Capelle Kane Immigration Lawyers

For Immediate Release January 8, 2021 NDP Condemns the Arrest and Persecution of Hong Kongers and Calls for Immediate Special Asylum Measures ... VANCOUVER New Democrats are calling on the Liberal government to act on the human rights abuses against former pro-democracy legislators, political activists, journalists, legal experts and academicians in the wake of mass arrests in Hong Kong and to immediately introduce special asylum measures for Hong Kongers. "This government must do more to help those fleeing persecution in Hong Kong. Extending the existing economic immigration measures targeting young graduates is not enough. If you take a look at the list of the people arrested on January 6, most are not even eligible for the program. Hong Kongers need urgent support, said NDP critic for Immigration, Jenny Kwan. The Liberals should immediately introduce special measures for asylum seekers and our consulate in Hong Kong should provide assistance in issuing travel exemptions to Hong Kong asylum seekers so that they can safely travel to Canada. Kwan says these steps are consistent with the Prime Minister’s instruction to the Minister of Immigration, Citizenship and Refugees in his 2019 mandate letter to "introduce a dedicated refugee stream to provide safe haven for human rights advocates, journalists and humanitarian workers at risk." There is no more time to waste. Urgent action must be taken now. New Democrats are also urging the federal government to reintroduce the expanded family sponsorship reunification stream to include extended family members so that they can reunite with their family in Canada. Canada benefited tremendously from this program back in the 1970s and MP Kwan and her family are an example of the program's success. In 1976, Kwan's family were able to immigrate to Canada thanks to sponsorship by her aunt. Kwan believes the government needs to revive this valuable initiative to help others like her. "This government cannot stand by while human rights are being abused. The imposition of the National Security Law sent shocked waves across the globe. The One Country - Two System policy is now dead. The escalation of mass arrests of pro-democracy activists, including former legislators is indicative that China intends to silence all opposition to their regime", said Kwan. The NDP supports for the calls for action from the Alliance Canada Hong Kong and further urges Canada to work with the international community and our allies to hold China to account, and defend the rights of people in Hong Kong, in China, and around the world. Canada must rise to the challenge, welcome and protect people in need, and push back against this blatant attack on human rights and human lives. --- 8.1.2020 1116 2019(Marco Mendicino) 701976 (Alliance Canada Hong Kong) #StandWithHongKong #StandWithHK Alliance Canada Hong Kong VSSDM Square Hong Kong Free Press HKFP

Not worth the bad publicity. Make sure all employees are authorized to work.

Chargé d'Affaires Katherine Brucker on the events at the Capitol. https://go.usa.gov/xAR5Q

"We do not know what will be deemed to be properly certified testing labs to provide results. We do not know the acceptable format for passengers to provide the information and be in compliance with the government policy. We do not have regulation and we do not have guidance material at all."

Effective January 7 2021.

International students have chance to secure extended post graduate work permits.

What's at stake when you use VFS Global? Applicants should demand privacy. But they don't.

Travellers who are unable to procure tests before their flights home won't be stranded abroad, LeBlanc said. Immediately upon their return to Canada, he said, those passengers will be required to isolate at federally-approved sites until they obtain negative test results and meet other quarantine commitments.

Asking for a quarantine exemption for exceptional cases is part of our work. Contact us if you are providing an essential service like this hospital CEO.

We can help you jump the hoops.

Hoping this initiative helps expedite these applications that have been collecting dust for months.

Lucky family. Gorgeous part of Canada.

Thank you Prime Minister Trudeau and all of our friends in Canada who have joined us in mourning the loss of Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, a true champion of justice and equality. - Chargé d'Affaires Katherine Brucker

The CBSA would like to remind travellers that discretionary (non-essential) travel restrictions between and have been extended to October 21st, 2020.

More disappointment expected for those hoping to participate in the 2020 lottery.

Important decision that will impact common-law family class sponsorships.

My full statement on today's announcement on the border restrictions: Today’s announcement is welcome, but the Liberals should have acted much sooner to support... families struggling under the weight of the separation during this pandemic. For months, we have been saying the strict definition of ‘immediate family’ as defined under the Immigration Refugee Protection Act leaves many who are in committed relationships separated. For a lot of couples, these strict definitions don’t necessarily reflect the strength or history of their relationship. The Liberals’ border measures have been particularly discriminatory towards members of the SOGI community with a partner living in a country that does not honor, respect or actively discriminates against their relationship. Many unnecessary hardships could have been avoided if the Liberals acted with urgency on this important issue. It was also encouraging to see the government finally act to ensure that international students can pursue their education and continue to contribute to rebuilding the Canadian economy in a safe and effective way. But this acknowledgement comes far too late. I wrote to the Minister of Immigration about this during the summer, but because the government waited until a month after classes started and still has no plan to deal with backlogs, students and universities alike have lost the fall semester and likely already caused many to reconsider their choice to pursue an education and contribute to the economy in Canada. Now, the government needs to end their silence about the implications of the travel restrictions for refugees. People continue to be targeted and persecuted and are at risk. Beyond just talking about helping the people of Hong Kong, the Liberal government needs to act and exempt refugees from the travel restrictions so they can get to safety. Lives literally depend on it.

