On the other hand, rural communities have fewer aggregate jobs available, but there is less competition, due to factors such as a lack of awareness and unfamiliarity with the community. This has resulted in many lucrative positions remaining vacant. As a result, the Government of Canada announced the creation of the Rural and Northern Immigrant Pilot on 24 January 2019. It will be a five-year pilot program aimed at increasing the number of immigrants settling in rural communities. It will provide immigrants with employment opportunities and communities with a labour force to grow the local economy. This initiative was implemented based off the success of the Atlantic Immigration Pilot, which boosted immigration in the Atlantic Canada region.

Interested communities must coordinate with their local economic development organization (EDO), which will complete and submit the application on behalf of the community. The application consists of a Community Interest Form, an economic development plan written in the last 3 years, and letters of support from a municipal leader as well as a local or regional immigrant-serving organization. If the community is selected, the EDO will manage the program for the community.

In order to be eligible, communities must:

• Have a population of 50,000 people or less and be located at least 75km from the core of a Census Metropolitan Area, as defined by Statistics Canada OR up to 200,000 people and be considered remote from other larger cities, as per Statistics Canada’s remoteness index;
• Be located in Alberta, British Columbia, Manitoba, Northwest Territories, Nunavut, Ontario, Saskatchewan, or Yukon;
• Have job opportunities;
• Have an economic development plan;
• Have a local economic development organization that can manage the pilot for the community;
• Be able to settle new immigrants in the community by having or developing:
  1. Relationships with local or regional immigrant-serving organizations;
  2. Opportunities to connect newcomers with established members of the community, such as through mentoring or networking;
  3. Access to key services like education, housing, transportation and health care;
• The community must also have the support of its municipality and a local/regional immigrant-serving organizations, shown through letters of support.

For the initial launch of the program, IRCC will select a small number of communities from the applications received. There seems to be a preference for francophone communities, as suggested by an explicit invitation for such communities to apply and identify themselves as francophone on their applications. Furthermore, one of the selection criteria states that decision makers will consider if communities are able to attract and integrate French-speaking newcomers. This is in line with the Action Plan announced by the Government of Canada in March 2018 to increase francophone immigration to Canada.

If selected, the community will play a lead role in the successful implementation and management of the program (via the EDO), with the Government of Canada playing a supporting role. The community would first need to recruit and identify individuals who would be valuable for the local economy. These individuals would then be recommended for permanent residence. If permanent residence is granted, the community would need to provide services for these individuals to adjust to their new lives in Canada. Finally, monitoring the results of the program will be key, to provide feedback to the Government of Canada on its long-term feasibility. To accomplish all this, a community’s EDO will need to work with employers, immigrant-serving organizations, and other key stakeholders.

The deadline to apply for this application is 1 March 2019 by 11:59 pm PST. Applications can be submitted via e-mail or physical mail.

For more information please contact us.

(Sources)

The post Immigration in Rural Communities the Focus of IRCC’s New Pilot Program first appeared on Bellissimo Law Group.

1. Banff, Alberta: Lake Louise is located in Banff National Park, just under two hours away from Calgary. This lake is turquoise in colour and sits in between two mountains which makes it pretty iconic. The historic Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise is located right on the lake front with spectacular views. Lake Louise becomes a skating rink once it freezes over, perfect for hikes, snowshoeing, skiing or dogsledding.

2. Whistler, British Columbia: Visit Whistler, a popular North American ski resort. Spend all day on the slopes and unwind in the alpine Village at the base of the twin ski hills at night. Whistler is located less than a two hour drive from Vancouver and offers sophisticated dining options and so much more.

3. Ottawa, Ontario: Ottawa is quite popular in the winter as it is known for ice skating on the Rideau Canal, BeaverTails, cross country skiing, snowshoeing and hiking in the Gatineau, and lastly, the architecturally stunning Parliament building. Ottawa is also the nation’s capital, so it tends to attract many tourists especially during the holiday months. Did you know the Rideau Canal Skateway is the largest natural outdoor skating rink in the entire world!

4. Whitehorse, Yukon: Into some hardcore adventures up north? To get the full Yukon experience, head there in the winter and experience the aurora borealis, backcountry dogsledding, stay in a luxury yurt or lodge and relax by the fire.

5. Quebec City, Quebec: Quebec City transforms into a winter wonderland during the holiday season as it mimics a European festival. The city is surrounded by 400 year old walls and along the streets you will find little stands and shops offering hand-painted wooden toys, delicate ornaments, locally crafted cheeses, fresh sausages and mulled wine. There are also fireworks, outdoor concerts and dance parties!

There are so many other places to visit in Canada during the holiday season, however these 5 are our top favourites!

To read more, click here.

The post The Best Holiday Getaways in Canada! first appeared on Bellissimo Law Group.

The Weather Network’s chief meteorologist, Chris Scott, said that after speaking to his forecast team, you should, “buckle up, because it looks like a stormy winter.” He says that this year’s La Nina weather system is strikingly similar to that of 2007 – 2008, when Toronto had its snowiest winter on record. He continued to say that when we have cooler waters off the coast of South America, that’s La Nina, and those winters tend to be classic Canadian winters.

According to the Forecast, residents in British Columbia, the Prairies, Ontario, Quebec and Atlantic Canada should all prepare for above normal levels of precipitation.

La Nina winters usually mean unpredictable weather as one month we may see numerous snowstorms and the following month we may experience periods of milder weather. This weather pattern also calls for a winter that lingers, which means winter may be around for a bit longer than expected as we could potentially see snowstorms in March.

On the contrary, the only region of Canada that will not be experiencing falling temperatures is Nunavut, as temperatures are expected to be warmer than usual with average levels of snow due to global warming.

To read more, click here.

The post Canada is Expecting a Whole Lot of Snow this Winter! first appeared on Bellissimo Law Group.

British Columbia

B.C. has placed a moratorium on new applications to the B.C. Provincial Nominee Program (BCPNP) Skills Immigration stream and Express Entry stream until 2016. They are however continuing to accept applications under the Health Care Professional (Skilled Worker and Express Entry BC) and Northeast Pilot Project categories. The recently-opened Entrepreneur Immigration stream will also continue to accept registrations for prospective applicants, up to a maximum of 200 per month.

BCPNP is set to re-open the Skilled Immigration and Express Entry BC categories in early 2016 with a new points-based intake system to prioritize high-impact applicants and ensure occupations and skills are aligned with B.C.’s labour market needs.

Alberta

The Alberta Immigrant Nominee Program (AINP) has also stopped accepting new applications until 27 January 2016. AINP has a backlog of approximately 10,000 applications awaiting assessment, which is likely the reason for their high processing times. ANIP hopes this pause will allow them time to clear their backlog as well as provide them an opportunity to make improvements to their system.

Without these two PNP routes, candidates wishing to obtain permanent residence in B.C. and Alberta will need to turn to the Federal Express Entry system.

For more information on Provincial Nominee Programs, please click here.

The post Temporary Pause on B.C. and Alberta PNP first appeared on Bellissimo Law Group.

Let’s hit the road!

Newfoundland and Labrador – St. John’s, which is Newfoundland and Labrador’s capital, is the oldest city in North America!

Nova Scotia – Halifax, the capital of Nova Scotia, was founded in 1749!

Prince Edward Island – P.E.I. is the smallest province in all of Canada!

New Brunswick – Florenceville-Bristol, located in western New Brunswick, is the French Fry Capital of the world!

Quebec – The Montreal Canadiens, Quebec’s National Hockey League team, has been playing hockey since 1909!

Ontario – There are approximately 250,000 lakes located throughout the province of Ontario!

Manitoba – Churchill, located in northern Manitoba, is the Polar Bear Capital of the world!

Saskatchewan – Currently holds the title of the province with the most roads in Canada!

Alberta – Banff National Park, established in 1885, is the oldest national park in Canada!

British Columbia – The world’s tallest totem pole stands in Alert Bay, located in western BC!

Northwest Territories – Yellowknife, the capital of Northwest Territories, is approximately 3,000 kilometres away from the North Pole!

Nunavut – Frobisher Bay, which is found in eastern Nunavut, has the second highest tides in Canada, right after the Bay of Fundy located in New Brunswick!

Yukon – Carcross Desert, located just outside of Carcross in Yukon, is the world’s smallest desert!

The post Fun Facts from Coast to Coast first appeared on Bellissimo Law Group.

