Will Canadian Retirees Be Supported By Future Immigrants?

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In a report released by Schroder Investment Management North America Inc on Thursday, July 21, two authors revealed that Canada will be facing a “baby bust” as its aging population goes into retirement.

In the report, co-authored by Virginie Maisonneuve and Katherine Davidson, the two authors describe how the future GDP of Canada will not be able to support the aging population unless significant changes take place in the labor market.

Specifically, the authors point out that the only way Canada will be able to survive the lower GDP growth and surge in retiring baby boomers will be “to increase immigration or raise participation rates, especially of older workers.”

The authors point out that an increase in immigration will not solve all of the Country’s financial problems caused by the effects of an aging population.

In addition to immigration changes, the country will still need to increase productivity in order to support the high costs of having an aging population. The situation threatens Canada’s reputation for “superior health status”.

Canada and the Aging Population

The report also points out that:

–> From 2020 onward, the country’s population growth is going to exclusively come from immigration. The report states that there will be entire segments of the Canadian economy that will be completely dependent upon foreign workers.

–> With such an older population, the financial and healthcare sectors of the economy will encompass a larger share of the country’s GDP. The report predicts that education, manufacturing, construction and retail will all decrease.

Why would an investment firm care about Canada’s aging population? Well, the report was released as a way to gauge what the future will look like in the Canadian marketplace, and where investment opportunities will exist.

Virginie Maisonneuve explains:

Demographic analysis is part of a coherent macroeconomic and thematic road map that serves as a framework to our stock analysis and selection. Many of our current holdings listed in Canada are resource companies. They will need to adapt to the demographic challenges that we have highlighted in this report in order to ensure success and shareholder value.”

The authors also seem to take pleasure in pointing out a comparison between Canada’s elderly pension system vs. that of the United States.  The report points out that Canada is fiscally responsible enough to have already started strategically positioning resources and making the necessary changes to meet this future financial challenge.

It also points out that Canada’s pension plan is expected to be solvent by 2050…in direct contrast to the United States Social Security system, which many experts believe will start experiencing financial shortfalls in 2016, and complete insolvency by 2039.

Of the report out of Schroder Investment is at all accurate, then elderly Canadian citizens are likely going to be dependent upon foreign workers to serve their needs. And, if the U.S. social security crisis does really come to fruition, then many of those immigrant workers will probably consist of elderly Americans, trying to survive the collapse of the U.S. Social Security system.

Related articles

• Immigration to Canada drops by 25 per cent (thestar.com)
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• VIDEO: Warning over ageing population (bbc.co.uk)
• A Nations of Immigrants with a Dumb Immigration Policy (outsidethebeltway.com)

Feds plan to revoke fraudulent citizenship of 1,800

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BY ALTHIA RAJ, POSTMEDIA NEWS JULY 19, 2011

The federal government believes some 1,800 Canadian citizens have obtained their citizenship through fraudulent means and it intends to revoke their status, Postmedia News has learned.The federal government believes some 1,800 Canadian citizens have obtained their citizenship through fraudulent means and it intends to revoke their status, Postmedia News has learned.

Photograph by: Richard Lam, Reuters

OTTAWA — The federal government believes some 1,800 people have obtained their Canadian citizenship through fraudulent means and it intends to revoke their status, Postmedia News has learned.

After a lengthy investigation by police and the department of Citizenship and Immigration, letters have been issued to hundreds of Canadians telling them the federal government intends to revoke their citizenship.

Individuals can challenge the decision in Federal Court but if they don't, cabinet will move to void their passports and strip them of their citizenship.

Some of the people targeted are believed to have used crooked consultants who submitted fraudulent applications on behalf of people who didn't meet the qualifications for citizenship — such as residency requirements.

"The bottom line is three years residency in Canada but a lot of people misrepresent the amount of time they spend here . . . (They) are actually living and working in Dubai, for example, but claiming they are in Canada and may be using consultants to manufacture evidence that they are here," immigration lawyer Andrew Wlodyka explained Tuesday.

Many people benefit from Canada's generosity while living in places where they don't pay income tax nor do they declare their worldwide income as they are required to under Canadian law, he said.

