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☆ Canada to add spending for housing amid slow growth and high debt payments
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-21 | by ( Steve Scherer | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

Canada's Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance Chrystia Freeland attends the Canada-CARICOM Summit in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada October 18, 2023. Housing Minister Sean Fraser on Monday confirmed the government is considering such a measure. Many Canadians are dealing with higher living costs and housing affordability has emerged as the main criticism against the government. Freeland has promised to use the FES to try to boost housing supply and to help Canadians struggling with inflation. The Bank of Canada hiked rates to a 22-year high of 5.00% between March of last year and July of this year.

Persons: Finance Chrystia Freeland, Blair Gable, Chrystia Freeland, Justin Trudeau's, Freeland, Derek Holt, Holt, Sean Fraser, Trudeau, Pierre Poilievre, Steve Scherer, Matthew Lewis Organizations: Finance, Canada, CARICOM, REUTERS, OTTAWA, Canada Finance, Justin Trudeau's Liberal, Scotiabank, Canadian Broadcasting Corp, Toronto Star, Housing, Monday, Conservative, Bank of Canada, Reuters, Thomson Locations: Ottawa , Ontario, Canada, FES, United States, Ottawa

☆ Canada plans incentives to ease housing burden, CBC reports
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-10 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

REUTERS/Lars Hagberg/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsSept 10 (Reuters) - Canada's Housing Minister Sean Fraser is evaluating a wide range of options as he looks to ease the housing crisis in the country, CBC reported on Sunday. "There's a range (of incentives) that we're considering right now. Some could include potential tax incentives for builders to build. Some could include other low-cost financing arrangements," the report quoted Fraser as saying in an interview to CBC. Fraser is also considering removing the Goods and Services Tax (GST) on affordable housing projects and dedicating federal lands to rental housing, the report added.

Persons: Lars Hagberg, Sean Fraser, Fraser, Anirudh, Lisa Shumaker Organizations: REUTERS, Canada's, CBC, Goods, Services Tax, Thomson Locations: Ottawa , Ontario, Canada, Bengaluru

☆ Canada considering foreign student visa cap to address housing shortage
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-21 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

OTTAWA, Aug 21 (Reuters) - The Canadian government, under pressure over the rising cost of housing, could consider capping foreign student visas, which have rocketed in recent years, new Housing Minister Sean Fraser said on Monday. Official data show there were more than 800,000 foreign students with active visas in 2022, up from 275,000 in 2012. Canada is a popular destination for international students since it is relatively easy to obtain a work permit. Fraser, who was immigration minister before taking up his job last month, said the sharp rise in the number of students was putting pronounced pressure on some housing markets. Asked whether a cap could be imposed on the number of foreign students, he said, "I think that is one of the options that we ought to consider."

Persons: Sean Fraser, Fraser, We've, Prince Edward Island, Justin Trudeau, David Ljunggren, Josie Kao Organizations: OTTAWA, Canadian, Conservative Party, Liberal, Thomson Locations: Canada, Atlantic, Prince

☆ Factbox: Key moves in Justin Trudeau's cabinet shuffle
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-26 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

OTTAWA, July 26 (Reuters) - Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau shuffled his cabinet on Wednesday, appointing new heads at 30 of the 38 ministries, adding seven new faces. Bill Blair took over as defense minister, his fourth cabinet post under Trudeau since 2018, where he will oversee military efforts to help Ukraine and reinforce NATO. The former Toronto police chief, 69, had previously been in charge of border security, public safety and then emergency preparedness. Marc Miller, 50, was promoted to immigration minister from crown indigenous relations. Fraser, 39, had been immigration minister since October 2021.

