Butkowsky Immigration Law
41 Madison Avenue M5R 2S2 Toronto, ON, Canada

The United States is set to reopen its borders to fully vaccinated travellers by air, land or passenger ferry starting Nov. 8. Air travellers will need to show proof of vaccination on arrival in the U.S. but will still need to show a pre-departure negative COVID-19 test taken within three days of boarding their flight.http://ow.ly/JkVA50Gsr2b

These Canadian residents are yearning to reunite with loved ones abroad, but they’re forced to wait as the pandemic persists. http://ow.ly/fJH550GoRLY

Did you ever think about what you should look for in an immigration lawyer? http://ow.ly/1fGb50GgcmL

All travellers, regardless of citizenship and vaccination status, must provide a pre-arrival Covid-19 molecular test result before arriving in Canada. Antigen Covid-19 tests are not an accepted test type. Find out more http://ow.ly/qzbQ50FOpNQ

Newcomers share stories of rebuilding their lives after fleeing the horror of the Syrian civil war. http://ow.ly/MByc50E0rWN

He passed his citizenship test. Then came the phone call from IRCC telling him that there was a problem! http://ow.ly/6jLn50E0rQZ

The one-year anniversary of travel restrictions is coming and there is no sign of a road map for returning to normal. http://ow.ly/ifA450DZ2iE

Permanent resident visa holders who are out of Canada and have not been able to come to Canada because of COVID-19 travel restrictions will be allowed into the country even if their confirmations have expired, according to an IRCC spokesperson. http://ow.ly/AV3E50DXkyA

A southern Alberta man has been going through an "immigration hell," as his lawyer calls it, that has left his common-law wife and two young children stuck in Cuba for almost a year due to delays in federal officials renewing her visa. http://ow.ly/O7Q950DPkyc

IRCC has finished sending invitations to apply for the 2020 Parents and Grandparents Program. All interested potential sponsors who were randomly selected to apply for the 2020 program have been sent invitations. http://ow.ly/AZID50D6B1d

This holiday season, Abdul Jalab wants to give back to the community that welcomed him with open arms. He is finding a way to make a difference and giving back to his new home during COVID-19. http://ow.ly/k1ze50CTrrE

Tastes from Home: Recipes from the Refugee Community, a free digital book features more than 30 recipes and personal stories from 14 former refugees, including current federal minister Ahmed Hussen and former Governor General of Canada Adrienne Clarkson. http://ow.ly/YrPq50CR27w

IRCC COVID-19 Program Delivery Update: Public policy exempting certain out-of-status foreign nationals in Canada from immigration requirements is extended to A...ugust 31, 2021. Established on July 14, 2020, the policy exempting certain foreign nationals from: (i) the 90-day restoration deadline, and (ii) providing interim work permits to certain out of status work permit applicants, has been extended...and it's criteria expanded. See IRCC's website for more details: https://www.canada.ca///temporary-residence/exemption.html

Many people who were issued documents and were preparing to immigrate to Canada before the pandemic struck say the government's sluggish effort to renew their immigration documents is causing them profound financial and emotional stress. http://ow.ly/8Bjm50CQqQr

The federal government is planning to drastically raise the removal fees levied against deportees in order to recover the full costs associated with deportations. The reality is that these costs can only be recovered when a previously removed person seeks to apply for an authorization to return to Canada.http://ow.ly/9cIG50D1rW5

Immigration Canada officers rejected 1,700 spousal applications last year considering them to be marriages of convenience. http://ow.ly/ZBJs50CM0hU

January 7th = new rules for travellers to Canada. A negative COVID-19 PCR test must be obtained before arrival in Canada. https://www.cbc.ca//garneau-negative-test-airline-1.5858379

The Owner/Operator LMIA is alive, for now. Does it serve a legitimate purpose? http://ow.ly/gCa750Cnpnl

U.S. immigration lawyers have vowed to take Donald Trump’s administration to court after it published a rule change that significantly raises the bar for asylum seekers to gain refuge in America. http://ow.ly/e3ah50CJPBo

Our immigration system will be under immense pressure to deliver in a post-pandemic world. If Canadian companies and postsecondary institutions are going to get the talent required to expand the Canadian economy, the government must shift to an aggressive, co-recruitment model to find top talent globally. http://ow.ly/rp4m50CUDEY

