Boom In Canadian College Certificate And Diplomas Driven By International Students

Colin Singer
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Boom In Canadian College Certificate And Diplomas Driven By International Students

Canada immigration news: A boom in the number of post-graduate diplomas and certificates at Canadian colleges is being driven by international students – particularly those from India, reports Statistics Canada.

“Graduations with college post-graduate credentials more than doubled from 2014 to 2019, rising from 12,300 to 33,200,” reveals the statistical and demographic services agency. 

“This growth was mainly driven by Indian international students, whose graduations with these credentials grew tenfold over the same period, from 1,800 to 17,700.”

Read More Canada Immigration News

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Extra Year For Canada International Students To Take Online Courses And Get PGWP

College postgraduate credential programs are those geared to students who have completed either a college certificate or diploma program or a bachelor’s degree. 

Some college postgraduate credential programs accept students with either of those types of prerequisites; others specifically require a bachelor’s degree. People who complete college postgraduate credential programs receive certificates or diplomas.

In contrast to this college, programs are those completed by students coming straight out of high school. 

In Study: The Rising Popularity of College Postgraduate Credential Programs in Canada, Statistics Canada strongly suggested this week a desire to immigrate to Canada and gain permanent residency is likely driving the boom in the number of Indian students enrolling in these programs.

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“Gaining permanent residency was a relatively common outcome among international students who completed a college postgraduate credential, with 80 per cent obtaining it within five years of graduation,” noted Statistics Canada. 

“This compares to 71 per cent for those who completed a non-postgraduate college certificate or diploma, 69 per cent with a master’s degree, and 50 per cent with a bachelor’s degree.”

The value of a post-graduate college credential for those seeking to immigrate lies in its ability to both help the applicant land a good job in Canada and also to increase his or her Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score and have his or her profile more highly ranked in the Express Entry pool. 

A post-secondary education of one to two years adds another 15 points to the applicant’s CRS score. 

Landing A Job In Canada Can Add Up To 200 Points To A CRS Score

Under current regulations, applicants with an arranged employment offer under National Occupational Code (NOC) 00 (senior management) will receive 200 points under their CRS score, while those with NOC 0, A or B will receive 50 points.

In addition to its value in boosting an applicant’s CRS score and getting a job, Canadian college postgraduate credentials allow students to command bigger salaries.

“On average, international students who graduated with a college postgraduate credential in 2015 earned $44,000 in 2019,” noted Statistics Canada. 

“This average earning, which excludes those without any wage earnings, was higher than for those with a non-postgraduate college certificate or diploma, who earned an average of $38,000, but less than those with a bachelor’s degree, who commanded average salaries of $47,000.”

Last year, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) issued 444,860 study permits, 38.1 per cent, or 169,565, of which went to international students from India.

In the first six months of this year, IRCC data reveals the 82,140 study permits issued to Indian students comprised an even bigger chunk, 41.4 per cent, of the total 198,345.

Many more study permit applications were then in the pipeline.

On Aug. 2, IRCC officials revealed they were then facing a pile of 183,675 applications for study permits and 31,547 applications for study permit extensions yet to be approved.

Students Waiting For Study Permits Can Take Courses Online And Still Qualify For PGWP

Under pressure to help international students unable to get study permits in time for this school year, Canadian immigration officials decided that international students would be able to take their courses online and still qualify for a Post-Graduate Work Permit (PGWP) later.

“Distance learning measures have been extended to Aug. 31, 2023,” announced the IRCC in late August. “But they are being reduced in scope.

“As we transition back to pre-pandemic requirements, we encourage international students to come back to Canada. A transition period is available for those who may need some time to do so.”

International students studying online from abroad or who submitted a study permit application no later than Aug. 31, 2022 could continue to be able to complete up to 100 per cent of their programs online without affecting their eligibility for PGWP. 

After that, study time completed from abroad starting on Sept. 1, 2023, would be deducted from the length of their PGWP, regardless of when they began their studies.

The extension of temporary distance learning measures affected those starting programs from Sept. 1, 2022 to Aug. 31, 2023. 

Under these measures no more than 50 per cent of the credits earned can be completed outside Canada to remain eligible for a PGWP.

High Commission Of India Had Called On Ottawa To Help Waiting Students

Those measures came in the wake of India calling on Ottawa earlier in August to help its international students so they could come and learn in Canadian colleges and universities this school year.

“In recent years, Canada has emerged as a preferred destination for Indian students for post-secondary education,” the High Commission of India noted in an advisory.

“Currently, more than 230,000 students from India enrolled in post-secondary institutions in Canada are making a positive contribution to the Canadian economy, including through an estimated $4 billion (in American dollars) in tuition fees.”

At the exchange rate in effect on Aug. 25, that U.S.-$4 billion worked out to almost $5.2 billion in Canadian dollars or about $22,494 per Indian student in Canada.

In Tuition Fees for Degree Programs, 2021/2922, Statistics Canada noted last year Canadian universities are increasingly dependent on the tuition fees of international students to stay afloat.

“In 2021/2022, the average tuition fees for international undergraduate students in Canada rose 4.9 per cent from a year earlier to $33,623,” noted Statistics Canada.

“This follows a 7.1 per cent gain in 2020/2021. Increasingly, postsecondary institutions have relied on income from international students as part of their revenue stream.”

