Canadian Immigration News

2009-05-03T16:57:00.000-07:00

Action to be taken on unauthorized representatives

The Minister of Citizenship and Immigration announced at a conference in Toronto today that action will be taken to "deal" with unauthorzied representatives. He was reported as saying that his Department is examining and considering many options.

2009-04-16T20:01:00.000-07:00

April 17, 2009: A New Canadian Citizenship Act

Under the new Act, certain persons who became Canadiana citizens on January 1, 1947 when a separate Canadian citizenship was created, but who subsequently lost their Citizenship will regain it, retroactive to when they lost it.

Others, who may have fallen foul of prior legislation that meant children born outside Canada to Canadian parents might have lost their citzienship, depending on the gender of their parents and whetehr they were born in or out of wedlock, will regain it.

The government aims to ensure however that "the second generation born outside Canada" will not be considered Canadian citizens at birth.

The effects of the new Citizenship Act are complex and in some situations may require perons to obtain professional advice.

2009-02-19T20:24:00.001-08:00

February 19, 2009.

Changes to the E-LMO process reflecting the downturn in the Canadian economy:

"Temporary Foreign Worker Program
Expedited Labour Market Opinion Pilot Project
In response to recent developments in the Canadian labour market, and concern about rising unemployment, HRSDC's Temporary Foreign Worker Program is introducing changes to the Expedited Labour Market Opinion (E-LMO) Pilot Project.

These changes will enhance the integrity of the program, and help ensure that Canadians and permanent residents are aware of and can apply for available jobs.

Recruitment Efforts:

Effective March 2, 2009, evidence of recruitment efforts undertaken by the employer must be submitted with Step 2 of the E-LMO application process.

As well, employers will be required to submit details regarding the results of those recruitment efforts and explain why any interested Canadians were not hired (a template for employers to present this information to Service Canada will be provided at a later date).

This information includes:

Proof of advertising, as indicated in the occupational profile.
Number of applications received.
Rationale as to why each candidate was not hired.
Lay-off and Departures:

Employers will be required to submit information about lay-offs and recent departures of Canadians, permanent residents and temporary foreign workers with their E-LMO application. Employers will be required to complete a questionnaire detailing recent and anticipated changes in their workforce (a template for employers to present this information to Service Canada will be provided at a later date). This information will be assessed to help ensure that Canadians and permanent residents continue to be considered first for job vacancies and to help substantiate whether there is a legitimate need for temporary foreign workers.

Employers that decline to provide the required documentation will receive a negative LMO."

(From the Service Canada web-site)

2008-12-21T17:40:00.001-08:00

The Supreme Court of Canada has refused to hear the appeal of the Law Society of Upper Canada. This was the last attempt by The Law Society to argue that the formation of CSIC (the Regulatory body for the Immigration Consulting profession) , was ultra vires. The Federal Court decision, from which the Law Society appealed, was unanimously dismissed on the basis that the Regulations did not violate the Constitution, did not jeopardize solicitor-client privilege and did not exceed the legislative powers of the Governor-in-Council provided for by s.91 of IRPA.

With this decision by the Supemem Court of Canada, the immigration consulting is firmly established as an independent, regulated profession in its own right.

It remains to be seen whether the Law Society, which has been complaining about the activities of unauthorized representatives for years, will now do something to prosecute those persons who are practising in the area of Immigration without being Members of a Provincial Law Society, Paraleglas in Ontario, Members of the Chambres des Notaires du Quebec, or Members of the Canadian Society of Immigration Consulatnts. Such persons are not authorized representatives, and the Law Society would appear to have the statutory authority for prosecuting thes persons for practising Law without a license.

Ron Liberman
Best Place Immigration
1500 West Georgia-Suite 1400
Vancouver, BC V6G 2Z6, Canada
www.bestplace.ca
www.canadaimmigrationapplication.co.uk

2008-12-21T17:40:00.000-08:00

The Canadian immigration consulting profession comes of age.

The Supreme Court of Canada has refused to hear the appeal of the Law Society of Upper Canada.This was the last attempt by The Law Society to seek a declaration that the formation of a Regulatory Body for immigration consultants was ultra vires. The Federal Court decision, from which the Law Society appealed, was unanimously dismissed on the basis that the Regulations did not violate the Constitution, did not jeopardize solicitor-client privilege and did not exceed the legislative powers of the Governor-in-Council provided for by s.91 of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act. With the refusal by the Supreme Court of Canada to hear this decision, it is clear that immigration consulting profession is an independently regulated profession in Canada.

