News updates

Canada updated exemptions for members of armed forces of designated states

On July 13, 2021, the Government of Canada made corrections to the legislation referenced for exemptions to the requirement to obtain a temporary resident visa (TRV) or electronic travel authorization (eTA) for members of the armed forces of a designated state. Members of the armed forces of a designated state, or persons designated as a civilian component of that visiting force, for the purposes of the Visiting Forces Act, coming to attend training for a duration longer than 6 months do not require a study permit and are also exempt from the obtaining a TRV or eTA, and even a medical examination. #Armed_forces, #eTA, #TRV, #Study_permit https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/corporate/publications-manuals/operational-bulletins-manuals/temporary-residents/foreign-workers/work-without-permit/military/family-members.html

July 14, 2021

Canada introduced special measures to support Hong Kong residents to immigrate to Canada

On July 13, 2021, the Government of Canada introduced a guideline for special measures to support Hong Kong residents coming to Canada. Now, associate degrees under Education are also eligible for the issuance of an open work permit. In addition, Canada is going to issue national interest exemption letters to eligible open work permit holders. The Government also made minor reformatting to make the instructions easier for officers to read and navigate. Foreign nationals who hold a passport issued by the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People’s Republic of China, or by the United Kingdom to a British National Overseas are considered as residents of Hong Kong and eligible to immigrate to Canada under special measures. #IRCC, #Hong_Kong, #Open_work_permit   https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/news/2020/11/canada-announces-immigration-measures-supporting-hong-kong-residents-and-canadians-in-hong-kong.html

July 14, 2021

Canadian Police discovered thousands of fake permanent residency cards

The Financial Crimes Unit of the Durham Regional Police recently discovered a production factory in Markham that was creating fake permanent residency documents in May of this year. As a result, 45-year-old Rameshkumar Visvalingam was arrested. The police said they have seized a large number of machines, including printers, thousands of completed or partially completed permanent resident cards, hundreds of complete and semi-complete Ontario driving licenses, credit cards, and international currency templates on a home on Charles Brown Road. #Fake, #Fake_documents, #Fake_PR, #immigration_fraud   https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/news/video/pr-card.html

July 13, 2021

Ontario updated application processing times in the OINP

On July 8, 2021, Ontario has updated the average processing time in the Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program (OINP). As of now, the processing time in Ontario’s Master Graduates Stream is 30-60 days. For Express Entry French-Speaking Skilled Worker Stream, Express Entry Human Capital Priorities Stream, and Ph.D. Graduates Stream the processing time is 60-90 days. As for Ontario’s Express Entry Skilled Trades Stream, Employer Job Offer Foreign Worker and Employer Job Offer International Student Stream, it is 90-120 days. The processing time for applications in the Employer Job Offer: In-Demand Skills take 120-150 days to process. The Expression of Interest (EOI) Assessment in the Entrepreneur Stream requires less than 30 days, while the application processing depends on the complexity of the business nomination application. #OINP, #Ontario, #processing_times, #PNP, #nomination_certificate   https://www.ontario.ca/page/oinp-application-processing-times-and-nominations-issued

July 12, 2021