Latest news with #MarcMiller
Toronto Sun
10-07-2025
- Politics
- Toronto Sun
$3.7 million in fines laid for breach of migrant labour regulations in first half of 2025
Immigration Minister Marc Miller speaks with reporters ahead of the Liberal cabinet meeting on Parliament Hill in West Block, on Tuesday, Oct. 22 2024. Photo by Bryan Passifiume / Postmedia Network Breach of migrant labour regulations are on pace to hit record fines against Canadian employers this year, according to Blacklock's Reporter . This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. SUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. REGISTER / SIGN IN TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account. Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments. Enjoy additional articles per month. Get email updates from your favourite authors. THIS ARTICLE IS FREE TO READ REGISTER TO UNLOCK. Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments Enjoy additional articles per month Get email updates from your favourite authors Don't have an account? Create Account Figures show federal inspectors in 2025's first half laid $3,738,000 in fines for various violations, from a few hundred dollars to several thousand. That figure compared to a total of $4.1 million for all of 2024, and $1.54 million for all of 2023. A total of 19 employers were also banned from the program from one to five years and in rare cases lifetime bans have been imposed for failure to address abuse or reprisal allegations. These penalties followed cabinet complaints that Canadian employers had 'gotten addicted' to using the Temporary Foreign Worker Program. 'To some extent the country has indeed gotten addicted to temporary workers,' then Immigration Minister Marc Miller told Senate Question Period in Oct. 8, 2024. 'Businesses have taken advantage of that. They have leveraged that opportunity. I think there is some responsibility there. What we don't want to do I think is over-correct and make sure we are not throwing the country into a recession, that we are not damaging vital industries.' Read More Cabinet proposed this year to cut the migrant workforce by reverting to 2014 regulations that capped employers' hiring of foreigners at 10% of payroll. Among those employers with some of the highest violations in 2025 were Canadian Nectar Products Inc. of Montague, P.E.I. (fined $212,000), Petro Canada of Grassland, Alta. ($164,000) and True North Freight Solutions Inc. of Brampton, Ont. ($150,000). RECOMMENDED VIDEO Toronto & GTA Toronto Blue Jays Toronto & GTA Crime World
Global News
18-06-2025
- Politics
- Global News
Canada's population barely grew in first months of 2025: StatCan
Canada saw little growth in its population in the first three months of this year, new data from Statistics Canada shows. The data, released Wednesday, showed the population increased between Jan. 1 and April 1 by just 20,107, bringing the total number of people in Canada to 41,548,787. According to Statistics Canada, it's the smallest quarterly growth since the third quarter of 2020, when the population dropped by 1,232 in the wake of border restrictions during the COVID-19 pandemic. It also marks the sixth consecutive quarter of slower population growth and comes after the federal government announced it would lower the levels of both temporary and permanent immigration. Population levels decreased in Ontario, British Columbia, Quebec, and Newfoundland and Labrador, with Ontario and B.C. seeing their biggest quarterly losses since records began in the third quarter of 1951. Story continues below advertisement The six other provinces and two territories, however, saw population growth, with Alberta, Prince Edward Island, the Northwest Territories and Nunavut seeing a 0.4 per cent increase. 1:05 Poilievre is 'flailing' after his call for 'severe limits' on Canada's immigration: Marc Miller The population growth in Canada during the first quarter was driven completely by international migration, Statistics Canada says, because there were more deaths than births of Canadians. Get breaking National news For news impacting Canada and around the world, sign up for breaking news alerts delivered directly to you when they happen. Sign up for breaking National newsletter Sign Up By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy The agency, however, notes this is consistent with an aging population, decreasing fertility rate and higher number of deaths that 'typically occur during the winter months.' But while Statistics Canada points to international migration as a key reason for population growth, it also shows that Canada saw the largest reduction in non-permanent residents since 2020, when border restrictions were in place. This group decreased by 61,111 as of April 1 to slightly more than 2.95 million residents, accounting for 7.1 per cent of the total population. But that number is down from the peak of 7.4 per cent seen Oct. 1, 2024. Story continues below advertisement 'The decrease in the number of non-permanent residents in the country is counter to the typical seasonal pattern of an increase in the first quarter,' the report says. The majority of the drop came from the 53,669 people holding study permits, with the biggest declines seen in Ontario and B.C., which have the highest number of permit holders. The data showed that those claiming asylum or considered protected persons and related groups increased in the first quarter, reaching a record high of 470,029. It's not just non-permanent residents that have seen a reduction, with the number of new immigrants admitted the smallest it's been in a first quarter in four years. A total of 104,256 immigrants were admitted as of April 1, which Statistics Canada says reflects the lower permanent immigration target announced by the federal government for 2025. Last fall, the federal Liberals announced they were reversing course on their plan to hold immigration targets steady for 2026, and said they would reduce the number of new permanent residents from 500,000 to 395,000 in 2025. While the agency notes immigration remains high, it was still lower than recent years, with every province and territory except Newfoundland, the Northwest Territories and Nunavut admitting fewer immigrants compared with the first quarter of 2024.
