In an effort to cut down on spousal sponsorship fraud, Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) has put into action a new requirement where any new immigrant to Canada sponsored by a spouse or partner must have permanent residency (PR) status for 5 years before they themselves can sponsor a new spouse or partner from abroad.
This new requirement is effective immediately for new immigration applications under theFamily Class category.
According to the CIC, this requirement is similar to regulations already enacted in Australia, New Zealand, and the United States.
Essentially, the regulation aims to make it harder for newcomers to enter into marriages of covenience with Canadians with the wrong intentions. The new immigrant might have the intention of quickly splitting up and in turn sponsoring the person's more legitimate partner, or, as in other cases, of simply sponsoring someone else for money.
To keep one's PR status, a new immigrant must spend 2 out of 5 years in Canada following the awarding of their PR. As well, when sponsoring a spouse or partner under the Family Class category, the relationship is thoroughly investigathed for legitimacy by the Canadian immigration authorities.
On 21 March 2012, the Quebec Ministry of Immigration and Cultural Communities (MICC) issued a statement outlining new policies for Permanent Residency (PR) immigration to Quebec through the Quebec Skilled Worker Program (QSW). These new policies took effect retroactively on 20 March 2012, and will dictate what applications Quebec will accept for the upcoming fiscal year, which stretches until 31 March 2013.
Potential applicants to the QSW program are now divided into three groups based on their “areas of training”, or fields of study, as well as additional selection criteria. The groups are determined as follows:
Group 1
Applicants fall into Group 1 if they fulfill one or more of seven criteria. An unlimited number of applications from Group 1 will be accepted for processing by Quebec Immigration. The following individuals are eligible to apply:
1. Temporary workers currently residing in Quebec
2. Students who have obtained, or are about to obtain, a diploma awarded by a Quebec institution
3. Young people in Quebec on a youth exchange program subject to an international agreement, such as the Working Holiday Program, who are working full time in Quebec
4. Applicants residing in and submitting an application to Quebec who were formerly Canadian citizens
6. Applicants, or their spouses, who hold a diploma awarded by a teaching institution in an area of training (field of study)which allows them to receive 12 or 16 points on the province’sselection grid
• The diploma must be obtained less than five years before the date of application, or the applicant must have practiced in this field on a full-time basis for at least one of five years preceding the date of application.
• Areas of training may receive different points depending on whether the degree was obtained inside or outside of Quebec.
7. Applicants with a validated offer of employment from a Quebec employer
Group 2
A maximum number of 14,300 applications will be accepted between 21 March 2012 and 31 March 2013 in this category. Applicants will be classified into Group 2 if they fall under one of the following two situations:
1. Applicants, or their spouses, who hold a diploma awarded by a teaching institution in an area of training which allows them to receive 6 points under the province’s selection grid may apply under Group 2.
• The diploma must be obtained less than five years before the date of application, or the applicant must have practiced in this field on a full-time basis for at least one of five years preceding the date of application.
• Areas of training may receive different points depending on whether the degree was obtained inside or outside of Quebec.
2. Applicants, or their spouses, who hold or are currently pursuing a Quebec diploma or the equivalent outside of Quebec. This could apply to holders of other Canadian diplomas, or individuals who hold foreign diplomas in a regulated trade or profession who have already received authorization to practice this trade in Quebec.
• As above, the diploma must be obtained less than five years before the date of application, or the applicant must have practiced in this field on a full-time basis for at least one of five years preceding the date of application.
Group 3
Potential applicants who do not fall under Groups 1 and 2 fall under Group 3. This year, no applications from Group 3 will be accepted for processing.
Processing fees for the primary applicant under the QSW will be raised on 1 April 2012 from $406 to $750.
The primary reason for enacting the above measures is so that Quebec immigration can reduce its current backlog of applications, and better serve those applicants who do get processed. In recent years, the number of applications has risen dramatically, from around 30,000 in 2008 to over 65,000 in 2011. Because of this huge increase, processing times have risen, and can now take more than 2 years for some categories of permanent residency. The Quebec government believes that taking such time to produce a decision on a subject that will so greatly affect the lives of applicants and their families must be addressed.
“I understand that Quebec is taking steps to better serve the needs of both the province and its future residents,” says Attorney David Cohen. “Given the new system, especially with regard to Group 2 applicants, I encourage those who are eligible and committed to immigrating to Quebec to submit quickly to ensure their place in the processing queue”.
