visitor visa

“IRCC to Revise Application Fees Starting December 1!”

Ashish / November 20, 2024

On December 1, 2024, Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) will increase application and processing fees for several types of temporary resident applications, including: Applications to restore temporary resident status (for visitors, workers, and students) Applications for authorization to return to Canada Criminal rehabilitation applications (including cases of serious criminality) Temporary Resident Permit (TRP) applications Discover if You Are Eligible for Canadian Immigration Current fees Application type Current application fees (CAD) Restoration of visitor status $ 229.00 Restoration of student status $ 379.00 Restoration of worker status $ 384.00 Authorization to return to Canada $ 459.55 Inadmissible on grounds of criminality $ 229.77 Inadmissible on grounds of serious criminality $ 1,148.87 Temporary Resident Permit (TRP) $ 229.77 Applicants submitting their applications with the old fees may not need to worry about the fee increase if specific conditions are met. Online Applications: Applications submitted online are received immediately, allowing for instant or near-instant validation of the submission. Mailed Applications: For applications sent by mail, there is typically a delay between when the documents are mailed and when IRCC receives them. If the fee changes during this time, the application is unlikely to be rejected as long as: The full, old fee was paid, A complete application was submitted, and The application was mailed before the fee change took effect. If additional payment is required due to a fee increase, IRCC will provide instructions on how to pay the difference. Paying the Fee Difference for Applications Applicants who submitted applications using the old fee before the fee increase and are required to pay the difference will be given instructions by IRCC. Here’s how to manage this: Calculate the Fee Difference: Determine the difference between the old fee and the updated fee. This also applies to fees for family members included in the application. Make the Payment: Use the “Make an additional payment or pay other fees” option on IRCC’s online payment tool. Enter the total fee difference under “Quantity.” A receipt will be issued for each payment. Multiple receipts can be generated in a single transaction or across separate transactions. Log in or create an IRCC account to complete the payment. Submit the Receipt: Follow the instructions provided in IRCC’s fee adjustment request on how to submit the payment receipt. This process ensures that applications remain valid even if fees change after submission. Discover if You Are Eligible for Canadian Immigration

NEWS

IRCC Application Backlog Continues to Rise Steadily Over the Summer

Ashish / October 16, 2024

Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) saw its application backlog increase to 1,078,300 by the end of August 2024. This represents a 7.6% rise in the backlog compared to the previous month, July 2024. July marked a notable milestone, as the backlog exceeded one million applications for the first time in several months. Despite ongoing efforts by the IRCC to address and reduce the backlog, it currently accounts for 1,078,300 out of a total of 2,420,800 applications, meaning that 1,342,500 applications are still being processed within the department’s service standards. Discover if You Are Eligible for Canadian Immigration The IRCC defines an application as being in backlog if it is not processed within the published service standards. These standards represent the timelines the department deems reasonable for processing specific types of applications. The timelines vary depending on the type of immigration pathway and the nature of the application. For instance, the IRCC aims to process most Express Entry applications within six months of receiving a completed application, while study permits generally take 60 days. The IRCC strives to process 80% of all applications within these service standards, leaving the remaining 20% to account for more complex applications or cases requiring additional processing time. In an Access to Information and Privacy (ATIP) request obtained earlier in 2024, the IRCC stated that it is committed to reviewing and updating its service standards, with new standards expected to be published by December 31, 2024. Current Backlog Permanent Residence Applications As of August 31, 2024, the IRCC had a total of 805,600 applications in inventory for permanent residence programs. These included Express Entry programs, Express Entry-aligned streams of the Provincial Nominee Program (PNP), and family sponsorship programs for spouses, partners, and children. Of the total permanent residence applications, 37% (300,800) were considered part of the backlog. While exact numbers weren’t provided, the IRCC did share percentages that show how the backlog is distributed: Express Entry: The backlog reached 16%, which is slightly higher than the projected 15%, though still within the acceptable 20% threshold set by the department. Express Entry-aligned PNP: The backlog for this stream stood at 22%, exceeding the projected 20%. Spouses, Partners, and Children (outside Quebec): This category had a smaller backlog than projected, with only 14% of applications in backlog, below the expected 15%. Temporary Residence Applications The backlog for temporary residence applications continues to rise, reaching 53% in August 2024, up from 49% in July. This means that 738,900 out of 1,386,000 temporary residence applications are now in backlog. The Temporary Resident Visa (TRV) backlog is particularly significant, with 71% of applications in backlog, far exceeding the projected 43%. Both study permits and work permits show substantial backlogs as well, with 32% and 47%, respectively, being categorized as backlog. Citizenship Applications As in the previous month, citizenship applications remain the only category within acceptable backlog thresholds. As of August, 38,600 out of a total of 229,200 citizenship applications were in backlog, representing 17%, unchanged from July’s figures. IRCC’s Efforts to Reduce the Backlog The IRCC has implemented various measures to reduce the backlog, which surged to critical levels in 2022 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, staff shortages, and resource allocation issues at international offices. Among the steps taken to streamline the process are: Expanding and enhancing online application processes for permanent residence and citizenship. Introducing virtual citizenship ceremonies and online status-checking portals to reduce administrative delays. Prioritizing applications from individuals in essential occupations to address ongoing labor shortages. To further manage the backlog, the IRCC also plans to limit the number of temporary residents. The department aims to reduce the volume of temporary residents entering Canada to just 5% of current levels by introducing a “soft cap” on the number of temporary resident permits issued. With these initiatives, the IRCC is striving to bring the backlog under control while continuing to meet the country’s immigration and labor market needs. The department’s updated service standards, set to be released by the end of 2024, are expected to provide clearer guidance on processing times and help streamline the application process going forward. Discover if You Are Eligible for Canadian Immigration

