Hi, How Can We Help You?
  • Email: info@eseumohimmigration.com

Category Archives: News

June 4, 2024

Dear future neighbour,

On June 3, 2024, Canada changed the minimum income needed for the super visa. This year, the required income went up by about 6.8%, which is higher than last year’s 3.33% increase.

A super visa is a temporary immigration permit that allows grandparents and parents to live in Canada with their family for a certain period.

Parents or grandparents of a Canadian citizen or permanent resident can come to Canada with a Super Visa, allowing them to stay for up to five years at a time, with the option to extend their stay for another two years.

See below Canada Super-Visa Requirement for 2024

Super visa applications now need the following 1-year gross income amounts based on family size.

Size of Family Unit New Minimum Gross Income Requirement for 2024 Old Gross Income Requirement for 2023
1 person (your child or grandchild) $29,380 $27,514
2 persons $36,576 $34,254
3 persons $44,966 $42,100
4 persons $54,594 $51,128
5 persons $61,920 $57,988
6 persons $69,834 $65,400
7 persons $77,750 $72,814
If you have more than seven people, then add this amount per person $7,916 $7,412

Eligible grandparents and parents can stay in Canada for five years without renewing or extending their visa.

A super visa application requires an invitation letter from a Canadian permanent resident or citizen. Invitees must show annual income based on family size. They also need to provide a health insurance plan for the visiting parents or grandparents.

Require assistance with securing a visitor visa for Canada, seeking professional aid in submitting a study visa or work permit application, crafting an Expression of Interest, setting up an express entry or provincial nomination profile, preparing your application post receiving an invitation to apply, or simply reviewing your self-prepared application? Schedule a consultation or reach out via email at info@eseumohimmigration.com
June 3, 2024

Dear future neighbour,

Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) is speeding up the processing of overseas spousal sponsorships, including common-law partners, with two new automation tools. These tools aim to automate the eligibility approval process for both the sponsor and the main applicant in standard family-class overseas spouse and partner applications.

To reduce backlogs, the immigration department plans to use new tools for future applications and is already using similar tools for post-graduation work permits, International Experience Canada, and LMIA-based applications.

The new initiative will streamline overseas spouse and partner applications by organizing them based on common traits, aiming to reduce the current 12-month processing time using automated tools.

See below two of the new tools that will focus on assessing the eligibility of the following sections:

1. Review of sponsorship with automation

The immigration officer initially reviews the sponsorship section to quickly approve common cases. If not automatically approved, the officer manually reviews the sponsorship section. After that, they may automate routine approvals to speed up the process for applicants.

2. Review of the primary applicant with automation

The automation tool for the primary applicant’s section speeds up processing for routine applications, allowing the department to operate more efficiently. For regular applications, the tool can confirm the applicant’s qualifications and pass the case to an officer for the final decision.

See below Spousal Sponsorship Canada Processing Time

Application Type Processing Time as of May 1 Change Since April 23
Spouse or common-law partner living outside Canada (intention to live outside Quebec) 13 months +1 month
Spouse or common-law partner living outside Canada (intention to live in Quebec) 34 months +6 months
Spouse or common-law partner living inside Canada (intention to live outside Quebec) 11 months +3 months
Spouse or common-law partner living inside Canada (intention to live in Quebec) 27 months +3 months

According to the department, immigration officers will make the final decision on all family class applications; the new tools do not reject applications or advise officers to do so. Spouse and partner applications have two sections: sponsorship and the primary applicant.

Require assistance with securing a visitor visa for Canada, seeking professional aid in submitting a study visa or work permit application, crafting an Expression of Interest, setting up an express entry or provincial nomination profile, preparing your application post receiving an invitation to apply, or simply reviewing your self-prepared application? Schedule a consultation or reach out via email at info@eseumohimmigration.com

 

 

May 28, 2024

Dear future neighbour,

British Columbia continues to encourage entrepreneurs to establish businesses in various regional communities across the seven B.C. regions. As of May 27, 2024, the Entrepreneur Immigration Regional Pilot under the British Columbia Provincial Nominee Program (BC PNP) has become a permanent pathway for obtaining permanent residency.

