ABIC Immigration

05/17/2024

01/24/2024

On January 22, 2024, the Canadian government introduced a temporary two-year cap on Canadian study permits. This cap implies that the total number of approved study permits (also known as Canada student visas) for the year 2024 will be limited to approximately 360,000, with allocation based on provinces.

Summary
1) 2) This temporary two-year cap will reduce accepted study permits by 35% in 2024.
Master’s, PhD, K-12 students, and current study permit holders will not be affected.
3) Study permits will be allocated based on each province’s population.
4) As of September 1, 2024, students who enroll at public-private partnership institutions will no longer be able to access post-graduation work permits after graduating.

As of January 22, 2024, most students must include an attestation letter from the province or territory where they plan to study with their study permit application.

If you apply without an attestation letter your application will be returned unless you’re either

#1 a minor child in a primary or secondary school (kindergarten to grade 12)
#2 a student in a masters, PhD or other post-graduate program
#3 a student applying to extend your study permit

Each province or territory is developing a process to get an attestation letter. These processes are expected to be in place by March 31, 2024.

09/11/2023

Ottawa, September 8, 2023
Parents and Grandparents Program re-opens this fall

Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) will continue to reunite families by accepting up to 15,000 complete applications for sponsorship under the Parents and Grandparents Program this year. On October 10, 2023, IRCC will begin sending invitations to apply to 24,200 interested potential sponsors, aiming to receive up to 15,000 complete applications. Invitations will be sent over the course of 2 weeks.

Due to the number of forms remaining in the pool of submissions from 2020, IRCC will send invitations to apply to randomly selected potential sponsors from that pool instead of opening a new interest to sponsor form. This is the same approach taken for the 2021 and 2022 intakes. Anyone who submitted an interest to sponsor form in 2020, but did not receive an invitation to apply in 2021 or 2022, is encouraged to check the email account they provided in 2020 when they submitted their interest to sponsor form.

07/01/2023

Temporary public policy to allow foreign nationals with valid work permits to study without a study permit

Eligibility
You may be eligible to study without a study permit while you work. To be eligible, you must be authorized to work in Canada with either of the following:

a valid work permit that was issued on or before June 7, 2023, or
a letter authorizing you to work while we process your work permit extension application
The letter must have been issued on or before June 7, 2023.
If you applied for a work permit after June 7, 2023, you’re not eligible for these measures.

Eligibility for permanent residence programs
If you’re a worker who is studying full time, there are some things to know:

Your work experience won’t count toward
eligibility for the Canada experience class
Canadian work experience points under Express Entry’s Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS).

Your full-time studies will count toward
the Federal Skilled Worker Program adaptability points
You must study at a designated learning institution (DLI).
Express Entry CRS points
The DLI must offer programs that allow you to be eligible for a post-graduation work permit.

06/03/2023

Canada Express Entry Draws To Target 82 Occupations In 5 Fields Starting In Summer 2023

Canada is to start new occupation-based draws this summer targeting 82 occupations in five fields through its flagship Express Entry immigration selection system.

New draws will also target candidates with strong French language ability, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada announced on May 31.

Occupations in the following fields will be targeted:

healthcare
science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) professions
trades, such as carpenters, plumbers and contractors
transport
agriculture and agri-food

To be eligible, candidates must have accumulated, within the past three years, at least six months of continuous work experience (in Canada or abroad) in one of the individual occupations.

The occupations listed below are for 2023 only. The list could change next year.

A full list of eligible occupations under the new categories is available here. https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/immigrate-canada/express-entry/submit-profile/rounds-invitations/category-based-selection.html

03/25/2023

March 17, 2023 Canada announces extension of post-graduation work permits for up to 18 months to retain high-skilled talent

Foreign nationals with expired or expiring post-graduation work permits will qualify to work in Canada longer.

Starting April 6, 2023, these measures will allow PGWP holders who wish to stay longer to opt in to a facilitative process to extend their work permit and will allow Canada to retain high-skilled talent.