It will be interesting to see if the Law Society of Canada now proceeds to prosecute persons who are practising in the area of Immigration, but are not members of a Provincial Bar Association or Paralegals in Ontario, are not Members of CSIC , or

2008-12-09T15:36:00.000-08:00

New Occupation List for Immigration under the points system

November 28, 2008

Changes have been made to the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act, and new federal skilled worker applications are now assessed for eligibility according to the instructions issued by the Minister. Note: This does not apply to the Province of Quebec.

Applicants must still meet the requirement for a minimum points score of 67, but applications will be processed on an expedited basis.

The government's intention is to finalize these new applications within 6 to 12 months from receipt.

The new requirement in respect of applications filed under the points system without Arranged Employment and that were received after February 27, 2008 is that the principal applicant must be a skilled worker who has at least one year of experience in one or more of the following occupations (National Occupational Code for each eligible occupation is shown):

0111: Financial Managers
0213: Computer and Information Systems Managers
0311: Managers in Health Care
0631: Restaurant and Food Service Managers
0632: Accommodation Service Managers
0711: Construction Managers
1111: Financial Auditors and Accountants
2113: Geologists, Geochemists and Geophysicists
2143: Mining Engineers
2144: Geological Engineers
2145: Petroleum Engineers
3111: Specialist Physicians
3112: General Practitioners and Family Physicians
3141: Audiologists and Speech Language Pathologists
3143: Occupational Therapists
3142: Physiotherapists
3151: Head Nurses and Supervisors
3152: Registered Nurses
3215: Medical Radiation Technologists
3233: Licensed Practical Nurses
4121: University Professors
4131: College and Other Vocational Instructors
6241: Chefs
6242: Cooks
7213: Contractors and Supervisors, Pipefitting Trades
7215: Contractors and Supervisors, Carpentry Trades
7217: Contractors and Supervisors, Heavy
Construction Equipment Crews
7241: Electricians (Except Industrial and Power System)
7242: Industrial Electricians
7251: Plumbers
7252: Steamfitters, Pipe fitters and Sprinkler System
Installers
7265: Welders and Related Machine Operators
7312: Heavy-Duty Equipment Mechanics
7371: Crane Operators
7372: Drillers and Blasters - Surface Mining, Quarrying
and Construction
8221: Supervisors, Mining and Quarrying
8222: Supervisors, Oil and Gas Drilling and Service
9212: Supervisors, Petroleum, Gas and Chemical
Processing and Utilities

Applications will be assessed initially in Sydney, Nova Scotia, who if an application passes their preliminary screening, will accept the fees, issue a receipt and file number, and send the application on to the appropriate visa post.

Persons who qualify by reason of their work experience in one of the aboce occupations should be encouraged to apply early as the changes were introduced by the Conservative government, and future applications may not be allowed if the Opposition come into power when Parliament reconvenes in January, 2009.
Applications by persons with Arranged Employment or a Provincial Nomination are not affected by these changes.

The changes appear to have been made by the government to ease the backlog of applications, so application ssubmitted prior to February 27, 2008 will be processed concurrently with applications under the new system.

2008-09-21T12:46:00.000-07:00

Canada Experience Class

On September 17, 2008, Citizenship and Immigration Canada announced the application procedure for a new immigration category - the Canada Expreience Class (CEC).

To be eligible to immigrate under the CEC, applicants are expected
to meet the requirements outlined under A or B below:

A. For Graduates of Canadian Educational Institutions:

- Temporary resident status in Canada either at the time of
their application, or within 1 year prior to applying;

- Successful completion of a program of study of at least two
academic years;

- One year of skilled, professional or technical work
experience in Canada; and moderate or basic language skills,
depending on occupational skill level.

Applicants will need to study at a publicly-funded educational
institution, or at a private educational institution that awards
degrees.

B. For Persons with Temporary Work Experience in Canada in a Skilled Occupation
(N.O.C. level 0,A or B)

- Temporary resident status in Canada at the time of their
application,or within 1 year prior to applying;

- Two years of skilled, professional or technical work
experience in Canada;

- Moderate or basic language skills, depending on
occupational skill level.

With the advent of Canada Experience Class new ways to move rapidly
to Canada have opened up. For instance, if an individual, or one
partner in a marriage or common-law relationship, is prepared to
study in Canada at an appropriate educational institution, the other
partner will be able to work full-time. If an immigration program is
planned correctly, many individuals will be in a position to apply
for permanent residence from within Canada after as little as 2
years have gone by.

This program will be particularly attractive to persons with good
knowledge of English or French. Unlike the points system, this is a
Pass/Fail system, and age is not a criterion.