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Business Standard
05-06-2025
- Business
- Business Standard
Canada's new visa rule puts Indian students, workers at legal risk: Decoded
In a major policy update, Canada's immigration authority has redefined how maintained status applies to temporary residents filing multiple visa or permit applications. The move, announced by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) on May 28, could impact thousands of international students and workers — particularly from India. Until now, applicants could submit a second application to extend their stay if the first was at risk. Their legal status was protected during this time under a maintained status. That protection has now been removed. 'This change, which appears procedural on the surface, has major ramifications for international students and workers, notably those from India,' Zubin Morris, Partner at Little & Co told Business Standard. 'According to IRCC's clarification, if the initial application is refused, any second application—even if submitted in advance—will not be considered. Maintained status ends the moment the first refusal is issued,' he added. The same update also removed the option of applying for work or study permits at ports of entry, ending the practice of 'flagpoling'—where applicants briefly exit and re-enter Canada to fast-track permit renewals. 'Flagpoling has been a way for people to quickly change their status... This is inefficient and causes unnecessary congestion at border points,' said former immigration minister Marc Miller in December 2024. The clampdown aligns with broader efforts to reduce fraud and tighten controls. Last year, Canada scrapped Express Entry points for job offers backed by a Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) and granted officials the power to cancel or amend documents in the public interest. Part of a wider reset Canada had already announced a 5 per cent cut in its temporary resident population earlier this year. The number has fallen from around 485,000 to 430,000 in 2025. Another reduction is expected by 2027. 'This rule comes in the context of bigger reforms,' Praneet Singh, AVP – University Partnership at upGrad told Business Standard. 'There's a broader reset underway around the Post-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP), which has been a major draw for students. This also follows the November 2024 decision to phase out the Student Direct Stream (SDS) category due to pressure on public infrastructure.' Will it reduce abuse—or create new risks? Darshan Maharaja, a Canada-based immigration analyst, linked the new rule to rising refugee claims among non-permanent residents. 'The unintended effect might be more people rushing to file asylum claims within the one-year deadline,' he said. 'We saw nearly 500,000 temporary foreign workers enter Canada in just the first four months of 2025. By the end of 2024, over 300,000 asylum claims were pending. So this new rule may have limited impact—and could face legal challenges.' Sharp rise in student asylum claims IRCC data released on May 13 shows a notable rise in asylum claims filed by international students: 5,500 claims in the first quarter of 2025, up 22 per cent year-on-year 20,245 claims in 2024, nearly double the number in 2023 Sixfold increase compared to 2019 levels According to Global News, most claims in 2024 came from India, Nigeria, Guinea, Ghana, and the Democratic Republic of Congo. What Indian students should watch for Morris warned that the revised rule leaves little room for error. 'Students whose permits are near expiry must be precise with their first extension application. A mistake, missing document, or even a delay can now end their legal status—despite a second application being filed. For workers, it could mean immediate job loss and the need to apply for status restoration or leave Canada.' Singh added that students globally are rethinking their destination choices. 'With the US pausing visa interviews, the UK capping international numbers, and Australia tightening entry, students now want flexibility,' he said. 'That's where hybrid, multi-country pathways come in. At upGrad, we've seen nearly 40 per cent growth in interest for EU programmes—in countries like Germany, Finland, and France—since March this year.' 'It's clear students want a model that lets them adapt as policies change.'
