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	<title>Henry J. Chang&#039;s Canada-US Immigration Blog</title>
	<link>http://www.americanlaw.com/immigrationblog</link>
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		<title>US Embassy in Ottawa Announces New Appointment Service for Visa Appointments</title>
		<description><![CDATA[The United States Embassy in Ottawa has announced that it will be transitioning to a new appointment service for applicants applying for U.S. visas at U.S. consular posts located in Canada.  As of September 1, 2010, all services including calling for information and scheduling an appointment will be provided for no additional cost, with no requirement that applicants pay phone charges or PIN numbers to access such services.   ]]></description>
		<link>http://www.americanlaw.com/immigrationblog/?p=1038</link>
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		<title>DOS Implements Pilot Immigrant Visa Electronic Processing Program</title>
		<description><![CDATA[The Department of State's National Visa Center ("NVC") has provided information on its new Immigrant Visa Electronic Processing Program (the "Program"), a pilot project that uses electronic communication and documentation methods to simplify and accelerate the immigrant visa application process. The Program uses e-mail for communication and submission of all forms and documents to the NVC using Portable Document Format ("PDF").]]></description>
		<link>http://www.americanlaw.com/immigrationblog/?p=1028</link>
			</item>
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		<title>USCIS Updates H-2B Cap Count as of August 26, 2010</title>
		<description><![CDATA[As of August 26, 2010, United States Citizenship and Immigration Services receipted 4,841 petitions toward the 33,000 H-2B cap amount for the first half of the fiscal year. This count includes 3,654 approved and 1,187 pending petitions.]]></description>
		<link>http://www.americanlaw.com/immigrationblog/?p=1025</link>
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		<title>USCIS Updates H-1B Cap Count as of August 27, 2010</title>
		<description><![CDATA[As of August 27, 2010, approximately 34,900 H-1B cap-subject petitions were receipted. United States Citizenship and Immigration Services has also receipted 13,000 H-1B petitions for aliens with advanced degrees. ]]></description>
		<link>http://www.americanlaw.com/immigrationblog/?p=1021</link>
			</item>
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		<title>Alberta Immigrant Nominee Program Suspends Two Immigration Streams</title>
		<description><![CDATA[On August 23, 2010, the Alberta Immigrant Nominee Program ("AINP") announced that, in response to current job market conditions, it is no longer accepting applications for two immigration streams.  Effective immediately, the AINP will not accept new applications in the Family Stream and the U.S. Visa Holder Category. This change is temporary but will be effective until further notice.]]></description>
		<link>http://www.americanlaw.com/immigrationblog/?p=1013</link>
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		<title>Canadian Government Amends Temporary Foreign Worker Regulations</title>
		<description><![CDATA[On August 4, 2010, the Governor General in Council published amendments to the <em>Immigration and Refugee Protection Regulations</em>, which will adversely affect many temporary foreign workers.  Although the amendments do not come into force until April 1, 2011, the changes are significant.  ]]></description>
		<link>http://www.americanlaw.com/immigrationblog/?p=981</link>
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		<title>CIC Clarifies Some Questions Regarding Revised IMM 5612</title>
		<description><![CDATA[Following the issuance of its Ministerial Instructions, Citizenship and Immigration Canada ("CIC") revised its IMM 5612 Document Checklist, which is used for the initial filing of Federal Skilled Worker applications with the Central Intake Office ("CIO"). Although IMM 5612 raised several serious questions, CIC has now clarified that police certificates will not be required at the time of initial filing with the CIO and that all other documents appearing in the specific visa office document checklist applicable to the consular post where the application will be processed (which must be included with the initial CIO filing) will in fact be forwarded to the consular post once the initial screening has been completed.]]></description>
		<link>http://www.americanlaw.com/immigrationblog/?p=970</link>
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		<title>CIC Clarifies that Acceptance of Work Permit Extensions Filed with Proof of Pending LMO Applications will Continue</title>
		<description><![CDATA[CIC previously posted a notice on its website indicating that concurrent filing of work permit extensions and LMO applications would no longer be permitted.  In response to concerns raised by the Canadian Bar Association National Citizenship and Immigration Section, CIC has provided further clarification of this notice.  CIC now states that extension applications filed with proof of a prior LMO filing (which is still pending) will continue to be accepted, as it does not consider this to be "concurrent filing."  ]]></description>
		<link>http://www.americanlaw.com/immigrationblog/?p=963</link>
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		<title>Work Permits for IT Workers Filed Prior to October 1 to be Limited to One Year</title>
		<description><![CDATA[On August 5, 2010, CIC issued Operational Bulletin 225, which provided modified processing instructions for IT Worker Program cases filed prior to October 1, 2010.  According to the Operational Bulletin, requests for an extension of a work permit or a new work permit application that has been filed prior to October 1, 2010, if approved, will be granted for a maximum duration of one year from the date of issuance of the work permit.  ]]></description>
		<link>http://www.americanlaw.com/immigrationblog/?p=957</link>
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		<title>Central Intake Office Revises Federal Skilled Worker Document Checklist</title>
		<description><![CDATA[Following the issuance of revised Ministerial Instructions in June 2010, Citizenship and Immigration Canada also revised its IMM 5612 Document Checklist, which is used for the initial filing of Federal Skilled Worker applications with the Central Intake Office.  The language proficiency assessment was an expected addition to IMM 5612.   However, what was not expected is the requirement that applicants also submit all documents listed on the specific visa office document checklist applicable to the consular post where the application will be processed.]]></description>
		<link>http://www.americanlaw.com/immigrationblog/?p=952</link>
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