Manitoba Has Now Invited 154 Ukrainians For Canada Immigration

Colin Singer
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Manitoba Has Now Invited 154 Ukrainians For Canada Immigration

Canada immigration news: Manitoba has conducted a seventh targeted draw as part of its special immigration measures to aid those impacted by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

The draw took place on September 14 through the Manitoba Provincial Nominee Program. It saw Letters of Advice to Apply (LAAs) issued to 9 candidates, requiring a minimum score of 60 points.

The province has now invited 154 Ukrainians as part of the special measures.

To be considered, candidates must meet the following requirements:

  • Be a citizen of Ukraine.
  • Minimum of CLB 4 in each language band.
  • Established connection to Manitoba (close relative, family-like, community, previous employment or studies in Manitoba).
  • Valid language test.
  • Score at least 60 points according to MPNP assessment criteria.

This was the 156th draw in the history of the MPNP.

Read More Canada Immigration News

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Canada Opens Applications for Ukraine Emergency Travel Pathway

September 14 Manitoba Draw

Stream Sub-Stream Letters of Advice to Apply Score of Lowest Ranked Candidate
Special Immigration Measure – Ukraine 9 60

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Canada’s Top Seven Best Jobs in Healthcare: All You Need To Know

Colin Singer
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Canada’s Top Seven Best Jobs in Healthcare: All You Need To Know

Canada immigration news: As the COVID-19 pandemic’s most serious waves seem to have passed, healthcare workers are a hot commodity in Canada.

Nurses, doctors and other employees are leaving their jobs in a sector which was already facing serious labour shortages.

In March of this year, the Canadian Medical Association (CMA) indicated the need for more healthcare workers in the country had by then already reached a critical point.

Read More Canada Immigration News

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Canada’s Healthcare System could Be Boosted By Immigrants With Medical Education: WES

“Two years into the pandemic, organizations representing health workers across the country are sounding the alarm that Canada’s health care system is collapsing,” the CMA warned in a statement.

“Without immediate action, there is little to hope for in the future. While Canadians are starting to see the light at the end of the tunnel and public health measures are being loosened, the same cannot be said for health workers. 

“On top of severe exhaustion and burnout from working through two years of COVID-19, healthcare workers now face both massive system backlogs and a shortage of colleagues to cope with demands.”

That’s an enormous opportunity for foreign nationals with experience, training and education in healthcare to immigrate to Canada.

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”.

With that need for healthcare workers, Canada sweetened the pot for foreign nationals even further in June, announcing $1.5 million in spending to help foreign-trained healthcare workers get their credentials recognized in Canada.

The spending, announced by Marie-France Lalonde, parliamentary secretary to Immigration Minister Sean Fraser, is to help professionals educated abroad fill positions in Canada’s healthcare system in provinces outside Quebec.

Through the expansion of the successful Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario’s (CHEO’s) National Newcomer Navigation Network (N4), the project is creating a platform for internationally-educated healthcare workers to get information on credential recognition.

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“CHEO has a proven track record of ensuring health and social service sector professionals have the knowledge and tools they need to provide equitable care and services to newcomers,” Lalonde said. 

“We are pleased to continue working with the National Newcomer Navigation Network to support healthcare professionals educated abroad in securing jobs in Canada’s health care sector. 

“These services will help more newcomers succeed, while also helping to build a better future for all Canadians.”

Top Seven Best Jobs In Healthcare For 2022

1. Registered Nurse (NOC 3012)

It’s unlikely there’s a single hospital or clinic in Canada that’s not looking for a registered nurse these days, with the Indeed.ca job website showing 12,939 postings for registered nursing jobs in the country as of Sept. 13, 2022.

“These well-educated, highly-qualified nurses stand in the gaps of the healthcare system to provide patient care in all arenas,” notes Randstad. “They work in hospitals, doctor’s offices, clinics, schools, government agencies, home health offices, nursing homes and many other places and are critical to saving lives and providing daily services to millions of Canadians.”

The federal government’s Job Bank job-hunting website rates the job prospects for registered nurses in Canada as “good” throughout most of the country for the next three years. 

Registered nurses earn a median wage of $51,246 per year at the low end and $94,321 per year at the high-end for a 37.5-hour work week, according to Job Bank data.

2. Licensed Practical Nurses (NOC 3233)

Under the direction of medical practitioners, registered nurses or other health team members, licensed practical nurses offer nursing care, often as operating room technicians preparing patients and providing assistance to medical practitioners prior to and during surgery. 

“You can get these nursing jobs without as much education or experience as many registered nurse postings call for,” notes Randstad. “For individuals who feel called to care directly for patients, licensed practical nurse jobs may be a good door into a healthcare career.”

Job prospects for licensed practical nurses are good throughout most of Canada for the next three years, reports Job Bank.

In Canada, licensed practical nurses earn median wages between $42,900 at the low end and $64,798 per year at the high end based on a standard, 37.5-hour work week. Indeed.ca listed 2,928 job postings for these healthcare workers as of mid-September.

3. Medical Administrative Assistant (NOC 1243)

There are jobs for medical administrative assistants up for grabs across Canada and Job Bank rates the job prospects for these healthcare workers as “good” throughout the country for the next three years.

These are the first people patients typically see in a hospital when they walk in and register and also the folks who keep their medical records properly filed away.

“They help check patients in, ensure records are up-to-date, support claims billing processes and provide general administrative support to clinical staff and healthcare management,” notes Randstad. 

“Qualified candidates for these positions have strong communication and analytical skills, are able to provide customer service support for patients and are detail-oriented and organized.”

Median salaries for medical administrative assistants range from $31,200 per year at the low end up to $56,335 annually at the upper end based on a standard work week.

