Why Canada tops as a global destination for potential immigrants!

It's the butt of late night television jokes in the USA and is considered the land of the moose, the polar bear and freezing cold temperatures. But that hasn't stopped Canada from becoming the fastest  growing and preferred destination for people around the world to make a new life in this country.


Canadian immigration numbers sourced reveal that the country has welcomed around 2,75,000 immigrants in 2018. And the lion’s share of those migrants is from India, over 60,000 persons making a bid to relocate here this year. Philippines comes in second with around 31,000 migrants.  

" Our immigration system has helped make Canada the nation that it is today—one that is diverse prosperous and welcoming those in need," says Nancy Carron, spokesperson for Immigration Refugees and Citizenship Canada. In October 2018, the minister of Immigration and Citizenship, Ahmed Hussen announced that its historic, multi- year immigration levels plan would increase the number of permanent residents to Canada each year.  The plan, says Carron, is to increase the number of immigrations from 310,000 in 2018 to 330,000 in 2019, and further to 340,000 in 2020.   She calls it the " most ambitious immigration levels in recent history”, and one that will support both, Canadian business and labour market needs, and foster economic growth in the face of slowing labour force growth and ageing populatio."

Canada, on its part recognizes that it is a country with abundant natural resources but is also facing an acute labour shortage. In many provinces, a growing older population and a huge cohort of retirees in the labour force makes it imperative to attract talent and labour from around the world.

Canada stands out in the Western world where "immigrant" has almost turned into four letter word. The USA, our nearest neighbor and the most cherished destination for immigrants is a prime example of anti-immigrant rhetoric. US President Donald Trump has been vocal in his ire and frustration about immigrants—whether they are highly qualified H1b workers from India, those from Muslim countries or its other neighbour Mexico. The USA, under Trumph, has been closing its doors on immigrants. European nations like France and Germany are seeing a right wing wave that is anti-immigrant, the United Kingdom (UK) with its Brexit issues still has to figure things out. Australia and New Zealand are no longer big draws as they were in the past. In most of these countries, potential immigrants are left with a sense of insecurity about where to make some kind of permanent life. 

That leaves Canada with an abundance of opportunity. It is no wonder that cities such as Toronto and Vancouver have reported a doubling of immigration, even from the USA, in the last three years. Says Carron,  “economic immigration in particular  helps Canada stay competitive and attract talent from around the world;  immigrants bring unique  skill sets, innovative ideas and global experience which help our economy ".

 Canada’s Express Entry (EE) program of 2016 offers a swift path to permanent residency for qualified people. It takes only a few months for qualifying candidates to acquire the Canadian permanent resident card (PR

card), which is akin to the US Green Card.

The Canadian Experience Class program (CEC) of the EE, meant for temporary foreign workers and foreign graduates with Canadian work experience has also attracted many Indian migrants. As against 1,800 Indians who became PR holders in 2018, the number jumped to 11,490 in 2017—a whopping 538% increase! 

Another program that has gained favour is the Federal Skilled Workers Programme (FSWP).  In 2016, (under the FSWP), 4,780 Indians received their PR cards.  The number jumped 82.6% to 8,730 Indians in 2017. Between January and May 2018, a massive 12,090 PR cards were issued to Indians under this program.

There is perhaps no other country that welcomes immigrants from outside even if they do not have a job ready in hand" says IT software engineer Vikram Rangnekar who migrated from Silicon Valley, USA .

One of the big draws for Indians is the multiculturalism of Canada. Unlike other countries, Canada celebrates diversity in a big way, especially in Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s liberal government. His cabinet has a mix ministers from different communities, including a few Indian ministers those who were refugees. Canada was one of the few countries that has opened its  arms to Syrian refugees—and welcomed them with jobs, government support and financial aid—this has been a matter of celebration as well as debate. 

Part of the assimilation of various cultures is the diversity of food and places of worship, easily available and accessible to all migrants. I have already written about the abundance of Indian food available in Canada. It is the same with temples, mosques and gurudwaras for the Indians diaspora.  For instance Mississaugua and Brampton, two big suburbs close to Toronto, have close to 25 places of worship for Indians, including Saibaba temples, Ganesh Temples, mosques and Gurudwaras.

