HomeTagWork Visas Archives - Page 2 of 3 - Immigration Lawyer Vancouver, Canada | Sas & Ing Immigration Law Centre

As an immigration lawyer I regularly speak with clients who are interested in applying for visas and permits to come to Canada. For many clients the first step of arriving in Canada represents an exciting new chapter; however, after arriving in Canada many clients are not fully aware about the conditions that are imposed on their stay, which can jeopardize their long-term future in Canada if they run afoul of Canadian immigration laws. In this article I will explore some of the ways that both immigration applicants and the Department of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) can reduce the likelihood that a person in Canada will unintentionally break immigration laws.

As immigration lawyers we are often consulted by individuals for a wide array of immigration processes where their current status is expiring imminently - like today or tomorrow! There are also people who come to us AFTER their status has already expired. There are ways of fixing most things, but not all things. Which raises the question….When is the best time to apply to renew my status?

The BC Provincial Nominee Program (BC PNP) is operated by the provincial government of British Columbia in partnership with Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) to address the labour market needs of the province. The program was originally established in 2001 and allows the province to nominate foreign workers, international students and entrepreneurs in British Columbia to apply for permanent residence through IRCC.

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.

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.

On May 6, 2021, Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship (“IRCC”) launched the Temporary Residence to Permanent Residence Pathway (“TR to PR”) for essential workers and international students in Canada. On July 26, 2021, IRCC broadened the benefits of this pathway. Candidates can now apply for a coveted open work permit while their temporary residence status is still in place (until a decision is made on their permanent residence application). This open work permit allows those who are awaiting a decision on their application to extend or remain in status during this transitional period.

Today, the Honourable Marco E.L Mendicino, Minister of Immigration Refugees and Citizenship Canada (“IRCC”) announced two new pathways that offer Canadian permanent residence for Hong Kong residents who are currently in Canada. Canada and Hong Kong share a long historic relationship and Canada has continuously shown a commitment to support the citizens of Hong Kong. In June 2020, China imposed controversial National Security Laws in Hong Kong which threatens the security, liberty and privacy of Hong Kong nationals.