"I know some people who declare their income to be $30,000 when they live in a $5,000,000 house and they have a lot of property in Asia," he said from his office in Vancouver.

"We lose a lot of clients because we demand full disclosure, and a lot of the really good lawyers in town do the same, but clients don't want to disclose so they find consultants that will do whatever they want as long as they pay them," he added.

It is difficult for the government to track such cases because Canada doesn't have exit controls, residents can move easily across borders and it is difficult to track how long some have been gone.

Still, Wlodyka, acknowledged it is possible that some of the 1,800 may be victims themselves and have unknowingly committed immigration fraud by hiring unprincipled consultants.

Citizenship revocation is relatively uncommon in Canada. According to data from 2010 only 63 people have had their citizenship revoked since 1977, when the revocation process was established. Most were for reasons related to residence fraud, criminality, false identity and seven were for concealing their involvement in war crimes.

Speaking in Vancouver Tuesday, Immigration Minister Jason Kenney said the federal government was trying to discourage immigration fraud.

"For those who simply touch down and try to get a Canadian passport as a . . . passport of convenience, who don't pay our taxes but who do consume our social benefits, I think that's dishonourable," he told a group of reporters after delivering a speech to a Vancouver Board of Trade.

"There are many ways that we are combating immigration fraud and abuse of our generosity, whether it is from (bogus) asylum claimants, crooked immigration consultants, people smugglers, people who are abusing out citizenship program," he added.

During a trip to the Punjab capital of Chandigarh in India in January 2009, Kenney said he was "floored" after seeing thousands of faked documents that had been submitted with visa applications. Many of the documents came from unscrupulous document vendors, counterfeit artists and fake immigration consultants who can charge $15,000.

Canadian citizenship can at times be a safety-net. Approximately 15,000 passport holders in Lebanon used their citizenship to get out of a war zone in 2006. The federal government spent almost $100 million bringing them home only to find out that some had rarely, if ever, set foot in Canada and that most returned to their Lebanon, their real home, as soon as situation calmed.

Last year, the Conservative government introduced legislation to streamline the time-consuming and expensive revocation process. The Tories wanted to remove the decision making from cabinet and place it in the hands of the Federal Court, which could also issue removal orders earlier in the process.

araj@postmedia.com

Related articles

• 1,800 Canadians poised to lose citizenship: Kenney (thestar.com)
• 1,800 new Canadians poised to lose citizenship: Kenney (thestar.com)
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• If fraudulently obtained, feds plan to revoke citizenship of 1,800 (canada.com)
• Feds plan to revoke fraudulent citizenship of 1,800 (windsorstar.com)

New Immigrants and taxes in Canada.

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The following information applies only for the first tax year that you are a new resident of Canada for tax purposes. After your first tax year in Canada, you are no longer considered a newcomer for tax purposes.

If you immigrate to Canada, we consider you to have acquired (deemed acquisition) almost all your properties at fair market value on the day you immigrated. If you are re-establishing Canadian residency and you had a deemed disposition when you left Canada, see Dispositions of property.

Residency status

You become a resident of Canada for income tax purposes when you establish significant residential ties in Canada, usually on the date you arrive in Canada.

Newcomers to Canada who have established residential ties with Canada may be:

• persons in need of protection;
• people who have applied for or received permanent resident status from Citizenship and Immigration Canada; or
• people who have received approval-in-principle from Citizenship and Immigration Canada, to stay in Canada.

If you were a resident of Canada in an earlier year, and you are now a non-resident, you will be considered a Canadian resident when you move back to Canada and re-establish your residential ties.

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What are residential ties?

Residential ties include:

• a home in Canada;
• a spouse or common-law partner (see the definition in the General Income Tax and Benefit Guide) and dependants who move to Canada to live with you;
• personal property, such as a car or furniture; and
• social ties in Canada.

Other ties that may be relevant include:

• a Canadian driver's licence;
• Canadian bank accounts or credit cards;
• health insurance with a Canadian province or territory.

For more information, please see IT-221, Determination of an Individual's Residence Status.

If you want an opinion about your residency status, complete and submit Form NR74, Determination of Residency Status (Entering Canada).

