Mila A,

First round of Express Entry candidates invited to fill labour market needs and contribute to Canada’s economic growth February 2, 2015 — Ottawa — Canada’s Citizenship and Immigration Minister Chris Alexander today announced that the first round of top-ranked candidates from Canada’s Express Entry system is already helping to fill demonstrated and verifiable gaps in […]

“Today, Canadians of Asian heritage will gather with family, friends and their communities to celebrate the start of a bright and promising new year. “Whether it’s known as Chinese New Year, T?t to Vietnamese Canadians, or Seollal to Korean Canadians, the Lunar New Year is a time of celebration and looking hopefully to the future.

“Today marks the most important day of the lunar Tibetan, Nepalese and Bhutanese calendar. “I have personally enjoyed participating in many Losar festivities with Tibetan Canadians. “I have also had the great honour of meeting more than once with His Holiness the Dalai Lama, one of the world’s great champions of peace and pluralism and

“Tomorrow at sundown marks the beginning of Tisha B’av, an annual day of mourning, fasting, and remembrance in the Jewish calendar. “Falling on the ninth day of the month of Av, Tisha B’av marks the destruction of the First Temple in Jerusalem by the Babylonians in 586 BCE. More than six centuries later on the

“Known as the Festival of Colours, and the Festival of Love, Holi is a joyous spring celebration of the Hindu faith. In recent years, it has grown to be popular among non-Hindus in Canada and around the world. Holi’s message of peace and camaraderie brings together people from different faiths and cultural communities. “Holi was

“Today is International Women’s Day, a time for Canadians to pay our respects to the exemplary women in our lives and to celebrate our country’s progress towards true gender equality. “This year’s theme could not be more fitting: ‘Empowering Women, Empowering Humanity: Picture It!’ “Canadian history is full of stories of strong, outstanding women who

March 8, 2015 — Toronto — Canada`s Citizenship and Immigration Minister, Chris Alexander, on behalf of the Honourable Rob Nicholson, P.C., Q.C., M.P. for Niagara Falls, Minister of Foreign Affairs, today welcomed China’s new long-term, multiple-entry visas for Canadians. The new multiple-entry visa, valid for up to 10 years, will ease travel, reduce costs and

“The joyous and lively celebrations of St. Patrick’s Day have been a great Canadian tradition for more than 250 years, a reflection of the long and illustrious history of Canadians of Irish descent. “More than four million Canadians trace their ancestry back to Ireland. Our Irish story is typified by those who fled the tragedy

Increasing Francophone immigration remains a key priority March 20, 2015 — Ottawa — Today, Canada’s Citizenship and Immigration Minister Chris Alexander celebrates the Journée internationale de la Francophonie. Canada is a destination of choice for many Francophones around the world. With a French-speaking majority population, Quebec welcomes many Francophone immigrants every year, and Canada’s Francophonie

“For Canadians of Persian and Central Asian descent, the spring equinox brings not only a new season, but also the ancient and joyful celebrations of Nowruz, the Persian New Year. “The word Nowruz translates to ‘New Day,’ a phrase that captures the spirit of renewal, rejuvenation, and hope for the future that characterizes the celebrations.