Parent and Grandparent Sponsorship Program For Canada

Canada’s generous immigration policy allows sponsorship of both parents and grandparents living abroad. As one may imagine, it is a very popular program amongst both Canadian citizens and permanent residents looking to bring their relatives to Canada.

In 2011, Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) was forced to place a temporary moratorium on new applications in order to process a growing application backlog. Through the government-driven Action Plan for Faster Family Reunification, the backlog has steadily declined as applications have been processed and visas issued at high levels.

In 2012 and 2013, over 50,000 parents and grandparents were admitted to Canada as permanent residents – the largest number in over 20 years.

Although only 5,000 new applications will be considered in 2014, a total of 20,000 visas are expected to be issued this year, as visa officers continue to bring down the backlog. As the backlog is reduced, so too are processing times for the program as a whole.

Visas For Business Visits to Canada

Visas & Permits Required For Business Visits to Canada

Business visitors may enter Canada for a variety of reasons, but all must meet the following criteria:

• They must have no intent to enter the Canadian labour market. That is, they will not be gainfully employed by a Canadian employer during their time in Canada; and
• Their activity must be international in scope. It is assumed that a business visitor is engaging in cross-border business activity of some sort

In addition, for business visitors it is presumed that the following are true:

• Their primary source of remuneration is from outside of Canada;
• Their principal place of employment remains outside of Canada; and
• The accrual of their employer’s profits are located outside of Canada.

Business visitors usually fall under one of the following common sub-categories. They are:

• Employees of foreign companies contracting Canadian companies;
• After-sales service providers;
• Trainers and trainees, including intra-company training;
• Attendees of board of director’s meetings; and
• Employees of short-term temporary residents (such as caregivers or personal assistants)

Immigration to Canada

Immigration to Canada is, and has always been, a changing process so what does it mean to have permanent residence in Canada?

With over 60 Canadian immigration programs that lead to permanent residence in Canada, it is understandable that a degree of confusion arises from time to time.

New programs open, old programs close, criteria for existing programs are modified, and definitions change. Some newcomers to Canada who have successfully attained permanent residence status remain unsure about precisely what it is.

Contact us for more details on how to  achieve permanent residence in Canada

Air Canada Concerns Over Corona Virus

Flight attendants who work for Air Canada want the airline to issue an official notice with proper safety protocols to take in case they run into a passenger who may have contracted the Corona virus.

Air Canada flight attendants say they are at risk since they constantly handle glasses, utensils and plates that have come in contact with passengers.

The  Air Canada flight attendant union wrote to management  to ask that glove-wearing become mandatory, and to be informed of any passenger that could be at risk of having come into contact with the deadly coriona virus.

Multiple Entry Visitor Visa For Canada

The Multiple Entry Visitor Visa allows visitors to enter Canada for up to 6 months at a time for 10 years without having to reapply for an entry visa each time. Also, the Canadian Government visa processing fees have been reduced from $150 CDN to $100 for each visa application.

These changes not only simplify the visa application process for visitors but will also encourage multiple visits to Canada from business travelers and tourists.

The Multiple Entry Visitor Visa has long been a popular option for 10 year passport holders from China, India, and Mexico who have been eligible to apply for a 10-year visa. Similarly 5 year passport holders from the Philippines and Brazil have been able to apply for a 5 year visa.