Parents And Grandparents Program: Families Reunited In Canada In Record Numbers

Colin Singer
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Parents And Grandparents Program: Families Reunited In Canada In Record Numbers

Canada immigration news: Families are being reunited in Canada through the Parents and Grandparents Program (PGP) in such high numbers that it is almost certain to far exceed its target under the Immigration Levels Plan 2022-2024.

Under that immigration plan, Ottawa was hoping to bring in 25,000 parents and grandparents to the country under the PGP this year and then raise the target to 28,500 new permanent residents next year. 

But Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) data for the first seven months of this year reveals Canada is likely going to welcome 29,091 new permanent residents under the PGP this year – or more than targeted for either this year or 2023.

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That projection is based on the current trend which has seen 16,970 new permanent residents to Canada under that program in the first seven months of this year continuing throughout the rest of 2022.

In the first seven months of this year, the trend has been for gradually more new permanent residents to come to Canada through the PGP.

At the start of 2022, only 1,300 new permanent residents came to Canada under the PGP in January but that rose to 1,680 the following month and again to 2,270 in March. 

In April, the PGP was responsible for 2,403 new permanent residents to Canada. Then, the numbers really spiked, up 692 new permanent residents, or almost 28.8 per cent, in May over the previous month – and again another 10.5 per cent to hit 3,420 in June. July did see a drop 2,910 new permanent residents under the PGP for that month. 

But it’s clear the number of new permanent residents under the PGP is headed for the upper part of the range under the immigration levels plan. 

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The range for the PGP for this year was set at 19,000 to 31,000 new permanent residents. So, the projected number of new arrivals under the program for 2022 is still within that range, albeit close to the upper limit.

During its record-breaking year for immigration in 2021, Canada welcomed 406,025 new permanent residents, including 11,740 under the PGP.

The forecasted number of new permanent residents to Canada under the PGP this year would be more than twice that, a growth of almost 147.8 per cent.

In the last full year before the pandemic, in 2019, Canada welcomed 22,010 new permanent residents under these programs.

That means there could be 7,081 more new permanent residents under the PGP this year, or almost a third more – exactly 32.2 per cent more – than during the last record-breaking year. 

PGP’s Popularity Rose Steadily From 2015 Through To 2019

The program to sponsor parents and grandparents has grown fairly steadily since 2015 when the country welcomed 15,490 new permanent residents to the country under the PGP.

In 2016, the number of new permanent residents through the PGP grew by more than 10 per cent, or 1,550 new permanent residents, to hit 17,040, IRCC data reveals. 

The following year, that number swelled to 20,495, a jump of 3,455, or almost 20.3 per cent. 

Then, in 2018, there was a slump. The number of new permanent residents through the PGP dropped 12 per cent, or 2,465 new permanent residents, to 18,030 before rebounding the following year.

In the last year before the pandemic, the number of new permanent residents under the PGP jumped by 3,980, or 22.1 per cent, over the previous year.

As the coronavirus which causes COVID-19 spread throughout the globe, Canada closed its borders to all but essential travel in 2020 and public health restrictions made international travel very difficult due to COVID-19 tests, quarantines, and the need to wear face masks. In Canada, many businesses were shut down for part of that year. 

Immigration plummeted by 45.9 per cent to only 184,585 new permanent residents in 2020 – and the number of sponsorships through the PGP fell in step with that, dropping 52.5 per cent, or 11,555 new permanent residents that year.

With more and more Canadians vaccinated against COVID-19, the border eventually re-opened and public health restrictions were eased last year. Ottawa also put in place many measures to boost immigration. 

PGP Poised To See Even Higher Record Levels Of New Permanent Residents Arrive Next Year

With the inherent lag in the PGP, though, these only saw a relatively modest growth that year. The number of new permanent residents under this program only grew by 1,245, or slightly more than 11.9 per cent.

The big surge in the number of parents and grandparents coming to Canada through this program is only being seen this year – and is likely to continue through into 2023.

Canada had already welcomed 274,980 new permanent residents this year by the end of July, putting it on track to see immigration hit the unprecedented level of 471,394 new permanent residents by the end of 2022. 

That will mean many more permanent residents in Canada able to sponsor their parents and grandparents to re-join them here in the coming years. 

The PGP allows Canadian citizens and permanent residents outside Quebec to sponsor their parents and/or grandparents to become permanent residents of Canada.

Here’s how the program works.

PGP Processing Time Is Currently Three Years For New Applications

Canada’s immigration department operates a lottery system for the PGP with citizens and permanent residents submitting an Interest to Sponsor form before being placed in a pool.

The IRCC makes random draws from the pool and issues Invitations to Apply (ITA). The sponsors and their parents and grandparents then have 60 days to submit a full application.

The sponsors must:

  • be at least 18 years old;
  • live in Canada;
  • be a Canadian citizen, permanent resident, or a person registered in Canada as an Indian under the Canadian Indian Act, and;
  • have enough money to support those they want to sponsor by meeting minimum income requirements for the previous three years. Candidates can include a co-signer in their application, allowing the combined income to be considered.

