November 2012 Canadian Immigration Updates

The new regulations apply to spouses or partners in a relationship of two years or less and who have no children in common with their sponsor at the time they submit their sponsorship application. The spouse or partner must live in a legitimate relationship with their sponsor for two years from the day on which they receive their permanent resident status in Canada. The status of the sponsored spouse or partner may be revoked if they do not remain in the relationship.

The regulations include an exception for sponsored spouses or partners suffering abuse or neglect. The conditional measure would cease to apply in instances where there is evidence of abuse or neglect by the sponsor or if the sponsor fails to protect the sponsored spouse or partner from abuse or neglect. This abuse or neglect could be perpetrated by the sponsor or a person related to the sponsor, whether or not the abusive party is living in the household during the conditional period. The exception would also apply in the event of the death of the sponsor. The conditional measure is now in force, which means that it applies to permanent residents in relationships of two years or less, with no children in common. Conditional permanent residence does not differ from regular permanent residence other than the need to satisfy the two-year requirement.

The overall range of admissions of permanent residents for 2013 will be between 240,000 and 265,000 permanent residents. This represents the highest sustained level of immigration in Canadian history. And it also represents the highest per-capita level of immigration in the developed world, adding the equivalent of 0.8 percent to Canada’s population each year through immigration.

As of November 1, 2012 the new medical examination forms will be disseminated to all panel physicians. From that date, panel physicians, eMedical-enabled or not, must forward all information using the new immigration medical examination forms. The forms, listed below, will be posted on the CIC website (at the link above) as well as under the “Forms” section of the CIC intranet site:

The new medical assessments for immigration applicants are vastly more complex and detailed than the previous forms.  The medical examination contains a mental, mobility, functionality, activity, childhood development assessment and extensive physical evaluation.