Effective Oct. 24: Age of Dependent Children Raises to Under 22 Years of Age

Effective Oct. 24: Age of Dependent Children Raises to Under 22 Years of Age

The dependent child definition for Canadian immigration programs has been modified to include anyone under age 22, effective today. This means young adults who are ages 21 and under are eligible to immigrate to Canada with their parents. The change will impact those who are ready to file a Canadian immigration application. The new law reflects the government’s official policy of family reunification in Canada.

The new dependent child definition was previewed in May of 2017, when Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) announced that it would raise the age eligibility requirement on applications received on or after October 24, 2017. People who are submitting immigration forms for the first time may include children who are under age 22, so long as the children are not married or involved in a common-law relationship with another person.

The change to the dependent child definition goes into effect today and is not retroactive. This means that all immigration applications received on or after October 24, 2017, will be processed using the new definition.

Applications Filed Between August 2014 and October 23, 2017

The change in the definition of a dependent child restores the law as it existed before 2014. Starting in August 2014, the Canadian government changed the age requirement for dependent children to 18 years and younger. This resulted in fewer children immigrating to Canada with their parents.

Applications which were filed between August 2014 and October 23, 2017, will continue to be governed by the old law, meaning the definition of a dependent child will continue to include only those who are 18 years and younger.

IRCC explained that the change will not be retroactive because it would require pending cases to be re-examined, creating delays in processing times.

Parents who have adult children who are 22 and older may still be eligible to bring their children to Canada if the children are financially reliant on their parents because of a mental or physical health condition.

Helping Families Stay Together

Restoring the maximum age of a dependent child to 21 was one of the Liberal Party’s campaign promises in 2015. The amended law impacts all categories of immigration, including economic immigration, family reunification, and refugees. The policy is guided by a recognition that families do better when they stay together in Canada. Families can now claim more members as dependents, giving them a greater chance of immigrating together as a family.

Socioeconomic trends over the last decade have shown an increase in the number of young adults who still live with their parents. The number of adult children living with their parents has been on the rise since 2001. According to August census data, nearly 35% of young people ages 20 to 34 now live with at least one parent. Global economic instability, the high cost of living, and the cost of higher education have caused many young people to live at home while attending school or searching for a good job.

By increasing the dependent children age limit, more immigrants can include their adult children on their Canada immigration application. This will benefit the family and Canadian society, since the young adults and their parents will have a deeper support network and can further their studies in Canadian schools, giving them better opportunities once they enter the labour market.

Regulatory Changes Favouring Reunification

This is just the latest in a series of regulatory changes which emphasize families staying together. The government previously decided to award additional points under the Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) for Express Entry candidates who already have a sibling in Canada. Another policy change made the application process more efficient for spousal and common-law partner sponsorship. The government also expanded parent and grandparent sponsorship by increasing the intake threshold for these applications from 5,000 to 10,000. All of these changes were made with family reunification in Canada in mind.

Canadian immigration policies and practices change frequently. If you are the parent of dependent children and young adults and are seeking to immigrate to Canada, contact the Immigration Law Office of Ronen Kurzfeld for more information on how the changes impact your situation.

Where is the Best Place to Live in Canada for Immigrants?

Where is the Best Place to Live in Canada for Immigrants?

Most people who are deciding where to immigrate in Canada choose a location based on factors such as employment, proximity to family, climate, education, and other amenities.

MoneySense.ca  recently published its list of the best places to live for Canadian immigrants. They considered average household income, crime, unemployment rate, languages, weather, and other factors to create a list of the top 100 places for immigrants to Canada to settle. If you are considering immigrating to Canada, check out the website’s top five cities.

#5 – Brandon, Manitoba

Brandon is located on the banks of the Assiniboine River in Western Manitoba. For immigrants who like a small-town feel, Brandon is a great place to live and work. Just over 50,000 people call Brandon home. Since 2010, the number of immigrants has increased tenfold, largely due to recruitment by the city’s largest employer, Maple Leaf Foods. Most of the newcomers speak Spanish, Mandarin or Ukrainian, and 19% of residents say that their first language is neither English nor French. The median household income in Brandon is $71,000, while the average rent is $844, which makes it possible for newcomers to live comfortably.

#4 – Brossard, Quebec

Brossard, located in Quebec and part of Greater Montreal, has a huge population of people who were born outside of Canada: over 36 percent of its 87,842 residents are immigrants. In addition to French and English, a variety of other languages are common in the city, including Chinese, Spanish, Cantonese, Arabic and Persian. Brossard is a highly livable suburb and with an average rent of just $793, the city is a bargain. Newcomers to Canada can work in Brossard or commute to Montreal. Immigrants interested in law, business, health or engineering may be eligible for specialized courses through the Ministere de l’Immigration, de la Diversite et de l’Inclusion.

