On October 4, 2023, the Canadian Government extended temporary measures for communities affected by the 2023 wildfire.
To be eligible for special measures, applications for document replacement, extension, or restoration must be submitted by November 30, 2023.
On June 12, 2023, the Government announced free replacement documents for Canadians and residents who lost or damaged their documents due to the fires.
Temporary residents affected by the wildfires whose status was expiring by September 30, 2023, could extend or restore their status in Canada for free.
#IRCC, #wildfires
October 5, 2023
Canadian education institutions are preparing for a possible decrease in Indian students due to rising political tensions between Canada and India.
These tensions started after Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau claimed that Indian Government operatives assassinated a Sikh activist in Canada.
This has strained diplomatic relations, resulting in measures like expelling diplomats, suspending visa processing, and postponing trade talks.
These developments have already affected tourism, business, and student mobility. Some educational agents are redirecting Indian students to other countries like the US or UK.
Canadian universities believe this will not affect application processing or student permits, but it could lead to a drop in demand for Canada as a destination.
#International_students, #Indian_students, #Trudeau, #Sikhs
October 3, 2023
On September 28, 2023, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) updated the data on immigration inventories and backlogs.
According to the last update, there were 2,198,700 applications for permanent residence, temporary residence, and citizenship approvals in all IRCC inventories.
According to the update, 38.4% of applications in the inventory exceeded service standards. IRCC aims to process 80% of applications within their service standard, though some complex cases may require a comprehensive assessment.
Currently, 39% of temporary residence requests - including ones for visiting, studying, or working abroad and 45% of permanent residency applications are in backlog. Additionally, 21% of citizenship applications are also exceeding service standards.
#IRCC, #immigration_backlog, #service_standards, #application_processing_times, #backlog
October 3, 2023
The Canadian Senate issued a report on improving the international student program in Canada. The report highlights integrity challenges within the program.
It suggests various recommendations, including a national review of financial sustainability, increased oversight of educational institutions, raising awareness among international students, improving housing supply, enhancing legal rights understanding, implementing a national policy approach, establishing a nationwide linguistic standard, improving the LOA verification process, amending regulations, and imposing restrictions and sanctions on education agents.
The report also raises concerns about the vulnerability of the Canadian post-secondary education sector and the need for greater oversight to ensure a positive experience for international students.
#international_Students, #Senate_of_Canada, #study_in_Canada, #international_student_program
https://www.ratnaomidvar.ca/strengthening-the-integrity-of-canadas-international-student-program/
September 26, 2023