The government hopes that by narrowing the selection criteria of the QSW program, the province will be able to more readily choose immigrants that will satisfy it’s economic and labour market needs. It anticipates that it will be able to stabilize the amount of applications processed in the next three years to 50,000 a year, with the hope that a greater percentage of those reviewed will be admitted to the province in a timely manner, and that that refusals will be diminished.
It is important to note that these changes have been announced specifically for the upcoming year, and may or may not persist after March 2013. Regardless, it is crucial that potential immigrants to Quebec are aware of their possible changes in eligibility, and take steps accordingly to address any changes that arise on both the regional and federal levels.
To find out if you are eligible for Quebec immigration or one of the over 60 Canadian immigration programs, please fill out our online assessment.
THIS POST WAS WRITTEN BY CHARLES KELLY ON MARCH 27, 2012 POSTED UNDER: NEWS
The Independent reports on new security checks already in place – even for flights hundreds of miles from American airspace…
One million British travellers planning to fly to Canada, the Caribbean and Mexico this year face the risk of being turned away at the airport – at the insistence of the US Department of Homeland Security.
New rules require British Airways and other airlines flying to certain airports outside America to submit passengers’ personal data to US authorities. The information is checked against a “No Fly” list containing tens of thousands of names. Even if the flight plan steers well clear of US territory, travellers whom the Americans regard as suspicious will be denied boarding.
Simon Hughes, the deputy leader of the Liberal Democrats, told The Independent: “The concern by the US for its own security is entirely understandable, but it seems to me it’s a whole different issue that American wishes should determine the rights and choices of people travelling between two countries neither of which is the US.”
For several years, every US-bound passenger has had to provide Advance Passenger Information (API) before departure. Washington has extended the obligation to air routes that over-fly US airspace, such as Heathrow to Mexico City or Gatwick to Havana.
Now the US is demanding passengers’ full names, dates of birth and gender from airlines, at least 72 hour before departure from the UK to Canada. The initial requirement is for flights to Toronto, Ottawa, Montreal and the Nova Scotia capital, Halifax – 150 miles from the nearest US territory. A similar stipulation is expected soon for the main airports in western Canada, Vancouver and Calgary.
Any passenger who refuses to comply will be denied boarding. Those who do supply details may find their trip could be abruptly cancelled by the Department of Homeland Security, which says it will “ake boarding pass determinations up until the time a flight leaves the gate … If a passenger successfully obtains a boarding pass, his/her name is not on the No Fly list.” In other words, travellers cannot find out whether they will be accepted on board until they reach the airport.
Canadian Affair, the leading charter operator between Britain and Canada, began supplying the data a week ago and 13,500 of its clients have complied with the demands. None has so far refused to provide the information and no one has been refused boarding.
Air Canada and British said they would comply with any new rules and The Independent understands that they will join the scheme in April. Flights to Mexico and Cuba – the Caribbean island closest to the US – are also included.
The US will have full details of all British visitors to Cuba, including business travellers, which could potentially be used to identify people suspected of breaking America’s draconian sanctions against the Castro regime.
Neil Taylor, a tour operator who pioneered tourism to Cuba, said: “Imagine if the Chinese were to ask for such data on all passengers to Taiwan, and similarly if the Saudis were to ask about flights to Israel – would the US government understand?
“One also has to wonder how an American traveller in Europe would react if he were denied boarding on a flight from London to Rome because the German government had not received sufficient data from him.”
Tony Wheeler, founder of Lonely Planet travel guides, said “This extension of the rule to include flights that never enter US airspace is scarcely credible. What on earth right does the US have to ask for passenger information if you’re flying London-Havana?”
NOW BOARDING: WHO IS AFFECTED?
725,000: Number of British visitors to Canada each year. Airports affected: Ottawa, Toronto, Montreal and Halifax
300,000: Number of British visitors to Mexico each year. Airports affected: Mexico City and Cancun
160,000: Number of British visitors to Cuba each year. Airports affected: Havana, Varadero and Holguin.
I have recently been granted the permanent resident status further to securing immigration under the skilled worker category in Canada.
I am a corporate finance professional of Southeast Asian descent and have been working at a large sovereign wealth fund in the Middle East for the last five years analyzing, executing and managing multi-billion-dollar joint venture investments and also managing a portfolio of 5 Star U.K.-based hotels. I studied in London, where I completed my ACCA (Association of Chartered Certified Accountants), through which I was also able to get membership of CGA Canada (under the mutual recognition agreement). Lately, I have been studying for the CFA (chartered financial analyst) program and completed CFA level 1.
