U.S.A. Extending Ban on Green Cards and Non-Immigrant Visas Also Affected
On Monday, June 22, 2020, the Trump administration announced that it was extending a ban on Green Cards issued outside the United States until the end of the year and adding many temporary work visas to the freeze, including those used heavily by technology companies and multinational corporations. The policy behind the freeze is to […]
Canada Announces New Immigration Stream – Agri-Food Pilot
The Honourable Marco E. L. Mendicino, Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship announced that, effective, today, Friday, May 15, 2020, Canada has begun accepting Applications for Permanent Residence under the Agri-Food Pilot. The pilot, which runs until May 2023, will test an industry-specific approach to help employers in the meat processing, mushroom and greenhouse production, and […]
Canada Remains Open to Immigration while U.S. Threatens to Suspend Immigration
On Monday, April 20, 2020, U.S. President Donald Trump said that he will sign an executive order temporarily suspending Immigration to the United States as the nation battles the health and economic effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. In a tweet sent out late Monday night, President Trump wrote: “In light of the attack from the Invisible Enemy, […]
Update on 2020 Parents and Grandparents Sponsorship Program
Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) announced, today, Friday, March 27, 2020, that the launch of the annual call for expressions of interest to apply to sponsor parents and grandparents will be delayed. It was anticipated that the program would reopen in the upcoming weeks; however, because IRCC is dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic, it […]
Government of Canada Announces Immigration Levels for 2020 to 2022
On Thursday, March 12, 2020, The Honourable Marco E.L. Mendicino, Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC), tabled the 2020‒2022 Immigration Levels Plan in the Canadian House of Commons. Canada plans on welcoming 341,000 new permanent residents in 2020, 351,000 in 2021, and 361,000 in 2022 while reducing application processing times and improving service delivery […]
Ottawa Announces New Immigration Pilot Program – Rural and Northern Immigration Pilot
The Canadian Immigration Department has launched a new pilot program to fill labour shortages and fuel economic growth in small rural communities by matching them with prospective immigrants interested in settling outside of Canada’s major urban areas. The new five-year Rural and Northern Immigration Pilot will require remote communities to submit a thorough plan identifying available […]