Citizenship And Immigration

Jason Kenney Dept: The immigration settlement counsellor with the Bloor Information and Life Skills Centre is among hundreds of workers in the immigrant service sector losing their jobs after Ottawa s hefty cuts to settlement funding in Ontario, according to The Star. Klapp, a Chilean immigrant, is her family s sole breadwinner, supporting her daughter, Amanda, 7, and husband, Carlos Parada, whom she sponsored to Canada two years ago and andrea Klapp has been handed a pink slip from Immigration Minister Jason Kenney just before Christmas. Ten Toronto agencies are slated to lose their funding from Citizenship and Immigration Canada CIC starting April 1, with as many as 35 others on the cutting block. As reported in the news.
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Immigration Officials Dept: Surely our society has not found itself at that point, said Federal Court of Canada Justice Roger Hughes in overturning a decision by Citizenship and Immigration Canada to reject an application based on misrepresentation, according to The Star. Canadian officials, for some unstated reason, had ordered the couple and Olakunle to take a DNA test despite a government-issued birth certificate that confirmed their relationship and must people declare their extra-marital relationships when applying for immigration to Canada? In February, immigration officials refused an application by Kolowole Osisanwo, a Canadian citizen, to sponsor his mother, Modupe Adedoyin, father Cladius Alaba and sibling Olakunle to Canada from Nigeria. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

Citizenship and Immigration Canada: The Mounties allege copies of the tests were used so that clients of a citizenship consultant could gain citizenship without meeting the proper requirements, according to CTV. The RCMP say their one-year investigation was started after an internal immigration department fraud probe and TORONTO -- A former Citizenship and Immigration Canada judge is facing charges for allegedly passing copies of citizenship exams to a Toronto-area immigration consultant. Police would not say how many clients were allegedly involved as the investigation is ongoing. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

Citizenship and Immigration Canada: In a letter submitted with the woman's application for a visitor's visa, Mumtaz Ladha said she suffered from vertigo and osteo-arthritis, and needed to bring her longtime employee. , according to Winnipeg Free Press. "Letter from Canadian citizen employer on file states principal applicant has worked for her for five years. Employer states owns hair dresser salon and is a resident of Tanzania," Jessica Poon, a citizenship officer for Citizenship and Immigration Canada read in court from the woman's immigration file. VANCOUVER - A British Columbia woman accused of human trafficking told immigration officials she was bringing her Tanzanian caregiver to Canada because she needed her help during a two-month visit, the woman's trial heard Thursday. The application submitted to the Canadian embassy in Dar es-Salaam said the single, 23-year-old mother of one would be staying with her and would be supported by her for the duration of the visit. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

Canadian citizenship: In the first major overhaul of the Citizenship Act in nearly four decades, the Conservative government vowed Thursday to tighten the rules for those who want to become Canadian, crack down on fraud and strip citizenship from dual nationals who engage in terrorism. , according to Winnipeg Free Press. "Canadians take as much or more pride in their citizenship than any other country," said Citizenship and Immigration Minister Chris Alexander. "The rate of application is likely to go up in spite of the fact that we're taking certain measures to reinforce the value of citizenship." Canada's Citizenship and Immigration Minister Chris Alexander speaks after unveiling changes to Canada's Citizenship Act in Toronto on Thursday February 6, 2014. THE Frank Gunn The proposed changes were aimed at strengthening the value of Canadian citizenship and improving the efficiency of the process required to attain it. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

Citizenship And Immigration Dept: Someone arriving without identification or believed to be inadmissible can be detained in a border-services facility or jail, according to Montreal Gazette. Officers must review reasons for a detention within 48 hours and canada's refugee-claim process hinges on the decision of the Immigration and Refugee Board, which will listen to an applicant's story and review his or her documents and records. Citizenship and Immigration Canada says children under 18 are detained only as a last resort. As reported in the news.
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Justice Department: JOB: Assistant deputy attorney general for public safety, defence and immigration at Justice Department since 2005, according to Times Colonist. Began career as counsel to solicitor general department, Correctional Service of Canada and National Parole Board. From 1990 to 2001, served as senior general counsel and director, Citizenship and Immigration legal services, at Justice. Later became director general, refugee policy, at Citizenship and Immigration. In 2002, took on the role with office of assistant deputy minister, Citizenship and Immigration portfolio, at Justice and A sketch of federal privacy commissoner nominee Daniel Therrien: Bachelor of Arts and law degrees, University of Ottawa. Called to Quebec bar in 1981. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

Citizenship and Immigration Canada: NDP immigration critic Lysane Blanchette-Lamothe submitted an order paper question, which is like an access-to-information request for MPs, about the budget and processing times for applications for temporary and permanent residents, according to Toronto Star. The remaining information requested in the question and subquestions would require an extensive manual search of Citizenship and Immigration Canada records. After a lengthy data extraction process involving millions of files , the report would have to be reviewed in its entirety to ensure that the data is accurate and valid. Providing full and accurate information within the prescribed timeline is therefore not feasible, said the response tabled in the Commons on May 14 last year and Newly released documents suggest the office of Citizenship and Immigration Minister Chris Alexander intervened to save bureaucrats from answering part of a formal question from an NPD MP about wait times for visa applications. The department provided information in response to some parts of the question mostly by linking to details already available on its website but said they would not be able to break down wait times for applications by fiscal year and processing centre. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

