CanadaVisa News Briefs for Mid-April, 2016

The following is a summary of developments concerning Canadian Citizenship and Immigration that have taken place over the past couple of weeks.

Our Canadian immigration news briefs bring you the latest news as it happens. When published, these articles are posted across our social media channels, including Facebook, Twitter, Google+ and LinkedIn.

• Quebec Reopens Business Immigration Programs for Investors, Entrepreneurs and Self-Employed Persons

The Canadian province of Quebec has announced reopening dates for its business immigration programs, including the popular Quebec Investor Program, which will reopen for up to 1,900 new applications on May 30, 2016. The Entrepreneur and Self-Employed categories reopen with immediate effect, though for only 50 applications each. Candidates for the Investor and Entrepreneur categories with advanced intermediate French proficiency are exempt from the application cap. >>Read More

• CRS Point Requirement Remains at 470 in Latest Draw from the Express Entry Pool

The number of Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) points required in order for candidates in the Express Entry pool to be invited to apply for Canadian permanent residence has remained at 470. The latest draw from the pool was conducted the morning of April 6, 2016, with 954 candidates for immigration to Canada receiving Invitations to Apply (ITAs). >>Read More

• Quebec to Hold Off on Target to Increase Immigration Levels to 60,000

In what opposition parties have labeled a government backtrack, Quebec's Immigration Minister, Kathleen Weil, has said that the the province will maintain its current immigration levels of 50,000 for the next couple of years. Last month, the government of Quebec announced a proposal for a new immigration framework called 'Ensemble, nous sommes le Québec' (Together, We Are Quebec), with the government proposing that overall immigration levels could reach 60,000. >>Read More

• CRS Point Requirement Dips in Latest Express Entry Draw for Immigration to Canada

The number of Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) points required in order for candidates in the Express Entry pool to be invited to apply for Canadian permanent residence has dropped in the latest draw from the Express Entry pool, which was conducted the morning of April 20, 2016. A total of 1,018 Invitations to Apply (ITAs) were issued to candidates with 468 or more CRS points, representing a slight decrease from the two previous draws, both of which selected candidates with 470 or more CRS points. >>Read More