Sponsors must also:

  • agree to financially support the parent or grandparent for 20 years from the date they are approved for permanent residence, and;
  • reimburse the government for any social assistance paid out to the parent or grandparent during that time.

Sponsors who live in Quebec must meet the Quebec immigration sponsorship requirements after being approved as a sponsor by IRCC. The Ministry of Immigration, Francisation and Integration (MIFI) also assesses the sponsor’s income and requires an undertaking to be signed.

Through the PGP, sponsors can bring to Canada their own parents and grandparents, related by blood or adoption. In cases of divorce or separation, the spouses or common-law partners of parents and grandparents are also eligible.

A sponsor’s brothers and sisters, or half brothers and sisters, are only eligible if they qualify as dependent children.

On its website, IRCC provides estimates of the current processing times for various types of applications, including PGP sponsorships.

Due to the backlog of applications before the IRCC, the current processing time for sponsorship applications for parents and grandparents is currently three years. 

That estimated processing time includes the time needed to provide biometrics.

British Columbia Skills Immigration To Pause As It Switches To NOC 2021

Colin Singer
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British Columbia Skills Immigration To Pause As It Switches To NOC 2021

Registration for the British Columbia Skills Immigration (SI) category is to pause starting in mid-October as it switches to using the latest National Occupational Classification (NOC) system.

That category of programs targets skilled and semi-skilled workers in high-demand occupations in the West Coast province and is further divided into five components:

  • Skilled Workers;
  • Health Authority;
  • International Graduates;
  • International Post-Graduates, and;
  • Entry-level and semi-skilled workers.

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Known as NOC 2021, it is being rolled out by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) on Nov. 16 and moves the NOC from a four-digit number to categorize each occupation to a five-digit code. 

Within the new five-digit code, the Canadian government is breaking down the skill level of each occupation – until mid-November still called the Skill Levels – into six categories from the current four to reflect better the level of Training, Education, Experience and Responsibilities (TEER) of each job.

These TEER categories in the re-jigged NOC will replace the current Skill Levels.

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The new NOC will also rank occupational groups based on five hierarchal levels consisting of the broad occupation category; major groups; sub-major groups, minor groups; and unit groups.

The shutdown of the online registration for Skills Immigration in British Columbia will run from Oct. 12 to Nov. 16.

“The last Invitation to Apply (ITA) under the current NOC system, NOC 2016, will be issued on Oct. 12,” notes the West Coast province’s immigration department.

“Invitees will have up to 30 calendar days to submit their application. Applications will be processed using the program criteria in place at the time of application. Application processing times are anticipated to remain within the service standard of three months for 80 per cent of applications.”

Skills Immigration Applicants In Pool After Oct. 12 Will Have To Resubmit Applications

All SI registrations remaining in the registration pool after Oct 12, will be removed from the pool and applicants will need to submit new registrations once the system re-opens. 

Those who do not receive an ITA before the temporary pause is being encouraged to visit the NOC 2021 website to find the new NOC for their occupations. This will help them in preparing to submit a new registration using NOC 2021 when the registration system reopens.

During the shutdown of online registration for SI programs, the province will continue issuing ITAs for Entrepreneur Immigration. 

“Those applying under the Health Authority, International Post-Graduate and Entrepreneur Immigration categories can continue to submit applications until Nov. 13,” notes the province. “A notice will be posted advising of the system outage period and anticipated reopening timeframe.”

Once the SI online registration re-opens, a new British Columbia Provincial Nominee Program (BC PNP) Skills Immigration program guide will be posted with more details about the changes.

The IRCC was already providing guidance in early August about the new NOC for foreign nationals hoping to immigrate to Canada under the Express Entry programs.

Express Entry Applications From Nov. 16 Will Need To Include New NOC 2021 Codes

“If you plan to submit an Express Entry profile on or after Nov. 16, you must search for your occupation under the NOC 2021 list on the Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC) website (and) submit your Training, Education, Experience and Responsibilities (TEER) category and five-digit occupation code when filling out your profile,” notes the federal government website.

Those who have already submitted a profile but have not been sent an ITA must:

  • search for their occupation under the NOC 2021 list on the ESDC website, and;
  • update their profile with their TEER Category and five-digit occupational code.

Those profiles must be updated on or after Nov. 16 for the applicants to remain eligible for any of the Express Entry programs, Canadian Experience Class, Federal Skilled Worker program and Federal Skilled Trades program.

Foreign nationals looking for their NOC code for a job only need to go to the search page of the NOC website and search using their job title. After selecting the closest match on the list that is generated, it is important to make sure the main duties listed match those of the job.

When those duties don’t match up, users are advised to a different job title with duties that more closely match theirs.

After writing down the numeric code and job title, 72302 Gas fitters, note the TEER category.

The new NOC is being phased in gradually “to provide organizations and programs with enough time to make a proper transition from NOC 2016 to NOC 2021.”

