ARCHIVED – Newsletter – March 2019

This edition of the Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) Newsletter includes the following:

• Interim Pathway for Caregivers provides a new chance at permanent residency
• #ImmigrationMatters: the benefits of immigration at the local, community level
• True or false quiz: recognizing and preventing fraud!
• Did you know...? International Metropolis and International Experience Canada
• Featured video: Building opportunities for future Canadian engineers
• Upcoming events and important dates

Interim Pathway for Caregivers gives a new chance at permanent residency

IRCC has launched a short-term pathway to permanent residence for caregivers. The Interim Pathway for Caregivers (IPC) is open to applicants until June 4, 2019.

The IPC responds to an issue that developed since the changes made in 2014 to caregiver immigration. The 2014 changes were not well understood. Many caregivers continued to work in Canada without realizing that they were no longer part of the old Live-in Caregiver Program, and that they would not qualify for the Caring for Children or Caring for People with High Medical Needs pilots.

With modified criteria for education and work experience, the IPC offers another opportunity for caregivers, who no longer qualified under the old Live-in Caregiver Program, to become permanent residents.

In addition, later this year, IRCC will launch 2 new caregiver immigration pilot projects for home child-care providers and home support workers. These new pilot projects will replace the Caring for Children and Caring for People with High Medical Needs pilots, which expire later in 2019.

The new pilot projects will have some of the same features as the old Live-in Caregiver Program, such as providing a direct pathway from temporary to permanent residence.

Under the new pilots, applicants will be assessed for permanent residence criteria before they get an initial temporary work permit to come to Canada. This means that caregivers who get a work permit associated with one of the pilot projects will have only the 2-year work experience criteria left to meet to attain permanent residence.

Other features of the new pilot projects include the introduction of occupation-specific work permits that will allow caregivers to change jobs quickly when needed. Spouses and common-law partners will be eligible for open work permits, and minor children will be able to obtain study permits. It will also remove barriers for the caregiver’s family to come with them to Canada.

Associated links

• News Release – Caregivers will now have access to new pathways to permanent residence
• Public policy to provide an interim pathway for caregivers
• Compare your options for permanent residence as a caregiver

#ImmigrationMatters: the benefits of immigration at the local, community level

Launched in late 2018, Immigration Matters seeks to start conversations about the importance of immigration at the local level by sharing and promoting stories of communities that have clearly been enriched by immigration. It focuses on how immigration is strengthening Canada and helping communities succeed by combining storytelling with facts about immigrants and refugees, and promotes positive engagement between Canadians and newcomers.

Immigration Matters was created after public opinion research showed that while most Canadians support immigration at the national and provincial levels, they had questions about the effects of immigration at the local level. They were also interested in learning more about Canada’s immigration selection process and settlement outcomes.

Immigration Matters highlights stories that show how newcomers are making positive contributions to their communities. Stories such as the Edmonton immigrant couple who started a business to help seniors and other vulnerable people; an Eritrean immigrant who is transforming the lives of at-risk teens in Windsor; and a Charlottetown skating club that was rejuvenated by new immigrants. These and others show the diversity and community that new immigrants bring to communities at the local level.

IRCC invites you to share your stories of how immigrants are enriching your own community on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter by using the hashtag #ImmigrationMatters. IRCC also invites you to share these stories in your organization’s newsletters, with local media or at community events.

Associated links

• Learn more about #ImmigrationMatters

True or false quiz: recognizing and preventing fraud!

March 2019 is the 15^th annual Fraud Prevention Month. The Government of Canada is committed to protecting Canadians and newcomers from falling victim to fraud.

Do you know how to recognize and prevent immigration fraud? Test your knowledge by answering the 6 true or false questions below!

1. Processing fees are the same in Canada and around the world.
2. You need to hire a lawyer or immigration consultant to help you apply for permanent residence.
3. Using a third-party service provider can help speed up your passport application.
4. IRCC may contact you directly by Facebook or What’s App to make arrangements for you to immigrate to Canada.
5. A Canadian citizen who marries someone for the sole purpose of letting their sponsored spouse or partner immigrate to Canada can be charged with a crime.

