Tag Archives: citizenship

British and Canadian citizenship? You get a break on new passport rules … until November 10

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hand hold a isolated canadian passport

British and Canadian? You have a bit more time to get one of these now

Brits in Toronto recently mentioned that if you have dual British and Canadian citizenship, as of September 30, 2016, you will need a Canadian passport to be allowed to fly back into Canada. That seemed pretty tight and thankfully the higher-ups agreed.

Yesteday, Immigration Minister John McCallum announced the implementation date would be postponed until November 10, 2016.

As the Toronto Star reports:

“‘In consultation with airline partners, we’re taking further steps to minimize any travel disruption,’ said McCallum. ‘We’re extending the leniency period and doing another major information blitz in Canada and abroad to encourage affected travellers to plan ahead and get the necessary travel documents before they book a flight to Canada.'”

Full story here.

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British and Canadian citizenship? You better get a Canadian passport PDQ

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Canadian passport

British and Canadian? You’ll need one of these to fly back into Canada from September 30

Pretty oldish news, but important. If you have dual British and Canadian citizenship, as of September 30, 2016, you will need a Canadian passport to be allowed to fly back into Canada.

So you have about a month to sort that out.

From Metro Toronto:

“‘What is changing is that the Government of Canada is implementing a new electronic system to assist airlines in verifying that all travellers have the appropriate documents to travel to or transit through Canada by air,’ Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada spokesperson Lindsay Wemp told Torstar News Service.

“‘Air carriers are obligated by law to confirm that all persons seeking to travel to Canada carry both proof of citizenship and proof of identity. A valid Canadian passport satisfies these requirements for Canadian citizens, and is the only acceptable travel document for the purpose of air travel.’

“Currently, Canadian citizens with dual citizenships can use the passport of the other country to enter Canada by air if they can provide proofs of residency in Canada, such as a driver’s licence and Canadian citizenship card.”

Full story here.

Canada recognizes dual citizenship

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Handing passport

“Here you go, mate”

CIC News is reporting that Canada is moving closer to bringing new measures into law that would allow immigrants to apply for Canadian citizenship earlier and more easily than is currently the case.

Canada also recognizes dual citizenship so you can still keep your British connections and enjoy a new life as a Brit in Toronto.

There are some changes coming July 1, 2016 to the Canadian Citizenship Act, one being, “A reduction in the amount of time permanent residents have to live in Canada in order to become eligible to apply for citizenship, from four out of six years to three out of five years.

“Further, certain applicants who spent time in Canada on temporary status would be able to count a portion of this time towards the three-year requirement.”

Read the full article.

New to Canada SuperShow and Information Expo from November 8-9, 2014

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We got chatting to Rhonda Jacobson, Community Outreach Manager, New2Canada SuperShow and Expo today on Twitter, keeping our conversation to 140 characters or less, and she sent us some information that may be of interest to those new to Canada …

From the press release:

New to Canada Resources is proud to present Canada’s largest show and exposition for newly settled Canadians. Featuring over 70 exhibitors from all three tiers of government, local community resource and support groups, and the private sector, The New to Canada SuperShow and Expo promises to be a must-attend event for all newcomers.

Unlike the many “job fair” type shows that frequent the GTA, this is the first all-encompassing newcomer expo in Eastern Canada, with specialized exhibits and seminars targeting the most important needs of new Canadians, from settlement issues and changing regulations, to recreation programs and local diversity support services.

The show takes place at The International Centre, Mississauga, on Saturday, November 8 and Sunday November 9. Admission is free for those who register online at n2Canadashow.org, or at the door.

And it’s open to anyone with an interest in newcomer issues, as well as the general public.

Some of the more than 70 featured exhibitors include: Service Ontario, York Region, The City of Mississauga, OCASI (settlement.org), major colleges and retraining organizations, job search strategy organizations, along with many smaller, hard-to-find community support groups … the grassroots organizations helping with the many and varied settlement challenges that a newcomer faces when immigrating to Canada.

There is also a free Welcome Pack for qualified show visitors upon presentation of a PR Card.

The GTA’s unique and highly diverse ethnic and multicultural foundations will surely make for an interesting and informative show.

Canada welcomes record number of new Canadians/Express Entry

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"Hi there friend! Is link bait and Google image search rankings good in Canada too?"

“Hi there little friend! Are link bait and Google image search rankings good in Canada too?”

So, two items of relevance crossed the 24/7-manned Brits in Toronto desk recently. Linked below for your reading pleasure.

Canada welcomes record number of new Canadians

“So far in 2014, Canada has welcomed more than 75,900 new citizens; the highest intake of new Canadians in almost four years. Canada has the highest rate of naturalization in the world with 85 per cent of eligible permanent residents becoming citizens. As a result, potential migrants have identified Canada as a viable place to migrate to, and since 2006, the CIC has received a steady increase in citizenship applications from around the world.”

Full story here.

Canada’s new immigration model will be called “Express Entry”

“Canadian Citizenship and Immigration Minister Chris Alexander announced recently that Canada’s new recruitment model for economic immigration will be called ‘Express Entry.’ This new model is set to launch in January 2015.

“‘Express Entry promises to be a game-changer for Canadian immigration and Canada’s economy,’ said Minister Alexander. ‘It will revolutionize the way we attract skilled immigrants, and get them working here faster.'”

Full story here.

Young immigrants urged to become Canadian citizens

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A beautifully shot maple leaf, positioned atop some rustic concrete to symbolize Canada

A beautifully shot maple leaf, carefully positioned atop some rustic concrete to symbolize Canada

I was travelling downtown on the TTC this morning to hang out with a load more fun Brits in Toronto when my eye happened upon the following article in the Metro newspaper:

Young immigrants urged to become Canadian citizens

A national website and mobile app will be launched Tuesday to help young immigrants learn about the importance of getting their Canadian citizenships in light of tightening government rules.

The website, citizenshipcounts.ca, and its accompanying Android/iPhone app explain the benefits of becoming a citizen and the application process as well as providing preparation materials for the citizenship test.

More important, there is a myth-busting section that aims at dispelling misinformation about becoming a Canadian citizen such as having to give up one’s citizenship and passport from the home country, and how getting charged or convicted with a crime will affect a person’s immigrant status.

“Many immigrant and refugee youth are unsure of what it means to be a Canadian citizen, or are unaware of their citizenship status,” said Debbie Douglas, executive director of the Ontario Council of Agencies Serving Immigrants, an umbrella organization of 200 groups behind the initiative.

“Complications arise if they try to travel or get charged with a crime. We are confident that citizenshipcounts.ca will help change that trend.”

We at Brits in Toronto think this is an EXCELLENT initiative. Encourage more young immigrants into the country, and educate them on making a better life for themselves, without thinking they have to give up their own citizenship.

Hoorah!

p.s. Here’s a bonus site I found while researching this post: Settlement.org = very useful too.