Less than three weeks ago I commented on the increased delay in processing PR Card Renewals. The processing time had gone from roughly 40 days in January, to 80 days in April, to 171 days on July 16th.
Canadian Refugee Board Member Offered Visa for Sex
The Toronto Star is reporting that Steve Ellis, a former Immigration and Refugee Board member, has been sentenced to 18 months in jail. He was found guilty of breach of trust and bribery after being caught on videotape trying to pressure a Korean refugee claimant into having sex in return for a favorable decision.
Student Partnership Program Expands to China : 中加學生合作計劃
The Canadian embassy in Beijing has expanded the Student Partnership Program originally launched in India to China. The program creates a special processing channel at the Beijing visa office for students destined to member institutions of the Association of Canadian Community Colleges, whose membership includes Camosun College, Douglas College, Kwantlen Polytechnic University, and Vancouver Community College. Students using the program will experience a far shorter wait time than normal applicants, in some cases less than two weeks. The application form can be viewed here: http://www.canadainternational.gc.ca/china-chine/assets/pdfs/immigration/beijing/documents/SPP_Application_Kit_2010_07_EN.pdf This story broke in today’s Ming Pao, both as a front page story, and as a small story with my comments here: 在技術移民難度顯著增加的情況下，加國駐中國大使館新推出的中加學生合作計劃，有望成為中國一般社會人士移民加拿大的新途徑。 移 民律師辛湉王(Steven Meurrens)指出，先到本地學院習得一技之長，又有實習經驗的留學生勢必更受加國移民部歡迎，只要符合規定，無論通過聯邦經驗類(CEC)，還是省 提名類別(PNP)移民均更易成功，因為加國非常需要這些能夠通過技術服務社會、能有效融入本地的青壯年，他認為SPP有望成為一個新的移民增長點。 留 學顧問丁方方表示，通過留學移民的途徑日漸熱門，許多私立學校亦以此招攬生源，但實際上這些學校良莠不齊，其課程更可能完全不符合移民政策的要求，因此 SPP計劃中的公立學院是好得多的選擇，它們提供多種多樣的文憑或證書課程，比大學更注重職業性和實際操作，兼有帶薪實習課程(Co-op)，有利於就 業。她認為，這對於有意移民的普通人，SPP計劃可能是個比技術移民或投資移民更可行的選擇。
Wait Times for PR Card Renewal Dramatically Increase : 申請人及律師炮轟 中國新移民遭歧視
The processing time for PR Card renewals has ballooned from roughly 42 days to 171. There are several reasons for this, including personnel reductions at Case Processing Centre Sydney, a higher than expected number of permanent residences wanting to renew their permanent resident card instead of applying for citizenship, and increased complexity of some of the files. I was quoted on this matter in yesterday’s Ming Pao: 不增人手 問題更惡化 移民律師辛湉王(Steven Meurrens)則說，移民部完全錯估了楓葉卡第一次5年到期後、仍未累積夠居住時間而須再更換楓葉卡的人數。他指出，2002年楓葉卡推出5年 後，2007年開始接受換卡，今年才是接受換卡的第3年，人數已多到令現有人力無法負擔的程度，如果再不加人手，問題只會更惡化。 辛湉王 說，楓葉卡更換的過程比想像中複雜，例如被派到國外加拿大公司工作的永久居民，必須盡可能繳足所有證明在當地居住的文件，由於之前有個案造假，移民部對派 駐海外工作永久居民的楓葉卡更換申請，調查特嚴格，如此均拖慢所有的申請進度。 Yesterday I also recommended to an individual who is a frequent flyer and whose PR card was set to expire in February that he start the application process now. He replied that this would cause great difficulties because he would have to turn in his existing, still valid, PR Card. This is not the case. From Immigration Canada’s website: If you are applying to renew your present card and: your card has expired, you should return it with the completed application for a new card or your card is still valid, you may hold on to it and return it to a CIC officer when you pick-up your new card at a local CIC office. If you are applying to replace your damaged card, you … Read More
Does Party Affiliation Affect Views on Immigration?