Canada has also been a boon for Indian students who want to migrate and find that the US has closed its doors. Neighbouring  Canada has education levels equivalent to those in the US so a big cohort of students is keen on converting their student visas to a full time permanent residentship after a few years.  "This bodes well for students who see Canada as a stepping stone or a future for them settling in a western country, " says a source. 

Good quality of life, very low crime rate and fresh air is the biggest draw for many people, as is Canada's free health care system.  Every Canadian and PR card holder has the benefit of free health care—which covers everything from routine medical examination by a doctor, to a bypass surgery. Canada takes care of all costs, except routine dentistry ( which needs an insurance or out of pocket expenses). All consultation with specialist doctors is also completely free. That is one the single biggest draws and benefit for many people wanting to stay in Canada. 

The socialist way of thinking is increasingly unique to Canada and shrinking pool of countries.  Canada offers free schooling from grade one to grade 12. In some cities even extra curricular activities require a minimal or no fees.  A world -lass library with access to thousands of books, DVDS and audios is free for kids along with a bunch of facilities.   

Last, but not the least, is the fact that government take care of people in their old age. This means that every Canadian citizen who is over 65 and has lived in the country for at least 10 years can receive a maximum of  $1400 ( as of  2018.) This amount would vary depending on their post retirement annual income and is adjusted annually by the government according to the Consumer Price Index. 

Richa Majithia who is waiting to migrate to Canada puts it succinctly when she says, “One of the biggest reasons people migrate here is the quality of life they see for themselves and their children."

America's Loss Is Canada's Gain

After US President Donald Trump’s order to federal agencies regarding the Visa regulations, the situation could move ahead with an expected turnaround. The Buy American Hire American Order from Trump has sparked many as he exclaimed Visa’s to be provided only to the Highest paid and highest skilled persons. The H1B program provides to offer jobs for non-American workers in specialized fields of Engineering, Science and Information Technology. There is a vast difference in Governing policies of the United States and Canada. A Couple of weeks ago, Canada reiterated its stand to make it easier for Canadian Organizations to welcome internationally talented people. This was discussed during their Budget summit. Canada’s Global Talent Stream which comes under the Government’s Global Skills Strategy is set for action effective June 2017. As the US Government cancelling the Premium Processing Option of Visa applicants and with the H1B Visa type taking an approximate time span of 3 to 6 months for clearance, the vision of the Tech world is on Canada.

Canadian Visa selection is different from that of its US Counterpart. In Canada, the authorities select applicants based on merit and for H1B applications, lottery system of selection is handled. The demand exceeded supply by one third last year. For the Temporary Foreign Worker Program (TFWP) and International Mobility Program(IMP), the Canadian Government has assured to offer $ 279.8 Million over the period of 5 years and $ 49.8 Million a year subsequently. From these mammoth programs the companies functioning in Canada might hire foreign workforce. As the Canadian Technology outfit is already under rapid growth, Trump’s decision and executive order’s every week prove as a pillar of strength for Canadian outfits. In an innovative and promising environment as such as this one, People from all over the world may well look ahead to Canada for their Future. Talented techies, fear not, many IT Corporations around the world and also those from the United States have planned to set up satellite offices in Canada.

Ivan Cardona, President of Opticca, a Consulting and Technology company in Montreal said “The crackdown seems to be focused on ensuring future H-1B visas apply only to highly skilled labor. This means foreign workers will likely have to develop an expertise in an emerging technology that is in high demand, or become an expert in a specific but mature solution with a low penetration of the market of the US, or become a very senior resource in your domain or vertical. This last scenario is harder to achieve as it requires a long term investment, we believe the change in laws could be a very big benefit for Canadian companies with large consulting practices, as well as the highly-specialized firms, because Canadian firms will still be able to continue to propose a mix of on-site and off-site resources.” The other important aspect of Working in Canada is the opportunity they’ve got of acquiring Permanent Citizenship. Usually well-educated and skilled employees looking for a future overseas might find their dream coming true in Canada.

Express Entry: 2018 was big, and 2019 could be bigger

Canada’s Express Entry system had a banner 2018, and the coming year could be even more exceptional.  

Express Entry, which manages the pool of candidates for Canada’s three Federal High Skilled immigration programs, issued a record 89,800 invitations to apply for Canadian permanent residence in 2018 — the most issued in a single year since Express Entry’s introduction in January 2015.

