Vancouver, BC -- (ReleaseWire) -- 09/21/2022 --Less than a year since assuming the Office of the Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship, the Honourable Sean Fraser continues to make waves. As the country starts to open, the Vancouver Immigration Lawyers at Sas and Ing are watching the important policy changes currently being developed and implemented by Minister Fraser. Although details are still scarce, here are the major updates you need to be aware of for the second half of 2022. For more, go to https://canadian-visa-lawyer.com/policy-alert-major-immigration-developments-remaining-in-2022/

The Return of Express Entry
Back in April, during a speech in Saint John, New Brunswick, Minister Fraser announced that Express Entry draws will resume and new invitations to apply (ITA) will be issued under Canada's Express Entry system in July.

On July 4, 2022, the Minister officially confirmed that Express Entry draws will resume on July 6, 2022, for the following skilled worker streams: Canadian Experience Class (CEC), Federal Skilled Worker (FSW) and Federal Skilled Trades Program (FSTP). To put this in perspective, the government suspended draws for the FSW and FSTP streams during the second wave of COVID-19 at the end of 2020 and then extended the pause to CEC draws by September 2021, effectively putting a halt on the entire Express Entry system for the past 10 months. Details are still forthcoming, so stay tuned.

Extensions of Post-Graduation Work Permits ("PGWP")

Citing significant labour shortages in Canada, Minister Fraser also announced that former international students who have expired or expiring PGWPs will be eligible to apply for a further 18-month extension as workers. This policy is intended to allow foreign workers who are already employed to continue their work in Canada and to allow expired PGWP holders to get back to work to alleviate labour shortage issues. Once again, many are still waiting for details about the process.

New Pathway to Permanent Residency?

If all this isn't interesting enough, the Minister has also been teasing a new fast-track pathway to permanent residency for those already living in Canada as either international students or foreign workers.

The "Temporary Resident to Permanent Resident" (TR to PR) pathway was touted as a once-in-a-pandemic policy to address Canadian immigration needs during a time when immigration from outside the country was actively discouraged.

In a recent CBC article on June 11, Minister Fraser shared plans to create a similar pathway to the TR to PR pathway but noted that it won't be identical.
The TR to PR pathway was unveiled with virtually no notice, which caused pandemonium for applicants who scrambled to obtain official language test results, police certificates, certified translations, and other documents and who had to rush to complete medical examinations during a pandemic.

New application forms were being released specifically for this TR to PR pathway days before the pathway launched on May 6, 2021. Applications have also been processed slowly, and the Minister has recently authorized open work permit extensions until 2024 for applicants who are waiting for decisions on their permanent residency applications.

Interested applicants for this new fast-track pathway should learn from the lessons of the past: prepare immigration documentation, including language test results, as soon as possible and seek assistance from immigration professionals if you have any doubts about the Canadian immigration application process.

Parents and Grandparents (PGP) Program

Despite the head-turning number of new policies announced in recent months, there has been one area that the Minister has been largely silent on the return of the PGP program. Every year, tens of thousands of families wait with anticipation for the Minister's announcements about how the PGP program will be implemented in the current year. Things like timing, documentation requirements, and the number of applications that will be received for the year are all matters of interest.

Although the Minister has been silent on the PGP program, on June 7, 2022, he announced improvements to Canada's super visa program, which allows parents and grandparents of Canadian citizens and permanent residents to remain in Canada for extended periods. Unlike regular visitors who are generally required to leave Canada after six months, super visa holders will now be able to stay in Canada for five years at a time without leaving and will also be eligible to apply for a further two-year extension for an unprecedented total of seven years in Canada.

Unfortunately, the improvement of Canada's super visa program might be a precursor to disappointing news about the launch of the PGP Program in 2022. As Vancouver immigration lawyers, the team at Sas and Ing will continue to monitor for updates.

With so many meaningful immigration policy changes announced regularly, applicants need to be diligent. As with most things, the details of how a policy will be implemented are just as important as the intent behind the policy itself. Immigration applicants must be proactive to fully understand which policies will affect them and to make the most of upcoming and exciting opportunities.

About Sas and Ing Immigration Law Centre
Sas and Ing Immigration Law Centre has over 30 years of continued in-depth and comprehensive expertise in most aspects of Canadian Immigration practice. Sas and Ing have facilitated applications to Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC), Service Canada and Canada Border Services Agency. Catherine & Victor work closely with other lawyers specializing in Business, Employment, Tax, and Real Estate to provide comprehensive legal advice to companies and individuals as they navigate the regulatory requirements necessary for temporary or permanent establishment in Canada.

For additional information, please visit canadian-visa-lawyer.com or call (604) 689-5444

Sas and Ing Immigration Law Centre
Catherine Sas
(604) 689-5444
Company website: canadian-visa-lawyer.com