O ttawa, Ontario, August 8, 2011... Mr. J. Paul Dubé, Canada’s Taxpayers’ Ombudsman, today releases his Special Report, “Knowing the Rules,” which ad- dresses the confusion that arose over the rules governing the Tax- Free Savings Account (TFSA). e Ombudsman makes spe- cific recommendations to the Minister of National Revenue for improving the accessibility of information about the TFSA to ensure Canadians receive the highest level of service from the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA). “Canadians rely largely upon the CRA for the information they need to meet their tax obligations and obtain what they are entitled to from their government,” said Mr. Dubé. “e CRA should have been more proactive in informing Canadians about the tax conse- quences of the TFSA.” e TFSA is a flexible, regis- tered, and general purpose sav- ings vehicle that allows Canadians to earn tax-free investment in- come. e Office of the Taxpayers’ Ombudsman received complaints from many Canadians who found the rules regarding withdrawals and over-contributions confus- ing. Mr. Dubé conducted a review of the CRA’s service to, and treat- ment of, taxpayers with respect to the TFSA. An independent and impar- tial officer upholding the service rights in the Taxpayer Bill of Rights, the Ombudsman reviews complaints from taxpayers who feel they have not been treated fairly by the CRA and conducts investigations into emerging and systemic service issues. (source: Taxpayers’ Ombudsman) O ttawa, November 4, 2011 — e Government of Canada is taking immediate ac- tion to cut the backlog and wait times for sponsored parents and grandparents, Citizenship, Immigration and Multicultur- alism Minister Jason Kenney announced today. Currently, more than 165,000 parents and grandparents who have applied to become per- manent residents of Canada are still waiting for a final de- cision. Each year, Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) receives applications for spon- sorship of nearly 38,000 parents and grandparents, a number that will only continue to ex- pand if no action is taken. “Wait times for Family Class sponsorship applications for parents and grandparents now exceed seven years, and with- out taking action, those times will continue to grow, and that is unacceptable,” said Minister Kenney. “Action must be taken to cut the backlog, reduce the wait times, and ensure that the parents and grandparents pro- gram is sustainable over the long run.” To deal with the large backlog and lengthy wait times, Citizen- ship and Immigration Canada (CIC) is announcing Phase I of the Action Plan for Faster Fam- ily Reunification. First – e Government of Can- ada will increase by over 60 percent the number of sponsored parents and grandparents Canada will ad- mit next year, from nearly 15,500 in 2010 to 25,000 in 2012 – the highest level in nearly two decades. Second – The government is introducing the new “Parent and Grandparent Super Visa,” which will be valid for up to 10 years. The multiple-entry visa will allow an applicant to remain in Canada for up to 24 months at a time without the need for renewal of their sta- tus. The Parent and Grandpar- ent Super Visa will come into effect on December 1, 2011, and CIC will be able to issue the visas, on average, within eight weeks of the application. This means that instead of waiting for eight years, a par- ent or a grandparent can come to Canada within eight weeks. Parent and Grandparent Super Visa applicants will be required to obtain private Canadian health-care insurance for their stay in Canada. Third – The government will consult Canadians on how to redesign the parents and grandparents program to ensure that it is sustainable in the future. The redesigned pro- gram must avoid future large backlogs and be sensitive to fiscal constraints. Fourth – To prevent the build-up of an unmanage- able number of new applica- tions during these consulta- tions and to further reduce the 165,000-strong backlog of parent and grandparent appli- cants, CIC is putting in place a temporary pause of up to 24 months on the acceptance of new sponsorship applications for parents and grandparents. The pause comes into effect on November 5, 2011. “The Government of Canada is fully committed to helping families reunite,” said Minis- ter Kenney. “We recognize that what parents and grandpar- ents want most is to be able to spend time with their families.” “If we do not take real ac- tion now, the large and