IRCC introduced a report on language training services for newcomers

Immigration, Refugee and Citizenship Canada’s (IRCC) Research and Evaluation Branch introduced key findings of the evaluation of language training services for newcomers. The report examined whether the language learning framework is adapted to address newcomers’ needs and whether it is focused on the improvement of the language skills of new immigrants. According to the report, language learning services in Canada are designed to be flexible, meet the diverse needs of newcomers, support their progression that is mostly positive. The report also touched on the employability issues and made recommendations for further developments. #IRCC, #Language_training

May 28, 2021

Canadian-American border may be opened by late summer

Some experts suggest that travel restrictions on the Canadian-American border may be lifted by late summer or early fall. Since March 2020, the border has been closed to all "nonessential" travel, and the agreement to close it between Ottawa and Washington is expected to be extended on June 21. Answering the question of when the Canada-US border will open, foreign policy expert Aaron Ettinger replied that ‘the borders will remain closed at least until the fall of 2021, because given the level of infection and the number of hospitalizations in intensive care units, now, the situation with the coronavirus is literally ten times worse than last year.’ #Travel_restrictions, #Covid_19

May 25, 2021

Canada experiences a significant rise in the number of applications from Hong Kong

Canada has received more than 5,700 applications after Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) announced the start of the new Immigration pathway for residents of Hong Kong on February 4, 2021. Alexander Cohen, press secretary to Minister Mendicino, said Canada typically received about 1,500 to 2,000 work-permit applications from Hong Kongers annually. This means the outstanding amounts of applications submitted in the first three months, roughly triple the number that usually applies in a full year. According to the special Immigration pathway for Hong Kongers, applicants may apply for open work permits for up to 3 years if they graduated with a Canadian post-secondary diploma or degree in the last 5 years. #Hong_Kong, #IRCC, #PR

May 25, 2021

Canada extended travel restrictions for flights from Pakistan and India

After the one-month-long travel ban ended on May 22, the Government of Canada extended travel restrictions for all direct passenger and business flights from Pakistan and India for another month, until June 21, 2021. Only cargo flights carrying vaccines and protective equipment from and to these countries will continue to be allowed into Canada. Passengers, decided to come to Canada, will have to do so via an indirect route. They will need to get a negative result of a COVID-19 test from their last point of departure. #Covid_19, #Travel_restrictions, #India, #Pakistan

May 25, 2021