Canada Immigration News

Nova Scotia in Eastern Canada is pioneering a new way to attract skilled immigrants and business immigrants, the Toronto Star newspaper reports.

Under Canadian law, provinces can set their own immigration rules under "provincial nomination programs." Using this approach, Nova Scotia, one of the so-called Maritime provinces, introduced an immigration program last year for immigrants to stimulate its economy and compensate for a declining birth rate.

Canada accepted 235,808 people as new permanent residents in 2004 according to preliminary figures released on March 7 by Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC).

According to Canada's Immigration Minister Joe Volpe this is within the anticipated range of migrants for 2004 outlined to the Parliament in 2003. The official figures will be released in Spring 2005 but are expected to be very close to the preliminary data.

Canada's federal budget announced on February 23 includes increased funding to help immigrants settle into the country, reports The Globe and Mail newspaper.

Partners of Canadian citizens and permanent residents will now be able to stay in the country while their immigration applications are being considered, according to Citizenship and Immigration Canada.

Minister of Citizenship and Immigration Joe Volpe announced the new policy for most spouses and common-law partners of Canadians regardless of their status on February 18, and declared it would be effective immediately.

People using Canadian immigration services will be able to pay for them using a credit card over the Internet, Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) reports.

From now on applicants for citizenship or immigration services made through case processing services in Canada can pay for them online. Currently the service is restricted to clients in Canada, but CIC hopes it will eventually also be available for overseas users.

The man whose accusations forced Canada's immigration minister to resign will be deported from the country, the Globe and Mail newspaper reports.

Immigration Minister Judy Sgro resigned from the cabinet on January 14 after Harjit Singh, a Toronto pizza shop owner, said the politician had offered to help him beat the deportation order against him in exchange for free food and campaign assistance. However, on February 1 a Federal Court Judge ordered that Mr. Singh should leave Canada February 2 Canadian time.