NEWS

“BREAKING: Canada Halts Work Permit Applications for Visitors Inside the Country”

Ashish / August 29, 2024

The ability to apply for a work permit from within Canada has been discontinued as of August 28 for temporary residents in the country on a guest visa. The goal of the August 2020 policy was to help Canadian tourists who were stranded at home due to border closures resulting from the COVID-19 epidemic. They would not need to leave Canada in order to apply for a work permit under the scheme. Additionally, anyone who had held a work permit during the previous year but had converted to a “visitor” immigration status were qualified to “work lawfully in Canada while awaiting a decision on their new work permit application.” Discover if You Are Eligible for Canadian Immigration The policy’s original expiration date was scheduled for February 28, 2025. However, as “part of our overall efforts to recalibrate the number of temporary residents in Canada and preserve the integrity of the immigration system,” Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) said it is eliminating the policy immediately. Applications filed in accordance with the rules before August 28 will still be processed, according to the Department. Suppression of maladaptive behavior The IRCC claims that knowledge of “bad actors were using the policy to mislead foreign nationals into working in Canada without authorization” is a contributing factor in the early rollback. This is related to the department’s continuous initiatives to lower the number of temporary residents and fight pervasive immigration fraud. For instance, it was discovered that 700 Indian overseas students were enrolled in Canadian universities last year as a result of forged admission letters from DLIs. A large number of them had no idea that their letters were fake. As a result, the IRCC now mandates that DLIs confirm each and every acceptance letter within ten days of receiving an application from an overseas student. Additionally, it has limited the amount of foreign students that Canada would take in for the ensuing two year. Significant adjustments to Canada’s temporary foreign worker thresholds A week of significant adjustments intended at lowering Canada’s numbers of temporary foreign workers coincide with the expiration of the temporary policy permitting certain tourists to apply for a work permit. By September 26, 2024, the Department of Labor Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) will no longer be reviewing applications for certain applicants under the Temporary Foreign Worker Program (TFWP) Low-Wage stream. This announcement was made on August 26. Applicants in Census Metropolitan Areas where the unemployment rate is six percent or greater will be impacted by this. Additionally, the IRCC indicated that the maximum period of employment for workers in the Low-Wage stream would be lowered from two years to one year, and that firms in Canada would only be able to hire up to 10% of foreign workers under the TFWP. Similar to today’s announcement, many of the aforementioned adjustments are reversals of immigration rules that were put in place during the pandemic by the Canadian government in order to address the country’s labor shortage. For instance, during the pandemic, the IRCC and Employment Social Development Canada (ESDC) together implemented interim measures that extended the validity of an LMIA to 12 months and permitted Canadian workers to hire up to 30% of their staff under the TFWP’s Low-Wage stream. Following a joint press announcement by Immigration Minister Marc Miller and Employment Minister Randy Boissonnault last May, IRCC and ESDC started to rescind these pandemic-era restrictions. Minister Miller made the historic announcement at the same press conference that the annual Immigration Levels Plan would now include temporary resident levels, a first for Canadian immigration history. In Canada, immigration has emerged as a major issue. Much of this year has seen declarations about controlling and lowering the number of temporary immigrants living there. Minister Miller also declared this week that he intends to think about adjusting the number of permanent residents in Canada in the upcoming years. Discover if You Are Eligible for Canadian Immigration

NEWS

Are you employed at a global conference in Canada? Find out if a work permit is required.

