March 2022

In response to the humanitarian situation in Ukraine, Canada has implemented various measures to allow Ukrainians to come to Canada or to extend their temporary status in Canada. Of significance is the Canada-Ukraine authorization for emergency travel (CUAET). This program provides:

• Travel documents for individuals without valid passports
• Granting of work or study permits
• Waiving application processing fees
• Exemptions to the requirement to be vaccinated for COVID-19

In addition to the Canadian government's response, members of the Canadian Bar Association are offering free legal services to Ukrainians.  

February 2022

Current to February 15, there are 198,061 applicants in the Express Entry pool. There has not been a draw for the Canadian Experience Class since September 14, 2021. There have been no draws open to the Federal Skilled Worker Program since December 23, 2020. We must look back to August 6, 2020, for a draw for the Federal Skilled Trades Program. That’s a lot of delayed hopes and dreams.

January 2022

We’ve been publishing a monthly newsletter since July 2013.  We have over a hundred publications.  The most famous, Today I Become a ‘Zero’, was quoted by an IRCC panellist during the 2016 Canadian Bar Association’s spring conference.  After we knew it was being read by IRCC staff, we started including policy suggestions in many posts. 

January 2022

On January 10, 2022, IRCC published a program delivery update affecting those applying for a post-graduation work permit.  The instructions for IRCC staff  now state the following:

If the applicant took a period of leave that was authorized by their DLI at any time during their studies, they must include documentation proving the leave was authorized by the DLI with their application.

These new instructions to immigration officers are highly problematic for two reasons: