New Quebec Arrima Draw Sees 30 Canada Immigration Candidates Invited

Colin Singer
-
0
New Quebec Arrima Draw Sees 30 Canada Immigration Candidates Invited

Canada immigration news: A new draw through Quebec’s Arrima Expression of Interest system saw the province issue invitations to 30 Canada immigration candidates.

The May 5 draw targeted candidates with a job offer from an employer outside the Montreal metropolitan area. It did not require a minimum score in the Quebec Expression of Interest points system.

Candidates receiving an invitation have 60 days to submit a full application to the Quebec Skilled Worker Program.

Quebec Expression Of Interest Draws 2022

Date of invitations

Invites Issued

Minimum Score

Date of extraction from Arrima bank

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

Quebec Set To Welcome Over 71,000 New Permanent Residents In 2022
New Quebec Action Plan Aims To Boost Immigration To Regions
Quebec Businesses Call For Immigration To Almost Double Amid Labour Shortage

Video

<iframe width=”560″ height=”315″ src=”https://www.youtube.com/embed/Oom8Q3RMNA0″ frameborder=”0″ allow=”accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture” allowfullscreen></iframe>

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.

How To Apply For An Open Work Permit Under Spouse or Common-Law Partner in Canada Class

Colin Singer
-
0
How To Apply For An Open Work Permit Under Spouse or Common-Law Partner in Canada Class

Canada immigration news: Spouses or common-law partners being sponsored for permanent residence from within Canada can work while their application is being processed by applying for an Open Work Permit. 

Eligible candidates must be in Canada and in the process of being sponsored for permanent residence under the Spouse or Common-Law Partner in Canada Class. Candidates must also have valid temporary status as a visitor, student or worker and live at the same address as their sponsor.

Read More Canada Immigration News

Spouse And Partner Immigration 2021: Indian Citizens Dominate Permanent Residence Figures
Spouse And Partner Immigration: Which Canadian Provinces Welcomed Most Newcomers In 2021?
Spouse and Partner Immigration To Canada Numbers Recover In 2021

Who Qualifies For An Open Work Permit Under The Spouse or Common-Law Partner in Canada Class?

Spouses or Common-Law partners who:

  • Are being sponsored to become Canadian permanent residents.
  • Are the spouse or common-law partner of their sponsor.
  • Live with their sponsor/spouse/partner.
  • Have temporary resident status in Canada.

Watch Video

How to Apply for a Spousal Work Permit

To apply for the spousal work permit, choose the situation that applies to you:

1) Those submitting a new application for permanent residence can apply for the work permit at the same time. Send both completed applications to one of the following addresses:

By mail:

In-Canada Sponsorship
CPC – Mississauga
PO Box 5040, Station B
Mississauga, ON
L5A 3A4

By courier:

Case Processing Centre – Mississauga
2 Robert Speck Parkway, Suite 300
Mississauga, ON
L4Z 1H8

Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) is currently testing an online system for submitting applications under the Spouse or Common-Law Partner in Canada Class. Applicants may be selected to apply online as part of the testing process.

2) Those who have already submitted a permanent residence application can complete a form for the special work permit online, before mailing it to the Case Processing Centre at the following address:

Case Processing Centre – Edmonton
Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada
Work permits for spouses or common-law partners, Station 777
9700 Jasper Avenue NW, Suite 55
Edmonton, AB T5J 4C3

3) Those who have already been approved in principle for permanent residence without passing medical, security and background checks can apply online.

4) Those who already have a work permit under the pilot will need to apply for an extension before their status lapses.

Canada Announces New Express Entry Settlement Funds For 2022

Colin Singer
-
0
Canada Announces New Express Entry Settlement Funds For 2022

Canada immigration news: The settlement funds immigrants need under Canada’s Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSWP) and Federal Skilled Trades Program (FSTP) through Express Entry are to increase.

“To stay eligible, you may need to update your settlement fund numbers in your Express Entry profile,” notes Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) on its website. “The update must be done no later than June 8, 2022.”

Read More Canada Immigration News

Record Numbers Of Hong Kongers Immigrating To Canada
Immigrate To Canada As A Nurse: All You Need To Know
Quebec Set To Welcome Over 71,000 New Permanent Residents In 2022

Those who have applied under the Canadian Experience Class and those authorized to work in Canada and who already have a valid job offer do not have to show this proof of having a higher level of settlement funds – even if they’ve applied under the FSWP or the FSTP. 

