Immigration Direct

The Canadian government is banning employers from hiring foreign workers in industries it deems as “sex trades”—including strippers and escorts—and is increasing tightening regulations on employers of all foreign workers. Changes made to the Immigration and Refugee Protection Regulations (IRPR) mean that Canadian employers looking to hire temporary foreign workers will have to meet new, […]

Calling the waits for the processing of live-in caregiver applications “unacceptable,” Canada’s Citizenship and Immigration Minister Chris Alexander announced that over the coming year Canada will admit 17,500 permanent residents through its Live-In Caregiver Program (LCP). That figure represents almost double the amount of LCP applicants accepted in 2013, and the highest level of applications

In an effort to attract a greater number of skilled immigrants and increase efficiency, the Canadian government is making changes to its Canadian Experience Class (CEC) immigration program. Between November 9, 2013 and October 31, 2014, Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) will accept a maximum of 12,000 new applications under the CEC going forward. However,

Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) has reopened its Parent and Grandparent Program (PGP) as of January 2, 2014, and over the coming year will accept immigration sponsorship applications of 5,000 parents and grandparents of Canadian immigrants. The acceptance of new PGP immigration sponsorships is a policy change from the recent freeze of new PGP sponsorships

The Ontario Chamber of Commerce (OCC), the province’s largest employers’ organization, has issued a new report strongly urging the Canadian government to ensure that Canada’s immigration policies reflect employer’s needs. The OCC immigration report, “Think Fast: Ontario Employer Perspectives on Immigration Reform and the Expression of Interest System,” is the Chamber of Commerce’s response to

In response to the loss of life and property in the Philippines in the wake of the recent Typhoon Haiyan, Canada’s government and charities partnered in a matching donation program resulting in more than $20 million in government donations. From November 9 to December 23, 2013, the Canadian government established a mechanism to match the

In an effort to attract a greater number of skilled immigrants and increase efficiency, the Canadian government is making changes to its Canadian Experience Class (CEC) immigration program. Between November 9, 2013 and October 31, 2014, Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) will accept a maximum of 12,000 new applications under the CEC going forward. However,

Canada’s Minister of Immigration is signaling that his government will introduce new legislation to tighten the requirements of attaining Canadian citizenship. Alexander also said the Canadian government was concerned with “birth tourists who come to Canada solely for the purpose of citizenship for newborns and without any intention of immigrating and living here permanently.” In

Although historically most immigrants to Canada have settled in one of the country’s three biggest cities—Montreal, Toronto and Vancouver—the past few years have seen a growing shift in immigration towards the less populated cities of Western Canada. Spurred on by the region’s energy boom, a growing number of immigrants have chosen Canada’s prairie provinces—particularly Saskatchewan