Let’s get started!

British Columbia – The 95^th Annual Vancouver International AutoShow, taking place from March 24^th to March 29^th at the Vancouver Convention Center. For more information, please click here.

Alberta – Western Canada Fashion Week will be celebrating their 10^th Anniversary at the ATB Financial Arts Barn, located in Edmonton, during March 27^th through to April 4^th. For more information, please click here.

Manitoba – At Winnipeg’s Forks Market, during March 28^th to April 5^th, Festival of Fools will be hosted. For more information, please click here.

Saskatchewan – Participate in an Easter Egg Scavenger Hunt at Government House, located in Regina, from April 3^rd to April 5^th between 9AM and 4PM. For more information, please click here.

Ontario – Similar to the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) that is hosted annually in September, comes the TIFF Kids International Film Festival from April 7^th to April 19^th. For more information, please click here.

Quebec – Enjoy Spring Madness between March 28^th to April 26^th at Mount-Sainte-Anne. For more information, please click here.

Prince Edward Island – In Charolettetown on March 29^th at 3:00PM, The Confederation Centre Youth Chorus will be performing the Choral Music Programme: Voices of Spring. For more information, please click here.

Nova Scotia – The 2015 Ford Worlds Men’s Curling Championship will be hosted at the Scotiabank Centre between March 28^th and April 5^th. For more information, please click here.

New Brunswick – Participate in Explorer Saturdays at the New Brunswick Museum, located in Saint John, on March 28^th between 10AM and 4PM. For more information, please click here.

Newfoundland and Labrador – On March 28^th, skiers and snowboarders can participate in the event Great Labrador Loppet. For more information, please click here.

Yukon – Enjoy the 58^th Annual Muskrat Jamboree from March 27^th to March 30^th. For information, please click here.

Northwest Territories – Attend Long John Jamboree in Yellowknife being hosted on March 27^th through to March 29^th. For more information, please click here.

Nunavut – In Iqaluit, the Toonik Tyme Festival will be taking place during April 2^nd to April 10^th. For more information, please click here.

On behalf of BLG Airlines, we’d like to thank you for joining us on this trip and we are looking forward to seeing you on board again soon!

The post From Coast to Coast first appeared on Bellissimo Law Group.

The responsibilities of a citizenship judge are to make decisions on new citizenship applications; to preside over citizenship ceremonies and to administer the oath of citizenship to new citizens.

Jeannot Volpé brings to the position many years of experience as a member of the Legislative Assembly of New Brunswick. He has held cabinet posts and acted as the Leader of the Official Opposition in the New Brunswick provincial government.  He has also served for many years on the boards of directors for several prominent New Brunswick agricultural organizations.

Anna Janega is a leader in the business community. She is the provincial Vice President  of Canadian Manufacturers and Exporters and has played a key role in Canada-European Union trade negotiations. Anna Janega serves as a member of the provincial Roundtable on the Environment and Sustainable Prosperity. She is both a former RCMP constable, and a former director of public affairs for Dalhousie University.

A Dane Minor is returning to the position. Prior to first becoming a citizenship judge in 2011, he was active working for community based organizations that advocate on behalf of victims of violent crime.  He is the co-founder of an organization called Crime, Responsibility and Youth. His organization is aimed at providing counseling and support to victims, as well as working to prevent youth and gang related crime in British Columbia.  He has served as Vice Chair of the Victims Advisory Council to the Parole Board of Canada and the Correctional Service of Canada.

Citizenship judges are appointed at the recommendation of the Minister of Citizenship and Immigration after going through extensive screening. A written exam and interview are conducted to assess the candidate’s aptitude for critical decision making, judgement, cultural sensitivity, leadership, and effective communication.

Earlier this fall the Minister also appointed Trang Annie Nguyen to the position of Citizenship Judge in British Columbia in recognition of her years of strong volunteer involvement serving the Vietnamese-Canadian community.

The post Three Citizenship Judges Appointed Today first appeared on Bellissimo Law Group.

TED conference’s began in 1990 and have seen the likes of talented and innovative people from across the world. We are looking forward to the speaker’s for Canada’s own TED next year!

For more information on immigrating to Canada, please click here!

The post Vancouver will host TED Conference! first appeared on Bellissimo Law Group.