Foreign nationals whose PGWP has already expired in 2023 and those who were eligible for the 2022 PGWP facilitative measure will also have the opportunity to apply for an additional 18-month work permit. Those with expired work permits will be able to restore their status, even if they are beyond the 90-day restoration period, and will receive an interim work authorization while awaiting processing of their new work permit application.

02/09/2023

IRCC Announces New Temporary Work Permit Policy For 2 Years

Sean Fraser, the Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship (IRCC), and Randy Boissonnault, Minister of Tourism and Associate Minister of Finance, announced a new measure to help solve the labour shortage that will come in effect beginning January 2023.

Moving Forward in January 2023, Canada will extend work permit eligibility for spouses, common-law partners, and working-age dependents of temporary workers in all skill levels.

According to Fraser, this announcement will help employers find the workers to fill their labour gaps by extending family work permits.

As a result, over 200,000 foreign workers will be able to work in Canada.

What’s New?
Previously, the spouses were only eligible for a work permit if the primary applicant was working in a high-skill occupation, that is a job coming under TEER 0, 1, 2, or 3.

However, today’s new announcement will help the working class emotionally, physically and financially by keeping their families together.

Now work permit holders working in any skill levels (TEER 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, or 5) can apply for spousal open work permit for their spouses or dependent children.

Furthermore, they can also apply for an open work.

12/08/2022

Starting in January 2023, through a temporary 2-year measure, Canada will expand eligibility to work in Canada to spouses and working-age children through a phased approach for workers at all skill levels. This would include families of workers in health care, trades and hospitality, for example. As a result of this new approach, it is estimated that family members of more than 200,000 foreign workers could begin working in Canada, offering a greater opportunity for both foreign workers seeking to work in Canada and for employers addressing their labour needs.

11/29/2022

International Students Can Now Work Over 20 Hours a Week.

05/31/2022

Introduction to the National Occupational Classification (NOC) 2021 Version 1.0
16 New Occupations To Become Eligible For Express Entry

國家職業分類 (NOC) 2021 的發布是標準職業分類系統的 30 週年，它引入了重大的結構變化。 NOC 2021 版本 1.0 通過引入代表職業所需的培訓、教育、經驗和責任 (TEER) 程度的新分類對“技能水平”結構進行了徹底改革。 NOC 2021 版本 1.0 還引入了新的 5 位分級結構，與之前版本的分類中的 4 位分級結構相比。本次修訂內容廣泛；上一次結構性修訂是 NOC 2011。

NOC 2021 版本 1.0 TEER 類別

“TEER”分類通過考慮進入所需的培訓類型、教育和經驗以及職業的典型複雜性和責任來定義職業的要求。一般來說，職業任務的範圍和復雜性越大，為勝任完成該職業的一系列任務所需的正規教育和培訓、以往經驗、在職培訓以及在某些情況下的責任就越大.

根據 NOC 2021，TEER 3 及以上將有資格。這意味著將添加以下職業：

Payroll administrators
Dental assistants and dental laboratory assistants
Nurse aides, orderlies and patient service associates
Pharmacy technical assistants and pharmacy assistants
Elementary and secondary school teacher assistants
Sheriffs and bailiffs
Correctional service officers
By-law enforcement and other regulatory officers
Estheticians, electrologists and related occupations
Residential and commercial installers and servicers
Pest controllers and fumigators
Other repairers and servicers
Transport truck drivers
Bus drivers, subway operators and other transit operators
Heavy equipment operators
Aircraft assemblers and aircraft assembly inspectors.