Kind regards,
Ron Liberman
Best Place Immigration Inc.
1500 W. Georgia-Suite 1400
Vancouver, B.C. V6G 2Z6, Canada
Tel.: (+) 1 (604) 970-0629
Fax: (+1) 604 608-4723
Our Canada Immigration web-site

2008-06-21T19:05:00.000-07:00

Announcement from the Alberta Provincial Government:
"June 19, 2008

Family Stream

The Alberta Immigrant Nominee Program (AINP) introduced a new Family Stream on June 19, 2008. Applications are currently being accepted for this stream.

Family Stream News Release
The AINP will be hosting information sessions for Albertans with family members abroad who may wish to sponsor their family members under this stream. This site will be updated once dates have been scheduled for these sessions.

Note: A limited number of applications per year will be accepted under this stream."

This program gives close family members of Alberta residents (including brothers, sisters, nieces, nephews, uncles and aunts) to immigrate to Canada. Family members will be expected to have post-secondary education, work experience and a job offer or funds to maintain themselves in Canada until they find a job. The sponsor is expected to have adequate funds to fulfill the sponsorship undertaking they sign in respect of their relative. Other Canadian Provinces such as Saskatchewan, Manitoba, and Newfoundland and Labrador have similar programs.

Author: Provided by Best Place Immigration A Canada immigration consultant of 1500 West Georgia-Suite 1400, Vancouver BC, V6G 2Z6, Canada

2008-04-16T21:23:00.000-07:00

From the Ctizenship and Immigration web-site:

"Ottawa, April 16, 2008 — The Honourable Diane Finley, Minister of Citizenship and Immigration, today welcomed the formal passage of Bill C-37, taking “lost Canadians” one giant step closer to enjoying Canadian citizenship.

“Today is a very special day for Canada with the passage of this legislation,” said Minister Finley. “By introducing this legislation last year, our Government took decisive action to help those people who had their citizenship questioned, and to protect the value of Canadian citizenship for the future.”

With the third-reading passage of Bill C-37 in the Senate today, the Citizenship Act will be amended to give Canadian citizenship to those who lost or never had it, due to outdated provisions in existing and former legislation. The law will come into effect no later than a year following Royal Assent.

People who are citizens when the law comes into force will not lose their citizenship as a result of these amendments. The law will give citizenship to:

People who became citizens when the first citizenship act took effect on January 1, 1947 (including people born in Canada prior to 1947 and war brides) and who then lost their citizenship;
Anyone who was born in Canada or became a Canadian on or after January 1, 1947, and who then lost citizenship; and
Anyone born abroad to a Canadian on or after January 1, 1947, if not already a citizen, but only if they are the first generation born abroad.
The exceptions are those born in Canada to a foreign diplomat, those who renounced their citizenship with Canadian authorities, and those whose citizenship was revoked by the government because it was obtained by fraud.

“This law is a victory not just for those who lost their citizenship, but for all Canadians as well,” said Don Chapman, spokesperson for the Lost Canadians Organization.

“This bill is wonderful news for those war brides and their children who will become citizens when this bill comes into effect. After all these years, I am very relieved that the law has been changed,” said Melynda Jarratt, historian for Canadian War Brides."

2008-03-13T17:47:00.001-07:00

Comments Extracted from the 2008 Candian Budget:

"Modernizing the Immigration System
Advantage Canada recognized that in a modern global economy, Canada’s immigration policies need to be closely aligned with our labour market needs. Budget 2007 took action to make the immigration system more responsive to the new labour market realities in Canada. The Temporary Foreign Worker Program was streamlined to enable employers to bring in workers more quickly to address their immediate labour shortages. The Government also introduced the new Canadian Experience Class to expedite the process for skilled temporary foreign workers and foreign students with Canadian credentials and work experience to remain in Canada as permanent residents, under certain conditions.

Canada must maintain the ability to compete globally for the best and the brightest by creating the optimal conditions to attract immigrants who can contribute fully to Canada’s prosperity. A well-managed and efficient immigration system is critical to achieving this objective. The Government will continue to modernize Canada’s immigration system.

Budget 2008 builds on Advantage Canada priorities with additional measures to improve the immigration system’s capacity and flexibility to respond to Canada’s dynamic and evolving labour market needs. Concrete measures will be initiated to expedite the processing of permanent resident applications. Combined with the recent improvements to the Temporary Foreign Worker Program, the expansion of the Provincial Nominee Program and the new Canadian Experience Class announced in Budget 2007, these measures will ensure that the labour needs of employers in all provinces and territories are met in a more timely fashion.

