Home Child Care Provider Pilot is now closed to new applications for 2021but will reopen to new applications on January 1, 2022.
Home Support Worker Pilot is not closed and you can still apply in 2021 under this pilot.
More information on the website of IRCC.
The past two years have been challenging with closed borders, backlogs due to COVID-19 and long processing times. IRCC implemented temporary policies and programs to retain temporary workers inside Canada, often at the expense of temporary workers who are outside Canada. In 2021 IRCC launched several new portals for visa and PR applications. PR paper-based applications can now be submitted online and approved PR applicants can land virtually via the PR portal.
What does the new year have in store? One concrete plan has already been announced: the Atlantic Immigration Program. Other announcements will follow suit. Programs as the RNIP where communities and employers work together with IRCC to bring in workers that are needed and TR to PR Pathways where workers and students will have better opportunities to stay in Canada as Permanent Residents are to be expected. Last but not least we expect that family members will also get more opportunities to reunite with their spouse or parent in Canada.
When to expect these new programs and measures? That is hard to tell, but after reading the Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Mandate Letter I am hopeful for 2022.
Building on the success of the Atlantic Immigration Pilot, the Honourable Sean Fraser, Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship, on December 17, 2021, announced the launch of the Atlantic Immigration Program. This new permanent program will officially open on January 1, 2022.
The permanent program retains the 3 features: a focus on employers, enhanced settlement support and a collaborative approach across all Atlantic provinces. The changes include clarifying roles between partners, increasing employer support through training and strengthening program requirements to ensure newcomers can successfully establish themselves in the region.
Candidates with a valid endorsement can begin submitting applications for permanent residence under the new program on March 6, 2022.
For more details visit the IRCC website
On November 23, 2021, the Honourable Sean Fraser, Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship, marked the official opening of the College of Immigration and Citizenship Consultants. The College is now the official regulator of immigration and citizenship consultants across the country and replaces the previous regulator, the Immigration Consultants of Canada Regulatory Council. With the change, new, higher standards for consultants have been introduced.
Licensed Immigration Consultants
In Canada, the only immigration consultants who can give you Canadian immigration advice in exchange for a fee or benefit are licensed immigration consultants (people licensed by the College). To check if your immigration consultant is licensed by the College, search for them in the Public Register.
Unauthorized practitioners
Should you be aware of an unauthorized practitioner, you can inform the College and they will take steps to ensure they are not practicing without authorization. Click here for our Unauthorized Practitioner form.
Student recruiters, labour recruiters, and travel agents
Some people may try to offer you immigration services as part of the other services they provide, such as:
For example, a travel agent may offer to help you with a visitor visa. A labour recruiter might offer to put together your work permit. Or a student agent or recruiter might say they will submit your student permit application with your school application.
In most cases, these people are not authorized to provide you with immigration services (they can do so only if they are also a Canadian lawyer, a Notaire du Québec, or a licensee of the College).
If the person you are working with says they are partnering with an RCIC or a RISIA, double-check by directly asking that RCIC or RISIA (use the contact information on our Public Register). Also, make sure you sign a retainer agreement directly with the RCIC. Also do not pay for services from an immigration consultant until:
You have verified that your consultant is licensed with the College.
You have communicated with the consultant using the contact information listed on our Public Register.
You have signed a Retainer Agreement or service agreement.
More information about the new College you find on the website https://college-ic.ca/
All visitors who are in Canada with valid temporary resident status can apply inland for an employer-specific work permit, regardless of when they arrived in Canada. And under this public policy, those who held a work permit in the last 12 months may request interim authorization to work.
The original public policy came into effect on August 24, 2020 and is being extended until February 28, 2022.
More information on the IRCC website.
IRCC has been testing a new Permanent Resident Portal for applicants who are applying for Permanent Resident under the following programs:
The applications themself do not change, but you will be uploading the documents and some forms in the portal while other forms are replaced by web forms that have almost the same format as the forms.
IRCC also implemented a Permanent Resident Online Portal for Immigration Representatives. That means that as of now we will also be able to apply online on your behalf. You will be able to see what is uploaded and filled out in the web forms and at the end sign the application when satisfied that everything is correct and accurate.
Effective September 7, Canada has opened its borders for all international travellers who are fully vaccinated and meet the exemption requirements.
Find out if you can travel to Canada and what measures are in place:
There are over 100 programs. On the provincial and community level, there are 64 provincial nominee programs and 11 community programs for workers and international students. A job offer is usually needed but there are a few exceptions. For business immigrants, there are 21 provincial nominee programs.
On the federal level, there is a program for caretakers and some pilot programs for foreign workers and international students. For business immigrants, there are also two business programs (self-employed and start-up visa).
These permanent residence programs all lead directly to Permanent Residency. But there are also temporary residence programs that can eventually lead to permanent residency. If you like to learn more book an initial consultation.
Using the same random selection process as used in previous years, IRCC will send invitations to potential sponsors who have already submitted an interest to sponsor form in 2020 and were not invited in 2020. Invitations to apply will be sent over the course of 2 weeks, starting the week of September 20, 2021. The selected potential sponsors will have their income assessed for tax years 2020, 2019 and 2018. This is the same as those who applied as part of the 2020 intake. Applications can be submitted using the new Permanent Resident Digital Intake tool.
Invitations will be sent over the course of 2 weeks, starting the week of September 20, 2021. Those who are invited to apply will have 60 days to submit the application. Selected potential sponsors will have their income assessed for tax years 2020, 2019 and 2018. This is the same as those who applied as part of the 2020 intake.
In order to confirm whether they’ve been selected, potential sponsors should check the email account they used to submit their 2020 interest to sponsor form. They will also be able to check their status online using their 2020 confirmation number. Further details will be posted on IRCC’s website in the coming weeks for those who no longer have access to their email account.
Misplaced confirmation numbers can be retrieved using the Lost My Confirmation Number tool, which will be available online once all the invitations have been sent.
There will be no new Expression of Interest Intake accepted for 2021.
You can read the full announcement here.
Starting Aug. 9 at 12:01 a.m. ET. — fully vaccinated US citizens and permanent residents living in the US will be able to visit Canada without having to quarantine for two weeks.
Canada also plans to open Canada’s borders to fully vaccinated travellers from all other countries on Sept. 7.
And as of Aug. 9, children under 12 — who aren’t yet approved to receive a vaccine — will be exempt from the quarantine requirement after entering Canada and can move around with their parents if they follow public health measures.
The details will be published on the official website: https://travel.gc.ca/travel-covid
