The Chairman of Fredericton’s committee has praised police to work with Canadian migrants and build a better understanding with them. An initiative taken by the police has been encouraged by the Canadian Immigration, which has praised the former for snuggling cultural diversity amongst the immigrants and counseling them to Canada.

Councilor Eric Megarity confirmed that within the next two decades, the country will enhance by 14.5 million new migrants. Keeping this facet in mind, the biggest challenge would be to retain the new immigrants in Canada.

It is a great news for prospective immigrants who are residing in Canada as well as those who are planning to make their moves towards the country. The initiative will also work towards assisting new immigrants to the city in the future.

Police official Leanne Fitch confirmed that police force decided to come out with an action/plan that would court prospective immigrants as police officials in future. It will ensure a better understanding and accord between the immigrants and future officials.

This step would further clear the speculations that people have their minds regarding the unfriendly and cruel behavior of police force! In addition, the city of Fredericton is decked with certain strategies which allow prospective police officials to mentor with police force!

Hence, a perfect opportunity for applicants intending to court into police force to gain some healthy experience in advance!

While the whole Canada makes a favorable immigration destination, people often get confused deciding where to live or which city would suit them best! Of course, choosing the right place to live makes one of the most important facets of the immigration process. It comes across as the most important factor when you plan to take your family along with you.

Many of you might have already chosen the Canadian city where you will work and live. Though, here is a little description about Vancouver. Even though this city does not need any introduction, here is what makes this city special and one of the most popular Canadian immigration destinations. There are a number of reasons for which overseas people intend to immigrate to Vancouver.

• Vancouver in British Columbia is a very multi-cultural city like most of the Canadian cities, where you would get to see a wide range of cultures and languages spoken. Thousands of immigrants, including students, investors, entrepreneurs from all over the world come to this city and do not want to leave!
• Vancouver’s economy is evolving and it holds endless job opportunities for local, as well as overseas workers. Some of the prominent sectors that are generating these opportunities include education, technology, film production, and financial services. The city is North America’s third largest film production location.

Apart from these, Vancouver’s temperate climate is one of the reasons as to why people prefer it as an immigration destination. Not to forget its natural beauty, that comprises mountain rages, forests and coastlines, which offers a multitude of opportunities for outdoor activities like skiing, snowboarding, biking, hiking and walking!

Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper has affirmed that recovery efforts are going on and the Canadian economy is creating jobs on a frequent manner. He said that the recovery is steady ad the Canadian economy has already started creating jobs which shows glimpse of recovery.

But this facet doesn’t mean that we should declare success. No matter how smoothly the economy is running, this is not the time to relax or withdraw yourself completely from the economy wheel, Harper affirmed.

Statistic Canada has confirmed that Canadian economy has shown a massive recovery with a growth of 5 per cent pace in the fourth quarter. Although Harper confirmed that it is too early for them to affirm that the nation has surpassed recession in a successful manner.
His speech in the House of Commons expressed that the domestic demand of the nation is strong but since the export markets are facing uncertainties, the recovery is slow and should not be taken lightly.

Talking about the employment rate he said that it is true that the unemployment rate is high but the level was less as compared to the recession times of 1980s and 1990s. in addition, there is a creation of new jobs too!

Surely, a good news for prospective applicants who are planning to immigrate to Canada in the upcoming future. With more job opportunities crafting in future, it is the right time to search for employments in Canada.

On 10th March 2010, the government of Canada announced certain amends to be brought about in the criteria for excepted language skills. These changes would be applicable for all those applying under the Federal Skilled Worker and the Canadian Experience class. This was announced by Jason Kenney, the Minister for Immigration and Multiculturalism.

Clarifying the above, Kenney said that the language skills criterion has not changed as such. The only change is that from now on, the applicants have to submit the proof of their language skills while submitting their application itself. So, the applicant has to now submit his proficiency either in English or French since these are the two official languages for Canada. This amend has been brought about to ensure faster processing of the applications.

Earlier, the applicants were permitted to either submit a written statement or a test conducted by a third party that is independent from the Citizenship and Immigration Canada. The written statement was meant for those who had English or French as their first language. But this was not being limited to the above. Those not having the above as their first language were also due advantage of the same. These written statements did not prove the candidate’s proficiency in the practical use of the language. So, they had to provide with other forms of evidence which obviously lead to a processing delay.

With this, all the applicants would be given a single chance to prove their proficiency in the same. However, they are still free to submit a written statement.

On the other hand, submitting test results for the language skills would ensure quick and genuine processing of the application. With this, these tests would also let the applicants know of their standing in the same. After getting their test results, they would be in a better position to decide on whether to apply for immigration or not. Incase of written statements, the applicants would not know how much they have scored till their application has not been assessed by the relevant authority.