To complement these actions, changes will be made to the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act to improve the immigration process. It is not fair for prospective immigrants to wait for years before being considered, and it is not desirable to wait that long for the immigrants the country needs. The measures proposed in Budget 2008 will expedite the processing of permanent residents to ensure that skilled immigrants can get to Canada when their skills are in demand. The proposed legislative changes will provide flexibility for concrete measures, as required, to more effectively manage the future growth in the inventory, such as addressing the number of applications accepted and processed in a year. The end result will be reduced wait times and improved service. These changes will allow Canada to take the first steps towards establishing a "just-in-time" competitive immigration system which will quickly process skilled immigrants who can make an immediate contribution to the economy.

Action will also be taken to help address the growing demand at Canadian missions abroad for temporary resident visas for students and skilled workers. In particular, the Government will focus on helping post-secondary educational institutions attract foreign students and on facilitating their arrival in Canada. For example, an online application system, as well as other measures to improve service and speed up processing, will be implemented for student visas. These initiatives, combined with new Canada Graduate Scholarships for Canadian and international students, will enhance Canada’s ability to compete with other countries to attract and retain the best foreign students.

Taken together, these initiatives will ensure the ongoing integrity of the immigration program. They will enable Canada to respond to growing demand and to admit more highly-skilled immigrants and their families, including foreign students. At the same time, Canada’s social and humanitarian objectives will be preserved and continue to be balanced with Canada’s labour market needs.

Budget 2008 provides $22 million over the next two years, rising to $37 million per year by 2012–13, to implement this next critical stage of modernizing the immigration system. "

Canadian immigration video

2008-02-07T14:42:00.001-08:00

2008-01-15T21:15:00.000-08:00

From the Vancouver Sun, 14 January, 2008:

"VANCOUVER -- The federal government has announced an expansion of the Temporary Foreign Worker Program that adds 21 new occupations - including some in the construction and manufacturing sectors - to a list that employers can access.

"We're making it faster to hire foreign workers when no Canadian citizen or permanent resident can be found to do that job," Human Resources Monte Solberg said in Vancouver Monday when announcing the expansion. "[B.C.'s] strong economy has resulted in a significant labour shortage. Without these workers, deadlines won't be met. We want to cut the bureaucracy and paperwork, not to shortcut the process," added Solberg, who also said processing times will be reduced to five days."

The B.C. occupations listed for the expedited E-LMO as of this date are:

Carpenters (Journeyman/Woman)
Civil Engineers
Commercial Janitors
Caretakers
Construction Labourers
Crane Operators(Journeyman/Woman)
Delivery Drivers
Dental Technicians
Electrical & Electronics Engineers
Food and Beverage Servers
Food Counter Attendants
Food Service Supervisors
Heavy-Duty Equipment Mechanics
Hotel Front Desk Clerk
Hotel and Hospitality Room Attendants
Industrial Electricians Welders
Industrial Meat Cutters Machinists
Ironworkers
Manufacturing & Processing Labourers
Mechanical Engineering Technologists
Mechanical Engineers
Petroleum Engineers
Pharmacists
Registered Nurses
Residential Cleaning and Support Workers
Retail Salespersons and Sales Clerks
Roofers
Ski and Snowboard Instructors
Steamfitters, Pipefitters
Specialized Cleaners
Surveyor Helpers
Tour and Travel Guides

Ron Liberman
Member, Canadian Society of Immigration Consultants
Best Place Immigration
1500 West Georgia - Suite 1400
Vancouver, B.C. V6G 2Z6
http://www.bestplace.ca

2007-11-11T21:01:00.000-08:00

Story from TheTyee.ca:

"If you want to understand why Microsoft is about to open a 700-employee software development centre in Richmond, B.C., and how those operations mesh with other multinational corporations and a global high-tech work force, it helps to talk to Steve Ha.

Ha helps run TecAce, based in Redmond, Washington. His firm develops software for Samsung mobile devices and requires Korean-speaking employees experienced in Samsung technology.

But under the current visa system, "it's impossible to bring Koreans into the U.S. now, so we decided to set-up an office in Richmond," explains Ha.

"It's difficult for Koreans to obtain a green-card even after five or six years of work in the U.S. and we heard that it's much easier to get them into Canada for work," Ha says.

"I've heard of other firms here gearing up to open offices in Richmond or Vancouver because of the U.S. visa problems."

Those other firms are following the lead of the biggest software developer of all.

When, last summer, Microsoft announced the planned move, company president Phil Sorgen vowed, "This centre will help Microsoft remain globally competitive while providing strong economic benefits to British Columbia and Canada."

ADVERTISEMENT
Likewise, Vancouver Mayor Sam Sullivan was optimistic that having Microsoft in Richmond would promote jobs and technological innovation in B.C.

