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October 2006 - Quebec selection criteria are changed.
May 2006 the Right of Permanent Residence Fee is reduced.
April 2006 International Students studying in Canada are allowed to work off-campus.
17 June, 2009 - Canadian Government Promotes Recognition of Imigrants Qualifications
13 October, 2009 - Immigrants More Than Twice As Likely to Attend University
01 December, 2009 - Quebec is failing to retain residents
18 February, 2010 - Quebec is planning to regulate consultants
October 2006 - Quebec selection criteria are changed.
On October 16th, 2006 the Quebec Government has modified the schedule used to calculate the weighting applicable to the selection of foreign nationals. These changes are designed to reflect a move of the Government of Quebec towards the needs of the Quebec Labor Market. According to the new schedule not only the people with university degree are eligible to be selected by the Quebec Immigration Authorities, but also people with vocational and/or college diplomas. The List of Professions in Demand was also changed to better reflect the shortcomings of the Quebec Labor Market. It is designed in such a way as to facilitate applications from people who will benefit the most the Canadian Economy. If you want to find out if you and/or your family members are eligible to immigrate to Quebec under these new regulations, complete our Free Questionnaire and submit it for an evaluation. We will get in touch with you and will inform you on how to proceed further to prepare your immigration application.
May 2006 the Right of Permanent Residence Fee is reduced.
In May 2006 the Canadian Government has reduced the Right of Permanent Residence Fee (RPRF) by 50% - from $ 975 CAD to $ 490 CAD. This change has made the immigration to Canada a lot more affordable than before.
For instance, before the changes, in a family of three with one child, both parents had to pay RPRF $ 975 CAD each. This equals to $ 1950 CAD ($ 975 CAD multiplied by two). Now, after the changes, the total amount of RPRF is equal to $ 980 CAD ($ 490 CAD multiplied by two) – which equals to a total of $ 970 CAD in savings. Some of the Permanent Residence applications that were submitted before these changes were in effect are eligible for reductions. Please contact us and we will inform you if you are qualify to receive a part of the money you already paid.
April 2006 International Students studying in Canada are allowed to work off-campus.
In April 2006 the Canadian Government has approved new immigration regulations which might be of interest to some of our clients. According to these regulations international students were granted the right to work off-campus (20 hours per week). This is a great opportunity for the people who want to immigrate to Canada. A student that works legally in Canada he/she is considered as considered as a person holding a valid job-offer. Therefore his/her chances of being selected as an immigrant are significantly higher. Contact us to find out how your studies in Canada can help you become a Permanent Resident and eventually a Canadian Citizen. You may also contact us to find out more about the regulations respecting International Students in Canada and to obtain a list of documents for the Student Visa.
17 June, 2009 - Canadian Government Promotes Recognition of Imigrants Qualifications
Canada's government has enacted a number of strategies in the past several years intended to specifically address its effort to improve the integration of immigrants into Canadian society. A large part of this overall effort is the improvement of the recognition of foreign credentials in Canada. By improving the recognition of such international credentials, the government seeks to improve the success of Canadian immigrants quickly finding work in the fields of their expertise.
As part of the effort to improve credential recognition, the government has recently introduced a new resource directed to Canadian employers. Integrated in to the Foreign Credentials Referral Office (FCRO), the Employer's Roadmap is intended to aid employers in meeting their labour needs more effectively, while allowing skilled newcomers to apply their expertise to work in Canada more quickly.The Employer’s Roadmap derives from a partnership between the FCRO, Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC), and The Alliance of Sector Councils (TASC).
Speaking about this new resource, Canada's Minister of Citizenship, Immigration and Multiculturalism states that “The Government of Canada is committed to improving the labour market integration of internationally trained workers – this is essential to building a strong Canada: socially, culturally and economically. Employers are key partners in helping internationally trained workers find jobs in their areas of training, and this resource makes it easier for employers to assess their qualifications.”
13 October, 2009 - Immigrants More Than Twice As Likely to Attend University
A new study shows that immigrant youth are more than twice as likely as their Canadian counterparts to pursue post-secondary education.
The phenomenon, which the scholars are calling the “immigrant effect”, is being attributed to a common immigrant value system more heavily focused on the opportunities Canada can provide. Many newcomers choose to migrate to this country precisely because they want a better future for their children, and “the kids understand and they work for it.”
The study found that Chinese immigrant youth have the highest post-secondary education rates, with 98.3 per cent enrolling in either university or community college before reaching 21 years of age. This trend, however, extends to immigrant youth from other regions, including the Middle East, India and Africa.
The study’s authors, though expecting to find high post-secondary education rates, were surprised at just how high the figures were.
“The numbers are so high, they don’t even seem possible,” said Ross Finnie, an economics at the University of Ottawa who helped analyse the survey data.