The previous record of 86,023 Invitations to Apply (ITAs) was set in 2017 and, like this record, it appears likely that 2018’s ITA total will be surpassed once again by the end of the new year.

Under Canada’s multi-year immigration levels plan, the admissions target through the three programs managed by the Express Entry system — the Federal Skilled Worker Class (FSWC), Federal Skilled Trades Class (FSTC) and Canadian Experience Class (CEC) — is set to increase in 2019 by 6,500. It will rise again in 2020, by another 4,400.

In order to meet these increased admissions targets for the FSWC, FSTC and CEC, the number of ITAs issued will likely also rise.

*The 2015 target is the projected high for FSWC and FSTC admissions. The projected low was 47,000.

2019: Bigger draws or more draws, more frequently?

If Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) is to issue more ITAs in 2019 than it did in 2018, draw sizes will need to expand, or IRCC will have to hold more draws more frequently than the current interval between draws, which is typically every two weeks.

Over the past 12 months, IRCC established a pattern of increasing draw sizes that began at 2,750 ITAs at the start of the year and were then increased by increments of 250 or 500 ITAs every two to three months to a peak size of 3,900 ITAs. This size then remained largely stable between September 5 and the last draw of 2018 on December 19.

While it remains to be seen what strategy IRCC will pursue in 2019, it concluded 2018 on a note that may be indicative of things to come.

The December 19 draw took place only one week after the previous Express Entry draw on December 12, which had the effect of reducing the minimum Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score from 445 to 439 — the lowest minimum score of 2018.

The fact two draws of 3,900 ITAs each were held within a week of each other meant the Express Entry pool of candidates had less time to replenish, forcing the minimum score down.

In order to meet its increased admissions target for 2019 and 2020, IRCC may hold draws less than two weeks apart on a more regular basis in the new year.

PNP growth in 2018 and into 2019

Among the other key Express Entry developments in 2018 was the rising number of candidates with a provincial nomination.

Nine Canadian provinces and two territories participate in Canada’s Provincial Nominee Program, or PNP, which they use to nominate a set number of economic immigrants for Canadian permanent residence each year. Some of these allocations are assigned for ‘enhanced’ provincial programs that nominate candidates through the Express Entry system.

An ‘enhanced’ provincial nomination is the single most valuable factor within Express Entry’s CRS and results in an Express Entry candidate receiving an additional 600 points towards their overall Express Entry ranking score — effectively guaranteeing an invitation to apply for Canadian permanent residence. 

IRCC says 12 per cent of the 62,500 Express Entry ITAs issued during the first eight months of 2018 went to candidates with a provincial nomination. During this same period in 2017, just over nine per cent of all ITAs issued went to provincial nominees and the end-of-year total in 2017 was 10 per cent.

*2017 shows year-end totals and 2018 shows January to September totals.

Like Express Entry, Canada’s PNP also saw an increase in its admissions target in 2017 and 2018 and a further increase of 6,000 admissions is projected for 2019.

The PNP target will rise again in 2020 and 2021, when admissions through Canada’s PNP are expected to reach 71,300 — an increase of nearly 30 per cent over 2018’s target of 55,000.

“Express Entry really hit its stride in 2018 and the next 12 months should see it operating at an even higher capacity,” 

Immigrant joblessness narrows to 6.4% as Canada looks to newcomers to build workforce

The employment gap between immigrants and Canadian-born workers is narrowing, as employers increasingly rely on newcomers to fill jobs.

The federal research agency found 78.9 per cent of newcomers aged 25 to 54 are in the workforce, compared to 84 per cent of people who are Canadian-born.

The unemployment rate for core working-age immigrants in 2017 was 6.4 per cent, the lowest since 2006 when Statistics Canada first began tracking employment among newcomers through its Labour Force Survey.

The comparable jobless rate among Canadian-born workers is five per cent.

• 'A vicious circle': Newcomers struggling to find jobs in Canada despite education, experience

• With jobs but no workers, Manitoba community recruits through provincial immigration program

Statistics Canada defines core working age as 25 to 54, a time when individuals in are most likely to have finished their schooling and not yet retired from the workforce.

Canada has an aging workforce, with the large baby boom population moving into retirement age and fewer young people available to take up jobs.