grow- ing backlog in the parents and grandparents program will lead to completely unmanage- able wait times. Through this balanced series of measures, we will be able to dramatically reduce the backlog and wait times, while the new Parent and Grandparent Super Visa will allow more family mem- bers to pay extended visits to their loved ones,” added the Minister. “We anticipate that in about two years, following our consultations, Phase II of our Action Plan for Faster Family Reunification will come into effect, ensuring that future ap- plicants are processed quickly and that the program can oper- ate on an efficient and sustain- able basis.” MARKHAM BUSINESS EXCHANGE 416-267-3600 • [email protected]TAX FREE SAVINGS ACCOUNT RULES ARE CONFUSING: TAXPAYERS’ OMBUDSMAN PHASE I OF ACTION PLAN FOR FASTER FAMILY REUNIFICATION Shashi K. Kapoor INCOME-TAX YEAR-ROUND SERVICE *PERSONAL TAXES *CORPORATE TAXES *GST RETURNS *PST RETURNS ALSO BOOKEEPING & ACCOUNTING SERVICES FOR SMALL BUSINESSES 416-267-3600 Shashi Kant Kapoor is a Certified Canadian Immigration Consultant He is a member of the ICCRC. He can be contacted on this or other Immigration Matters at 416 267-3600 or email: [email protected]Mr. J. Paul Dube CAR REPAIR • Computer Diagnosis • Wheel Balancing • Computerized Alignment • Alternator & Starter • Steering and Suspension • Oil Changes • Brakes & Tires • Safety • Tune Up • Muffler Emission Test 650 Markham Rd, Scarborogh Continental Motors Inc. Off: 647 351-7692 Cell: 416 575-1277 GOVERNMENT OF CANADA TO CUT BACKLOG AND WAIT TIMES FOR FAMILY REUNIFICATION NEWS RELEASE
Transcript
Ottawa, Ontario, August 8, 2011... Mr. J. Paul Dubé,
Canada’s Taxpayers’ Ombudsman, today releases his Special Report, “Knowing the Rules,” which ad-dresses the confusion that arose over the rules governing the Tax-Free Savings Account (TFSA).
Th e Ombudsman makes spe-cifi c recommendations to the Minister of National Revenue for improving the accessibility of information about the TFSA to ensure Canadians receive the highest level of service from the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA). “Canadians rely largely upon the CRA for the information they need to meet their tax obligations and obtain what they are entitled to from their government,” said Mr. Dubé. “Th e CRA should have been more proactive in informing Canadians about the tax conse-
quences of the TFSA.” Th e TFSA is a fl exible, regis-
tered, and general purpose sav-ings vehicle that allows Canadians to earn tax-free investment in-come. Th e Offi ce of the Taxpayers’ Ombudsman received complaints from many Canadians who found the rules regarding withdrawals and over-contributions confus-ing. Mr. Dubé conducted a review of the CRA’s service to, and treat-ment of, taxpayers with respect to the TFSA.
An independent and impar-tial offi cer upholding the service rights in the Taxpayer Bill of Rights, the Ombudsman reviews complaints from taxpayers who feel they have not been treated fairly by the CRA and conducts investigations into emerging and systemic service issues.
(source: Taxpayers’ Ombudsman)
Ottawa, November 4, 2011 — Th e Government of
Canada is taking immediate ac-tion to cut the backlog and wait times for sponsored parents and grandparents, Citizenship, Immigration and Multicultur-alism Minister Jason Kenney announced today.
Currently, more than 165,000 parents and grandparents who have applied to become per-manent residents of Canada are still waiting for a fi nal de-cision. Each year, Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) receives applications for spon-sorship of nearly 38,000 parents and grandparents, a number that will only continue to ex-pand if no action is taken.
“Wait times for Family Class sponsorship applications for parents and grandparents now exceed seven years, and with-out taking action, those times will continue to grow, and that is unacceptable,” said Minister Kenney. “Action must be taken to cut the backlog, reduce the wait times, and ensure that the parents and grandparents pro-gram is sustainable over the long run.”
To deal with the large backlog and lengthy wait times, Citizen-ship and Immigration Canada (CIC) is announcing Phase I of the Action Plan for Faster Fam-ily Reunifi cation.
First – Th e Government of Can-ada will increase by over 60 percent the number of sponsored parents and grandparents Canada will ad-mit next year, from nearly 15,500 in 2010 to 25,000 in 2012 – the highest level in nearly two decades.
