New Business Immigration Measures: What Your Foreign Workers Need to Know

Flying to Canada Requirements Checklist

While non-essential travel outside of Canada is still not recommended, we invite you to consult the checklist of requirements for entering the country by air. 

Pilot Programs to Promote Talent Retention in Quebec

Three permanent immigration pilot programs have been implemented to help retain talent in high-demand sectors.

• Permanent Immigration Pilot Program for Food Processing Workers
• Beneficiary Attendant Permanent Immigration Pilot Program
• Permanent Immigration Pilot Program for Artificial Intelligence, Information Technology and Visual Effects Workers

Program Updates for High Performance Amateur Athletes, Business Visitors and Health Care Students

Important updates have been made to the following programs:

• Exemption from Travel Restrictions: High Performance Amateur Athletes. An exemption has been added to facilitate the entry of high performance amateur athletes in Canada.
• International Mobility Program: Business Visitors.
• International Mobility Program: Students enrolled into a short-term health care program.

Update: Post-Graduation Work Permit Program (PGWPP)

Facilitation measures have been added to the Post-Graduation Work Permit Program (PGWPP) for programs that continued between March 2020 and the fall 2021 semester, and for those that began during that same period:

• Time spent studying outside of Canada up to December 31, 2021 will count towards the eligibility for and length of a future PGWP;
• Students can complete up to 100% of their program online from outside Canada while remaining eligible for a PGWP.

Student Refugee Sponsorship Program Maintained

After having briefly stated the suspension of the Student Refugee Program (SRP), which is managed by a pan-Canadian organization with the collaboration of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), the Quebec government acknowledges that there is no suspicion of fraud regarding the program and that it is maintained.

Canada – U.S. Border Not to Be Reopened Until July 2021

The Government of Canada has ruled out any imminent reopening of the Canada-U.S. border, while some U.S. elected officials hope for a partial reopening by July 4, 2021. The border has been closed to non-essential travel for a year.

Green Cards: End of Restrictions Imposed by Donald Trump

The U.S. ended Donald Trump’s 2019 restrictions on issuing green cards to immigrants the government deemed dependent or at risk of depending on public benefits.

Migrants Flooding the U.S. – Mexico Border

Two distinct immigration bills have been approved by the House of Representatives. This is the first time Congress has voted on a path to citizenship for young undocumented immigrants, commonly known as “dreamers”, as well as recipients of Temporary Protected Status and Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals. If passed, these bills could make up to 4.4 million people eligible for permanent residence.

Lifting of the ban on Travel to France

The Council of State has decided to suspend the measure related to compelling reasons of a personal of family nature, an emergency health reason or a professional reason that cannot be deferred for returns to France, imposed on January 30, 2021.

Compelling reasons are still in effect for French citizens wishing to leave France, as well as for non-French spouses.

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Our mission is to help you understand the implications that such changes may have in your current operations and your global mobility planning.