Hello from all of us at Ackah Business Immigration Law! We are sending our March newsletter to provide you with recent updates regarding immigration law in Canada.
Please don't keep our little boutique firm a secret! We are very appreciative of any referrals and recommendations you send our way.
SAVE THE DATE: May 28, 2014 – 7:30 am to 10 am at The Ranchmen's Club to attend a Complimentary Client Seminar on Cross-Border Immigration Law and Tax Matters. An invitation will be coming shortly.
Ackah Business Immigration Law Speaking Engagements
Our lawyers frequently present on a wide range of immigration issues to firm clients, professional associations, community groups, institutions of higher education and many types of businesses. If you are interested in attending a presentation or inviting one of our lawyers to speak to your group, institution or business, please contact Evelyn Ackah directly to schedule and discuss topics of interest.
Below are some of our upcoming engagements:
- CCCA Conference: We are an official sponsor of the 2014 Annual Canadian Corporate Counsel Conference that will take place on April 6, 2014
- Presenter - Young Women of Power – A Conference for Teen Girls Conference this will take place on April 26, 2014.
- Presenter - Stony Plain Chamber of Commerce regarding updates and trends for temporary foreign workers and Canadian employers – taking place on April 30, 2014
Should you be interested in inviting us to speak about immigration topics of interest to you, please do not hesitate to contact us.
UPDATES IN IMMIGRATION LAW
Government to Eliminate Immigrant Investor, Federal Entrepreneur Programs
The Canadian government recently announced the intention to terminate both the Federal Immigrant Investor Program and the Federal Entrepreneur Program. In doing so, it plans to eliminate several thousand backlogged applications. These two programs have been cornerstones of Canada's business-oriented immigration programs. Although the programs have long held a place in the Canadian immigration landscape, in recent years they suffered from significant backlogs of applications. Investors, for instance, were made to wait at least 54 months for visa issuance, while many entrepreneurs faced even longer processing times.
By doing away with these current programs, the government will 'pave the way for new pilot programs that will actually meet Canada's labour market and economic needs'. These pilot programs will be tailored to meet the realities of Canada's economic needs.
CIC mentioned that the pilot programs will complement the Entrepreneur Start-Up Visa, a former pilot program that is now a permanent part of Canada's immigration system. Two programs have already been mentioned as replacements – one will be a new Immigrant Investor Venture Capital Fund, and the other a new Business Skills Program.
Multiple-Entry Visas Make It Easier For Travellers to Visit Canada
Visitors to Canada will automatically be considered for a multiple-entry visa, starting on February 6, 2014. The new multiple-entry visas will allow qualified visitors to come and go from Canada for six months at a time for up to 10 years without having to reapply each time. The fee for the temporary resident visa (TRV) program will now be reduced from $150 to $100 for the processing of either a single or multiple-entry visa.
By harmonizing the single- and multiple-entry visa fees, the visa application process will become simpler for applicants and promote tourism and trade by increasing the number of eligible travellers who are able to make multiple visits to Canada.
New IMM 5476 Use of a Representative Form – Effective March 2014
Effective March 2014, Citizenship and Immigration Canada now has a new IMM 5476 Use of a Representative Form. At Section B: Appointment of a Representative, CIC added the following:
"If an immigration representative is being paid or compensated by someone other than the applicant, then the representative is still considered to be a compensated representative."
New Passport Canada Fee Schedule – Effective March 31, 2014
As of March 31, 2014, new Passport Canada administrative fees will come into effect. The changes consist of the following:
- Certified true copies of part of a passport or other travel document: $45.00
- Replacement of a valid lost or stolen passport or other travel document (in addition to passport fee): $45.00
- File transfer to a different passport office in Canada: $45.00. Please note that additional fees will apply for standard, express or urgent pick-up.
- Retention of a valid passport in Government of Canada offices abroad during processing of the application for a replacement passport: $45.00
FROM ALL OF US AT ACKAH BUSINESS IMMIGRATION LAW
We hope that you have found this both helpful and informative. Please let us know how we may be of assistance and how you can leverage our expertise in helping meet your business needs in 2014. Should you wish to discuss further the impact of any of these changes, we encourage you to contact our office. Feel free to forward this newsletter to any colleagues or contacts that you think may be interested. *Please note that this immigration alert has been created for informational purposes only and cannot be relied upon as legal advice.
The content of this article is intended to provide a general guide to the subject matter. Specialist advice should be sought about your specific circumstances.