With a Conservative Government leading the polls, many are concerned about changes in immigration, citizenship, multiculturalism, and employment equity policies in Canada.
As immigration is a shared jurisdiction, restricting the number of permanent residents, temporary workers, and international students may face provincial opposition.
Provincial governments and education institutions rely on international students' funding. Business groups want a larger population to meet labour market needs.
Immigration lawyers, consultants, and settlement and refugee groups benefit from a larger population.
However, the impact of immigration on housing availability, health care, and infrastructure is often overlooked.
Global trends, like increased refugee flows and the use of AI in the labour market, could also influence future policies.
November 23, 2023
Many skilled H-1B visa holders in the US seek work in Canada due to layoffs in the tech sector and stringent immigration rules.
Changes by ex-President Trump made entry into the US harder for these workers, impacting US tech firms but benefiting Canada.
Competition is high, with companies like Google, Amazon, and Microsoft sponsoring many H-1B applications. Out of over 758,000 eligible applications, only 188,400 were selected. Foreign nationals, at risk of deportation unless they find a new sponsor within 60 days, are considering Canada's Start-Up Visa program.
The SUV program in Canada offers a pathway to permanent residency for entrepreneurs who can secure a significant investment from designated Canadian venture capital funds, angel investor groups, or business incubators.
This has become an attractive option for many tech workers facing uncertainty in the US.
#H1B, #work_permits, #Open_work_permits, #US, #business_immigration, #SUV, #tec
November 23, 2023
International students in Canada hope for an extension of the Post-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP) policy in 2024, given the limited options for permanent residency.
By mid-2023, Canada had approximately 2.2 million temporary residents, with over 1 million holding work permits - which has almost doubled in a year.
The PGWP, typically a one-time issuance, was temporarily extended during the COVID-19 pandemic, with a recent extension granting an additional 18 months for permits expiring by December 2023.
Previously, students relied on the Canadian Experience Class (CEC) category of the Express Entry system for permanent residency, but the absence of CEC-specific rounds has led to heightened competition.
Now, students remain optimistic about a PGWP extension.
#PGWP, #International_students, #work_permits, #Open_work_permits, #CEC, #EE
November 23, 2023
Canada's Department of Finance is investing $1.2 billion in building new rental homes in Toronto to address the housing crisis.
The funds, provided as low-interest loans through the Rental Construction Financing Initiative, will be distributed across seven new projects.
This joint announcement by Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland and Attorney General Arif Virani aims to build 2,644 new rental homes.
Toronto, the largest city in Ontario, is the country’s main destination for immigrants, making this move significant for newcomers.
The government aims to create over 71,000 new rental housing units across Canada by 2027-28 to enhance community vibrancy.
This is part of Canada's ongoing efforts to tackle housing availability and affordability issues nationwide.
#Housing_crisis, #Rent, #Toronto
November 23, 2023