Your tax obligations

As a resident of Canada, you:

• must report "world income" (income from all sources both inside and outside Canada) on your Canadian income tax return;
• must ensure that you pay the correct amount of taxes according to the law;
• have the right and responsibility to verify your income tax status each year;
• can claim all deductions, non-refundable tax credits, and refundable federal, provincial, or territorial credits that apply to you.

As a newcomer to Canada, you should be aware that most individuals who reside in Canada file only one income tax return for the tax year, because the Canadian government collects taxes on behalf of all provinces and territories except the Province of Quebec.

Note
If you live in the province of Quebec, you may need to file a separate provincial income tax return. For information about your provincial tax liability, contact theRevenu Québec.

Do you have to file?

As a resident of Canada for part or all of a tax year (January 1 to December 31), you must file a tax return if you:

• owe tax; or
• want to receive a refund.

Even if you have no income to report or tax to pay, you may be eligible for certain payments or credits. In order to receive the following payments or credits, you must file an income tax return.

• the GST/HST credit (goods and services tax/harmonized sales tax);
• Canada Child Tax Benefit payments;
• provincial or territorial tax credits.

For more information, please see "Do you have to file a return?" in the General Income Tax and Benefit Guide.

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Which tax package?

For the tax year that you are a newcomer to Canada and for each tax year that you continue to be a resident of Canada for tax purposes, use the General Income Tax and Benefit Guide and the forms book for the province or territory where you live on December 31 of the tax year.

• It is important to use the forms book for your province or territory because tax rates and tax credits are different in each province and territory.
• If you live in the province of Quebec, you may need to file a separate provincial income tax return. For information about your provincial tax liability, contactRevenu Québec.

Filing due date

Your income tax return has to be filed on or before:

• April 30 of the year after the tax year; or
• if you or your spouse or common-law partner carried on a business in Canada (other than a business whose expenditures are mainly in connection with a tax shelter), the return has to be filed on or before June 15 of the year after the tax year.

NoteA balance of tax owing has to be paid on or before April 30 of the year after the tax year, regardless of the due date of the tax return.

Entitlement to benefits and credits

As a newcomer to Canada, you may be eligible for the goods and services/harmonized sales tax (GST/HST) credit, the Canada Child Tax Benefit (CCTB), and/or the Universal Child Care Benefit (UCCB) payments in the year you became a resident of Canada.

• To apply for the GST/HST credit, complete Form RC151, GST/HST Credit Application for Individuals Who Become Residents of Canada.
• To apply for the CCTB and/or the UCCB payments, complete Form RC66, Canada Child Benefits Application. Depending upon your immigration and residency status, you may also have to complete the schedule Status in Canada/Statement of Income.

Related articles

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Common-Law Couples & Immigration to Canada

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By Katherine at Legal Language
Posted 02/02/2011
In Immigration

anada is one of only a few countries to allow common-law couples to take advantage of the family immigration process.

Proving the validity of a common-law relationship can be difficult, however, and Citizenship & Immigration Canada will deny applications that don’t meet some strict criteria.

Definition of Common-Law Marriage in Canada

Couples whose relationships are defined as marriages or common-law marriages are eligible for immigration to Canada through family sponsorship if one person is a Canadian citizen or permanent resident.

Citizenship & Immigration Canada, Canada’s federal immigration agency, defines a common-law marriage as two people of the opposite or same sex who have lived together for at least one full year and have significant commitments — emotional, financial — to one another.

While the definition of a common-law relationship may seem lenient, it is important to be aware of certain criteria to be met in order for a common-law marriage to be accepted by immigration officials.

Common-Law Marriage & Immigration Regulations

Common-law marriages are closely inspected and scrutinized by Citizenship & Immigration Canada for the same reason that US Citizenship and Immigration Services rejects them outright — many people lie about the nature of their relationship just to be eligible for immigration.

Though CIC’s definition of a common-law relationship may be lenient, it does require extensive proof that the relationship is real — and this can pose problems even for bona fide couples.

Evidence that you are in an emotional relationship, share a home and support each other financially will need to be provided.

Proof of a Common-Law Marriage

The key to this is preparation and timing.