“Keep your funds up to date in your profile,” the IRCC is advising would-be immigrants. “The system may find that you’re eligible for more than one program. You don’t always know ahead of time which program you’ll be invited under.”

With the latest round of increases, the funds required for a single applicant have increased from $13,213 in 2021 to $13,310 this year.

Similar small increases have been applied for each number of family members (see table below).

The new requirements are outlined below:

Settlement Funds Required For Federal Skilled Worker and Federal Skilled Trades Programs

Number of Family Members

2017 Funds Required

2018 0Funds Required

2019 Funds Required

2020 Funds Required

2021 Funds Required

2022 Funds Required

1

$12,300

$12,474

$12,669

$12,960

$13,213

$13,310

2

$15,312

$15,530

$15,772

$16,135

$16,449

$16,570

3

$18,825

$19,092

$19,390

$19,836

$20,222

$20,371

4

$22,856

$23,181

$23,542

$24,083

$24,553

$24,733

5

$25,923

$26,291

$26,701

$27,315

$27,847

$28,052

6

$29,236

$29,652

$30,114

$30,806

$31,407

$31,638

7

$32,550

$33,013

$33,528

$34,299

$34,967

$35,224

Each additional family member

$3,314

$3,361

$3,414

$3,492

$3,560

$3,586

Watch Video

Applicants should note that borrowed money cannot be used to meet the thresholds. They need to use the money to cover the cost of living for their family. This applies even if the family is not accompanying the applicant to Canada.

The funds must be readily available both when a candidate applies and when a permanent residence visa is issued.

Official letters from banks or other financial institutions act as proof of funds.

According to Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada, the letter must:

  • be printed on the financial institution’s letterhead;
  • include their contact information (address, telephone number and email address);
  • include your name;
  • list outstanding debts such as credit card debts and loans, and;
  • include, for each current bank and investment account:
    • account numbers;
    • the date each account was opened;
    • the current balance of each account, and;
    • the average balance for the past six months.

The amount of money applicants need depends upon the size of their families. Ottawa revises these amounts each year.

Applicants need to research the actual cost of living where they plan to settle in Canada.

They will need to declare if they are bringing more than $10,000 into the country, as per Canadian customs regulations. Those who fail to declare

Typically, the authorities permit applicants to bring funds in the form of:

  • cash
  • documents that highlight property or capital payable to the applicant such as:
    • stocks;
    • bonds;
    • debentures, or;
    • treasury bills, or;
  • documents that guarantee payment of a specific amount of money, which is payable to the applicant, such as:
    • bankers’ drafts;
    • cheques;
    • travellers’ cheques or;
    • money orders. 

Canada To Expand Immigrant Settlement Services In Prairies With $14.3M Investment

Colin Singer
-
0
Canada To Expand Immigrant Settlement Services In Prairies With $14.3M Investment

Canada immigration news: Settlement services in the Prairie provinces of Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba are to be expended with an investment of more than $14.3 million from Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC). 

In August last year, Ottawa issued a call for proposals under the Resettlement Assistance Program (RAP) and for case management services. The federal government then selected 14 projects to offer more services to refugees and other vulnerable newcomers in the Prairies.

Read More Canada Immigration News

Canada Immigrant Settlement and Credential Recognition Services Boosted In Newfoundland
Canada To Spend $35M On Improving Immigrant Settlement Services
Quebec Announces $20m Spending For Immigrant Settlement Services

Thursday, Ottawa announced those investments will include more than $10.1 million to extend case management services in 11 communities in both English and French. That’s to help vulnerable newcomers with support and referrals to successfully settle into their new communities. 

$4.2M to Fund 3 New Settlement Service Providers

The new funds also include more than $4.2 million to add another three service providers under the RAP in Fort McMurray and Grand Prairie, Alberta, and Winkler, Manitoba. 

Canadian immigration officials describe these organizations as “key to enhancing access to support services for refugees in smaller and rural communities and to providing newcomers with the tools needed for their long-term success in the years ahead.”

Canada is bullish on immigration, setting its sights on record-breaking numbers of new permanent residents to the country over the next three years.

