New Parent and Grandparent program re-opens January 2, 2014

Mississauga, May 10, 2013 — Citizenship and Immigration Canada will re-open the Parent and Grandparent (PGP) program for new applications on January 2, 2014, by which time the backlog and wait times in the program are expected to have been cut in half.

“The Action Plan for Faster Family Reunification is on track to meet the goals of cutting in half the backlog and wait times in the Parent and Grandparent program,” said Citizenship, Immigration and Multiculturalism Minister Jason Kenney.

“It is very important that we continue to make progress and not return to the old broken system with wait times as long as a decade—that would be unfair to families.”

Phase II of the Action Plan for Faster Family Reunification will provide even faster processing times, reduce the backlog further, prevent future backlogs, ensure that families have the financial means to support those they sponsor, and protect the interests of taxpayers.

First – In 2012 and 2013, Canada will admit 50,000 parents and grandparents as permanent residents. This represents the highest level of parents and grandparents admitted in 20 years. In 2014, Canada will maintain high levels of admissions for parents and grandparents.

Second – The Super Visa will become permanent and will continue to provide flexibility for families who access the 10-year multiple-entry visa, allowing visa holders to remain in Canada up to two years at a time. Over 15,000 Super Visas have been issued since the program’s launch in December 2011 with approval rates averaging 86 percent.

Third – New qualifying criteria for permanent residency sponsorship of parents and grandparents will increase the financial responsibility of sponsors to ensure they have the means to support those they sponsor, while limiting the program’s cost to taxpayers and Canada’s strained health and social programs.

Fourth – 5,000 new sponsorship applications will be accepted in the program in 2014. By accepting 5,000 applications in 2014 while maintaining high levels, the government will be able to further reduce the remaining backlog so that families can be reunited more quickly.

“These new criteria ensure sponsored family members are well supported by their sponsors throughout their time in Canada,” said Minister Kenney. “The redesigned Parent and Grandparent program reunites families faster while respecting Canadian taxpayers and the limited resources for health and social programs.”

Canada has one of the most generous family reunification programs in the world. The United States, United Kingdom, Australia and New Zealand do not allow grandparents to be sponsored at all or only in very limited circumstances, and they have very restrictive criteria for the sponsorship of parents.

The amendments to the Immigration and Refugee Protection Regulations that are being proposed will be pre-published in the Canada Gazette (Part I) and the public will be able to comment for a 30-day period.

• Backgrounder: Action Plan for Faster Family Reunification - Phase II
• Backgrounder: Regulatory Impact Assessment Statement - PGP Program
• Backgrounder: Regulatory Impact Assessment Statement - Age of Dependents

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Helping Immigrants Integrate and Succeed

Vancouver, April 2, 2013 — A new, more comprehensive guide and a new web tool to help newcomers settle and integrate in Canada were unveiled today by Citizenship, Immigration and Multiculturalism Minister Jason Kenney.

CIC’s new flagship publication, Welcome to Canada, is intended to be the official handbook to assist immigrants in preparing to come to Canada and to help them navigate their way during their first months in Canada.

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Don’t become a victim of marriage fraud

There are some people who think marriage to a Canadian citizen will be their ticket to Canada.

It is a crime for foreign nationals to marry Canadian citizens or permanent residents only to gain entry into Canada. Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) is working to prevent these fraudulent marriages.

In many cases, sponsors and foreign applicants arrange a “marriage of convenience”: a marriage or common-law relationship where the sole purpose is for the sponsored spouse to immigrate to Canada.

CIC officers are specially trained to recognize genuine immigration applications, and they know how to detect marriages of convenience. They use several methods to uncover marriage fraud, including document checks, site visits and interviews with sponsors and applicants. Canadian citizens or permanent residents found to be part of a marriage of convenience for immigration purposes may be charged with a crime.

New regulations

Effective October 25, 2012, sponsored spouses or partners must now live together in a legitimate relationship with their sponsor for two years from the day they receive permanent residence status in Canada.

