Monthly Newsletter - June 2023

Happy June, everyone!

I don’t know about you, but other than preparing for the influx of applications that we are expecting as a result of the latest happenings in Canadian immigration, I’m looking forward to getting outside and relishing in the summer bliss! Without further due, let’s jump in and explore the highlights of this month’s newsletter:

Collision Conference and Start-Up Visa Webinar

Dubbed as “North America’s fastest-growing tech conference” and as majority of you may know, Collision is happening at the end of this month. For our clients in the tech space and startup community, this event will be an incredible opportunity to make meaningful connections, find valuable leads and to get access to premium content from expert-led work workshops, masterclasses, and roundtables! For those that are thinking about or have already initiated the start-up visa process, do not miss Brazil-Canada Chamber of Commerce (BCCC)’s upcoming webinar on June 12, 2023, at 4:00 pm EST! I will be hosting the session alongside two other incredible experts in business and startup world, and will be sharing my insights into the intricacies of the start-up visa program including all the latest updates. Our firm is also actively involved in sponsoring multiple events around Collision. Make sure you follow our Linkedin page to be updated with these events and reach out to us if you are interested in attending to any of them. ??

New Policy Facilitates Pathway to PR for Physicians

On April 25, 2023, IRCC introduced a new policy to tackle the ongoing shortage of healthcare professionals in Canada by announcing a number of exemptions that have disqualified foreign physicians from applying through the Express Entry program in the past. Physicians in certain occupations will no longer be required to demonstrate that their arranged job offer is continuous and will last for at least one year after the permanent residence visa is issued. Furthermore, physicians will be able to obtain points for self-employed work experience as independent contractors. With the new exemptions in place, qualified physicians will have a much better chance of meeting the eligibility criteria for the Federal Skilled Worker Program and Canadian Experience Class, which will facilitate their entry and selection from the Express Entry pool!

New Family Reunification Measures

On May 26, 2023, the Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship announced new measures to address the country’s labour shortage and to deliver on their commitment to strengthen family reunification, including a new open work permit for spousal and family class applicants. Spouses, partners and dependants can now apply for and receive an open work permit as soon as they submit a complete permanent residence application under the spouse or common-law partner in Canada class or other family class programs. Moreover, going forward, most of these applications will be processed within 30 days, and applicants will benefit from processing measures specific to their circumstances as spouses and dependants!

I hope you enjoy June’s long days and magical nights to the fullest, and be sure to follow me on LinkedIn for frequent posts on the most up-to-date immigration policies and news.

Regards,

Sonia.