May 12, 2022 Green Card holders no longer need an ETA (Electronic Travel Authorization) as of April 26, 2022 Starting in April 26, 2022, US Permanent Residents (Green Card holders) no longer need an ETA (Electronic Travel Authorization) to travel to Canada. However, US permanent residents will need to show both a valid passport (or authorized travel document) and proof of their green card status. Proof of Green Card... Read More
Apr 22, 2022 IRCC Major Announcements for Express Entry and Post Graduate workers Today IRCC announced policy changes that immigration lawyers have been waiting (and pushing) for a long time: Express Entry Invitations to Apply under both the Canadian Experience Class and the Skilled Worker Class are set to resume in July 2022. This is excellent news as both programs serve as key... Read More
Feb 19, 2022 Individuals with approved visitor visas can still face problems entering Canada IRCC has released the following update: Important information about your approved temporary resident visa or super visa and Canada’s travel restrictions due to COVID-19 Dear temporary resident (visitor) visa or super visa holder, Due to the evolving epidemiological situation of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Government of Canada is continuously adjusting... Read More
Jan 31, 2022 IRCC is using AI to adjudicate visa applications On January 31 IRCC released a news release confirming that they are investing $85 million in new funding to help speed up processing times across certain inventories. The investment will add new staff and is supposed help speed up study permits, work permits, and permanent resident card renewals, as well... Read More
Jan 5, 2022 New Ontario Entrepreneur Program Announced, with few details On December 14th the Province of Ontario announced a new entrepreneur program to attract foreign nationals to invest and move to Ontario. The provincial government is hoping to generate $20 million in business investment by attracting 100 entrepreneurs, with a pathway toward permanent residency. The news release is the only... Read More
Dec 14, 2021 New Ontario PNP Entrepreneur Program Here are the first details of the forthcoming Ontario entrepreneur program, which will allow foreign entrepreneurs to buy an existing business (or start a new business) with a minimum $200,000 investment in a location outside the Greater Toronto Area. It is not clear when the program will come into effect... Read More
Dec 14, 2021 Federal Government to fund IRCC Deputy Prime Minister Freeland has announced an $85 million dollar allocation to IRCC to help move along around 1.8 million applications that are currently in a processing backlog. This announcement is welcome news to applicants all over the world who face uncertainty and real hardship from not knowing when their... Read More
Nov 16, 2021 Great news for L-2 visa holders! The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Service (USCIS) has entered into a settlement agreement in Shergill v. Mayorkas, which allows for L-2 visa holders to maintain work authorization while awaiting USCIS adjudication. USCIS also released a policy alert on 12 November 2021 and updated its policy manual to reflect the changes below. ... Read More
Sep 15, 2021 COVID-19 Vaccination Required for Immigration Medical Examinations U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services today announced that, effective Oct. 1, 2021, applicants subject to the immigration medical examination must be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 before the civil surgeon can complete an immigration medical examination and sign Form I-693, Report of Medical Examination and Vaccination Record. We are updating our policy... Read More
Aug 10, 2021 Extension of Restrictions on Direct Flights from India On August 9, 2021, the Government of Canada announced the extension of the ban on direct flights from India until September 21, 2021. This ban concerns all direct commercial and private passengers flights to Canada from India. The extension of this ban means that the only option for travelling back... Read More
Aug 6, 2021 Express Entry Draw – August 5, 2021 On August 5, 2021, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) invited 3,000 Canadian Experience Class (CEC) applicants. The comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score cut-off threshold for this draw remains low at 404 points. IRCC continues to prioritize in-Canada applicants as it aims to achieve its immigration targets for 2021. Please... Read More
Jul 28, 2021 Temporary policy changes to the Post-Graduation Work Permit Program Given the unprecedented impact of COVID-19 on international students and the post-secondary sector, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has introduced temporary policy changes to post-graduation work permit (PGWP) eligibility requirements for the following groups of students: students enrolled in PGWPP-eligible programs in progress in March 2020 students who began... Read More