Freezing the Skilled Worker, investor programs?
The federal government is possibly going to place a hold on accepting new federal skilled worker and immigrant investor program applications. While many applicants are expecting to file their federal skilled worker applications beginning July 1st, they may be disappointed at the news. Immigration Minister Jason Kenney is expected to make an announcement later today.
Minister Kenney is planning to hold consultations with stakeholders on how to better improve these programs. He calls for a faster, more flexible immigration system that is economically driven and designed to attract workers with stronger language skills, and employment credentials that are in demand by the current labour market in Canada.
We will continue to post news on this blog as it happens. Stay tuned for further information.
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Applying for Citizenship? Processing times are slow
Current Processing times for Citizenship applications
If you submitted your application for Canadian citizenship expect to wait a really, really, really long time. Citizenship & Immigration Canada (CIC) is currently taking approximately 19 months to complete an application for citizenship.
From the time you submit your application it will take approximately one (1) year for you to be called to write the “knowledge-of-Canada” test, also known as the citizenship test, if you require one. After you take your citizenship test you can expect to wait another 7 months to be called for the ceremony.
If you have submitted your citizenship application and already received your acknowledgment letter you may check the status of your application online at the following link: https://services3.cic.gc.ca/ecas/?app=ecas&lang=en
What is a TN Visa?
A TN Visa is a visa unique to American, Canadian and Mexican citizens. The visa is part of the NAFTA agreement and is designed to allow the easy transfer of workers between Canada the United States and Mexico.
If you are interested in working in Canada, or the United States you must provide evidence that you have secured a job offer. The TN visa is based on 60 occupations and depending on which category or occupation you are applying for, different qualification requirements will apply.
TN Visas are non-immigrant visas that allow foreign nationals to legally work in the 3 North American countries. Among the 60 types of professionals who may qualify for a TN Visa are; Accountants, Engineers, Lawyers, Teachers, Scientists.
If you have a potential job offer in Canada, we suggest that you take advantage of our, free, no obligation consultation. Let us determine if you qualify for a TN Visa! Our immigration advisers are here to take your calls and respond to your email inquiries.
Canadian immigration applications will continue to be processed
It is now official. Canada will continue to process those Federal Skilled Worker applications submitted prior to February 27, 2008.
Over 900 applicants under the Skilled Workers’ program sued Immigration Minister Jason Kenney and Ottawa for violating their promise to process their applications in a timely fashion. The Federal court’s decision this week ordered the Minister and the federal government to continue processing those eligible for the program. The Minister still remains with the power to return applications of those applicants who are deemed not qualified.
CIC wanted to return all application caught in the backlog to reduce the backlog and open the space for other more recent applications based on the current immigration policies.
This is a setback for Ottawa who wanted to clear the backlog, but now cannot. The court has already ordered several applications to be finalized by October 14, 2012.
In this case, Canada did what is fair… in our opinion. We are very interested in what our readers have to say.
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