As of December 31, 2013, the Temporary Foreign Worker Program is introducing new labour market opinion (LMO) application forms. As a result, employers submitting an application to hire foreign workers, on or after this date, will need to ensure that they use these new forms.

Old application forms received with a postmark dated December 31, 2013, or after will not be processed. Program staff will contact the employer or third-party representative to request that the NEW LMO application form be completed and re-submitted.

In addition, employers using the Temporary Foreign Worker Web Service should be aware that the online system will not be available from December 31, 2013 until mid-January 2014 while changes are being implemented. Employers wishing to apply for an LMO during this time period will still be able to do so, using the paper application forms.

For more information, please click here.

Canada’s Citizenship and Immigration Minister Chris Alexander today announced that Jeannot Volpé has been appointed for a three-year part-time term as a Citizenship Judge for Fredericton, New Brunswick.

Citizenship judges are responsible for making decisions on citizenship applications, presiding over citizenship ceremonies and administering the oath of citizenship to new citizens.

For more information, please click here.

Canada’s Citizenship and Immigration Minister Chris Alexander today announced that A. Dane Minor has been re-appointed for a three-year part-time term as a Citizenship Judge for Surrey, British Columbia.

Citizenship judges are responsible for making decisions on citizenship applications, presiding over citizenship ceremonies and administering the oath of citizenship to new citizens.

For more information, please click here.

Canada’s Citizenship and Immigration Minister Chris Alexander today announced that Ann Janega has been appointed for a three-year part-time term as a Citizenship Judge for Halifax, Nova Scotia.

Citizenship judges are responsible for making decisions on citizenship applications, presiding over citizenship ceremonies and administering the oath of citizenship to new citizens.

Citizenship judges are appointed by the Governor in Council on the recommendation of the Minister of Citizenship and Immigration. New appointees are chosen from a list of qualified candidates who have gone through rigorous screening, including a written exam, reference check and oral interview.

For more information, please click here.

The PGP program re-opens to new applications on January 2, 2014. It will re-open with tighter admission criteria and a cap on applications, which will continue to reduce the backlog and improve wait times for families.

Application forms, guides and information on how to apply to the new PGP program will be made available online on December 31, 2013, just ahead of the PGP program re-opening.

Quick facts

• In 2011, under Phase I of the Action Plan for Faster Family Reunification, the Government cut backlogs and wait times for sponsored parents and grandparents. Had no action been taken, it was predicted that the backlog could increase to 250,000 persons, with wait times of 15 years by 2015.
• Of the 45,000 FC permanent residents admitted to Canada in the first six months of 2013, approximately 22,530 spouses and partners were admitted as permanent residents under the FC as well as 1,410 children, 20,700 parents, grandparents and their dependants as well as 360 other relatives and adopted children.
• The Parent and Grandparent Super Visa remains a fast and convenient option for parents and grandparents who want to spend longer periods of time with their families in Canada. To date, approximately 28,000 Super Visas have been issued with an approval rate of almost 85 percent. With more than 1,000 Super Visas being issued monthly, this has become one of CIC’s most popular initiatives.

For more information, please click here.

Canada’s Citizenship and Immigration Minister Chris Alexander announced improvements to passport services for Canadians living and working outside Canada.

When the improvements take effect on December 9, 2013, Canadians living and working outside Canada will have the option of choosing as a guarantor:

• an adult with a valid or recently expired Canadian passport (less than a year); or
• a member of an expanded list of a variety of occupations (listed below).

In addition, the list of guarantor occupations will be consistent for all Canadian passport applicants, wherever they may be outside Canada. If you prefer to choose a guarantor from the list of occupations below, they do not need to be Canadian citizens.

The new universal guarantor list will consist of the following occupations, found around the world:

• medical doctor;
• dean/head of university or college;
• dentist;
• judge;
• lawyer/notary;
• notary public;
• pharmacist;
• police officer;
• signing officer of a bank or trust company or of a financial institution that offers a full range of banking services (cash withdrawals, deposits, savings); and
• veterinarian.

For more information, please click here.