Persons: Justin Trudeau, Anita Anand, Anand, Bill Blair, Trudeau, Dominic LeBlanc, Marco Mendicino, Marc Miller, Sean Fraser, Mark Holland, Jean, Yves Duclos, Pablo Rodriguez, Arif Virani, David Lametti, Mona Fortier, Mendicino, David Ljunggren, Steve Scherer, Deepa Babington Organizations: OTTAWA, Canadian, WHO, Treasury Board, NATO, Toronto police, Liberal, Canadian Heritage, Treasury, Thomson Locations: Ukraine, Fraser, Ontario

[1/5] Canada's Prime Minister Justin Trudeau poses for a family photo with cabinet ministers, following a cabinet shuffle, at Rideau Hall, in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, July 26, 2023. Dominic LeBlanc becomes public safety minister, taking over for Marco Mendicino, and Arif Virani moves from the back benches to become justice minister. "The shuffle does send a clear message that the government is aware that their current standing with the electorate is not healthy." An Abacus Data poll out on Wednesday shows his party opening up a big lead on the Liberals with 38% to 28% in public support. Poilievre pounced on the shuffle, calling it evidence of the prime minister's failures.

Persons: Justin Trudeau, Blair Gable OTTAWA, Trudeau, Chrystia Freeland, Francois, Philippe Champagne, Melanie Joly, Sean Fraser, Dominic LeBlanc, Marco Mendicino, Arif Virani, Bill Blair, Anita Anand, Frank Graves, Pierre Poilievre, Poilievre pounced, Shachi Kurl, Angus Reid, David Ljunggren, Steve Scherer, Paul Simao, Mark Heinrich, Deepa Babington Organizations: Canada's, Rideau Hall, REUTERS, Canadian, Finance, Innovation, Infrastructure, Defense, Conservative, Abacus, Twitter, New Democrats, Angus, Angus Reid Institute, Conservatives, Liberals, Thomson Locations: Ottawa , Ontario, Canada

The official opposition Conservatives, who blame Trudeau for housing shortage and spiking inflation, have consistently been ahead in the polls for over year. "Bringing in fresh energy with new members and new challenges was important for our economic team in particular," Trudeau told reporters after the shuffle. [1/5]Canada's Prime Minister Justin Trudeau poses for a family photo with cabinet ministers, following a cabinet shuffle, at Rideau Hall, in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, July 26, 2023. REUTERS/Blair GableConservative leader Pierre Poilievre pounced on the shuffle, calling it evidence of the prime minister's failures. "Justin Trudeau may have fired many of his cabinet ministers today, but he's just as out of touch as ever, doubling down on his inflationary, high-spending and high-taxing ways," he said in a statement.

Persons: Justin Trudeau, Trudeau, Chrystia Freeland, Francois, Philippe Champagne, Melanie Joly, Sean Fraser, Frank Graves, Blair Gable, Pierre Poilievre pounced, Jagmeet Singh, Kurl, Angus Reid, David Ljunggren, Steve Scherer, Ismail Shakil, Paul Simao, Mark Heinrich, Deepa Babington, Mark Porter Organizations: OTTAWA, Canadian, Liberal, Finance, Innovation, Infrastructure, Conservatives, Abacus, Canada's, Rideau Hall, REUTERS, Blair Gable Conservative, New Democrats, New, Angus, Angus Reid Institute, Liberals, Thomson Locations: Ottawa , Ontario, Canada

☆ Canada gives Toronto millions to shelter asylum seekers
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-18 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

The federal government of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, which has responsibility for refugees and asylum seekers, prides itself on its record of accepting those fleeing oppression even as it tries to tighten its border with the United States. But Toronto, Canada's largest city, says Ottawa has not provided anywhere near enough money to keep shelters open. At the end of 2022, Canada had more than 70,000 pending refugee claims. Almost 40,000 asylum seekers entered Canada through irregular border crossings from the United States last year -- nine times higher than in 2021 when COVID-19 related restrictions were enforced. In March, the United States and Canada changed a two-decade-old refugee agreement as part of an attempts to reduce the influx across the world's largest land border.

Persons: Marco Mendicino's, Soe, Sean Fraser, Justin Trudeau, Kevin Vuong, Trudeau, Fraser, David Ljunggren, Susan Heavey Organizations: Rights, Public Safety, REUTERS, Rights OTTAWA, Canadian, Thomson Locations: Canada, United States, Toronto , Ontario, Toronto, Canada's, Ottawa, COVID, Quebec

☆ Canada just launched a new digital nomad program—here's what you need to know
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-14 | by ( Morgan Smith | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

If you've ever dreamed of living and working remotely in Canada, now's your chance: The Canadian government just announced a new immigration program for digital nomads. Under current Canadian immigration rules, digital nomads working for a foreign employer can stay in the country under visitor status for up to six months. The main motivation behind Canada pitching itself as a destination for digital nomads is the labor shortage it faces in "key tech occupations," Fraser adds. Canada joins a growing list of more than 30 countries that have introduced similar programs to attract digital nomads, including Spain and Portugal. If you're interested in applying for a temporary Canadian visa, you'll need a government-issued passport and proof of income.

