Canada Immigration News

The Canadian Parent and Grandparent (PGP) sponsorship program is likely to reopen for new applicants in January 2015.

The Program was reintroduced in January 2014 after being put on hold since 2011. Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) placed a temporary hold on new applications in 2011. This was to enable Canada immigration to concentrate on dealing with the large backlog of immigration cases. In 2014 when the sponsorship program reopened Canada immigration decided to introduce an annual quota of 5000 visas.

The Canada Border Services Agency has pledged that it will continue to crack down on immigration fraud, following concerns that migrants are being ripped-off by unscrupulous consultants.

There have been a number of cases recently of immigration consultants, based in Canada, who are charging foreign migrants huge amounts of money for work in Canada; only to find that the job in Canada does not exist.

The Canadian government have made the visa application process for Saudi nationals wishing to visit Canada easier. The changes were announced after a series of talks took place between Canadian Foreign Affairs Minister, John Baird, and various senior Saudi Leaders.

Baird met last month with Crown Prince Salman, and Foreign Minister Prince Saud Al-Faisal to discuss efforts to control the Islamic State (IS). Additionally, they also discussed bilateral, regional and security issues; visa reforms were also agreed.

The greatest increases in economic growth can be seen in the Western part of Canada according to the latest figures from Statistics Canada.

This economic growth in Western Canada is largely due to a boom in the oil and natural gas sectors. There is also a growing mining and construction industry.

New migrants should consider the Western part of Canada as an immigration destination. The economies of British Colombia, Saskatchewan and Manitoba are also reported to be on the increase.

The Federal Skilled Worker Program in Canada will end at the end of this year, giving candidates interested in skilled immigration less than three months to apply.

The program is based on a points system, which it is hoped will mean that only candidates who are likely to establish themselves successfully in Canada will gain entry. To be eligible for the program you need to gain enough points and meet one of the basic eligibility requirements:

A woman born and raised in Calgary, Canada is now facing a 23 month wait to get back into the country with her Syrian husband.

Anya Sass met her husband Habib Al-Ibrahim whilst visiting Syria in 2011. They married a year later. The plan was to remain in Syria, but when civil war broke out the couple realised the best option for them would be for both of them move to Canada.