Watch Video

Under the immigration levels plan presented by immigration Minister Sean Fraser earlier this year, Canada plans to welcome 431,645 permanent residents this year, 447,055 next year, and 451,000 in 2024.

“We are focused on economic recovery, and immigration is the key to getting there,” said Fraser. 

“Setting bold new immigration targets, as outlined in the 2022-2024 Levels Plan, will further help bring the immeasurable contribution of immigrants to our communities and across all sectors of the economy.”

Provincial governments in the Prairies share that enthusiasm for immigration. 

Earlier this month, Saskatchewan introduced its Labour Mobility and Fair Registration Practices Act to help it grow its population to 1.4 million in the next eight years, up from its roughly 1.18 million residents now.

That legislation is also expected to help create 100,000 jobs over the same time period.

Immigration to Prairies Rebounded Last Year to Almost Pre-Pandemic Levels

Last year, immigration to Alberta rebounded to hit 40,040 new permanent residents, IRCC figures reveal. 

That’s almost double the 22,955 new permanent residents who moved there during 2020 but still a shade under the 43,690 new permanent residents to the province in 2019, the last full year before COVID-19.

In Saskatchewan, too, immigration rose somewhat last year, to 10,955 new permanent residents from the 7,400 in 2020 but closed last year still down 30.9 per cent off the 15,855 new permanent residents in 2019.

Manitoba saw a similar rebound, welcoming 16,585 new permanent residents last year, almost double the 8,630 in 2020 but still down nearly 12.3 per cent compared to the 18,910 new permanent residents who settled there in 2019.

“Newcomers and refugees have long been a driving force behind Canada’s society and economy. Our country has a proud tradition of being an international leader in resettlement and integration,” said Marie-France Lalonde, parliamentary secretary to Canada’s immigration minister.

“This success could not be achieved without vital settlement service organizations that help newcomers learn Canada’s official languages, find jobs and build successful lives in their new communities.”

Under the RAP, Canada supports government-assisted refugees and other eligible clients upon arrival in all provinces outside of Quebec. The program provides newcomers with direct financial support and funds service provider organizations that deliver immediate and essential services. 

Those financial supports include a one-time start-up allowance and monthly income for up to one year. RAP service provider organizations deliver services to immigrants within their first six weeks of arrival in Canada.

Quebec Set To Welcome Over 71,000 New Permanent Residents In 2022

Colin Singer
-
0
Quebec Set To Welcome Over 71,000 New Permanent Residents In 2022

Canada immigration news: As Quebec tries to make up for immigrants who were unable to come at the height of the pandemic, immigration is going to skyrocket to a record high of roughly 71,275 new permanent residents this year, up more than 41.7 per cent from the 50,285 last year.

Quebec Immigration Minister Jean Boulet downplayed this year’s boost in immigration to the province in an interview with the French-language Radio Canada television network.

Read More Canada Immigration News

New Quebec Action Plan Aims To Boost Immigration To Regions
Quebec Businesses Call For Immigration To Almost Double Amid Labour Shortage
Canada Unemployment Falls To New Record Low Of 5.2%, Spearheaded By Quebec

Under pressure from business and industry groups to vastly increase Quebec’s immigration targets – a move frowned upon by the Parti Quebecois opposition party – Boulet explained away this year’s increase in immigration as nothing more than the province catching up for losses during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Quebec Immigration Fell Short Of Target By 18,775 Permanent Residents In 2020

“The limit on the number of immigrants allowed, based on the multi-year plan, limits new permanent residents to Quebec to 52,500 per year,” said Boulet in French.

In 2020, though, Quebec was unable to welcome the 44,000 new permanent residents which it was then allowed under that multi-year plan. Instead, only 25,225 new permanent residents came to Quebec that year. 

The 18,775 shortfalls in permanent residents between those expected under the 2020 immigration target and those who actually came that year is now being added to Quebec’s allotment for this year.

Watch Video

That’s pushing immigration to Quebec to a record high because the previous shortfall is now being added to the 52,500 allotments for this year under the multi-year plan.

That level of immigration to Quebec – if it materializes – will mean 20,990 more new permanent residents to the province this year than in 2021.

Quebec Immigration Minister Also Expecting Higher Temporary Foreign Worker Numbers

The boost in immigration to Quebec comes as the province is also expecting an increase in temporary foreign workers from the roughly 30,000 who worked in the province last year.