However, it is recommended to present with the test results straight away to avoid any forms of delay.

It has to be realized that for any immigrant, the language skills are the key indicators to his success rate in the job market. The better his language skills, the more likely are his chances of landing with a good job.

When it comes to the applicants of the Canadian Experience Class, it is mandatory for them to meet the requisites for the same. For the Federal Skilled Workers, a maximum of twenty four points are awarded for this criterion.

If you are a permanent resident of Canada and are planning to apply for a Canadian citizenship, the following article would be of great help to you. To become a citizen of Canada, there are certain pre – requisites to be catered to. The applicant should not have undergone any form of immigration enquiry or investigation and so on.

The following are the key points to be noted before applying for citizenship:

• You must have lived in Canada for a minimum of three years or 1095 days in the last fours year. This period of residence should be prior to applying for citizenship. However, children are exempt from this requirement. Accurate time period of residence should be provided with, prior to becoming a permanent resident as well, if it is within the above mentioned four year period. This is because there are instances where in an applicant would be considered as residing in Canada when he was physically not present in the country.
• In order to apply, you should be atleast 18 years of age.
• You should not have been convicted of any crime or offence that is prohibited under the Citizenship Act or imprisoned. The time spent in prison does not count for the residency period.
• Proficiency in English or French is a must to communicate with the local citizens.
• As a future citizen of Canada, you must be aware of the rights and responsibilities of a Canadian citizen. This includes the right to vote as well. Others include the history, geography and the political aspects of the country.

After the ensuring that you clear the above pre-requites, the following steps should be followed to apply for citizenship:

• Check your eligibility criteria, as mentioned above.
• Submit the application for citizenship.
• Incase, you are between the age group of 18 and 54 years, you have to appear for the Citizenship test.
• Incase you are 14 years of age or older, you must be present for the citizenship ceremony.

It has to be remembered that it is not mandatory for all the permanent residents in Canada to apply for citizenship. They are free to apply for an extension or renewal of their PR card if it expires. This PR card is permitted for five years at a stretch. However, on the PR card, certain rights are not available which are only applicable for the citizens of Canada.

This surely raises the question, what happens when a foreign child is adopted by Canadian parents! It becomes a matter of concern when a case of hearing reported for a teenage; accused for committing an assault and robbery that is facing the threat of deportation to his birth land. The teenager had committed the crime four years back in 2005 and has been released from a juvenile detention center recently.

The accused who was a minor at the time of the crime had been adopted by a Canadian family. This means he is not a Canadian citizen. Now that question arises what really happens to such an adopted child? So, here is the answer…

A child born after 1947 in Canada is regarded as a citizen of that country. Besides, if a child is born outside Canada after 1977, but if he/she has a Canadian parent is also regarded as a citizen of Canada. This criterion was applicable to a number of generations of people who were born to original Canadians until 2008. But, a law that had been passed in 2009 restricted this to only one generation.

Until 2006, an adopted child from a foreign country was required to be sponsored as a permanent resident first before he/she could be regarded as a Canadian citizen, which is popularly know as naturalization. Towards the end of the year 2007, this law was altered which stated that an adopted foreign child would be granted with Canadian citizenship without first going through the process of immigration. The same law was extended to Canadians who live outside the country.

Now foreign nationals who are adopted by Canadian citizens can obtain Canadian citizenship directly, without having to go through the process of naturalization! To know more about this, contact an Immigration and Visa consultant!

Every immigration program follows distinctive procedure. Thus, when one is looking forward to immigrate to a new country, it is very important for that person to have the proper understanding of the application process for the particular program that he/she has opted for. It fact, the secret of successful immigration lies in the proper understanding of the application process and little homework beforehand.

Let’s have a look at the application procedure for Canadian Federal Skilled Worker program:

• Before an applicant is set to work on the application process, he/she must confirm that the Federal Skilled Worker category is appropriate for him. It follows choosing the right application form.
• The applicant is required to get his/her qualifications, occupation, experience, and other required documents assessed by the authorized body.
• When filling up the form(s), the applicant must make sure that he/she has put in all the details carefully and it is complete. Incomplete forms are most likely to be rejected.
• The fee for the processing of the application for the applicant as well as dependants should be submitted along with the forms.
• Once the applicant is done with these steps, the application will go to the Centralized Intake Office (CIO) in Nova Scotia, Canada. Here, things undergo scrutiny and the CIO will decide whether the application meets the prerequisites for the Federal Skilled Worker program. If they find the application fulfills the criteria, they would forward it to the designated country visa office, otherwise if they end up with a negative decision, the application is most likely to be returned back.
• This follows the submission of the application along with all the essential documents at the local visa office.
• The applicant must provide the IELTS test score report earned for the language proficiency at the visa office.
• The applicant must bear his/her expenses related to medical and security clearances.
• Once the applicant is approved to immigrate to Canada, he/she must pay for the Right to Permanent Resident fee. However, the fee, which covers both the applicant and his/her spouse or law partner, should be paid before the applicant is issued with the PR visa. Afterwards, if the applicant decides not to use this visa, the fee would be refunded.
• Last but not the least, the applicant must submit his/her passport to be stamped on the visa.

