Canada Immigration Visas

The Government of Québec recently announced its intention to amend the Regulation respecting the selection of foreign nationals (RSFN) as it applies to investor immigrants in order to simplify the program’s administration and improve its performance. The proposed changes concern the definition of management experience, the calculation of net assets and selection based on the applicant’s record. A brief summary follows.

Definition of management experience

Investors currently have to demonstrate that they have at least three years of management experience acquired in the 10 years preceding their application in a farming, commercial or industrial business that is profitable and legal, or for a government or one of its departments or agencies or for an international agency.

Management experience is defined as the actual assuming on a full-time basis of responsibilities and duties related to the planning, management and control of financial resources and of human or material resources.

Under the proposed amendments:

• Investors will need to have at least two years of management experience acquired in the five years preceding their application. This experience no longer has to be acquired in a profitable business, which will simplify application processing procedures.
• The level of management experience required will be more flexible in order to broaden the pool of managers eligible for the program.
• Management experience will no longer have to have been acquired on a full-time basis to enable the selection of applicants who practise both management functions and a professional activity.

Calculation of net assets

Investor immigrants are required to have net assets of $800,000. Under the present Regulation, these assets must have been accumulated through legal economic activities and may include the value of the equity of the accompanying spouse, if that equity belongs to the foreign national and is invested in an enterprise in which the investor also controls the equity and has acquired experience in management.

Under the proposed amendments:

• Net assets may include donations and inheritances held by the applicant as well as all the assets of his or her spouse, which would broaden the pool of applicants eligible for the program. However, donations received less than six months prior to the filing of the application will not be accepted.

Selection based on applicant’s record

Currently, all investors are required to attend a selection interview.

Under the proposed amendments:

• Selection may be based on the applicant’s record, which would allow for more flexibility in administering the program.

Vancouver Island Health Authority (VIHA) is looking for Canadian and international ultrasonographer professionals that are eligible for Canadian Association of Registered Diagnostic Ultrasound Professionals or American Registry for Diagnostic Medical Sonography registration.

Fill out our online assessment to check your eligibility for Canadian immigration.

View the current Ultrasonography vacancies at Vancouver Island Health Authority.

Stocks looked to be in decline all over the world on Tuesday 20 May, with one exception: Canada. This was no ordinary one off bucking of the trend, either; in fact, the Toronto Stock Exchange (TSX)’s main measure set yet another record, fuelled by energy stocks as oil prices hit heights never seen before.

The S&P/TSX composite index surpassed 15,000 for the first time on Tuesday, achieving a record close of 15,047.34, up 63.14 points or 0.4 per cent for the day. It also reached a new intra-day high of 15,090.74, and resulted, overall, in a close which put it 24 per cent higher than its close of 12,132.13, a 14-month low recorded on 21 January.

The new heights reached on the TSX have been attributed largely to the booming Canadian energy industry, which continues to be a primary reason for mass immigration to Canada.

As these export based sectors such as energy are attractive to investors, the Canadian dollar rose 81 basis points to 1.00083 US on Tuesday.

Canadian migration expert Eric Katz highlighted the significance of Canada as an energy supplying nation and explained how the booming industry has created a need for mass immigration in order to sustain itself. He said:

“The main reason for the record stock market high in Canada is that energy prices are going through the roof. Most people do not realize that Canada is the main energy supplier to the United States after Saudi Arabia and before all other oil and gas producing countries. Furthermore, Canada has the second largest oil reserves in the world.

“What this means is that we are, as a nation, a net exporter of energy and are virtually energy self sufficient. In immigration terms this has set an insatiable demand for foreign skilled workers in the trades, management and related fields. More people moving to Alberta’s oil rich cities means more housing having to be built and therefore a greater need for more plumbers, carpenters and electricians as well as bankers, IT professionals and other services professionals, such as those in healthcare, that go along with any major economic boom.”

I’m heading to the UK in March and hitting the road with Richard Gregan of Overseas Emigration Visas. If you’re considering emigrating to Canada these seminars are an opportunity to clarify any questions you may have about Canada visa requirements.

My colleague, Richard Gregan, is a registered migration agent for New Zealand and Australia and will be covering Australia immigration and New Zealand immigration.

We’ll be in the following cities on the dates below:

Glasgow, Saturday 8th March
Manchester, Sunday 9th March
Birmingham, Monday 10th March
Bristol, Tuesday 11th March
London, Wednesday 12th March

OE Visas immigration seminars cost £12. For further information and to book contact info@canada-immigration-visas.co.uk or call 0845 601 7810.

Canadian Minister of Citizenship and Immigration, Diane Finley, has announced that Canada expects between 240,000-265,000 immigrants in 2008.
The target is set out in the 2007 Annual Report to Parliament on Immigration tabled today in the House of Commons. The report provides information on immigration activities in 2006 and outlines the immigration plan for 2008.

“Our government believes that immigration plays an important role in building our communities and growing our economy,” said Minister Finley. “The immigration targets tabled today will help ensure that Canada continues to grow and benefit from all that newcomers and their families bring to our country.”

The Canadian Experience Class, first announced in the 2007 budget and a key element of the government’s long-term immigration plan, will be implemented in 2008 for certain skilled temporary workers and international students with Canadian degrees and Canadian work experience. Once the class is established and for the first time, individuals meeting specific criteria will be able to apply for permanent resident status from within Canada.

The Canadian Experience Class adds to other initiatives to address labour market needs and to help in the successful integration of newcomers. These include establishing the Foreign Credentials Referral Office (FCRO), improving the Temporary Foreign Worker program and expanding the Provincial Nominee Program.

The FCRO is working with the provinces and territories to help internationally trained individuals get their skills assessed and recognized. The Provincial Nominee Program allows provinces and territories to identify and nominate immigrants who will address their labour market needs.

Canada is continuing its humanitarian tradition by, for example, resettling 800 Karen refugees from Thailand and committing to welcoming 2,000 more. Canada also played an important role in negotiations on the protracted situation of Bhutanese refugees in Nepal, agreeing to resettle 5,000 of them over the next few years.

The federal government has also committed an additional $1.3 billion in settlement funding over five years, and $342 million per year ongoing, to help newcomers succeed.

The Annual Report to Parliament on Immigration, which must be tabled by November 1 each year, is a requirement under the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act.