A nationally-recognized and standardized system used by the IRCC to evaluate the work experience of applicants for immigration, the choice of the right NOC code is one of the most important parts of an application for immigration.

Every province and territory in Canada use the NOC to identify jobs that need to be filled by immigration programs. 

Nova Scotia To Stop Housing Immigration Detainees In Provincial Jails

Colin Singer
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Nova Scotia To Stop Housing Immigration Detainees In Provincial Jails

Nova Scotia will no longer house immigration detainees in provincial jails under Canada’s Immigration and Refugee Protection Act (IRPA) after ending its deal with the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA).

The move comes on the heels of a similar decision by British Columbia, making Nova Scotia only the second province in Canada to take steps to stop the practice.

“Nova Scotia has confirmed it is terminating its immigration detention contract with CBSA,” tweeted Samer Muscati, the associate disability rights director at Human Rights Watch, on Wednesday. 

“With two provinces canceling their contracts within weeks, the federal government should show leadership by canceling the rest.”

Read More Canada Immigration News

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Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International have teamed up to fight the detention of newcomers in provincial jails across Canada in a campaign dubbed #WelcometoCanada.

On the campaign website, the human rights activists claim that between April 2017 and March 2020, more than a fifth of immigration detainees, about 5,400, were held in 78 provincial jails across Canada, many of which are maximum security facilities. 

These people were held in small spaces and were under constant surveillance and, in provincial jails, many are confined in dangerous environments where they might be subjected to violence, the campaign claims.

In its letter-writing campaign to put an end to this practice on this website, #WelcometoCanada urged Canadians to write to Nova Scotia Premier Tim Houston and ask him to end the province’s contract with the CBSA.

“Although immigration detainees are held for non‐criminal purposes, they are handcuffed, shackled, searched, and restricted to small spaces with rigid routines and under constant surveillance, with severely limited access to the outside world,” the form letter on the website claims.

“For many detainees, not knowing how long they will be detained causes trauma, distress, and a sense of powerlessness. Detention can exacerbate existing psychosocial disabilities and frequently triggers new ones, including depression, anxiety, and post‐traumatic stress.”

CBSA Can Detain Those It Considers A Flight Risk, Dangerous Or Whose Identification Is In Question

The human rights advocates describe the immigration detention system in Canada in that letter as “abusive”.

Most detainees are held out of fear that they pose a flight risk or that their identification seems fishy to immigration officials. They can also be detained if they might be a danger to the Canadian public.

Julie Chamagne, executive director of the Halifax Refugee Clinic, agrees the practice of housing detainees in provincial jails must stop.

“It’s really not set up for immigration detainees. It’s deeply traumatic and triggering to people, especially for those who have already suffered persecution, which may also have taken the form of detention and torture in their countries of origin,” Champagne told the CBC.

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In July, British Columbia announced it would no longer hold detainees in provincial jails as soon as it can extricate itself from its deal with the CBSA, an agreement that requires 12 months of notice to cancel.

“The province is ending its arrangement with the CBSA,” said Mike Farnworth, British Columbia’s minister of public safety and solicitor general, back in July. “BC Corrections will provide the CBSA with 12 months’ written notice as required under the current arrangement.

“BC Corrections is committed to working with the CBSA to develop a safe and efficient transition plan that achieves our common commitment to public safety while ensuring the rights of individuals are preserved and protected.”

One Detainee Claimed Experience Made Him Feel Like A Dog

The immigration detainee system in Canada is unworthy of the country’s values, said human rights activists.

“Canada’s abusive immigration detention system is in stark contrast to the rich diversity and the values of equality and justice that Canada is known for globally,” said Ketty Nivyabandi, secretary general of Amnesty International Canada, in June last year.

“Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch call on the Canadian authorities to end the inhumane treatment of people in the immigration and refugee protection system by gradually ending immigration detention in Canada.”

In a report, I Didn’t Feel Like a Human in There: Immigration Detention in Canada and Its Impact on Mental Health, the human rights activists quote one detainee who claimed being held in detention made him feel like a dog.

“I was just waiting and praying, trying to convince myself that it’s not that bad,” the former detainee identified only as Joseph is reported to have said.

“I was thinking, ‘They can’t just leave me in here.’ I didn’t feel like a human in there; I felt like a dog. The guards would just open the latch to feed me.”

Human rights activists also claimed detainees could be held for years with no set release date in provincial jails with the regular jail population and were often subjected to solitary confinement. 

In the wake of those allegations, British Columbia looked into its treatment of detainees under the IRPA. 

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau pledged Another $26.9m For Refugees In The Americas

“In the fall of 2021, I committed to a review of BC Corrections’ arrangement with the CBSA on holding immigration detainees in provincial correctional centres,” said Farnworth. 

“This review examined all aspects of the arrangement, including its effect on public safety and whether it aligns with the United Nations Standard Minimum Rules for the Treatment of Prisoners and expectations set by Canadian courts.

“As part of the review, BC Corrections engaged with multiple external stakeholders and advocacy groups, including Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch, and incorporated their input.

