Parents and Grandparents Program (PGP) 2020 – All invitations to apply have now been sent
On January 11, 2021, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has finished sending invitations to apply for the 2020 Parents and Grandparents Program. All interested potential sponsors who were randomly selected to apply for the 2020 program have been sent invitations. For the 2020 year, IRCC will accept up to 10,000 applications. Those who received […]
New public policy allowing post-graduation work permit (PGWP) holders to apply for another open work permit
From today, January 27, 2021, foreign nationals in Canada with an expired or expiring PGWP will have a one-time opportunity to apply for another open work permit with a duration of 18 months, according to the previous announcement from the Government of Canada . Applications will be accepted until July 27, 2021. To be eligible for this […]
Canada launches Hong Kong Pathway that will attract recent graduates and skilled workers with faster permanent residency
Today, Canada announced that Hong Kong residents will be able to apply for new open work permits beginning on February 8, 2021. Valid for up to 3 years, these permits will allow Hong Kong residents to gain valuable employment experience and make significant contributions to Canada. Hong Kong residents must have graduated with a Canadian post-secondary […]
New temporary public policy introducing open work permits for Hong Kong recent graduates
Effective today, February 08, 2021, Hong Kong recent graduates may be eligible to apply for an open work permit under a new temporary public policy for Hong Kong residents. To be eligible, applicants must hold a valid passport issued by the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) or by the United Kingdom to a British […]
Government of Canada announces further measures to support international students
As part of the Government’s efforts to support international students, today, February 12, 2021, Canada announced further measures to ensure that international students won’t miss out on opportunities after they graduate due to the pandemic. With the prospect of many international students continuing online learning from abroad for several more months, temporary changes to the […]
Thousands of skilled workers in Canada invited to stay permanently
In an effort to help more skilled workers stay in Canada and bolster our economic recovery, approximately 27,300 workers with Canadian experience received an invitation to apply for permanent residence today, February 13, 2021. These workers fall under the Canadian Experience Class (CEC) of the Express Entry pool. Successful CEC candidates have at least 1 […]
Government of Canada expands restrictions to international travel by land and air
With new COVID-19 variant detections increasing in the country, the Government of Canada has announced further testing and quarantine requirements for international travellers arriving to Canada’s air and land ports of entry. These new measures will help prevent variants of concern from reaccelerating the pandemic and making it more difficult to contain. For travellers arriving […]
Immigration Canada expanding Case Processing Centre office in Sydney to reunite families and improve processing
In an effort to process more applications and reunite families faster, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada is expanding its Case Processing Centre in Sydney, Nova Scotia. This includes the addition of new office space and the hiring of 62 new employees. The new space and additional staff will be primarily dedicated to family class overseas applications. […]
Immigration Canada extends the public policy allowing visitors to apply for work permits inside Canada during the COVID-19 pandemic
A temporary public policy that allows visitors to apply for and receive a work permit without having to leave Canada will be extended to August 31, 2021. The criteria will also be modified to allow any visitor who has a valid job offer to apply for an employer-specific work permit, regardless of the date they initially entered […]
Immigration Canada resumes processing of applications in progress
Since the onset of the pandemic, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has been working to better serve clients, including by processing applications to reunite families more quickly. They have also prioritized applications for people who are vulnerable, coming for compassionate reasons or providing critical services to Canadians, such as those working in the food […]