As soon as you know you will want to apply for immigration to Canada you should look at mortgage or rental agreements, utility bills (such as those for electricity, gas, water, internet and television), bank accounts and investments. Make a list and note whose name is included on each.

Many couples split the cost of living, which Citizenship & Immigration Canada accepts as proof of a common-law marriage.

However, many couples do this by assigning certain bills to an individual person instead of putting two names on the account. Immigration officials may view this as “roommate behavior” instead of the behavior of a financially and emotionally invested couple. Citizenship & Immigration Canada will be looking for utility bills that include the names of both parties.

This also goes for leases, deeds or other evidence of home ownership or rental. While you may have rented or bought a place before a second person moved in, it’s very important to add your partner’s name to the paperwork. Establishing the amount of time you have spent living together is vital to determining if your relationship can be deemed common-law.

Joint bank accounts are also good evidence of a committed couple, as are birth certificates of any children you may have had or adopted together. To a lesser degree, photos, correspondence and even travel tickets and itineraries can be used as proof of a common-law marriage.

This is not to say you must have both names on everything — Citizenship & Immigration Canada understands that not every couple will share absolutely everything. Many legally married couples, for example, have separate bank accounts or a house in one name.

But keep these tips in mind while you’re filling out an application — Canadian immigration officials are more likely to question or even deny an immigration application that a common-law couple submits.


 

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• Canada Sponsor Visa (socyberty.com)
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• Common law doesn't have the same entitlements as legally married (calgaryherald.com)
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• Couple survives immigration ordeal (cbc.ca)
• Man fights deportation after 32 years in Canada (thestar.com)

Brain Gain' Pilot Project Launched in Ontario

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OTTAWA, ONTARIO--(Marketwire - Jan. 30, 2011) - More Canadians working abroad could soon return home and contribute to Canada's economy, thanks to an innovative pilot project launched in Ontario, Citizenship, Immigration and Multiculturalism Minister Jason Kenney announced today.

"It's a reverse brain drain," said Minister Kenney. "We're making it easier for Canadians abroad to bring their skills home and contribute to the Canada of tomorrow."

For some Canadian workers living abroad, an obstacle to returning to Canada is that their non-Canadian spouse, common-law partner or dependent children may be unable to work until they are processed as permanent residents, which usually takes between six months and one year.

Since November 22, family members of Canadian citizens and permanent residents returning to work in Ontario in the health care and academic sectors have been able to get temporary work permits immediately upon arriving in Canada. Ontario's health and academic sectors have faced significant skill and labour shortages in recent years and were identified as the most appropriate sectors for the pilot project.

"By encouraging highly-skilled workers to come back to Canada, we are laying the foundation for long-term economic growth," added the Minister. 

A pledge to establish this pilot project was included in the 2008 Temporary Foreign Worker agreement between the Government of Canada and the Province of Ontario. It is operating on a trial basis until May 22, 2012. Upon completion of the pilot project, the government will evaluate the initiative's effectiveness.

For more details on this initiative, please see the Backgrounder.

Follow us on Twitter at www.twitter.com/CitImmCanada 

BACKGROUNDER

Ontario Pilot Project for Spouses, Common-Law Partners and Dependents of Returning Canadian Workers

This pilot project in Ontario allows spouses, common-law partners and dependent children of certain Canadian citizens and permanent residents returning to Ontario, to receive open work permits that would allow them to accept any job with any employer in the province.

To be eligible to participate in the pilot, applicants must:

• be a spouse, common-law partner, or dependent child of a Canadian citizen or permanent resident returning to work in Ontario,
• have an application underway to immigrate to Canada through sponsorship in the family class,
• be old enough to work in Ontario,
• meet all admissibility criteria to come to Canada as a temporary resident.

The sponsoring spouse or parent must:

• be a Canadian citizen or permanent resident;
• have left Canada and be returning to work permanently in Ontario, as a health professional or an academic for post-secondary public institutions, in one of the specified occupations listed below;
• with their employer, obtain a letter from the Province of Ontario confirming their employment, location and occupation and provide it as supporting documentation with the work permit application; and
• have submitted an application to CIC to sponsor their spouse or dependent child.