#3 – Regina, Saskatchewan

Regina is the capital of Saskatchewan. With over 226,000 people, it is the second-largest city in the province and the 16th largest city in Canada. Regina has become an attractive city for immigrants due to its importance as a service provider to the natural gas and oil industries. Most people in Regina speak English, and immigrants to Regina will also find people speaking Filipino, Vietnamese, Ukrainian, Punjabi, Chinese, German, Urdu, and Spanish. Regina is famous for its cold winters and humid summers, but it is also one of the sunniest cities in Canada.

#2 – Waterloo, Ontario

With a population of almost 110,000 people, Waterloo, Ontario is a small city with big town aspirations. New York’s Intelligent Communities Forum voted Waterloo its Intelligent Community of the Year in 2007 and it’s easy to see why. The Toronto-Waterloo corridor is home to more than 500 tech companies, including IBM, Google, RIM and more. Waterloo also boasts two excellent universities: University of Waterloo and Wilfrid Laurier University. More than 50,000 students live in Waterloo, making it a top destination for newcomers who want to further their education. Waterloo is easy to navigate, with most places in town easy to reach by car in 5-25 minutes. The cost of living is lower than it is in the big city, but salaries and wages are competitive with Ottawa or Toronto. Waterloo residents can choose to live in an urban environment or in a rural area.

#1 – Ottawa, Ontario

As Canada’s capital city, Ottawa is the seat of government. The city boasts a booming tech scene that attracts many newcomers seeking employment in the technology sector. With a population of 900,000, Ottawa has the cultural opportunities of Toronto or Vancouver without the chaos of a much larger city. Asia is currently the biggest source of immigrants to the Ottawa region. One in five people speak a language other than English or French. Ottawa is the third-cleanest city in the world, with a reputation for being friendly to immigrants. There is plenty to do all year long such as skiing, yoga, skating, horseback riding, cycling, or fishing. There are also museums, concerts and other cultural events, making it a great place for people of all ages and backgrounds.

If you are interested in learning more about how to get settled in Canada, please contact the Immigration Law office of Ronen Kurzfeld for more information on the best places to live.

Canada’s Citizenship Act Changes Effective Oct. 11

Canada’s Citizenship Act Changes Effective Oct. 11

Canadian permanent residents now have an easier path to citizenship thanks to Canadian Citizenship Act changes which go into effect today, October 11. The law was amended in June of 2016, but many of its most important provisions did not become effective until 2017. Bill C-6, Changes to the Citizenship Act, is aimed at encouraging more permanent residents to apply for Canadian citizenship. The bill reduces the number of days that a person must spend in Canada before applying for citizenship, allows a person to count some time spent in Canada prior to becoming a permanent resident, and makes other important Canadian citizenship act changes for 2017.

Canadian Citizenship Requirements 2017

Under the prior law, individuals who wanted to apply for Canadian citizenship had to first become permanent residents and then amass four years (1,460 days) of residency in Canada within a six-year period. Under the new Canadian citizenship rules effective October 11, applicants only need three years (1,095 days) of residency in Canada over a five-year period before they become eligible for citizenship.

Moreover, applicants no longer need to amass all of their qualifying days while on permanent resident status. The 2017 Canadian citizenship requirements allow individuals who were physically present in Canada on work-study or as a protected person to count up to 365 days of their time as a temporary resident toward their overall residency requirement. For people who were on temporary status before becoming permanent residents, each day spent in Canada as a temporary resident now counts as a half-day, up to 365 days.

This is an exciting opportunity for people who study and work in Canada who later become permanent residents, as it reduces the time a person must actually live in Canada as a permanent resident before applying for citizenship. For some people, the Canadian citizenship changes will mean they may be eligible for citizenship in as little as two years.

The Canadian citizenship requirements of 2017 also change the number of days that a person must be physically present in Canada during the years preceding a citizenship application. Prior to the new law, residents needed to be in Canada for at least 183 days in four out of the six years preceding the citizenship application. Now, a person must only be physically present in Canada for three out of the last five years, and there is no longer a minimum number of days needed in each year in order to be eligible for citizenship. This change makes it easier for permanent residents to travel, work and study abroad without forfeiting their opportunity to apply for Canadian citizenship.

The Citizenship Act was also amended to make the law consistent with the new residency requirements. If a person is required to file Canadian Income Taxes, they must do so in three out of the five years before applying for citizenship.