Second – The government is introducing the new “Parent and Grandparent Super Visa,” which will be valid for up to 10 years. The multiple-entry visa will allow an applicant to remain in Canada for up to 24 months at a time without the need for renewal of their sta-tus. The Parent and Grandpar-ent Super Visa will come into effect on December 1, 2011, and CIC will be able to issue the visas, on average, within eight weeks of the application. This means that instead of waiting for eight years, a par-ent or a grandparent can come to Canada within eight weeks. Parent and Grandparent Super Visa applicants will be required to obtain private Canadian health-care insurance for their stay in Canada.
Third – The government will consult Canadians on how to redesign the parents and grandparents program to ensure that it is sustainable in the future. The redesigned pro-gram must avoid future large
backlogs and be sensitive to fiscal constraints.
Fourth – To prevent the build-up of an unmanage-able number of new applica-tions during these consulta-tions and to further reduce the 165,000-strong backlog of parent and grandparent appli-cants, CIC is putting in place a temporary pause of up to 24 months on the acceptance of new sponsorship applications for parents and grandparents. The pause comes into effect on November 5, 2011.
“The Government of Canada is fully committed to helping families reunite,” said Minis-ter Kenney. “We recognize that what parents and grandpar-ents want most is to be able to spend time with their families.”
“If we do not take real ac-tion now, the large and grow-ing backlog in the parents and grandparents program will lead to completely unmanage-able wait times. Through this balanced series of measures, we will be able to dramatically reduce the backlog and wait times, while the new Parent and Grandparent Super Visa will allow more family mem-bers to pay extended visits to their loved ones,” added the Minister. “We anticipate that in about two years, following our consultations, Phase II of our Action Plan for Faster Family Reunification will come into effect, ensuring that future ap-plicants are processed quickly and that the program can oper-ate on an efficient and sustain-able basis.”
MARKHAM BUSINESS
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faMily rEunifiCation
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CANADIAN IMMIGRATIONSPONSOR YOUR LOVED ONES!
Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) knows it is important to help families who come from other countries to reunite in Canada. If you are a Canadian citizen or a permanent resident of Canada, you can sponsor your spouse, common-law partner, conjugal partner, dependent child (including adopted child), or other eligible relative (such as a parent or grandparent) to become a permanent resident.
CIC refers to the immigrants who are eligible to use this family spon-soring process as the Family Class.
If you sponsor a relative to come to Canada as a permanent resident, you are responsible for supporting your relative �nancially when they arrive. As a sponsor, you must make sure that your spouse or relative does not need to seek �nancial assistance from the government.
The process to sponsor your family begins when you, as a citizen or permanent resident in Canada, apply to be a sponsor.
The Manitoba Provincial Nomination Program International Student Stream is a priority assessment stream for international students who have established strong ties to Manitoba and intend to live, work and establish their careers in this province.
You are eligible to apply to the MPNP through the International Student Stream if you:• Have graduated from a post-secondary program in Manitoba
• Have successfully applied for a post-graduation work permit from CIC• Are currently working in Manitoba and have received a full-time, long-term job
offer from their employerShould you meet the above conditions, you may be eligible to apply for Manitoba Provincial Nominee Program to get nomination for Permanent Residency in Canada. To check for the above, and other Provincial Nominee Programs that can help you
come to Canada, consult us.Pravasi Business Services Inc. specializes in all sorts of Canadian Visas. I guide you
at nominal cost, should you wish file your own case.
If you applied for Canadian Immigra-tion prior to July 1, 2011, your appli-
cation will be considered as per Federal Skilled Workers rules existing prior to July 1, 2011. But, after July 1, 2011 new rules take effect that are highlighted be-low.
Eligibility criteria for federal skilled worker applications as of July 1, 2011Under changes to the Immigration and
Refugee Protection Act, federal skilled worker applications are assessed for eligibility according to the criteria listed below. Note: This does not apply to ap-plicants intending to live in the province of Quebec.
These criteria affect you only if you ap-plied on or after July 1, 2011. If your ap-plication was received before July 1, 2011, it will be processed according to the rules that were in effect at that time.
