News & Blog

Express Entry Draw - October 15, 2018

Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada issued 3,900 invitations to apply (ITAs) for Canadian permanent residence under the Express Entry System today. The lowest score to receive an ITA today was 440 which is 5 points lower than the previous Express Entry Draw. 

US Customs and Border Protection Releases Updated Statement on Canada's Legalization of Marijuana and Crossing the Border

On October 9, 2018, US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) released an updated statement with respect to the admissibility of Canadian citizens working in the legal cannabis industry in Canada. The CBP statement now includes the following: A Canadian citizen working in or facilitating the proliferation of the legal marijuana industry in Canada, coming to the U.S. for reasons unrelated to the marijuana industry will generally be admissible to the U.S. However, if a traveler is found to be coming to the U.S. for a reason related to the marijuana industry, they may be deemed inadmissible.

Express Entry Draw - October 3, 2018

Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada issued 3,900 invitations to apply (ITAs) for Canadian permanent residence under the Express Entry System today. The lowest score to receive an ITA today was 445 which is 4 points higher than the previous non-program specific Express Entry Draw. 

CAQ Wins in Quebec Provincial Election

The Coalition Avenir Quebec (CAQ) won a majority government in last night’s Quebec provincial election. As part of their platform, the CAQ called for reducing the quota of immigrants allowed into Quebec by 20% from approximately 50,000 to 40,000. The CAQ have vowed to do this within their first year in office.

Reminder to Employers: Minimum Wage in the Prairies to Increase on October 1, 2018

On Monday, October 1, 2018, the general minimum wage in Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba will increase. All employers have a legal obligation to pay all employees, including temporary foreign workers, at least the minimum wage in the province or territory in which they are working. It is also a requirement of both the International Mobility Program (IMP) and the Temporary Foreign Worker Program (TFWP) that employers fulfill this obligation.

2018 IEC Season Closing on Monday, October 1, 2018

Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada ("IRCC") has announced that it will be issuing a final round of invitations for those wanting to participate in the International Experience Canada ("IEC") program in 2018. IRCC will issue the final round of invitations for all remaining IEC pools on Monday, October 1, 2018. Therefore, if you would like to participate in the IEC program this year, you must submit an IEC profile before 9:00 am EST on October 1, 2018 for a chance to receive an invitation.

Express Entry Draw - September 24, 2018

Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada issued 400 invitations to apply (ITAs) for Canadian permanent residence under the Federal Skilled Trades Program via the Express Entry System today. The lowest score to receive an ITA today was 284. This draw illustrates the need for program-specific draws for candidates who meet the eligibility criteria for Canadian permanent residence under the Federal Skilled Trades Program as they wouldn't have a point score necessary to receive an ITA otherwise. Where no program is specified for an Express Entry Draw, a candidate requires a point score of at least 440 to be competitive in the Express Entry Pool. 

Express Entry Draw - September 19, 2018

Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada issued 3,500 invitations to apply (ITAs) for Canadian permanent residence under the Express Entry System today. The lowest score to receive an ITA today was 441 which is one point higher than the score from the previous Express Entry Draw. 

Immigration Quebec opens Arrima portal

Immigration Quebec has opened the Arrima portal. Starting today, applicants under the Quebec Skilled Worker program can submit their Expression of Interest.

Immigration Quebec Re-Opens Investor Program

Today, Immigration Quebec has re-opened its investor program. The program has re-opened with new qualifying criteria: an applicant must have a minimum net worth of CAD$ 2 million, and must provide an investment of CAD$ 1.2 million. The investment will be returned to the applicant after five years.