Canada, U.S Green Card PROGRAM SUCCESS CONSULTING

Canadian Experience Class now open for business   September 5 , 2008 Ottawa, September 5, 2008 — The Honourable Diane Finley, Minister of Citizenship and Immigration, today announced that certain temporary foreign workers and students can start applying for permanent residence under the Canadian Experience Class starting September 17, 2008.

 

“With the Canadian Experience Class fully in place, Canada will be more competitive in attracting and retaining individuals with the skills we need,” said Minister Finley. “It, along with other recent improvements to modernize the immigration system, will go a long way in bringing Canada in line with its global competitors while further spreading the benefits of immigration into smaller centres across Canada.”

 

The Canadian Experience Class is a new avenue of immigration for certain temporary foreign workers and foreign student graduates with professional, managerial and skilled work experience. Unlike other programs, the Canadian Experience Class allows an applicant’s experience in Canada to be considered a key selection factor whenIMMIGRATING TO CANADA.

The final implementation of the Canadian Experience Class reflects what wasproposed on August 9, 2008. The main difference is that those who have left Canada, but otherwise meet the requirements as workers or graduates, will be eligible to apply provided they do so within one year of leaving their job in Canada. Under the proposal, CIC had suggested that applicants would be required to have temporary resident status and be present in Canada to be eligible to apply. The Government of Canada has since chosen to cast a wider net to avoid missing those with the Canadian experience we want, through residency restrictions.

The final regulations for the Canadian Experience Class will be published in the Canada Gazette.

 

 

 

    

 

Government of Canada announces funding to help newcomers settle in Durham Region  September 5 , 2008  

 

Pickering, September 5, 2008 — The Honourable Diane Finley, Minister of Citizenship and Immigration, today announced funding to help six organizations in Durham Region deliver settlement services to an estimated 2,400 newcomers in the community.

The funding of almost $6 million will go to the Community Development Council Durham, Northern Lights Canada, the Women’s Multicultural Resource and Counselling Centre of Durham, the Durham Region Unemployed Help Centre, Durham District School Board and the Durham Catholic District School Board. These organizations deliver a number of settlement services for newcomers including: referrals to community resources, advice and guidance, language assessment, language training, general information, and help finding a job.

A portion of this funding will go towards a youth mentorship program which pairs Canadian youth with newcomer youth to help the new arrivals adapt to the Canadian educational system. Newcomers will also be offered workshops on how to prepare resumés and find suitable employment.

 

“The Government of Canada wants newcomers to succeed,” said Minister Finley. “This funding will give them the support they need to settle into the Durham community. Since 2006, the Government of Canada has begunINVESTING an additional $1.4 billion in settlement funding over five years to help newcomers integrate and succeed in Canadian society.”

 

“Our area has become more diverse in recent years as more newcomers are calling Durham Region their home,” said Tracey Vaughan, Executive Director of Community Development Council Durham in Ajax. “With the new funding and unwavering support fromCITIZENSHIP AND IMMIGRATION CANADA, we will be able to provide newcomers with settlement services so they can become active participants in their communities.”

 

Settlement services are an essential part of the federal government’s immigration program. Through the Canada-Ontario Immigration Agreement (COIA), the Government of Canada has increased settlement funding for Ontario by a total of $920 million over five years. Under the COIA, CIC works with the Province of Ontario and immigrant-serving agencies to make a real difference in the lives of immigrants.

 

The 2008 Budget also introduced changes to modernize the immigration system, to shorten the time it takes to bring newcomers and their families to Canada. Under this system, newcomers will arrive with the skills required to integrate more quickly into the enconomy. In this way, newcomers will have more opportunities to find work sooner in the fields for which they have been trained and to benefit more from life in Canada for themselves and their families.

 

Newcomers to Canada can also turn to the Foreign Credentials Referral Office (FCRO), which helps internationally trained individuals find the information they need to get their credentials assessed and recognized more quickly. Established in 2007, the FCRO provides information, path-finding and referral services to help internationally trained individuals use their skills in Canada. There are now 320 Service Canada centres across the country offering in-person foreign credential referral services to newcomers.

 

CIC funds a number of programs that help newcomers settle, adapt and integrate into Canadian society. These programs are delivered in partnership with provinces, territories and service-providing organizations    

 

 

Government of CanadaINVESTS in Moose Jaw to help newcomers succeed August 21 , 2008  

 

Moose Jaw, August 21, 2008 — The Honourable Diane Finley, Minister of Citizenship and Immigration, today announced funding to help the Moose Jaw Multicultural Council deliver settlement services to newcomers in Moose Jaw.