The BC PNP’s Entrepreneur Immigration Regional stream is available to immigrants aiming to start a business in any of the province’s interior, coastal, or rural regions below:

  • Cariboo
  • Kootenays
  • Nechako
  • Vancouver Island/Coast
  • Thompson Okanagan
  • North Coast
  • North East

To Qualify As An Entrepreneur:

  • You must intend to establish a new business that aligns with the in-demand list of the referring community.
  • Additionally, you need to show business and/or managerial experience and have a personal net worth of at least CAD $300,000.
  • Beyond the net worth requirement, you must invest at least CAD $100,000 in the business and create one full-time job for a Canadian citizen or permanent resident.
  • You must achieve at least level 4 in the Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) language proficiency tests.
  • Finally, you must have legally entered Canada or be eligible to obtain legal status in Canada if accepted.

See below full list of participating communities and regions

Cariboo

  1. 100 Mile House
  2. Mackenzie
  3. Quesnel
  4. Williams Lake

Kootenay

  1. Castlegar & Central Kootenay (Areas I & J)
  2. Columbia Valley & East Kootenay
  3. Kimberley
  4. Nelson & Central Kootenay (Areas E & F)
  5. Rossland
  6. Trail

Nechako

  1. Bulkley-Nechako

North Coast

  1. Regional District of Kitimat-Stikine (Areas B, C, and E)

Northeast

  1. Fort St. John

Thompson-Okanagan

  1. Clinton
  2. Penticton
  3. Salmon Arm
  4. Vernon

Vancouver Island/Coast

  1. Campbell River
  2. Comox
  3. Mount Waddington
  4. Powell River

Require assistance with applying for this program?  securing a visitor visa for Canada, seeking professional aid in submitting a study visa or work permit application, crafting an Expression of Interest, setting up an express entry or provincial nomination profile, preparing your application post receiving an invitation to apply, or simply reviewing your self-prepared application? Schedule a consultation or reach out via email at info@eseumohimmigration.com

 

 

May 27, 2024

Starting June 1, 2024, British Columbia’s minimum wage will rise from $16.75 per hour to $17.40 per hour. With this increase, the province will have the highest minimum hourly wage among Canadian provinces.

This 65-cent increase in British Columbia’s minimum wage represents a 3.9% rise, aligning with the province’s average inflation rate. The minimum wage applies to all workers, regardless of whether they are paid hourly, by salary, commission, or through incentives. If an employee’s salary falls below the minimum wage for the hours worked, the employer is required to cover the shortfall.

Live-in camp leaders, who are paid a daily rate, will see their minimum daily compensation rise from $133.69 to $138.93.

Live-in home support workers will have their daily minimum pay raised from $124.73 to $129.62.

Resident caretakers, who are paid monthly, have their pay based on the number of suites in the building. For those in buildings with 9 to 60 suites, the minimum monthly pay will go up to $1,041.80 plus $41.74 for each suite. For those in buildings with 61 or more suites, the minimum monthly pay will increase to $3,548.63.

In British Columbia, living wages exceed minimum wages. Currently, B.C. has the lowest unemployment rate and the highest minimum hourly wage for workers, but it still doesn’t meet the living wage rates.

