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Time of India
4 days ago
- Politics
- Time of India
Canada: Spike in refusals for express entry applications where spouse is shown as ‘non-accompanying'
Representative Image Canada's immigration agency is increasingly rejecting 'Express Entry' applications for permanent residency, or is issuing procedural fairness letters (PFLs) in cases where applicants have declared their spouse as 'non-accompanying' often with the intent of improving their Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score. In many instances, the spouse was already residing in Canada – working or studying. It is not just those outside Canada who can apply to become permanent residents under the Express Entry route – it is also open to those already in Canada such as on temporary work visas. Express Entry is Canada's point-based mechanism used to manage immigration applications for skilled workers who want to become permanent residents. Based on various parameters such as age, education, French language proficiency etc, candidates are given a Comprehensive Ranking Score (CRS). Post which, they are placed in the Express Entry pool and ranked relative to each other. Periodical draws are held and those attaining the cut-off CRS score get an invite to apply for permanent residency. When an individual applies without including his/her spouse ( shown as 'non-accompanying spouse'), the individual is assessed as a single applicant, which the point distribution system tends to favour. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Take a Look - How Watching Videos Can Boost Your Income TheDaddest Undo A single applicant can get up to 40 more points under the 'Core Human Capital' section because spouse-related sub-factors are not considered. Being a single applicant helps boost scores if the spouse's credentials (education, language, etc) are weak and would drag down the scores. Kubeir Kamal, a regulated Canadian immigration consultant (RCIC) told TOI, 'This tactic of declaring a spouse as 'non-accompanying' has unfortunately become widespread, particularly among applicants who are already residing in Canada with their spouse on temporary status (eg: one is on a closed work permit and the other is on an open spousal work permit). In such cases, Immigration Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) is rightly scrutinizing whether the spouse was ever genuinely intended to be excluded. ' Added Manish Kapoor, a regulated Canadian immigration consultant, 'IRCC has increasingly taken the position that if an applicant's spouse is physically present in Canada, it implies an intention to permanently reside. As such, declaring the spouse as non-accompanying may be interpreted as a misrepresentation under sections 16(1) and 40(1) of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act (IRPA), which require applicants to answer truthfully and prohibit the withholding of material facts. ' Kamal cautioned that if both partners are living and working in Canada, declaring a spouse as 'non-accompanying' without a valid and well-documented reason such as custody arrangements, or family obligations, can be seen as a deliberate misrepresentation, which in addition to refusal of the application can lead to a five-year ban from re-applying. 'If spouse is outside Canada, you may still list them as non-accompanying if it's truthful and justifiable—for instance, owing to custody of children or job obligations of the spouse in the home country. In this case, a strong letter of explanation and supporting evidence is required. Further, intentions must be aligned with the declaration: If you say they're non-accompanying, don't sponsor them immediately after landing!,' said Kamal. 'Historically, similar applications were approved without issue, raising concerns about consistency in decision-making in the application of policy. Many applicants argue that they have valid reasons for listing their spouses as non-accompanying and have provided clear explanations, yet refusals continue to rise. It will be important to watch how the Federal Court interprets the concept of an 'accompanying spouse,' particularly as an increasing number of applicants seek judicial review. The outcome of these cases may set a significant precedent for future immigration decisions,' added Kapoor.. Traditionally, India has been a top-source country for those getting invitations to apply for permanent residency under the Express Entry system. In 2023, nearly 52,100 Indians were invited to be permanent residents (bagging 47% of the total invites). Country-specific data for 2024 is not available. Of late, the modalities of the Express Entry mechanism have changed. All-program or general draws have become a rarity. Of late, IRCC has issued invitations to become permanent residents extensively based on category based Express Entry draws such as French‑language proficiency, Canadian Experience Class (CEC), Provincial Nominee Program (PNP), or occupational specific draws such as health‑care, education, and trades. Further, from March 25, candidates no longer earn additional Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) points for holding a valid job offer – this change was done to prevent fraud through illicit sales of 'Labour Market Impact Assessments'. Immigration experts point out that there are bonafide ways to improve the CRS score such as improving language results, obtaining proficiency in French or even by exploring PNP options.