Across the border, however, some point out that Microsoft and other companies are using the Richmond centre to hire foreign workers they can't otherwise for their U.S. operations.

Others believe it's a tactic to pressure the U.S. government to remove its cap on foreign worker visas. In fact, Microsoft has admitted that it decided to open the Richmond centre in part because it couldn't hire enough foreign workers for their U.S. facilities.

The US H-1B visa

Microsoft and other tech industries in the U.S. hire foreign workers through the H-1B visa. Originally, these visas were established to attract skilled professionals to come to the U.S., work for five to six years and apply for citizenship.

However, in 2006, about three quarters of these visas were taken by Indian outsourcing firms such as Infosys.

These firms send Indian workers to U.S. firms for two to four year terms in order to study their operations and then outsource the work back to India-based companies.

This discovery led to a U.S. Senate investigation into allegations that Microsoft and other companies were using these visas to outsource U.S. jobs overseas, contrary to its mandate to attract skilled immigrants. In response, Microsoft and others countered that current immigration policies were antiquated and did not meet the needs of globalized economies.

"Microsoft, like many big U.S. high tech employers, was keen to push the recently failed U.S. immigration reform bill which upped the quotas for skilled migrants," explained Mark Ellis, professor of geography at the University of Washington.

Ellis thinks the timing of Microsoft's July announcement, so close at the heel of the failed U.S. immigration bill in June, might have been intended to signal that Microsoft would offshore its operations to Canada if it doesn't get its way on immigration reform.

Microsoft spokesperson Lou Gellos told The Tyee, "Discussion about [a centre] in Western Canada has been going on for 10 years or more. In the last year or so, the debate has intensified." The failed immigration bill, he said, was "certainly one of the motivations, but not the main motivation" for his company's moving ahead on its Richmond plans.

Canada's welcome mat

Canada is welcoming U.S. companies looking for more accommodating immigration policies. After all Canada has a labour shortage of highly skilled workers. Earlier this spring, B.C. reported a record low unemployment rate of four per cent and predicted a shortfall of 350,000 workers in key fields.

Currently, Canada has no caps on all classes of foreign worker visas and last November, the Canadian government launched the Advantage Canada Plan, under which the combined ministries of Citizenship and Immigration, Human Resources, and Service Canada recently began measures to improve its Temporary Foreign Worker Program.

"The Temporary Foreign Worker Program requires businesses to look for Canadian hires first and file a labour market opinion that there is a need for foreign workers," explains Lori Reimer of Citizenship and Immigration Canada. "Essentially it is a supply and demand issue."

That market analysis process was relaxed for Microsoft. Reportedly, Microsoft enjoyed an expedited process of only two weeks to obtain their visas, but other firms have not enjoyed that privilege.

Steve Ha's TecAce has set-up what he call's a "virtual office" in Richmond, until the six month long process to hire foreign workers from Korea is completed. "Our branch is only a virtual-office for now because the process [in Canada] is much more complicated and time-consuming than we expected."

It's a flat world after all

Fast fading is the assumption that North American high-tech workers are protected from outsourcing if they are involved in complex projects. The common belief was that it was too difficult to coordinate high-quality work over differing time-zones and cultural and language barriers.

"Absolutely not. It doesn't matter anymore if you manufacture fruit-of-the-loom underwear or complex code," states Marcus Courtney of the Washington Alliance of Technology Workers.

"Companies want to find out...who can do the work cheapest and they move their facilities, products and services around the globe to do that. Boeing's Dreamliner project in the Northwest is a perfect example of this. It's simply a myth that white-collar jobs are simply too complex, too difficult for their companies to outsource," says Courtney.

When asked if temporary foreign worker visa programs are used to outsource jobs, Anthony D'Costa, professor of Comparative International Development at the University of Washington says, "Short-term visa programs are functional. They are trying to meet labour shortages without committing to having more foreigners permanently."

"How many will come in the short term is difficult to say but I am certain [it's] not large enough to displace local workers wholesale. Besides, employers want good quality professionals and the world does not have an infinite supply of them," says D'Costa.

He asks: "Which would you prefer? Foreign workers coming to Canada and working and spending their earnings in Canada or Canadian firms doing the work abroad using foreign workers and earning profits for the Canadian shareholders?"

