Entries by Katrina

Stop Work Order for International Students

End of Policy Allowing Work Over 20 Hours Per Week During the COVID-19 pandemic, the government implemented a public policy allowing full-time international students to work off-campus for over 20 hours a week during regular academic sessions. This policy was intended to alleviate labour shortages and facilitate the staffing of many low-wage, low-skilled jobs during […]

Temporary Foreign Worker Program Updates – End of Workforce Solutions Road Map Special Measures and Recognized Employer Pilot

End of Workforce Solutions Road Map Special Measures As part of the government’s continuing efforts to limit the number of temporary residents coming to Canada due to increased pressures from the housing and cost-of-living crises, as of May 1, 2024, the following changes will occur: Labour Market Impact Assessments (“LMIAs”) will only be valid for […]

March Immigration Madness – Multiple Immigration Developments

Update to Public-Private College Partnerships for Students The government previously announced that it would cancel the eligibility for post-graduation work permits (“PGWPs”) for students attending programs at private colleges that are subject to public-private curriculum licensing agreements. As part of the its ongoing efforts to limit the number of international students amidst increasing public opposition […]

The Pandemic Is Officially Over, or Is It?

Today, the Minister of Immigration Refugee Protection Canada (IRCC) announced that the federal government will aim to shrink the number of temporary residents in Canada over the next three years.  Temporary residents make up 6.2 percent of Canada’s population in 2023 and the government will seek to reduce that share to 5 percent by 2027.  […]

Restrictions on Work Permits for Spouses of Students

Recently, the federal government announced significant new limits to the international student program to reduce the intake of international students in Canada amidst increasing pressure during the housing and cost of living crises. As part of further restrictions, beginning today, March 19th, 2024, the government is restricting the availability of open work permits to spouses […]

Offering a Job to a Refugee or Displaced Person Living Overseas? Consider the Economic Mobility Pathways Pilot

The government has now implemented its Economic Mobility Pathways Pilot which provides a path to permanent residence for refugees and displaced persons living overseas, who have not been integrated permanently into their host country, and who have a job offer from a Canadian employer. While there is a very limited intake for those without job […]

Parlez-vous français ? Canada Wants You!

Canada has two official languages of equal status: French and English. In its commitment to maintaining and increasing the use of the French language, and to ensure that French language communities prosper throughout Canada, the federal government has modified and created immigration pathways for French speakers to settle outside the province of Québec, where most […]

Significant New Limits to the International Student Program

With increased pressure from the public amidst the cost of living and housing crises, the federal government has announced significant new limits to the international student program for at least 2 years. Cap on International Students In 2024, the number of study permits issued will be limited to 360,000. The cap will be distributed across […]

Ontario Changes Eligibility Requirement for Employer Job Offer: International Student Stream

Ontario has announced that it will allow anyone who completed a one-year college program and earned an Ontario College Graduate Certificate to register for the Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program (OINP) Employer Job Offer: International Student Stream. Previously, the requirement was that a candidate must have completed a one-year academic program that required at least an […]