Category Archives: Latest News

Express Entry to begin awarding additional points to candidates with siblings in Canada and to candidates with strong French language skills

Posted on by
Express Entry to begin awarding additional points to candidates with siblings in Canada and to candidates with strong French language skills

News Release

From Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada

June 5, 2017—Markham, ON – Improvements to the Express Entry system taking effect tomorrow help support the integration of skilled workers as they build their new life in Canada. This benefits Canada as newcomers are able to more quickly put their skills to use to help strengthen and grow Canada’s economy.

Starting on June 6, new points will be awarded to candidates with siblings in Canada. Studies have shown that as newcomers build a new life in Canada, those with siblings benefit by having improved integration into Canadian society.

Other changes to the Express Entry system include points for candidates with strong French language skills, removing the requirement to register with Job Bank and a new approach to rank tied candidates in the Express Entry pool.

Programs managed through the Express Entry system attract high-skilled foreign workers and former international students who want to live in Canada permanently and whose in-demand skills are needed by employers across the country to help build businesses and grow the economy.

Quotes

“Economic immigration programs managed by the Express Entry system attract highly talented and skilled immigrants that businesses need to help grow and strengthen our economy. As the improvements are implemented, I’m pleased that Canada will welcome more skilled immigrants with siblings in Canada who can help them quickly integrate into their new life here, and that we’ll continue to see Francophone minority communities flourish.”

– The Honourable Ahmed Hussen, Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship

“After two years at University of British Columbia, Vancouver was kind of starting to feel like home. I knew finding a job in Vancouver in architecture was not going to be a problem, with my background and especially having a degree from Canada. Express Entry was the option that I had to go for if I wanted to stay in Canada. The application process was very easy. Everything was very clear. Everything was very well explained on the website. My experience with Express Entry was so good that I would actually recommend it to everyone who actually has the option to apply”

– Express Entry participant, Miguel, Architect

“If what you’re looking for is safety, a feeling of oneness, feeling like you’re not being judged, and you’re actually part of the community, I wouldn’t think twice before choosing Canada. The Express Entry system, I think it’s by far the easiest system on the planet. I think it’s transparent. All the information is out there. Everything’s clear. I think going through the Express Entry system was probably easier than getting my driving licence. The whole process took three months for me, and I couldn’t have been happier. I think, in Canada, with hard work and perseverance, the opportunities are endless.”

– Express Entry participant, Dinesh, Business Analyst

Link : https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/news/2017/06/express_entry_tobeginawardingadditionalpointstocandidateswithsib.html

Government of Canada Eliminates Conditional Permanent Residence for Spouses and Partners

Posted on by

Government of Canada Eliminates Conditional Permanent Residence for Spouses and Partners

News Release

From Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada

April 28, 2017—Ottawa, ON – To uphold its commitment to family reunification and to support gender equality, the Government of Canada has removed the condition that applied to some sponsored spouses or partners of Canadian citizens and permanent residents to live with their sponsor for two years in order to keep their permanent resident status.

This change applies to anyone who was subject to the requirement, as well as to new spouses and partners who are sponsored as permanent residents.

Eliminating conditional permanent residence supports the Government’s commitment to gender equality and to combat gender violence. The regulatory change addresses concerns that vulnerable sponsored spouses or partners may stay in abusive relationships because they are afraid of losing their permanent resident status even though an exception to the condition existed for those types of situations.

The Government of Canada does not want any sponsored spouse or partner who is in an abusive situation to remain in it for fear of losing their status in Canada.

The change also supports family reunification, which is a key immigration commitment of the Government of Canada. Removing the condition recognizes that the majority of marriages are genuine and most spousal sponsorship applications are made in good faith.

Link: https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/news/2017/04/government_of_canadaeliminatesconditionalpermanentresidenceforsp.html

US busts fraudulent US$50m investor migration scheme for rich Chinese, including fugitives

Posted on by

US busts fraudulent US$50m investor migration scheme for rich Chinese, including fugitives

Federal agents in California on Wednesday raided two homes and a business allegedly connected to a US$50 million visa fraud scheme that benefited up to 100 Chinese nationals.

Authorities said the key suspects in the case helped wealthy Chinese obtain residency visas in the United States in exchange for bogus investments.

According to an affidavit by an FBI agent involved in the probe, Victoria Chan, a California attorney, and her father, Tat Chan, beginning in 2008 convinced more than 100 Chinese nationals to invest upwards of US$50 million in the California Investment Immigration Fund (CIIF) and related companies in order to obtain visas under the so-called EB-5 program.

The programme offers foreign nationals permanent US residency – commonly known as a green card – in exchange for investments of at least US$500,000 in a US business that must also create 10 American jobs.

“As a result of the fraudulent scheme, many foreign nationals were able to improperly obtain US green cards through the EB-5 visa program, even though those foreigners did not in fact truly invest in US businesses, nor were new American jobs created,” FBI special agent Gary Chen wrote in the affidavit.

Chen said three of those who benefitted from the programme were fugitives on China’s 100 most wanted list, charged with crimes such as bribery and abuse of power.

Victoria Chan and her father allegedly promised investors a full refund on their funds but kept some of the money to buy multi-million-dollar homes for themselves and for Tat Chan’s female companion, Fang Zeng, a Chinese national.

They also submitted plans to federal authorities for various development projects that never got off the ground.

Officials said no arrests have been made yet in the case and no formal charges have been filed.

With the raids Wednesday, during which computers, banking records and other documents related to the alleged scheme are expected to be confiscated, investigators hope to begin to untangle the complicated case. They have yet to determine how many of the Chinese investors were complicit or victims in the alleged fraud, exactly how much money ring leaders actually raised and what has happened to the money.

The EB-5 program was created in 1990 to help stimulate the US economy through job creation and capital investment from foreign nationals.

Nearly 90 per cent of EB-5 visas were issued to Chinese nationals in 2014, when the programme reached its quota of 10,000 visas and had to stop accepting applications.

Concerns over poor oversight and some highly publicized scams led the North American Securities Administrators Association, an advocacy group, to label EB-5-related fraud as one of the top new threats to investors.

Link: http://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/2085287/scheme-wealthy-chinese-get-us-visas-busted

Turnbull Announces Tougher Citizenship Laws for Australia

Posted on by
Turnbull Announces Tougher Citizenship Laws for Australia
  • More rigorous citizenship test
  • Possession of domestic violence and organized crime history can not be naturalized;
  • All applicants must show the steps they have taken to integrate into and contribute to the Australian community (evidence of employment, membership of community organisations, school enrolment for all eligible children);
  • Strict English tests, including reading, writing and listening; New citizens will need to show strong English-language skills;
  • Permanent residents waiting period from one year to four years

In addition, applicants must stay in Australia for four years before they can apply for naturalization, three more years – up from 12 months now.

“Australian citizenship should be honoured, cherished. It is a privilege.” The prime minister said.

Applicants will only be allowed to fail the citizenship test three times. Need to wait two years to retry.

The new measures will take effect today. Later this year Congress would passed the amendment to trace all new applications from today.