New Saskatchewan Tech Talent Pathway: Province Targets 11 Jobs For Canada Immigration

Colin Singer
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New Saskatchewan Tech Talent Pathway: Province Targets 11 Jobs For Canada Immigration

Canada immigration news: A new Saskatchewan Tech Talent Pathway is targeting 11 high-demand technology occupations for Canada immigration.

In launching the Tech Talent Pathway, the Saskatchewan Immigrant Nominee Program (SINP) follows the likes of British Columbia, Ontario and Alberta in targeting specific occupations with labour shortages.

The new stream, which became active on March 7, 2022, allows candidates to apply directly to the SINP, or through the Express Entry system. It is aimed at candidates already working in the province, those already working elsewhere in Canada, or those applying from abroad.

Read More Canada Immigration News

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“As Saskatchewan emerges from the impacts of the global pandemic, our technology sector will be an important driver of economic growth,” Immigration and Career Training Minister Jeremy Harrison said. 

“The new Tech Talent Pathway provides our Saskatchewan employers with a dedicated stream for the attraction of highly skilled talent into our thriving technology sector.”

To be eligible, candidates must have a job offer in an eligible occupation, plus the require language skills, work experience, education and licensing (see below).

What Are The Requirements For The Saskatchewan Tech Talent Pathway?

Non-Express Entry

  • Work Experience
    • Applying from within Saskatchewan: Currently working in Saskatchewan and have worked full-time (30+ hours per week) for at least six months for the employer offering the job (in an eligible occupation). Candidate who have not been working for the supporting employer full-time for at least six months must have at least one-year of work experience in the occupation in the last five years.
    • Applying from inside or outside of Canada: One year of high-skilled related work experience in the past five years in the intended eligible occupation.
  • Language
    • If currently working for the employer offering the job, the employer assesses language ability.
    • If not currently working for the employer offering the job, have English and/or French language ability of Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) 5 or higher.
  • Licensing
    • Be eligible for Saskatchewan licensing (required for computer, software, electrical and electronics engineers).
  • Education
    • Post-secondary education relating to the job being offered.
  • Job Offer
    • Offer of an eligible permanent, full-time technology or innovation sector job in Saskatchewan.

Express Entry

Requirements are the same as non-Express Entry, except:

  • Have a valid Express Entry profile number and job seeker code.
  • Meet the federal Express Entry language requirements of English and/or French of Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) 7 or higher.

Saskatchewan Tech Talent Pathway: Eligible Occupations

NOC

Occupation Titles

0213

Computer and information systems managers

2133

Electrical and Electronics engineers

2147

Computer engineers (except software engineers and designers)

2171

Information System analysts and consultants

2172

Database analysts and data administrators

2173

Software engineers and designers

2174

Computer programmers and interactive media developers

2175

Web designers and developers

2281

Computer network technicians

2282

User support technicians

2283

Information system testing technicians

Bursaries, Tuition Breaks For Afghan Refugees From Canada Colleges And Universities

Colin Singer
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0
Bursaries, Tuition Breaks For Afghan Refugees From Canada Colleges And Universities

Canada immigration news: Afghans coming to Canada as refugees who want to attend college or university are being given breaks in some communities on their tuition, living expenses, books and even laptop computers and tablets.

On Twitter, Immigration Minister Sean Fraser announced Friday that 8,580 Afghan refugees had by then already arrived in Canada. 

“To help provide them with the skills to succeed, our country’s colleges and universities are helping break down financial barriers faced by many Afghan newcomers,” tweeted Fraser.

Read More Canada Immigration News

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In February alone, 176 privately-sponsored refugees and 1,095 government-assisted refugees arrived in Canada.

“Arrivals to date include refugees approved through the special immigration program for Afghans who assisted the government of Canada; privately-sponsored refugees; refugees referred by the United States, front-line defenders and the United Nations Refugee Agency,” notes Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC).

Canada Committed To Resettling 40,000 Afghan Nationals

In its latest immigration levels plan, Ottawa committed itself to resettle at least 40,000 Afghan nationals this year, as quickly as possible.

Canadian colleges and universities are stepping up to the plate and offering help to Afghans.

In mid-February, CDI College launched a special tuition bursary program for refugees, offering a 25 per cent break on tuition once the refugee student has graduated. That program also offers language training and job placement services for these students.

The program is expected to provide financial relief to dozens of Afghan refugees attending any of CDI’s more than 20 campuses across Canada through to the end of this year.