“With the simplified applications and the addition of several occupations, trades that will benefit from fast-track processing for temporary immigration, there will certainly be more (temporary foreign workers in Quebec) to meet the demands of Quebec businesses,” said Boulet. 

Earlier this month, business and industry groups in Quebec lobbied the province to almost double immigration to Quebec to resolve acute labour shortages there.

The reported consensus among industry groups is for Quebec to welcome 80,000 immigrants every year. 

Véronique Proulx, president of the Manufacturiers et Exportateurs du Québec (MEQ) manufacturing and exporting industry association, has reportedly called for the province to receive as many as 90,000 immigrants annually.

“We know the labour shortages cannot be fixed in the blink of an eye and it will take a series of strategies working in tandem to reduce the impact of the lack of workers,” Proulx said in a statement in French.

Last week, MEQ and three other business associations, the Conseil du Patronat du Québec (CPQ) employers’ group, the Fédération des Chambres de Commerce du Québec (FCCQ) association of chambers of commerce, and the Fédération Canadienne de l’Entreprise Indépendante (FCEI) association of independent businesses, lobbied the provincial political parties to take a series of measures to resolve the labour shortages.

Immigration was among them.

“With a Quebec provincial election (scheduled to take place on or before Oct. 3), it is important for us to inform political parties about the need to put in place solid strategies to grow the pool of workers and maintain Quebec’s competitive advantage,” said Proulx.

Parti Québécois Wants To Put Brakes On Immigration Increases

In the provincial legislature, though, the Parti Québécois (PQ) opposed any sort of massive increase in immigration. 

PQ Leader Paul St-Pierre Plamondon instead wants a debate on immigration “based on science and not on ideology or false premises.”

“The simple fact of asking questions about raising immigration quotas raises implications about the intolerance of those bringing them up, which creates an atmosphere that is not serene,” he reportedly said.

Quebec society must make its own decisions about immigration and answer for itself whether or not more immigration will in fact create more wealth and raise the per capita GDP, he said.

The PQ leader tried to put the brakes on immigration to the province in February as well. 

When the federal government released its 2022-2024 Levels Plan in which it revealed Ottawa wants to welcome 431,645 permanent residents this year, 447,055 next year, and 451,000 in 2024, St-Pierre Plamondon fired off a letter to Quebec Premier François Legault, asking him if the province had been consulted about Canada’s new immigration targets.

In that letter, the PQ leader warned that higher levels of immigration to the rest of Canada could cut Quebec’s clout on the national political scene.

“Quebec is already in the position of being politically insignificant in the sense that to become prime minister of Canada, one no longer has to win over Quebec,” the leader of the separatist party reportedly said.

“Given the fragile state of francophones in North America, being part of a political structure that no longer needs to consider our interests to wield power, in view of the history of imperialism and colonialism in Canada towards francophones and indigenous people, the future is bleak for us if we remain a part of Canada.”

Canada To Bring In Ukrainian Refugees On 3 Chartered Flights

Colin Singer
-
0
Canada To Bring In Ukrainian Refugees On 3 Chartered Flights

Canada immigration news: Immigration Minister Sean Fraser says three planeloads of Ukrainian refugees are going to be flown to Manitoba, Quebec, and Nova Scotia in May and June under the Canada-Ukraine Authorization for Emergency Travel (CUAET).

“Canada is doing everything it can to support Ukrainians before and after they arrive in Canada,” said Fraser.

“Millions of Ukrainians have been displaced and forced to flee their homes, and these charter flights will help make sure that those who want to come to Canada have the support they need. We’ll continue to work with provinces and territories, settlement organizations and NGOs to make sure Ukrainians feel at home in their new communities.”

Read More Canada Immigration News

Flood Of Temporary Visa Approvals Through Canada-Ukraine Authorization for Emergency Travel
All You Need To Know About The Canada-Ukraine Authorization For Emergency Travel
Canada Opens Applications for Ukraine Emergency Travel Pathway

The three chartered flights for people approved under the CUAET will take off from Poland. The first is scheduled to land in Winnipeg on May 23, the second in Montreal on May 29, and the third in Halifax on June 2.