Relying on immigrant workers

In 2017, 26 per cent of Canada's total workforce of core working-age were landed immigrants.

Statistics Canada says first generation immigrants will make up an increasingly important part of the workforce over the next decade.

By 2036, it projects the share of immigrants in Canada's population would stand between 24.5 per cent and 30 per cent and Canada will be competing with other industrial countries for a share of young, skilled workers.

Most of the growth in the workforce between 2016 and 2017 was accounted for by immigrants of core working age and Canadian-born workers aged 55 and older.

From 2016 to 2017, which was a good year in Canada for generating jobs, 87,000 new immigrants joined the workforce, compared to 59,000 new Canadian-born workers.

The employment-rate gap between immigrants and the Canadian-born has narrowed for three consecutive years, and was lower than the national average in Manitoba and Alberta.

Newcomers who have been here 10 years or longer are most likely to have full-time employment. Still 65.2 per cent of those who came within the last five years were working.

Many people relate tales of struggling in their first few years in Canada, but the figures seem to indicate they eventually find work, though perhaps not in the field they prefer.

Newcomers are more likely to have low-paying jobs in the accommodation and food industries, but are also one third of the workforce in high-paying industries such as finance, insurance, real estate, rental and leasing services, as well as professional, scientific and technical services.

Filipinos have better employment levels than Canadians

The highest employment rates were among immigrants from the Philippines, with 88.5 per cent of them having jobs, a better rate of employment than the Canadian-born population.

Statistics Canada attributes this to high levels of education among Filipino immigrants, as well as strong English skills and a school system closely related to the North-American system.

Immigrants born in Africa had less success in the job market with 72.5 per cent of them employed. They make up about 10 per cent of Canada's immigrant labour force aged 25 to 54.

• Most Canadian employees are ready to quit their jobs, survey finds

• Canadian economy was resilient in 2018, but troubling signs ahead

This group may have more difficulty because a lot of them come to Canada as refugees and are likely to have less support, including family support, in their early years in Canada, the federal agency said.

Immigrant women are also less likely to be employed than men — with 72 per cent of them in the workforce, compared with 82 per cent of Canadian-born women in the core age group.

Canada’s biometric rule extending to Asia, Asia Pacific and the Americas

On December 31, Canada’s mandatory fingerprints and photo requirement, known as biometrics, will apply to people from Asia, Asia Pacific and the Americas.

This is the second phase of Canada’s biometrics expansion, which started late July, when the requirement was implemented for applicants from Europe, the Middle East and Africa.

The submission of fingerprints and photo is used by the Government of Canada for identification purposes of anyone applying for a Canadian visitor visa, work or study permit, permanent residence, including Express Entry candidates, or asylum in Canada.

This means anyone between the ages of 14 and 79 must provide biometric information, except in asylum cases, for which there is no upper age limit.

Travellers from visa-exempt countries, who are visiting Canada as tourists with a valid Electronic Travel Authorization (eTA), will not be required to provide biometrics.

Why do applicants need to give their biometrics?

• make it more difficult for someone to forge, steal or use another person’s identity,

• resolve problems or errors that may happen if a person’s name, date of birth and/or place of birth are similar to those of someone else, and

• confirm a person’s identity the next time they apply, so it is easier to re-enter Canada.

Where can applicants provide their biometrics?
Privacy Concerns

• identity fraud and theft;

• known criminals from entering Canada;

• deportees from re-entering Canada without permission; and

• failed refugee claimants from re-entering Canada using false identity documents.

Biometrics data collection enables the Government of Canada to facilitate application processing and simplify entry into Canada for low-risk travellers.

Visa officers can use biometrics data to confirm travellers’ identity.

Biometric verification also helps to

Biometrics data can be processed at any Government of Canada-authorized Visa Application Centre (VAC) and only takes a few minutes to process. It costs first-time applicants CAD $85 or CAD $170 for those applying for a family.

Biometrics processing can only be done if an application is submitted at a VAC and the biometrics payment has been made or if an applicant received a Biometrics Instruction Letter from Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) after applying online or by mail.

In an effort to facilitate the biometrics program, the Government of Canada established new VACs in various regions and set up transitional biometrics collection service points in Europe.

Canada plans to have at least 149 VAC locations in 99 countries by November 2019.

