Archives for 2005

Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) is currently approving a greater number of temporary work permit applications based on provincial assessments submitted through the Provincial Nominee Program (PNP).

The Provincial Nominees Program allows provincial governments the ability to effectively bypass Human Resources and Skills Development Canada’s (HRSDC) labor market opinion in order to address regional employment shortages. CIC is increasingly prepared to accept applications that have been assessed through provincial channels as an alternative to HRSDC.

This has led CIC to issue the following addendum:

If someone holds a work permit in an occupation found in the NOC skills level O, A, or B that person’s spouse is entitled to an open work permit (i.e. no HRSDC opinion needed, no occupation, or employer need be specified);If someone has been nominated by a province, regardless of NOC skill level, the person is entitled to a work permit with a letter of support from the province, and that person’s spouse is entitled to be issued a work permit;

If someone seeks entry as a business person or entrepreneur, and their application is accompanied by from a province indicating that it is interested in considering this person for provincial nomination, even if they have not yet been nominated. This person can be issued a work permit without HRSDC confirmation.

The British Columbia (B.C.) Construction Association’s says that 50 per cent more workers in the industry are needed to fill the shortage. This represents an additional 60,000 people than are currently employed in the sector.

We don’t have enough of the skilled trades necessary just to carry out the functional construction tasks,” says economics professor at Simon Fraser University, Lindsay Meredith. “I’d poach everything that was breathing,” She added. The CEO of the Vancouver Organizing Committee (VANOC) has also warned that a major provincial construction boom and the 2010 Summer Olympics is leading to a serious shortage of qualified construction workers in Canada’s most western province.

Vancouver- Whistler was awarded The 2010 Summer Olympic Games at a time when “we are not drawing on a big pool of unemployed people,” explains Maurice Levi, professor of international finance at the University of British Columbia (UBC). The labour shortage is expected to continue well after the Olympics, according to the B.C. Construction Association. “We’re very conscious of a shortage right now of […] skilled workers,” explains Manley McLachlan, vice-president of the B.C. Construction Association.

In response to the growing demand for qualified construction trades people, B.C. is now actively looking outside of its borders. “I know contractors that have been to Europe; they’ve conducted job fairs in England, France, Belgium, and other parts of Europe,” says McLachlan. Skilled labour shortages mean that commodity prices will also rise as a result.

The Canadian government has extended a helping hand to ease the labour shortage B.C is currently facing by facilitating work permits for potential immigrants. A new program is now in place that allows employers to identify a qualified skilled worker for “fast-tracked” immigration processing.

Gulf residents applying for Canadian Permanent Residency in pre-defined categories will be processed through the Abu Dhabi Embassy, instead of the previous London (UK) Visa Office beginning on January 1, 2006.

The affected countries are:

* Bahrain
* Kuwait
* Oman
* Qatar
* United Arab Emirates
* Saudi Arabia
* Yemen

Applications that will be processed through Abu Dhabi are:

* Family Class (all categories)
* Protected Persons
* Quebec Cases (all categories)
* Provincial Nominees
* Dependants of the Live-in Caregiver Class in Canada

London will continue to process all applications from these classes that it receives prior to January 1, 2006. All economic class applications will continue to be processed through the London Office.

With the resignation of four board members in less than four months, The Canadian Bar Association expressing concern, and an independent auditor describing its expenses as “unusually high”, the Canadian Society of Immigration Consultants (CSIC) is raising considerable doubt over its ability to self-govern.

December 14 2004 – Francisco Rico, formerly a CSIC board member, is but the latest in a string of resignations protesting the board’s “failure to carry out its mandate”. Rico, who was formerly the co-director of FCJ Refugee Hamilton House in Toronto, admitted to a general lack of experience within the organization that led directly to internal struggle among its board members. He has also expressed reservations about the high levels of compensation, as well as the society’s failure to create an effective disciplinary hearing model to oversee complaints against its card-carrying members.

The Canadian Bar Association (CBA) has also voiced their concern over CSIC’s ability to regulate the profession; set up disciplinary proceedings, and maintain standards of corporate governance. “There has been tremendous dissension on the board…” reads a letter written by the founding member of CBA’s immigration section, Mendel Green.

Furthermore, Mercer, an outside human resources consulting firm, was recently called in to examine CSIC’s financial activity. It has concluded that 19 per cent (approx. $479,800) of all expenses was allocated to “directors’ fees” in 2004, a number the agency has described as “unusually high”.

