in the Face of the pandemic, the French living in Canada or who were on the point of immigrating to worry about. Here is what is planned for the foreign nationals.

“The Covid-19 strike hard across the globe, across the country. And there is a need for everyone to do his part to combat this virus,” insisted Justin Trudeau in a short video, released on Twitter on march 24. After insisting on the motions of the barrier, the Prime minister of Canada, confined to his home since his wife has tested positive to the virus, has invited his fellow citizens to mobilize, “he said, ” flatten the curve”.

A reaction that many deem to be late, even if all provinces are not affected with the same intensity. Thus, at the date of 25 march, a total of 3385 cases of Covid-19 have been reported in Canada and 35 people have succumbed to the territory. Quebec currently has the most cases (1339), followed by Ontario (688), British Columbia (659) and Alberta (419). Six deaths were reported in Quebec, 13 in Ontario, 14 in British Columbia and 2 in Alberta.

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This global health crisis, which has resulted in the gradual closure of the border and a sudden halt in economic, rebat necessarily the cards of the international mobility and immigration. Since 18 march, the non-canadian does not have the possibility to enter the territory. However, the 20 march, Ottawa announced that “exemptions to the restrictions to air travel apply to foreign nationals who are already committed to work, study or settle in Canada” (see below). These came into force on 26 march, the detail is here.

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on The side of Quebec, where the provincial government took the lead and declared a state of sanitary emergency from the 13 march, the recruitment missions abroad have been suspended “as a precaution”. As well, the next Day Quebec, which were to be held in Paris on 13 and 14 June, will not take place.

For the French currently living in Canada or those who had planned to settle there in the next few weeks, the questions are many. “We had a wave of panic, as all the directives are not yet known, but things will regulate itself in the coming weeks, reassures Me Natacha Mignon, a lawyer specializing in immigration and co-founder of the firm Immétis. It is true that the situation is complicated, but the foreign nationals have not been left behind by the canadian authorities.” Here, according to the different cases, the measures provided for – at the moment – for the immigrants.

You have a temporary visa (work or studies) and you are in Canada

Careful not to let it expire your visa ! “There will be no automatic extension, remember Natasha Cute. You have to ask online, the renewal of your status prior to its expiration. And, given the inevitable extension of the period of treatment, I encourage the people to renew their visa even if it expires in three or four months.” Good to know : a temporary resident who has requested the extension of its status is allowed to remain in Canada until a decision is made on his new application, even if its initial status expires as he awaits this decision. This is what is called the “implied status”. It allows them to stay on the territory and in the exercise of his activity the time to get a new licence.

Good news also for the students which the educational institution is closed : the canadian authorities have indicated that the courses given exceptionally on-line due to the coronavirus “will have no impact on eligibility for the work permit post-graduation.” Also, be aware that if you are a student in Quebec and you benefit from the social coverage of the Régie de l’assurance maladie du Québec (RAMQ), you retain all of your social coverage (sickness and maternity) during the suspension period of your study cycle.

Finally, for the approximately 730 students who were in Canada in early march in the framework of a program of the Office franco-québécois pour la jeunesse, the agency has recommended (and helped organize) an early return for those whose purpose of stay was to be reached by June 30. For others, it is advisable to stay on-site to the extent that the health system in canada is of a level equivalent to that of France.

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On the other hand, the OFQJ has repeatedly emphasized to the trainees that they must be “able to provide for their needs if they decide not to return”. Gold for some young people in vocational training, for example, not only courses stopped, but they might also lose the “jobbine” that, in the limit of 20 hours per week, offered them an income. “It is necessary to arbitrate between his ability to stay until the wave passes, and the need to return if it considers the situation to be too risky from a financial point of view,” says Marianne Beseme, secretary-general of the OFQJ, who has put in place a dedicated page on its web site to answer the most frequently asked questions.

You are in Canada on a temporary visa in the near-term maturity, will you be able to return to France in the next few weeks ?