The rates remain higher for immigrants even if only measuring university attendance. Only 38 per cent of non-immigrant students in Canada go on to study at the university level. First-generation immigrants, those who arrived in Canada as immigrants at an early age, attend university at a 57 per cent level. Second-generation immigrants, who have been born to immigrants, were found to have a 54.3 per cent university attendance rate
Source: Immigrtion.ca
01 December, 2009 - Quebec is failing to retain residents
Despite having its own selection requirements, the province of Quebec is becoming a less popular destination for new immigrants to Canada, according to the latest statistics.
Though Quebec does share immigration jurisdiction with the Federal Government, Canada’s only province with a francophone majority has long been setting their own requirements for accepting new residents. Unlike the rest of Canada, whose policies favour immigrants with better education and work experience, Quebec favours French-speaking immigrants.
However, the data now shows that such a language-based policy may no longer be attracting immigrants the way it did in previous years. Though overall immigration rates have increased over the past ten years, Quebec is falling far behind Ontario. Ontario attracts 52 percent of new arrivals to Canada, while Quebec, with its comparable size, is only attracting 18 percent of Canadian immigrants.
What’s more, Quebec is having an increasingly difficult time retaining its immigrants. It is estimated that 28 percent of immigrants leave the province within 5 years, and over 50 percent leave within two decades, though these figures are difficult to verify as Canada does not require any paperwork for interprovincial migration.
Why is Quebec falling behind? Analysts assert that many factors are contributing to the trend. Firstly, there seems to be more anti-immigrant rhetoric in Quebec – a province notorious for its fierce battle to hold onto its own distinct culture and language. Secondly, and in relation, immigrants to Quebec are legally required to send their children to French-language schools.
Furthermore, there is a perception that speaking English leads to better economic prospects than French, as economic booms of late have been centralized in Canada’s Western (and mostly Anglophone) provinces.
However, the situation could easily be turned around say the analysts. Access to English schools – which a recent court ruling could initiate – as well as more incentives for entrepreneurs could put Quebec back into competition for attracting and retaining residents.
Source: www.Imigration.ca
18 February, 2010 - Quebec is planning to regulate consultants
Public protection, immigration rules, and public services - Minister Yolande James presents the inaugural regulation respecting the work of immigration consultants in Québec
MONTRÉAL, February 18 /CNW Telbec/ - "Public protection, respect for immigration rules, and the integrity of public services provided to the population of Québec are among the priorities of our government. That is why I have tabled this inaugural regulation, which will strictly regulate the practice of immigration consultants in Québec", declared Yolande James, Québec's Minister of Immigration and Cultural Communities.
The Bill, which was unveiled this morning, stipulates that only the following persons may act as immigration consultants in dealing with the Ministère de l'Immigration et des Communautés culturelles:
---lawyers and notaries who are members in good standing of their professional
orders;
-- consultants who satisfy the requirements of the new regulation, which specifies
that consultants must: -
be members in good standing of the Canadian Society of Immigration
Consultants (CSIC);
pass an examination pertaining to Québec immigration rules;
demonstrate sufficient knowledge of French for carrying out their activities;
have not committed an offence pursuant the Québec Immigration Act or its
regulations, and have not failed in their obligations as an immigration
consultant during the three years prior to their application.
In addition, in the event that a consultant fails to comply with these obligations, or subsequent to an infraction pursuant to the Immigration Act, the Minister may suspend or revoke the consultant's accreditation. To this end, the regulation calls for the institution of a public registry of accredited immigration consultants, as well as those whose accreditation has been suspended or revoked.
Finally, in an effort to eradicate the practice of "phantom" consultants, any person who submits an application to Immigration-Québec to immigrate, either in Québec or abroad, will be required to declare whether or not he or she is using the services of an immigration consultant. Any false declaration may result in the application being rejected. The Minister may also pursue immigration consultants who carry out their activities without being listed on the government registry.
According to Mtre Jacques Frémont, who chaired the External Advisory Committee on guidelines for consultants, and who was present for the announcement along with Ms. James: "The Bill that the Minister presented today demonstrates a thorough approach and respects the spirit of the recommendations contained in the report by the Advisory Committee. It will definitely help to improve public protection and eliminate questionable practices.
Minister Yolande James concluded: "We cannot ignore the fact that people rely on the services of immigration consultants, nor can we ignore the fact that cases of malpractice have been reported by applicants and the media. From now on, all immigration consultants must comply with the rules in order to practice in Québec, and they will be held accountable. This regulation will make a significant difference in the lives of vulnerable individuals who may suffer from the actions of underhanded consultants. It will also make a huge difference in terms of preserving the integrity of our immigration system and the public services provided in Québec."
Information: Luc Fortin
Press Secretary
Minister's Office
418-644-2128
Contact: Claude Fradette
Direction des affaires publiques et des communications
Ministère de
Source: CAPIC
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