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“I got admitted to the web and mobile application development program and I am looking forward to a career in technology,” said one such Afghan refugee who enrolled at CDI. “There is a very good program of scholarships which helps you with your financial status.”

That student came to Canada with his wife and three children and they now live in Calgary, Alberta. 

At the University of Western Ontario, too, new scholarships for Afghan students cover tuition, fees, and living expenses of up to $100,000 during a four-year course of study.

“Afghan refugees have experienced trauma and upheaval unimaginable to most of us, and that includes an interruption to their studies,” said Glen Tigert, the university’s registrar. “As part of an international community, Western considers it both a privilege and a responsibility to help them rebuild their lives.”

Free Tuition and Fees For Five Afghan Students

That university is also funding two Afghan scholars through the Scholars at Risk network, and through the Scholar Rescue Fund. These are international organizations that work to offer a safe environment, support and financial assistance for academics facing persecution or threats to their lives in their home countries.

“We have a responsibility as global citizens to create opportunities for access to education and research, and to respond in times of dire need,” said Lise Laporte, senior director of Western International.

In September last year, London, Ontario’s Fanshawe College developed a new scholarship program to offer free tuition for five students from Afghanistan.

It covers the full cost of tuition and fees for five students to complete one post-secondary program each, as well as $500 per term for textbooks and supplies. 

“A number of refugees from Afghanistan have arrived in London and are now looking to build a new life in Canada,” said Janice Lamoureux, the college’s dean of students. “We know that access to post-secondary education can open up opportunities and we look forward to welcoming these students to Fanshawe.”

In Atlantic Canada, Mount Allison University is expected to welcome a young woman from Afghanistan to study in New Brunswick this autumn with the financial assistance of World University Services of Canada (WUSC), the university, and Mount Allison students.

“In 2021, WUSC put out a call to university chapters for assistance to support Afghan students affected by the crisis in that country through its student refugee program,” said WUSC volunteer Annie Martel.

“The focus is particularly on women and girls whose educational opportunities are greatly limited under Taliban rule.”

In Ontario, the Afghan Women’s Organization and Immigrant Services, a Toronto non-profit organization, partnered with a local tech company to provide 55 computers, tablets, and cellphones to newcomer families looking to study or work online. Donations of such devices are being accepted at six Ontario drop-off locations.

Immigration Officials Encourage Canadians To Support Afghan Refugees

The IRCC is encouraging Canadians to help Afghan refugees by donating online, volunteering to any of the various support networks, or sponsoring one of these refugees.

“I’m heartened to see Canadians across the country continue to support some of the world’s most vulnerable and I’m proud that our country’s colleges and universities are helping break down financial barriers faced by many Afghan newcomers,” said Fraser. 

“Be it language training, skills upgrades, or post-secondary studies, these opportunities will open doors for our new arrivals while helping Canada address our labour shortage and grow the economy.”

Canada, which has had private refugee sponsorship programs since the 1970s with the arrival of the Vietnamese boat people, has inspired many countries around the world to follow suit and implement similar programs.

Ottawa’s open arms to refugees from around the world have made it a world leader in the resettlement of refugees, says the United Nations Refugee Agency.

“Most refugees came to Canada with few, if any, financial resources, and often had to learn a new language and adapt to a new culture,” the United Nations agency has noted.

“Despite these challenges, the results show that refugees do not simply benefit from the safety Canada gives them. In fact, they embrace the opportunity that Canada provides to build a better life and become important contributors to the country’s economy and cultural diversity.” 

Start-Up Visa: How Immigrant-Founded Businesses Are More Likely To Expand And Create More Jobs

Colin Singer
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0
Start-Up Visa: How Immigrant-Founded Businesses Are More Likely To Expand And Create More Jobs

Canada immigration news: Businesses started by immigrants or their children account for more than a third of Canada’s entrepreneurship – and those immigrant-owned businesses tend to grow faster and create more jobs, reports the Innovation Economy Council.

In Relocation Nation: How Immigrant Tech Founders Boost Canadian Innovation, the organization reports these immigrants and their children create 34.7 per cent of all start-ups in Canada.

Read More Canada Immigration News

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That’s a bigger chunk of Canada’s start-up ecosystem fueled by immigrants than in most economies in the European Union, G7 or G20 countries.

“Immigrant-owned firms in Canada are younger on average than those owned by Canadian-born entrepreneurs, which means they tend to grow faster and have higher rates of job creation,” notes the Innovation Economy Council in that report.