Persons: you've, now's, we're, Sean Fraser, Fraser, Masha Sutherlin, Sutherlin Organizations: CNBC, Randstad, U.S, Canada Locations: Canada, Canadian, Randstad Canada, New York, San Francisco, Spain, Portugal, UAE, Los Angeles

☆ Canada freezes deportation of Indian students who used fraudulent university letters
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-14 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

OTTAWA, June 14 (Reuters) - Canada will freeze the planned deportation of dozens of students who entered the country using fraudulent university letters of acceptance, Immigration Minister Sean Fraser said on Wednesday. Fraser spoke after the Canadian Broadcasting Corp reported in March that several students from India had been served deportation papers for using forged documents to enter Canada in an alleged immigration scheme. Official data show there were more than 800,000 foreign students with active visas in Canada in 2022. Canada is a popular destination for international students since it is relatively easy to obtain a work permit. The Migrant Workers Alliance for Change has been supporting the students, saying they have spent years in Canada.

Persons: Sean Fraser, Fraser, fraudsters, Sarom Rho, David Ljunggren, Aurora Ellis Organizations: OTTAWA, Immigration, Canadian Broadcasting Corp, Canada, Canada Border Services Agency, CBC, Migrant Workers Alliance, Thomson Locations: Canada, India

Immigration lawyer Ksenia Tchern's office is getting calls from worried clients, she said. The delay caused by the strike comes as Canada's immigration system is playing catch-up from pandemic delays. Immigration department spokespeople, whose work has been affected by the strike, could not provide details on the strike's impacts on immigration services. An immigration system perceived to be dysfunctional could complicate efforts to woo talented immigrants, said immigration lawyer Guidy Mamann. "It just gives our immigration system a black eye.

☆ Canada's plugging its labor shortage with 1 million people moving to the country last year, while Biden is maintaining Trump-like policies that keep immigrants out
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-29 | by ( Jason Lalljee | Madison Hoff | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

It's part of an effort to address the country's labor shortage, Canada's immigration minister said. The US could solve its labor shortage too, experts told Insider, but Biden would have to be bolder. President Joe Biden's current course of action could mean that the labor shortage in the US is never really solved. Biden is replacing Trump-like anti-immigration policies with his ownThat's a major reason why the persisting labor shortage will likely never resolve. It's in direct opposition to the kind of policy changes that Peri said the US needs to make to address the labor shortage.

[1/5] Asylum seekers board a bus after crossing into Canada from the U.S. in Champlain, New York, U.S., February 28, 2023. Many of the arrivals abandoned plans to seek asylum in the United States, deterred by long processing times and restrictive definitions for asylum, according to aid officials and interviews with asylum seekers. "We want to help asylum seekers stabilize their lives whether in New York City or elsewhere." The Quebec government has said the increase in asylum seekers is straining its capacity to house people and provide basic services. Immigration experts said closing off the border to asylum seekers could push migrants to take even riskier routes.

Many of the arrivals abandoned plans to seek asylum in the United States, deterred by long processing times and restrictive definitions for asylum, according to aid officials and interviews with asylum seekers. "We want to help asylum seekers stabilize their lives whether in New York City or elsewhere." REUTERS/Christinne Muschi Acquire Licensing RightsThe Quebec government has said the increase in asylum seekers is straining its capacity to house people and provide basic services. The federal government said it has relocated more than 5,500 asylum seekers to other provinces since June, the first time it has done so. Immigration experts said closing off the border to asylum seekers could push migrants to take even riskier routes.

