are a business person looking to make an investment in Canada, the Business Immigration Program may be an important fast-track Canadian immigration option for you. Business Immigration seeks to attract foreign nationals with business and managerial experience who will contribute to the development of the Canadian economy. Through this priority processing program, you could be immigrating to Canada in a matter of months.

Following Prime Minister Harper’s re-election last month, he appointed a new cabinet and a new Minister of Citizenship, Immigration and Multiculturalism. Jason Kenney, former Secretary of State for Multiculturalism and Canadian Identity and a well-known figure in Canadian ethnic communities, has been appointed to this position.

In the Government of Canada’s recent Speech from the Throne, Governor General Michaëlle Jean stated that the federal government will “work with the provinces to make the recognition of foreign credentials a priority”. In addition to the establishment of the Foreign Credential Referral Office last year, provincial governments have been working to develop tailor-made plans to ensure that newcomers can quickly integrate into the workforce. This month, Alberta introduced a new program.

Saskatchewan has just made it easier for international students to become Canadian Permanent Residents. British Columbia (BC) is now helping its substantial food processing sector to retain foreign skilled workers by nominating them for fast-track Canadian immigration. These students and workers have now been added to a growing list of foreign nationals who can qualify for fast-track Canadian Permanent Residency under the various Provincial Nomination Programs (PNP).

In a few days from now, the waiting will be over.

Not only will we know the fate of the Federal Skilled Worker applications submitted to the Canadian Visa Offices after February 27, 2008, (now in a suspended state) but we will also find out what lies in store for Skilled Worker applications that will be submitted in the coming twelve months. More to the point, we expect to soon learn which of these applications are going to be processed quickly; which ones are to be held at the Visa Office for processing at a later date, and finally, which applications are going to be returned without any consideration at all. This information will come via publicized instructions that the new Minister of Citizenship, Immigration and Multiculturalism (now, there’s a mouthful) will issue to the various Canadian Visa Offices.