 

New funding of $390,434, covering the period from April 2008 to March 2009, is expected to help 100 newcomers access language and employment services as well as settlement and orientation services.

 

“Canada is committed to helping newcomers succeed,” said Minister Finley. “This funding for the Moose Jaw Multicultural Council helps ensure that newcomers continue to get the services and opportunities to successfully settle into this community.”

 

“The Moose Jaw Multicultural Council appreciates the past and present support ofCITIZENSHIP AND IMMIGRATION CANADA,” said Tara Blanchard, Executive Director of the Moose Jaw Multicultural Council. “Now, more than ever, settlement, language and employment services are crucial to the successful integration of newcomers to Canada.”

 

Settlement services are an essential part of the federal government’s immigration program. For 2008-09, Saskatchewan will be receiving more than $5.5 million in basic settlement funding, an increase of more than $1.5 million over the previous year. Since 2006, the Government of Canada has begunINVESTING an additional $1.4 billion over five years in settlement funding to provinces and territories outside of Quebec, which receives annual funding through a separate agreement.

 

Newcomers can also turn to the Foreign Credentials Referral Office (FCRO), which helps internationally trained individuals find the information they need to get their credentials assessed and recognized more quickly. Established in 2007, the FCRO provides information, path-finding and referral services to help internationally trained individuals use their skills in Canada. There are now 320 Service Canada centres across the country offering in-person services to newcomers.

 

CIC funds a number of programs that help newcomers settle, adapt and integrate into Canadian society. These programs are delivered in partnership with provinces, territories and service-providing organizations.    

 

 

 

Government of CanadaINVESTS in Moose Jaw to help newcomers succeed August 21 , 2008  

Moose Jaw, August 21, 2008 — The Honourable Diane Finley, Minister of Citizenship and Immigration, today announced funding to help the Moose Jaw Multicultural Council deliver settlement services to newcomers in Moose Jaw.

 

New funding of $390,434, covering the period from April 2008 to March 2009, is expected to help 100 newcomers access language and employment services as well as settlement and orientation services.

 

“Canada is committed to helping newcomers succeed,” said Minister Finley. “This funding for the Moose Jaw Multicultural Council helps ensure that newcomers continue to get the services and opportunities to successfully settle into this community.”

 

“The Moose Jaw Multicultural Council appreciates the past and present support ofCITIZENSHIP AND IMMIGRATION CANADA,” said Tara Blanchard, Executive Director of the Moose Jaw Multicultural Council. “Now, more than ever, settlement, language and employment services are crucial to the successful integration of newcomers to Canada.”

 

Settlement services are an essential part of the federal government’s immigration program. For 2008-09, Saskatchewan will be receiving more than $5.5 million in basic settlement funding, an increase of more than $1.5 million over the previous year. Since 2006, the Government of Canada has begunINVESTING an additional $1.4 billion over five years in settlement funding to provinces and territories outside of Quebec, which receives annual funding through a separate agreement.

 

Newcomers can also turn to the Foreign Credentials Referral Office (FCRO), which helps internationally trained individuals find the information they need to get their credentials assessed and recognized more quickly. Established in 2007, the FCRO provides information, path-finding and referral services to help internationally trained individuals use their skills in Canada. There are now 320 Service Canada centres across the country offering in-person services to newcomers.

 

CIC funds a number of programs that help newcomers settle, adapt and integrate into Canadian society. These programs are delivered in partnership with provinces, territories and service-providing organizations.    

 

 

 

Canada's government continues consultations on immigration priorities with national stakeholders  August 15 , 2008  

Ottawa, August 15, 2008 — The Honourable Diane Finley, Minister of Citizenship and Immigration, met today with national stakeholders from business, industry, labour and non-governmental organizations to discuss occupational priorities for immigration purposes.

This national round table was an opportunity to hear from key experts from a national perspective. It was an important element of cross-Canada consultation sessions with provinces, territories and stakeholders, including ethnic and immigrant-serving organizations, over the past month.

 

Today’s consultations focused on identifying critical occupational shortages inTRADESand professions across Canada, the role of immigration in responding to them, and any barriers to foreign credential accreditation. This information will help develop instructions for immigration officers on occupations that are identified for priority processing. The ministerial instructions, to be issued this fall, will focus on applications in the federal skilled worker category.

 

“There are shortages of workers in many professions andTRADES. These broad consultations with stakeholders have provided us with a picture of the most common and acute pressures across the country, and how immigration can play a role in addressing them,” said Minister Finley. “Our government is committed to helping newcomers and their families succeed when they come to Canada. Their success is our success.”