List of specified occupations

Health Professionals

• Specialist Physicians
• General Practitioners and Family Physicians
• Dentists
• Veterinarians
• Optometrists
• Chiropractors
• Other Professional Occupations in Health Diagnosing and Treating
• Pharmacists
• Dietitians and Nutritionists
• Audiologists and Speech-Language Pathologists
• Physiotherapists
• Occupational Therapists
• Other Professional Occupations in Therapy and Assessment
• Head Nurses and Supervisors
• Registered Nurses
• Medical Laboratory Technologists and Pathologists' Assistants
• Medical Laboratory Technicians
• Veterinary and Animal Health Technologists and Technicians
• Respiratory Therapists, Clinical Perfusionists and Cardiopulmonary Technologists
• Medical Radiation Technologists
• Medical Sonographers
• Cardiology Technologists
• Electroencephalographic and Other Diagnostic Technologists, n.e.c.
• Other Medical Technologists and Technicians (Except Dental Health)
• Denturists
• Dental Hygienists and Dental Therapists
• Dental Technologists, Technicians and Laboratory Bench Workers
• Opticians
• Midwives and Practitioners of Natural Healing
• Licensed Practical Nurses
• Ambulance Attendants and Other Paramedical Occupations
• Other Technical Occupations in Therapy and Assessment

Post-Secondary Education (Academics) for Public Institutions

• University Professors
• Post-Secondary Teaching and Research Assistants
• College and Other Vocational Instructors

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Minister Kenney Makes it Easier for Haitians in Canada to Work

Image via WikipediaOTTAWA, ONTARIO--(Marketwire - Jan. 18, 2011) - Haitians in Canada temporarily can now apply for work permits more easily, Citizenship, Immigration and Multiculturalism Minister Jason Kenney announced today.
"Given the continued health and safety concerns in Haiti, ensuring that Haitian nationals who are currently in Canada temporarily can work and support themselves while they are here is paramount," said Minister Kenney. "It's important for Haitians already in Canada to know that if they need a work permit, they can now obtain one much more easily."
The Immigration and Refugee Protection Regulations generally require work permit applications to be accompanied by a determination by Human Resources and Skills Development Canada that there is no adverse impact on the labour market. This is known as a labour market opinion, or an LMO. By removing this requirement, Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) is making it easier for Haitians who are here to work and maintain their immigration status.
Haitian nationals applying to extend their work permit will also receive continued coverage under the Interim Federal Health Program (IFHP). New applicants who are eligible for these measures will now also benefit from the IFHP.
These measures will take effect immediately and will apply to all Haitian nationals who were in Canada prior to January 13, 2011, and who are applying for a work permit or extending a work permit. The requirement for an LMO will remain in place for all those who arrived in Canada after that date.
Eligible individuals will have until September 1, 2011, to apply. Work permits are normally valid for one year.
For further information on work permits: http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/work/index.asp

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Immigration appeal process urged for rejected visitors

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Nicholas Keung Immigration Reporter

Noel Goonesekera, a longtime Canadian citizen, was upset that immigration officials have rejected applications from his brother and niece to visit him from Sri Lanka for the summer. “They didn’t give any reason for the rejection,” said Goonesekera, 60, a Sinhalese, who immigrated here in 1991 and works in property management. “I just couldn’t see any logical reason why they would turn them down. My brother visited Niagara Falls long time ago. He and his daughter have no plan to stay here.” The Toronto man is not alone, as 20 per cent of the one million visitors’ visa applications received by Canadian visa posts yearly are refused for concerns over alleged fraud and misrepresentation by applicants, whom officials fear would remain in Canada upon arrival. However, legitimate applicants invited for important family functions such as weddings, funerals and baby showers in Canada are often rejected as well — and there is no recourse once an application is rejected. In fact, a negative decision makes the chances of success for future applications next to zero. The application costs $75 per person and is non-refundable. On Monday, New Democrat MP and immigration critic Olivia Chow (Trinity-Spadina) will table a private-member’s bill in the House of Commons to allow rejected applications to be reviewed and appealed, as is done in the United Kingdom and Australia. Chow said one-third of the immigration cases at her Toronto office involve visitors’ visa applications being rejected, sometimes in what she calls “arbitrary decision-making” by Canadian visa officers. Currently, there is no appeal for failed applicants from abroad. The proposed bill would ask the Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada to hear the appeals. “We hope to bring fairness and transparency to the system,” said Chow, who launched the group, Calling for Visitor Visa Fairness, on Facebook last year. It has about 450 members. In the U.K., rejected applicants can appeal — for free — first at their local missions before an ultimate review by an independent tribunal. In Australia, failed visitors pay $1,400 to appeal at a tribunal, but the money will be refunded in full if a decision is reversed. Although Chow’s bill still has to pass second reading for further reviews, Goonesekera hopes it will raise public awareness of the plight faced by Canada’s many immigrants, whose loved ones often live overseas. Goonesekera is filled with dread as he prepares for the guest list, including his brother Merrel, for his scheduled wedding next August. “Some of my guests may need a visa to come to Canada for the wedding,” he said. “I am keeping my fingers crossed.”