04/24/2022

New measures to address Canada’s labour shortage
加拿大移民针对勞動力短缺的新措施

April22 2022

the Honourable Sean Fraser, Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship, announced
移民、难民和公民事务部部长Sean Fraser正式宣布了一系列利好的新政，

Invitations to apply will resume in early July, and the vast majority of new applications will be processed within the 6-month service standard.
加拿大经验类、联邦技术工人类和联邦技术行业类的邀请将会在7月初恢复，绝大多数新申请将在6个月的标准期限内得到处理。

As a result of the temporary pause, the federal high-skilled processing inventory has been cut by more than half, decreasing from approximately 111,900 people in September 2021 to just 48,000 people by March 2022. This inventory will be further reduced by July 2022, allowing us to return to the service standards that our clients expect.
由于暂时暂停EE邀请，目前联邦积压的申请已经减少了一半以上，从2021年9月的大约111,900人，减少到2022年3月的仅48,000人。到2022年7月，这一库存将进一步减少。

Minister Fraser also announced today a new temporary policy that will give recent international graduates with expiring temporary status an opportunity to stay in Canada longer, so that they can continue to gain work experience and have a better chance at qualifying for permanent residency.
Fraser部长还宣布了一项新的临时政策，该政策将给工签即将到期的应届国际毕业生一个在加拿大逗留更长时间的机会，可以继续累积工作经验，并有更好的机会获得加拿大永久居留权。

Starting in summer 2022, former international students who are in Canada and have a post-graduation work permit expiring between January and December 2022 will qualify for an additional open work permit of up to 18 months. details will be made available in the weeks ahead.
从今年夏天开始，如果国际留学生的毕业工签过期时间在2022年1月至12月期间，将有资格获得最长为18个月的工签有效期延长。相关的细节将在未来几周内公布。

Through another temporary public policy implemented in August 2020, foreign nationals in Canada as visitors have been able to apply for an employer-specific work permit without having to leave Canada. Recognizing that those with visitor status in Canada may also wish to stay and find meaningful employment, this temporary public policy has been extended to February 28, 2023.
在2020年8月，当时实施了另一项临时公共政策，在加拿大旅游的外国公民，可以在不离开加拿大的情况下，直接申请临时工签，今天这项临时公共政策也宣布将被延长至2023年2月28日。

Finally, the Minister announced new measures for those who applied for permanent residence through the temporary resident to permanent resident pathway last year. The limited-time pathway was launched in 2021 to invite a broad range of individuals already working in Canada to apply to stay permanently. While closed to new applications since November 2021, the processing of applications will continue for some time.

Taking effect this summer, the policy changes announced today include:

Applicants will no longer be required to remain in Canada while their application is being processed.

Applicants who apply for an open work permit while waiting for their permanent residence application to be finalized will be able to get work permits valid until the end of 2024. This will ensure that all permanent residence applications will be finalized before applicants will need to apply to extend their temporary status again.

To support family reunification, immediate family members who are outside Canada and who were included in a principal applicant’s permanent residence application will be eligible for their own open work permit.

移民部还宣布了三项特别政策，
针对去年九万new parthway申请人无需在境内等待移民申请获批，在审理过程中，可以自行决定留在加拿大还是离境等待。

移民部还宣布了三项特别政策，针对去年九万new pathway申请人：

申请人无需在境内等待移民申请获批，在审理过程中，可以自行决定留在加拿大还是离境等待。

在等待永久居留申請完成期間申請開放式工作許可的申請人將能夠獲得有效期至 2024 年底的工作許可。這將確保所有永久居留申請在申請人需要申請之前完成再次延長他們的臨時身份。

為了支持家庭團聚，在加拿大境外且包含在主申請人永久居留申請中的直系親屬將有資格獲得自己的開放式工作許可。

04/10/2022

自 2022 年 4 月 30 日起移民局上調永久居留申请費
Increase in permanent residence fees effective April 30, 2022

渥太華，2022 年 4 月 5 日 – 2022 年 4 月 30 日，加拿大移民、難民和公民部 (IRCC) 將提高所有永久居留申請的費用。這包括經濟、許可證持有人、家庭和人道主義類別。

2020 年，IRCC 自 2002 年以來首次增加永久居留費用以應對通貨膨脹。當時宣布每 2 年增加費用以適應通貨膨脹。

Ottawa, April 5, 2022 – On April 30, 2022, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) is increasing fees for all permanent residence applications. This includes economic, permit holder, family and humanitarian classes.

In 2020, IRCC increased permanent residence fees to account for inflation for the first time since 2002. At that time, it was announced that fees would increase every 2 years to adjust for inflation.

