Canada Immigration News

A new immigration bill currently before the Canadian parliament will mean if it becomes law that new Canadian citizens have lesser rights than those born Canadian, according to opposition critics.

The bill would allow the Canadian government to strip new Canadian citizens of their citizenship under certain circumstances. They could lose their Canadian nationality if they have dual nationality and were to be convicted of a serious offence (for example a terrorist offence) whether in Canada or abroad.

The number of young foreigners visiting Canada as part of the International Experience Canada (IEC) programme has risen sharply according to Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC). CIC says that it expects some 20,000 young people, aged between 18 and 35, to arrive in Canada with IEC visas in 2014.

Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) has announced new caps for the Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSWP), the Federal Skilled Trades Programme (FSTP) and the Canadian Experience Class (CEC).

The new caps will be operational from 1st May 2014 and will be available for visa applicants until the introduction of the new Express Entry skilled immigration system in 2015.

In addition, there will be a new list of eligible occupations for the FSWP. The number of occupations on the list will be increased from 24 to 50.

The Canadian employment minister Jason Kenney has barred Canadian restaurants from employing workers who wish to come to Canada under the Temporary Foreign Worker Program (TFWP) after numerous claims that the system was being abused.

Mr Kenney released a statement reading 'I am announcing an immediate moratorium on the food services sector's access to the temporary foreign worker program'. He added 'This moratorium will remain in effect until the completion of the ongoing review of the temporary foreign worker program'.

A Canadian academic has called on the federal government to close the Temporary Foreign Worker Program (TFWP) and, instead, to grant more permanent residence visas to international workers.

Professor David Green of the University of British Columbia, says that the TFWP disadvantages foreign workers, who can only work for one named employer. The employer is therefore able to pay them low, exploitative wages. This disadvantages both the foreign worker and Canadian workers who are undercut by low-wage competition from TFWP workers, he says.

Chris Alexander, Canada's immigration minister says that Canada will announce details of an 'immigration investor venture capital pilot' scheme in 'a couple more months'. The visa will allow foreign nationals to gain Canadian permanent residence visas if they start up businesses in Canada.

Mr Alexander said that applicants would need to invest 'more than twice the amount' that was required under the previous Immigrant Investor Program (IIP). He also said the investment would need to be made for a longer period than under the IIP.