Canada extending international student off-campus work hours policy until April 2024
Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has announced that they will be extending a policy that allows certain international students to work beyond the usual 20-hour-per-week limit imposed on off-campus employment outside of scheduled academic breaks. In response to growing labour shortages across Canada, the country’s immigration department implemented a temporary policy in 2022, allowing…
If I gain Canadian permanent residence, do I have to become a citizen?
This year, Canada will welcome 465,000 new permanent residents —a record-breaking annual immigrant intake that is only likely to increase in coming years, as the country’s immigration levels plan indicates. Furthermore, data from 2021 indicates that nearly four out of five eligible permanent residents will pursue Canadian citizenship. With such a sizeable influx of new…
IRCC to increase cost-of-living requirement for study permit applicants
Immigration Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) is raising the cost-of-living requirement for study permit applicants as of January 1, 2024. Starting on January 1st, the cost-of-living requirement for a single study permit applicant will be $20,635. This is in addition to the first year of tuition and travel costs and will apply to study permit…
Five things to do in your first week as a permanent resident or foreign worker in Canada
For all new permanent residents or foreign workers arriving in Canada, the following represents five steps that these newcomers must take in their first week after arriving in this country. While it is important to look toward the future as a recent newcomer to Canada, it is equally as important to ensure you take the…
How to immigrate to Canada from China
Canada aims to welcome a large number of permanent residents under its Immigration Levels Plan. By the end of 2023, the goal is to land 465,000 new permanent residents, and this number is increased to 500,000 by 2025. Discover if You Are Eligible for Canadian Immigration In 2022, Canada welcomed over 437,000 new permanent residents….
BREAKING: Canada holds first Express Entry draw since October 2023
Immigration Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has invited candidates in the most recent Express Entry draw. The department issued 4,750 invitations to apply (ITAs) in an all-program draw. Candidates required a minimum Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score of 561 to be considered. Get a Free Express Entry Assessment This is the first draw since October…
What do I do if my immigration application is returned as incomplete?
This article will explain the steps that Canadian immigration applicants must take if they have their application returned by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) because it was incomplete. Every incomplete application will be returned to the appropriate applicant alongside a letter of explanation and a document checklist. These two pieces will outline why the…
Canada’s unemployment rate rises as November sees equal employment gains and losses
Statistics Canada recently released its Labour Force Survey (LFS) for November 2023. The survey reveals a stalemate between employment gains and losses in Canada, as the national unemployment rate continues a five-month upward trajectory. Simultaneously, November’s LFS helped showcase barriers that newcomers particularly face when trying to enter Canada’s labour market—especially around their ability to…
Getting to know IRCC’s decision-making committees
A report released by former Deputy Minister of Immigration, Neil Yeates, has brought to light some of the inefficiencies within Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC). Among the issues discussed, Yeates highlights IRCC’s decision-making committee structure as one of the difficulties involved in running the department smoothly. Yeates says that IRCC committees often exceed the…
Housing Accelerator Fund: New housing in 10 Canadian cities
In March 2023, the government launched the $4 billion Housing Accelerator Fund to help fast-track the creation of at least 100,000 new homes across Canada. The Fund is already delivering results – and on its current trajectory, is expected to exceed 100,000 new homes. Discover if You Are Eligible for Canadian Immigration Over the next…