 

Following discussions with participants, the Minister emphasized the importance of provincial and territorial initiatives to better recognize foreign credentials in Canada. “We can’t prioritize occupations and professions in demand if there isn’t the necessary support and training available to help newcomers begin work in their chosen fields,” said Minister Finley.

 

The Minister reiterated that the instructions will not affect refugee protection, nor are they intended to affect the government’s objectives for family reunification. In fact, Canada already gives priority to applications from many family members, such as sponsored spouses and dependants. Eighty percent of these cases are finalized within eight months. “Reuniting families remains a priority for this government,” said Minister Finley. “We need to ensure that Canada continues to balance the needs of our Canadian industries in terms of labour shortages and family reunification for our newcomers.”

As face to face meetings with all stakeholders were not feasible, the public was invited to submit its input online. Citizenship andIMMIGRATION CANADA (CIC) received over 550 submissions. This feedback, along with the input provided during the regional and national round table consultations, will inform the development of the ministerial instructions. Consultations were also held with Human Resources and Social Development Canada and the Bank of Canada.

 

The instructions follow on 2008 budget commitments to modernize the immigration system to respond to Canada’s labour market needs, reduce wait times for new applicants, and reduce the backlog of immigration applications. The budget allocates $109 million over five years to help meet these goals.

 

With this funding, CIC has begun recording occupational information for applications in the current skilled worker backlog. The Department will be referring applications of interest to the provinces and territories for possible processing under the Provincial Nominee Program. CIC is also working toward increasing capacity and efficiency in missions with the largest backlogs, centralizing the receipt of applications, and reconfirming the intentions of applicants facing the longest wait times.  

 

 

 

   

 

Notice to immigration applicants  August 1 , 2008  

Do you wish to immigrate as a skilled worker or businesspeople and are a resident of one of the above countries?

As of August 1, 2008, applications for a Certificat de selection du Québec (Québec Selection Certificate) from these countries must be submitted to the Québec immigration office in Hong Kong for processing.  

 

 

Important information
If you submitted an application to the Québec immigration office in Damascus:

 

 

• before August 1, 2008, and your file was subject to a preliminary review or you were interviewed, the review of your file will be finalized in this office. You should therefore send any missing documents to the Québec immigration office in Damascus and inform the office of any change in your file.

• after August 1, 2008,your file will be transferred to the Québec immigration office in Hong Kong. All applicants concerned will receive a letter informing them that their file has been transferred.     

 

 

    

Government of Canada signs Youth Mobility Agreement with Poland   July 14 , 2008

Warsaw, July 14, 2008 — The Honourable Diane Finley, Minister of Citizenship and Immigration, today signed an agreement with Poland that allows youth from Canada and Poland to travel and work in the other country for up to one year. After signing, ratification will take place in accordance with Canada’s new policy on the tabling of international treaties in Parliament.

 

The signing of the Youth Mobility Agreement between Minister Finley and the Polish Minister of Science and Higher Education, Mme Barbara Kudrycka, follows the announcement made by Prime Minister Stephen Harper during his visit to Poland in April.

 

“For more than a century, Poles haveMIGRATED TO CANADA and made great contributions to our country,” said Minister Finley. “More than 800,000 people in Canada trace their roots to Poland. This Youth Mobility Agreement provides young Canadians and young Poles with even greater opportunities to work and travel between our two countries.”

 

“Our goal is to give Canadian and Polish youth the opportunity to discover new countries and learn about the other culture,” added Minister Finley.

 

“Canada and Poland have a long standing and strong relationship,” said the Honourable David Emerson, Minister of Foreign Affairs.“ We co-operate in many areas to promote our common values of good governance, democracy and private sector development. The Agreement will serve to actively engage our youth to learn about our respective countries, develop skills for global careers and build networks to ensure an even stronger relationship between Canada and Poland for the future.”

 

Youth Mobility Arrangements have resulted in more than 22,000 young Canadians choosing to travel and work abroad in approximately 40 countries each year, and 36,000 foreign youth working and travelling in Canada.

 

The International Youth Programs are managed by the Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade (DFAIT).CITIZENSHIP AND IMMIGRATION CANADA(CIC) is responsible for issuing work permits to participants of the programs.

 

The signing of the Agreement between Canada and Poland offers people between the ages of 18 and 35 the opportunity to work and travel in each other’s countries. Benefits to participants of the youth programs include cultural discovery, international network building and gaining the skills and work experience to succeed in an increasingly globalized society.

This Agreement is another example of Canada and Poland working together to build a stronger relationship. On March 1, Canada lifted the visa requirement for Poland, allowing Polish citizens to visit Canada for up to six months without a visa.