Air Canada and Air France have maintained connections between Montreal and Paris. Air Canada operates a daily flight between the two cities until further order, a decision welcomed by Isabelle Hudon, Canada’s ambassador in France. For its part, Air France has announced that on 24 march a provisional programme for the next four weeks : it provides three weekly flights between Paris and Montreal. On the other hand, the company Air Transat has already stopped his line of Québec-Paris and will suspend its flights from Montreal to Paris at the end of the month of march (last flight on 30 march from Montreal) and this until the 30th of April, bookings are still possible on the carrier’s website on march 26 and 27 (the price of the call, 355 euros), then he will have to go directly to the airport (ticket price at the counter : 450 euros). The opening of the flights with Air Transat at the start of the province, which should be sometime in April is for the moment postponed. As to Corsair, and Level, they have ceased their operations between France and Canada.

You are the holder of a temporary visa (work or studies) and you are currently outside of Canada

That all foreign residents, temporary (PVTistes, students, workers) gone on holiday or business trip at a time when Canada has closed its borders be reassured : they will eventually return to their country of adoption, to the condition, however, does not show symptoms of the disease (a check of the state of health of passengers is carried out prior to their flight). Upon arrival, it is also mandatory to be placed in isolation for fourteen days, even if you have no symptoms.

similarly, the temporary workers recruited for the agricultural sectors, food processing, processing of fish and seafood are allowed to enter on the canadian territory, because they are considered essential to the maintenance of an essential economic activity. They must also comply with an isolation period of fourteen days of their arrival in the country.

You are in Canada with a temporary work permit and your financial situation is compromised by the economic crisis

“The general principle of the employment insurance in Canada – knowing that there are exceptions – is that the holders of an open work permit and who have worked enough hours (their number varies in function of the regions and the local unemployment rate) can obtain unemployment benefits, but not the holders of a work permit is a closed (tied to a particular employer, editor’s NOTE), explains Natacha Cute. Because the criteria to qualify for employment insurance, it is to be available for work.” Nevertheless, in the case of the crisis of the COVID-19, a holder of a permit to a closed work who loses his job should be able to make a claim for benefits in the accompanying of a letter from his employer stating that the layoff is temporary and that a recall is being considered, says the firm Immétis.

exceptional aid have also been announced. At the federal level, the government had initially launched an “allocation for emergency care” and an “allocation of emergency support”. But before the aggravation of the situation, and the acceleration in the number of claims for benefits, Ottawa has decided on 25 march the creation of a Delivery canadian emergency.

Quebec city, meanwhile, has put in place, for its residents, the temporary assistance Program for workers (PATT COVID-19). It is “intended to provide financial assistance to meet the needs of workers who, because of isolation to counter the spread of the virus COVID-19, may not earn their full income from work and who are not eligible for other financial assistance program.” This award is $ 573 $ canadian per week, “for a period of 14 days of isolation”, with a possibility of extension.

You have received a visa for permanent job, and you were going to immigrate

on march 20, The government of Canada has made it known that “permanent resident applicants who were approved for permanent residence before the travel restrictions have been announced on 16 march 2020, but which were not yet made in Canada” will be able to do. This measure is effective from 26 march.

You have a PVT or a licence EIC, and you have to install it soon in Canada

once obtained, the WHP Canada has a validity period of twelve months : holders of this visa have a year to go to Canada and validate their licence from the date of issue of “letter of introduction” or “letter of correspondence”. “There are people whose letter expires, and who can’t make it in Canada because the borders are closed, recognizes Me Natasha Cute. I advise them to contact the authorities through the web form available to them explaining the situation.”

For other permit IEC (international Experience Canada) – this is the LIFE, the international co-op or the Young Professional – you should know if the company that should accommodate you is always able to do so. Agency, Business France, which manages the LIFE, has decided, for its part, “in agreement with the canadian authorities”, to postpone all the tasks of the youth Enançais the 1st of June. “If the purpose for which you just can not be done, it is better to stay in your country of citizenship, stresses Me Cute. And if your status expires due to time limits (these permits are also valid for a period of twelve months, editor’s NOTE), you can re-apply for a visa.”

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You have made an application for permanent residence via Express Entry

“No current request will not be closed or denied due to a lack of documentation or the inability to complete the application process in time, such as providing biometric data or submit to a medical examination for immigration purposes, when the displacements will again be allowed,” guarantees, on its website, the canadian ministry of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship. “The authorities continue to treat immigration applications, this is great news, welcomed Natasha Cute. I encourage people to continue to believe in Canada ! The country keeps its immigration programs, and he rapidly put in place special measures to ensure that foreign nationals are treated well and that the statutes have already been approved are to be respected.”