4. Medical Laboratory Technician (NOC 3212)

The COVID-19 pandemic sent the demand for medical laboratory technicians through the roof as the number of tests for the coronavirus skyrocketed with each succeeding wave of the crisis.

“But lab tech positions are trending jobs for reasons that go beyond the pandemic, too,” notes Randstad.

“Better diagnostic procedures, a reliance on at-home testing and a surge in people seeking information about their own DNA has increased the demand on laboratories in recent years.”

Medical laboratory technicians do routine medical laboratory tests and set up, clean and maintain medical laboratory equipment. They work in medical laboratories in hospitals, clinics, research facilities, post-secondary educational institutions and government research laboratories.

Job prospects for these healthcare workers are good for at least the next three years, forecasts Job Bank.

Median annual salaries for medical laboratory technicians in Canada range from $36,172 at the low end and $78,000 at the high end based on a standard work week.

5. Medical Secretary (NOC 1243)

There is going to be a shortage of roughly 4,000 medical secretaries in Canada during the decade that will end in 2028, forecasts Job Bank.

“For medical administrative assistants, over the period 2019-2028, new job openings, arising from expansion demand and replacement demand, are expected to total 30,000, while 26,000 new job seekers, arising from school leavers, immigration and mobility, are expected to be available to fill them,” says the federal government’s job-hunting website.

That’s why Job Bank is forecasting “good” job prospects for medical secretaries pretty much across the country over the next three years. 

“Medical secretaries provide the type of support in offices that general secretaries do but their work is done in an environment filled with healthcare concepts and requirements,” notes Randstad. 

“The right candidates for these top jobs in the healthcare field must have knowledge of medical terminology, empathy for both patient needs and the rigorous demands put on clinical staff and experience working in regulated, compliance-driven environments.”

Median annual salaries for medical secretaries range from a low of $31,200 to $56,335 at the high end for a standard work week, data from Job Bank reveals.

6. Hospital Administrator (NOC 0014)

Administrators in hospitals and other healthcare settings such as medical clinics and managers in government departments overlooking healthcare have perhaps the widest range of remuneration in the sector because these jobs run the gamut from supervisors overlooking a few employees to senior managers running massive hospitals and health authorities. 

“While the experience and skills required for these positions obviously varies, healthcare managers of any type have a common goal: to balance the quality of patient care and clinical services with business matters such as budget and resource management,” notes Randstad.

In Canada, the median annual salary for these healthcare managers ranges from a low of $38,961 through to a high of $182,227 based on a standard, 37.5-hour work week, data from Job Bank reveals.

7. Home Support Worker (NOC 4412)

There is a massive shortage of home support workers in Canada as the Baby Boomers age and the pandemic unfortunately takes its toll on many people. 

Job Bank estimates there will be 33,900 new jobs for home support workers in Canada in the decade ending in 2028. 

“Many seniors desire to live at home as long as possible, and the pandemic has only increased those numbers,” notes Randstad. “Home support workers provide help with activities of daily living and companionship to people of all ages who have medical or care needs that can’t be provided by themselves or friends and family.”

Median annual salaries for home support workers in Canada range from $26,247 at the low end through to $45,006 at the high end based on a standard work week.

British Columbia Issues At Least 292 Canada Immigration Invitations In New PNP Draw

Colin Singer
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British Columbia Issues At Least 292 Canada Immigration Invitations In New PNP Draw

Canada immigration news: British Columbia has issued at least 292 invitations in new draws through multiple streams of the British Columbia Provincial Nominee Program.

The September 13 draws were split into two categories: general and targeted.

In the general draw, which included tech occupations, 177 invitations were issued through five BC PNP streams for skilled workers and international graduates. Minimum scores ranged from 78 to 132 points.

In the targeted draw, a further 27 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 12 invitations issued to skilled workers, international graduates and entry-level and semi-skilled workers, also with a minimum score of 60 points.

A further set of ‘less than 5’ invitations went to entry-level and semi-skilled workers targeted specifically at Healthcare Assistants under NOC 3413, with a minimum score of 60. The number of invitations was listed as ‘less than 5’ to protect the identity of those who were invited. 

The final set of ‘less than 5’ targeted invitations went to skilled workers and international graduates under NOCs 3114 and 3213 for veterinarians and animal health technologists and veterinary technicians respectively, with a minimum score of 60. 

Latest B.C. Immigration Draws

General Draw

Date Category Minimum Score Invitations Issued Description
13-Sept-22 

 

 Skilled Worker 120 251 General draw (includes tech occupations)
Skilled Worker – EEBC 120
International Graduate 105
International Graduate – EEBC 105
Entry Level and Semi-Skilled 78

Targeted Draw

Date Category Minimum Score Invitations Issued Description
13-Sept-22 Skilled Worker, International Graduate 60 27 Targeted draw: Childcare: Early childhood educators (NOC 4214)
Skilled Worker, International Graduate, Entry Level and Semi-Skilled 60 12 Targeted draw: Healthcare
Entry Level and Semi-Skilled 60 <5 Targeted draw: Health care assistants (NOC 3413)
Skilled Worker, International Graduate 60 <5 Targeted draw: Other priority occupations (NOCs 3114, 3213)

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Canada Working On Permanent Residence Option For Undocumented Workers: Report

Colin Singer
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Canada Working On Permanent Residence Option For Undocumented Workers: Report

Canada immigration news: The Toronto Star reports that Canada Immigration Minster Sean Fraser is working on a new pathway to permanent residency for undocumented workers.

