Jan 31, 2025 Canada Launches Rural and Francophone Community Immigration Pilots The Government of Canada has introduced two new immigration pilots: the Rural Community Immigration Pilot (RCIP) and the Francophone Community Immigration Pilot (FCIP). These pilots aim to help rural and Francophone minority communities attract and retain skilled workers who can fill key jobs and settle long-term in these areas. Participating... Read More
Jan 31, 2025 USCIS May Stop Concurrent Processing of H-4 and L-2 Applications in 2025 Starting January 18, 2025, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) may no longer be required to process H-4 and L-2 dependent applications concurrently with their principal’s H-1B or L-1 visa petitions. This change would mark the end of a federal settlement agreement that has helped streamline processing for these dependent... Read More
Jan 28, 2025 New Changes to Super Visa Health Insurance Requirements Make Family Reunions Easier In a move aimed at strengthening family bonds across borders, Canada has revised the health insurance requirements for the super visa program, making it more accessible for families to come together. What is the Super Visa? The super visa is designed for parents and grandparents of Canadian citizens and permanent... Read More
Jan 27, 2025 New Home Care Worker Immigration Pilots Set to Launch in 2025 Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has announced the launch of new immigration pilot programs for home care workers, set to open on March 31, 2025. These programs, collectively referred to as Canada’s Home Care Worker Immigration Pilots, will replace the previous permanent residence (PR) pathways for caregivers, which have... Read More
Jan 27, 2025 Canada Tightens International Student Cap for 2025: A Breakdown of the New Allocation System As Canada continues to reshape its immigration and education policies, the federal government has introduced stricter controls on international student admissions for 2025. Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has finalized provincial and territorial allocations under the international student cap, reducing the total number of study permits by 10% compared... Read More
Jan 23, 2025 Immigration Policy Shifts Under the Trump Administration: Executive Order Impacts for Employers to Date On January 20, 2025, the Trump Administration issued a series of Executive Orders (EOs) that significantly reshape U.S. immigration policy. These orders focus on border security, rescinding humanitarian programs, increasing visa applicant vetting, and attempting to limit birthright citizenship. Additionally, several executive actions implemented under the Biden Administration have been... Read More
Jan 20, 2025 IRCC Announces 3,300 Cut To The Processing Work Force IRCC has announced the planned reduction of approximately 3,300 positions at Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) will affect staff responsible for processing a variety of applications, including: Temporary Resident Visas: Permits for individuals seeking to visit, study, or work in Canada on a temporary basis. Permanent Residency Applications: Processes... Read More
Jan 16, 2025 Why Canada-U.S. New Data Sharing Agreement Makes Sense for National Security Recent updates to the Canada-U.S. information-sharing agreement have sparked concerns about privacy, particularly among permanent residents of both countries. Certain immigration lawyers are crying aloud about how these changes impact privacy rights. We think differently. While privacy is an important consideration, the new information sharing agreement makes sense, especially in... Read More
Jan 14, 2025 Major Restrictions to Work Permits for Spouses of Students and Workers in Canada The Government of Canada is making significant changes to spousal open work permit (SOWP) eligibility for family members of international students and foreign workers. Effective January 21, 2025, these changes will greatly restrict which spouses are eligible to obtain a SOWP. Updated Spousal Open Work Permit Eligibility Criteria Under the... Read More
Jan 8, 2025 Latest Express Entry Invitation Round: Canadian Experience Class (January 8, 2025) The latest Express Entry round of invitations, targeting candidates under the Canadian Experience Class (CEC), took place on January 8, 2025. This round issued 1,350 Invitations to Apply (ITAs) to candidates eager to make Canada their permanent home. Key highlights of this round include: Minimum Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) Score:... Read More
Jan 4, 2025 Limited Parent and Grandparent Sponsorship Visas for 2025 The Government of Canada has issued updated Ministerial Instructions regarding the processing of applications for permanent residence under the Parent and Grandparent Sponsorship Program. These changes are effective as of January 1, 2025, Key Highlights of the New Instructions 1. Pause on New Applications for 2025No new sponsorship or permanent... Read More
Dec 17, 2024 Breaking Immigration News 17 December 2024 Today, the Immigration Minister announced significant policy changes that are expected to have wide-reaching implications for immigration in Canada. 1. Cancellation of FlagpolingThe first major announcement is the cancellation of the practice of "flagpoling," a process used by foreign nationals in Canada to renew, extend, or apply... Read More