Individuals residing in the United States with legal status can submit their biometrics at any authorized Application Support Center.

If applying in person in Canada, applicants will be able to give their biometric information at select Service Canada locations in 2019. Until then, IRCC exempts anyone applying for a visa, study or work permit or permanent residence in Canada from the biometrics requirement.

However, some international students or temporary workers may be eligible to apply and provide their biometrics at specific Canadian ports of entry.

Applicants for a visitor visa, study or work permit will only be required to submit their biometrics once every 10 years.

Biometric identification helps the Government of Canada prevent:

Fingerprints are kept on record for 15 years from the time applicants provide them, after which they are deleted.

The Canadian government states that biometrics information is handled with the highest level of security and privacy using encryption.

IRCC may disclose biometric information to the United States, Australia, New Zealand and the United Kingdom. This is done in accordance with Canada’s privacy laws and civil liberties and human rights commitments, including the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms.

50% rise in Canadian citizenship for Indians this year

The number of Indians living in Canada who obtained citizenship increased by 50% this year. During the 10-month period ending October 2018, as many as 15,016 Indians obtained citizenship after having lived in the country as permanent residents for a certain period of time.

This number in the corresponding period last year was 9,992. India was only marginally behind the Philippines (15,642) in the number of permanent residents acquiring Canadian citizenship.

From January to October this year, 1.39 lakh permanent residents became Canadian citizens, with Indians accounting for 10.7% of them. While these are preliminary figures, the numbers are expected to rise when final statistics are calculated.

According to Canadian rules, a permanent resident must have lived in the country for at least three of the five years before applying for citizenship. While permanent residents can live and work in the country, get social benefits, and are protected under Canadian laws, they are not allowed to vote or run for political office.

According to the Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada, almost 1.53 lakh people would have obtained Canadian citizenship by October, an increase of 40% compared to 1.08 lakh people in the corresponding period last year. The number increased after the country introduced new citizenship rules in October 2017.

The highest number of Indians – 51,651 – became permanent residents of Canada in 2017, ahead of the Philippines with 40,857 citizens and China with 30,270. According to the “2018 Annual Report to Parliament on Immigration”, a total of 2.86 lakh individuals were admitted to Canada as permanent residents in 2017.

Immigration law specialist Talha Mohani, based in Ontario, said since October 2017 it has become easier to qualify to apply for Canadian citizenship. “In particular, the time period for which a permanent resident must be physically present in Canada before applying for citizenship has reduced,” Mohani said. “As compared to a four-year residency requirement out of six years, now a permanent resident needs to be physically present in Canada for three out of five years.”

NPZ Law Group managing attorney David Nachman said a Canadian passport allows citizens to apply for a Trade National visa to enter and work in the United States. This visa is easier to obtain than the H-1B work visa for employees.

Step By Step ,Clearly defined and easy to understand procedure for Canada Express Entry

Step 1: Take IELTS and attain CLB 9 (viz: band score of 8777 in LRWS)

CLB 9 gives candidates additional language points boost of 50–60 points. If you are able to reach the score of 440+ without CLB 9, that is fine too.

Cost - Approx 200 CAD every time you take IELTS.

Step 2: Get your ECA done (6–8 weeks)

ECA is Education Credential Assessment. It is done by multiple organisations (WES one of them) and provides you the Canadian equivalent degree assessment of your native country education.

Cost - Approx 285 CAD. (200 CAD Fee + 85 CAD International Result Delivery)

Step 3: Create EE profile on CIC website with your attained IELTS score and ECA

Making a profile enters you in the pool of candidates waiting for the ITA (Invitation to Apply). Make sure all the information mentioned in the profile is accurate as you will be asked to provide proof of all that information once you are selected.

Cost - 0

Step 4: Wait for the draw to reach your score and receive ITA afterwards

The ROI (Rounds of Invidation) happens every 3–4 weeks. The Canadian govt declares the min cut off score of the EE profile and all the candidates having that score or score more than it will get ITA. The score varies and is tweaked to meet the usual 2800–3000 applicants quota per ROI.

