CanadaVISA.com - Parent and Grandparent Sponsorship Cap Filled

After only a month, the Parent and Grandparent sponsorship program has reached the maximum number of applications that will be accepted this year. The program, which re-opened on January 2, 2014, had placed a cap of 5,000 on application intake.

“As Citizenship and Immigration Canada has now received 5,000 complete applications, new intake into the [Parent and Grandparent] program will again pause until next year, as we devote our energy to reuniting more families,” said a statement issued by Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC). “By the end of 2014, we expect to welcome an additional 20,000 parents and grandparents to Canada, marking a substantial reduction in wait times for all applicants.”

Read the rest of the article here

CBC - New citizenship rules target fraud, foreign terrorism

The Canadian government is proposing sweeping changes today in what is being called "the first comprehensive reform to the Citizenship Act in more than a generation​."

Under the Conservative government's Bill C-24, dubbed the strengthening Canadian citizenship act, would-be citizens would have to live in Canada longer before applying for citizenship, but would see their applications for citizenship processed more quickly.

Read the rest of the article here

The U.S. income tax exclusion you can never use

The U.S. is one of two countries in the world who extract taxes from citizens who live and work abroad. No matter where you live, the U.S. wants its share. That's the cost of being a citizen. There is one tax law you may be able to take advantage of, however - the  Foreign Earned Income Exclusion. Sounds good right?

The IRS tells us that, "United States Citizens and resident aliens who live and work abroad may be able to exclude all or part of their foreign salary or wages from their income when filing their U.S. federal tax return. They may also qualify to exclude compensation for their personal services or certain foreign housing costs."

And there's only one catch: you can almost never leave your foreign home in order to qualify.

To qualify for the foreign earned income exclusion, you must have a "tax home" in a foreign country and income received for working in that country. You also have to meet one of two tests: the bona fide residence test or the physical presence test.

Bona fide residence can only be taken advantage of if you are a "citizen" of the country you live and work in. Permanent resident? No such luck.

The physical presence test is the kicker if you are a permanent resident, and one for those living and working in Canada that makes this an exclusion that is almost impossible to qualify for.

The U.S. tax law states that you have to be present in the foreign country for 330 days in the tax year. Now given that a great majority of Canadian towns and cities are within 100 miles of the U.S. border, it makes it pretty difficult to avoid the country for 35 days a year. And if you travel home to see family, or take a holiday anywhere outside of Canada - forget it - your 35 days are going to pass quickly. You don't qualify any more. Travel for business? Tough. 330 days or no dice.

So thank you U.S. for picking our pockets. Thank you for joining the African nation of Eritrea (a nation who's government has shuttered all privately owned print media, arrested and held without trial all critics of the government and who none other than the U.S. State Department has declared a "Country of Particular Concern" (CPC) for its record of religious persecution (Wikipedia)). Really - good partner in tax policy!

A season of opportunity

Things seem to quiet down a lot in winter time. And it's no different on the immigration front. I notice on the blog that inquiries drop, and things in general get quiet. But let me tell you, if you are thinking about immigration to Canada, winter is a fantastic time to take advantage of the quiet and get your application going. There is always a lot to do in preparation for an application, and you'll find response times to requests for documents from many government offices get handled a lot faster at this quiet time of the year.

An application requires police clearances, proofs of education, language proficiency tests - all these things are much easier to acquire and schedule when offices are quiet following the New Year holidays.

So use this time wisely and get your application rolling for 2014. Luck favours the prepared!

Tax issues for U.S. citizens living in Canada

If you are a U.S. citizen living in Canada, you still have a tax obligation to the U.S. government. One of only two countries that tax their citizens no matter where they actually live, the U.S. is more active than ever in making sure expatriates pay to support their government's ambitions. To keep this from ever becoming a "taxation without representation" issue, they still allow you to vote in your last state, county and city of residence prior to leaving the country. Isn't that nice?

For those living in the U.S., it must gall them that non-residents can vote to impact policies that they will not be subject to living with. For those living outside the U.S., I can tell you it's galling to pay to support governments and programs that I get absolutely no benefit from.

The primary exception here is that when the time comes, I will be eligible for Social Security. Granted, the amount I will receive doesn't nearly match the hit I take on a yearly basis from U.S. tax law, but there you go. Until Congress stops picking the pockets of expatriates, it's just the way it is. The only people the U.S. allows to shelter their income against taxes are those who own and run corporations - and politicians.

There's an old saying that applies here: "It must be nice to be a Roman." 

The Toronto Star - Canada urged to speed approval of skilled immigrants

Nicholas Keung, The Toronto Star's immigration reporter, filed this story related to the federal government's "Expression of Interest" program:

Ottawa’s new skilled immigrant selection system must process applicants within two months if Canada hopes to outbid other countries in attracting the world’s best and brightest, warns a new report by the Ontario Chamber of Commerce.

Immigration Minister Chris Alexander is set to launch the brand new “Expression of Interest” processing system (EOI) in early 2015 to replace the decades-old “first-in, first-out” mechanism for the federal skilled workers program.

Although Alexander says the system could shorten processing time down to six months, the report points out that comparable systems, such as Australia’s, take as little as 58 days to bring in skilled immigrants.

