There has been a great deal of talk about the legalization of marijuana in Canada, and regardless of what side of the debate you are on, legalization may affect your travel plans. Legalizing marijuana (or “cannabis”) in Canada has been one of Prime Minister Trudeau’s biggest projects yet and the revised Cannabis Act will soon become law.
The Canadian government is expanding the list of continents needing biometrics when applying for a visitor visa, study or work permit, or permanent residence. Starting July 31, 2018, applicants from Europe, the Middle East and Africa will be required to provide biometrics.
Alberta’s beautiful landscapes and booming economy should be a destination for immigration considered by every foreign national. With an unemployment rate of only 6.9%, job opportunities for skilled workers are multiplying by the minute, and with a demand rate so high, the province is looking to foreign nationals to immigrate there permanently.
Coming to Canada first as a student is a very creative way to carve a path for long term or permanent immigration to the country. Canada values its international students and has created the Canadian experience class as a program to keep international students as permanent immigrants down the road. This is very different from the F1 student visa in the US which cannot lead to a permanent green card.
The last week of June 2018 saw a big legal uproar in the U.S. when the Supreme Court of the United States upheld President Trump’s travel ban from certain Muslim countries. President Trump declared the decision a victory, while many in the world, especially in Canada, focused on the alleged discriminatory aspect of the decision and refused to consider the motives of national security behind that law.
The Global Talent Stream is a work permit stream under the Temporary Foreign Worker program, designed to offer two-week processing times to eligible high skilled foreign workers. This program, piloted in 2017, was made for innovative Canadian companies looking for unique talent throughout the world.
The Canadian government recently announced its plans to renegotiate the Safe Third Country Agreement (STCA) to change the laws of applying for asylum status in both the United States and Canada. According to the STCA, when asylum seekers would attempt to cross the border to Canada or the United States, the customs officers are required to turn them away, and encourage them to apply for asylum when they are back in the country they arrived from.
In the past thirty years, the Brazilian population in Canada has increased significantly, as Brazilians are looking to establish themselves in a country offering beneficial social and economic opportunities.
The Québec government recently announced the suspension of most of its immigration programs, including the Québec Immigrant Investor Program. The Québec Immigrant Investor Program allowed Immigrant Investors with a minimum net worth of $1.6M CAD to invest $800,000 CAD into the Canadian economy in order to apply for Permanent Residence.
The Canadian government is pledging to make its immigration system more inclusive to foreign nationals. Canada is committed to being at the forefront of ensuring accessibility and opportunities to Canadians with disabilities.