“The review brought to light that aspects of the arrangement do not align with our government’s commitment to upholding human rights standards or our dedication to pursuing social justice and equity for everyone.”

Earlier this year, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau pledged another $26.9 million to migration and protection-related projects in the Americas and professed Canada’s willingness to accept an additional 4,000 refugees from those two continents by 2028 at the 9th Summit of the Americas in Los Angeles.

“Canada values its deep and longstanding partnerships with countries across the Americas, which are crucial to improving people’s lives by driving economic growth that benefits everyone, advancing gender equality, and fighting climate change,” said Trudeau. 

“At this productive Summit of the Americas, we recommitted to continue working together to build a better future for people across the hemisphere.”

More Canada Jobs For Economic Immigrants Due To Wave Of Retirements

Colin Singer
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More Canada Jobs For Economic Immigrants Due To Wave Of Retirements

Canada is seeing great opportunities for economic immigrants but headaches for business owners due to the unprecedented wave of retirements by Baby Boomers from the labour force.

“The working-age population (persons aged 15 to 64) has never been older,” says Statistics Canada.  

“More than one in five persons, 21.8 per cent, in this population is close to retirement, that is, aged 55 to 64. This proportion represents an all-time high in the history of Canadian censuses.”

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In the five years that ended in 2021, the number of seniors over the age of 65 years old rose by 18.3 per cent to hit seven million in Canada.

“This is the second-largest increase in 75 years, after the (20-per cent) increase observed from 2011 to 2016,” says Statistics Canada.

Employers scrambling to find people to fill jobs left vacant by retiring employees are raising wages in a desperate attempt to outbid one another for the limited supply of workers.

If you are a candidate looking for a Canada job, or an employer looking to recruit foreign talent from abroad, immigration.ca can help. Access our expertise through our in-house recruitment enterprise www.skilledworker.com, “the leader in foreign recruitment”.

“Average weekly earnings of non-farm payroll employees in Canada rose by 3.5 per cent year-on-year to $1,159.01 in June of 2022, outpacing a 2.5 per cent increase seen in May,” says the Trading Economics website.

“It was the thirteenth consecutive month of growth in average weekly earnings, led by the goods-producing sector, where wages rose 6.1 per cent to $1,437), mainly manufacturing, which increased wages by 6.9 per cent to $1,273.

“The services-producing sector also posted gains of three per cent to $1,102, driven by the professional, scientific and technical services sector where wages climbed 10.8 per cent to $1,657.”

Canada’s working-age population has never been older. 

“The aging of many baby boomer cohorts, the youngest of whom are between 56 and 64 years today, is accelerating population aging,” says Statistics Canada. 

“There are challenges associated with an older workforce, including knowledge transfer, retaining experienced employees, and workforce renewal.”

Wave Of Retirements Grew By A Third This Year Alone

By August this year, roughly 307,000 Canadians had retired this year. That’s up almost a third, 31.8 per cent, compared to the same number last year and 12.5 per cent higher than in August 2019, the last full year before the pandemic, Statistics Canada figures reveal.

In some sectors, the shortage of workers in Canada has reached the crisis point. 

Nurses are among the most in-demand workers in the country. In its Job Vacancy and Wage Survey, Statistics Canada reported earlier this year there were 23,620 vacant nursing positions in the first quarter of 2022.

“Nursing vacancies in early 2022 were more than triple, rising 219.8 per cent, the level of five years earlier, illustrating the extent to which longer-term trends may be contributing to the current challenges facing hospitals and other health care employers.”

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Statistics Canada noted 11.2 per cent of nurses holding down jobs in July were off sick for at least part of a week.

“One of the ways hospitals and clinics can respond to absences and unmet labour demand is by scheduling more employees to work extra hours. In July 2022, the proportion of nurses working paid overtime was at its highest level for the month of July since comparable data became available in 1997,” noted Statistics Canada.

More than one in five nurses on the job were overtime in July just to keep operations in hospitals running. In many cases, emergency rooms or other services at hospitals had to suffer a reduction in hours opens due to the lack of nurses.

Truckers And Nurses Are In High Demand As Retiring Workers Shrink The Labour Pool

Cathryn Hoy, president of the Ontario Nurses’ Association, says the big challenge is finding younger workers to replace the retirees.

“It’s a huge problem right now, because we’ve had so many that have retired unexpectedly,” she said, citing the pandemic, working conditions and a wage dispute with Canada’s largest province.

Truckers, too, are a hot commodity in Canada. 

The transportation industry is grappling with that severe worker shortage, both because of the pandemic-driven frenzy for more goods and due to retirements.

“More and more drivers are aging and therefore retiring or contemplating different lifestyle,” said Tony Reeder, owner of Trans-Canada College, a career college that trains transport truck drivers.

At the same time, demand is booming from trucking companies, many of which take on student drivers for on-the-job training courses and then hire them outright as soon as they are fully licensed, said Reeder.

Faced with this paucity of people to fill positions, businesses are increasingly turning to immigration as a solution to their labour shortage woes.