Cost - 0

Step 5: Post ITA, you get 2 months to submit your documents

After candidates receive ITA, they are suppose to provide documents and proofs of all the information mentioned in their profile along with few others. The documents/information needed from the candidates are:

1. Scan of Travel Document (Passport) of all applicants
2. Digital Photograph of all applicants
3. Proof of Employment of primary applicant
4. Proof of Funds of primary applicant
5. Proof of Medical of all applicants
6. Proof of Education & IELTS of all applicants
7. Police Clearance Certificate (From all countries where you have resided for 6 months or more) of all applicants

Cost varies as Medical cost, PCC fees, Notarization fees etc varies on location. Ideally, all expenses should be covered within 300–350 CAD per applicant.

Step 6: Submit documents, pay Immigration Fee and wait for the PPR (PassPort Request - For stamping)

After submitting the documents and paying the Immigration fees, the Canadian Immigration officers verifies the documents and information provided. This generally takes 2–4 months depending on the application type, countries a person has resided in and most importantly, the immigration visa office where the application has been sent for processing and how much application backlog is there.

New Delhi visa office is infamous for taking usually 4 months to process and verify the submitted documents, sometimes even more!

Cost - 1050 CAD x No. of Applicants in the application

Step 7: PPR received. Submit Passport and get Canada CoPR (Confirmation of PR)

Once the documents are verified, candidates are intimated about the result of their application via mail. On successful processing, candidates are required to submit the passports of all the applicants for the Visa Stamping and CoPR. Passport is being sent by VFS Global and would cost around30 CAD per passport. The stamped passport are returned to the designated address within 2 weeks along with 2 copies of CoPR.

Cost - Approx 30 CAD x No. of Applicants

Step 8: Reach Canada on CoPR and apply for PR card

Applicants are suppose to travel to Canada within the tenure mentioned on the passport. The tenure is generally till the time passport is valid or till medical proof is valid, whichever is earlier. In any case, visa will not be for more than 1 year.

Applicants are suppose to plan their travel, temporary or permanent migration, to Canada within the Visa timelines and submit one copy of CoPR at the time of landing. The other copy is stamped and returned.

Submitting CoPR means that Candidates have successfully landed in Canada and this in turn initiates the PR card application for each applicant.

Cost - Travel Cost of each applicant

Step 9: Receive PR card (2–3 months)

Official PR Card processing time is 62–65 days and the PR card will be couriered to the address given by the applicants at the time of their landing. The address has to be a Canadian address.

PR Card will be delivered to the address within 50–80 days. In case you have performed soft landing (temporary migration) just to fulfill the landing formalities before the Visa expires, you can request any friend coming to your native country to bring along your PR card.

PR cards are not couriered outside Canada and have to be delivered in person in such scenarios.

Step 10: You are Canadian PR. Enjoy!

Once you have your PR card, you are officially a Canadian PR. Have fun!

PR card is provided with validity of 5 years. A person is suppose to live in Canada for 730 days in consecutive 5 years to continue his/her PR card for next 5 years after the expiry.

If a person has stayed in Canada for more than 1095 days in consecutive 5 years, he/she is eligible to apply for Canadian citizenship.

Some Acronyms Frequently Used in this post & during Visa Processing:

• CLB - Canadian Language Benchmark
• ECA - Education Credential Assessment
• EE - Express Entry
• ROI - Round of Invitations
• ITA - Invitation to Apply
• CoPR - Confirmation of Permanent Residency
• PPR - Passport Request
• PR - Permanent Resident (Residency)

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau Blames Canada's Illegal Immigration Woes On The United States

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is blaming President Donald Trump and the United States' stricter policies on immigration for Canada's burgeoning "immigration crisis," even though Trudeau himself told migrants he'd welcome them with "open arms."

In an interview with GlobalNews.ca, Trudeau absolved himself of all responsibility over the influx of illegal immigrants who've made their way into Canada through the United States, claiming instead that the United States has failed to welcome migrants with open arms, thus sending them packing for Canada.

Back in 2017, Trudeau famously tweeted, in response to President Trump's call to heavily restrict immigration to the United States, that Canada would continue to be a destination for the world's downtrodden, even if the U.S. wasn't interested.

“Your tweet saying ‘welcome to Canada’ is often cited as the reason why these people are pouring across the border. Do you ever regret that tweet?" the interviewer asked Trudeau.

"No," Trudeau answered, adding, “If people are in the midst of migration around the world right now, it’s not because of a tweet restating — almost word for word — Canadian policy on refugees, because that’s exactly what it was."

