Oct 19, 2023 Auditor General Releases Critical Report on IRCC Processing Times As a law firm, we move with our clients through their immigration journeys, and sometimes the ride is bumpy with regard to processing times. A recent report from the Auditor General, released last Thursday, has cast a critical spotlight on some systemic issues that are serious for Immigration, Refugees, and... Read More
Sep 20, 2023 Reforming Canada’s International Student System: A Senate Call to Action Reforming Canada’s International Student System: A Senate Call to Action In a recent article by Nicholas Keung, the Toronto Star's immigration reporter, he discusses a Senate report that urges the Canadian government to overhaul its international student system to preserve the integrity of the country’s international education program. The report,... Read More
Sep 19, 2023 Express Entry Round 19 September 2023 IRCC held an invitation round for its Express Entry program, under the general or unspecified category. The draw invites 3,200 general candidates under the Canadian Experience Class and the Skilled Worker Class who score a minimum of 531 points to apply for Permanent Residence. More details below: No Program Specified... Read More
Sep 8, 2023 IRCC Moves from a True Annual Lottery System to a ‘Year In, Year Out’ System for its Parental Sponsorship Program Today, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) announced that it will accept up to 15,000 complete applications under the Parents and Grandparents sponsorship program. On October 10, 2023, IRCC will initiate the process of sending out invitations to 24,200 potential sponsors who have expressed interest in the program, with the... Read More
Jul 6, 2023 Hire H-1B Visa Holders on Canada’s new Open Work Permit – Limited Opportunity! Dear Canadian Business Leaders, We are delighted to inform you about an exciting new development in immigration policy that can greatly enhance your ability to secure skilled personnel from the high-tech sector in the United States. As of July 16, 2023, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has initiated a... Read More
Jun 27, 2023 Study authorization extended for work permit holders In a recent development, the Canadian government has announced a new measure that aims to empower temporary foreign workers to pursue their educational dreams and create new opportunities. The Honourable Sean Fraser, Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship, announced a temporary policy change that removes the restrictions on the length... Read More
Feb 28, 2023 Public policy allowing visitors to apply for a work permit extended until February 2025 Today IRCC announced that the COVID-19 public policy allowing visitors in Canada with a valid visitor visa to apply for a work permit without having to leave Canada has been extended for two years, until February 2025. This is welcome news given the severe labour shortages the country is experiencing.... Read More
Nov 4, 2022 Express Entry Draw for October 26, 2022 On October 26th, Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) held their most recent Express Entry draw. The results of this draw again saw Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) scores fall. The minimum score has dropped by 4 points to 496, marking the first time the minimum score has fallen under 500... Read More
Oct 31, 2022 IRCC Concludes the 2022 Parents and Grandparents Program Lottery IRCC has officially completed the 2022 Parents and Grandparents Program (PGP) lottery. After conducting draws between October 12th and 20th, IRCC sent out 23,100 invitations to apply for Permanent Residency. What is the PGP? The PGP is a lottery-based program in which Canadian citizens and permanent residents can sponsor their... 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
Jul 22, 2021 Express Entry Draw July 22nd, 2021 Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) invited 4500 Express Entry candidates on July 22, 2021. IRCC continued to hold only CEC and PNP draws. The cut-off score for this draw was 357. If more than one candidate has the lowest score, the cut-off is based on the date and time... Read More
Jul 20, 2021 IRCC to accept a record number of applications for the 2021 parents and grandparents program. The Honourable Marco E. L. Mendicino, Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship, today announced that Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) will invite a record number of people to apply under the 2021 intake of the Program. IRCC will accept up to 30,000 additional applications, giving more Canadians and permanent residents... Read More