Business Mayor
17-05-2025
- Business
- Business Mayor
Shein to set up huge Vietnam warehouse in US tariff hedge: Sources
Fast-fashion online retailer Shein is leasing a huge warehouse in Vietnam, two people familiar with the deal told Reuters, its first in the country, in a move that could reduce its exposure to unpredictable U.S.-China trade tensions. Shein, which was founded in China and sells products including $5 bike shorts and $18 sundresses, has agreed to lease nearly 15 hectares of industrial land for a warehouse near Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam's commercial and trading hub, the two sources said, declining to be identified because the information was not public. The online retailer, which almost entirely relies on China-based suppliers to make garments for the United States and other markets, has been caught in the crosshairs of a tit-for-tat China-U.S. trade war that threatens to upend global supply chains, despite a recent de-escalation. One of the sources and a third person said Shein had been looking to rent more storage space in Southern Vietnam in addition to the large warehouse – equivalent to about 26 football pitches – which would store clothing and apparel from contractors before export. Reuters could not establish where products housed in the leased warehouse would come from. The retailer has previously flagged plans to source some products from Turkey and Brazil, and Shein suppliers from its traditional production base in southern China have told Reuters they are losing orders to Vietnam as some Chinese manufacturers opened factories there. Read More Natural diamonds shine as prices dip Shein, which is seeking a London listing, did not respond to questions from Reuters about the leasing of the warehouse space. It had previously denied it was shifting production capacity out of China. The area around Ho Chi Minh City hosts an international airport, Vietnam's largest port for imports from China and another port that handles most seaborne exports to the United States. Under a U.S. threat of punitive tariffs, Vietnam is cracking down on some imports from China, which Washington has said have for long been illegally rerouted through Vietnam to the United States to avoid higher duties. Reuters had no access to the details of the warehouse lease and could not establish whether Shein would be able to revise its plans should U.S.-China trade tensions de-escalate further, reducing the appeal of diversification overseas. Given the ongoing instability of the situation, however, analysts say Shein has little choice but to reduce its reliance on China. 'It would be dangerous for them not to diversify,' said Manish Kapoor, CEO and founder of e-commerce supply chain solutions firm Growth Catalyst Group. ARMY OF SUPPLIERS The fashion giant has built in China a formidable army of suppliers who can turn out crop tops and other fast fashion for a few yuan apiece to feed demand for cheap clothing from Gen Z consumers around the world. Shein has said it is expanding its network of contractors in China and is also investing 10 billion yuan ($1.37 billion) in industrial projects in the south of the country, including a $500 million supply chain hub near Guangzhou. The first phase of that hub, currently under construction, will span about 49 hectares, around the size of Vatican City. Read More Purple Style Labs raises $40 mn in series E Shein became a behemoth selling more than $30 billion worth of goods annually on a foundation of cheap prices and advantageous trade rules, such as the U.S. 'de minimis' exemption that allowed duty-free entry for low-cost imports worth $800 or less. The Trump administration scrapped that exemption for Chinese products on May 2, effectively exposing Shein's packages to a levy of 120%, before the U.S. agreement with Beijing earlier this week reduced the duties to 54% on parcels worth $800 or less, and to 30% for low-value commercial shipments. The U.S.-China thaw has caused concern in countries benefiting from those tensions, but current U.S. levies on Beijing keep Vietnam competitive as shipments from China's neighbour still enjoy duty-free treatment if they are worth $800 or below. The reprieve could be short-lived, however. Kapoor says he is advising clients not to rely on drop-shipping 'de minimis' imports from anywhere as a core part of their logistics strategy. 'We're advising people to expect that this 'de minimis' exemption could be gone completely [before long],' he said. Vietnam's other exports to the U.S. face a 10% tariff until July when the levy would rise to 46% if Hanoi does not otherwise reach an agreement with the White House.
