In the U.S. on an H1B? Alberta PNP has a new option for you – no job offer required

The province of Alberta, with its booming economy and expanding cities, has been working to make it as easy as possible to bring in foreign workers to contribute to the provincial labour force.  The Strategic Recruitment Stream, a new pilot project by the Alberta Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) can fast-track the issuance of Canada Permanent […]

By CIC News

David Cohen speaks before Parliament about proposed immigration amendments

Attorney David Cohen has been vocal about his opposition to the Conservative government’s proposed legislative changes to the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act. At the request of the House of Commons Finance Committee and the Citizenship and Immigration Committee, he delivered an address outlining his legal perspective on the implications of the amendments. Video highlights […]

By CIC News

British Columbia – An impressive front-runner in newcomer integration

British Columbia (BC) is making immigration work. The provincial government has been in immigration headlines quite often over the past few months, with new initiatives and solutions to help newcomers make BC their home. From credential recognition services, to refugee settlement, programs for international students, better access to employment information and job-finding services, the BC […]

By CIC News

Canada apologizes for past discriminatory immigration policies

With a recent string of apologies to various Canadian communities, the Government of Canada is recognizing the past wrongs of Canada’s former immigration policies. The Conservative government’s Historical Recognition Program has allotted $29 million to commemorate several of these important yet shameful events in Canada’s history. “Like any country, our country is not perfect. We […]

By CIC News

David Cohen’s Blog – Learning from our mistakes

The Canadian government announced last week that it will create a 29 million dollar grant program as redress for various shameful incidents in Canada’s history, relating to the way Canada treated prospective and landed immigrants. For example, from 1885-1923 there was a Chinese head tax which was a fee charged for each person wishing to […]

By CIC News

Canada rolls out the welcome mat for international students – No job offer needed for three year work permit

Through recent changes to the Post-Graduation Work Permit Program, Canada has made it easier for graduating international students to obtain work permits and acquire Canadian work experience. Not only will the changes help Canada’s international student retention rate and ease current skills shortages, but they will also help these students on their way to becoming […]

By CIC News

Latest Update on Amendments to Canada’s Immigration Act

The minority Conservative government tabled a bill on March 14, 2008 that proposed amendments to Canada’s Immigration and Refugee Protection Act (IRPA). Since that time, there has been much debate over these controversial reforms. Over a month later, the Conservative’s budget implementation bill (which includes the immigration reforms) has passed second reading in the House […]

By CIC News

New Category in Newfoundland and Labrador PNP brings families together

The Family Connections category is the newest addition to the Newfoundland and Labrador Provincial Nomination Program (NLPNP). Newfoundland and Labrador residents can now sponsor family members from abroad to relocate and work in the province. In announcing the new NLPNP Family Connections category, Human Resources Minister Shawn Skinner noted that residents who are surrounded by […]

By CIC News

As visible minority population swells, Canadian employers are stepping up

The number of visible minorities in Canada has topped the five million mark for the first time in Canada’s history, now representing 16.2 per cent of the country’s population. Canadian employers are learning how to manage employees from different cultural backgrounds and are creating programs and training sessions to ensure that newcomers become comfortable in […]

By CIC News