Canadians Can Donate Points To Fund Flights For Ukrainians

Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) is providing up to 14 nights of accommodations for any of these refugees who do not already have a place to stay in Canada.

Through the Ukraine2Canada Travel Fund at least 10,000 free flights are expected to be made available for refugees fleeing the Russia-Ukraine war.

Canadians can donate their Aeroplan points through the Air Canada Foundation Ukrainian Relief Fund and Miles4Migrants websites to help cover the cost of flights for Ukrainian refugees. Canadians who would like to donate cash can do so through the Travel & Settlement Fund at the Jewish Foundation of Greater Toronto which will distribute these donations to sponsor displaced Ukrainians. 

On May 4, more than 204,000 CUAET applications had been submitted and roughly 91,500 applications had been approved. Ottawa has said Canada will accept an unlimited number of Ukrainian refugees under the CUAET.

Watch Video

That compares to only 20,010 new permanent residents who came to Canada as refugees in 2021.

The flood of Ukrainians approved under the CUAET this year is already more than 10 times the 9,230 new permanent residents to Canada under refugee programs in 2020 and more than three times higher than the 30,070 new permanent residents under refugee programs in 2019, the last full year before the COVID-19 global pandemic.

The new arrivals to Canada from Ukraine are coming under temporary visas which can last up to three years and are not permanent residents. 

But, once in Canada, those Ukrainian refugees will certainly be able to apply for permanent residency and any work experience they gain or studying they do while in the country will only enhance their Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) scores should they decide to complete Express Entry profiles and apply for permanent residency.

Asian Countries Biggest Sources Of New Canada Permanent Residents

The allegations of racism in Canada’s immigration practices, however, sound hollow because the biggest sources of new permanent residents to Canada are not primarily-Caucasian countries. 

The biggest sources of new permanent residents to Canada are China, India, and the Philippines which together accounted for a third of all new permanent residents to Canada last year. The fourth-biggest source of a new permanent residents to Canada in 2021 was Nigeria.

In March, Canada extended its settlement services with new programs specifically tailored for Ukrainian refugees that are being offered until the end of March next year, including:

  • language training;
  • information about and orientation to life in Canada, such as help with enrolling children in school;
  • information and services to help access the labour market, including mentoring, networking, counselling, skills development and training
  • activities that promote connections with communities;
  • assessments of other needs Ukrainians may have and referrals to appropriate agencies;
  • services targeted to the needs of women, seniors, youth and LGBTQ2+ people, and;
  • other settlement supports are funded through the settlement program.

Russian President Vladimir Putin declared war on Ukraine on Feb. 24 and quickly struck the country with a full military onslaught. The early video showed the full extent of the devastation as nothing seemed to be spared the Russian air missile attacks, not even maternity wards and civilians. 

New British Columbia Draw Sees Province Issue At Least 166 Canada Immigration Invitations

Colin Singer
-
0
New British Columbia Draw Sees Province Issue At Least 166 Canada Immigration Invitations

Canada immigration news: A new draw through the British Columbia Provincial Nominee Program saw the province issue Canada immigration invitations to at least 166 candidates.

The May 10 draw saw invitations issued in four different categories.

Skilled workers and international graduates with a minimum score of 85 points received 126 invitations through the BC PNP Tech stream.

A draw targeted at Healthcare workers saw 20 invitations issued to skilled workers, international graduates and entry-level and semi-skilled workers, also with a minimum score of 62 points.

A further 20 invitations were issued to skilled workers and international graduates scoring at least 62 points in a draw targeting Early Childhood Educators under NOC 4214.

The final invitations to entry-level and semi-skilled workers targeted Health Care Assistants under NOC 3413, with a minimum score of 62. The number of invitations was listed as ‘less than 5’ to protect the privacy of those invited.