Economic Immigration Offers Hope To Foreign Nationals And Canadian Employers

Employers hoping to hire a foreign national can avail themselves of this international talent and labour through the Temporary Foreign Worker Program (TFWP), and the International Mobility Program (IMP).

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

Employers can also bring in foreign nationals to fill available positions through the Express Entry system, which receives immigration applications online.

Applicants who meet eligibility criteria and have a job offer submit an online profile known as an Expression of interest (EOI), under one of three federal immigration programs or a participating provincial immigration program, to the Express Entry Pool.

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

Ontario French Speaking Skilled Worker Draw: Province Issues 363 NOIs Targeting Tech, Health Jobs

Colin Singer
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Ontario French Speaking Skilled Worker Draw: Province Issues 363 NOIs Targeting Tech, Health Jobs

Ontario immigration has issued Notifications of Interest to 363 candidates in 36 technology and health occupations in a new draw through the Express Entry-linked French Speaking Skilled Worker stream.

The September 23 Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program draw saw NOIs issued to candidates with Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) scores as low as 326.

To qualify for the draw, candidates had to submit Express Entry profiles within the last year.

Candidates must have a minimum of Canadian Language Benchmark 7 in French and 6 in English to qualify.

NOCs Targeted

  1. NOC 0213 – Computer and Information Systems Managers
  2. NOC 2147 – Computer Engineers (Except Software Engineers)
  3. NOC 2172 – Database Analysts and Data Administrators
  4. NOC 2173 – Software Engineers
  5. NOC 2174 – Computer Programmers and Interactive Media Developers
  6. NOC 2175 – Web Designers and Developers
  7. NOC 3011 – Nursing co-ordinators and supervisors
  8. NOC 3012 – Registered nurses and registered psychiatric nurses
  9. NOC 3111 – Specialist physicians
  10. NOC 3112 – General practitioners and family physicians
  11. NOC 3113 – Dentists
  12. NOC 3114 – Veterinarians
  13. NOC 3121 – Optometrists
  14. NOC 3122 – Chiropractors
  15. NOC 3124 – Allied primary health practitioners
  16. NOC 3125 – Other professional occupations in health diagnosing and treating
  17. NOC 3131 – Pharmacists
  18. NOC 3132 – Dietitians and nutritionists
  19. NOC 3141 – Audiologists and speech-language pathologists
  20. NOC 3142 – Physiotherapists
  21. NOC 3143 – Occupational therapists
  22. NOC 3144 – Other professional occupations in therapy and assessment
  23. NOC 3211 – Medical laboratory technologists
  24. NOC 3212 – Medical laboratory technicians and pathologists’ assistants
  25. NOC 3214 – Respiratory therapists, clinical perfusionists and cardiopulmonary technologists
  26. NOC 3216 – Medical sonographers
  27. NOC 3217 – Cardiology technologists and electrophysiological diagnostic technologists, n.e.c.
  28. NOC 3219 – Other medical technologists and technicians (except dental health)
  29. NOC 3221 – Denturists
  30. NOC 3222 – Dental hygienists and dental therapists
  31. NOC 3223 – Dental technologists, technicians and laboratory assistants
  32. NOC 3231 – Opticians
  33. NOC 3232 – Practitioners of natural healing
  34. NOC 3233 – Licensed Practical Nurses
  35. NOC 3236 – Massage therapists
  36. NOC 3237 – Other technical occupations in therapy and assessment

Read More Canada Immigration News

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Latest Ontario FSSW Draws

Date NOIs Issued CRS Score Range Express Entry profile submission date
23-09-22 363 326 and above Sept 23, 2021 to Sept 23, 2022

Source: OINP

Video

What Are The Requirements For The Ontario Express Entry: French-Speaking Skilled Worker Stream?

To qualify applicants must have:

  • Pending application under the Federal Express Entry system;
  • Minimum of 1-year of full-time, or full-time equivalent work experience under NOC occupation level 0, A or B;
  • Canadian equivalent Bachelors degree, Masters degree or PhD;
  • Minimum CLB level 7 in TEF exam (French); AND minimum CLB 6 in IELTS exam (English)
  • Intention to reside in the Province of Ontario.

 

Quebec Invites 1,202 Canada Immigration Candidates In Largest-Ever EOI Draw

Colin Singer
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Quebec Invites 1,202 Canada Immigration Candidates In Largest-Ever EOI Draw

Quebec immigration has issued 1,202 invitations in the largest draw in the history of the Arrima Expression of Interest system.

The September 8 draw was also rare in that it had no requirements other than a minimum score of 620 in the Quebec Expression of Interest points system.

Quebec has usually favoured draws targeting candidates with a job offer (often outside Montreal) or those with experience in specific National Occupational Classification codes. 

The previous largest draw was the first-ever draw through the Quebec EOI system, with 691 ITAs issued on July 4, 2019.