Note: If you are applying under one of the 29 eligible occupations, as of July 1, 2011, a maximum of 10,000 Federal Skilled Worker applications will be con-sidered for processing in the following 12 months. Within the 10,000 cap, a maxi-mum of 500 federal skilled worker ap-plications per eligible occupation will be considered for processing each year.
These limits do not apply to applica-tions with an offer of arranged employ-ment.
Is my application eligible for processing?For your application to be eligible for
processing, you must include the results of your official language proficiency test, and either:
• have a valid offer of arranged em-ployment, OR
• be a skilled worker who has had one year of continuous full-time or equiva-lent part-time paid work experience in at
least one of the following eligible occupa-tions within the last ten years:
• 0631 Restaurant and Food Service Managers
• 0811 Primary Production Managers (Except Agriculture)
• 1122 Professional Occupations in Business Services to Management (Cap reached)
• 1233 Insurance Adjusters and Claims Examiners
• 2121 Biologists and Related Scientists• 2151 Architects• 3111 Specialist Physicians• 3112 General Practitioners and Fam-
Mining, Quarrying & Construction • 8222 Supervisors, Oil and Gas Drill-
ing and Service NOTE: the occupations above are all
Skill Type 0 (managerial occupations) or Skill Level A (professional occupations) or B (technical occupations and skilled trades) on the Canadian National Occu-pational Classification list.
If you are not sure if you should ap-ply as a skilled worker, you can use the Come to Canada Wizard to get an idea of whether your application would be eli-gible for processing.
If you apply and do not meet the above criteria, you will be informed of this and your processing fee will be refunded.
There are many ways to immigrate to Canada. If you don’t meet the criteria to apply under the Federal Skilled Worker Program, you may qualify under another category. Learn more about your options.
Date Modified: 2011-09-20(Source: Citizenship and Immigration
Canada)You may go to Come to Canada Wiz-
ard; go to www.cic.gc.ca/cometocanada to get further answers.
TEL: 416-267-3600
10
Your Questions on Canadian Immigration and My Answers
Q.1 - Why is it difficult to get a Visitors’ Visa or Temporary Resident Permit?
A. It is found that in most cases, the Visitors are unable to clarify the clear purpose of their Visit to Canada. This could be due to improper invitation letter that gives ambiguous details about the host. In some cases, Visitors cast doubt in the mind of a Canadian Visa Officer about their return back to their country of origin at the end of their stay in Canada.
Q.2 - Can I prepare my own case?
A. Why not? Sure, you too can do it if you understand the appropriate sections of the Immigration and Refugee Protec-tion Act/Regulations. In fact, the Citizenship and Immigration has a popular website now, www.cic.gc.ca/cometocanada But, if you are unsure about what you are doing- it is better to seek professional advice. Mistakes may become costly.
If you have a question about immigration, please email it to [email protected] Questions that are
in general in nature will be answered in this column. For individual questions you are encouraged to contact
either Citizenship and Immigration or seek professional help.
Disclaimer: The Immigration tips are prepared by Markham Business Exchange and are in general in nature. These are not comprehensive in nature. A more comprehensive answer cannot be given due to the space restrictions. Please get more comprehensive answers by contacting the Citizenship and Immigration Canada or through seeking an appropriate professional advice before acting on any of the above tips.
Eligibility CritEria for fEdEral SkillEd WorkErS ChangEd EffECtivE July 1, 2011
MARKHAM BUSINESS EXCHANGE2
Canada’s Minister of Immigration-Mr. Jason Kenney
TEL: 416-267-3600
3
You must meet the following minimum requirements to apply as a skilled worker:• You have at least one continuous year of full-time, paid work experience or the equivalent in
part-time continuous employment; • Your work experience must be Skill Type 0 (managerial jobs), A (professional jobs) or B (technical
jobs and skilled trades) on the Canadian National Occupational Classification (NOC); and you must have had this experience within the last 10 years.
Skilled workers are people who can become permanent residents because they are able to become economically established in Canada.
Your application to come to Canada as a skilled worker will be assessed on six selection factors and a point system. The six selection factors are:
• Your education • Your abilities in English and/or French • Canada’s two official languages • Your experience • Your age • Whether you have arranged employment in Canada
• Your adaptability • You must also show that you have enough money to support yourself To check for the above, and other Provincial Nominee Programs that can help you come to Canada, consult us.Pravasi Business Services Inc. specializes in all sorts of Canadian Visas. I guide you at nominal cost,
should you wish file your own case.