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Immigrant Investor Program re-opens today

Image by mostlyconservative via FlickrStarting today, newcomers can now begin applying for the Immigrant Investor Program (IIP).

The Canadian government initially suspended the IIP in June due to a high volume of applications and long wait times.

The program which grants permanent residency, among other benefits, to successful applicants has changed investment criteria that will require immigrants to have a net worth of $1.6 million, up from $800, 000 and ask individuals to invest $800, 000 up from $400, 000.

New criteria will bring Canada’s foreign investor policies in line with the rest of other western countries said Immigration and Citizenship Minister Jason Kenney.

“These changes were necessary,” Kenney. “The requirements had not been increased in more than a decade and we need to keep pace with the changing economy.”

According to Immigration Canada, the country had one of the lowest investor programs compared to other countries due to the fact that the program had not been changed since 2005.

Currently, Australia requires businesspeople to have a net worth of $2 million and invest just under $1.5 million.  The U.K. asks for $3.3 million in assets and an investment of $1.6 million.

The changes will also help communities across Canada said Kenney. Provinces and territories can expect to financially benefit from the influx of money which can be used for a variety of projects.

“Higher investment amounts mean provinces and territories will receive more investment capital to put toward job creation and economic development projects.”

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Canada reports slight increase in permanent residents from Latvia

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Latvians Online

October 27, 2010

The number of persons from Latvia earning permanent resident status in Canada increased in 2009, but remains significantly lower than the figure recorded a decade ago, according to government statistics.
A total of 86 persons from Latvia became permanent residents of Canada last year, up from 66 in 2008, according to data compiled by Citizenship and Immigration Canada and released in September.
Under Canadian law, permanent residents must live in the country for at least two years within a five-year period. Otherwise, they risk losing their status. While permanent residents share many of the same rights as Canadian citizens, they may not vote in elections.
Ten years ago, 230 persons from Latvia became permanent residents, increasing to 286 in 2001.
The number steadily declined through 2006, when just 73 new permanent residents were recorded. However, the number jumped to 113 in 2007.
In the past decade, a total of 1,491 persons from Latvia have become permanent residents of Canada, according to the data. That is more than from Lithuania, which contributed 1,355 new permanent residents during the same period, or Estonia, with contributed just 403.
Last year, more than 250,000 persons from around the world became new permanent residents of Canada. China, the Philippines and India are the top three source countries, according to the data.

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Wealthy Chinese flock to the West

Image by williamcho via Flickr

By Chris Hogg BBC Shanghai Correspondent

Growing numbers of rich Chinese are applying for permanent residency in Western countries under programmes that allow investors with a high net worth to "buy" citizenship.

