News

On December 23, 2024, the Honourable Marc Miller, Minister of Immigration, Refugeees and Citizenship (IRCC), announced that Express Entry candidates will no longer receive the additional 50 CRS ranking points for having a Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA), counting towards their job offer.

This measure is meant to be a temporary measure to help reduce fraud in the Express Entry system by removing the incentive to illegally buy or sell a LMIA to improve the CRS ranking for a greater opportunity to receive an Invitation to Apply (ITA). This change is expected to come into effect Spring 2025.

This change will impact any candidate looking to apply for permanent residency through the Express Entry system, including those currently working temporarily in Canada. Those not affected by this change are candidates who have already been invited to apply or those who currently have a permanent residency application in processing. Once this change is introduced, it will apply to all candidates with a LMIA in the pool as well as any new candidates entering the pool to await an ITA.

IRCC News Release: https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/news/2024/12/canada-takes-action-to-reduce-fraud-in-express-entry-system.html

Effective January 21, 2025, only spouses of certain international students and foreign workers will be eligible to apply for a family open work permit (OWP).

As part of the broader measures announced by IRCC in September 2024, this change is in response to an evolving shift in Canada's economy, including a softening of the labour market.

Family OWPs will now be limited to spouses of international students who are enroled in

• master's program that are 16 months in duration or longer
• doctoral programs or
• select professional and eligible programs

Family OWPs will also be limited to spouses of foreign workers who are employed in

• TEER 0 or 1 occupations or
• select TEER 2 or 3 occupations in sectors with labour shortages or linked to government priorities - full list will be available on January 21, 2025

Additionally, the foreign worker must also have at least 16 months validity remaining on their work permit at the time when their spouse applies for their OWP. Dependent children will no longer be eligible for an OWP.

Spouses of foreign workers covered by a free-trade agreement and those transitioning to permanent residence will not be impacted by these changes.

IRCC News Release: https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/news/notices/changes-open-work-permits-family-members-temporary-residents.html

Further to the Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship's announcement of June 21, 2024 limiting "flagpoling" applications for work permits, additional instructions and restrictions on who can apply at a port of entry has been provided.

"The following persons cannot apply on entry to Canada [R198(2)]:

• all persons applying for a post-graduation work permit (PGWP)
• all persons who require a TRV
• all persons who require an immigration medical examination (IME), whether TRV-required or visa-exempt, unless valid IME results are available at the time of entry
• international youth exchange program participants other than U.S. citizens or permanent residents (exemption code C21) (consult International Experience Canada)
• seasonal agricultural workers
• foreign nationals from electronic travel authorization (eTA) expansion countries, as they are not TRV-exempt as per section R190

"Persons who hold a valid work permit or who wish to change their conditions or renew their work permit should apply in Canada, pursuant to section R199."

The full Program Instructions can be found here:

https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/corporate/publications-manuals/operational-bulletins-manuals/temporary-residents/foreign-workers/persons-who-may-apply-port-entry.html

On October 24, 2024, the Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship announced the 2025-2027 Immigration Levels Plan. The plan is the next step in the process to address the evolving immigration needs of our country. The plan will pause population growth in the short term to achieve well-managed sustainable growth in the long term. For the first time ever, the Levels Plan includes controlled targets for temporary residents, specifically international students and foreign workers, as well as for permanent residents.

This transitional Levels Plan will alleviate pressures on housing, infrastructure and social services so that over the long term, Canada can grow its economic and social prosperity through immigration.

The 2025-2027 Immigration Levels Plan is expected to result in a marginal population decline of 0.2% in both 2025 and 2026, before returning to a population growth of 0.8% in 2027.

The Government will be reducing its permanent resident targets as follows:

• reducing from 500,000 permanent residents to 395,000 in 2025
• reducing from 500,000 permanent residents to 380,000 in 2026
• setting a target of 365,000 permanent residents in 2027.

The Levels Plan also supports efforts to reduce temporary resident volumes to 5% of Canada's population by the end of 2026.

Canada's temporary population will decrease over the next few years as more temporary residents will transition to being permanent residents, or leave Canada compared to new ones arriving.

Specifically, compared to each previous year, we will see Canada's temporary population decline by:

• 445,901 in 2025, and
• 445,662 in 2026, and then
• we will see a modest increase of 17,439 in 2027.

The reductions are the result of a series of changes that have taken place over the past year including a cap on international students, and tightened eligibility requirements for temporary foreign workers.

Other measures from the 2025-2027 Immigration Levels Plan will include transitioning more temporary residents who are already in Canada as students and workers to permanent residents.

This plan allows for the use of existing programs so that everyone, including newcomers, has access to well-paying jobs, affordable housing and social services to thrive in Canada.

Please click the link below for full access to the news article:

https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/news/2024/10/government-of-canada-reduces-immigration.html

In response to labour shortages and the aftershocks of the pandemic, the federal government has taken steps to meet the needs of businesses and support our economic recovery.

Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada announced a decrease in the number of temporary residents from 6.5% of Canada’s total population down to 5% by 2026.

The International Student Program is being reformed, tightening eligibility requirements for temporary foreign workers, enforcing employer compliance more strictly, and making labour market impact assessments more rigorous.

To ensure the temporary residents welcomed to Canada can be supported, the Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship, announced additional measures earlier this year to manage the volume of temporary resident arrivals, uphold the integrity of our immigration system and protect vulnerable people.

Please click on the link below for the full news article and list of additional measures:

https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/news/2024/09/strengthening-temporary-residence-programs-for-sustainable-volumes.html

Quick Facts effective November 1, 2024:

• Graduates from programs at public colleges will remain eligible for a Post-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP) of up to three years if they graduate from a field of study linked to occupations in long-term shortage.
• As part of changes to the PGWP Program, all applicants will be required to demonstrate a minimum language proficiency in French or English. A Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) level 7 for university graduates and CLB 5 for college graduates will be requiredfor anyone applying for a post-graduation work permit on or after November 1, 2024.
• The 2025–2026 study permit intake cap will include master’s and doctoral students who will now have to submit a provincial or territorial attestation letter. We will be reserving approximately 12% of allocation spaces for these students in recognition of the benefits they bring to the Canadian labour market.
• On January 1, 2024, the cost-of-living requirement for study permit applicants was updated to better reflect the true cost of living in Canada and help prevent student vulnerability and exploitation.

Please click on the link below for the updated Post-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP) eligibility requirements:

https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/study-canada/work/after-graduation/eligibility/study-requirements.html

On June 21, 2024, the Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship, announced that foreign nationals can no longer apply for a post-graduation work permit (PGWP) at the border, effective immediately. This measure will help reduce what is known as “flagpoling.” Flagpoling occurs when temporary residents of Canada bypass the normal wait times involved in applying for a work or study permit online by leaving the country and then immediately re-entering to receive same-day immigration services.

Flagpoling uses significant resources at the border, causing delays for travellers and slowing down the movement of goods. The Government of Canada is taking measures to encourage applicants to apply in Canada rather than flagpole as they continue to improve processing times and increase fairness amongst applicants, without compromising the integrity of the immigration system.

Please click on the link below for full access to the news article: 

https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/news/2024/06/canada-improves-fairness-for-applicants-by-ending-post-graduation-work-permit-flagpoling.html

UPDATE: December 24, 2024

https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/corporate/publications-manuals/operational-bulletins-manuals/temporary-residents/foreign-workers/persons-who-may-apply-port-entry.html

On June 3, 2024, the Government of Canada and the Public Service Alliance of Canada (PSAC) began mediated negotiations with the goal of reaching an agreement on a renewed collective agreement for the Border Services Group. On June 11, 2024, PSAC and the federal government have come to a tentative agreement, avoiding any strike action or work to rule action by Canada Border Services Agency officers.

Although the Border Services Group was at a legal strike position should negotiations fail, 90% of front-line Border Services Officers occupy essential service positions and must continue to provide uninterrupted border services to protect the safety and security of the public.

If a strike were to take place, significant delays would have occurred and flagpoling for work, study or temporary permits would very likely be refused at all land ports of entry.

Please click on the links below for full access to the news articles:

https://psacunion.ca/tentative-agreement-reached-more-9000-workers

https://www.canada.ca/en/treasury-board-secretariat/news/2024/06/government-responds-to-psac-announcement-of-possible-strike-action-at-our-borders-starting-friday.html

Government of Canada introduces legislation for citizenship by descent

On May 23, 2024, The Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship, introduced legislation that would extend citizenship by descent beyond the first generation in a way that is inclusive and protects the value of Canadian citizenship.

This legislation would automatically confer Canadian citizenship to persons born abroad to a Canadian parent who is also born abroad prior to the coming into force of this legislation. It would also extend access to a direct grant of citizenship to children born abroad and adopted by a Canadian parent beyond the first generation.

Please click on the link below for the full news release:

https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/news/2024/05/government-of-canada-introduces-legislation-for-citizenship-by-descent.html

As of February 29, 2024, Immigration Canada has advised that Mexican citizens who hold a valid US non-immigrant visa or have held a Canadian visa in the past 10 years and are travelling by air on a Mexican passport will be able to apply for an Electronic Travel Authorization (eTA). Those who do not meet these conditions will need to apply for a Canadian Temporary Resident Visa (aka visitor visa).

The application process for Mexican citizens seeking a work or study permit will not change.

Please click on the link below for the full news release:

https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/news/2024/02/updated-travel-information-for-mexican-citizens-coming-to-canada.html

As the holiday season approaches, travel to/from Canada is expected. The University of Waterloo will be closed for the holiday season between December 23, 2023 to January 1, 2024, inclusive.