Read the rest of the story here

Would you like some salt with that?

Happy New Year from Toronto. We are in the midst of a real Canadian winter here, and the arctic air moving into the province today promises wind chill values of -36C by tonight. Yes - that's cold. With the snow we had last night, then the rain that followed it, there is a slushy mess all over the streets and sidewalks. That makes driving and walking treacherous.

The solution? Salt. Not the kind you'd want on your fries, or to enhance that steak you're having for dinner - we're talking anything from liquid calcium chloride, liquid magnesium chloride, liquid salt (salt brine), and rock salt. It's brutal stuff.

I've recommended on this blog that anyone thinking about their winter wardrobe add impermeable boots to the mix - rubber and latex-rubber boots that can take the wet and ice and especially the salt that you encounter everywhere this time of year. I see lots of Bay Street types in their Italian leather shoes heading to the office in this weather and all I think is, "well those are ruined." Because the salt is going to stain them, penetrate the leather, and nothing you can do will bring them back to life as they once knew it.

So the salt months are upon us. It's there for your safety. With a little preparation, you and your shoes will do just fine. 

Happy Holidays 2013-2014!

Well dear friends, another year has passed at The Expatriate Mind. Since 2005 I've tried to share my immigration journey with you with all the excitement and frustration that comes along with it. Each new year seems to bring changes to the Canadian immigration landscape, and this year has been no different. I expect the changes will keep coming in 2014, with the Tories still in control, a fresh Immigration Minister excited to flex his muscles (at least those Harper allows him to), and new challenges on both the Skilled Worker and Family Class fronts.

I enjoyed Christmas in the U.S. this year, but will be back home in Canada for New Years. Two and a half years into my permanent residency and Toronto truly is the home I always hoped it would be for all the years my Love and I patiently navigated the immigration process.

I want to encourage all my readers to have faith and be patient in your own immigration journey. It's unique for each and every one of us. The best advice I can give you is to pursue your goal with honesty, and give your application the best effort you can. Help those that make these decisions understand your commitment to Canada - one you are making even before you are welcomed here. Take the time also to learn about your new country, its history and culture and prepare yourself for the day when your visa arrives.

Happy holidays and New Year to all of you. God bless your Canadian dreams! 

Year-end wrap up

My third Christmas as a permanent resident of Canada is upon me, and it is still hard to believe how quickly the time has passed since that wonderful August day in 2011 when I came to this country. It's a beautiful, snowy morning in Toronto, and I'm preparing for an evening flight back to Seattle to spend my first Christmas in three years with my parents and siblings. I am looking forward to the time there. This year has been one of unexpected blessings, for sure.

Probably the best thing to happen in the last year has been to feel more solidified in my career here as an author and writer - a career that started with this humble blog in 2005. This year I have actually been sought out to write on immigration issues and Canada in general, and it really is validating, when the traditional job market has been more than difficult for me to crack.

I am working on a new book, and contributing to a number of web sites. My current books on immigration are selling and more importantly, helping people who want to come to Canada. Not bad.

I thought this blog would transition more into "settlement" issues this year, but immigration news and events were just too juicy to ignore. Maybe next year? It's hard to say. Maybe I have the mix right already: immigration news, personal commentary, and here and there a glimpse into the everyday here in Toronto.

I hope you have had a wonderful 2013, and that the year to come is also full of blessings for you. Don't give up on your immigration dreams. It takes patience and perseverance to come to Canada. I can tell you from experience the choice to immigrate is a tough one, and the process will try and wear you out. But if you take care of your application, have faith and look to do everything you can to effect the outcome, you just may join me here one day. That is my New Year wish for you!   

Canada Goose time

It's been bitter cold for about a week now, and that means it's Canada Goose time. Canada Goose is the brand of parka that I wear. I have a Banff Parka and it's warm enough that the weather really has to warrant getting it out. In mild temperatures, the coat is simply too comfy-warm. But I've determined that from about -8C or below (with or without the windchill factored in), it's the only thing that keeps me warm.

I love my jacket, but I have one core criticism: the hood attachment and closure is wonky. The coat is sort of a convertible - you can take the hood on or off, and even take the fur trim on the hood on and off. When on, the hood closes in the front of the jacket over the collar with two small snaps. This is the part that really doesn't work very well. When you have a scarf on, and then you add the collar of the jacket that closes under the hood, it gets pretty thick around the neck, and those two little snaps just don't hold everything together very well. I think I'm going to take my jacket to a tailor and have them replace the snaps with two medium sized buttons and eyelets like the closures on the rest of the coat. That should fix it.

The only other thing I wish the jacket had was a wire armature in the hood. Some of their models have this feature, but I think it should be standard. Being able to mold the hood to the weather is really a plus when you've got 40-50km winds and snow hitting you.

Now in the winter months in Toronto you've got two issues to deal with: bitter cold outside and too warm inside. Christmas shopping can be a bear as you walk to a shop in the cold, go in and sweat, go out and freeze, in and sweat, over and over. The alternative is to constantly be putting on and taking off your outer gear, which is a pain in the you-know-what, but sometimes the only remedy.

I love the Canadian winter, and am grateful I can be out in it safely. Thanks to my Love, I have the parka to handle it.