Persons: Zulema Diaz, Maryangel Diaz, Carlos Osorio, Diaz, Justin Trudeau, Joe Biden, Sean Fraser, Alejandro Mayorkas, Trudeau, Biden, Zulema, Eric Adams, Kate Smart, Fabien Levy, Smart, Ilze Thielmann, Raymond Theriault, Theriault, Christinne, Pierre, Luc Bouchard, You’re, Jamie Chai Yun Liew, Anna Mehler Paperny, Ted Hesson, Denny Thomas, Suzanne Goldenberg Organizations: REUTERS, New, . Homeland, Washington , D.C, Ottawa, New York City, Department of Homeless Services, U.S . Department of Homeland Security, Reuters Graphics Canada, United, Colombian, Immigration, Refugee Board, Canadian, Reuters, U.S, . Citizenship, Immigration Services, TLC, Border Patrol, University of Ottawa, Thomson Locations: U.S, Quebec, Niagara Falls , Ontario, Canada, CHAMPLAIN , New York, WASHINGTON, Peru, United States, New York City, Plattsburgh, Washington ,, New York State, New York, Haitian, Syracuse, El Paso, West Virginia, Niagara Falls, Guatemala, Champlain , New York, Montreal, Canada's province, Manitoba, Washington

☆ Canada to support Iranian temporary residents, citing crackdown on Iran protests
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-23 | by ( Kanishka Singh | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Feb 23 (Reuters) - The Canadian government on Thursday announced support for Iranian temporary residents in Canada looking to extend their stay, citing the Iranian government's crackdown on recent protests. Nationwide protests erupted in Iran last fall after the death of 22-year-old Kurdish Iranian woman Mahsa Amini in police custody on Sept. 16 last year. Many Western states, including Canada, have imposed sanctions following a harsh state crackdown on protests. The Canadian government said an open work permit pathway will be made available for Iranians already in Canada, adding that applications from Iranians in Canada will also be processed on a priority basis. Canada also said it was waiving certain processing fees for Iranians who wish to extend their stay in Canada, and will also waive passport and permanent resident travel document fees for citizens and permanent residents of Canada in Iran who wish to leave.

☆ Canadian lawmakers back resettlement of 10,000 Uyghur Muslims
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-01 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

[1/3] Canada’s Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Sean Fraser attends a press conference with United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada April 6, 2022. REUTERS/Blair GableOTTAWA, Feb 1 (Reuters) - The Canadian parliament on Wednesday unanimously voted in favor of a non-binding proposal for the resettlement of 10,000 Uyghur Muslim refugees from China's Xinjiang region into Canada over two years. "Canada will always do its part in helping those in need of protection," Immigration Minister Sean Fraser said in a statement. In 2021, Canada became one of the first countries to label China's treatment of the Uyghurs genocide. Reporting by Ismail Shakil in Ottawa; Editing by Sandra MalerOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Canada and the U.S. both face labor shortages. One country is increasing immigration.
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-07 | by ( Https | Media-Cldnry.S-Nbcnews.Com Image Upload Newscms Julia-Ainsley-Circle-Byline-Template.Jpg | Julia Ainsley | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +6 min

In as little as a decade, there will be one retiree for every two workers in Canada. How outdated U.S. immigration policies push top talent to other countries,” Lofgren said, “The last major overhaul of our legal immigration system occurred in 1990. University Health Network began a program this year to bring in more internationally educated nurses and help them get the additional training they need in Canada. New immigrants to Canada and new Canadians take part in the 5th Annual Newcomer Day at Nathan Philips Square in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, on May 16, 2019. Citizenship and Immigration Services said it "is committed to fairly and efficiently administering the lawful immigration system, increasing access to eligible immigration benefits, restoring faith and trust with immigrant communities and breaking down barriers in the immigration system, and the agency will continue to uphold America’s promise as a nation of welcome and possibility with fairness, integrity, and respect for all we serve."

Canada now expects to welcome 465,000 new permanent residents in 2023, up 4% from a previous target, and 485,000 in 2024, up 7.5%. "This year's immigration levels plan will help businesses find the workers they need," said Fraser in a statement. He added the new targets would also allow Canada to fulfil commitments to help those fleeing violence and war in their home countries. A record number of Canadians are now retiring, hastening a mass exodus of Canada's most highly skilled workers and leaving businesses scrambling. In a statement on Tuesday, the Business Council of Canada called for "bolder targets" in economic immigration.

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