Effective today (Aug. 15, 2011), petitioners residing in countries without USCIS offices will be required to file their Form I-130, Petition for an Alien Relative, with the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) lockbox facility in Chicago. However, in certain…
Author: jeffatlaw
Latest Information on Foreign Skilled Worker Caps
The new caps on the Foreign Skilled Worker (FSW) Program have been in place for one month. As of July 29, 2011, CIC has received a total of 529 eligible applications, which are considered normal. However, for the professional occupations…
What is an Arranged Employment Opinion (AEO)? And what is the current processing time for AEO applications?
An AEO is a document issued by Service Canada in support of a person’s application under the Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSWP). Applicants with a valid AEO will score extra points in the FSWP point schedule. More importantly, they are…
How long does the Labour Market Opinion (LMO) application take in Toronto?
Due to the coming into effect of the new regulations, the Temporary Foreign Workers Program is experiencing longer processing time. Expect a minimum of 30 business days after you file the application in Toronto. A total processing time of 6-8…
ICCRC replaces CSIC as regulator of immigration consultants
The government today announced that Bill C-35 will come into force on July 1. On the same day the Canadian Society of Immigration Consultants (CSIC) will be replaced by the Immigration Consultants of Canada Regulatory Council (ICCRC). CSIC members will…
What are the 29 “priority occupations” for the Federal Skilled Worker Program?
Since June 26, 2010 and with an exception, only applicants with an occupation listed on the 29 “Priority Occupations” are eligible to apply under the Federal Skilled Worker Program. The only exception to this requirement is that applicants have received…
Important changes to the Federal Skilled Worker Program, Federal Investor Program, and Federal Entrepreneur Program
Effective July 1, 2011, three important Canadian immigration programs will have significant changes, again. 1. For the Federal Skilled Worker program, there will be a cap of 500 applicants in each of the 29 “priority occupations,” and a cap of…
Same sex marriage country list expands to include New York State
After heated debate, New York lawmakers voted to legalize same-sex marriage yesterday on June 25, 2011. For more information, see http://nyti.ms/jVIl2L. As of today, a total of 10 countries and 6 U.S. states allow same-sex marriage: Countries: Argentina, Belgium, Canada,…
Western Provinces want more immigrants
At a three-day Western Premiers’ Conference in Yellowknife, Premiers from the seven western provinces and territories pressured the federal government to immediately boost immigration. West Canada may need more than a million new workers in the near future. As reported…
Due to the strike at Canada Post, I cannot mail out my application to renew my temporary resident status that has expired, what can I do?
To maintain your legal status in Canada, you need to ensure that the CIC receives your application before your status expires. For this you may consider using courier or online application. A little bit good news is that, if your…