Ashish / August 9, 2024

The start of international events in Canada this summer has drawn tourists from all over the world and covered a wide range of topics, from agriculture to technology. It is crucial that guests to Canada are aware of the precise admission requirements they must fulfill in order to take part in international events in various capacities. The entry requirements for foreign service providers operating under contract at international events will be covered in this article. Note: the Government of Canada defines a “foreign event” as an event held by an organization which is located in – and conducts business from – a country other than Canada. For example, the Collision Conference in Toronto, Ontario, which is hosted by an organization called Web Summit, headquartered in Dublin, Ireland. This foreign event draws thousands of international entrepreneurs, investors and business leaders to Canada annually, and is set to take place in Vancouver next year under the new name ‘Web Summit Vancouver’ from May 27 – 30, 2025. Discover if You Are Eligible for Canadian Immigration Entry requirements for attendees Entry requirements for attendees (those simply attending the event as guests) of foreign events in Canada are straightforward. Attendees are technically tourists to Canada. Attendees must simply meet entry requirements for visitors – like obtaining a visitor visa, or (if from a visa-exempt country) an electronic travel authorization (eTA). Entry requirements for foreign service providers Entry requirements for non-Canadians working foreign events in Canada are more complex. Foreign service providers working under contract for foreign events do not need work permits if they are: event planners; exhibit managers; professional conference organizers; destination marketing company personnel; or event accommodation consultants. However, foreign service providers working under contract to provide the following services do need work permits: Installing or dismantling shows/exhibits; Audio video, staging, or show decorating services; and/or Lighting, carpet laying, carpentry, or electrical work. What kind of work permit is needed for service providers at foreign events in Canada? Non-Canadian service providers at foreign events in Canada typically do not require an LMIA or Labour Market Impact Assessment. Instead, they qualify for an LMIA-exempt work permit known as the significant benefit work permit. To qualify for this LMIA-exempt work permit, you must meet three requirements: You must be working under contract for a foreign event organizer or exhibitor; You must be providing services like audio visual services or electrical work (see the full list of eligible activities above); and You must be supervising and directing local fires at the foreign event. The final requirement is important. You must prove that your role is supervisory–that you will be overseeing local labour rather than completing all the hands-on work yourself. This is because foreign event organizers and exhibitors are expected to hire Canadians to perform labour on the convention floor. If you believe you are eligible for this significant benefit work permit, your work permit application should address all key requirements above by including documents like the formal service agreement, your CV / resume, and more. Visa requirements for foreign service providers and exhibitors In addition to the work permit, foreign service providers (like visitors) working foreign events in Canada will need valid visitor visas or eTAs. Those who are visa-exempt may apply for their work permit at the port of entry to Canada. Those who require visas must apply for their work permit online. If you are applying online, it is important to check processing times to ensure you will meet timelines and obtain your work permit before the event. Contact Cohen Immigration Law for assistance If you plan to work under contract at a foreign event in Canada, the first step is to figure out if you qualify for the significant benefit work permit. Cohen Immigration Law has over 45 years of experience in helping foreign workers and employers navigate Canadian immigration regulations. The law firm can help assess your eligibility and prepare your work permit application, so you can focus on delivering services to your client. Discover if You Are Eligible for Canadian Immigration

“IRCC to Revise Application Fees Starting December 1!”

IRCC Application Backlog Continues to Rise Steadily Over the Summer

“BREAKING: Canada Halts Work Permit Applications for Visitors Inside the Country”

Are you employed at a global conference in Canada? Find out if a work permit is required.

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visitor visa

“IRCC to Revise Application Fees Starting December 1!”

IRCC Application Backlog Continues to Rise Steadily Over the Summer

“BREAKING: Canada Halts Work Permit Applications for Visitors Inside the Country”

Are you employed at a global conference in Canada? Find out if a work permit is required.

Need an Advice for your Immigration Query Get an Appointment Today!

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Our Services

Follow Us

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Need an Advice for your Immigration Query
Get an Appointment Today!