Canadian Immigration News Briefs for Mid-May 2014

The following is a summary of developments concerning Canadian Citizenship and Immigration that took place or were announced over the last month.

• Quebec Seeks Exemption from Foreign Worker Moratorium

Quebec’s Immigration Minister, Kathleen Weil, has gone on record stating that the province will seek an exemption from a recent moratorium placed on hiring foreign food service workers.>>Read more

• Canada Eases Entry Requirements for Mexican Visitors

Citizenship and Immigration Minister Chris Alexander announced today that Canada is taking action to make it “faster and easier” for Mexican visitors to enter the country.>>Read more

• Canada is 5th Happiest Country in the World

A new quality of life report, called the “Better Life Index”, has ranked Canada as the fifth happiest place in the world.>>Read more

•  Five Country Conference on Migration and Security Hosted by Quebec City

Leaders from Canada, the US, the UK, Australia, and New Zealand are meeting in Quebec City this week to discuss collective immigration and border management issues.>>Read more

• Regional Labour Market Demand Stream is Closed 

The Government of Nova Scotia announced today that the Regional Labour Market Demand Stream is now closed and will no longer be accepting any applications that are not received in the office and/or postmarked by April 28, 2014. >>Read more

• Specific Occupations Affected by LMO Moratorium Announced 

Employment and Social Development Minister Jason Kenney recently announced that some occupations in the food services industry would no longer be eligible for Labour Market Opinions (LMOs).>>Read more

• Moratorium on Temporary Work Permits for Food Service Sector

Effective immediately, Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC) will no longer process any new or pending Labour Market Opinions for applications related to work in the food services sector.>>Read more

• 2013 Saw Record Number of Visitors, Immigrants from China, India and the Philippines 

Last year broke several records for visitors and immigrants from the three largest source countries for newcomers to Canada. >>Read more