MARKHAM BUSINESS EXCHANGE
Shashi K. KapoorMember: ICCRC
416-267-3600
CANADIAN IMMIGRATIONSKILLED WORKERS
registered Education Savings Plan (rESP)
A post-secondary education: the most precious gift you can off er!
Our Children-our hope for the future. We want to make sure they have the best possible tools to suc-ceed in their personal and professional lives.
Giving their children ac-cess to a post-secondary education is something parents hope to be able to do. Unless you decide to take out a loan, it may be diffi cult to fi nd the money needed to pay for a 4-year educational program for just one child. Statistics Canada revealed that Uni-versity tuition fees have risen 135% * in the past ten years!
How high will tuition costs in 5, 10 or even 15 years?
Projections indicate that in 2028 it will cost more than $114,063 for a 4-year university program for a student living away from home.
Will my children go to university?
It used to be that a post-secondary education was a choice. Now it seems to have become a necessity to ensure a place in today’s job market.
Furthermore, the job market of the future also
requires more training and education. More and more employers are hiring specialized personnel. Ac-cording to some Canadian studies, 2 out of 3 jobs now require a post-secondary diploma. How can we hope to provide our children with the opportunity for a higher education?
Start investing in their future now!
Given the cost of a post-secondary education, it is better to start saving early. Regular contributions are also a great way to achieve your objectives. Regardless of the child’s age, it is never too late to invest in their fu-ture.
What is a registered education savings plan?
A registered education savings plan, commonly re-ferred as an RESP, is the best fi nancial vehicle to help you save for a benefi ciary’s post-secondary education. Just like an RRSP, the fed-eral government allows you to accumulate investment income on a tax-sheltered basis until the funds are withdrawn from the plan. In short, RESPs are to edu-cation what RRSPs are to retirement!
However, the contribu-tions made as a subscriber are not deductible from your taxable income in RESPs, and therefore will not be taxable upon with-
drawal.
Diff erent plans are off ered through diff erent RESP companies. In one plan, contributions are made through monthly payment of as little as $25 a month, until December 31 of the year in which the benefi -ciary designated in the plan at issue reaches 17 years of age. Additional lump- sum contributions amount can be made at any time.
Th e cumulative contri-bution limit is $50,000 per benefi ciary. Th at means that a parent and a grand-parent, for example, can both subscribe to separate RESPs for the same benefi -ciary. By making sure they do exceed the total allow-able maximum, they avoid paying penalty taxes.
A post-secondary education is a necessity in today’s world.
Contributions can be made to the plan for 31 years from the eff ective date of the plan and the RESP must be fully liquidated no later than 35 years aft er it is set up.
Increase your savings with the Canada Education Savings Grant, If benefi ciary qualifi es.
ASK US ABOUT IT ! * Canadian Average** Projection based on 3%
infl ation rate per year
Source Statistics Canada
Medina ElectricFor all your needs on Commercial and Residential
Electrical Air-Conditioning & Furnance
Call:IQBAL SYED
416-417-8066
Oath CommissionerGet your documents attested for $5/per document
Family Class Sponsorship, Canadian Experience Class, Skilled-Workers’ Pro-gram, Investor’s Class, Self-Employed Class, Provincial Nominee Programs, Ar-ranged Employment or Labour Market Opinions.
Visitors’ Visa or Temporary Resident Permit, Invitation Letters for Visitors’ Visa, Study Permits, Live-in Care Givers Program.
Extension of Visas, Spouse or Common law Partners sponsorships, Humanitar-ian & Compassionate grounds Application, Refugee Claims and Protected-Persons Class, Admissibility Hearings and Detention Cases, Foreign Workers Program, Arranged Employment
Also,Health/Medical Insurance for New-Immigrants or Visitors.
Your Friends or Relatives can Immigrate to Canada Call us and find out details.
Canadian Experience ClassWork in Canada or Study and Work in Canada *(*conditions apply.)