Read More Canada Immigration News

British Columbia, Quebec and the Yukon Hit Hardest By Canada Labour Shortages
New British Columbia Draw Sees Province Issue At Least 178 Canada Immigration Invitations
British Columbia Entrepreneur Immigration: Main Category To Reopen With Changes In July

Latest B.C. Immigration Draw

Date

Category

Minimum Score

Invitations Issued

Description

10-May-22

 

 

 

Skilled Worker, International Graduate

85

126

Targeted draw: Tech

Skilled Worker, International Graduate, Entry Level and Semi-Skilled

62

20

Targeted draw: Healthcare

Skilled Worker, International Graduate

62

20

Targeted draw: Childcare: Early childhood educators (NOC 4214)

Entry Level and Semi-Skilled

62

<5

Targeted draw: Healthcare: Health care assistants (NOC 3413)

Video:

 

Record Numbers Of Hong Kongers Immigrating To Canada

Colin Singer
-
0
Record Numbers Of Hong Kongers Immigrating To Canada

Canada immigration news: Hong Kongers are immigrating to Canada in record numbers after Ottawa open its arms for residents suffering from China’s anti-democracy crackdown.

The communist superpower has quashed dissent in Hong Kong by closing newspapers, forcing all candidates running for office to take a loyalty test, and tearing down monuments commemorating the Tiananmen Square protests of 1989. 

Unions and other independent organizations have been closed. Pro-democracy activists who were unable to flee or hide were arrested under what was described as a draconian national security law. 

Read More Canada Immigration News

Hong Kongers Get Two New Pathways To Canada Permanence Residence
Canada Immigration News: Report Urges Ottawa To Do More To Help Hong Kongers Move Here
Special Work Permit Program For Hong Kong Graduates Sees Almost 6,000 Applications

In the midst of all the turmoil in Hong Kong, Canadians stepped forward. Ottawa offered two new pathways to immigration for Hong Kongers last year, one for students and the other for workers.

“With young Hong Kongers casting their eyes abroad, we want them to choose Canada,” said then-Immigration Minister Marco Mendicino in a statement last year.

“Our Hong Kong immigration pathway is a historic initiative, intended to attract talented applicants who will drive our economy forward. Skilled Hong Kongers will have a unique opportunity to both develop their careers and help accelerate our recovery,” he said.

Watch Video

It seems to be working.

Last year, Canada welcomed 2,295 new permanent residents from Hong Kong. 

That’s more than double the 1,045 new permanent residents from Hong Kong in 2020 and 49 per cent more than the 1,540 new permanent residents from Hong Kong in 2019, the last full year before the start of the Covid-19 pandemic.

The latest data from Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) shows 555 Hong Kongers became new permanent residents of Canada in the first two months of this year.

That puts Canada on track to receive 3,330 new permanent residents from Hong Kong this year.

The number of Hong Kongers coming to live in Canada had been climbing steadily since at least 2015 when 895 of them made the move. The following year and again in 2017, there were 1,360 new permanent residents to Canada from Hong Kong and in 2018 there were 1,525.

Study Permits For Hong Kongers in Canada More Than Doubled Last Year

The anti-democracy crackdowns fueled a strong desire in many Hong Kong residents to leave. 

When Ottawa announced a new pathway to permanent residence for Hong Kong university and college graduates who had completed at least 50 per cent of their program at a Canadian college or university last year, the number of Canadian study permits for Hong Kong residents jumped.

In the last year before the pandemic, Canada issued 2,490 study permits to students from Hong Kong. That nudged up to 2,605 study permits for Hong Kong students the following year. 

At the start of last year, it seemed there was little change.

Then, the new pathway was announced – and the number of study permits issued to Hong Kong residents spiked. By the end of 2021, Canada has issued 6,370 study permits to Hong Kong residents, more than double the number issued in 2019.

The other pathway to permanent residency opened up for Hong Kongers last year was for workers who had at least one year of full-time work experience – or the equivalent of 1,560 hours in part-time work – and who had either a university degree or certificate or a college diploma. 

That education did not have to be completed in Canada or at a Canadian college or university.

Temporary Residents in Canada From Hong Kong Skyrocketing

Since the announcement of that pathway to permanent residence, the number of Hong Kongers working as temporary residents in Canada has skyrocketed.

Last year, Canada issued 5,550 work permits to Hong Kongers through the International Mobility Program (IMP), up 136.2 per cent from the 2,350 such work permits issued in 2020 and an increase of 169.4 per cent from the 2,060 such work permits issued in the last year before the pandemic.

The number of work permits issued through the Temporary Foreign Worker Program (TFWP) also jumped last year. These rose by almost 71.9 per cent, to 275, from 160 the previous year and by 150 per cent compared to the 110 issued in 2019.