See below Living Wage Rates in British Columbia

  • Clayoquot Sound $26.51
  • Columbia Valley $22.63
  • Comox Valley $22.02
  • Cowichan Valley $25.20
  • Daajing Giids $26.25
  • Dawson Creek $20.64
  • Fraser Valley $20.66
  • Golden $25.78
  • Kamloops $20.91
  • Kelowna $24.60
  • Metro Vancouver $25.68
  • Nanaimo $22.87
  • Nelson $21.14
  • Penticton $24.60
  • Powell River $25.06
  • Prince George $22.09
  • Revelstoke $24.60
  • Sunshine Coast $25.61
  • Trail $21.55
  • Victoria $25.40

See Below Minimum Wages in Canada By Province/Territory

Province / Territory Current hourly Minimum Wage  Next Raise Schedule
Canada (only federally regulated private sectors) $17.30 April 1, 2025
British Columbia $16.75 $17.40 per hour, effective June 1, 2024
Ontario $16.55 $17.20 per hour effective October 1, 2024
Newfoundland and Labrador $15.60 April 1, 2025
Prince Edward Island $15.40 April 1, 2025
New Brunswick $15.30 April 1, 2025
Manitoba $15.30 $15.80 per hour, effective October 1, 2024
Quebec $15.25 $15.75 per hour, effective May 1, 2024
Nova Scotia $15.20 October 1, 2024
Alberta $15.00 Yet to be decided
Saskatchewan $14.00 $15 per hour, effective October 1, 2024

Require assistance with securing a visitor visa for Canada, seeking professional aid in submitting a study visa or work permit application, crafting an Expression of Interest, setting up an express entry or provincial nomination profile, preparing your application post receiving an invitation to apply, or simply reviewing your self-prepared application? Schedule a consultation or reach out via email at info@eseumohimmigration.com

May 23, 2024

Dear future neighbour,

Canadian Immigration Minister, Marc Miller introduced a new Canadian citizenship by descent legislation called the Bill C-71 today, May 23, 2024.

This bill aims to extend citizenship by descent beyond the first generation while preserving the value of Canadian citizenship. It would immediately give Canadian citizenship to those born abroad to a Canadian parent who was also born abroad before the Act takes effect.

Children born overseas and adopted by Canadian parents beyond the first generation will also be granted citizenship directly.

After the law takes effect, parents born in another country who have or adopt children born outside Canada must have been in Canada for at least 1,095 days before their child is born or adopted to pass on citizenship.

Bill C-71, a law to change the Citizenship Act (2024), would bring back citizenship for “Lost Canadians” who lost it or never got it because of old rules in past citizenship laws. Before the law starts, Bill C-71 would also give citizenship to the children and grandchildren of “lost Canadians,” and to anyone born outside Canada to a Canadian parent in later generations.

More update on this information as it unfolds but definitely exciting news in many quarters.

Require assistance with securing a visitor visa for Canada, seeking professional aid in submitting a study visa or work permit application, crafting an Expression of Interest, setting up an express entry or provincial nomination profile, preparing your application post receiving an invitation to apply, or simply reviewing your self-prepared application? Schedule a consultation or reach out via email at info@eseumohimmigration.com

May 21, 2024

Dear future neighbour,

Canada welcomed 121,620 new permanent residents in the first quarter of 2024.

See Below New PR Admissions in First Quarter of 2024 and Annual Immigration Levels Plan

Year First Quarter
New PRs
Annual
Immigration
Targets
2024 121,620 485,000
2023 145,495 465,000
2022 113,805 431,645
2021 70,495 401,000
2020 69,140 341,000
2019 65,955 330,800
2018 80,005 310,000
2017 72,835 300,000
2016 86,235 300,000
2015 51,125 260,000 to 285,000

Additionally, 135,291 authorizations and visas were issued to permanent residents from January to March. During the same months in 2023, the number was 156,272.

