Immigrate To Canada Through Quebec Immigrant Investor Program From Belgium

Colin Singer
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Immigrate To Canada Through Quebec Immigrant Investor Program From Belgium

The Quebec Immigrant Investor Program (QIIP) offers Belgians the opportunity to settle in a French-speaking province simply by investing in a business.

The latest data from Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) reveals that 610 Belgians became new permanent residents of Canada in 2022 and that by end of November last year the country was well on track to have welcomed 551 by the end of 2023.

In the first 11 months of 2023, 45 Belgians became new permanent residents of Canada through the Canadian Experience Class (CEC) program, 270 through the FSW, and another 70 through the PNPs.

Family sponsorships accounted for 80 Belgians immigrating to Canada and the Temporary Resident-to-Permanent Resident Pathway helped another 30 become new permanent residents.

The QIIP is the only passive investment-based immigration program that allows foreign nationals to gain their permanent residence in Canada simply by investing $1 million with IQ Immigrant Investisseurs Inc., a Quebec crown corporation, without having to establish or actively manage a business in the province.

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Belgians who choose to immigrate to Canada through the QIIP must additionally pay a non-refundable financial contribution of $200,000 and intend to settle in the French-speaking province of Quebec.

Successful applicants are then issued a selection certificate from Quebec for Canada immigration, which allows them to obtain their Canadian permanent residence following health and criminality checks by federal immigration officials.

The eligibility criteria include:

  • language proficiency
  • a legally-acquired personal net worth of $2 million;
  • two years of suitable management or business experience within the five years preceding the application;
  • mandatory residency;
  • investment of $1.2 million into a passive government-guaranteed investment for a period of five years bearing no interest;
  • a high school diploma, and;
  • the intention to settle in the province of Quebec.

Applicants To QIIP Must Demonstrate French-Language Abilities

The French language proficiency requirement is met by applicants by submitting a Certificate of Test Results (TEF, TEF Canada, TEFAQ, TCF, TCFQ) or a recognized French diploma (DELF or DALF) confirming a B2 level in oral French in speaking and listening along with their application to the QIIP.

Applicants can demonstrate that they have legally acquired the minimum net worth of $2 million by showing the net value of their current assets, as well as their history of acquiring funds over the course of their careers with supporting documentation.

That can be demonstrated using bank statements, investor booklets, real estate evaluations, audited financial statements and other pertinent and up-to-date documentation. Grants received less than six months before applying cannot be included in the net worth calculation.

The principal applicant can share this net worth with a spouse or common-law partner accompanying him or her to Quebec.

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Since the intention of the QIIP is to attract business acumen and investment to Quebec, applicants must also have owned or managed by an active trade or business, which may include professional practices, rather than merely have managed investments.

Gray areas under the QIIP include professionals who don’t manage the business, passive real estate investors and investment managers. Developing real estate may qualify while merely owning real estate may not.

“(The applicant must have) … for at least two years in the five years preceding the application for a selection certificate, duties related to the planning, management and control of financial resources and of human or material resources under the investor’s authority; the experience does not include the experience acquired in the context of an apprenticeship, training or specialization process attested to by a diploma,” state the eligibility criteria.

Quebec Selection Certificate Required Under QIIP Before Getting Permanent Residence

Under the QIIP, applicants first apply for an Avis d’intention de sélection du Québec, after receipt of which they can apply for a three-year work permit from federal Canadian immigration officials.

With that Quebec certificate, the principal applicant and their spouse agree to live in Quebec for a period of at least six months within their first two years of receiving work permits – a requirement that can be completed through simultaneous residency or separate periods of six months each.

Once that is completed, the applicant can apply for the actual Certificat de Selection du Quebec (CSQ) from Quebec. As part of this application, the investor needs to establish a clean source of funds and give an interview in French to convince the officer of his or her intention to stay in Quebec.

Once issued a CSQ, they can apply for permanent residence through the IRCC.

Successful applicants are required to make their investment with Investissement Québec for a period of five years at the end of which the capital is returned without interest. The five-year period begins upon issuance of the selection certificate before the applicant has even landed in Canada.

Proceeds from the investment are used to fund various business and social programs within the province of Quebec.

The QIIP allows applicants to finance the bulk of their investment through designated securities brokerage firms and investment banks. Typically, the financing plans require a down payment before the bank loans the balance of up to $1.2 million.

The applicant then deposits that sum with Investissement Québec. The down payment is not refunded at the end of the five-year period. The bank takes fees and interest from the down payment, the immigration agent takes his or her commissions from the down payment.

The net cost to the investor is the down payment.

Why Best French Speaking International Workers Aren’t Immigrating To Quebec

Colin Singer
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Why Best French Speaking International Workers Aren’t Immigrating To Quebec

As illustrated by the federal government’s latest Express Entry draw, the most talented French speakers from around the world are making a clear choice when deciding where to immigrate within Canada. It is not French speaking Quebec.

Quebec’s loss is the rest of Canada’s gain when it comes to the profile of new French speaking immigrants who settle here.

Ottawa’s Liberal government is intent on boosting francophone communities and the cream of prospective French-speaking newcomers are decidedly against the right-wing politics of Quebec’s governing Coalition Avenir Quebec.

The 7,000 French-speaking newcomers invited through Express Entry – the federal government’s flagship selection system – on February 1, brings the total issued with ITAs since targeted draws began last year to 14,700.

In issuing so many invitations to French speakers, Ottawa’s message to Quebec is: If you don’t want them, we do.

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Quebec Premier Francois Legault, the leader of the CAQ, has been adamant in saying he only wants French speaking immigrants to move to his province.