That means there were 5,825 temporary workers in Canada from Hong Kong last year, almost three times as many as the 2,170 in the last full year before the pandemic and more than twice as many students from there in Canada as well.

New Quebec Action Plan Aims To Boost Immigration To Regions

Colin Singer
-
0
New Quebec Action Plan Aims To Boost Immigration To Regions

Canada immigration news: Quebec is aiming to boost the settlement of immigrants in the francophone province’s outlying regions under a new plan unveiled by provincial Immigration Minister Jean Boulet Monday.

“There are undeniable advantages for immigrants in the regions, including welcoming, close-knit communities, jobs, a great quality of life and more,” said Boulet in French in a statement.

Read More Canada Immigration News

Quebec Businesses Call For Immigration To Almost Double Amid Labour Shortage
Canada Unemployment Falls To New Record Low Of 5.2%, Spearheaded By Quebec
British Columbia, Quebec and the Yukon Hit Hardest By Canada Labour Shortages

“By redoubling our efforts and working together towards common goals with all of the stakeholders in the regions, we will be able to attain those goals more quickly and easily. By creating the most favourable conditions for immigration in the regions, we are also strengthening Quebec’s economy.”

Montreal The Big Magnet For Immigrants To Quebec

Last year, 50,280 new permanent residents to Canada settled in Quebec, almost exactly double the 25,225 that arrived in 2020 and almost 24 per cent more than the 40,565 new permanent residents that came to the province in 2019, the last full year before the Covid-19 pandemic.

Despite the upswing in immigration to the province, though, most of the regions are seeing little benefit from these new arrivals because the vast majority gravitate to the big cities of Montreal and Quebec.

In 2021, Montreal swallowed up 80.3 per cent of all new permanent residents to the province. Quebec City, Sherbrooke, Trois Rivières, and the Gatineau area just across from Ottawa together accounted for another 13.7 per cent of all new permanent residents to Quebec that year. 

That means those five urban areas accounted for 47,240 new permanent residents to the province last year, roughly 93.9 per cent of immigration to Quebec in 2021.

The entire rest of the province attracted only 3,040 new permanent residents, or about six per cent of the total, last year. 

Watch Video

With the plan announced Monday, Quebec’s immigration department, the Ministre de l’Immigration, de la Francisation et de l’Intégration (MIFI), wants to promote the advantages of these regions to immigrants, nurture the development of non-profit groups offering settlement services to them in those regions, and put in place a process to evaluate the effectiveness of this strategy.

Quebec is hoping to boost both the number of immigrants seeking permanent residence and the arrival of temporary residents, particularly those coming under the International Mobility Program (IMP) for jobs outside Greater Montreal.

The province also wants to increase the number of spaces outside of Montreal under its Collective Sponsorship program and it is looking to a regional immigration pilot like the highly-successful Atlantic Immigration Pilot. 

By collecting information on those immigrants who leave Greater Montreal to settle in the regions, the province is hoping to better understand what brought them there and so identify opportunities to better promote the region. 

Quebec Sees Immigration As Vital To Fixing Labour Shortages

Quebec is also planning to boost its credential recognition programs in the outlying regions to help immigrants settle there more quickly and land jobs. 

It is currently one of the provinces hardest hit by labour shortages and many companies are struggling for a want of qualified applicants to fill jobs which are going begging.

Five months ahead of the next provincial election in Quebec, four business groups lobbied the political parties last week to boost immigration by as much as 90 per cent.

The Manufacturiers et Exportateurs du Québec (MEQ) manufacturing and exporting industry association, the Conseil du Patronat du Québec (CPQ) employers’ group, the Fédération des Chambres de Commerce du Québec (FCCQ) association of chambers of commerce, and the Fédération Canadienne de l’Entreprise Indépendante (FCEI) association of independent businesses, want more immigration to fix the province’s severe labour shortage.

“We know the labour shortages cannot be fixed in the blink of an eye and it will take a series of strategies working in tandem to reduce the impact of the lack of workers,” said MEQ president Véronique Proulx.

“With a Quebec provincial election (scheduled to take place on or before Oct. 3), it is important for us to inform political parties about the need to put in place solid strategies to grow the pool of workers and maintain Quebec’s competitive advantage.”