See below first quarter comparison by province:

Year Q1 2024
New PRs
Q1 2023
New PRs
Percentage
Change
Canada 121,620 145,495 -16.41%
Ontario 52,720 60,860 -13.37%
British Columbia 17,745 24,495 -27.56%
Alberta 15,360 17,155 -10.46%
Quebec 13,355 16,065 -16.87%
Manitoba 5,680 8,855 -35.85%
Saskatchewan 5,610 7,395 -24.13%
New Brunswick 3,995 2,940 +35.88%
Nova Scotia 3,995 3,935 +1.52%
Newfoundland and Labrador 1,405 2,045 -31.30%
Prince Edward Island 1,330 1,275 +4.31%
Yukon 295 345 -14.49%
Northwest Territories 115 125 -8%
Nunavut 10 10 unchanged

 

See below the number of new PRs admitted from top 10 source countries:

Country Q1 2024 New PRs
India 37,880
China 8,135
Phillipines 7,990
Afghanistan 5,025
Nigeria 4,690
Cameroon 3,725
Iran 3,570
Pakistan 2,630
United States 2,480
Eritrea 2,360

Indians made up 31% of new permanent resident entrants, followed by individuals from China, the Philippines, Afghanistan, and Nigeria as the top five groups.

A total of 36,635 new permanent residents have been admitted under the Express Entry system, the largest federal economic immigration category. This represents a 6% increase compared to the first quarter of 2023, when 34,555 permanent residents were admitted.

Require assistance with securing a visitor visa for Canada, seeking professional aid in submitting a study visa or work permit application, crafting an Expression of Interest, setting up an express entry or provincial nomination profile, preparing your application post receiving an invitation to apply, or simply reviewing your self-prepared application? Schedule a consultation or reach out via email at info@eseumohimmigration.com

 

 

 

 

May 16, 2024

Dear future neighbour,

International Students completing their studies in Public Private Partnerships (PPPs) in Canada are now ineligible to apply for a Postgraduate Work Permit (PGWP). This took effect yesterday, May 15, 2024.

On January 22, 2024, IRCC announced that international graduates of college programs offered through a public-private curriculum licensing partnership would no longer be eligible to apply for PGWP starting September 1, 2024. However, speculation suggests that this date was moved up to May 15, 2024, after IRCC found that some colleges had shifted their fall admissions earlier to evade the new rule.

See below PGWP eligibility requirement:

International students who have attended a PGWP-eligible designated learning institution (DLI) in Canada can apply for a post-graduation work permit (PGWP). To be eligible, they must have maintained full-time student status throughout their program and possess a study permit that has been valid for the past 180 days.

Students must also meet one of the conditions below to be eligible for PGWP

Type of institution Required length of program Program outcome
Public post-secondary DLI, such asa college,a trade/technical institution, ora university 8 months or longer Your program must lead to one of the following:a degree (associate degree, bachelor’s degree, master’s degree, or doctorate)a diploma or a certificate
Quebec public secondary DLI offers vocational training programs 900 hours or longer Your program must lead to one of the following:a diploma of vocational studies (DVS)an attestation of vocational specialization (AVS)
Quebec collège d’enseignement général et professionnel (CEGEP) 900 hours or longer Your program must lead to one of the following:an attestation of college studies (ACS)a diploma of college studies (DCS)
Quebec provincially subsidized private post-secondary DLIorQuebec provincially subsidized private secondary DLI offering provincially subsidized vocational training programs 900 hours or longer Your program must lead to one of the following:an attestation of college studies (ACS)a diploma of college studies (DCS)You must be enrolled in one of the provincially subsidized study programs. This may not include all study programs offered at the DLI.
Canadian private-designated learning institution authorized by the province to confer degrees. n/a Your DLI must be authorized by the province to confer degrees, including an associate degree a bachelor’s degree a master’s degree or a doctorate
You must be enrolled in one of the study programs leading to a degree, as authorized by the province. This may not include all study programs offered by the private DLI.
Require assistance with securing a visitor visa for Canada, seeking professional aid in submitting a study visa or work permit application, crafting an Expression of Interest, setting up an express entry or provincial nomination profile, preparing your application post receiving an invitation to apply, or simply reviewing your self-prepared application? Schedule a consultation or reach out via email at info@eseumohimmigration.com
May 13, 2024

Dear future neighbour,

Immigrants to Prince Edward Island with expiring work permits are protesting in downtown Charlottetown.