Time of India
25-05-2025
- Business
- Time of India
Canada: PM Carney outlines immigration priorities in new mandate letter
Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney has issued a new mandate letter to his cabinet, emphasizing two key immigration priorities: reducing overall immigration to sustainable levels and attracting top global talent to support Canada 's economy. These objectives are among the top seven priorities for the federal cabinet moving forward, as per a report by CIC News. The mandate letter reiterates the Liberal government 's commitment to stabilizing permanent resident immigration levels, acknowledging that previous increases had placed strain on housing and public services. The government aims to admit 395,000 permanent residents in 2025, 380,000 in 2026, and 365,000 in 2027, aligning with the goal of keeping admissions below 1% of Canada's projected population of 41.5 million in 2025. In addition to managing immigration levels, the mandate letter highlights the importance of attracting skilled professionals to bolster critical sectors of the economy. Plans include updating the Global Skills Strategy to expedite work permit processing for eligible foreign workers and collaborating with provinces and territories to improve the recognition of foreign credentials and international work experience. Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like The Top 25 Most Beautiful Women In The World Articles Vally Undo According to the CIC News report, these initiatives build upon previous policy adjustments made under former Immigration Minister Marc Miller, which aimed to address affordability and housing concerns by scaling back both temporary and permanent resident admissions. (Join our ETNRI WhatsApp channel for all the latest updates)
Forbes
05-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Forbes
Travel Through The History Of An Influential Science Fiction RPG
The history of the Traveller role playing game, This Is Free Trader Beowulf, is not available in ... More print anf electronic formats. Marc Miller created the Traveller role playing game in 1977. It is often mentioned in the same breath as Dungeons & Dragons and Call of Cthulhu as a game that has influenced generations of gamers. It has seen many different adaptations and iterations in the 48 years of its existence. This week, Bundle of Holding is offering several deals to celebrate the game's May Day holiday. Several of the deals feature material from different points in the game's history. One of them is a real life history by one of tabletop gaming's most celebrated historians. Traveller is a game of deep space exploration and futuristic commerce. In a typical game, players are the crew of a small ship that flies the frontier, takes on cargo and gets into adventures. For players that have ever wanted to be Han Solo, Malcolm Reynolds, James Holden or Peter Quill, Traveller remains a top choice. One of the most interesting aspects of Traveller is the character creation. Players roll through a series of charts to build their characters, putting together a history, allies and enemies as the character comes together. In many versions it becomes a minigame of risk and reward because there's a chance that the character won't survive another term on the charts. Gaming historian Shannon Appelcline produced Designers & Dragons, a fantastic four volume set that covers the first four decades of tabletop roleplaying games. He applies his scholarly focus to Traveller in This is Free Trader Beowulf which details multiple versions of the game. It is currently available as a discount PDF deal on Bundle of Holding through May 7th, 2025. FEATURED | Frase ByForbes™ Unscramble The Anagram To Reveal The Phrase Pinpoint By Linkedin Guess The Category Queens By Linkedin Crown Each Region Crossclimb By Linkedin Unlock A Trivia Ladder The book traces its origins at Game Designers Workship which also created several other well known games in the 80s. At one point, Traveller was connected to the timelines of th companies other games such as 2300 AD or Twilight: 2000. It also tried to adapt to the changing science fiction landscape of the era with MegaTraveller. Traveller is a frequent feature on the Bundle of Holding website. Six bundles have been revived this week to celebrate the release of This is Free Trader Beowulf. These bundles show the evolution of the game as well as the industry. For example, FASA, one of the included bundles, began as a licensee producing ship blueprints and adventures for Traveller. The name is a reference to the 1933 Marx Brothers film Duck Soup as the letters stand for the Freedonian Air & Administration. FASA would go on to become a powerhouse in the industry in the late 80s, creating such games as Shadowrun and Battletech. Mongoose Publishing began putting out its edition of the game in 2008 with two bundles representing it in this offer. The essentials bundle contains the main rules, expansions and guidelines for building your own ship. Pirates of Drinax offers a freewheeling campaign where players recieve a ship in exchange for becoming the scoruge of space to help a planet win its freedon. The original designer hasn't left the game behind either. Marc Miller released Traveller5 as a take that leans into the harder aspects of science fiction. This is the version of the game for the physics fans and armchair astronauts. The light mechanics means the Traveller books in all these collection are easily compatible with one another. The game books are all available through the end of the week in digital format. The history book is available through May 7th, 2025.