A group of border city mayors are calling on the federal government to keep the Canada-U.S. border closed to non-essential travel until at least next year. Do ...you agree? Vote in our poll and let us know your thoughts in the comments. Here's what the mayors have said: http://ctv.news/Em6FTZg

That's impressive!

Three years ago today was the Grand Opening of our factory in Antigonish, Nova Scotia! It was an incredible day with tears and smiles to have realized our dream... in this country after our factory in Syria was bombed. We would like to take today to thank the community and our country for their support on that day and every day since. Since the opening we have shipped our chocolates across Canada, the US, and the world and we continue this everyday. One peace of chocolate at a time. More information about our company and our growth since then can be found on our website. www.peacebychocolate.ca ________________ 4th photo credit to DARREN CALABRESE / THE CANADIAN PRESS

A Regional Ontario immigrant program would help Ottawa attract and retain newcomers to our region!

Today IRCC announced changes that are being implemented to provide more flexibility on eligibility rules for the Post-Graduation Work Permit Program for student...s who start their Canadian study program online from abroad. Students are now able to study online from abroad until April 30, 2021, with no time deducted from the length of a future post-graduation work permit, provided 50% of their program of study is eventually completed in Canada. Students who have enrolled in a program that is between 8 and 12 months in length with a start-date from May to September 2020 will be able to complete their entire program online from abroad and still be eligible for a post-graduation work permit. Students who enroll in a program with a start-date from May-September 2020, study online up to April 30 2021 and who graduate from more than one eligible program of study may be able to combine the length of their programs of study when they apply for a PWGP in the future. Student can apply for a PWGP in the future in this case as long as 50% of their total studies are completed in Canada. To be eligible for these measures, students must submit a study permit application no later than September 15, 2020 for programs with a fall start date. Learn more about the new changes aimed at providing flexibility for students not able to travel to Canada: https://www.canada.ca//noti/pgwp-eligibility-measures.html