RTÉ News
16-05-2025
- Business
- RTÉ News
Shein to set up huge Vietnam warehouse in US tariff hedge, sources say
Fast-fashion online retailer Shein is leasing a huge warehouse in Vietnam, two people familiar with the deal told Reuters, its first in the country, in a move that could reduce its exposure to unpredictable US-China trade tensions. Shein, which was founded in China and sells products including $5 bike shorts and $18 sundresses, has agreed to lease nearly 15 hectares of industrial land for a warehouse near Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam's commercial and trading hub, the two sources said, declining to be identified because the information was not public. The online retailer, which almost entirely relies on China-based suppliers to make garments for the US and other markets, has been caught in the crosshairs of a tit-for-tat China-US trade war that threatens to upend global supply chains, despite a recent de-escalation. One of the sources and a third person said Shein had been looking to rent more storage space in Southern Vietnam in addition to the large warehouse - equivalent to about 26 football pitches - which would store clothing and apparel from contractors before export. Reuters could not establish where products housed in the leased warehouse would come from. The retailer has previously flagged plans to source some products from Turkey and Brazil, and Shein suppliers from its traditional production base in southern China have told Reuters they are losing orders to Vietnam as some Chinese manufacturers opened factories there. Shein, which is seeking a London listing, did not respond to questions from Reuters about the leasing of the warehouse space. It had previously denied it was shifting production capacity out of China. The area around Ho Chi Minh City hosts an international airport, Vietnam's largest port for imports from China and another port that handles most seaborne exports to the US. Under a US threat of punitive tariffs, Vietnam is cracking down on some imports from China, which Washington has said have for long been illegally rerouted through Vietnam to the United States to avoid higher duties. Reuters had no access to the details of the warehouse lease and could not establish whether Shein would be able to revise its plans should US-China trade tensions de-escalate further, reducing the appeal of diversification overseas. Given the ongoing instability of the situation, however, analysts say Shein has little choice but to reduce its reliance on China. "It would be dangerous for them not to diversify," said Manish Kapoor, CEO and founder of e-commerce supply chain solutions firm Growth Catalyst Group. The fashion giant has built in China a formidable army of suppliers who can turn out crop tops and other fast fashion for a few yuan apiece to feed demand for cheap clothing from Gen Z consumers around the world. Shein has said it is expanding its network of contractors in China and is also investing 10 billion yuan ($1.37 billion) in industrial projects in the south of the country, including a $500m supply chain hub near Guangzhou. The first phase of that hub, currently under construction, will span about 49 hectares, around the size of Vatican City. Shein became a behemoth selling more than $30 billion worth of goods annually on a foundation of cheap prices and advantageous trade rules, such as the US "de minimis" exemption that allowed duty-free entry for low-cost imports worth $800 or less. The Trump administration scrapped that exemption for Chinese products on May 2, effectively exposing Shein's packages to a levy of 120%, before the US agreement with Beijing earlier this week reduced the duties to 54% on parcels worth $800 or less, and to 30% for low-value commercial shipments. The US-China thaw has caused concern in countries benefiting from those tensions, but current US levies on Beijing keep Vietnam competitive as shipments from China's neighbour still enjoy duty-free treatment if they are worth $800 or below. The reprieve could be short-lived, however. Kapoor says he is advising clients not to rely on drop-shipping "de minimis" imports from anywhere as a core part of their logistics strategy. "We're advising people to expect that this "de minimis" exemption could be gone completely [before long]," he said. Vietnam's other exports to the US face a 10% tariff until July when the levy would rise to 46% if Hanoi does not otherwise reach an agreement with the White House.