Other changes to the Citizenship Act went into effect on June 19, 2017, such as repealing the government’s ability to revoke the citizenship of dual citizens who are convicted of crimes against the state; no longer requiring applicants for citizenship to affirm that they intend to continue to live in Canada once they are granted citizenship; and making it simpler for minors who live in Canada to apply for citizenship without the consent of a parent.

There will be more changes to the Canadian Citizenship Act later this year and in early 2018, including giving the Federal Court the power to render decisions on most citizenship revocation cases and giving citizenship officers the ability to seize documents which they suspect are fraudulent.

Benefits of Canadian Citizenship

Canadian citizenship confers many benefits, such as the right to vote, the ability to apply for any job, the right to travel efficiently with a Canadian passport, the right to participate in politics and even run for elective office. Permanent residents who become Canadian citizens will also be able to raise their children as Canadians, passing on the privileges and rights of living in this great country to future generations.

Determining Eligibility for Canadian Citizenship

Since key measures within Bill C-6 went into effect today, it is more important than ever for permanent residents to find out when they will be eligible to apply for citizenship. Contact the Immigration Law Office of Ronen Kurzfeld for more information or fill out an immigration assessment.

How Many Immigrants Come to Canada Each Year?

How Many Immigrants Come to Canada Each Year?

Canada is on pace to receive more immigrants than it has in a century, with levels increasing to more than 300,000 in both 2016 and 2017. The Advisory Council on Economic Growth has already recommended Canada increase its immigration intake to 450,000, and now the Conference Board of Canada is exploring the idea in more detail.

Immigration and Population Growth: Canada’s Aging Population

According to Statistics Canada, there are now more people in Canada age 65 and over than there are under age 15. The population growth rate for the 65 and older set is also increasing faster than the population at large.

Demographers have long warned about the consequences of the older population outnumbering younger Canadians. People 65 and over are now 16.5 percent of the total population and this segment will rise to 24 percent by 2040.

Meanwhile, in 2016 the Canadian fertility rate was 1.6 children. The last time birth rates matched the 2.1 replacement level that the population needs to renew itself was 1971.

At the current rate, the natural population increase adds around 114,000 people to Canada each year, but the report predicts this number will drop to zero by 2033. That leaves immigration as the only source of people which will account for Canada’s growth rate.

Impact of Canadian Immigration on the Economy

The Conference Board of Canada’s new report, titled “450,000 Immigrants Annually?” explores how raising immigration levels would positively impact the economy.

The current immigration baseline is equivalent to 0.82 percent of the population. The new report explores how increasing immigration to 1 percent or 1.11 percent of the total population would affect the GDP and workers-per-retiree ratio, among other factors.

Canada’s GDP is expected to grow at an average annual rate of 1.85 percent over the next 25 years. The economic growth would reach 1.94 percent or 2.05 percent if the annual immigration intake is raised to 1 percent or 1.11 percent, respectively.

If Canada maintains the status quo, retirees would account for 24 percent of the population by 2040. During this period, the aging population would raise healthcare costs by at least 4.66 percent each year, accounting for 42.6 percent of provincial revenues.

However, if the immigration levels are upped to 1 percent of the population, healthcare costs would only rise to 40.7 percent of provincial revenues. If immigration intake was increased to 1.11 percent of the population, the healthcare share would decrease to 40.5 percent.

Although immigration would improve the economy, there is always the concern that immigrants will compete with native-born Canadians for jobs, driving down wages. Economists have concluded, however, that over the long-term, immigration does not drive down wages or take jobs from native-born Canadians.

The GDP per capita would drop just slightly with a 1.11 percent immigration scenario, from $62,900 to $61,600. However, immigrants only make about 83 percent of Canada’s average wage, which shows that the drop is not caused by a reduction in the pay rates of native-born Canadians.

The report makes it clear that the effects of immigration on the economy would be a net gain for Canada. Of course, if Canada becomes more reliant on immigration, the country will still need to address labour market challenges and other obstacles that immigrants face.  Almost everyone has met an immigrant who held a highly-skilled job in their country of origin but who was unable to work in that position in Canada. Eliminating those barriers would ameliorate the per GDP capita drop.

Canada Needs to Fill 1 Million Jobs

The Conference Board of Canada estimates Canada will need to fill a million jobs over the next ten years, and immigrants may be the answer. The Advisory Council on Economic Growth has already recommended an increase in the immigration population to 450,000 by 2021.

Even boosting immigration levels to 450,000 annually would not completely fix the demographic problems. But admitting more immigrants may be the first logical step in alleviating pressure on the social safety net and improving Canada’s economic performance.

The Conference Board of Canada’s recommendation to increase immigration targets will almost certainly create new opportunities for those who want to immigrate to Canada. Get in touch with the Immigration Law Office of Ronen Kurzfeld to help you achieve your immigration dream.