Quebec Expression Of Interest Draws 2022

Date of invitations Invites Issued Minimum Score Date of extraction from Arrima bank
Sept 8, 2022 1,202 620 September 6, 2022 at 6.30am
August 11, 2022 58 – August 9, 2022 at 6.30am
July 7, 2022 351 551 to 624, dependent on category June 28, 2022 at 6.30 am
May 5, 2022 30 – May 2, 2022 at 6.30am
Apr 7, 2022 33 – April 3, 2022, 6.30am
Mar 10, 2022 506 577 March 7, 2022 at 6.30am
Feb 24, 2022 306 630 Feb 22, 2022 at 6.30am
Feb 10, 2022 523 592 Feb 07, 2022 at 6.30am
Jan 27, 2022 322 647 Jan 25, 2022 at 6.30am
Jan 13, 2022 512 602 Jan 9, 2022 at 6.30am

Read More Canada Immigration News

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Video

How Does Quebec Expression of Interest Work?

  1. Candidates submit an online expression of interest profile via Arrima.
  2. Profiles enter into an Expression of Interest pool, where they are ranked against each other using a points system and are valid for 12-months.
  3. The highest-ranking candidates are invited to apply for a Quebec Certificate of Selection under the Quebec Skilled Worker Program via periodic draws.
  4. Candidates receiving an invitation have 60 days to submit a full application.
  5. Approved candidates who receive a nomination certificate (CSQ) may then apply to the federal government for Canadian permanent residence.

Quebec Expression of Interest Points System

The Quebec Expression of Interest points system is used to rank profiles submitted via Arrima to the Expression of Interest bank, with the highest-ranked profiles invited to apply for Quebec immigration under the Quebec Skilled Worker Program.

Candidates and their spouse or common-law partner can score up to 1,320 points based on human capital and Quebec labour market factors.

What Are the Requirements for Quebec Expression of Interest?

The Quebec Expression of Interest points system involves points in two categories, with some including points for the spouse of common law partner of the principal candidate.

  • Human capital factors:
    • French language ability.
    • French and English combined.
    • Age.
    • Work experience.
    • Education.
  • Quebec labour market factors:
    • Work experience in a field with a labour shortage.
    • Qualifications in one of Quebec’s areas of training.
    • Level of Quebec education.
    • Professional experience in Quebec.
    • Professional experience in the rest of Canada.
    • Job offer inside or outside Greater Montreal.

Quebec publishes lists of High Demand Occupations and Areas of Training that weigh considerably in the assessment.

Canada Express Entry Change To Mean More Doctors Can Become Permanent Residents

Colin Singer
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Canada Express Entry Change To Mean More Doctors Can Become Permanent Residents

A change to the Express Entry system aimed at allowing more doctors to become permanent residents has been announced by Canada’s immigration minister.

The change introduces an important exemption for physicians who were previously seen as self-employed and therefore could not qualify for Express Entry.

The move is designed to help doctors already in Canada and working on a temporary basis to make the transition to permanent residence.

Read More Canada Immigration News

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Immigration Minister Sean Fraser made the announcement in Nova Scotia on Friday.

“In my home province in particular, foreign-born physicians have been helping to keep families healthy and to take care of our aging population,” he said. 

“Their skills are critical resources in our community, and it does not take long before they become our neighbours, friends, and fellow community leaders. 

He added: “The measures announced today signal to these physicians that we want them to stay, by making it easier for them to choose Canada as their permanent home.”

What Is The Change Being Made To Express Entry?

Canada’s ‘fee for service’ model for public health care means many doctors working here temporarily are considered self-employed, and therefore cannot qualify for the programs managed through Express Entry.

These programs are the Federal Skilled Worker Program and the Canadian Experience Class.

Fraser announced on Friday that physicians are to be exempt from current requirements, giving them access to Canada’s permanent residence programs.

How Many Health Workers Come To Canada?

In 2022, Canada has received over 8,600 temporary and permanent resident applications from foreign nationals intending to work in the health sector.

Last year, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) approved work permit and work permit extensions for over 2,500 physicians, 620 nurses, and 550 nurses’ aides and orderlies.

Since 2015, over 22,400 people, including 3,600 physicians and 8,600 nurses, became permanent residents through Express Entry and the Provincial Nominee Program.

As of June 2022, some 4,300 permanent residents have been admitted under the health care streams of the one-off Temporary Residence to Permanent Residence Pathway.

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More Express Entry Changes Coming

Express Entry reform is one of the pillars of Fraser’s plan for improving access to permanent residence for those already in Canada on a temporary basis.

Only this week he presented an overview of his approach to parliament.

Canada is set to begin occupation-specific invitations through Express Entry in early 2023.

This follows many of the provinces, which have been conducting such draws for several years.

The changes were made through an update to the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act, allowing “the minister to respond to labour market needs and regional economic priorities, as well as to increase Francophone immigration by selecting more candidates with specific attributes, such as in-Canada experience”, IRCC previously said in a publication supporting Fraser’s announcement on Tuesday.  

Express Entry’s Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) is to be reviewed with a focus on points for Canadian work experience and education, language skills and job offers.