New Straits Times
16-05-2025
- Business
- New Straits Times
Shein to set up huge Vietnam warehouse in US tariff hedge, sources say
HANOI/SHANGHAI: Fast-fashion online retailer Shein is leasing a huge warehouse in Vietnam, two people familiar with the deal told Reuters, its first in the country, in a move that could reduce its exposure to unpredictable US-China trade tensions. Shein, which was founded in China and sells products including US$5 bike shorts and US$18 sundresses, has agreed to lease nearly 15 hectares of industrial land for a warehouse near Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam's commercial and trading hub, the two sources said, declining to be identified because the information was not public. The online retailer, which almost entirely relies on China-based suppliers to make garments for the United States and other markets, has been caught in the crosshairs of a tit-for-tat China-US trade war that threatens to upend global supply chains, despite a recent de-escalation. One of the sources and a third person said Shein had been looking to rent more storage space in Southern Vietnam in addition to the large warehouse - equivalent to about 26 football pitches - which would store clothing and apparel from contractors before export. Reuters could not establish where products housed in the leased warehouse would come from. The retailer has previously flagged plans to source some products from Turkey and Brazil, and Shein suppliers from its traditional production base in southern China have told Reuters they are losing orders to Vietnam as some Chinese manufacturers opened factories there. Shein, which is seeking a London listing, did not respond to questions from Reuters about the leasing of the warehouse space. It had previously denied it was shifting production capacity out of China. The area around Ho Chi Minh City hosts an international airport, Vietnam's largest port for imports from China and another port that handles most seaborne exports to the United States. Under a US threat of punitive tariffs, Vietnam is cracking down on some imports from China, which Washington has said have for long been illegally rerouted through Vietnam to the United States to avoid higher duties. Reuters had no access to the details of the warehouse lease and could not establish whether Shein would be able to revise its plans should U.S.-China trade tensions de-escalate further, reducing the appeal of diversification overseas. Given the ongoing instability of the situation, however, analysts say Shein has little choice but to reduce its reliance on China. "It would be dangerous for them not to diversify," said Manish Kapoor, CEO and founder of e-commerce supply chain solutions firm Growth Catalyst Group. ARMY OF SUPPLIERS The fashion giant has built in China a formidable army of suppliers who can turn out crop tops and other fast fashion for a few yuan apiece to feed demand for cheap clothing from Gen Z consumers around the world. Shein has said it is expanding its network of contractors in China and is also investing 10 billion yuan (US$1.37 billion) in industrial projects in the south of the country, including a US$500 million supply chain hub near Guangzhou. The first phase of that hub, currently under construction, will span about 49 hectares, around the size of Vatican City. Shein became a behemoth selling more than US$30 billion worth of goods annually on a foundation of cheap prices and advantageous trade rules, such as the US "de minimis" exemption that allowed duty-free entry for low-cost imports worth US$800 or less. The Trump administration scrapped that exemption for Chinese products on May 2, effectively exposing Shein's packages to a levy of 120 per cent, before the US agreement with Beijing earlier this week reduced the duties to 54 per cent on parcels worth US$800 or less, and to 30 per cent for low-value commercial shipments. The US-China thaw has caused concern in countries benefiting from those tensions, but current U.S. levies on Beijing keep Vietnam competitive as shipments from China's neighbour still enjoy duty-free treatment if they are worth US$800 or below. The reprieve could be short-lived, however. Kapoor says he is advising clients not to rely on drop-shipping "de minimis" imports from anywhere as a core part of their logistics strategy. "We're advising people to expect that this "de minimis" exemption could be gone completely [before long]," he said. Vietnam's other exports to the US face a 10 per cent tariff until July when the levy would rise to 46 per cent if Hanoi does not otherwise reach an agreement with the White House.