If you are a spouse or partner being sponsored to come to Canada, this applies to you if:

• You are being sponsored by a permanent resident or Canadian citizen
• You have been in a relationship for two years or less with your sponsor
• You have no children in common
• Your application was received on or after October 25, 2012

Learn more about the new conditional permanent residence measure for spouses and partners.

Don’t become a victim of marriage fraud

If you are a Canadian citizen or permanent resident and you meet someone from another country on the Internet or while travelling, you should take care if you are considering marrying them and sponsoring them to Canada.

Sponsors must financially support their spouse for three years, even if the marriage or relationship fails. If your spouse uses social assistance, you will have to repay the money, and you won’t be able to sponsor anyone else until the debt is repaid. Sponsorship is a legally binding financial commitment with the Government of Canada.

Sponsors: Do not be tempted by offers of money or other rewards to enter into a marriage of convenience just so the person can immigrate to Canada. If you do this, you can face serious criminal charges, and you will still have to meet the terms of the sponsorship.

Do not feel you are obligated to help somebody by being part of a marriage of convenience, no matter what the reason. It is not worth the risks.

Visa applicants: Don’t get involved in a marriage of convenience. You will be refused a visa and may be banned from travel to Canada for two years. This will remain permanently on your CIC record.

CIC recognizes that even genuine marriages can fail. However, if you enter into a marriage of convenience and come to Canada as an immigrant, enforcement action can be taken against you. This enforcement action could end with your being deported by the Canada Border Services Agency.

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Residential Ties

Residential ties include having a home in Canada, other property such as car, boat, furniture, lake-side cabin or cottage, a spouse or common law partner who lives in Canada, driver’s license, bank accounts, brokerage accounts, credit cards, health insurance with any province/territory and social ties in Canada. Based on these criteria, there are four types of “overseas Canadian residents”.

1) Factual Resident. If a person maintains significant residential ties to Canada while overseas for any reason, then they are considered as a Canadian resident for income tax purposes. However, if the person establishes residential ties in another country with which Canada has a tax treaty, then the person is considered as resident of that country and a deemed non-resident of Canada. As a factual resident, the tax-filer is treated as if they never left Canada and all the rules that apply to someone who lives in Canada all year are employed.

2) Deemed Resident. Members of the Canadian Forces, members of the Canadian Forces overseas school staff, government employees who are posted overseas, people working under a Canadian International Development Agency assistance program, dependent children of any of the first four categories, or persons exempt from tax on atleast 90% of their world income in the other country under an agreement or convention are considered as deemed residents. A deemed resident would report their worldwide income, claim all deductions and federal tax credits, and can apply for GST/HST credits. They would pay surtax instead of provincial/territorial tax and cannot claim any provincial/territorial tax credits. If they have business income from Canada, then they would pay provincial/territorial tax and can claim any related provincial/territorial credits.

3) Non-resident. If a person establishes permanent residence overseas and breaks their residential ties with Canada, then they become a non-resident. They are considered as an emigrant in the year they leave Canada and a non-resident in subsequent years. A non-resident would only have to report Canadian employment income, Canadian business income, taxable Canadian scholarships, grants and bursaries, and taxable capital gains from sale of Canadian property. If a non-resident has Canadian investment income, the tax payable is withheld before payment (to the non-resident) and this is usually the final tax obligation to Canada for that income. If the tax is not withheld, then the banking/brokerage institution should be informed that they are dealing with a non-resident account (investor’s responsibility).

4) Deemed Non-resident. A person who has residential ties with another country is considered a deemed non-resident of Canada if their ties with the other country have become such that they are considered a resident of that country under the tax treaty. Deemed non-residents fall under the same category as non-residents for income tax purposes.

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Ottawa, December 21, 2012 — During a week when an empty Parliament gave way to mirth-making and gift-wrapping, Citizenship, Immigration and Multiculturalism Minister Jason Kenney took the opportunity to wish Santa Claus all the best in his Christmas Eve duties.

“We are honoured that Santa begins his annual journey in Canada,”Minister Kenney stated.“And, as a Canadian citizen living in Canada’s North, he may re-enter the country freely at the end of his international trip.

“Personnel at Nunavut’s Alert Airport will run the control tower lights throughout Christmas to guide Jolly Saint Nick southward on his departure and northward on his return,”Minister Kenney said.