IRCC called these changes “the foundation for the next version of Express Entry”.

British Columbia PNP Draw: Province Issues At Least 353 Canada Immigration Invitations

Colin Singer
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British Columbia PNP Draw: Province Issues At Least 353 Canada Immigration Invitations

British Columbia issued at least 353 Canada immigration invitations in new draws through multiple streams of the British Columbia Provincial Nominee Program.

The September 21 draws were targeted at tech, teaching and health occupations.

The first draw, aimed specifically at regions outside Metro Vancouver, included tech occupations. 

It saw 341 invitations issued through five BC PNP streams for skilled workers and international graduates. Minimum scores ranged from 70 to 91 points.

A further set of 11 invitations were issued to skilled workers and international graduates scoring at least 60 points in a draw targeting Early Childhood Educators and Assistants under NOC 4214. 

Read More Canada Immigration News

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A draw targeted at Healthcare workers saw ‘less than 5’ invitations issued to skilled workers, international graduates and entry level and semi-skilled workers, also with a minimum score of 60 points. The number of invitations was listed as ‘less than 5’ to protect the identity of those who were invited.

Latest B.C. Immigration Draws

Date Category Minimum Score Invitations Issued Description
21-09-2022 Skilled Worker 91 341 Targeted draw: Regional 

(includes tech occupations)*
Skilled Worker – EEBC 91
International Graduate 86
International Graduate – EEBC 86
Entry Level and Semi-Skilled 70
Skilled Worker, International Graduate 60 11 Targeted draw: Childcare: Early childhood educators and assistants (NOC 4214)
Skilled Worker, International Graduate, Entry Level and Semi-Skilled 60 <5 Targeted draw: Healthcare

Video:

 

Canada’s Start-Up Visa Seeing Record-Breaking Number Of New Immigrants

Colin Singer
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0
Canada’s Start-Up Visa Seeing Record-Breaking Number Of New Immigrants

Canada’s Start-Up Visa (SUV) program is skyrocketing in popularity in 2022, projected to welcome a record number of foreign nationals setting up new businesses here.

In the first five months of this year, the SUV has seen 250 new permanent residents settle in Canada. 

That puts Canada on track to welcome 600 new permanent residents through the program in 2022, the highest number since the program was first launched as a five-year pilot program in 2013.

Read More Canada Immigration News

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In the five years that ended in 2019, program which offers permanent residence to foreign nationals setting up businesses in Canada went from welcoming 55 new permanent residents in 2015 to more than nine times as many, 515, in 2019. 

That was the last full year before the Covid-19 global pandemic hit Canada. As it did, Ottawa and the provinces put in place strict public health measures, including border closures for a limited time, and immigration plummeted. 

After welcoming 341,175 new permanent residents to Canada in 2019, immigration fell by 45.9 per cent, to only 184,585 new permanent residents in 2020.

The number of foreign nationals who came to Canada under the SUV and set up business took a similar hit that year, dropping 49.5 per cent to only 260 new permanent residents.

Last year, immigration roared back to life, largely due to the Temporary-to-Permanent Resident pathway, a one-time program designed to allow up to 90,000 foreign nationals living in Canada on temporary visas the opportunity to apply for permanent residence.

As the border re-opened and public health restrictions gradually eased, a record-breaking 406,005 new permanent residents made Canada their home.

The SUV rebounded somewhat from its low in 2020 to allow 385 foreign nationals to become new permanent residents of Canada. 

SUV On Track To Set Record In 2022

But it’s the first five months of this year that have seen the most dramatic growth in the SUV. By the end of May, the program was on track to beat its previous record high in 2019 by 16.5 per cent, if the current trend continues.  

The two provinces getting the biggest benefit from the SUV last year were British Columbia, which welcomed 200 new permanent residents under the program, and Ontario which saw 125 new permanent residents settle there under the SUV.

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In the first five months of this year, not a single foreign national went to any of the five provinces east of Ontario under the SUV. And only a few dozen settled in the remaining provinces under the program.

Candidates applying under the Start-Up Visa program can initially come to Canada on a work permit supported by their designated Canadian investor before their application for permanent residence is finalized.

Under the SUV, three types of private-sector investors are considered: angel investors, venture capital funds, and business incubators.

Foreign Nationals Need The Support Of Designated Investors Under The SUV

A designated venture capital fund must confirm that it is investing at least $200,000 into the qualifying business. Candidates can also qualify with two or more commitments from designated venture capital funds totalling $200,000.

A designated angel investor group must invest at least $75,000 into the qualifying business. Candidates can also qualify with two or more investments from angel investor groups totalling $75,000.

A designated business incubator must accept the applicant into its business incubator program. It is up to the immigrant investor to develop a viable business plan that will meet the due diligence requirements of these government-approved designated entities.

Investing and the development of the business are usually done with the help of business consultants in Canada’s start-up ecosystem with oversight from experienced corporate business immigration lawyers who can ensure a start-up’s business concept meets all industry-required terms and conditions.

