On September 18, 2024, Canada announced that it would impose new language and field of study eligibility requirements on its Post-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP) Program. The imposition of these new requirements aligns with...more
For many highly skilled international workers, securing an H-1B visa in the United States can be elusive. With this year’s lottery results announced, employers find themselves exploring alternative strategies to retain...more
On July 16, 2023, the Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) enacted a new immigration program aimed exclusively at U.S. H-1B visa holders. The program announced that the annual cap of 10,000 applications had...more
At the end of June 2023, Canada released its first-ever comprehensive Tech Talent Strategy comprised primarily of four, new bold immigration programs and initiatives that are designed to attract and retain foreign STEM talent...more
Canada has announced an open work-permit stream directly recruiting U.S. foreign national H-1B visa holders to relocate to Canada....more
In a recent decision, the Ontario Court of Appeal unanimously held that human rights law prevents employers from requiring employees to hold Canadian citizenship or permanent residence rather than another kind of work...more
On 17 March 2023 Canada’s Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship announced that international graduates with a recently–expired or expiring post-graduation work permit (‘PGWP’) will quality for an additional or...more
Canada’s post-graduation work permit (PGWP) program allows international graduates of designated Canadian post-secondary institutions to obtain an open work permit to gain valuable Canadian work experience....more
In Osmani v. Universal Structural Restorations Ltd., 2022 ONSC 6979, an Ontario court was the first to consider a claim for damages for the statutory tort of human trafficking under the Prevention of and Remedies for Human...more
Please note: while we address some country-specific updates related to the COVID-19 outbreak, the below contains information regarding global restrictions and closures as they stand today. Given the constantly changing nature...more
As the unprecedented circumstances surrounding the outbreak of COVID-19 continue to evolve, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada announced a new policy to significantly reduce the time it takes for a temporary foreign...more
Australia - Changes to Working Holiday Maker Visas for Bushfire Recovery - The Department of Home Affairs (DHA) has accepted the recommendation of the Migration Institute of Australia (MIA) to relax and broaden the...more
The initiative seeks to assist in the growth of innovative Canadian companies by ensuring they can access highly skilled talent quickly, particularly in occupations where there is an identified labour shortage in Canada....more
Seyfarth Synopsis: The Canadian government instituted a new, immediately effective Global Skills Strategy to facilitate entry of skilled workers....more
Seyfarth Synopsis: Beginning November 10, 2016, the Canadian government will require many travelers flying to Canada to first obtain an Electronic Travel Authorization (eTA). The following alert is relevant to...more
Seyfarth Synopsis: The Electronic Travel Authorization (the “eTA”), Canada’s new entry requirement for visa exempt nationals entering Canada by air, was announced in March 2016. The eTA effective date has been extended to...more
Strict New Penalties for Non-Compliant Employers - The Government of Canada is increasingly focused on employer compliance and has implemented a number of initiatives since 2014, including the overhaul of the Temporary...more
Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) announced a fundamental process change to be implemented on October 26, 2015, which will directly impact Labour Market Impact Assessment-Exempt work permit applications, including...more