Ontario Labour Relations Board rules in favour of migrant worker who was terminated shortly after he spoke out about poor living and working conditions during the pandemic at a farm. http://ow.ly/oGNk50CiLoG

With their permanent residence visas in hand, they sold their houses, quit their jobs and even shipped some of their belongings to their new homes in Canada. Then Covid hit. http://ow.ly/kG3o50Ci6Hk

In order to stop the spread of Covid-19, Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) is emptying out its detention centres and finding alternatives to keeping detainees behind bars until they can be processed. http://ow.ly/yism50ChPRp

According to the President of CARL, the United States is not ready to be Canada's partner in the humane treatment of asylum claimants, and our government should not be in court trying to legitimize the administration’s record. http://ow.ly/xXhl50CgCt4

The temples are meant to help people, to feed people but the allegation is that management is ripping people off and it is all an immigration scam. http://ow.ly/3pSs50BGANy

Canadian living in the U.S. wants exemption from mandatory quarantine period. http://ow.ly/pIrZ50BEC6m

In a groundbreaking judgment involving a spousal immigration case, Canada’s Federal Court has broadened the definition of conjugal relationship to include mixed-orientation couples who are otherwise committed and dependent on each other. http://ow.ly/FQsh50BEjvQ

A Canadian woman entering the last month of her pregnancy was finally able to return home to Canada, after the federal government granted last-minute temporary resident visas to her soon-to-be adopted Haitian children. www.cbc.ca//calg/canada-visas-mom-haiti-children-1.5740733

Couple pleads for help to enable them to bring their daughter home to Canada. Family has had to spend nearly $70K while in limbo amidst a serious medical scare. http://ow.ly/dcb350Bz1zp

Gustavo Camelo is one of thousands of international students stuck in limbo, ready to start college or university but missing one very important thing - a Canadian student visa. http://ow.ly/Fn5q50Bypf2

Immigration officials are beginning gradually to resume in-person services after the pandemic forced many programs to shut down, frustrating immigrants whose lives were put on hold. http://ow.ly/bbs050BylRu

Canada's border clampdown on travel could soon be adjusted to allow some new humanitarian exemptions. http://ow.ly/F0gv50Bx2Xw

Canadian support for keeping the border closed to Americans remains strong, despite a decline in new COVID-19 cases in the U.S. and a tourism industry that has been hit hard. http://ow.ly/13qA50Brg63

According to a whistleblower complaint filed by several legal advocacy groups on behalf of an employee nurse, immigrants in a US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detention center in Georgia are being subjected to horrific conditions and treatment, including jarring medical neglect and a high rate of hysterectomies among women, http://ow.ly/cBG650Brhxl

The Mumbai Crime Branch busted a call centre scam involving people posing as IRS and immigration officials and extorting money from US and Canada citizens after threatening them with penal action over financial matters. http://ow.ly/uogJ50Bprw2

So proud to be involved with Enemies of the State. The film just premiered at TIFF and tells the story of an American family seeking refuge in Canada after their hacker son is targeted by the US government. It is one wild ride! http://ow.ly/6gNq50BpnFA

Immigrants call on government to hold online or physically distanced citizenship tests. http://ow.ly/sGTX50BpubY

Statistics show that Canada saw an uptick in Americans trying to move to Canada following Trump's 2016 win. http://ow.ly/65Ui50Bp6OM

A surprisingly high proportion of COVID-19 cases in Ontario have been among women working in health care, according to a new report that experts say intensifies calls for better protection. http://ow.ly/FyHB50Bn3fc

Back to school in a global pandemic comes with additional stresses and complications for many immigrant and refugee families. http://ow.ly/iOnq50BhnCH

A U.S. citizen who has repeatedly entered Canada illegally after being deported has run afoul of the law yet again. http://ow.ly/n6Um50Bf6zM

This one is interesting! A former bodyguard of late North Korean tyrant Kim Jong-il has been refused asylum in Canada. He says he fears he will be killed by the communist regime if deported back to neighbouring South Korea. http://ow.ly/vflK50Bg7qD