Quebec’s immigration department conducted a general draw through the Regular Skilled Worker Program in September, something it had never done before.
The September 8 draw did not require a job offer inside or outside Montreal, and it did not target any list of occupations. Simply, if a candidate was in the Arrima Expression of Interest pool with a score of 620 points or higher, they received one of 1,202 invitations.
That has not happened since the Ministry of Immigration, Francisation and Integration (MIFI) began issuing invitations in July 2019.
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Considering the province is in the grip of a chronic labour shortage, worsened by the Covid-19 pandemic, this lack of invitations is remarkable in itself.
But it also sends a clear message to immigration candidates considering Quebec: if you do not have skills and experience in quite a narrow list of occupations (think technology and healthcare), you will probably need a job offer to qualify.
Since July 4, 2019, 35 draws have been conducted by Quebec, and 34 of them have required candidates to either have a job offer or meet occupation requirements, aside from early invitations that went to candidates who had applied under the old first-come, first-served system.
It means that a highly skilled candidate of tangible worth to the Quebec economy, who happens not to be on the list of target occupations, will just sit in the Arrima pool waiting for an invitation.
That is unless they can secure a qualified job offer from a Quebec employer, and plenty of those are available.
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Statistics Canada’s latest jobs figures for July 2022 show 246,300 vacancies in Quebec, the second highest of any province behind Ontario’s 360,500. The difference is that Ontario receives thousands of Express Entry immigrants, whereas Quebec operates its own economic system for newcomers.
The main way to immigrate to Quebec is through the Regular Skilled Worker Program.
In May, Quebec announced it was going to welcome up to 71,275 new permanent residents this year, up more than 41.7 per cent from the 50,285 last year, in a bid to make up for immigrants who were unable to come to the province at the height of the pandemic.
But the governing Coalition Avenir Quebec (CAQ), set to keep power after Monday’s provincial election, says this number will return to the 50,000 range next year. This is despite calls from businesses throughout the province for increased immigration to make up for labour shortages.
With the CAQ holding on to power, it seems immigration candidates can expect more of the same in terms of immigration policy.
And that means the fastest way to get to Canada through Quebec is with a job offer.
How Immigration.ca Can Help
Through our sister operation, SkilledWorker.com, we can offer a comprehensive set of tools for job seekers.
Skilled Worker’s modular training package, the Employment Enhancement and Coaching Package (EECP), helps candidates find jobs in Canada.
EECP: Module 1
The first module teaches students how to prepare a Canadian-style resume and cover letter and develop a comprehensive database of prospective employers.
Recruiters spend under 7.5 seconds on the first page of each resume – and a poorly-formatted one with even a single serious job-hunting faux pas can quickly get trashed.
Even for seasoned job hunters, there can be many pitfalls when it comes to preparing a proper resume for a Canadian job because the “proper format” for a resume tends to change with the times and also from country to country.
The same applies to cover letters.
These provide additional information to employers, above and beyond what is in the resume. Effective cover letters highlight achievements, education and work experience. They must be well written to make the applicant stand out from the crowd.
SkilledWorker.com’s human resources experts help applicants produce winning resumes and cover letters tailored to Canadian opportunities.
The first module of the EECP provides a database of 350 leads of companies – with complete contact information – who are potentially hiring in the applicant’s chosen profession in Canada. This allows the student enrolled in the module to quickly develop a professional network and land a job.
EECP: Module 2
The second module of the EECP cranks the job-hunting skill level up a few notches and includes information on how to optimize a LinkedIn profile. This module also offers real-time coaching and customized online coaching to smooth out any wrinkles.
LinkedIn is one of the best networking tools available for professionals. The trick is to use it to develop a professional profile and branding to stand out on the social media platform.
Most headhunters and talent acquisition managers use LinkedIn to find their best candidates. It only takes a few seconds for them to screen suitable candidates and make a decision about who to contact for a first interview.
In this module, a team of experts helps job hunters target industries, get endorsements, create job alerts and much more during the coaching sessions.
Human resources experts take students step by step through the process during these coaching sessions and closely follow up on their progress, updating them on the current labour market and trends. By using proven strategies in customized online courses as well, job hunters can avoid costly mistakes.
EECP: Module 3
Perhaps the most exciting step in the EECP training is the third module, when all the hard work comes together with the creation of a visual CV, top-level and customized professional online courses on preparing for interviews.
The final version of the one-way video interview is then made available on the program’s platform for a full year for the student to use during his or her own job search.
This is the opportunity to develop invaluable skills such as:
- developing a commanding presence;
- raising verbal and non-verbal communication and presentation skills;
- building confidence;
- natural speaking with effective eye contact;
- audience interaction;
- speaking effectively from notes;
- setting a virtual stage and technical equipment, and;
- how to deliver complex information both verbally and non-verbally.
In addition to the online training, an extra database of potential employers is also provided to give the student the possibility of connecting with a total of 500 leads with e-mails during his or her job search.
The final part of the training prepares students for live interviews. It includes everything from preparing technical equipment for Zoom interviews to learning how to behave professionally and handle stressful interview questions.