Caveat Emptor is a long-standing economic maxim meaning “Buyer Beware!’ It is all too applicable in the Canadian immigration process and applicants to Canada need to be fully aware of the risks they face in the midst of pervasive immigration fraud. March is Canada’s Fraud Prevention Month where efforts are made to both raise awareness of and curtail the incidence of fraud and abuse in Canada’s immigration program.
As we enter the third year of the global COVID-19 pandemic, there are no longer any doubts that the pandemic has wreaked havoc on Canadian immigration application processing times. With a reported backlog of nearly two million applications, many applicants are losing patience with the Department of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) and are looking for ways to expedite their applications. Facing extraordinary delays, these applicants are turning to the judicial remedy of ‘mandamus’, which is an order issued by the Federal Court to compel a government department such as IRCC to process their applications.
BlogCanada Opens Door to Ukrainians Fleeing War!
8 March 2022
On February 24, 2022, the world witnessed a full-scale invasion of Ukraine by Russian forces - an aggression of this magnitude not seen in Europe since World War II. With the world's third largest population of Ukrainians, Canada is home to over 1.4 million people of Ukrainian ancestry. Given Canada’s significant connections to Ukraine, it was not surprising that the Government of Canada, through the Department of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (“IRCC”), took immediate steps to facilitate the entry of Ukrainian citizens to Canada.
The Agri-Food Pilot (“AFP”) is a Canadian economic-class immigration program introduced in May 2020 that will remain in effect until May 2023. This 3-year pilot program was implemented to address the labor needs of Canadian employers in the agriculture sector. The AFP provides a direct pathway to Canadian permanent residence for skilled workers employed in agricultural industries across Canada.
BlogAtlantic Immigration Program (AIP) now a permanent pathway
15 February 2022
Over Five years ago, on January 27, 2017, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (“IRCC”) introduced a pilot project designed to enhance the economy of Atlantic Canada, which had been in steady decline due to a shrinking labour force and aging population. The Atlantic Immigration Pilot Project (“AIPP”) offered permanent residence to eligible applicants that intend to permanently settle in one of the four Atlantic provinces.
BlogThe Absence of a Meaningful Business Immigration Program: Canada’s Lost Opportunity
15 January 2022
Few would realize or recall that Canada was a world leader in introducing business immigration programs - which would soon be followed by most of the leading world economies - the majority of which still maintain such programs today. In 1986, Canada introduced the Investor (IIP) and Entrepreneur (EP) immigration programs.
As a new year dawns, it is always interesting to contemplate what Canada’s immigration program will deliver in the coming months. The past couple of years have been very challenging for Canada’s immigration program in contending with the global pandemic. Processing of applications ground to a halt and backlogs developed in virtually every category of both permanent and temporary immigration.
BlogCOVIDHow do I get a work visa for Canada?Working in CanadaOnline Learning and the Post-Graduation Work Permit in the World of COVID-19
8 December 2021
As a global community, the last 2 years have been marked by uncertainty, delays, and restrictions due to the pandemic. What many of us took for granted in the past - such as visiting family or seeing friends at school - suddenly became out of reach as a result of the travel restrictions, lockdowns, and government mandates that arose worldwide.
BlogCOVIDTraveling to CanadaCanada Expands List of Accepted Vaccines for international and Domestic Travel
22 November 2021
On Friday, November 19, 2021 the Government of Canada announced that it will soon be expanding the list of vaccines that will be recognized for demonstrating fully vaccinated status for travellers. Readers need to become familiar with the rules for proving fully vaccinated status because it will soon be required not only to enter Canada but also to travel domestically within Canada!
In our most recent blog, we examined the options for business persons to establish themselves in Canada. While the two federal business immigration programs - the Start Up Visa (SUV) and the Self-Employed (SE) category as well as the provincial and territorial PNP entrepreneur programs, lead to permanent residence, the other options for entrepreneurs are to firstly establish a business presence in Canada and then work towards permanent residence through the Express Entry selection program. As we have repeatedly said in our blogs over the past many years, working towards Canadian permanent residence for a businessperson takes long term strategic planning.
SERVICES
LINKS
Sas and Ing Immigration Law Centre LLP
A partnership between Catherine Sas Law Corporation and Victor Ing Law Corporation
Copyright © sasanding 2021