In response to the August 4 explosion that rocked Beirut, Canada is increasing the immigration support to Lebanon. In addition to previous measures offered by the Canadian government to Lebanese citizens, Canada is now prioritizing visitor visas for the immediate family members of Canadians who are currently in Lebanon. Prioritizing visitor visas for the immediate…
On Friday the Government of Canada announced that the COVID-19 related travel restrictions currently in place will be extended for another 30 days. The restrictions will expire on September 30, 2020, but they could be extended further. “Our government is extending the existing restrictions on international travel to Canada by one month — until September…
Students who are studying online at a Canadian school because of travel restrictions now have more flexibility when applying for their Post-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP). The three new measures are an acknowledgement from Immigration Refugee and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) that there is a great deal of uncertainty for Canadian international students. It also acknowledges that…
A new temporary policy will allow temporary residents in Canada to apply for a Canadian work permit without having to leave the country. Background Despite the pandemic, the Canadian economy is showing signs of recovery. The Canadian economy has gained over half the jobs lost during the initial months of 2020. Canadian employers in many…
In the second quarter of 2020, Canada only accepted 34,000 new permanent residents, down 67% from 2019, according to a new report by RBC. When compared to 2019, immigration to Canada is down in all respects. Canada was set to accept 341,000 new permanent residents in 2020. Due to the global covid-19 pandemic and the…
A recent investigation from the Montreal Gazette has uncovered a sophisticated Canadian immigration scam targeting job seekers. The scam A representative from a fake Montreal company named Montreal Construction Company would reach out to unsuspecting job seekers. There would then be a prolonged interview process with detailed questions from multiple individuals. The interviewers would appear…
A new, one-time program of immigration will grant permanent residence to asylum seekers in Canada who are working on the frontlines of the healthcare industry. The decision could affect about 1,000 claimants across Canada but excludes many asylum seekers working in jobs deemed to be essential, but not in the healthcare industry. The federal government…
The Canada-U.S. border will remain closed to non-essential travel until at least September 21. All non-essential travel to Canada from outside the U.S. is prohibited until August 31, however, these restrictions may be extended further. Originally implemented in March, the unprecedented travel restrictions between the U.S. and Canada have been extended multiple times and were…
New eligibility criteria for the popular Quebec Experience Class or programme de l’expérience québécoise (PEQ) came into effect on July 22, 2020. The heavily criticized new regulations require candidates to have more work experience to be eligible to apply. The PEQ program Similar to the Canadian Experience Class program, PEQ is a popular pathway for…
Due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, temporary resident applications from within Canada are exempt from providing biometrics until further notice. Prior to this announcement, temporary residents in Canada were given an extension of their existing status in Canada and an extended deadline to provide biometrics. This new announcement means that IRCC can now render a…
Adam Pinsky