At long last the Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Official Languages, has launched a trusted employer program for foreign workers, the Recognized Employer Pilot (REP) under the Temporary Foreign Worker Program (TFWP). REP is a three-year initiative intended to help address labour shortages and reduce the administrative burden for repeat employers participating in the […]
In an attempt to help tech businesses, fill labour shortages and to become a “tech talent” leader, the Minister of Immigration Refugee Citizenship Canada (“the Minister”) recently announced six new measures. Open work permits for holders of H-1B visas: Foreign workers on H-1B specialty occupations visas in the US will be able apply for a […]
As the first month of 2023 comes to a close, we at Corporate Immigration Law Firm (CILF) are shaking our heads. Some of the recent announcements are so surprising and shocking that we are left with few answers for our clients and certainly few ideas of what will come next. On the other hand, we […]
It’s been nearly a decade since Immigration Refugee Citizenship Canada (“IRCC”) ran a pilot program that allowed the dependent children of high-wage foreign workers in certain provinces to work while in Canada. Last Friday, the Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship announced a three staged plan to allow family members of numerous foreign workers to […]
On Wednesday November 16th, 2022, the Honorable Sean Fraser, Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC), announced the implementation of the National Occupational Classification (NOC) 2021 for immigration programs managed under the Express Entry system. The NOC system is used by IRCC to evaluate the occupational eligibility of applicants, breaking down the level of […]
Interested in bringing a parent or grandparent to Canada anytime soon? The wait might be longer than you think. On Tuesday October 13th, 2022, MP Sonia Sidhu, on behalf of the Honorable Sean Fraser, Minister of Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship, announced that the Parent and Grandparent Program (PGP) is starting up again this week and […]
On Tuesday, October 7, 2022, the Honorable Sean Fraser, Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC), announced the temporary lifting of the 20-hour-per-week cap on the number of hours that eligible post-secondary students are allowed to work off-campus, while school is in session. Beginning November 15, 2022, at 12:00am ET until December 31, 2023, […]
Today, the federal government announced the removal of all COVID-19 entry restrictions, including testing, quarantine, and isolation requirements for anyone entering Canada, effective October 1, 2022. The removal of COVID-19-related border regulations means that all travelers will no longer need to provide proof of vaccination when entering Canada, nor wear masks on planes and trains. […]
Amendments to Canada’s Immigration and Refugee Protection Regulations to strengthen protections for temporary foreign workers during their period of employment in Canada are scheduled to come into force on September 26, 2022. Specifically, these amendments apply to those employers seeking employer specific work permits for foreign nationals via the Temporary Foreign Worker Program (“TFWP”), which […]
It’s time to start thinking about back to school for many foreign students. Throughout the pandemic special measures were put in place to permit foreign students to study online remotely while maintaining their eligibility for a post graduate work permit (PGWP). Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) is extending a transition period to international students […]