02/22/2022

新移民計劃填補勞動力市場短缺並發展加拿大經濟

2022 年 2 月 14 日——渥太華

為確保加拿大擁有填補關鍵勞動力市場缺口並支持未來強勁經濟的工人，2022-2024 年移民水平計劃旨在繼續以約佔加拿大人口 1% 的比例歡迎移民，其中包括 431,645 名永久居民2022 年，2023 年 447,055 人，2024 年 451,000 人。

02/06/2022

移民部二月推出新政！加速审核速度！

2022年1月31日，中国新年的最后一天，加拿大联邦移民部长肖恩·弗雷泽（Sean Fraser）提出了让加拿大移民系统重回正轨的全面计划。

加拿大政府在2022年向移民部拨款了8500万加币，旨在减少目前所有业务线的审核处理时间。

弗雷泽部长在新闻发布会中承诺，本次政府预算将帮助IRCC在年底前恢复处理学习许可、工作许可和枫叶卡续签的服务标准。
同时，IRCC将继续致力于努力缩短访客签证和公民身份证明的处理时间。

移民部长承诺，加拿大计划在2022年第一季度对147,000份永久居民申请作出最终决定，比2021年同期翻一倍。

在新闻发布会中，移民部宣布将在今年二月份引入全新的PR申请追踪器（Permanent Residence Application Tracker），让申请人可以随时在线查看他们的申请信息和审核状态。
据悉，这项新的PR申请追踪器针对的是配偶团聚移民和其受抚养子女。

截止到2021年12月，仅仅是EE的积压申请就已经达到了119,000名申请人。费雷泽部长没有给出具体恢复抽签的日期，他表示，当前采取的一系列措施都是为了加快移民案件处理，而不是让积压变的更严重。

移民部长宣布，为了应对疫情造成的加拿大移民案件审理积压，IRCC已经雇佣了约500名新员工。这些新员工将参与移民系统全面数字化进程，并在全球IRCC办事处之间重新分配工作。

IRCC计划在2022年春季或夏季全面实施在线申请，通过电子申请的方式代替纸质移民申请。IRCC表示，到目前为止，配偶担保移民的申请人平均处理时间已经恢复到了12个月。

对于公民申请者，移民局早在2020年就引入了在线测试，开发了在线申请跟踪器并启动了在线视频公民宣誓仪式。在过去的几个月里，移民局每月举办大约350场在线视频入籍宣誓仪式。自2020年4月1日以来，已有超过170,000名新加拿大人宣誓成为加拿大公民。

10/30/2021

加拿大新移民部长上任

加拿大总理特鲁多（Justin Trudeau）正在开始他的第三个任期，并宣布了其新内阁成员。

其中，前移民部长马可·门迪奇诺（Marco Mendicino）成为新的国家安全部长。而加拿大新的移民部长一职则由新斯科舍省国会议员肖恩·弗雷泽（Sean Frase）接替。

10/21/2021

特鲁多预计将在10月25日组建新内阁，加拿大移民部长要离任

根据CBC报道，特鲁多预计将在10月25日组建新内阁，一些部长几乎将肯定离开新的内阁。现任移民部长门迪奇诺（Marco Mendicino）将会离任。但接替他的人选还不清楚。

10/17/2021

美国将从 11 月 8 日起向已接种疫苗的旅客开放边境

那些乘飞机旅行的人仍然需要出示 COVID-19 测试阴性的证明

从 11 月 8 日开始，美国将重新开放边境，以通过空运、陆运或客运渡轮向完全接种疫苗的旅客开放。

航空旅客在抵达美国时需要出示疫苗接种证明，但仍需要出示起飞前三天内进行的 COVID-19 阴性测试。

在边境工作人员的要求下，穿越陆地边境的非必要旅客将被要求出示疫苗接种证明或证明其疫苗接种状态——但与航空旅客不同，他们不需要出示 COVID-19 测试呈阴性。

加拿大仍要求所有进入该国的旅客提供阴性测试证明，无论其入境地点如何。