By Lesley Love » The Canadian Experience Class (CEC) is a new permanent resident category introduced for foreign nationals who have gained work and/or educational experience in Canada. Implemented in November 28, 2008, the CEC may be used by Canadian employers to shift temporary foreign workers to permanent residency.

This new class allows certain temporary foreign workers and students to apply for permanent residence.

Are you feeling the pinch of the economic downturn? You don’t have to compromise your lifestyle to save up to thousands of dollars each year.

By Archie D’Cruz » Everybody loves a good deal, especially in belt-tightening times like the ones we find ourselves in right now. With the economy going south and the forecast being for even tougher months ahead, there has never been a better time to put the squeeze on your spending.

The one upside of the current recession is that it has come in the Internet Age – making it easier than ever to save big without compromising your lifestyle. Featured below are our 20 top tips to stretch your dollar to the max.

1. Coupon sites make savings a snip. A number of sites have sprung up in recent years that allow you to access coupons for brand-name products that you probably already use. The added advantage over coupons that you receive along with your community newspaper is that, when on the website, you can type in the name of the products you use and see if there are savings available. Some sites, like frugalshopper.ca, offer printable coupons, others like save.ca will mail you the coupons you request. Also check out canadianfreestuff.ca and canadianshoppingdeals.com for more coupon links.

By Lesley Love » On November 28, 2008, the Minister of Citizenship and Immigration Canada issued Ministerial Instructions which identified applications that will be given priority processing for permanent residency, and which set out a new occupations list for the Federal Skilled Worker Program

Changes to the Federal Skilled Worker Program had been announced some time ago and were implemented late in 2008. The regular Federal Skilled Worker Permanent Resident Program, which relied on the accumulation of assessment points, has been significantly altered.

By Cheryl Antao-Xavier » Success – not always an easy trip – can be a bumpier ride for an immigrant starting afresh in Canada.

Apart from the obvious challenges, such as having to adjust to life in a new country, there are numerous other obstacles that have to be overcome. But stay the course, and there’s no telling how far you can go.