Quebec Businesses Call For Immigration To Almost Double Amid Labour Shortage

Colin Singer
-
0
Quebec Businesses Call For Immigration To Almost Double Amid Labour Shortage

Canada immigration news: Quebec business and industry groups want to almost double immigration to resolve labour shortages, but a separatist opposition party in the francophone province is throwing cold water on the idea.

Last year, 50,280 new permanent residents to Canada settled in that province. 

Read More Canada Immigration News

Canada Unemployment Falls To New Record Low Of 5.2%, Spearheaded By Quebec
British Columbia, Quebec and the Yukon Hit Hardest By Canada Labour Shortages
Quebec Immigration Processing: Why Such Long Delays?

Business leaders want that that greatly increased to help resolve the province’s massive labour shortages. The reported consensus among industry groups is for Quebec to welcome 80,000 immigrants every year. 

Four Business Organizations Call For Immigration Boost

Véronique Proulx, president of the Manufacturiers et Exportateurs du Québec (MEQ) manufacturing and exporting industry association, has reportedly called for the province to receive as many as 90,000 immigrants annually.

“We know the labour shortages cannot be fixed in the blink of an eye and it will take a series of strategies working in tandem to reduce the impact of the lack of workers,” Proulx said in a statement in French.

Watch Video

Last week, MEQ and three other business associations, the Conseil du Patronat du Québec (CPQ) employers’ group, the Fédération des Chambres de Commerce du Québec (FCCQ) association of chambers of commerce, and the Fédération Canadienne de l’Entreprise Indépendante (FCEI) association of independent businesses, lobbied the provincial political parties to take a series of measures to resolve the labour shortages.

Immigration was among them.

“With a Quebec provincial election (scheduled to take place on or before Oct. 3), it is important for us to inform political parties about the need to put in place solid strategies to grow the pool of workers and maintain Quebec’s competitive advantage,” said Proulx.

Parti Québécois Leader Nixes Notion of Higher Immigration

Not so fast, says the Parti Québécois (PQ) Leader Paul St-Pierre Plamondon.

Although it now only holds a small fraction of the seats in the provincial legislature, the PQ still holds disproportionate influence in Quebecois society as it has previously formed the government.

And it’s rejecting the call for more immigration to the province.

Instead, St-Pierre Plamondon wants a debate on immigration “based on science and not on ideology or false premises.”

“The simple fact of asking questions about raising immigration quotas raises implications about the intolerance of those bringing them up, which creates an atmosphere that is not serene,” he reportedly said.

But Quebec society must make its own decisions about immigration and answer for itself whether or not more immigration will in fact create more wealth and raise the per capita GDP, he said.

This is not the first time the PQ leader has tried to put the brakes on immigration.

In February, the federal government released its 2022-2024 Levels Plan in which it revealed Ottawa wants to welcome 431,645 permanent residents this year, 447,055 next year, and 451,000 in 2024.

Immigration Minister Sean Fraser said the higher immigration levels would allow Canada to resolve its labour shortages and boost the national economy.

“We are focused on economic recovery, and immigration is the key to getting there,” said. “Setting bold new immigration targets, as outlined in the 2022-2024 Levels Plan, will further help bring the immeasurable contribution of immigrants to our communities and across all sectors of the economy.”

That didn’t sit well with St-Pierre Plamondon. 

He immediately fired off a letter to Quebec Premier François Legault, asking him if the province had been consulted about Canada’s new immigration targets.

PQ Fears Higher Immigration In Rest of Canada Will Water Down Quebec’s Demographic Clout

In that letter, the PQ leader also warned that higher levels of immigration to the rest of Canada could cut Quebec’s clout on the national political scene.

St-Pierre Plamondon noted Quebeckers now comprise only 23 per cent of the Canadian population, down from its previous level of 25 per cent. He warned that more immigrants in the rest of Canada could see Quebec comprise only 20 per cent of the Canadian population.

“Quebec is already in the position of being politically insignificant in the sense that to become prime minister of Canada, one no longer has to win over Quebec,” the leader of the separatist party reportedly said.

“Given the fragile state of francophones in North America, being part of a political structure that no longer needs to consider our interests to wield power, in view of the history of imperialism and colonialism in Canada towards francophones and indigenous people, the future is bleak for us if we remain a part of Canada.”

1...124125126...246Page 125 of 246

Latest News

© Canada Immigration News