“And certainly, if people are fleeing the United States right now and are choosing to leave the United States right now, it’s not something I said,” Trudeau continued. “It is perhaps domestic realities within the political context in the United States that is driving people to move or to make those certain decisions.”

In other words, it's all Donald Trump's fault.

But while it's no secret that U.S. immigration policy has become more restrictive, certainly Trudeau's policy of welcoming immigrants with open arms isn't helping.According to CIC news, which tracks immigration to Canada, "international migration reached a record level in the third quarter of 2018," bypassing records set each previous quarter. Population growth has exploded in Canada, largely because of immigration.

The situation has gotten so bad that Canada is now actively encouraging migrantsnot to cross into their country outside of legal border checkpoints, and cautioning potential immigrants to Canada that the road to Canadian citizenship isn't easy. Asylum seekers are allowed to remain in-country while their claims are being processed, but Canada only accepts a fraction of asylum claims.

To emigrate to Canada legally, potential Canadians must prove they will provide a value to their new home country — a process that might take more than a decade.

Worse still, the influx of immigration to Canada has cost the country dearly. The Canadian government spends approximately $14,000 per illegal immigrant,Canadian state media reports.

"Parliamentary Budget Officer Yves Giroux said the total cost for the asylum claims process was about $340 million in 2017-2018 and is expected to rise to $396 million in 2019-2020," the CBC continued.

Canadians are fed up. As "yellow vest" protests rage in Europe, they've begun popping up in Canada, "criticizing the tax and immigration policies of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and his government," CTV News reported last weekend. "In many cities, last week’s signing of the UN’s Global Compact for Migration in Morocco is what drove their anger. Canada was among the 164 nations that signed on. The United States was not."

But Trudeau insists he isn't to blame.

For IELTS listening 25-12-2018

Quebec updates immigration application processing fees for 2019

New processing fees for immigration applications to Quebec for permanent and temporary stays will come into force on January 1, 2019.

Quebec’s Ministry of Immigration, Diversity and Inclusion, or MIDI, updates the fees for all its immigration program each year. The ministry said the adjusted fees are based on a 1.71 per cent increase in Quebec's consumer price index for the period ending September 30, 2018.

Individuals interested in moving to Quebec permanently through an economic program are required to submit an application for a Quebec Selection Certificate (CSQ) under the Quebec Skilled Worker Program (QSWP), Quebec Experience Program (PEQ) or Quebec Business Immigration programsbefore applying to the federal government for permanent residence.

To work or study in Quebec, foreign nationals must first apply to the Government of Quebec for a Quebec Acceptance Certificate (CAQ) before submitting a temporary work or study permit application to the Government of Canada. 

Quebec Immigration Processing Fees for 2019

The following fees are applicable to Quebec's provincial application processing stage only. Additional fees may be required at the federal application processing stage. 

Permanent immigration	Fees until December 31, 2018	Fees as of January 1, 2019
Application for a CSQ
Quebec Business Immigration Investor Entrepreneur and self-employed worker	$15,235 CAD $1,062 CAD	$15,496 CAD $1,080 CAD
Skilled Worker (including the Quebec Skilled Worker Program and Quebec Experience Class (PEQ))	$785 CAD	$798 CAD
Each accompanying family member (except for an application in the investor sub-class)	$168 CAD	$171 CAD
Employer requesting validation of a permanent employment	$196 CAD	$199 CAD
Undertaking application
For the principal sponsored person or the first sponsored minor	$279 CAD	$284 CAD
For each additional sponsored person	$112 CAD	$114 CAD
Temporary Stays	Fees until December 31, 2018	Fees as of January 1, 2019
Application for a CAQ
Temporary worker	$196 CAD	$199 CAD
Employer posting a temporary employment offer(except for temporary job offers for seasonal agricultural labour)	$196 CAD	$199 CAD
International student	$112 CAD	$114 CAD
Person on a temporary stay for medical treatment	$112 CAD	$114 CAD
Immigration consultants
Application for recognition of an immigration consultant	$1,625 CAD	$1,653 CAD
Application for renewal of recognition of an immigration consultant	$1,321 CAD	$1,344 CAD
Comparative evaluation of studies completed outside Quebec	$117 CAD	$119 CAD