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Federal Government Announces new "Canada Experience Class"
Posted: September 19, 2008 - The federal government announced on September 5, 2008 that a new class of immigrants the "Canada Experience Class" will be open as of September 17, 2008. The new class will allow certain international students and certain foreign workers to apply to stay in Canada permanently. Some of the students and workers that the new immigrant class will benefit would not have qualified to immigrate to Canada under the existing skilled worker class immigration rules.
Here is the link to the government's press release:
New On-Line System for Off-Campus Work Permits for International Students
Posted: September 19, 2008 - The federal government announced on September 3, 2008 a new on-line system for off-campus work permits for international students. The federal government announced that with the new system international students could complete, sign, pay for, and submit their applications online, anywhere and anytime in Canada.
Here is the link to the government press release:
Bar Admission - Charles V. Warren
Posted: July 10, 2008 - Charles V. Warren who has articled with TMC LAW since June of 2007 participated in his bar admission ceremony on June 13, 2008 at the Law Courts in Halifax. There were 58 admittees who were divided into 4 groups. Catherine S. Walker, Q.C., President of the Barristers' Society, was the presiding officer. Charles was among a group of 14 people that were admitted before Justice Felix A. Cacchione. Congratulations on your achievement Charles from everyone at TMC LAW.
The Canadian Bar Association's Citizenship and Immigration Section makes submissions to Senate regarding the implementation of the Refugee Appeal Division (Bill C-280)
Posted: May 9, 2008 - The Canadian Bar Association's Citizenship and Immigration Section made submissions to the Senate of Canada regarding the implementation of the long-delayed Refugee Appeal Division ("RAD"). RAD was introduced in 2002 with the then-new Immigration and Refugee Protection Act ("IRPA"). Appeals to the RAD would allow appeals on determinations of fact made at the refugee claim determination hearings. At present, a one-member panel of the Immigration and Refugee Board (IRB) determines if a refugee claim will be accepted; there is very limited opportunity to appeal the IRB determination (only through judicial review, and with leave of the court). The governments of the day from 2002 to present have failed to proclaim in force the provisions in IRPA that establish the RAD. Bill C-280 is introduced to force the implementation of the RAD, and is supported by, among others, Amnesty International and the Canadian Council for Refugees.
Here is the text of Bill C-280:
Here is the CBA's submission:
Here is a link to the Canadian Council for Refugees' website:
Here is a link to the Amnesty International's website:
Proposed changes to Canada's immigration law - Canadian Bar Association submission to Parliament
Posted: May 6, 2008 - The Canadian Bar Association' s National Citizenship and Immigration section made submissions to Parliament with regards to the major changes in Canada's immigration law proposed by the federal government with Bill C-50.
Here is the text of the submission:
Federal government is proposing changes to the immigration regulations
Posted: May 1, 2008 - Posted: May 1, 2008 - The federal government is proposing changes to the immigration regulations which will require all applicants under the skilled worker immigrant category (the largest pool of immigrants to Canada), and the applicants under the business class immigrant category, to undergo language tests. The proposed changes will require even persons whose first language is English or French (like immigrants from France, the UK, and the US) to undergo language testing in order to immigrate to Canada. The current regulations allowed a skilled worker applicant to provide evidence other than language test results to prove his/her level of language proficiency.
Here is a link to the government's proposed regulations changes:
Government introduces 3 year open post -graduation work permits for international students
Posted: May 1, 2008 - In a move that will benefit international students studying in Canada, the Department of Citizenship and Immigration introduced changes to the rules for issuing of work permits to international students graduating from Canadian post-secondary institutions. The current rules allowed international students to obtain one or two year post-graduation work permits. However, the work permits were issued only if the students were able to find an employer within 90 days of graduation, in the students' field of study, and for certain types of employment only. In addition, the work permits were restricted to one employer: if the student wanted to change jobs, new work permit application was required, with the resulting uncertainty of outcome and delay for processing.
The new post graduation work permit rules will allow issuing of 3 year post-graduation work permits. The new work permits will be open, which means that there will be no restrictions regarding employer and type of employment, and there would be no requirement for a job offer before the permit is issued.
Below is excerpt from the government news release:
Vancouver, April 21, 2008 — The Honourable Diane Finley, Minister of Citizenship and Immigration, today announced changes to work permits for international students who graduate from eligible programs at certain Canadian post-secondary institutions, making it easier to attract foreign students to Canada.
Effective immediately, and for the first time, these international students would be able to obtain an open work permit under the Post-Graduation Work Permit Program, with no restrictions on the type of employment and no requirement for a job offer. In addition, the duration of the work permit has been extended to three years across the country. Previously, the program only allowed international students to work for one or two years, depending on location.
And a link to the government news release:
Articles/Papers And Presentations By Our Legal Team
NSBS - ANLS Survey Report
March 6, 2008 - One of TMC Law's senior partners, Garth C. Gordon, Q.C.'s expertise in the field of property law was recently recognized by the President of the Nova Scotia Barristers' Society. The President Catherine Walker, Q.C. thanked Garth for his leadership role in the work of the Working Group consisting of both lawyers and surveyors on issues of mutual concern to the surveying and legal profession.
Communication from the President on NSBS-ANSLS Survey Report:
Dear Member,
You will recall that in September 2007, you received a draft discussion paper prepared by a Working Group consisting of both lawyers and surveyors on issues of mutual concern to the surveying and legal profession. The comments received on that paper were reviewed, and I am now pleased to provide to you, results. Now finalized, this report will form the basis for a joint educational session for lawyers and surveyors this spring.
I would like to extend my thanks to all members of this working group, but in particular a special thanks to Garth C. Gordon, Q.C., for his leadership role in this initiative. His continued support and commitment to issues of importance to the property bar is commendable. Thanks as well to Carl Hartlen and Derik DeWolfe for their particular attention to the details in the report and the survey implications.
I urge members to read the final report (PDF) and to watch for upcoming notices of the education session planned around this important work.
Catherine Walker, Q.C. President
From Inforum: