AAIP Express Entry draw sees 134 NOIs issued with lowest required CRS score this year

Colin Singer
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AAIP Express Entry draw sees 134 NOIs issued with lowest required CRS score this year

In the Alberta Advantage Immigration Program (AAIP) Express Entry draw with the lowest Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score required so far this year, Alberta issued 134 Notifications of Interest (NOI) on Thursday to 134 candidates.

Read more:

Employers are looking for sales professionals and eyeing foreign nationals to fill those Canadian jobs

Report reveals IRCC’s staffing level more than enough to process applications quickly

MPNP issues 597 LAAs to candidates in March 9 draw

In the March 9 draw, candidates needed a minimum CRS score of 301. That’s the lowest CRS score under an Alberta Express Entry draw since Oct. 26, 2021, almost a year and a half ago.

Alberta premier is bullish on immigration to the province

Last year, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) set the limit for nominations for the AAIP at 9,750 for the year. 

So far this year, the Prairie province has issued 1,292 nominations.  

But Alberta Premier Danielle Smith is hoping to greatly increase immigration to her province and wants the number of nominations allowed to Alberta to rise by almost 67 per cent by the end of 2025.

“Alberta is still calling,” the premier wrote on her LinkedIn page. 

“Right now there are over 100,000 job vacancies to fill in Alberta. We need more skilled workers to keep our economy firing on all cylinders!”

Under the stream, foreign nationals must have stated an interest in immigrating permanently to the province, working in an occupation which supports Alberta’s economic development and diversification and have family ties to the province.

Alberta Express Entry 2023 Draws

Draw Date NOI Letters Sent CRS Score of Lowest-Ranked Candidate
09-03-23 134 301
16-02-23 100 357
23-01-23 154 385
19-01-23 46 324

The province currently has 1,490 applications pending under the Alberta Opportunity Stream and 450 under the Alberta Express Entry Stream.

Applications for 10 occupations may take longer to process due to high volumes

Alberta says a high number of AAIP applications have been received in the following occupations, meaning they may take longer to process:

  • 62020 – food service supervisors
  • 62010 – retail sales supervisors
  • 63200 – cooks
  • 13110 – administrative assistants
  • 21231 – software engineers and designers
  • 42202 – early childhood educators and assistants
  • 21222 – information systems specialists
  • 60020 – retail and wholesale trade managers
  • 73300 – transport truck drivers
  • 60030 – restaurant and food service managers

In order to be eligible to receive a notification of interest, candidates must:

  • have an active Express Entry profile in the federal Express Entry pool;
  • have stated an interest in immigrating permanently to Alberta;
  • be working in an occupation that supports Alberta’s economic development and diversification, and;
  • have a minimum CRS score of 300 points.

Bill C-41 would let Canadian humanitarian agencies operate in Afghanistan

Colin Singer
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0
Bill C-41 would let Canadian humanitarian agencies operate in Afghanistan

Afghans hoping to flee the Taliban and come to the safety of Canada as refugees may soon be able to get more help from Canadian humanitarian agencies under a proposed bit of legislation, Bill C-41, that would exempt them from a law that currently risks them being flagged for supporting terrorism.

Read more:

MPNP issues 597 LAAs to candidates in March 9 draw

Express Entry Labour draw on Prince Edward Island sees 46 ITAs sent

Express Entry draws in New Brunswick issued 144 Invitations to Apply in February

Since falling to the Taliban in the summer of 2021, a reported 35 million Afghans have been displaced, an estimated 80 per cent of whom are women and children. Roughly one million children are thought to be at risk of starving to death. 

IRCC data shows 28,285 Afghans have come to Canada since Taliban’s takeover of Afghanistan

“The message delivered by Afghans, aid groups and witnesses before Parliament is clear,” Public Safety Minister Marco Mendicino has reportedly said.

“The situation in Afghanistan is dire.”

Ottawa has made a commitment to resettle at least 40,000 vulnerable Afghans by the end of this year. So far, Canada has welcomed 28,285 Afghan refugees since August 2021 when the Taliban took over control of Afghanistan.