The number of Chinese investors granted permanent residency in Canada has doubled in two years.
Ottawa has now halted all applications to its federal immigrant investor programme while it consults on plans to double the funds needed to obtain a visa.
Applicants are still allowed to apply to a scheme run by the province of Quebec, however,
And at seminars run by visa consultancy firms in China, advisers are encouraging people to apply for the scheme before Quebec also doubles its minimum requirements to match the federal government's proposals.
Cash and experience

  The average age is 40 to 45, says visa consultant Vincent Chen

On a rainy Saturday afternoon, in a conference room at a five-star Shanghai hotel, more than 30 potential "investor applicants" arrive to hear how they might be able to exchange their cash for a foreign passport.
Many are in their 30s. There are several young couples. Most are professionals. Few are dressed smartly. They appear to be a pretty average cross-section of Shanghai's moneyed middle class.
They are shown a video that the visa company has made to promote Canada, and the country's visa application service.
"You don't have to worry about integrating," the video's commentary declares. "You don't even need to speak English."
Then the advisers go through the detail.
The Quebec scheme requires applicants to show they have a net worth of C$800,000 (US$776,000; £502,000) and they must invest up to C$400,000.
They also need to show they have had two years' experience in management.
Different requirements That's considerably cheaper, they point out, than the UK, which requires investors to invest £1m ($1.5m) for five years.

 

There are pros and cons of each of the countries' schemes.
Canada's applications currently take about two-and-a-half years, but the financial requirements are the lowest in the world.
The United States requires applicants to invest up to $1m (£646,000) in a business that creates at least 10 new jobs. Applications take up to one-and-a-half years.
The UK's application process is the quickest. It can be completed in just three months, according to the visa consultants at the seminar, and there is no interview.
But it is also the most costly.
"Usually, the applicants are business owners or senior managers," explains Vincent Chen, senior consultant for the Visa Consulting Group.
"The average age is 40 to 45, but it's getting younger."
Easily achievable Canada has not changed its "immigrant investor" programme requirements since 1991.

  Some just want the passport before they move back to China

"Back then, C$800,000 was a huge amount," Mr Chen says.
"But now, with the increases in property prices in cities like Shanghai, people don't think it's that hard to achieve.
"That's why you've seen the numbers granted permanent residency have doubled."
Other factors are also at work here.
Increasingly, those who come to the seminars have friends who have already emigrated.

Reasons to move
David Lu, 38, a manager in a telecommunications company, has come to the seminar to find out more about how to apply to move to Canada.

End Quote Dr Wang Huiyao Centre for China and Globalisation

At the end of the session he starts filling in the forms eagerly.
He has positive reasons to move. Some of his relatives already live in Canada. And during holidays there he has enjoyed the lower pollution levels there.
Also, he says, the Canadians are "a lot more relaxed" than the Chinese.
There are other reasons though why he wants to leave China.
"People hate you [here] if you have money, and the rich bully the poor," he says.
"Another issue for me is health care," he adds.
"I don't think anyone interested in moving abroad would worry about the costs. We want their better quality medical care."

Brain drain
Fabio Xu, 30, runs a paint company in Shanghai.
He says he wants to move to the US "because of the better medical care there, and better educational opportunities for my child".
"In China, all my money goes on my mortgage, food, clothing and travel," he says, "but in the States there's generally more freedom. I would be able to develop myself more creatively and get more out of life."
Some Chinese academics worry that China is losing its brightest and most able citizens, as well as huge amounts of money.
Last year 1,823 investors were granted citizenship in Canada under the immigrant investor programme.
Even if they had only invested the minimum amount required, that would mean almost US$700m had been taken out of the country.
"China is losing the talent it really needs," says Dr Wang Huiyao, the director general of the Centre for China and Globalisation.
"As China tries to develop its economy and change it from 'made in China' to 'created in China', it needs these people to build the country."
In touch with China Dr Wang believes many people want a foreign passport because it is so hard to travel freely around the world on Chinese documents.
Indeed, one woman at the seminar is anxious to know how quickly she could get her Canadian passport, so she could return home to China.
For her it appears the motivation is not to get a new home abroad, but to obtain a passport that might make life more convenient.
A Western diplomat in Shanghai offers another explanation for the increase in these kinds of visa applications.
The internet, he says, means you can live abroad, but never leave China.
"You can wake up in the morning and browse the People's Daily online over breakfast. You can trade your stocks on the Shanghai exchange with the click of a mouse," he says.
"You can chat all day to relatives for free on Skype, or run your business remotely."
His point is that emigration is no longer necessarily the emotional wrench that it once was for people.
The need to assimilate in their adopted country for practical reasons is not as great as it once was - which in itself could yet pose its own challenges for Western societies.

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