Same Sex Relationship Dept: Alvaro Orozco, who was to be deported Thursday, was released from immigration detention Wednesday after Citizenship and Immigration Canada issued him permanent resident status on humanitarian grounds, according to The Star. The immigration papers came six years after the runaway, now 25, came to Toronto in 2005, via the United States, to flee persecution and domestic abuse in Nicaragua due to his sexual orientation and a gay artist from Nicaragua, whose asylum claim was rejected because he had not been in a same-sex relationship, has been granted a reprieve by immigration officials. I am free now, Orozco said after his release from the Rexdale holding centre. I feel safe. I finally belong somewhere. There are no more struggles. I do not have to hide anymore. As reported in the news.
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Immigration Officials Deptt: Citizenship and Immigration Canada officials want to crack down on marriages of convenience that adopt the guise of an arranged marriage. But a proposed change to the law could frustrate couples who decide to marry through such a union. One of the rights Canadian citizens have is the ability to sponsor a wife or husband for Canadian citizenship. Proposed changes to Canada's immigration laws have some Canadians with roots in South Asia worried that arranged marriages will face increased scrutiny from immigration officials. The tradition of an arranged marriage is a way for many to stay connected with the culture of their ancestors. Some matches may come from as far away as India, Sri Lanka or Pakistan. As reported in the news.

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• Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC)

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Pore Dept: A spokesman for Citizenship and Immigration Canada said police have handed the department 1,000 files and they continue to pore over them, according to CTV. Stone said 76 individuals granted citizenship are likely to have it revoked, and it's possible there could be more as officials continue to comb through the paperwork and hassan Al-Awaid, 57, faces a total of 53 charges, four of which were laid last December, following an RCMP investigation that began in 2007. "It began when an immigration officer raised some questions about some files," said Jon Stone. "This investigation is far from over." As reported in the news.
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Canadian Couple Dept: That was the chorus on Tuesday after the Star highlighted the plight of a Canadian couple stranded in India for nearly five years because the government won t issue citizenship or travel papers for their son who, due to a fertility mix-up, is not genetically theirs, according to The Star. In Montreal, Liberal immigration critic Justin Trudeau said too many Canadians are experiencing problems abroad and it seems the government chooses which Canadians to help and bring them home. Why is the CIC Citizenship and Immigration Canada so heartless and not allowing them to bring this kid back home, asked MP Olivia Chow, the NDP s immigration critic. There should be more compassionate consideration, she said, adding bureaucracy can sometimes destroy families. As reported in the news.
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Immigration Consultant Dept: Francesco Salvatore Sam Burgio, 45 of Amherstburg, Ont., was originally charged by police back in April with various fraud related offences over accusations he was taking money from potential immigrants and not submitting their applications, according to CBC. The victims said they later found out no such applications were submitted on their behalf and rCMP have laid an additional 15 charges of fraud over $5,000 against a former immigration consultant in the Windsor area who already faces numerous fraud charges after leading people to believe he was assisting them in the process of getting into Canada. Since then new victims have come forward alleging that Burgio's firm Burgio and Associates agreed to submit, on their behalf, applications and accompanying application fees to Citizenship and Immigration Canada in the hope of gaining status in Canada. As reported in the news.
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Citizenship and Immigration Canada: Citizenship and Immigration Canada said Bhavna Bajaj repeatedly failed to disclose that she had a son, Daksh, before she came to Ottawa. The department said that after she arrived, she signed a document saying her son would continue to live with his grandparents in India. , according to CBC. The couple applied for permanent residency in 2011 when Bajaj was pregnant, they told News. An immigration consultant had told them to head to Canada and sponsor their son after they arrived, they said. An Indian woman with permanent resident status in Canada, and who is trying to bring her three-year-old son here, admits she didn't disclose she had a child before her arrival in Ottawa, but disputes the assertion she had agreed to keep him in India. Citizenship and Immigration Canada says Bhavna Bajaj repeatedly failed to disclose she had a son, Daksh, until she arrived in Canada in January 2013. Courtesy of the Bhavna Bajaj-Aman Sood family Bajaj and her husband, Aman Sood, say they're fighting to change Canada immigration laws after being separated from their son over what they have described as an application error. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

Proficiency In English Dept: Currently, immigrants ages 18 to 54 must only prove their language proficiency by taking a multiple-choice written test on citizenship questions, which federal officials believe "does not adequately assess for the listening and speaking skills" needed for effective integration into Canadian society, according to Vancouver Sun. They would have to submit results of an English or French proficiency test approved by Citizenship and Immigration Canada, proof of secondary or post-secondary education in French or English, or proof of completion of a language-training course such as the federally funded Language Instruction for Newcomers to Canada and the Harper government wants to force immigrants to prove their proficiency in English or French before being able to write an exam and be considered for Canadian citizenship. The proposed changes, which would affect about 134,000 applicants a year, would require immigrants to prove they can speak English or French when they submit their first application for citizenship, which immigration officials believe will streamline processing of the applications. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