In December last year, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau did instruct the immigration minister in a mandate letter to “build on existing pilot programs to further explore ways of regularizing status for undocumented workers who are contributing to Canadian communities.”

But neither Fraser nor Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) officials have so far responded to an email from Immigration.ca concerning the claim of a new pathway for undocumented workers.

Read More Canada Immigration News

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In the Toronto Star article, journalists Sara Mojtehedzadeh and Nicholas Keung quote an anonymous source said to be familiar with the program’s development. 

“We’re absolutely committed to delivering on this mandate item,” that anonymous source reportedly said. 

“The work is currently underway to deliver and build on our existing programs to explore ways of regularizing status for undocumented workers in Canada.”

What Are Undocumented Migrants?

Undocumented migrants – including workers – are those who have arrived in Canada without first applying: 

The details of that program, including which skill and educational levels of workers or the number of applications to be allowed, are not divulged.

No one knows for sure how many undocumented migrants are living in Canada.

“A guesstimate of about half a million has been proposed nationally, but this number varies among other sources which suggest anywhere from 20,000 to 200,000 undocumented workers,” noted a study first published in 2010.

Journalists’ Union Lobbying Ottawa To Give Permanent Residency To Undocumented Migrants

In a letter calling on the immigration minister to create a new pathway for undocumented migrants in Canada, Unifor – the same union which represents Toronto Star journalists – suggests there may be many more of these people in Canada.

“In order for these permanent residency pathway and regularization programs to make a real difference in the lives of the over 1.7 million migrants currently without secure status in Canada, they must be made as open and accessible as possible,” wrote Unifor national president Lana Payne in that letter dated Aug. 30 this year.

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Indeed, many people have crossed the border into Canada at unauthorized border crossings in the past decade or so but official record keeping only goes back as far as 2017. 

In the first six months of this year alone, the IRCC estimates that 30,238 asylum seekers came into Canada and made refugee claims through these unauthorized border crossings, 24,811 of which are still pending. 

Last year, an estimated 79,052 such asylum seekers came in at these crossings, with 64,254 of those still pending. 

Quebec Premier Wants Ottawa To Cut Access Routes Through Unauthorized Border Crossings

In the francophone province of Quebec, news reports of undocumented migrants coming into the province through the Roxham Road border crossing has become a politically-divisive issue, with Quebec Premier François Legault insisting Ottawa must put an end to this influx of migrants. 

Quebec simply does not have the capacity to take care of these undocumented migrants, Legault has reportedly claimed.

But Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has retorted that nothing can be done to stop this steady stream of undocumented migrants to Canada.

“If we close Roxham Road, people will cross elsewhere,” Trudeau has reportedly said. “We have an enormous border, and we’re not going to start arming or putting fences on it.”

The best solution to the undocumented migrant crisis in Canada is to grant all of them the same rights and protections enjoyed by Canadians and let them freely access public programs and services, says Unifor’s national president.

“Far too many migrants have fallen through the cracks of our immigration system that has increasingly failed to provide the necessary stability and safety that migrants require and has resulted in thousands living in the country without status,” wrote Payne in her letter to the immigration minister.

“These workers are subject to extreme forms of labour exploitation and human rights abuses by groups, including employers, recruiters or landlords, who use threats of detention and deportation should people speak out against abuse and mistreatment.”

The undocumented migrants’ inability to use public healthcare or education or engage with government agencies and organizations to report workplace violations erodes the quality of life in communities across Canada, she maintains.

 

New Brunswick Immigration To Target 12 NOC Codes, Graduates, Francophones

Colin Singer
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New Brunswick Immigration To Target 12 NOC Codes, Graduates, Francophones

Canada immigration news: New Brunswick will focus on processing Canada immigration applications from 12 technology and health-related occupations, plus international graduates.

The province says it will prioritise applications from 12 specific National Occupational Classification (NOC) codes, plus francophones and New Brunswick graduates. 

“Effective immediately, ONB Immigration is implementing specific measures to manage the New Brunswick Skilled Worker stream inventory through to the end of 2022,” said a New Brunswick Provincial Nominee Program statement.

Read More Canada Immigration News

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The 12 NOC codes to be prioritised are:

Technology Occupations

  1. 2147: Computer engineers (except software engineers and designers)
  2. 2172: Database analysts and data administrators
  3. 2173: Software engineers and designers
  4. 2174: Computer programmers and interactive media developers
  5. 2175: Web designers and developers
  6. 2281: Computer network technicians
  7. 2282: User support technicians
  8. 2283: Information systems testing technicians

Health-Related Occupations

  1. 3012: Registered nurses and registered psychiatric nurses
  2. 3233: Licensed practical nurses
  3. 3413: Nurse aides, orderlies and patient service associates
  4. 4412: Home support workers, housekeepers and related occupations

“Applications that do not fall under the above categories will be finalized at a later date, and processing delays can be expected,” the statement said.

However, the provide did guide applicants towards the Atlantic Immigration Program if they do not fall into one of the categories.

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New Brunswick Skilled Worker Stream: General Requirements

The New Brunswick Skilled Worker Stream is aimed at candidates who have secured a permanent, full-time job offer from a New Brunswick employer.

New Brunswick Skilled Worker Stream: Eligibility Requirements

1) Genuine Job Offer

Offer of employment for permanent, full-time position in an eligible occupation.

  • High-skilled workers: NOC 0, A, B.
  • Semi-skilled workers: NOC C.
  • Low-skilled workers: NOC D skill type 7, 8 and 9.

2) Qualifications

Candidates must demonstrate they are qualified for the position being offered.

