Canada’s 2024 Federal Budget is aimed at addressing some key concerns faced by Canadians and newcomers alike, such as affordable housing, matching immigration numbers with Canada’s housing capacity, tackling inflation, and improving the Foreign Credential Recognition Program. “A fair chance to build a good middle class life—to do as well as your parents, or better—that’s the promise of Canada. For too many, especially for younger Canadians, that promise is at risk,” said the deputy Prime Minister, Chrystia Freeland, in her foreword to the budget. “We have a plan to fix that. We have a plan to ..read more

Quebec Premier François Legault again pushed the federal government for more power over immigration – and for more of that immigration to the francophone province consisting of French-speaking foreign nationals – for his francophone province in late April. At a news conference to announce the Musée National de l’Histoire du Québec in Quebec City, Legault spoke to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau through the news media, reminding him of his commitment made in mid-March to grant Quebec more power over immigration to that province. The Quebec premier’s comments come in the wake of a call by a minor ..read more

In the latest draw through the British Columbia Provincial Nominee Program (BC PNP), at least 75 candidates received invitations. This draw, held on April 30, featured a diverse spectrum across five specialized categories. A significant chunk of the invitations – 47 to be exact – came from a general draw, covering five BC PNP streams designed for skilled workers and international graduates. Eligibility criteria varied, with minimum scores ranging from 107 to 131 points. In a targeted move, 9 invitations were specifically earmarked for skilled workers and international graduates with a minimum ..read more

Manitoba’s Provincial Nominee Program (MPNP) is being criticized for excluding graduated international students through its prioritization of work experience in a recent draw. Last week, the provincial government conducted its first expression of interest (EOI) draw since early February for international students graduating from designated learning institutions (DLIs) in Manitoba. The April 24 draw, which was the 215th EOI draw, prioritized those applicants under the International Education Stream who possessed at least four years of work experience in the past five years, with 66 Letters of ..read more

A Prince Edward Island government policy to reduce immigration numbers has hit employers, and two of the province’s Chambers of Commerce are worried. The policy aims to slow population growth to allow public services and infrastructure to catch up, reducing federal nominees by 25% in 2024. However, this is expected to delay the permanent resident process of workers in the sales and service industry, impacting immigrant employees already residing in the province and employed in this sector. In a joint statement, the Greater Charlottetown Area Chamber of Commerce and the Gre ..read more

The number of Indian international students and skilled workers coming to Canada has undergone a four-fold increased since 2013, according to a new report. The April 2024 policy brief, titled International Students in Canada and the United States, and released by the National Foundation for American Policy, said Indian students and highly skilled foreign nationals choose Canada rather than the US because of the former’s immigration policies being more favourable for attracting and retaining talent. The paper detailed that it is more difficult to gain H-1B status or permanent residence in the ..read more

Canada will stop allowing international students to work more than 20 hours per week from Tuesday, April 30. Immigration Minister Marc Miller has announced the end of the temporary policy that was introduced during the Covid-19 pandemic. Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada says a new policy to be introduced in fall will allow international students to work 24 hours per week. The decision is designed to ensure that students come to Canada with the primary intention to study, IRCC said. “Working off campus helps international students gain work experience and offset some of their expen ..read more

Canadian companies employed a higher number of temporary foreign workers in 2023 despite the labour market softening and the unemployment rate rising. Employers were approved to fill around 240,000 job vacancies during the year, an increase of 7.5 per cent from the year before that, and more than double what was permitted in 2018. The last quarter of 2023 was the largest quarter for approvals since the federal government made many employer-friendly changes to the program in Spring 2022. Employers were approved to fill upwards of 81,000 positions through the Temporary Foreign Worker Program (T ..read more

Canada Immigration Minister Marc Miller has announced a cap on the number of permanent residence applications through the Start-Up Visa Program. Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada will limit the applications it receives each year to those associated with no more than 10 start-ups per designated organization. The news was part of Miller’s announcement of several changes to the country’s federal business programs to help reduce processing times and improve the current application backlog. “Fast processing is critical to the success of entrepreneurs who come to Canada through our feder ..read more

As a newcomer to Canada, adjusting to the workplace culture can be as important as mastering any professional skill. Understanding Canadian workplace culture is essential for integration and success in the job market. From communication styles to office etiquette, there are nuances that may differ from what you’re accustomed to. This guide aims to provide newcomers with valuable insights and practical tips to navigate and thrive in Canadian workplaces. Read More Nurses Can Immigrate To Canada More Quickly By Using PASS Program Canada To Focus Immigration Draws On Candidates Already In Country ..read more