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

Related articles

• Montreal draws 3,000 Haitian immigrants in year (cbc.ca)
• Canadian visa waits for Haitians down but numbers still low (thestar.com)
• Living in limbo (bbc.co.uk)
• Canadian embassy in Haiti still closed for business (calgaryherald.com)

Ghost Consultants

The world has seen several effects following the earthquake in Haiti, the saddest and perhaps most worrying are the emergence of fraudulent Canadian immigration lawyers. This is the story that in the province of Quebec numbers of these supposed lawyers has sky-rocketed since the disaster happened, aiming to capitalise on the thousands of desperate people that are now hoping to start a new life in Canada or bring relatives over to Canada to live.

The numbers on the surface are slightly shocking; Canada government officials estimate that there are now over 3000 illegal Canada immigration lawyers operating in Quebec, the number of registered lawyers is 150!

This has seen a hastily arranged ad campaign by the Canadian Government to warn people of the risks involved with using such agents.
New Canada immigration ad campaign depicts a seal being eaten by a shark

One source has told us that victims are being charged between $6,000 and $15,000 for the bogus Canada immigration service.

“They are being offered false hope and false promises, people think that because they are paying these astronomical prices they are somehow assured of getting a Canadian visa, when in fact the sad truth is that most of these people do not qualify for immigration into Canada at all.”

“If you are paying nearly $15,000 in some cases you would think that this would be a guarantee of a visa, the fake lawyers however have no intention of honouring whatever lies they have told and are not regulated so just disappear.”

Of course this is worrying to everyone involved in immigration circles, and it is hoped that the measures now being taken by the Canadian Government to counteract this will be effective.

As well as the ad campaign Canada immigration have announced that they are relaxing the rules for relatives of those Haitians affected by the earthquake. For full details of the new rules please contact us.

Source: Global Visas

Canada to speed immigration applications for Haitians

Updated: Sat Jan. 16 2010 18:38:09

Jessica Earle, ctvedmonton.ca

Canada will expedite immigration applications for Haitians with family in this country and Haitians on a temporary visit to Canada will be allowed to extend their stay says Minister Jason Kenney, who looks after the Citizenship, Immigration and Multiculturalism portfolio.

"Canada has welcomed a large community of Haitians to this country and is working to reunite families affected by this disaster as quickly as possible," he said in a news release on Saturday.

"Haitian nationals who are currently in Canada will also benefit from special measures."

According to the statement, priority will be given to new and existing sponsorship applications from Canadian citizens, permanent residents and protected persons who have close family members in Haiti.

The change will take effect immediately, though Kenney cautions applicants must identify themselves as being directly and greatly affected by the tragedy in Haiti and must notify Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC).

New sponsorship applicants should write "Haiti" in clearly visible letters on the mailing envelope.

Those with applications in process, meanwhile, should notify the CIC Call Centre at 1-888-242-2100 (in Canada only, from 7 am to 7 pm ET Monday through Friday) or by email at question-Haiti@cic.gc.ca if they or the family they have sponsored have been greatly affected by the earthquake.

Kenney says pending adoption cases with the visa office in Haiti's capital, Port-au-Prince, will also be given priority consideration.

The government warns the Canadian Embassy in Haiti is providing very limited services right now because of damage sustained in the natural disaster. Officials say CIC is trying to open another office in the area in order to speed up visa and immigration applications.

Kenney says Haitian nationals who are temporary residents in Canada can extend their stay. Fees typically associated with applications of this nature will be waived and those struggling financially will be allowed to apply for a work permit.

http://www.cbc.ca/video/news/player.html?clipid=1387786922

Ottawa to ease immigration rules for Haiti

OTTAWA–Haitians with close family members in Canada will be moved to the front of the immigration line as the federal government steps up its immediate and long-term commitments to help those in the devastated Caribbean nation.

In an update on the crisis, Foreign Affairs Minister Lawrence Cannon said Saturday that 1,362 Canadians are still missing in Haiti, down from 1,415 the previous day.

In all, 781 Canadians out of an estimated 6,000 in Haiti at the time of Tuesday's quake have been located, Cannon said. The government's emergency operations centre, which tries to track down individuals unaccounted for in Haiti, has received approximately 21,000 calls.

Prime Minister Stephen Harper announced Ottawa will temporarily fast-track applications for Haitians under the family reunification provision of the Immigration Act, which allows Canadian citizens or permanent residents to sponsor close family members in Haiti as immigrants to this country.

Priority will be given to new applications and to the 2,000 applications now pending, Immigration Minister Jason Kenney said.

In total, up to 5,000 Haitians could come to Canada under this expedited process, Kenney estimated.

But he said applicants will need to demonstrate that they were "significantly" affected by the earthquake.

New sponsorship applications should be mailed to Citizenship and Immigration Canada with "Haiti" written prominently on the envelope. And sponsors and applicants who have applications in process should notify immigration officials so their cases can be moved to the front of the queue.

Kenney said priority will be given to pending adoption cases with the visa office in Port-au-Prince, and a satellite office to handle applications from Haiti will open soon in Santo Domingo, capital of neighbouring Dominican Republic.

"Canada has welcomed a large community of Haitians to this country and is working to reunite families affected by this disaster as quickly as possible," Kenney told reporters at the news conference.

But his announcement may disappoint some refugee advocates, who had hoped Ottawa would significantly expand the group of people allowed to immigrate under the family reunification process.

The government said Saturday that the speeded-up immigration process applies to spouses, unmarried dependent children, parents or grandparents and an orphaned child under 18 who is a brother, sister, niece, nephew or grandchild of a family member in Canada.

NDP immigration critic Olivia Chow said the move is a step in the right direction, but the family reunification program needs to be widened to include siblings.

"Most Canadians would think a brother is part of the family, but right now it's not included in the strict definition of family class," Chow said.