3) Be offered a competitive wage

The wages offered must:

  • Meet or exceed the median wage level for the occupation in the specific region of New Brunswick.
  • Be comparable to the rate paid to workers with a similar level of experience and training for equivalent jobs in New Brunswick.
  • Be consistent with the wage structure of the employer.

4) Intend to reside in New Brunswick.

Candidates must prove a genuine intention to reside in New Brunswick. Examples of ways intent can be established include:

  • Description of actions taken to permanently settle in New Brunswick.
  • Current employment in New Brunswick.
  • Employment search details.
  • Length of any previous and/or current period of residence in New Brunswick.
  • Community involvement.
  • Ability to support yourself in New Brunswick.
  • Connections to New Brunswick through work, study or family.
  • Professional networks and affiliations.
  • Residency including household lease agreements and/or property ownership.
  • Family ties and other social relationships and connections.
  • Details of prior visits to Canada.

5) Regulated Occupations in New Brunswick

Candidates must have the required certificate or license in job offer is for a regulated occupation.

New Brunswick Skilled Worker Stream: Selection Factors

Once the eligibility requirements are met, candidates are scored based on six selection factors. Candidates must score 60 points out of a possible 100 to qualify.

1) Age

Candidates must be aged between 19 and 55.

Maximum points: 10

Age Points
22-55 10
19-21 8

2) Language Skills

Candidates must score a minimum of Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) 4 in reading, writing, speaking and listening for first official language (English or French). Candidates score extra points for a minimum CLB 4 in a second official language.

Maximum points: 28

First official language Reading Writing Listening Speaking Total
CLB 7+ 6 6 6 6 24
CLB 5-6 5 5 5 5
CLB 4 4 4 4 4
Second official language
CLB 4+ in all four language abilities 4

3) Education

Have minimum secondary school education, either obtained in Canada or with an Educational Credential Assessment (ECA) report if obtained outside Canada.

Maximum points: 20

Level of Education Points
Doctoral level university degree (Ph.D.) 20
Master’s degree OR professional degree needed to practice in a licensed profession. 20
Two or more certificates, degrees, diplomas, or certificates from a university, college, trade or technical school, or other accredited institute. One must be for a program of at least three years. 19
Bachelor’s degree, or a three, or more year program at a university, college, trade or technical school, or other accredited institute 19
Two-year degree, diploma or certificate from a university, college, trade or technical school, or another accredited institute 18
One-year degree, diploma, or certificate from a university, college, trade or technical school, or another accredited institute 17
Secondary diploma (high school graduation). 15

4) Work Experience

Candidates score up to 20 points for full-time work experience related to the job offer obtained in the last five years. Candidates must have a minimum one year of experience in the last five.

Work experience is not required for international graduates.

Work experience must:

  • Be full-time
  • Be with one or more employers
  • Be in a NOC related to your job offer from a New Brunswick employer
  • Be paid.
  • Be obtained within Canada and/or abroad
  • If based on self-employment, be validated with official documents.
  • Not be based on self-employment in the retail, food and accommodation sectors.

Maximum points: 20

Years of experience Points
5 20
4 16
3 12
2 8
1 5

5) Priority Sectors

Candidates may be awarded 10 points if their job offer is in a priority sector, and the employer can demonstrate that they have been unable to identify qualified candidates in the local labour market.

Maximum points: 10

Sector Points
Business service centers 10
Education 10
Health care 10
Manufacturing 10
Transportation 10

6) Adaptability

Candidates and their spouses or common-law partner can score up to 12 points for adaptability factors.

Maximum points: 12

Primary Candidate

Adaptability factor Points
Previous employment in New Brunswick for minimum 2 out of last 5 years 10
Employer has positive LMIA on which job offer is based, or job is LMIA-exempt, OR

Employer interviewed and hired candidate through New Brunswick national or international recruitment mission in last 12 months

 8
Previous employment in New Brunswick for minimum 1 out of last 5 years, OR

Studied and graduated from a post-secondary institution in New Brunswick with at least six months work experience in the province.

 7
2 years of post-secondary education from an accredited institution in New Brunswick 10
1 year of post-secondary education from an accredited institution in New Brunswick 7
Primary candidate or spouse or common-law partner has relative in New Brunswick as Canadian citizen or permanent resident 5

Spouse or Common-Law Partner

Adaptability factor Points
Language ability (CLB 4 or higher in all language abilities in English or French) OR

At least one year of New Brunswick work experience in the last five years

 5

Ontario PNP Tech Draws: Which Occupations Qualify?

Colin Singer
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0
Ontario PNP Tech Draws: Which Occupations Qualify?

Canada immigration news: Ontario targets tech occupations with regular Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) draws through its Express Entry-linked Human Capital Priorities stream.

The province, which has the largest PNP by federal government allocation, also has three of the foremost tech hubs in North America, in Toronto, Ottawa and the Waterloo Region.

It means tech talent immigrating to Ontario should have plenty of employment options, especially given the current tight labour market.

Read More Canada Immigration News

Ontario To Align OINP With New National Occupational Classification System
Ontario Skilled Trades Draw: Province Issues Over 1,500 Canada Immigration NOIs
Ontario PNP Draw: Province Issues 782 Invitations Through 3 Streams

Candidates receiving a nomination from the Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program (OINP) get an additional 600 points added to their Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score. This effectively guarantees an Invitation to Apply (ITA) in the next Express Entry draw.

The OINP has an initial allocation of 9,750 nominations in 2022, up from 8,600 for 2021. It regularly reaches its allocation and is given extra places, meaning it is likely to nominate more than 10,000 candidates this year.