In response to the recent firestorm of accusations regarding exorbitant compensation, CSIC has stated that “all Board compensation was justified”. The organization is currently undergoing its second annual independent audit to ensure that all expenditures are properly authorized and are in accordance with Society policies. The results of this audit will be available in mid-January 2006.

Backgrounder:

CSIC is an independent, not-for-profit organization operating under the authorization of the Canadian Federal Government. It was created in 2003 in response to the various problems which existed within the formerly unregulated immigration consulting industry. The Society’s mandate is to ensure that professional standards and accountability exist with regards to fee-based immigration consulting services. In addition, the Society is responsible for ensuring the education, skills, competency testing and recognition of its members.

Q: I recently received my Canadian Permanent Resident Visa but I have not yet landed in Canada. I am planning to get married soon and would like to know if my future wife can accompany me to Canada?

A: Once the permanent resident visa has been issued you cannot include your wife in your application. You would be well advised to land in Canada as a permanent resident before getting married. After landing in Canada and getting married you could then sponsor your wife as a member of the Family Class. Spousal sponsorships are of the highest priority and are processed quickly.

If you do get married before landing in Canada you must return your permanent resident visa to the Canadian Visa Office that issued it. You will then have to re-start the entire visa application process with your wife included as an accompanying dependant.

Immigration levels to increase by 35% over five years.

Canada’s Immigration Minister Joe Volpe confirmed that he is preparing a proposal that will raise the current yearly immigration quota to over 300,000 within five years. Details of the proposal have yet to be released. The initiative would include recruiting more people to work outside of the major Canadian metropolitan areas of Toronto, Vancouver, and Montreal. The plan is also expected to accommodate foreign nationals who were previously here on student visas. Canada’s foreign affairs minister, Pierre Pettigrew has stated that the country needs more immigrants to replace its aging workers who are headed for retirement.

Minister Volpe’s presentation outlines five key areas:

1. Increasing overall immigration numbers.
2. Providing better service both in bringing in immigrants and visa issuance.
3. Matching immigrants with Canadian jobs needed to fill the gaps in local markets. This also means allowing potential immigrants to receive commensurate credentials in Canada before they apply, or before they are accepted.
4. Regionalizing immigration to promote equitable settlement among Canada’s provinces and territories.
5. Regularizing foreign nationals already in Canada.

Canada to fast-track existing family class immigration for individuals affected by the South Asian earthquake.

“The government of Canada is committed to helping reunite close family members of Canadian citizens and permanent residents who are seriously and personally affected by the earthquake,” announced Citizenship and Immigration Minister Joe Volpe. Priority is being given to spouses, common-law partners, conjugal partners, and dependent children.

New applications under the Family class are also being handled expeditiously. However, all medical and security regulations will be respected. In addition to fast-tracking South Asian immigration, Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) will waive all new application processing fees and the Right of Permanent Residence fee for persons affected by the natural disaster.

The tragedy brought on by this calamity has hit at the heart of Canadians. For those who are worried and have lost contact with loved ones abroad, the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) has launched a South Asia Earthquake website to help people exchange information about family members in the disaster zone.

Read More about What Canada is doing to help victims of the South Asia earthquake.

Read the official Liberal Party of Canada Press Release on Canada’s response to the earthquake.

Donate to the Canadian Red Cross

Minister Volpe wants to regularize illegal immigrants. Proposes changes to deal with “Out-of-Status” immigrants.

Immigration Minister Joe Volpe has drafted a document to present to the cabinet, which tackles the thorny issue of “undocumented” settlement in Canada. Volpe has not released the details of his proposal, however he has stated that there are “several options” he wishes to debate.

Regularizing undocumented workers is no easy task. Apprehension lies in the belief that by giving illegal immigrants Canadian Permanent Residency status you are in fact rewarding their illegal entry into Canada. “If we think in terms of these people as being queue jumpers, it will be more difficult,” Volpe explains. He is also working on ways to regionalize immigration by encouraging newcomers to settle in different cities and provinces across the nation.

Question: What is the difference between Permanent Residency and Citizenship?

Answer: A Permanent resident of Canada remains a citizen of his/her country of origin, but is granted the qualified right to live and work in Canada permanently. Canadian Permanent Residents have most of the rights of Canadian citizens. Notable exceptions are the right to vote and the right to run for public office. Permanent Residents must accumulate two years of “residency days” in each five year period or risk losing their permanent residence status.

A permanent resident can be granted Canadian Citizenship after he or she has:

# Resided in Canada for at least three out of four years before applying.
# The ability to communicate in either English or French.
# Passed a citizenship test.