The Eye on Taiwan news media

Taiwanese applying for study, work permits or for permanent residence will be required to provide biometrics at the Canada Visa Application Center (VAC) in Taipei beginning December 31, according to the Canadian Trade Office in Taipei.

Applicants need to mark their fingerprints and have their photos taken at the Canada Visa Application Center, the office said, adding the requirement is mandatory.

Applicants must first pay the biometrics fees and complete the biometrics process before they can apply for the permits:

• Individual applicant: CAD $85
• Families applying at the same time: maximum total fee of CAD $170
• Groups of 3 or more performing artists and their staff who apply for work permits at the same time: maximum total fee of $CAD 255

If they apply online, after paying the fees, they will get a letter from VAC telling them where to go for appointments and give their biometrics. Applicants can also submit paper applications and pay the biometrics fees in person at the center where they can give their biometrics right away.

According to the office, the biometrics are good for 10 years and visitors applying for eTA for tourism and short-term visit, as well as those aged under 14 and over 79, do not need to give biometrics.

For applications submitted on or before November 1, 2018, the VAC will continue to provide services until February 1, 2019. During this period, the center will remain open for clients to collect their documents. The last date for collection of documents will be February 1, 2019. A Notification will be sent to applicants when documents are ready for collection, it said.

Applications received after 17:00 on November 1,  2018 must be prepared according to the new requirement. The office said if VAC receives a mail-in application after this time that was prepared according to the old requirement, it will hold up the processing of the application and may result in its return to the sender.

For applications received on or before November 1, 2018, the VAC will continue to return documents to clients at this VAC from November 2, 2018 until February 1, 2019. A notification will be sent when documents are ready for collection, it said.

For further information, please please http://www.Canada.ca/Immigration.

Meanwhile, according to a new survey, Canada is one of the best places in the world for new immigrants to live and work.

The survey by HSBC has ranked Canada as the fourth best country in the world for expats, behind Singapore, New Zealand, and Germany.

The global survey of 22,000 expats in 163 countries has asked a range of questions on the quality of life, financial well-being, and ease of raising a family.

Others in the top 10 countries for expats were Bahrain, Australia, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, and UAE.

For Canadian newcomers, 54 percent said they chose the country to improve their quality of life, while 24 percent came here looking to progress their careers.

Some 68 percent said they found Canada more welcoming than their home country, and 70 percent feel safer in Canada.

The survey results show seven in 10 expats who come to Canada find a better quality of life. It means they tend to stay, with a quarter of those surveyed have been here for 30 years or more.

A further 60 percent of those survey said they saw themselves becoming Canadian citizens.

Getting used to Canada’s weather was an important factor in whether expats felt at home here. Of those surveyed, some 56 percent said they felt at home within a year.

As other countries, including the U.S. and the U.K., succumb to protectionist politics, Canada stands out with its intention to welcome nearly 1 million new immigrants between 2018 and 2020.

Through innovative skilled worker immigration policies, Canada is setting about boosting its labor market by welcoming newcomers with the skills and experience it lacks.