David Cohen, partner of Cohen-Campbell, a leading Canadian immigration law firm, had barely settled into work Wednesday morning when his phone started ringing with Americans seeking legal guidance to taking up residence in the land of the maple leaf. The Bush victory did it, they told him: America's shift to the right had finally squeezed them out of their own country. Farewell Ten Commandment statues in public squares, hello single-payer healthcare.

By Tom Zeller Jr.Nov. 7, 2004One might only guess that a few of the 58 million people that voted for President Bush were motivated by a love-it-or-leave-it view of the country. But it is statistically demonstrable that after John Kerry's defeat, some Democratic supporters gave that sentiment some real thought, too.

In 1995 a fee of $975 (CAD) was imposed on all adult immigrants landing in Canada. This Right of Permanent Resident Fee was designed to help pay for settlement services for newly landed immigrants.

The former Ontario cabinet minister with the famous surname, Gerard Kennedy, released his platform for eliminating the credentials recognition hurdle faced by skilled immigrants.

In the light of the international Terrorist threat, Canada has often been criticized for its "lenient" immigration policies. Political commentators suggest that Canada should close its doors to immigrants as a security measure. Prime Minister Stephen Harper recently defended Canada's immigration policies, noting his commitment to a multicultural Canada..

Buoyed by strong economic growth, the number of immigrants settling in the province of Manitoba soared to a 50 year high. Government officials recently announced that a total of 9989 new immigrants arrived in the province in 2006, just shy of Manitoba's target of 10,000.

Buoyed by strong economic growth, the number of immigrants settling in the province of Manitoba soared to a 50 year high. Government officials recently announced that a total of 9989 new immigrants arrived in the province in 2006, just shy of Manitoba's target of 10,000.

In a press release issued Thursday, Canada’s minister of Citizenship and Immigration the Honourable Diane Finley addressed concerns that some Canadians have discovered that their citizenship has expired according to a little known provision in the Citizenship Act.

Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) has recently announced that the Canadian Visa Office in Dhaka will offer a full range of Canadian immigration services by July 2007.

The cases of Canadians discovering they do not hold citizenship are small in number and being resolved quickly, according to the Honourable Diane Finley, Minister of Citizenship and Immigration.

In mid-February of this year, it was announced that the Canadian Immigration Visa Office in Dhaka would offer a full range of immigration services by July 2007 (see original news release). It was recently confirmed that this start date, released by the Immigration Law Consultancy Bureau (ILCB), is incorrect. The High Commission of Canada has confirmed that the full-service office in Dhaka will not be operational until 2008.

Under the expanded Alberta Provincial Nominee Program (PNP), the province will now be making Canadian Permanent Residency nominations for individuals in manufacturing, transportation, food and beverage, and hospitality occupations. Alberta employers have been suffering from chronic labour shortages in these industries; the new PNP is designed to alleviate them.

According to a recent study by consulting firm Deloitte and Touche LLP, many North American CEO’s are having trouble finding IT workers and are looking to foreign skilled workers to staff their organizations.

To overcome the challenges of having internationally-obtained qualifications recognized in Canada, a new government office has been established to provide support services to newcomers as they navigate the credential recognition process.

The Temporary Foreign Worker (TFW) program is the Canadian government's primary means of helping employers address immediate skill and labour shortages. As labour tensions continue to mount across industries, Canadian employers have been making use of this program to fill a growing number of vacant positions.

Recent modifications to the British Columbia Provincial Nominee Program (BC PNP) make it easier for immigrants to establish new businesses in the province.

Citizenship and Immigration Canada recently tabled a new bill to modernize the country's citizenship laws. New legislation will retroactively restore citizenship to the tens of thousands who lost, or never had Canadian citizenship because of several obscure clauses in existing legislation.

With a pressing need for skilled workers, Canada's Western provinces continue to implement new initiatives to help foreign workers get to Canada and start contributing to the labour force quickly. Human Resources and Social Development Canada (ESDC) is rolling out the welcome mat to temporary foreign workers, making the transition into the workforce easier, faster and with more protection.

Through recent changes to the Post-Graduation Work Permit Program, Canada has made it easier for graduating international students to obtain work permits and acquire Canadian work experience. Not only will the changes help Canada’s international student retention rate and ease current skills shortages, but they will also help these students on their way to becoming successful Permanent Residents - new immigrants who have already integrated into Canadian society thanks to the education and work experience they have obtained in Canada.

Canada's International Youth Program encourages young Canadians to travel and work abroad; to acquire the skills, training, and cultural experiences that are so valuable in Canada and in the global marketplace. Canada has coordinated reciprocal work permit arrangements with close to 40 countries in which qualifying Canadians and international youth can visit each others' countries to experience a new culture and different work environment.