Recently, the Conference Board of Canada published a series of articles relating to immigration. One of them, written by Nick Nanos, talks about extensive polling on Canadian opinions regarding immigration. It has been widely quoted in the media that while Canadians approve of immigration, they generally want the numbers to stay the same. I made summaries of four of the seven questions that Mr. Nanos asked respondents. In making the following tables, I merged “% agree” and “% somewhat agree” into one category. I did the same for disagree. The results are as follows: Question 1. Immigration is a key positive feature of Canada as a country? Voter Profile % Agree % Disagree Liberal 87.8 10.5 Conservative 79.6 18.4 NDP 86.9 10.0 Bloc 77.1 22.9 Green 90.5 9.5 Undecided 73.9 21.1 Question 2. In 2008, Canada admitted 247,202 permanent immigrants. Do you think Canada should increase, decrease, or keep the same number of new permanent immigrants each year? Voter Profile % Increase Numbers % Keep Same % Decrease Liberal 21.7 40.0 31.6 Conservative 19.1 38.4 36.3 NDP 29.5 41.4 23.5 Bloc 17.3 47.8 31.1 Green 29.3 45.3 23.5 Undecided 18.6 33.2 36.1 What these two tables indicate is that Liberals … Read More
Decline in Chinese Immigration to British Columbia : 渥京改政策 省推薦名額增
On Tuesday, June 29th, I was quoted in Ming Pao, Vancouver’s largest Chinese daily newspaper. 另一本地移民律師辛湉王(Steven Meurrens)則認為，技術移民及新推出的加拿大經驗類別(Canadian Experience)移民均甚多限制，有意申請人士最好另走他途，他認為PNP仍是移民最快增長點，但許多人對PNP仍認識不夠。 辛湉王 續稱，雖然近日投資移民的投資額及資產額都提高了一倍，但聯邦及省府均有充分信心，認為投資移民金額提高一倍不會影響申請人數，這是政府迅速增加收入的有 效途徑。 My comments were a response to recent Chinese immigration trends to British Columbia. The interviewer wanted to know my response to the following statistics compiled by BC Stats: PRC LANDINGS TO BC Family Refugee FSWP PNP LIC Entrepreneur Investor Other Total 2009 2,269 59 1,702 872 73 101 3,977 322 9,375 2008 1,957 43 3,235 654 32 120 3,712 161 9,914 2007 2,387 90 2,872 369 6 222 2,162 151 8,259 2006 2,412 147 4,795 229 8 259 2,894 186 10,930 2005 2,065 210 7,749 52 3 209 3,306 94 13,688 It is clear that in the 2005 to 2009 period there has been a decline in PRC immigrants to British Columbia. This certainly runs counter to popular myth. Second, that decline can be largely explained in the near collapse of immigrants under the Federal Skilled Worker Program (“FSWP“). This decline has occurred across Canada, and is not limited to China. Third, there has been a huge increase in the amount of immigrants under the Provincial Nominee Program. I was also asked whether I thought that there was a … Read More
The Federal Skilled Worker NOC List
As part of its recent changes to the Federal Skilled Worker Program (“FSWP“), the government has changed which National Occupational Classification (“NOC“) categories are eligible under the program. In short, the FSWP requires that a prospective immigrant either have a job offer or sufficient experience in a designated NOC occupation. These are typically occupations of which there are a shortage of skilled Canadians. The following table shows the eligible NOC categories before and after the changes. It shows which occupations have been removed, and which have been added. NOC Before Now 0213 Computer and information systems managers 0311 Managers in health care 0631 Restaurant and food service managers Restaurant and food service managers 0632 Accommodation service managers 0711 Construction managers 1111 Financial auditors 2113 Geologists, geochemists, geophysicists 2143 Mining engineers 2144 Geological engineers 2145 Petroleum engineers 3111 Specialists physicians Specialist physicians 3112 General practitioners and family physicians General practitioners and family physicians 3141 Audiologists 3143 Occupational therapists 3142 Physiotherapists Physiotherapists 3151 Head nurses 3152 Registered nurses Registered nurses 3215 Medical radiation technologists Medical radiation technologists 3233 Licensed practical nurses Licensed practical nurses 4121 University professors 4131 College and other vocational instructors 6241 Executive chefs Executive chefs 6242 Cooks Cooks 7213 … Read More
加拿大政府宣布将暂时不再接受申请加拿大联邦投资移民计划
计划与家人移民到加拿大的富裕中国人，希望已经听到加拿大政府宣布将暂时不再接受申请加拿大联邦投资移民计划 (IIP)。加拿大政府在今年夏天更改条例后将恢复接受联邦投资移民计划的申请。 加拿大联邦投资移民计划越来越变成成功的商人移民到加拿大最受欢迎的选项。在 2009 年，约 1 万人在该计划下移民到加拿大。 暂停接受申请并不影响这些加拿大当局于 6 月 26 日前收到的申请表，这些将仍会正常处理。 但是，那些尚未能够提交他们申请表的人必须在加拿大政府恢复接受联邦投资移民计划的申请后，确保它们符合新条例的规定。 以前，想用联邦投资移民计划移民到加拿大的申请人，必须拥有丰富的商务经验、 有个人净资产CAD 80 万 (CN 5.2 百万)，和必须愿意作出 40 万元投资 (CN 2.6百 万），这40万将于5年后全数退回给申请人但是没有利息。在各种融资选项中，申请人支付的实际金额是 CAD 80,000 （CN 524,000）至 CAD 120,000元 (CN 787,000） 之间。这金额实质上将确保申请人的加拿大永久居民身份。 在新的联邦投资移民计划的新条例下，个人净资产要求增加了一倍CAD 1.6 万 (CN 10.4百 万)，并且愿意投资CAD 800,000，但是现在尚未有新的融资方案。 这是自 1999 年以来加拿大政府第一次更改联邦投资移民计划的规定，加拿大政府指出条例更改的部分原因是因为亚洲的经济实力。这几年来，由于经济衰退，在个人收入减少的趋势下，亚洲国家尤其是中国却反其道而行的在经济和个人所得方面上升增加。事实上，联邦投资移民计划的新规定，加拿大政府认为亚洲富人用联邦投资移民方式来加拿大的人将会超过北美来的移民，鉴于亚洲人占了联邦投资移民计划的80%，加拿大政府对该地区的持续经济复原能力明显有信心。 过去想要用联邦投资移民计划却不符合新条例的申请人应该要注意有许多其他移民的方法可用。第一，魁北克移民投资计划不会在未来的几个月内更改条例。商务移民的申请人发现省提名的方式更具吸引力，省提名规定申请人需致力于工作或经营某些类型的业务，有很多省提名的新移民到加拿大后开始赚钱。任何想移民但不符合新条例的申请人，应该立即联络他们的移民顾问或律师了解更多有关这些程序的资料。 而这些符合联邦投资移民计划新条例的申请人将受益于更快的处理时间。第一，由于净资产和投资金额的增加，符合条件的申请会减少。此外，一旦恢复接受申请表，新的申请将会和旧有的申请一起审核，这意味着在新条例下的申请人将很快获得永久居民签证。 另一方面，这些努力工作并克服障碍而达到他们的财富的申请人，应该要注意到新的条件提高的缺点。他们应该意识到他们要证明他们个人的净值并披露给加拿大政府其资产来源，在这种情况下，越来越多的新移民被审核纳税资料，他们需要多缴税金给加拿大政府。 富有的移民应该向他们的会计师、顾问或律师谘询有关避税的条例，了解各种法律税务机制以减少披露的资料。他们应该讨论设立信托基金来避开支付庞大的所得税。
Federal Investor Program Requirements To Double
In a much anticipated change, the Federal Government has announced a series of changes to the Federal Immigrant Investor Program (“FIIP“) in the Gazette. Changes to the Quebec Investor Program are expected shortly. The Doubling The Government of Canada is proposing that amendments be made to the definition of “investor” and “investment” in section 88 of the Regulations that would increase the investment amount from $400,000 to $800,000 and the personal net worth amount from $800,000 to $1.6M for Investor class applicants. Administrative Pause No FIIP applications will be accepted unless they are post-marked or received by the designated Citizenship and Immigration Canada office before June 26, 2010. This pause will extend until the coming into force of proposed regulatory amendments to the definitions of “Investor” and “Investment” applicable to Business Immigrants in Division 2 of Part 6 of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Regulations. Priority Processing FIIP applications received on or after the coming into force of the proposed regulatory amendments shall be processed concurrently with those federal applications received prior to the administrative pause in a ratio consistent with operational requirements. Why The Doubling? The Government of Canada is first of all confident that this will not reduce … Read More
Federal Skilled Worker Applications Cap
In this first of several changes to Canadian immigration law today, the government has introduced a cap on the number of Federal Skilled Worker applications that will be considered for processing each year. 20,000 applications will be considered each year for people that do not have an offer of employment. Within the 20,000 cap, a maximum of 1,000 Federal Skilled Worker applications per National Occupational Classification Code will be considered each year. The NOC eligibility list is also changing. The number of occupations eligible for the federal skilled worker program has been reduced from 38 to 29. Removed occupations include mangers in finance, health care and construction, computer and information systems, university professors, and vocational instructors. Being added to the list are the following occupations: psychologists, social workers, dental hygienists, pharmacists, dentists, architects, biologists, insurance adjusters, claims examiners, primary industry production managers, and professions in business services and management. In calculating the caps, applications will be considered on the date which they are received. Requests made on the basis of Humanitarian and Compassionate grounds that accompany a Federal Skilled Worker application not identified for processing will not be processed. The first year will begin on June 26, 2010, and end … Read More