Immigration Law Services in Winnipeg

The Honourable Sean Fraser, Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship, announced the addition of 13 countries to the electronic travel authorization (eTA) program. Travellers from these countries who have either held a Canadian visa in the last 10 years or who currently hold a valid United States non-immigrant visa can now apply for an eTA instead of a visa when travelling to Canada by air. Effective today, eligible travellers from these countries can benefit from the program:

• Antigua and Barbuda
• Argentina
• Costa Rica
• Morocco
• Panama
• Philippines
• Kitts and Nevis
• Lucia
• Vincent and the Grenadines
• Seychelles
• Thailand
• Trinidad and Tobago
• Uruguay

The Honourable Sean Fraser, Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship, today announced the first-ever launch of category-based selection for Express Entry. Category-based selection will issue invitations to apply to potential permanent residents with specific skills, training or language ability. Further details on the timing of invitations for individual categories and how to apply will be announced in the coming weeks.

This year, category-based selection invitations will focus on candidates who have

• a strong French language proficiency or
• work experience in the following fields:
  • healthcare
  • science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) professions
  • trades, such as carpenters, plumbers and contractors
  • transport
  • agriculture and agri-food

Today, the Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship, announced enhancements to Canada’s super visa program. These enhancements will make it easier for Canadians to reunite with their parents and grandparents in Canada and will allow super visa holders to stay longer. These changes, which come into force on July 4, 2022, will increase the length of stay for super visa holders to 5 years per entry into Canada.  People who have a super visa also have the option to request to extend their stay by up to 2 years while in Canada. This means super visa holders will now be able to stay in Canada for up to 7 consecutive years.

Today, the Government of Canada announced that effective April 1, 2022 at 12:01 AM EDT, fully vaccinated travellers will no longer need to provide a pre-entry COVID-19 test result to enter Canada by air, land or water. Fully vaccinated travellers seeking to arrive in Canada before April 1, 2022, must still have a valid pre-entry test.  ArriveCAN completion will be required.

On March 9, 2022 a draw of 71 applicants was held by the Manitoba Provincial Nominee Program as part of Manitoba government’s response to the situation in Ukraine and in line with Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada special immigration measures, the Manitoba Provincial Nominee Program will conduct regular EOI draws for individuals who meet all MPNP eligibility criteria and are affected by ongoing events in Ukraine.

Note: Expressions of Interest have only been considered if you:

• are a citizen of Ukraine
• have a minimum of CLB 4 in each language band
• have established connection to MB (close relative, family-like, community, previous employment or studies in Manitoba)
• have a valid language test
• score at least 60 points according to MPNP assessment criteria

Today, the Honourable Sean Fraser, Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship, announced that applications for the permanent Atlantic Immigration Program will launch on March 6, 2022. Candidates with a valid endorsement from an Atlantic Canadian business will now be able to submit applications for permanent residence under the new permanent program.

Since 2017, participating employers have made over 9,800 job offers in key sectors, including in health care, manufacturing, accommodations and food services. More significantly, over 90% of applicants were still living in the region after a year. This is a testament to the resilient and welcoming nature of Atlantic Canadian communities.

A temporary public policy has been issued to allow certain temporary residents in Canada with a visitor status to apply for a work permit from within Canada. While all visitors in Canada can apply for an employer-specific work permit under the public policy, only those who held a work permit in the last 12 months may request interim authorization to work.

The public policy came into effect on August 24, 2020, and the eligibility criteria were expanded to allow all visitors who are in Canada with valid temporary resident status to apply inland for an employer-specific work permit, regardless of when they arrived in Canada. The public policy is being extended until February 28, 2023.

IRCC will issue open work permits to Ukrainian visitors, workers and students who are currently in Canada and cannot go home, so they can stay longer if they wish. We will waive fees, retroactive to February 22, 2022, for certain travel and immigration documents, such as Canadian passports, permanent resident travel documents, proofs of citizenship, visitor visas, and work and study permits. Further details will be made available in the coming weeks as these measures launch.  In support of the Government of Canada’s approach to the situation in Ukraine, the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) has an administrative deferral of removals (ADR) in place for Ukraine. 

If you submitted your TRV application before September 7, 2021, IRCC recommends that you submit a new application TRV if you’re travelling for one of the following reasons:

• to unite with an immediate family member who is a Canadian citizen, person registered under Canada’s Indian Act or permanent resident of Canada
• to unite with an immediate family member who is in Canada temporarily
• to unite with an extended family member who is a Canadian citizen, person registered under Canada’s Indian Act or permanent resident of Canada.
• to visit on business (meeting, special event, training)
• to attend an end-of-life ceremony or funeral
• to be present during the final moments of life of a loved one
• to provide care to a critically ill person
• to join a vessel as a marine crew member
• to assume a posting as a diplomat or to travel as an accompanying immediate family member of a diplomat arriving on posting who will also be accredited in Canada
• to handle the affairs of a victim of Ukraine International Airlines Flight PS752

Make sure to include up-to-date information and, if possible, your previous application number.

By submitting a new application, your previous visitor visa application will be withdrawn. 

IRCC to accept a record number of applications for the 2021 Parents and Grandparents Program – Using the same random selection process as used in previous years, IRCC will send invitations to potential sponsors who have already submitted an interest to sponsor form in 2020. This will give additional interested sponsors the opportunity to bring their parents and grandparents to Canada. Invitations to apply will be sent over the course of 2 weeks, starting the week of September 20, 2021.

Beginning July 26, 2021 individuals who have applied for the TR to PR will be eligible for a new open work permit while awaiting the results of their PR application. This is a one-time open work permit, valid until December 31, 2022. An applicant’s spouse or common-law partner and dependent children 18 years or older may also be eligible to apply for an open work permit under this policy.

The Student Direct Stream (SDS) has been expanded to include 7 new countries:

• Antigua and Barbuda
• Brazil
• Colombia
• Costa Rica
• Peru
• Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
• Trinidad and Tobago

As of June 29, 2021, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada will once again give Express Entry candidates who receive an invitation to apply (ITA) 60 days to submit their complete application for permanent residence.  At the start of the pandemic, the ITA period was increased from 60 to 90 days to provide applicants with additional time to prepare, due to the additional time required for acquiring the necessary documentation.  It is important that you are ready with all documentation in the event that that you obtain an ITA.

International students: As of July 5 at 11:59 PM EDT, if you meet the requirements for fully vaccinated travellers to Canada AND you have a valid study permit to attend an approved DLI, you may be exempt from quarantine requirements.

Beginning July 5, 2021 at 11:59 p.m. EDT, fully vaccinated travellers who are permitted to enter Canada will not be subject to the federal requirement to quarantine or take a COVID-19 test on day-8. In addition, fully vaccinated travellers arriving by air will not be required to stay at a government-authorized hotel.

To be considered fully vaccinated, a traveller must have received the full series of a vaccine — or combination of vaccines — accepted by the Government of Canada at least 14 days prior to entering Canada. Currently, those vaccines are manufactured by Pfizer, Moderna, AstraZeneca/COVISHIELD, and Janssen (Johnson & Johnson). Travellers can receive their vaccine in any country, and must provide documentation supporting their vaccination in English, French or with a certified translation.

Fully vaccinated travellers must also be asymptomatic, have a paper or digital copy of their vaccination documentation, and provide COVID-19-related information electronically through ArriveCAN prior to arrival in Canada. They must still present a quarantine plan, and be prepared to quarantine, in case it is determined at the border that they do not meet all of the conditions required to be exempt from quarantine. As with all other exempt travellers, they will be required to follow public health measures in place, such as wearing a mask when in public, keep a copy of their vaccine and test results, as well as a list of close contacts for 14 days after entry to Canada.

Starting June 21, 2021, any foreign national who holds a valid Confirmation of Permanent Residence (COPR) may travel to Canada.

Previously, foreign nationals who held a valid COPR issued on or before March 18, 2020, were exempt from Canada’s travel restrictions. Those who held a valid COPR issued after March 18, 2020, could only come to Canada if they met an exemption or were coming from the US to settle permanently in Canada.

If you were not able to travel to Canada before your COPR expired due to the travel restrictions or other COVID-19 related considerations IRCC may reissue a COPR. For applicants with expired COPRs issued after March 18, 2020, more information on when and how to obtain a new COPR will soon be available.

Individuals whose COPR has expired should not book flights or attempt to travel to Canada until they receive a new COPR from IRCC.