December 2024

Dana, my favourite instructor at my gym, seemed a little distracted. We were supposed to be doing hamstring curls, but she had us doing leg lifts. Syrian music, which she’s incorporated into her playlist, kept us on time as she realized her mistake and had us switch exercises. After class, she admitted that the music had made her emotional. ‘I have a country!’ she told me.

November 2024

This month’s newsletter is written by Songyun Lu, who recently joined Ronalee Carey Law in a part-time position. Songyun is a second-year student in the Faculty of Law at the University of Ottawa.

Introduction of a Temporary Public Policy

Canada has recently introduced a temporary public policy supporting cross-border mobility for Indigenous Peoples. As of October 10, 2024, eligible Indigenous people can apply to work or study in Canada with some requirements waived, and those who are already in Canada can apply to extend their stay for up to 3 years.

October 2024

The 2025-2027 Immigration Levels Plan has been announced. And it was a bombshell.

The Immigration Levels Plan must be reported to Parliament by November 1^st of each year. In it, the government sets out its target admissions for each immigration category. To assist with long-term planning, levels are set for three years, but each year, the levels can be adjusted despite what was set for years 2 and 3 previously. So, the numbers for 2025 and 2026, as set out in the 2024-2026 plan, were not set in stone.

September 2024

Each time Canada or the USA heads into a federal/presidential election period, the number of inquiries I get increases. When an American presidential election is coming up, I get calls mostly from Democratic supporters hoping to move to Canada should a Republican president be nominated. For Canadian elections, the calls are from temporary residents hoping to apply for permanent residence, worried that a change in government will result in less favourable immigration policies.