Human Capital Priorities Stream Dominates OINP 2021 Nominations

Stream Number of nominations
Employer Job Offer: International Student stream 1,240
Employer Job Offer: In-Demand Skills stream 540
Employer Job Offer: Foreign Worker stream 1,705
PhD Graduate stream 212
Masters Graduate stream 1,202
Ontario’s Express Entry Skilled Trades stream 177
Ontario’s Express Entry Human Capital Priorities stream 3,513
Ontario’s Express Entry French-Speaking Skilled Worker stream 410
Entrepreneur stream 1
Grand total 9,000

Human Capital Priorities Tech Draws

Ontario targets six specific technology sector occupations with tech draws from the Express Entry pool as part of the HCP stream.

Candidates must have experience in one of the six occupations to qualify.

HCP Tech Draws: Target Occupations

  1. Software engineers and designers (NOC 2173)
  2. Computer programmers and interactive media developers (NOC 2174)
  3. Computer engineers (NOC 2147)
  4. Web designers and developers (NOC 2175)
  5. Database analysts and data administrators (NOC 2172)
  6. Computer and information systems managers (NOC 0213)

Tech Jobs Top List Of 2021 OINP Nominations 

National Occupational Classification (NOC) Occupations Number of nominations
NOC 2173 Software engineers and designers 792
NOC 124 Advertising, marketing and public relations managers 482
NOC 1111 Financial auditors and accountants 382
NOC 2174 Computer programmers and interactive media developers 374
NOC 6311 Food service supervisors 353
NOC 7511 Transport truckdrivers 325
NOC 2172 Database analysts and data administrators 319
NOC 1122 Professional occupations in business management consulting 267
NOC 601 Corporate sales managers 258
NOC 213 Computer and information systems managers 252
NOC 1121 Human resources professionals 186
NOC 122 Banking, credit and other investment managers 183
NOC 2175 Web designers and developers 167
NOC 1112 Financial and investment analysts 164
NOC 1241 Administrative assistants 148
NOC 2147 Computer engineers (except software engineers and designers) 133
NOC 1215 Supervisors, supply chain, tracking and scheduling co-ordination occupations 122
NOC 6322 Cooks 118
NOC 114 Other administrative services managers 114
NOC 4163 Business development officers, marketing researchers, consultants 103
All other occupations 3,758
Grand total 9,000

Candidates must also meet the general requirements of the HCP stream.

This stream is designed for skilled workers who wish to live and work in Ontario, and who have proven skills and abilities to successfully establish themselves in the province.

Ontario HCP: General Requirements

  • Ongoing profile under the Federal Express Entry system and qualify for the FSWP or the CEC.
  • Hold a minimum of 1-year of full-time, or full-time equivalent work experience under NOC occupation level 0, A or B, in the past five years if applying under the FSWP or in the past three years if applying under CEC.
  • Hold the equivalent of a Canadian bachelor’s degree or higher.
  • Show language proficiency of minimum CLB/NCLC level 7 in English or in French.
  • Intention to reside in the province of Ontario.
  • Residing with legal status in Canada, if applicable.
  • Proof of required settlement funds.
  • Minimum Express Entry Comprehensive Ranking System score as determined by the director under period draws.

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Canada Spousal Sponsorship Immigration To Grow More Than 8.2% In 2022

Colin Singer
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Canada Spousal Sponsorship Immigration To Grow More Than 8.2% In 2022

Canada immigration news: The number of people immigrating to Canada through spousal sponsorships is projected to hit a record high this year, on target to see an 8.2 per cent increase over 2021.

Data from Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) reveals 34,870 new permanent residents to Canada in the first half of this year arrived through spousal sponsorships. Based on that trend, that could mean 69,740 new permanent residents through these programs in 2022.

That’s 4,965 more immigrants, or almost 7.7 per cent more, than the 64,775 who came through these programs in 2019, the previous record-breaking year. 

It’s also 5,305 new permanent residents higher than the 64,435 immigrants who came to Canada under these programs last year.

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Spousal sponsorship programs have been growing in popularity for those hoping to rejoin their loved ones in Canada since 2015 prior to the arrival of the COVID-19 pandemic. 

The number of new permanent residents to Canada under spousal sponsorship programs grew by an impressive 22.7 per cent from 46,350 in 2015 to 56,885 the following year. 

Then, in 2017, overall immigration to Canada faltered somewhat, dropping a tad more than 3.3 per cent from 296,370 to 286,540 new permanent residents.

Despite that drop in overall immigration, though, spousal sponsorship programs kept chugging along and the number of immigrants to Canada under those programs actually nudged up 2.2 per cent in 2017 to hit 58,135 new permanent residents.

The following year, in 2018, overall immigration took off again and spousal sponsorships soared 8.2 per cent to 62,885 new permanent residents.

In 2019, overall immigration grew to a respectable 341,175 new permanent residents to the country and spousal sponsorships again rose by three per cent to hit 64,775.

COVID-19 Led To A Temporary Drop In Spousal Sponsorships In 2020

Then, the pandemic hit. Canada, like many other countries, closed its borders to all but essential travel and public health restrictions made international travel much more difficult. 

Immigration plummeted by 45.9 per cent to only 184,585 new permanent residents in 2020 – and the number of spousal sponsorships fell in step with that, dropping 44.2 per cent to 36,120 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. 

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In 2021, immigration to Canada roared back to life and 406,025 foreign nationals became new permanent residents of Canada. 

