As of today, Citizenship and Immigration Canada’s Case Processing Centre in Vegreville, Alberta is reporting the fastest processing times it has had in years. The Case Processing Centre (CPC) is the office responsible for assessing applications to extend stay or change conditions of work permits, study permits and visitor records for temporary residents currently residing [...]

As per Department of Homeland Security (DHS) regulations, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced 58 countries whose nationals are eligible for H-2A and H-2B participation. The notice listing eligible countries was published in today’s Federal Register (effective January 18, 2012 for one year). The H-2A and H-2B programs establish a means for U.S. employers [...]

As of January 17, 2012, nonimmigrant visas are not available to the foreign nationals subject to the H-1B cap, which has been reached for fiscal year 2012. Both the 65,000 regular H-1B visas and the 20,000 cap-exempt visas set aside for those with advanced degrees have been exhausted. The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services will, [...]

As of January 17, 2012, Citizenship and Immigration Canada has officially announced that Principal Applicants may be switched on applications to sponsor parents or grandparents to Canada. This is an option where the principal applicant passes away. Specifically, where the principal applicant has died, the spouse of the principal applicant may take his/her place so that [...]

  At the end of June 2012 Citizenship and Immigration Canada will be finalizing the implementation of its new refugee regulations. Canada’s refugee assessment system has already undergone significant changes. When additional revisions come into effect later this year, it is anticipated that the increase in refusals and removals of failed refugee claimants will create [...]

The Department of Homeland Security announced Friday, January 6, 2012 of a proposed waiver process change which would allow spouses and children of U.S. citizens, who are present in the U.S., to file for a waiver of unlawful presence while remaining in the U.S. Unlawful presence is when a foreign national originally enters the U.S. [...]