These workers with expiring permits in the retail and food service sectors will likely not have their documents renewed, due to recent changes to the province’s immigration streams and Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) that will prioritize construction, health-care and child-care workers.
Read More

May 13, 2024

Dear future neighbour,

During the past week, International Experience Canada (IEC) issued 1,818 invitations for work permits across various categories including Working Holiday, Young Professionals, and International Co-op Internship.

1,568 invitations were sent for the Working Holiday category, with 169 invitations allocated for the Young Professional category and 81 for the International Co-op (Internship) category.

1. IEC 2024 Working Holiday

Individuals invited from eligible countries in the Working Holiday category are granted an open work permit, enabling them to work for nearly any company in Canada.

Candidates qualify for this category if they;

  • have no employment offer.
  • want to work for more than one employer in Canada.
  • would like to work in more than one location and earn money so that you can travel

See below IEC Working Holiday Invitation

Country Invitations issued last week Available Spots Candidates in Pool 2024 Quota Chances of being invited to the next round
Andorra 0 15 0 25 Excellent
Australia 248 0 198 Unlimited Excellent
Austria 7 31 3 168 Excellent
Belgium 27 37 24 750 Excellent
Chile 3 6 8,754 725 Very low
Costa Rica -28 0 2,161 80 Very low
Croatia 1 245 2 275 Excellent
Czech Republic 13 635 12 1,000 Excellent
Denmark 6 168 12 350 Excellent
Estonia 2 61 0 110 Excellent
Finland 1 0 2 Unlimited Excellent
France 133 86 17,144 7,000 Very low
Germany 96 2,394 69 4,490 Excellent
Greece 3 32 8 160 Excellent
Hong Kong 13 23 7 200 Excellent
Iceland 0 112 2 120 Excellent
Ireland 78 8,087 75 10,500 Excellent
Italy 70 720 50 1,750 Excellent
Japan 189 2,180 166 6,500 Excellent
Latvia 1 1 13 45 Very Low
Lithuania 6 34 5 188 Excellent
Luxembourg 0 65 1 80 Excellent
Netherlands 0 0 139 500 Very low
New Zealand 53 1,404 59 2,500 Excellent
Norway 8 76 2 135 Excellent
Poland 20 344 11 635 Excellent
Portugal 26 1,335 21 1,750 Excellent
San Marino 0 24 0 25 Excellent
Slovakia 13 108 7 315 Excellent
Slovenia 2 57 2 80 Excellent
South Korea 32 1,325 1,695 10,000 Fair
Spain 47 125 46 875 Excellent
Sweden 15 424 10 580 Excellent
Taiwan 53 48 2,290 940 Very Low
United Kingdom 430 2,136 300 9,000 Excellent
Total 1,568 22,338 33,290 61,851

2. Young Professionals Category

In the Young Professionals category, selected candidates from eligible countries are provided with an employer-specific work visa.

Candidates qualify for this category if they have;

  • A legitimate job offer from a Canadian firm that can help you progress professionally.
  • to work for the same company in the same location.

See below IEC Young Professionals Invitation:

Country Invitations issued last week Available Spots Candidates in Pool 2024 Quota Chances of being invited to the next round
Australia 8 0 7 Unlimited Excellent
Austria 1 4 0 10 Excellent
Chile 0 2 194 20 Very low
Costa Rica 0 1 138 18 Very low
Croatia 0 17 0 20 Excellent
Czech Republic 5 25 6 145 Excellent
Estonia 1 7 0 10 Excellent
Finland 1 0 0 Unlimited Excellent
France 70 1,179 58 2,200 Excellent
France 9 791 56 1,000 Excellent
Germany 9 165 5 350 Excellent
Greece 6 11 2 38 Excellent
Ireland 2 124 2 150 Excellent
Latvia 0 0 0 3 Excellent
Lithuania 2 5 0 10 Excellent
Luxembourg 0 10 0 10 Excellent
Netherlands 0 0 9 100 Very low
Norway 0 11 1 15 Excellent
Poland 4 92 0 110 Excellent
Portugal 1 190 0 200 Excellent
Slovakia 1 3 0 30 Excellent
Slovenia 0 11 0 15 Excellent
South Korea 14 309 18 1,500 Excellent
Spain 5 5 5 70 Excellent
Spain — IECX Vives 0 49 0 50 Excellent
Sweden 5 85 3 100 Excellent
Switzerland 11 72 2 200 Excellent
Taiwan 0 0 14 50 Very Low
United Kingdom 14 715 14 900 Excellent
Total 169 3,883 534 7,324