The latest data from Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC), dated March 9, reveals those refugees include:

  • 9,645 under the Special Immigration Measures Program for Afghans;
  • 15,675 under Canada’s humanitarian program, and; 
  • 1,185 under the permanent residence pathway for extended family members of former interpreters in Afghanistan. 

But there’s a snag in Canada’s efforts to welcome Afghans who want to flee their homeland.

Under the Criminal Code of Canada, it is currently illegal for any Canadian or person in Canada to make or authorize payments to a terrorist organization.

Humanitarian organizations in Afghanistan flagged as supporting terrorism under existing law

That leaves humanitarian groups hoping to operate in Afghanistan in a bind because the country is currently ruled by a terrorist organization, the Taliban.

“The Taliban, as the de facto authority in Afghanistan, is likely to receive revenue from any payments, such as taxes, import tariffs, airport and administrative fees, which may be necessary to support international assistance and conduct immigration activities,” states Public Safety Canada on its website.

Unable to pay the fees, taxes and tariffs necessary in Afghanistan without contravening the current anti-terrorist financing laws in Canada, many humanitarian groups have simply pulled out of the country.

Ottawa is hoping to fix that situation with Bill C-41.

It was introduced in the House of Commons on March 9 to amend one of the Criminal Code’s anti-terrorist financing offences and allow the delivery of much-needed international assistance, immigration activities, and other assistance in regions controlled by terrorist groups. 

Under the proposed changes to the law, Public Safety, Foreign Affairs and the IRCC are to assess applications and ensure proper security reviews are undertaken. 

The proposed changes would include:

  • requirements for a ministerial review of the regime after five years;
  • a provision for information-sharing between departments and agencies for the purpose of a security review that must be conducted before an authorization can be granted;
  • the possibility of a judicial review if an authorization is not granted, and;
  • protection from disclosure of sensitive information during a judicial review.

Immigration from Afghanistan jumped 177 per cent last year as refugees fled the country

Bill C-41 would allow humanitarian organizations to make payments for:

  • local personnel for translation services and form-filling support;
  • transportation, such as fuel taxes and airport fees; and
  • temporary accommodations and meals inside Afghanistan.

“The amendments would create a new authorization scheme that would allow those that provide humanitarian and other critical assistance, to apply for an authorization that would shield them from the risk of criminal liability,” notes Public Safety Canada.

Immigration from Afghanistan spiked by 177 per cent last year to hit 23,735 new permanent residents from that country as Canada pulled out all the stops to welcome refugees from that country. IRCC data reveals. 

That was up 15,165 people from the 8,570 new permanent residents to Canada from Afghanistan in 2021.

The meteoric rise in immigration from Afghanistan is all the more startling when last year’s performance is compared to the immigration level prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, in 2019.

In those three years, immigration from Afghanistan to Canada has soared by 508.6 per cent.

Employers are looking for sales professionals and eyeing foreign nationals to fill those Canadian jobs

Colin Singer
-
0
Employers are looking for sales professionals and eyeing foreign nationals to fill those Canadian jobs

Sales professionals are in hot demand in Canada as employers scramble to fill jobs begging for a want of suitable candidates in the wake of the post-COVID-19 economic boom, creating opportunities for foreign nationals to immigrate through the country’s Express Entry system.

“In 2023, sales and marketing professionals are facing extreme shifts in the way they work,” says human resources giant Randstad.

Read more:

MPNP issues 597 LAAs to candidates in March 9 draw

Express Entry Labour draw on Prince Edward Island sees 46 ITAs sent

Express Entry draws in New Brunswick issued 144 Invitations to Apply in February

“Many companies transitioned to remote work during the pandemic. After markets reopened, employers allowed their teams to continue working from home. As a result, teleworking is now seen as a natural privilege for industry professionals. 

“Technology also continues to be a major driver in sales and marketing. As more businesses deploy advanced systems, it creates a growing demand for tech-savvy workers. Employers are looking for candidates with the experience and skills to leverage digital tools and platforms to track and improve performance on all fronts.”

Sales pros can immigrate to Canada through the Federal Skilled Worker program

In its Best Sales and Marketing Jobs in Canada for 2023 report on its website, Randstad lists 10 sales and sales-related occupations that are going to be hot in Canada this year. 

