Canadian Immigration News

The government of Canada has made public its criteria for the urgent processing of permanent residence cards. At the time of writing, an application for a permanent residence card takes an estimated 41 days to process for a new card, or 63 days for a renewal or replacement. However, there are certain urgent situations whereby an individual may have his or her application for a card expedited.

Immigration ministers from across Canada met in Winnipeg on October 12 to discuss the issues facing Canadian immigration. Immigrant settlement assistance, refugee programs, and the expansion of the Provincial Nominee Programs (PNPs) were all on the agenda. At the meeting, Canada’s Minister of Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship, John McCallum, also announced that the federal government would reveal the target for new refugee intake levels for 2017 to 2018 by November 1.

The International Skilled Worker – Express Entry sub-category of the Saskatchewan Immigrant Nominee Program (SINP) opened on the morning of October 12 to receive up to 300 additional applications. Through this sub-category, eligible individuals who are already in the Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada's (IRCC) Express Entry pool may apply for a provincial nomination certificate from Saskatchewan. A provincial nomination certificate through this sub-category gives the candidate 600 additional points under the Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS).

The last time this many ITAs were issued in a single draw was January 13, 2016, which also saw 1,518 ITAs issued. In the draw, which took place on the morning of October 12, Immigration, Citizenship, and Refugees Canada (IRCC) issued ITAs to candidates with a Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score of 484 points or higher.

The last time this many ITAs were issued in a single draw was January 13, 2016, which also saw 1,518 ITAs issued. In the draw, which took place on the morning of October 12, Immigration, Citizenship, and Refugees Canada (IRCC) issued ITAs to candidates with a Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score of 484 points or higher.

Canadian Thanksgiving falls on the second Monday of October. This year, Thanksgiving Day also marks the beginning of Citizenship Week, a week of events and ceremonies to acknowledge the rights and responsibilities of Canadian citizens. Over the past ten years, Canada has welcomed 1,500,000 new Canadians. During the coming week, Canadians will have the opportunity to welcome newcomers. 47 citizenship ceremonies across the country will grant citizenship status to individuals who have made Canada their new home.

The Quebec government has announced it will invest $1.6 million in a program to encourage international students in Montreal to remain in the province after graduation. 'I Choose Montreal' will be run by economic development organization Montréal International, and will be directed towards university, college, and vocational students in the Greater Montreal area. The initiative was developed in consultation with the Ministère de l’Immigration, de la Diversité, et de l’Inclusion (the Ministry of Immigration, Diversity, and Inclusion, or MIDI).

A popular immigration category in Saskatchewan is accepting 500 new applications as of the morning of October 4, 2016. The International Skilled Worker - Occupations In-Demand sub-category of the Saskatchewan Immigrant Nominee Program (SINP) allows skilled workers with experience in an in-demand occupation in Saskatchewan to make an application for a provincial nomination certificate, which may then be followed by an application for Canadian permanent residence. Applicants do not require a job offer in order to make an application.

Manitoba has issued 298 Letters of Advice to Apply (LAAs) to the Manitoba Provincial Nominee Program (MPNP) in a draw that took place on Thursday, September 29, 2016. This province, located in central Canada, issues LAAs through two sub-categories of the Skilled Workers category of the MPNP. A total of 258 LAAs were issued to candidates through the Skilled Workers in Manitoba sub-category, while 40 LAAs were issued through the Skilled Workers Overseas sub-category.

The province of British Columbia continues to be a leader on the immigration front, with 647 candidates having been issued an Invitation to Apply (ITA) to the British Columbia Provincial Nominee Program (BC PNP) in a draw that took place on September 27, 2016. A wide range of workers, international graduates, and entrepreneurs are now in a position to submit an application for a provincial nomination certificate to the BC PNP, after which they may apply to the federal government for permanent resident status.