Bonus question: What kind of consequences can immigration fraud have for victims?

1. Identity theft.
2. A denied application.
3. Stolen bank or credit card information.
4. Computer viruses.
5. All of the above.

Scroll to the bottom of the newsletter for the correct answers.

Did you know...?

Registration for the 2019 International Metropolis Conference is now open! From June 24 to 28, 2019, Canada will be host to the annual conference, which is the largest international gathering of experts on migration, integration and diversity.

You can check the status of your application online, depending on what you applied for. If you are not able to check your status online, you can use processing times as a guide to find out how long it might take to process your application. Learn more about checking your application status online.

To mark the 40^th anniversary of Canada’s Private Sponsorship of Refugees Program, we’re asking people to share their stories about being a privately sponsored refugee. We’d also like to hear the stories of individuals and groups who have helped privately sponsored refugees settle in Canada.

Send your story to IRCC.Outreach-Rayonnement.IRCC@cic.gc.ca with a written submission of 1,000 words or less or a short video (no longer than 45 seconds). All submitted content will be used at the discretion of IRCC.

IRCC feature video

The IRCC video team produces informative and creative videos on a wide range of subjects of interest to the department, Canadians and our clients. In each issue of our newsletter, we highlight one of their productions.

In this issue we bring you Building opportunities for future Canadian engineers.

In this video, follow leading businesswoman Gina Cody as she walks through the halls of Concordia University. Once a foreign student there, she has left her mark – and her name – on the university’s Faculty of Engineering and Computer Science with a $15-million endowment

This story is a part of IRCC’s Immigration Matters campaign. Join the conversation and share your story of why immigration matters to you, using the hashtag #ImmigrationMatters.

Upcoming events and important dates

Mark your calendar! Below is a selection of upcoming special events and national celebrations.

Each week in March, IRCC will focus on 1 of the 4 types of immigration fraud that both immigrants and Canadians encounter. March 4 to 10 shines the spotlight on identifying and avoiding “ghost consultants”. Here’s what’s coming up for the rest of the month:

• March 11 to 17: Marriage fraud. Know what to look for, and what the consequences could be.
• March 18 to 24: Spot a scam. Make sure you know what a social media or Web scam looks like.
• March 25 to 31: Know your rights. Detecting fraud and deception in the private refugee sponsorship stream.

March 21 is the International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination. Learn how you can help fight ideologies that promote racism and discrimination.

March 31 is the International Transgender Day of Visibility, which celebrates transgender people and raises awareness of the discrimination they continue to face worldwide.

World Health Day is on April 7. Take action by learning what you can do to promote accessible and essential health services around the world.

April 17 is the anniversary of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms. The Charter was signed into law 37 years ago as part of the Constitution Act, 1982.

Answers to the quiz

1. True. IRCC’s processing fees are in Canadian dollars and they are the same around the world. Processing fees in local currencies are based on the official exchange rates.
2. False. It’s your decision if you want to hire an immigration lawyer or consultant for any IRCC application. Paying a consultant or representative will not speed up your application. All forms and instructions you need to apply to immigrate to Canada are available for free online. If you do want to hire an immigration representative, make sure that that person is authorized.
3. False. No third-party person or group can speed up the processing of your passport application. If you need a Canadian passport ASAP, you must apply in-person at a passport service location.
4. False. IRCC employees will never contact you via social media to make arrangements for you to immigrate to Canada. They will only contact you using an email address that ends in “@gc.ca” or “@Canada.ca”. IRCC may also contact you over the phone to find out more information about your case, but they will never call you to collect money or payments.
5. True. This is known as a marriage of convenience, and it is a type of immigration fraud. Learn more about how to protect yourself against marriage fraud.

Answer to the bonus question: e) All of the above. Immigration fraud can have disastrous consequences for victims. Learn how you can prevent fraud and report those who commit it.

Features