The process of making application is one of the most important parts of the whole immigration process. This is the phase where you should be presented yourself watchfully in order to make your immigration successful. While, you may find it critical at times, hiring an Immigration and Visa consultant would be the smartest move you could make!

There are many phases that an immigrant must clear in order to settle down in Canada. For this purpose, a new resource has been developed to aid the new immigrants in Canada. This online tool would help them find the relevant services provided by the government. This is apart from the community services for settlement purposes. The news was announced by Jason Kenney, the Minister for Citizenship, Immigration and Multiculturalism. The link for the online tool could be found below.

This tool has been developed so that it is easier to search for both the private and government services which are highly essential. For instance, it would help in locating a new house for purpose in Canada just by clicking online. This in turn would save time and benefit in the integration of these immigrants in their communities of residence. Such integration is of utmost importance in the multicultural society of Canada.

Other additional services that are offered by this resource include those of federal, provincial and territorial services of the government. Now, all that would be required is to mail all the results to self and family member or friends who are new in Canada. Post this; the next step of settling down could be started. It would also help in keeping a track on all the search results that have come about till date. This online tool would be constantly subjected to updating with the latest. With this, it would slowly be expanded with time with fresh information which is likely to help the new comers.

It has to be realized that these services meant for settlement are an important part of the immigration program offered by the government of Canada. Most of these services such as language training, guidance with reference to employment, community services, and integration services for the new comers to settle down and so on are all funded by the CIC.

All these services are put in effect with the help of the agencies at the provincial, territorial and community level. Post 2006, the government of Canada made increased its funding for these settlement purposes by almost three times.

To know more, visit http://www.servicesfornewcomers.cic.gc.ca/

Just when Immigration Minister Jason Kenney was blamed for removing gay rights in the Citizenship guide, he came out with a statement in his defense, stating that he has taken “full responsibility” of the matter present in the Immigration guide!

The minister was blamed for omitting the content which referred to the rights of LGBT people and their chances to immigrate to Canada. The minister, however, defended that the guide shows the diversity present in the nation and hence he is proud of the content.

Earlier the opposition accused the minister for not including the gay-rights milestone in the final Citizenship guide. Reports say that the early draft was arrayed with such rights but it couldn’t find its way into the final Citizenship guide.

The whole issue created a whole lot of controversy, demanding the minister to present an apology for the same. Liberal MP Marlene Jennings emphasized on the “apology” facet while NDP MP Olivia Chow stated that new comers should know that gay bashing is illegal and that gay marriage needs to be celebrated!

Kenney replied to this statement, stating that new Canadians are not potential gay-bashers! He defended the Citizenship guide to his extensive limits and took full responsibility of everything present in the guide! However, he provided no explanation for the content of the Citizenship Guide.

The guide also includes hints against spousal abuse and gender-based violence, to name a few. The issue of gay rights is still one of the hottest topics of debate in the Parliament till now!

Of late, the number of refusal cases of Labor Market Opinion (LMO) applications of Canadian employers is increasing, thanks to the more demanding regulations pertaining to the LMO applications and to some extent the global economic downturn! Whatever the reason, the fact is that more and more interested international workers and Canadian employers are finding it tough to get the approval of the Human Resources Development Canada on their LMO applications and this is no good for the country.

Labor Market Opinion approval becomes important when it comes to obtaining certain Canadian work permits by Canadian employers. When the employers want to hire overseas workers, they need to make application for a LMO to the HRDC. In order to obtain the approval of the Service Canada, the employers are required to convince the HRDC that they have tried to hire a Canadian for the job that they are eventually offering to an overseas worker. An employer should make all the efforts, like publishing advertisements on newspaper for the vacancy in order to convince the authority. Once the Service Canada is satisfied that there are no Canadians who fit the bill for the offered job, it gives confirmation/approval or confirms the offer of employment to the overseas worker and then issues the Labor Market Opinion letter to the employer.

It is unfortunate for Canada to have increasing numbers of refused LMO applications, especially when the country needs more international workers. So, here is the lesson for Canadian employers that they should prepare their LMO applications more carefully and convincingly, so that they could get the approval. All you employers need to do is that make your applications as persuasive as possible when it comes to making the efforts in searching for the local worker to fill the offered job!