Debate Rages Dept: It's emerging as chances fade in this election year for a measure Obama favors to put the nation's estimated 12 million undocumented immigrants on a path to legal status, and as debate rages over an Arizona law targeting people suspected of being in the country illegally, according to Globe And Mail. “In the absence of comprehensive immigration reform,” officials wrote, “USCIS can extend benefits and/or protections to many individuals or groups.” The internal draft written by officials at U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services outlines ways that the government could provide “relief” to illegal immigrants — including delaying deportation for some, perhaps indefinitely, or granting green cards to others — in the absence of legislation revamping the system. “This memorandum offers administrative relief options to promote family unity, foster economic growth, achieve significant process improvements and reduce the threat of removal for certain individuals present in the United States without authorization,” reads the 11-page document, which was written in April of this year and addressed to the agency's director. As reported in the news.
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Citizenship and Immigration Canada: This month, 1,164 Calgarians, who immigrated to Canada from more than 100 countries, were officially recognized as Canadian citizens. The number is a drastic increase from April 2013 when 284 new citizens were recognized in Calgary, according to CTV. "The impressive number of individuals participating in these ceremonies and taking on the full responsibility of Canadian citizenship demonstrates that our governments efforts to improve the citizenship program and decrease wait times are working, said Chris Alexander, Canadas Citizenship and Immigration Minister and Nearly 1,200 residents of Calgary and the surrounding communities, with ties to countries around the globe, are among the newest citizens of Canada following a busy April for local swearing-in ceremonies. Citizenship and Immigration Canada views the increase as a sign the citizenship program is becoming more efficient and will continue to improve if the governments proposed changes to Bill C-24 receive the green light. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

Leadership Debate Dept: For Toronto voters, questions about the commitment of the federal parties to settlement services in this city will be an important part of those discussions. It was encouraging to hear the issue raised by at least two of the federal party leaders during this week s televised leadership debate. We urge all federal leaders and candidates, especially those running in Toronto, to join the conversation, according to The Star. Torontonians understand the lasting value of helping newcomers through a successful transition to life in Canada. So it isn t surprising that when Citizenship and Immigration Canada cut some $43 million in funding to newcomer settlement services across Ontario late last year, Toronto voters took notice and a federal election is here and for a brief time every Canadian has the opportunity to have an impact on our country s future. Voters and candidates alike should remember that the real action happens not during that private moment in the poll booth on May 2, but in the public conversations Canadians are having during these few short weeks leading up to it. Toronto has long been a primary destination for new Canadian families. Nearly three-quarters of Toronto voters have direct ties to immigration. Half of all immigrants in Toronto have been in Canada for less than 15 years. According to 2006 Canada Census data, 267,900 newcomers settled here between 2001 and 2006, accounting for 8.8 per cent of this city s total population. And let s not forget that, although a growing number of newcomers eventually settle in the GTA, the vast majority begin their Canadian journey right here in this city. As reported in the news.
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Citizenship and Immigration Canada: The proposal, marked secret and with inputs from various federal departments, found fewer than 500 cases of children being born to foreign nationals in Canada each year, amounting to just 0.14 per cent of the 360,000 total births per year in the country, according to The Star. An impartial observer would conclude that the evidence supports no need for change, given the small number of cases. Yet the recommendation supports the governments public rhetoric and anecdotes on the need for change, said Andrew Griffith , a former director general for citizenship and multiculturalism at Citizenship and Immigration Canada, and author of Policy Arrogance or Innocent Bias and Immigration officials have recommended that Ottawa remove citizenship rights to babies born in Canada to non-citizens and non-residents even though the small number of cases doesnt justify the costs. The issue of citizenship by birth on Canadian soil once again raises concerns among critics over the current governments policy considerations being based on ideologies rather than evidence and objective cost-benefit analyses. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

Ontario Organizations Dept: The South Asian Women’s Centre, established in 1982, lost its bid for $693,000 — the majority of its overall funding — from Ottawa on April 1 and has been forced to cut services and close satellite offices. It served 14,000 clients in 2010. The Davenport-Perth Neighbourhood Centre, a multi-service agency in existence since 1985, was denied $426,000 it sought for family settlement services, according to The Star. According to documents obtained under the Access to Information Act, funding proposals submitted by the South Asian Women’s Centre and Davenport-Perth Neighbourhood Centre were each reviewed by three immigration officers and two Toronto immigrant agencies were given passing marks on their grant applications by two out of three assessors, but still lost their federal funding, documents obtained by the Star show. The two agencies were among some 34 Ontario organizations — 14 in Toronto — that lost federal funding when Citizenship and Immigration Canada cut $43 million in settlement services in Ontario this year. The groups typically deliver language, employment and integration programs to newcomers. As reported in the news.
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