3,900 Express Entry candidates have been invited to apply for Canadian permanent residence in the 158th Express Entry draw on August 5th, 2020. Invitations were issued to candidates in all three of the economic immigration streams managed by the Express Entry system, including Federal Skilled Worker (FSW), Federal Skilled Trades (FST), and Canadian Experience Class…
Distance learning from a Canadian designated learning institution (DLI) will now count towards the duration of a student’s post-graduation work permit (PGWP) but there is a catch. Distance learning must be less than 50% of the educational program for the time spent studying to count towards the PGWP. This new rule is just one of…
The Canadian government is gradually reopening passport services both by mail and for in-person appointments for applicants who have urgent travel in less than 30 days. The reopening of passport services acknowledges that not all Canadians can avoid travel during the pandemic but the government is still advising Canadians to avoid non-essential travel whenever possible. …
The government has again extended the Canadian travel restrictions for all non-essential visitors until at least Aug 31. It is unclear if this will be the final extension of the Canadian travel restrictions that were initially enacted in March to help flatten the Covid-19 infection curve. Canadian travel restrictions: who can enter the country The…
Welcome to ITC News’s Interview Series. Today we have the pleasure of being joined by Marina Byezhanova. Marina is a thought leader in the fields of personal brand architecture, employee recruitment, and coaching candidates on how to transition their career to their dream job. Marnia has been featured in Inc.com, Forbes, Yahoo News, the Financial…
An ambitious plan by Canadian language schools to bring in 40,000 students for the fall semester is currently awaiting government approval. According to an advocacy group for Canadian language schools, admitting these students would inject $533 million of revenue into the Canadian economy by March 2021. It would also provide much-needed support to the beleaguered…
The Saskatchewan Immigrant Nominee Program (SINP) sent invitations to 502 candidates who have work experience in the occupations mentioned below. Anyone who wishes to be considered for the SINP must first submit an Expression of Interest (EOI) application with the provincial government. Results of the July 29 SINP draw SINP Occupations in Demand sub-category Invitations:…
“Family reunification is a core immigration priority for the Government of Canada,” is an oft-repeated phrase on many government documents and webpages. Spousal sponsorship applications are typically processed in 12 months but they often take longer than that in the best of times. In the age of Covid-19 however, processing delays have greatly increased. Canadian…
Some U.S. residents will now be able to study in Canada for the Fall 2020 semester even if their student permit was obtained after March 18, 2020. ITC News has previously covered the accommodations the Canadian government has made so far for international students wishing to study in Canada during the COVID-19 pandemic. This new…
Despite all the accommodations IRCC is making due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, virtual marriages are still not accepted for Canadian immigration. So if your plan to bring your spouse to Canada includes a virtual marriage over FaceTime or Zoom, you might want to reconsider your online nuptial plans. Why Canada does not recognize virtual…
Anya Leibovitch
Adam Pinsky