My joint letter asking Minister Mendicino to support international students, highlighting the significant contributions they provide to Canadian society and the... economy and the uncertainty they face going into the fall session. Minister Mendicino, We are writing to you to express my concerns about the impact that current IRCC processing delays and restrictions are having on international students. With only a few weeks left until the beginning of the fall session, the widespread closures of IRCC offices, coupled with the lack of clear information on what measures international students are to expect going into September, has left international students uncertain for their future. Despite paying significantly higher tuition fees than their Canadian counterparts, international students are facing significant disadvantages for obtaining adequate education and to contribute to the Canadian economy. While we acknowledge that there have been positive steps from your government with the measures announced by IRCC on May 14th, which allow hours attending classes abroad to count towards the eligibility requirements for the Post-Graduation Work Permit Program, major issues remain unresolved for international students. Even though post-secondary institutions are largely moving to digital classrooms, not all courses translate well to a digital environment, large time zone differences and lack of access to campus resources where it is safe to do so present significant barriers to students who are looking to participate in classroom discussions. International students contribute to the richness of our post-secondary institutions and have contributed $21.6 billion to Canada’s GDP in 2018. Further, graduate students are important contributors to Canadian academic research, and they are at risk of longer having access to laboratories and resources to complete their program. Recent reports have also suggested that talented minds are increasingly looking to choose Canada instead of the US to pursue their education, but the current restrictions will make it very difficult to make this possible. We are therefore concerned that the current actions taken by the government don’t adequately balance the realities faced by these students with Canada’s demonstrated ability to flatten the curve. We also wish to bring special attention to concerns we’ve heard from prospective students who are already in Canada on a work permit or visitor visa and wish to further their education. As it stands, they are caught up in the current processing delays despite the health concerns relating to the border not applying to them and we are therefore urging you to expedite these applications to ensure they are processed for the fall session. We have heard numerous reports where IRCC mail rooms are shut down and it is unacceptable that application backlogs should be increasing for individuals who are already in Canada when IRCC is not even opening mail in many instances. As mentioned in previous correspondence to you, we are supportive of severely limiting travel at the Canadian border. However, we believe Canada has demonstrated that we are able to achieve a more measured approach with the use of prearrival testing, strict quarantine procedures and the diligent monitoring upon entry, and ask that you make special considerations for international students to be able to pursue their education and to contribute to the revival of the Canadian economy in a safe and effective manner. It is also imperative that you reopen immigration offices beyond critical staff, while physical distancing measures into account, in order to address the growing backlog of applications. Thank you for your consideration on this matter and we look forward to your response. Sincerely, Jenny Kwan MP for Vancouver East NPD Critic for Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Alexandre Boulerice MP for RosemontLa Petite-Patrie Deputy Leader for the NDP --- Monsieur le ministre Mendicino, Nous vous écrivons pour vous faire part de nos préoccupations quant à l’incidence des retards et des restrictions de traitement actuels de l’IRCC sur les étudiantes internationaux. À la veille de la session d’automne, la fermeture généralisée des bureaux de l’IRCC, associée au manque d’informations claires sur les mesures auxquelles les étudiantes internationaux doivent s’attendre à l’approche du mois de septembre, a laissé les étudiantes internationaux dans l’incertitude quant à leur avenir. Bien qu’ils paient des frais de scolarité nettement plus élevés que leurs homologues canadiens, les étudiantes internationaux sont confrontés à des défis importants pour obtenir une éducation adéquate et contribuer à l’économie canadienne. Si nous reconnaissons que votre gouvernement a pris des mesures positives avec les mesures annoncées par l’IRCC le 14 mai dernier, qui permettent aux heures de cours à l’étranger de compter pour les conditions d’admissibilité au Programme de permis de travail post-diplôme, des problèmes majeurs restent non résolus pour les étudiantes internationaux. Même si les établissements postsecondaires passent en grande partie à des salles de classe numériques, tous les cours ne se traduisent pas bien dans un environnement numérique, les grands décalages horaires et le manque d’accès aux ressources du campus où il est sécuritaire de le faire constituent des obstacles importants pour les étudiantes qui cherchent à participer à des discussions en classe. Les étudiantes internationaux contribuent à la richesse de nos établissements d’enseignement supérieur et ont contribué à hauteur de 21,6 milliards de dollars au PIB du Canada en 2018. Par ailleurs, les étudiantes diplômées contribuent de façon importante à la recherche universitaire canadienne et risquent d’avoir plus longtemps accès aux laboratoires et aux ressources pour mener à bien leur programme. De récents rapports ont également laissé entendre que les esprits talentueux cherchent de plus en plus à choisir le Canada plutôt que les États-Unis pour poursuivre leurs études, mais les restrictions actuelles rendront cela très difficile. Nous craignons donc que les mesures actuelles prises par le gouvernement ne permettent pas de trouver un équilibre adéquat entre les réalités auxquelles ces étudiantes sont confrontés et la capacité avérée du Canada à aplatir la courbe. Nous souhaitons également attirer l’attention sur les préoccupations que nous avons entendues de la part d’étudiantes potentiels qui sont déjà au Canada avec un permis de travail ou un visa de visiteur et qui souhaitent poursuivre leurs études. Dans l’état actuel des choses, ils sont pris dans les délais de traitement malgré les préoccupations sanitaires liées au fait que la frontière ne s’applique pas à eux et nous vous demandons donc instamment d’accélérer le traitement de ces demandes pour qu’elles soient traitées pour la session d’automne. Nous avons entendu de nombreux rapports de l’IRCC où les salles de courrier sont fermées et il est inacceptable que les retards dans le traitement des demandes augmentent pour les personnes qui sont déjà au Canada alors que l’IRCC n’ouvre même pas le courrier dans de nombreux cas. Comme mentionné dans une correspondance précédente, nous demeurons favorables à une limitation sévère des déplacements à la frontière canadienne. Cependant, nous croyons que le Canada a démontré qu’il est capable d’adopter une approche plus mesurée grâce à l’utilisation de tests avant l’arrivée, de procédures de quarantaine strictes et d’un contrôle diligent à l’entrée, et nous vous demandons de prendre en considération les étudiantes internationaux afin qu’ils puissent poursuivre leurs études et contribuer à la relance de l’économie canadienne de façon sécuritaire et efficace. Il est également impératif que vous rouvriez les bureaux d’immigration au-delà du personnel essentiel, tout en tenant compte des mesures de distanciation physique, afin de remédier à l’arriéré croissant de demandes. Nous vous remercions de votre attention sur cette question et nous attendons avec impatience votre réponse. Nous vous prions d’agréer, Monsieur le Ministre, l’expression de notre haute considération, Jenny Kwan Députée pour Vancouver-Est Porte-parole du NPD pour l'Immigration, des Réfugiées et de la Citoyenneté Alexandre Boulerice Député pour RosemontLa Petite-Patrie Chef adjoint du NPD

Due to #COVID19 service disruptions, we are unable to provide accurate processing timelines. Please note that we cannot offer a response to any questions on the... turnaround for processing of applications at this time. We continue to process study permit and work permit applications submitted online and permanent residence applications. Paper applications for visitor visas, study and work permits will not be processed until further notice. We are processing paper-based permanent residence applications to the extent possible. We will contact you once there is an update regarding your application. Please note it is not possible to re-submit a paper based PR application online. Learn more: https://canada.ca//coronavir/apply-visit-work-student.html