The number of spousal sponsorships also picked up in 2020, coming to 340 new permanent residents of the pre-pandemic level in 2019. 

The rate of growth of spousal sponsorships to Canada in the eight years that will conclude at the end of 2022 has not been as great as the overall rate of growth in immigration during that period.

But that’s only because spousal sponsorships tend to lag a bit behind overall immigration trends.

Spousal Sponsorships Growing In Step With Overall Immigration With Lag Of One Year

Annual immigration to Canada has grown by 70.4 per cent during those eight years, based on a projection of 2022 number of new permanent residents using the trend in the first six months of this year.

During that same period, spousal sponsorships have grown by 50.5 per cent. 

When the growth of these sponsorship programs is compared to overall annual growth of immigration with a lag of one year, the rates of growth match up almost perfectly.

Immigration growth overall from 2015 through to 2021 came in at 49.3 per cent. 

When a Canadian citizen or permanent resident chooses to sponsor a spouse or common-law partner to immigrate to Canada, the sponsor must sign an undertaking, promising to give financial support for the sponsored person’s basic needs, including:

  • food, clothing, shelter and other needs for everyday living, and;
  • dental care, eye care and other health need not covered by public health services.

This agreement cannot be cancelled, even if:

  • the person sponsored becomes a Canadian citizen;
  • the couple divorces, separates or the relationship breaks down;
  • either the sponsor or the sponsored spouse or common-law partner moves to another province or country, or;
  • the sponsor experiences financial problems.

IRCC Provides Up-To-Date Estimates Of Processing Times

Maternity, parental and sickness benefits paid under the Employment Insurance Act in Canada are all considered income and contribute to allowing a person to sponsor a spouse or common-law partner but other payments from the government, such as employment insurance and federal training allowances, are not considered income.

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

According to that website, the current processing time for sponsorship applications for spouses or common-law partners currently outside the country is 24 months.

That estimated processing time includes:

  • the time needed to provide biometrics;
  • the assessment of the sponsor and the person being sponsored, and;
  • the time immigration officials need to ensure the sponsor and his or her spouse or common-law partner meet the eligibility requirements.

Twitter users often claim the processing time for their applications has been much longer, up to four years.

Toronto And Vancouver Among Top 10 Tech Markets In North America

Colin Singer
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Toronto And Vancouver Among Top 10 Tech Markets In North America

Canada immigration news: Foreign nationals hoping to immigrate to Canada have opportunities abound with tech jobs growing faster in Toronto and Vancouver than the number of skilled workers to fill positions.

“Toronto, Vancouver and Seattle created substantially more jobs than tech degree graduates, while New York Metro, Boston and Washington, D.C. produced more graduates than jobs,” states CBRE Research.

In its latest North American market report, Evolving Workforces: Scoring Tech Talent 2022, the research division of the American commercial real estate firm CBRE Group, placed both Toronto and Vancouver among the top 10 tech talent markets. 

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Toronto was ranked the number three tech market in North America and Vancouver came in at number eight. In the North American tech industry, Toronto is a young lion, demonstrating tremendous growth during the five years which ended in December 2021.

“Between 2016 and 2021, Toronto had the most tech talent growth, up 88,900 jobs, followed by Seattle with an increase of 45,560 jobs, and Vancouver which saw an increase of 44,460 positions,” notes the CBRE Research report. 

Among the emerging Canadian tech markets, Quebec City in the francophone province of Quebec also grew by leaps and bounds during those five years.

“The highest percentage growth was 63 per cent in Vancouver, 44 per cent in Toronto and 43 per cent in Quebec City,” the report states.

Toronto And Waterloo Region Now Innovation Hubs For Tech Sector

The impressive growth of the tech sector in southern Ontario has now reached such a critical mass as to make it an innovation hub.

“Toronto, Seattle and Canada’s Waterloo Region round out the top five most concentrated tech markets, ranging from 9.6 per cent to 10.3 per cent of their total employment,” states the report. “This sizeable concentration of highly-skilled workers offers an environment conducive to innovation.”

Despite the huge demand for skilled workers in Canada’s tech sector, the hot spots for jobs are not necessarily producing enough workers with the skills to fill them in those cities. 

Toronto produced barely a third of the tech degrees, roughly 32.9 per cent or 29,312, it needed for employers to fill the 88,900 new tech jobs in the past five years. 

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Vancouver fared even worse when it came to churning out enough tech workers, producing only 31.6 per cent, or 14,041, of the 44,460 tech degrees it needed during the same period.

In Quebec City, where labour market shortages are among the most serious in Canada, only 2,313 tech degrees were issued in the past five years, or not even 21.7 per cent of the 10,700 new tech jobs.

That shortage of tech workers in these three Canadian cities means opportunities for immigration for foreign nationals with tech skills, particularly in software engineering. 

Those opportunities, though, do not apply across all of the top 50 tech markets throughout North America. In many places, there are actually more students graduating with tech degrees than there are jobs, making competition for jobs more intense.

New York City produced 10 times more new tech grads than new tech jobs in the past five years. Boston cranked out almost 16 times as many tech grads as new tech jobs. And Los Angeles graduated more than three times as many tech experts as it created new tech jobs during the same period.

Chief Information Officer Expects Tech Labour Shortage To Last At Least Two More Years

In a report in October last year, Canadian SMBs: Optimistic, Hiring, and Looking to Make a Difference: Canadian Small-to-Medium Businesses are Confident, but Face Hiring, Cyber and Supply Chain Challenges, KPMG Canada noted the COVID-19 pandemic changed the way many businesses work.