Business of Fashion
15-05-2025
- Business
- Business of Fashion
Shein to Set up Huge Vietnam Warehouse in US Tariff Hedge, Reuters Reports
Fast-fashion online retailer Shein is leasing a huge warehouse in Vietnam, two people familiar with the deal told Reuters, its first in the country, in a move that could reduce its exposure to unpredictable US-China trade tensions. Shein, which was founded in China and sells products including $5 bike shorts and $18 sundresses, has agreed to lease nearly 15 hectares of industrial land for a warehouse near Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam's commercial and trading hub, the two sources said, declining to be identified because the information was not public. The online retailer, which almost entirely relies on China-based suppliers to make garments for the United States and other markets, has been caught in the crosshairs of a tit-for-tat China-US trade war that threatens to upend global supply chains, despite a recent de-escalation. One of the sources and a third person said Shein had been looking to rent more storage space in Southern Vietnam in addition to the large warehouse — equivalent to about 26 football pitches — which would store clothing and apparel from contractors before export. ADVERTISEMENT Reuters could not establish where products housed in the leased warehouse would come from. The retailer has previously flagged plans to source some products from Turkey and Brazil, and Shein suppliers from its traditional production base in southern China have told Reuters they are losing orders to Vietnam as some Chinese manufacturers opened factories there. Shein, which is seeking a London listing, did not respond to questions from Reuters about the leasing of the warehouse space. It had previously denied it was shifting production capacity out of China. The area around Ho Chi Minh City hosts an international airport, Vietnam's largest port for imports from China and another port that handles most seaborne exports to the United States. Under a US threat of punitive tariffs, Vietnam is cracking down on some imports from China, which Washington has said have for long been illegally rerouted through Vietnam to the United States to avoid higher duties. Reuters had no access to the details of the warehouse lease and could not establish whether Shein would be able to revise its plans should US-China trade tensions de-escalate further, reducing the appeal of diversification overseas. Given the ongoing instability of the situation, however, analysts say Shein has little choice but to reduce its reliance on China. 'It would be dangerous for them not to diversify,' said Manish Kapoor, CEO and founder of e-commerce supply chain solutions firm Growth Catalyst Group. ADVERTISEMENT Army of Suppliers The fashion giant has built in China a formidable army of suppliers who can turn out crop tops and other fast fashion for a few yuan apiece to feed demand for cheap clothing from Gen-Z consumers around the world. Shein has said it is expanding its network of contractors in China and is also investing 10 billion yuan ($1.37 billion) in industrial projects in the south of the country, including a $500 million supply chain hub near Guangzhou. The first phase of that hub, currently under construction, will span about 49 hectares, around the size of Vatican City. Shein became a behemoth selling more than $30 billion worth of goods annually on a foundation of cheap prices and advantageous trade rules, such as the US 'de minimis' exemption that allowed duty-free entry for low-cost imports worth $800 or less. The Trump administration scrapped that exemption for Chinese products on May 2, effectively exposing Shein's packages to a levy of 120 percent, before the US agreement with Beijing earlier this week reduced the duties to 54 percent on parcels worth $800 or less, and to 30 percent for low-value commercial shipments. The US-China thaw has caused concern in countries benefiting from those tensions, but current US levies on Beijing keep Vietnam competitive as shipments from China's neighbour still enjoy duty-free treatment if they are worth $800 or below. The reprieve could be short-lived, however. Kapoor says he is advising clients not to rely on drop-shipping 'de minimis' imports from anywhere as a core part of their logistics strategy. 'We're advising people to expect that this 'de minimis' exemption could be gone completely [before long],' he said. Vietnam's other exports to the US face a 10 percent tariff until July when the levy would rise to 46 percent if Hanoi does not otherwise reach an agreement with the White House. ADVERTISEMENT By Francesco Guarascio and Casey Hall; Edited by Kate Mayberry Learn more: Shein Lowers Prices to Lure Back US Shoppers After Tariff Cut Shein reduced its US retail prices after a temporary cut in US tariffs on Chinese imports, aiming to regain customers who were deterred by previous price increases.