Fair enough. But real questions remain as to whether Canada can leverage future Richmond centres into promoting local innovation or whether such centres will end up as mere way stations in the global outsourcing system"

Ron Liberman, Certified Canadian Immigration Consultan
Best Place Immigration
1500 West Georgia-Suite 1400
Vancouver, B.C. V6G 2Z6, Canada

2007-10-19T20:44:00.000-07:00

Canadian economy is hot

Reported by the Canadian press today:

"Hotter inflation report sends Canadian dollar to 33-year high above $1.03 US

OTTAWA - The Canadian dollar hit a 33-year record high Friday, flying well past the $1.03 US mark on news that Canada's inflation rate had jumped to 2.5 per cent, stalling speculation that interest rates may be coming down.

The loonie opened at 103.42 cents US, up 0.72 of a cent from Thursday, and kept going, nearing 104 cents US at one point. It ended the day up 0.85 of a cent to 103.55 cents US - a level last seen in mid-1976.

"The market was almost looking for a trigger to drive the dollar above $1.03, and inflation was it," said BMO Nesbitt Burns economist Douglas Porter.

"The currency had been hanging around (below $1.03 US) for a prolonged time and momentum was building for another push higher, especially with oil prices at about $90 (US a barrel)."

Another factor in the loonie's latest flight was growing expectations that the U.S. Federal Reserve Board will cut interest rates next week, increasing the relative attractiveness of investments in Canada.

The September jump in the headline consumer price index, from 1.7 per cent in August, was almost all due to a 12.7 per cent year-over-year increase in gasoline prices, an effect exaggerated by a sharp decline in pump prices a year ago.

In comparison with August, gasoline prices were up 0.8 per cent, and excluding gasoline, prices rose 0.2 per cent during September.

"Canadians should not be concerned with this acceleration," said Toronto-Dominion Bank economist Ritu Sapra. "This wasn't much of a surprise and much of it was technical."

In fact, core inflation slid to the Bank of Canada's desired target of two per cent, down from 2.2 per cent in August and the first time it has been within the target range in over a year. The core index, which excludes highly fluctuating items such as fuel and fresh fruit, is one of the key indicators used by the central bank to set interest rate policy.

Yet core prices showed a larger than anticipated rise of 0.4 per cent from August, largely due to seasonal factors such as clothing and post-secondary tuition fees.

The inflation numbers give further ammunition to consumer complaints that Canadian retailers are not passing on their cost savings from the stronger dollar."

2007-09-26T17:54:00.000-07:00

Changes to B.C. Provincial Nominee Program for Busines

The Province of British Columbia today announced cahnges to Business PNP Applications, as follows: "

Business Category: Business Skills
Applicants for nomination in the Business Skills category will be required to:

Make a personal investment of at least $400,000 CAD to establish or to purchase and expand an eligible business anywhere in BC

Create at least 3 new jobs in the business for Canadians or permanent residents

Own at least one third (33 1/3%) of the equity of the business

Provide active and on-going participation in the day to day management and direction of the business

Demonstrate that they have:

the skills and experience necessary to establish and operate a commercially viable business in BC;

a personal net worth of at least $800,000 CAD obtained from legal sources

sufficient unencumbered personal funds to make the required investment

a viable business proposal

Sign a Performance Agreement with the Province of British Columbia

Sign a Deposit Agreement with the Province of British Columbia, if they are seeking a Fast Track nomination
Principal applicants in the Business Skills category
may include 1 foreign key staff person as a
co-applicant for nomination, but must still create 3
jobs for Canadians or permanent residents

Applications will not be accepted from individuals who
have an unresolved refugee claim in Canada, are in
Canada illegally, are under a removal order in Canada,
or are prohibited from entering Canada.

Business Category: Regional Business

Applicants for nomination in the Regional Business category will be required to:
Make a personal investment of at least $200,000 CAD to establish or to purchase and expand an eligible business anywhere in BC outside of the Vancouver metropolitan area or the Abbotsford metropolitan area
Create at least 1 new job in the business for a Canadian or permanent resident
Own at least one third (33 1/3%) of the equity of the business
Provide active and on-going participation in the day to day management and direction of the business
Demonstrate that they have:
the skills and experience necessary to establish and operate a commercially viable business in BC;
a personal net worth of at least $400,000 CAD obtained from legal sources
sufficient unencumbered personal funds to make the required investment
a viable business proposal
Sign a Performance Agreement with the Province of British Columbia
Sign a Deposit Agreement with the Province of British Columbia, if they are seeking a Fast Track nomination
Applications in the Regional Business category are limited to principal applicants – there is no provision to include foreign key staff as co-applicants for nomination
Applications will not be accepted from individuals who have an unresolved refugee claim in Canada, are in Canada illegally, are under a removal order in Canada, or are prohibited from entering Canada.

