Securing employment in Canada is the top priority of most everyone in the process of immigrating to Canada and for those who have recently arrived. And not just any job but a rewarding career is what people want. In addition, some individuals require a Canadian job offer to even qualify for immigration to Canada. With these things in mind, Campbell Cohen is partnering with CareerJoy, Canada’s foremost Career Coaching Company, to give newcomers an advantage in the Canadian job market.

The Canadian government has committed to making settlement in Canada easier for new immigrants by creating the Pan-Canadian Framework for the Assessment and Recognition of Foreign Qualifications. This framework will allow foreign-trained workers in certain professions to have their credentials assessed more quickly than before.

After extensive consultations with caregiver groups across Canada, Citizenship, Immigration and Multiculturalism Canada (CIMC) Minster Jason Kenney announced proposed changes to the Live-in Caregiver program earlier this month. The changes will make it easier for foreign workers in Canada employed as live-in caregivers to qualify for Canadian permanent resident visas, as well as ensure that their rights are protected and their working conditions are up to standard.

While the big immigration news in 2008 centred around the changes that were made to the Federal Skilled Worker program, no single immigration category drew as much attention in 2009. The Alberta Immigrant Nominee Program and Quebec’s immigration program came close, however. Our look back at the major changes in these Canadian immigration categories over the past year highlights the fact that regulations, programs and procedures are constantly evolving to fit Canada’s needs, and that anyone who qualifies for a Canadian immigration program today should apply now, while the regulations favour them. Nobody knows what it will take to qualify in a year from now and changes occur without any warning.

I thought I’d close out the year 2009 with a little “feel good” story involving Canadian immigration.