CanadaVisa News Briefs for Mid-May, 2016

The following is a summary of developments concerning Canadian Citizenship and Immigration that have taken place over the past couple of weeks.

Our Canadian immigration news briefs bring you the latest news as it happens. When published, these articles are posted across our social media channels, including Facebook, Twitter, Google+ and LinkedIn.

• Canada's Start-Up Visa Program Sees Increase in New Permanent Residents

Canada's Start-Up Visa Program continues to grow, with 51 entrepreneurs having now become permanent residents of Canada through the program as of May 2, 2016. The successful applicants represent 26 start-ups that have launched or will be launching soon in communities across Canada, including Sydney, Halifax, Fredericton, Toronto, Mississauga, Waterloo, Thunder Bay, Calgary, Whistler, Vancouver and Victoria. >>Read More

• IRCC Issues 799 Invitations to Apply in Latest Express Entry Draw for Immigration to Canada

Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC, formerly CIC) has issued 799 Invitations to Apply (ITAs) in the latest Express Entry draw for immigration to Canada. The number of Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) points required in order for candidates to be invited to apply was 534, representing a significant increase compared with other draws that have taken place so far this year. >>Read More

• Quebec Entrepreneur Immigration Program Reaches Intake Cap, Though French Speakers May Still Apply

The Quebec Entrepreneur program, one of Quebec's three business immigration programs, has reached the maximum number of applications that may be accepted for the most recent application cycle. The program has reopened for new applications on April 1, 2016, with a limit of 50 applications that were to be accepted. >>Read More

• Canada and U.S. Agree New Preclearance System for Certain Border Crossings by Land

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and U.S. President Barack Obama have announced a new pilot project that will change the way people cross the border from Canada into the United States. This project will extend the preclearance system already used in many airports to travel between the two countries by land. >>Read More

• Ontario Places Temporary Pause on Certain Immigration Streams, Other Streams Remain Open

The Canadian province of Ontario has announced that it is temporarily pausing the intake of applications for select streams through the Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program (OINP), while other OINP streams remain open. >>Read More

• Alberta Announces Dedicated Phone Line for Immigrants and Foreign Workers After Fort McMurray Fire

Following the devastating forest fire in Northern Alberta around the city of Fort McMurray, the government of Alberta has created a dedicated toll-free phone line for new immigrants, foreign workers, and applicants under the Alberta Immigrant Nominee Program (AINP) who have been displaced over recent days. >>Read More

• Government of Canada Moves Closer to Major Changes in Citizenship Law

The Liberal government of Canada is edging closer to reversing controversial changes to the way Canada grants citizenship that were brought in under the previous government, which was led by Conservative Prime Minister Stephen Harper. >>Read More

• AINP Applicants Affected by Northern Alberta Wildfires Given Additional Time to Maintain Eligibility

The government of Alberta has announced that applicants to the Alberta Immigrant Nominee Program (AINP) who have been affected by the recent wildfires in the Fort McMurray area will be given an additional year to maintain eligibility while their application is in the queue awaiting processing. >>Read More

• British Columbia Has Immigration Allocation Increased, With More Candidates Issued Invitations in May 12 Draw

The Canadian province of British Columbia (B.C.) has seen a slight increase in the overall annual nomination allocation for its British Columbia Provincial Nominee Program (BCPNP), with the figure rising from 5,800 from an initial allocation of 5,500 for 2016. >>Read More