Business Category: Strategic Projects

The Strategic Projects category assists foreign-controlled companies establishing an eligible business in BC with the timely entry of foreign key managerial, professional or technical staff, up to a maximum of 5 per company, who intend to become permanent residents of Canada and settle in BC.Companies applying in this category will be required to:

Make a minimum equity investment of $500,000

Create at least 3 jobs for Canadians or permanent residents in BC for each nominee applicant put forward by the company

Demonstrate a record of good business practices, and successful business operations outside of Canada that are relevant to the proposed business

Establish or purchase and expand an eligible business anywhere in BC

Incorporate a Canadian subsidiary or register an extra-provincial company in BC to operate the proposed business

Demonstrate that the nominee applicants are qualified senior personnel who are essential to establishing or expanding and operating the proposed business in BC

Sign a Performance Agreement with the Province of British Columbia

2007-09-24T18:35:00.000-07:00

Warning from Citizenship and Immigration Canada website:

"Notice

People in the United States who wish to claim refugee status at the Canadian border
It has come to our attention that there are private individuals and organizations in the United States who are targeting certain foreign nationals and providing false or misleading information on how to claim refugee status in Canada.

This includes advertising of “special programs” for Haitians, Mexicans and other nationalities.

Please note that the Government of Canada has no special programs to fast track applications, give preferential treatment or grant refugee status to Haitians, Mexicans or other nationals seeking refugee status.

You cannot purchase admission to any immigration or refugee program to gain refugee status.

You do not need to purchase forms.

You cannot “exchange” U.S. documents for any type of Canadian “permit.”

People should be wary of all organizations or individuals who make such claims.

For more information: refugee protection in Canada.

Aviso

Las personas en Estados Unidos que deseen solicitar la condición de refugiados en la frontera de Canadá

Nos hemos enterado de que hay individuos privados y organizaciones en Estados Unidos que se dirigen a ciertos nacionales extranjeros para entregarles información falsa o engañosa sobre cómo solicitar la condición de refugiado en Canadá.

Anuncian, por ejemplo, “programas especiales” para haitianos, mexicanos y de otras nacionalidades. Tómese nota que el Gobierno de Canadá no tiene programas especiales para tramitar solicitudes con más rapidez, dar trato preferencial ni para otorgar la condición de refugiado a haitianos, mexicanos ni nacionales de otros países que soliciten la condición de refugiado.

No se puede comprar la admisión a ningún programa de inmigración ni de refugiados a fin de obtener la condición de refugiado.

No se cobra por los formularios o formas.

Usted no puede “intercambiar” documentos estadounidenses por ningún tipo de “permiso” canadiense.

Las personas no deben creer ni fiar en las organizaciones ni individuos que hagan tales afirmaciones."

2007-09-24T18:30:00.001-07:00

News Release
Canada and Nova Scotia Sign New Immigration Agreement

Halifax, September 19, 2007 — A new immigration agreement between the federal and provincial governments will make it easier to attract more skilled international workers to Nova Scotia.

The Honourable Diane Finley, Minister of Citizenship and Immigration, and the Honourable Carolyn Bolivar‑Getson, Minister of Immigration for Nova Scotia, signed the first ever Agreement for Canada‑Nova Scotia Co‑operation on Immigration, which includes a renewal of the Provincial Nominee Program, during a ceremony today, September 19, at Pier 21.
“Canada’s New Government is proud to make this long‑term commitment to Nova Scotia,” said Minister Finley. “We want to help Nova Scotia grow economically by attracting new immigrants. Today’s agreement will help Nova Scotia share in the benefits of immigration to Canada, and will make our shared immigration programs more responsive to Nova Scotia’s unique needs.”
“This cooperation agreement builds on an existing positive relationship with federal immigration authorities,” said Ms. Bolivar Getson. “Changes to the nominee program such as the removal of the restrictions on the number of individuals we’re able to nominate, and making it easier and faster for temporary foreign workers to enter Nova Scotia, are just two of the areas that will make our province more attractive to immigrants and help Nova Scotia businesses meet their labourmarket needs.”

Through the nominee program, the province nominates individuals for acceptance to Canada based on several categories including skilled worker, family business worker, community identified, and international graduate.

The new agreement means:
Enhanced cooperation between Canada and Nova Scotia in overseas immigration marketing initiatives, including bringing temporary foreign workers and students to the province.

Nova Scotia will be able to nominate more immigrants possessing the skills needed in the province, for quicker processing by the federal government.

Nova Scotia will be able to address particular social, demographic, economic development and labour market needs.

Nova Scotia and Canada will collaborate on information sharing, developing and implementing strategies to better integrate immigrants into the labour market, including the recognition of qualifications.

