Taking a COVID-19 test upon landing at their destination could reduce the quarantine tie for travellers flying into Ontario. Under a pilot program announced by Premier Doug Ford earlier this month, eligible travellers landing at the Toronto Pearson International Airport can now get a free COVID-19 test.  "With over 60,000 international passengers coming into Pearson airport every week, we can't take...

Immigration to Canada is still woefully below the healthy flow of immigrants seen before the COVID-19 global pandemic, but did rise to its highest level since June last year in November. In November, 15,275 new permanent residents came to Canada, up 1.6 per cent from the 15,030 in October.    The most recent immigration figures also show November was a stronger...

The mid-sized British Columbia city of Kelowna is now ranked the number one place for job hunters in Canada. As a second wave of COVID-19 ripped through Canada in the last few months of 2020, the West Coast province fared the best economically of all the big provinces in in the country. And Kelowna, a city with a population of just...

Manitoba immigration has issued 272 Letters of Advice to Apply in its first provincial draw of 2021 through the Manitoba Provincial Nominee Program. The January 14 draw saw LAAs issued through three MPNP streams. Skilled Workers in Manitoba received 236 LAAs, with the lowest-ranked candidates scoring 461 points. International Education Stream candidates received 29 LAAs. The remaining 7 LAAs went to Skilled Workers...

Ontario immigration has conducted a new draw through the Express Entry-linked French Speaking Skilled Worker stream, issuing 146 Notifications of Interest (NOIs). The January 13 Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program draw, saw 146 Notifications of Interest issued to candidates with Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) scores between 456 and 467. To qualify for the draw, candidates had to submit Express Entry profiles between...

A Randstad report has given Foreign nationals looking to move to Canada a glimpse into the Canadian jobs most likely to be in high demand in 2021. "For job seekers, skills related to e-commerce, computer science, security and healthcare will be most in-demand (this year)," reports Randstad Canada. Canada’s economy is healing from the massive impact of COVID-19, the global human...

Ontario immigration has issued 338 Notifications of Interest with a minimum Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score of 434 in its first draw of 2021 through the Express Entry Skilled Trades Stream. The January 13 draw targeted candidates with CRS scores in the range of 434 to 460. Candidates were required to have submitted Express Entry profiles into the federal pool within...

A new BC PNP Tech Pilot draw saw British Columbia immigration issue 80 invitations to skilled workers and international graduates.  The January 12 draw featured invitations through four streams of the British Columbia Provincial Nominee Program.  Minimum scores were 80 for all four streams. The featured streams were: SI – Skilled Worker SI – International Graduate EEBC – Skilled Worker EEBC...

Following a Superior Court ruling, Quebec’s immigration department has lifted its suspension of applications to 10 specific learning institutions for the Foreign Student Program. The Ministry of Immigration, Francisation and Integration (MIFI) announced on December 30, 2020, the temporary suspension of the receipt and processing of study permit applications for the 10 institutions, which were all being audited or investigated...

A senior figure at one of Canada’s top banks has urged governments and businesses to assist the seamless integration of newcomers, describing immigration as ‘a form of economic stimulus’. Dan Rees, group head of Canadian banking at Scotiabank, believes immigration can be a way out of the economic woe caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Writing in the Globe and Mail, Rees...