Blue Bird Blog

Family reunification is a core pillar in Canada’s immigration strategy and a new measure by Immigration Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) aims to make it possible for more families to be together. Spouses, partners, and dependents of permanent residents, Canadian citizens, temporary workers, and students already in Canada may now be eligible for an Open Work Permit.

Three of Canada’s provinces have nominated candidates through streams of the Provincial Nominee Program (PNP).
A candidate that receives nomination by a province becomes much more likely to receive an invitation to apply (ITA) for permanent residency from Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC). This is because the federal and provincial governments share responsibility for immigration in Canada and being nominated by a province means you are considered a good fit for the provincial labour force.

On Saturday, the Canadian government announced that it will introduce a new pathway this October to enable Ukrainians in Canada to apply for permanent residence.
Effective October 23, 2023, the new pathway will be available to Ukrainians in Canada with temporary resident status and who have at least one family member in Canada. Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) says that more details will be available leading up to the launch of the program in October.

As of today, those who hold a United States H-1B specialty occupation visa may be eligible to apply to work and live in Canada.
Note: This is a developing story. CIC News will update it as the Canadian government releases more information.
The measure was announced by Canada’s Immigration Minister, Sean Fraser, on June 27 and aims to improve labour mobility in North America. It may impact thousands of workers in high-tech industries in both Canada and the United States, as well as their immediate family members.

The leaders of Canada’s provinces met in Winnipeg this week to discuss shared priorities.

The Premiers highlighted some areas that require urgent action. Three of these areas are linked closely to immigration.

Building a strong labour force;
Improving health care;
Addressing housing needs