The agreement formalizes and builds on the existing collaborative relationship between Canada and Nova Scotia on immigration matters, including the delivery of settlement and integration services. It also recognizes the importance of involving community stakeholders, including service providers, municipalities and the private sector, in welcoming newcomers.
Attracting more immigrants to Nova Scotia will help to counter declining population trends in communities and provide skilled workers who can meet the labour market needs of Nova Scotia businesses.

2007-09-10T08:48:00.000-07:00

A message from Citizenship and Imigration Canada:

"Permanent Resident Card

The Permanent Resident Card is the official proof of your status as a permanent resident in Canada.

This wallet-sized plastic card is required for all permanent residents of Canada seeking to re-enter Canada on a commercial carrier (airplane, boat, train or bus).

Since June 2002, all new permanent residents automatically receive their first Permanent Resident Card as part of the immigration process.

If you came to Canada as a permanent resident before June 2002, the Permanent Resident Card replaces your original landing papers. It is the only acceptable proof of your status as a permanent resident of Canada. If you leave the country, you must show this document when you return to Canada by commercial carrier. "

2007-08-24T22:46:00.000-07:00

Following is an Article on BBC News. It seems there is independent confirmation yet again of our views about Canada, and especially Vancouver, being the Best Place:

"Canadians have a lot to toast in terms of liveability, the EIU reckons Vancouver is the world's best place to live, a survey by the Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU) has found.
The EIU ranked 127 cities in terms of personal risk, infrastructure and the availability of goods and services.
All the cities that fell into the top "liveability" bracket were based in Canada, Australia and Western Europe.
The worst places were Algiers in Algeria, and Port Moresby in Papua New Guinea because "many aspects of daily life present challenges", the EIU said.
Safe havens?
Canadian cities scored well, as did Austria's Vienna and Switzerland's Geneva, because they are not seen as targets for terror attacks.
TOP TEN
Vancouver
Melbourne
Vienna
Geneva
Perth
Adelaide
Sydney
Zurich
Toronto
Calgary
Source: EIU
The main uncertainty for people living in those cities was climate-related, the EIU said.
"In the current global political climate, it is no surprise that the most desirable destinations are those with the lower perceived threat of terrorism," said Jon Copestake, editor of the EIU report.
The survey has produced a mixed picture of the world's cities. London was ranked in the 10th group, on a par with Dublin and Los Angeles, but one place below Manchester, four behind Berlin, five lower than Tokyo, and six off Helsinki, Frankfurt and Stockholm.
Bottom 10 cities
Tehran
Douala
Harare
Abidjan
Phnom Penh
Lagos
Karachi
Dhaka
Algiers
Port Moresby
Source: EIU
In Latin America, "no city manages to present ideal living conditions, neither do any fall into the category where extreme difficulties are faced", the EIU said.
Montevideo in Uruguay, Santiago in Chile and Buenos Aires in Argentina offer the region's best conditions. Bogota in Colombia and Caracas in Venezuela score the least favourably.
In Asia, cities in Japan, South Korea, Singapore, China and Taiwan all score well, as do Australia's main hubs.
Africa and the Middle East fare less well, with the EIU citing concerns about terror attacks, and economic and political instability.
Some of the worst performing cities include Harare in Zimbabwe and Lagos in Nigeria. "

Ron Liberman
Best Place Immigration
1500 West Georgia-Suite 1400
Vancouver, BC. V6G 2Z6, Canada

2007-08-24T21:31:00.000-07:00

There have been several negative comments in the Press recently about the activities of lawyers and immigration consultants.

Below is our response in support of the regulatory process and consumer protection.

To: The Editor of the Toronto Star

Re: Article about Immigration Consultants

The Canadian Socierty of Immigration Consultants has manadatory insurance in place, and a strict Code of Consuct for its members. It is not to blame for the behaviour of ghost consultants, anymore than the Law Societies can be blamed for still having the occasional dishonest member, and this despite the fact that they have had several centuries over which to develop their disciplinary processes.

The real problem where "ghost consultants" in Canada are concerned lies with Citizenship and Immigration Canada, whose own policy manuals interpret the law as allowing anyone, even if unqualified, unscrupulous, and unregulated, to dispense immigration advice and to asist with immigration applications for a fee up until the point where an immigration application has actually been submitted. Until that is changed, and made illegal, "ghost consultants" will continue to profit from a legal business activity that is condoned by Ottawa, and the unfortunate consumer will continue to suffer.

Ron Liberman, Certified Canadian Immigration Consultan
Best Place Immigration
1500 West Georgia-Suite 1400
Vancouver, B.C. V6G 2Z6, Canada