They are, with their corresponding National Occupational Classification (NOC) codes:

  • Sales Associate (NOC 64100)
  • Marketing Coordinator (NOC 11202)
  • Account Manager (NOC 11102)
  • Store/Territory/Branch Managers (NOC 60020)
  • Product Managers (NOC 60010)
  • Account Executives (NOC 11201)
  • Sales Manager (NOC 62010)
  • Digital Marketing Specialists (NOC 11202
  • Technical Sales Representatives (NOC 62100)
  • SEO Specialists (NOC 21234)

The opportunities are certainly out there. The Indeed.ca job-hunting website lists more than 33,100 results for a sales job search. 

“As you look closer at our list of most in-demand jobs in the sales and marketing sector for 2023, you’ll see new roles, such as sales associates, marketing coordinators and sales managers,” notes Randstad.

“Positions such as account managers, branch managers and product managers are also in high demand for 2023. Remaining on our list of top jobs from last year are the roles of account executives, digital marketing specialists, technical sales representatives and SEO specialists.”

Ottawa’s Jobbank job-hunting and career-planning website forecasts there will be 149,200 new positions for sales clerks alone in Canada during the decade starting this year and another 95,700 for sales supervisors.

Salaries for sales occupations vary significantly depending on the exact nature of the position and also because base salaries are often heavily incentivised with commissions, depending on the agreement between the employee and the employer.

“The average entry-level salary for sales and marketing workers is $67,300 per year, whereas the highest-performing sales and marketing professionals earn an average of $129,400 annually,” notes Randstad.

Mid-level sales position come with average annual salary of $90,000

“Mid-level positions earn an average annual salary of $90,000. It’s important to note that some sales professionals work on commission, so their overall pay depends on their ability to finalize sales.”

With the role of the sales professional changing greatly due to the work-from-home trend and the arrival of more powerful and sophisticated computer-based technologies, there is a great deal of variety in the actual work done by these employees.

While a retail sales rep might sell, rent or lease a range of technical and non-technical goods and services directly to consumers and is usually employed by a store or wholesale business that sells on a retail basis to the public, the SEO specialist has a very different job.

These experts use a variety of techniques and strategies to modify websites to ensure consumers are most likely to land on their employers’ e-commerce websites and buy those products. They analyze users’ needs to implement content, graphics, performance, and website capacity modifications.

There are no Canada-specific requirements for jobs in sales, given the broad range of positions that are covered but with communication being a central part of the job, a strong ability in at least one of Canada’s official languages is a must.

Foreign nationals hoping to gain their permanent residency in Canada can seize the opportunities offered by the current tight labour market to immigrate through the country’s many economic immigration programs.

Express Entry applicants’ profiles are ranked according to the CRS 

With the arrival in effect of the National Occupational Classification 2021 on Nov. 16 last year, the jobs of marketing coordinator, store and territory manager, product manager, and account executive are all eligible occupations under the Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSW). 

It’s one of three Express Entry system programs through which immigrants can apply for permanent residency online if they meet the eligibility criteria. The other two such Express Entry programs are the Federal Skilled Trades Program (FST) and Canada Experience Class Program (CEC).

There are also participating provincial immigration programs which use the Express Entry system.

Candidates’ profiles are ranked against each other according to a points-based system called the Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS). The highest-ranked candidates will be considered for an Invitation to Apply (ITA) for permanent residence. Those receiving an ITA must quickly submit a full application and pay processing fees, within a delay of 90 days.

Through a network of Provincial Nominee Programs (PNP), almost all of Canada’s ten provinces and three territories can also nominate skilled worker candidates for admission to Canada when they have the specific skills required by local economies. Successful candidates who receive a provincial or territorial nomination can then apply for Canadian permanent residence through federal immigration authorities.

Canadian employers can also recruit and hire foreign nationals through the Temporary Foreign Worker Program (TFWP) and the International Mobility Program (IMP).

The Global Talent Stream (GTS), a part of the TFWP, can under normal processing situations lead to the granting of Canadian work permits and processing of visa applications within two weeks.

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