The basic government-imposed candidate eligibility requirements for the SUV are:

  • a qualifying business;
  • a commitment certificate and letter of support from a designated entity;
  • sufficient unencumbered, available and transferable settlement funds to meet settlement funding, and;
  • proficiency in English or French at the minimum Canadian Language Benchmark level 5. However, it frequently occurs that higher levels of English are needed to meet due diligence requirements imposed by designated entities.

ArriveCAN To Become Optional, Vaccine Requirements To Be Scrapped For Travellers To Canada

Colin Singer
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ArriveCAN To Become Optional, Vaccine Requirements To Be Scrapped For Travellers To Canada

Canada immigration news: Canada is to scrap the COVID-19 vaccine requirement for visitors, make using the ArriveCAN optional and stop random tests at the end of September.

Travellers will still have to wear face masks on planes for domestic flights and on trains.

Anonymous sources have reportedly told the Globe and Mail, one of Canada’s national newspapers, that the controversial measures put in place to curb the spread of the coronavirus during the pandemic will end on Sept. 30.

Read More Canada Immigration News

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That will make it easier for unvaccinated Americans and other travellers to cross the border and will remove the need to quarantine.

The move comes only weeks after the election of a new Conservative Party of Canada leader, Pierre Poilievre. His supporters have been quick to take credit for the change in policy.

“We are winning. Not even two weeks as leader and (Canada Prime Minister Justin) Trudeau is backing down on his unscientific vaccine mandates and making the disastrous ArriveCAN app voluntary,” boasted Poilievre in a tweet on Thursday. 

In a statement, the Conservatives’ deputy leader, Melissa Lantsman, claimed the ArriveCAN app has killed jobs, suffocated economies all over the country, and signalled to visitors that they were unwelcome in Canada. 

“Along with unscientific vaccine mandates and mandatory random testing, ArriveCAN created the longest delays ever seen at Canada’s airports,” noted Lantsman. “Seniors without cell phones were detained for hours at ports of entry and fully-vaccinated travellers were told to quarantine for no reason.

Ottawa Considered Easing Public Health Restrictions In The Spring

“Worse of all, Canadians who couldn’t or wouldn’t comply with the ridiculous ArriveCAN restrictions were fined $6,255 for failing to go along with the government’s nonsense.”

The Conservatives, who are the Official Opposition in the Canadian Parliament, are demanding Trudeau’s ruling Liberals forgive any fines handed out for failing to comply with the ArriveCAN regulations.

“Canadians shouldn’t pay for Liberal incompetence,” noted Lantsman. “These fines should be immediately forgiven.”

Despite the politicking, though, it’s clear Ottawa was already considering a phase-out of the travel restrictions as the number and severity of COVID-19 cases changed during the pandemic.

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Earlier this year, Health Minister Jean-Yves Duclos had left open the possibility that Canada’s travel restrictions could be either relaxed further or toughened up depending on the number of cases of the illness and the possible arrival of new variants.

“Adjustments to Canada’s border measures are made possible by a number of factors, including Canada’s high vaccination rate, the increasing availability and use of rapid tests to detect infection, decreasing hospitalizations and growing domestic availability of treatments for COVID-19,” said Duclos.

“As vaccination levels and healthcare system capacity improve, we will continue to consider further easing of measures at the borders-and when to adjust those measures-to keep the people in Canada safe.”

That was in mid-March. 

At that time, Ottawa had already decided to lift some of its public health restrictions at the border, exempting fully-vaccinated travellers from providing pre-entry COVID-19 test results to enter Canada by air, land or water as of Apr. 1.

That was then seen as one of the steps needed to be taken to help the Canadian economy rebound from a tough couple of years of public health restrictions due to the pandemic.

“After a challenging two years, we all want the Canadian economy, including the tourism sector, to rebound and grow,” said Tourism Minister Randy Boissonnault in a statement back in March.

Those With Accessibility Issues May Be Exempt From Using ArriveCAN

“We in government have been listening to the concerns of tourism businesses across the country. We are confident that, thanks to all that Canadians have done to protect one another, we can now take the next step forward and remove testing requirements for fully-vaccinated travellers entering Canada. The economy, workers and tourism business owners will benefit from this next step in opening Canada up once again to the world.”

Until it is officially made optional, all travellers, vaccinated or not, will continue to need to submit their mandatory information through the ArriveCAN mobile app or website before their arrival in Canada. 

“If you’re not able to use ArriveCAN due to accessibility needs, you won’t be denied boarding or entry into Canada,” notes the Canada Border Services Agency on its website.

“People with accessibility needs or other special circumstances may be exempt from using ArriveCAN.

“If you’re exempt from using ArriveCAN, be ready to show a government of Canada official these items on arrival:

  • pre-entry test results, if required;
  • proof of vaccination (in English or French or a certified translation in English or French);
  • travel documents.

“Please also be ready to answer questions about your 14-day travel history. You must show that you have a suitable plan if you have to quarantine or isolate on arrival. Get help from a government of Canada official if you tried, but couldn’t submit your information online.”

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