Start-Up and Entrepreneur Programs Welcome 455 New Permanent Residents

“Also, research has shown that immigrant-owned businesses are more likely to enter global markets, and that immigrant entrepreneurs ‘can mobilize their diverse socio-cultural networks in helping to overcome market-size limitation and commercialize innovations in the world market, either through export or transnational new ventures.’”

Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) figures show 455 new permanent residents settled in Canada through Entrepreneur or Start-Up Visa (SUV) programs last year. 

The Innovation Economy Council thinks Canada should be doing more to attract entrepreneurs from around the world.

“Given their disproportionate economic potential, we need to work to attract and retain the most promising immigrant entrepreneurs and their ventures,” states the organization’s report. “With Canadian help and resources, they can scale up, attract capital and create jobs here for the benefit of all.”

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Canadian immigration officials agree.

Then-Immigration Minister Marco Mendicino demonstrated his enthusiasm for immigrant entrepreneurs last June in a tweet.

“Coming out of the pandemic, the clear message we are sending with the Start-up Visa Program is that Canada is open for business,” he tweeted.

Through the SUV program, Ottawa offers both the flexibility to start a wide variety of businesses and the opportunity to gain permanent residency in Canada for foreign nationals.

Start-Up Visa Criteria

To receive permanent residence in Canada, the following criteria must be met under the Start-Up Visa Program:

  • Applicants must be actively involved in the management of the business within Canada;
  • The operations of the business, or an essential part, must take place in Canada, and;
  • The business must be incorporated in Canada.

Canada’s Start-Up Visa program does not apply to applicants who intend to reside in the province of Quebec.

Successful candidates to the Canadian Start-Up Visa Program receive a letter of support from a government-designated entity (angel investor group, venture capital fund or business incubator). 

The government-designated entity is primarily responsible to determine the viability of the applicant’s intended business and present an approved project along with a Commitment Certificate to immigration authorities. Applications are assessed on a pass-fail basis. See the list of designated entities.

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Applicants to Canada’s Start-Up Visa program must meet four basic eligibility requirements:

  1. Have a qualifying business
  2. Obtain a commitment from a designated entity in the form of a Commitment Certificate and Letter of Support;
  3. Have sufficient unencumbered, available and transferable settlement funds, updated each year (the requirements are identical to those for skilled workers);
  4. Demonstrate sufficient proficiency in English or French through standardized testing (Canadian Language Benchmark level 5);

Designated Entities Must Invest In Or Welcome New Business Into Incubator Program

The required commitment from a designated entity must meet the following criteria:

  • A designated angel investor group must confirm that it is investing at least $75,000 CAD into the qualifying business, or two or more commitments from designated angel investor groups totaling $75,000 CAD, or;
  • A designated venture capital fund must confirm that it is investing at least $200,000 CAD into the qualifying business or two or more commitments from designated venture capital funds totaling $200,000 CAD, or;
  • A designated business incubator must confirm that it is accepting the applicant into its business incubator Program.

In order to qualify, the intended business must be incorporated and carrying on business in Canada at the time the commitment is made and:

  • The applicant owns a least 10 per cent of the voting rights in the corporation, and;
  • No other person holds 50 per cent or more of the total amount of voting rights in the corporation.

Up to five applicants may have their application for permanent residence supported by the same business investment. However, certain applicants may be designated essential to the intended business. If any of the essential applicants withdraw their application or are refused for other reasons, all other applicants under the same business investment will see their applications terminated.

Applicants who have secured a Commitment Certificate from a designated entity, and who wish to begin working in the business during the processing of their permanent residence application may apply for a short-term work permit on the basis of their Commitment Certificate if the designated entity supports such a request.

To receive a work permit, an applicant must provide:

  • A letter of support from the designated entity; and
  • Proof they have sufficient funds to meet the low-income cut-off (LICO) for their family size, for one year.

Applicants Must Manage The Business To Get Permanent Residence

To receive permanent residence, the following criteria must be met:

  • Applicants must be actively involved in the management of the business within Canada;
  • The operations of the business, or an essential part, must take place in Canada; and
  • The business must be incorporated in Canada.

Canada’s Start-Up Visa program does not apply to applicants who intend to reside in the province of Quebec.

Designated entities that may support an application under the Start-Up Visa program are:

Designated venture capital funds

Designated angel investor groups

Designated business incubators

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