3. International Co-op (Internship)

In the International Co-op (Internship) category, participants are issued an employer-specific work visa.

Candidates qualify for this category if they;

  • are a post-secondary student with a job offer for a work placement or internship in Canada.
  • will finish your education by completing this work placement or internship.
  • will work for the same employer in the same location for the duration of your stay in Canada.

See below International Co-op (Internship) Invitation:

Country Invitations issued last week Available Spots Candidates in Pool 2024 Quota Chances of being invited to the next round
Australia 0 0 0 Unlimited Excellent
Austria 0 2 0 2 Excellent
Chile 0 4 0 5 Excellent
Costa Rica 0 1 0 2 Excellent
Croatia 0 5 0 5 Excellent
Czech Republic 0 4 0 5 Excellent
Estonia 0 5 0 5 Excellent
Finland 0 0 0 Unlimited Excellent
France 71 1,859 37 3,800 Excellent
Germany 5 108 2 160 Excellent
Greece 0 2 0 2 Excellent
Ireland 0 34 0 50 Excellent
Latvia 0 2 0 2 Excellent
Lithuania 0 2 0 2 Excellent
Luxembourg 0 10 0 10 Excellent
Norway 0 5 0 5 Excellent
Poland 0 5 0 5 Excellent
Portugal 0 50 0 50 Excellent
Slovakia 0 5 0 5 Excellent
Slovenia 0 5 0 5 Excellent
South Korea 1 197 0 500 Excellent
Spain 0 2 0 15 Excellent
Sweden 0 20 0 20 Excellent
Switzerland 1 32 3 50 Excellent
Taiwan 2 6 1 100 Excellent
UK 1 93 2 100 Excellent
Total 81 2,458 45 4,905

Require assistance with securing a visitor visa for Canada, seeking professional aid in submitting a study visa or work permit application, crafting an Expression of Interest, setting up an express entry or provincial nomination profile, preparing your application post receiving an invitation to apply, or simply reviewing your self-prepared application? Schedule a consultation or reach out via email at info@eseumohimmigration.com

 

 

 

May 8, 2024

Starting from May 27, 2024, applicants for the Hong Kong permanent residency pathway can extend their status and acquire an open work permit for up to three years while awaiting their decision on permanent residency in Canada.

This new policy was announced by Immigration Minister, Marc Miller, yesterday May 7, 2024.

Hong Kong nationals in Canada seeking permanent residence through the temporary public policy for Hong Kong residents, either under Stream A (in-Canada graduates) or Stream B (Canadian work experience), and who have held a study or work permit within the three years prior to their permanent residence application submission to IRCC, will be eligible for open work permits.

Under this public policy, applicants can restore their temporary status concurrently if it expired within 90 days before applying for a new open work permit.

The new public policy will remain active for five years, enabling candidates to work in Canada while their permanent residency application is being reviewed.

Need help obtaining a visitor visa to visit Canada, or professional help putting in a study visa application, work permit application, Expression of Interest, creating an express entry or provincial nomination profile, preparing your application after receiving an invitation to apply or even just reviewing an application you prepared yourself? Book a consultation or send us an email on info@eseumohimmigration.com