Situated at the northern tip of Ellesmere Island, 817 kilometres from the North Pole, Alert is the first landmark for Santa and his reindeer as they make their way to the homes of millions of children. A well-known traditionalist, Santa has not yet adopted GPS technology, preferring the instincts of his reindeer, with a helping hand from the Alert Airport workers.

“The Government continues to invest in measures that exercise Canada’s sovereignty and create more economic opportunities in the North,”said Minister Kenney.“We want to ensure that Santa, and all Canadians, benefit from the potential of the North, making it a prosperous and secure region within a strong and sovereign Canada.”

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Ottawa, December 7, 2012 - In order to facilitate legitimate travel, nationals of twenty-nine countries and one territory will soon need to provide their biometrics to come to Canada to visit, study or work, under regulations proposed today by Citizenship, Immigration and Multiculturalism Minister Jason Kenney.

“Biometrics has proven to be one of the most effective ways to identify individuals entering the country,” said Minister Kenney. “By providing immigration officials with greater certainty, biometrics will facilitate legitimate travel to Canada.”

Starting in 2013, persons from the following countries and territory who apply for a visitor visa, study permit or work permit will be required to provide their fingerprints and photograph at the time of application: Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Bangladesh, Burma (Myanmar), Cambodia, Colombia, Democratic Republic of Congo, Egypt, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Iraq, Jamaica, Jordan, Laos, Lebanon, Libya, Nigeria, Pakistan, Palestinian Authority, Saudi Arabia, Somalia, Sri Lanka, Sudan, South Sudan, Syria, Tunisia, Vietnam, and Yemen.

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The highlights of the proposed changes in the Federal Skilled Worker Class:

•  The Passmark will remain at 67 points.

•  Language points will be increased from 16 to 24 for the first official language and will be reduced from 8 to 4 for the second official language. Also, there will be new minimum language requirements. Previously, there were no minimum language requirements. Now you would be required to have intermediate level skills or higher in all of the language skills: listening, writing, speaking and reading.

•  Age points will be increased from a maximum of 10 to 12 for those who are up to 35 years of age and will reduce 1 point per year. So people 47 or over will receive no points for age but may still qualify if they get enough points from other factors.

•  Work Experience. Points are reduced from a maximum of 21 to 15 and are more difficult to get as follows: 6+ years 15 points, 4-5 years 13 points, 2-3 years 11 points, 1 year 9 points

•  Education – the maximum points remains at 25 but they will be awarded slightly differently depending on the amount of total years of education and the level of education reached. The big change here is that Applicants will be required to have their education and training certificates assessed before they apply by an agency who will determine what the equivalent Canadian level of education is. This will add time and cost to the process before you apply.

•  Spouse – The education of the Applicant’s spouse will no longer get the Applicant any points. However the language of the Applicant’s spouse may get the Applicant 5 points.

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Another reason to choose Canada!!

For the first time in recent history, the average Canadian is richer than the average American. According to data from Environics Analytics WealthScapes published in the Globe and Mail, the net worth of the average Canadian household in 2011 was $363,202, while the average American household’s net worth was $319,970.

Canada’s unemployment rate fell, again, to 7.2 per cent, and America’s was a stagnant 8.2 per cent. Canada continues to thrive while the U.S. struggles to find its way out of an intractable economic crisis and a political sine curve of hope and despair.

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• According to the officials, individuals looking to come to Canada should be advised of the following:
• Don’t be misled by false agents into believing that it is acceptable to submit forged documents with a visa application. It will be returned and further investigation may take place.
• Do not believe agents who say they can, in exchange for money, influence how fast applications are processed. The same goes for agents who claim they can guarantee 100% success. Visa processing times and admission decisions are made by government officials at a visa office.
• Do not be fooled by imposters pretending to be visa officers from embassies.
• Do not be deceived by job or visa scams. If a job offer sounds too good to be true, it could be a scam.

Hiring the right immigration representative is an important decision that can affect the outcome of an application to Canada. Therefore, individuals should be sure to choose only a qualified immigration consultant, lawyer, or other form of representative.

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