In the new reality, many more companies need more employees with digital skills, especially cyber security and data analytics. As a result, 68 per cent of Canadian businesses were then estimated to be struggling to hire people with the right skill sets to achieve growth. 

Many were then already turning to immigration to fill jobs going begging for a lack of skilled workers in Canada.

“Attraction, retention and development of talent is the number one issue,” wrote Mary Jo Fedy, a national leader with KPMG Enterprise, in that report. 

“To attract and retain talent, SMBs will need to give employees more of what they want by adopting hybrid work models and addressing climate, equality and diversity issues.”

On CIO.com, a news source for chief information officers, a news report estimated roughly 80 per cent of Canadian businesses need more tech workers.

In that article, Pythian chief technology officer Paul Lewis is quoted as saying the IT skills shortage in Canada will likely last at least two more years.

“We haven’t gotten to a point where it has started to slow down yet,” he reportedly said. “I’m not sure we’ve passed the peak or we’ve even hit the peak.”

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 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 are then 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.

Canada Population Set To Be Dominated By Immigrants And Their Children By 2041

Colin Singer
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Canada Population Set To Be Dominated By Immigrants And Their Children By 2041

Canada immigration news: A new Statistics Canada report predicts immigrants will comprise a record-breaking level of more than a third of all Canadians by 2041.

“In 2041, the proportion of immigrants in the Canadian population could reach from 29.1 per cent to 34 per cent, depending on the selected scenario, up from 21.9 per cent in 2016,” says the government statistical agency. 

“This would be a record-high level since the 1867 Canadian confederation.”

In a forecast released Thursday, Canada in 2041: A Larger, More Diverse Population With Greater Differences Between Regions, the federal agency notes that immigrants and their children will likely be the majority in Canada by 2041.

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“According to the reference scenario, the Canadian population would reach 47.7 million in 2041, and 25 million of them would be immigrants or children of immigrants born in Canada, accounting for 52.4 per cent of the total population,” states Statistics Canada.

The current government in Ottawa is bullish on immigration. 

Under its Immigration Levels Plan for 2022-2024, Canada plans to welcome 431,645 permanent residents this year, 447,055 next year, and 451,000 in 2024.

Basing itself on those levels of immigration, Statistics Canada projects one in four Canadians will have been born in either Asia or Africa by 2041.

“Considering these trends and the fact that population growth in the coming decades will depend primarily on international immigration, the Canadian population in 2041 is projected to include 9.9 million to 13.9 million people born in Asia or Africa, depending on the projection scenario,” notes Statistics Canada. 

Asians, Africans Will Make Up Quarter Of Canadian Population Within Two Decades

“These people alone could account for 23.1 per cent to 26.9 per cent of the total Canadian population in 2041, up from 13.5 per cent in 2016.”

With that growth of the Canadian population through immigration, visible minorities – those now described as the “racialized population” by Statistics Canada – will become even more visible. 

Up to almost half of children 14 years old and younger, 49.7 per cent, could be racialized Canadians by 2041 and roughly the same percentage, 47.3 per cent, of working-age Canadians, those aged 15 to 64 years old.

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Since most immigrants tend to be of working age, the proportion of racialized people would be lowest among those of retirement age. In the 65 years old and over age group, racialized Canadians are expected to account for no more than 26.7 per cent of the population by 2041.

“Among these racialized groups, the South Asian group would remain the largest population group in 2041, reaching between 4.7 million and 6.5 million people according to the various projection scenarios developed,” states Statistics Canada. 

But there will be a few notable differences in the relative demographic weight of immigrants from the various parts of the world.

Blacks Will Outnumber Indigenous And Chinese Canadians By 2041

“The Black population would more than double from 1.2 million people in 2016 to more than three million people in 2041,” notes Statistics Canada. “For the first time, the Black population would be larger than the indigenous population in Canada, as well as the population belonging to the Chinese group.”

There are relatively few Western Asians and Arabs in Canada today – at least compared to other demographic groups – but their numbers are expected to grow the fastest of any other demographic in the coming two decades.

Given the current trend of most immigrants preferring to live in larger cities, Statistics Canada is also projecting a growing demographic split between big cities and smaller municipalities and rural areas.

In Toronto, four out of five residents are expected to have been either born in another country themselves or be the children of immigrants by 2041.

“This obvious contrast between the country’s urban and rural regions is reminiscent of some of the current challenges arising from their specific demographic dynamic, including not only pressures on the housing market and the development of urban infrastructure, but also the loss of the demographic weight of the country’s rural regions,” notes Statistics Canada.

South Asians Will Grow In Numbers In Toronto, Blacks In Montreal, Chinese In Vancouver

And not all big cities will attract the same mix of immigrants. 

While Toronto is expected to see further growth in its South Asian population which may account for 38.6 per cent of the city’s total racialized population in 2041, Montreal’s biggest racialized group will continue to be the Black community. 

In Montreal, the number of Blacks is expected to more than double from 276,000 people in 2016 to 673,000 in 2041.

“In Vancouver, Chinese (which is the largest racialized group) numbered 504,000 in 2016, and, depending on the projection scenario, would reach between 737,000 and 972,000 in 2041,” notes Statistics Canada. 

“This would be followed by South Asians, which would number between 638,000 and 859,000 in 2041, up from 308,000 in 2016.”

The statistical and demographic services agency notes in its report that it is providing this information to document the process of ethnocultural diversification of the Canadian population and “properly capture some of the substantial changes that are occurring and transforming the social fabric of Canadian communities.” 

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