Canada Immigration News

Canada is fast tracking existing Family Class applications under the Immigration and Refugee Act for people affected by the Asian tsunami disaster, Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) announced on January 3.

Spouses, common law partners, conjugal partners and dependant children with immediate family members in Canada who have been directly affected by the tragedy are being given priority in processing. CIC has also announced that new application processing fees and the Right of Permanent Resident Fee will be waived for persons seriously affected.

Canada and the U.S. will increase their cooperation on processing applications for asylum, according to Citizenship and Immigration Canada.

Canada plans to admit 225,000 immigrants in 2005, including 60 percent skilled workers and their families and 40 percent family unification and refugee immigrants.

In 2003, 221,352 immigrants went to Canada, down slightly from the 229,091 who arrived in 2002. During the 1990s, more than 70 percent of immigrants to Canada settled in three cities: Toronto, Vancouver and Montreal.

A study funded by Human Resources Development Canada has found that growth in the Ontario city of Toronto will be halted unless gaps in the labour market are filled by the year 2010.

The study claims that by then, over 400,000 new jobs will need to be filled, which actually represents 13% of the entire labour market. The existing work force may need to be replaced by then, especially in skilled positions requiring a minimum qualification of at least a bachelor's degree.

The Minister of Citizenship and Immigration Canada, Denis Coderre, announced on December 3rd that various amendments to the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act (IRPA) would come into effect today. The amendments, which included changes to the Skilled Worker and other economic class permanent residency applications, were originally proposed on 18 September 2003.

The Honourable Denis Coderre, Minister of Citizenship and Immigration Canadaannounces that with immediateeffect the points requirement under the skilled worker category goes down to67 points. The new passmark of67 points will cover all applicants who filed an application on or after 1January 2002 and who have not as yet received a selection decision. The previous pass mark from 28 June 2002 to 17September 2003 was 75 points.