CanadaVisa News Briefs for Mid-April, 2017

The following is a summary of developments concerning Canadian immigration and citizenship 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, Instagram, Google+ and LinkedIn. Follow us across these channels to get the latest news as it occurs.

• Sponsors Have Until July 24 to Apply to Parent and Grandparent Program

April 26, 2017

Sponsors lucky enough to be invited to submit an application to sponsor their parent(s) or grandparents(s) for immigration to Canada have a deadline of July 24 to submit a complete application, including supporting documents. >>Read more

• Alberta Prohibits Use of Temporary Foreign Worker Program for 29 Skilled Occupations

April 20, 2017

The government of Alberta, with federal approval, has launched an Employer Liaison Service that aims to match open job positions with qualified local workers. As part of this two-year pilot program, Albertan companies will not be allowed to avail of the Temporary Foreign Worker Program (TFWP) when hiring in any of 29 high-skilled occupations. >>Read more

• 222 Workers, Graduates and Entrepreneurs Invited to Apply in Latest BC Draw

April 20, 2017

A total of 222 workers, international graduates, and entrepreneurs have been invited to apply to the British Columbia Provincial Nominee Program (BC PNP) in the province's latest immigration draw, which took place on April 19, 2017. Of these Invitations to Appy (ITAs) issued, 16 were to Entrepreneur candidates. The remaining 206 were issued to candidates in five sub-categories managed through the Skills Immigration Registration System (SIRS). >>Read more

• April 19 Express Entry Draw Sees Lowest CRS Requirement Yet at 415

April 19, 2017

The latest Express Entry draw, which took place on April 19, 2017, has issued 3,665 Invitations to Apply (ITAs) for Canadian permanent resident status to candidates in the Express Entry pool with Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) scores of 415 or above. Marking the lowest CRS requirement yet, this draw brings the total number of ITAs issued since the introduction of the Express Entry system in January, 2015, to over 100,000. >>Read more

• Biggest Ever Express Entry Draw Issues 3,923 Invitations to Apply, Minimum CRS Score at 423

April 13, 2017

Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has broken two of its own records in its most recent Express Entry draw, which took place on April 12, 2017. This draw saw more Invitations to Apply (ITAs) issued to candidates in the Express Entry pool than any other single draw since the Express Entry system was introduced in January, 2015. Moreover, the minimum Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score a candidate needed in order receive an ITA dropped to 423, the lowest yet required. >>Read more

• Malala Yousafzai Receives Honorary Canadian Citizenship

April 12, 2017

Thirty months after she first due to accept honorary Canadian citizenship, Nobel Peace Prize winner Malala Yousafzai has finally addressed Parliament upon becoming just the sixth person ever to receive the distinction. Ms. Yousafzai, a citizen of Pakistan, was originally scheduled to be granted the honour by former prime minister Stephen Harper on the day a gunman stormed Parliament Hill on October 22, 2014. >>Read more

• OINP Resumes Identifying Candidates for Human Capital Priorities Stream, Releases In-Demand Occupations List

April 11, 2017

The Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program (OINP) will resume identifying candidates in the Express Entry pool through the popular Human Capital Priorities (HCP) Stream during the week of April 10 to 14, 2017. Identified candidates will be issued a Notification of Interest (NOI), after which they may apply to the Ontario government for a provincial nomination certificate. This is the second time the province of Ontario has resumed issuing NOIs for the HCP Stream in 2017, after it had ceased identifying candidates for over a year between February 16, 2016 and February 21, 2017. >>Read More

• Quebec Allows Applicants to Update Applications Submitted through Mon Projet Québec

April 7, 2017

Quebec’s Ministère de l'Immigration, de la Diversité et de l'Inclusion (Ministry of Immigration, Diversity, and Inclusion, or MIDI) has announced that individuals who have submitted an application for a Quebec Selection Certificate (Certificat de sélection du Québec, or CSQ) through the online intake management system Mon projet Québec may modify and update their information in certain sections of the online profile. >>Read More