This year while visiting Toronto for 20 days, I was able to meet three recruiters (very respected names in the financial services recruitment sector) and received a good response. They appreciated the overall profile, particularly my communication and interpersonal skills which they said remains a lacking skill amongst other immigrants. But all emphasized the importance of being in Canada to be able to attend interviews with prospective employers that sometimes ranges from three to four sittings over a period of two to three months.
I want to confirm if my understanding from these meetings and other discussions that I had with professionals working in the financial sectors are right or not.
Lastly, a lot of people mentioned to me that February is by far the best month to start a job hunt since people resign after bonus payments and banks or firms implement their hiring plans for the new year thereon. They also said that six months is a reasonable time to measure one’s ability to secure the right job.
I would appreciate your advice on the above and a brief view of how you see the job market in the financial services sector to perform in the year 2012.
The answer
It’s great to see that you’ve done your homework, and that you are doing all the right things to set yourself up for a new life and career in Canada. It sounds like the recruiters with whom you’ve met have given you sound advice.
It will be easier for you to secure a job when you are physically in Canada. A local address gives prospective employers the impression that you are accessible and available to them when they need you.
There are a few different schools of thought in terms of the best time to look for a job. Keep in mind that in “peak” hiring seasons, more candidates may be looking for work, in which case you may have increased competition. Year after year I see many candidates who are hired over the summer and Christmas holiday seasons – a time when people typically think the job market slows down.
Given your goal of settling in Canada, there are a few things you can do to help your job search, both while you are in the Middle East, and when you arrive here:
Continue working on your chartered financial analyst program and gain a thorough understanding of the Canadian financial and business landscape. In your interviews, you must demonstrate that you understand, are knowledgeable and are comfortable with the local laws and business dynamics, to show you can “hit the ground running.” Follow Canadian media, read, watch and listen to news segments (in the online world, all of these sources can be accessible to you from outside Canada). Monitor trade publications, so you can build your knowledge of the local landscape
Last but not least, consider seeking out virtual mentors by researching and reaching out to Canadian market leaders, and immigrants who have succeeded in the path you are about to follow. They may be able to offer unique insights through their personal experiences.
Since we so often hear that Canadian businesses are laggards in innovation, it was heartening this week to see Canada ranked alongside Singapore as the world’s most innovation-friendly countries, according to the latest Global Innovation Policy Index (GPII).
Devised by the Information Technology and Innovation Foundation (ITIF) and the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation, the GPII benchmarks the effectiveness of the innovation policies of 55 countries, and provides a framework for sounder policy-making. It is considered one of the most comprehensive assessments ever undertaken of countries’ innovation policies, and highlights best practices in policy development that other nations can learn from.
The index assesses the effectiveness of countries’ innovation policies against 84 indicators grouped across seven core policy areas that are deemed to represent innovative values: trade and foreign direct investment; science and R&D; domestic market competition; intellectual property rights ; information technology; government procurement; and high-skill immigration.
In each policy area the index ranks countries as upper tier, upper-mid tier, lower-mid tier or lower tier. Only Canada and Singapore placed in the upper tier on all seven innovation policy indicators.
The U.S. placed in the top tier in every category except openness to high-skill immigration. The report ranks 18 countries as upper-tier, 15 as upper-mid-tier, 13 as lower-mid-tier, and nine as lower-tier.
The 18 countries in the top tier are Australia, Austria, Canada, Chinese Taipei, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Japan, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Singapore, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom, and the U.S.
“Countries are engaged in a fierce race for global innovation advantage,” says ITIF president Robert Atkinson.”But they can compete in ways that either maximize their innovation capacity while producing positive spillovers for the world, such as by investing in research or education, or compete by less effective policies that often distort global markets through ‘innovation mercantilism.’ The Policy Index highlights countries’ ‘good’ innovation policies and provides a scorecard of how effectively leading countries are adopting them.”
The report notes that countries will not be able to achieve sustainably high innovation rates if their governments have not implemented a broad range of enabling policies that create the conditions in which organizations throughout their economies can successfully innovate.
“We hope the Innovation Policy Index helps countries better understand the strengths and weaknesses of their national innovation ecosystem compared with their global peers, while highlighting scores of best practices in innovation policy through which countries can learn from one another,” says Robert Litan, the Kauffman Foundation’s vice-president of research and policy.
“The report clearly shows how openness to domestic market competition is a critical element of fostering an entrepreneurship-friendly environment in countries around the world.”
You can read the full report at www.kauffman.org/innovationpolicy.