At the same time, he has stubbornly limited immigration levels to Quebec to about 50,000. This includes family and refugee immigration, meaning the economic intake is only about 32,000 for each of 2024 and 2025. When announcing these levels in November, he also revealed plans for a French test for temporary newcomers to the province.

Quebec, with 8.5 million people, comprises 23% of Canada’s population. Yet its planned immigration levels in 2024 will account for only about 10% of Ottawa’s planned intake under the economic stream.

The problem is that educated newcomers are aware of Legault’s brand of politics. They are doing their research and deciding that Quebec is not for them.

Processing challenges also persist in Quebec, with the federal government’s website estimating a 10-month processing time for Quebec Skilled Worker applications versus six for the Federal Skilled Worker Program. In reality, processing times are often much longer under Quebec’s immigration bureaucracy.

Any educated newcomer who does even a small amount of research will soon realise that the option of applying to the rest of Canada is far more advantageous than going through Quebec.

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The result must be that the best French speaking immigrants are moving elsewhere in Canada, with Quebec only picking up a small number of those who are available.

The difficulty Legault faces is that the very policies designed to attract the best and brightest French-speakers are putting off those people from considering Quebec as an option.

As long as the current status quo continues, the situation will persist.

Federal Immigration Minister Marc Miller who incidentally is the MP from for the Federal riding of Ville-Marie-Le Sud-Ouest Ile-des-Soeurs in Montreal, has said Ottawa is committed to ensuring francophone communities outside Quebec thrive. This means welcoming more French-speaking newcomers.

Legault and his CAQ government are also committed to their supposedly pro-French brand of politics, with very little support within Montreal, Quebec’s major city and where the majority of newcomers would be looking to reside.

The result will only be more of the highest calibre French-speaking immigrants moving elsewhere in Canada.

There is also an element of political game playing within the situation.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s Liberals would like Quebec to be welcoming more immigrants. It could increase its levels to more than 100,000 if it wanted to.

By targeting the best-educated French-speakers, the Liberals are taking a swipe at Legault and the CAQ, who they know are not about to change their policies.

The result is that Quebec businesses will continue to struggle to find the calibre of workers required to fill a chronic labour shortage where unemployment is 4.5% – the lowest in Canada.

The rest of Canada will continue to benefit from well-educated French-speaking skilled workers who are primed to slot straight into the workforce. Meanwhile, Quebec, while trying to attract the same candidates, is actually pushing them away under the policies of its one-eyed, right wing governing party.

Prince Edward Island Targets Six Sectors With 78 Canada Immigration Invitations

Colin Singer
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Prince Edward Island Targets Six Sectors With 78 Canada Immigration Invitations

Prince Edward Island has conducted in a new provincial draw, issuing invitations to apply to 78 skilled worker Canada immigration candidates.

The February 1 draw saw invitations issued through the Labour Impact and Express Entry Prince Edward Island Provincial Nominee Program (PEI PNP) stream.

Invitations were issued to individuals working in the Healthcare, Construction, Manufacturing, Food Processing, Agriculture, and Early Childhood Education sectors.

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PEI PNP Immigration Draw

Date Category Invites Issued Minimum Score
01-02-2023 Labour Impact/Express Entry 78 N/A

PEI launched its Expression of Interest system at the start of 2018, and has made monthly draws ever since, with some disruption due to the coronavirus pandemic.

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PEI issued 2,423 invites in 2023, up from 1,853 during 2022.

Of the 2023 invites, 2,359 went to Labour Impact and Express Entry candidates, with the remaining 64 going to Business Impact candidates.

Prince Edward Island Express Entry Stream

PEI’s Express Entry category operates by considering candidates already in the federal Express Entry Pool for a provincial nomination.

Such a nomination adds 600 points to a candidate’s Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score and effectively guarantees an Invitation to Apply (ITA) for Canadian immigration.

The PEI Express Entry Category features two pathways to Canadian permanent residence, one for candidates with a job offer and one for those without.

Prince Edward Island Labour Impact Category

1) Skilled Worker Stream

This employer driven stream allows skilled workers with an employment offer in PEI to be nominated for Canadian Permanent residence if they meet the following criteria:

  • A full time employment offer from a Prince Edward Island business in an occupation classified as TEER category 0, 1, 2 or 3 of the National Occupational Classification (NOC);
  • Completion of a post-secondary education, with a minimum of 14 years of formal education;
  • Between 21 and 55 years of age;
  • At least 2 years of full time work experience in the past 5 years;
  • Sufficient proficiency in English or French to occupy the employment offered;
  • Sufficient settlement funds;
  • Demonstrated intention to settle in Prince Edward Island.

2) Critical Worker Stream

This category is designed to resolve labour shortages and is open to foreign workers already in PEI with employment in specific critical demand occupations. The primary criteria for nomination are:

  • A full time offer of employment from a Prince Edward Island business in one of the following occupations:
    • Truck driver;
    • Customer service representative;
    • Labourer;
    • Food & beverage server;
    • Housekeeping attendant.
  • 6 months of work experience with the Prince Edward Island business offering employment;
  • Current valid Canadian work permit;
  • High school diploma and minimum of 12 years of formal education;
  • Between 21 and 55 years of age;
  • At least 2 years of full-time work experience in the past 5 years;
  • Demonstrate basic proficiency in English or French language;
  • Sufficient settlement funds;
  • Demonstrated intention to settle in Prince Edward Island.

 

Calls In Sudbury For RNIP To Be Permanent Immigration Program

Colin Singer
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Calls In Sudbury For RNIP To Be Permanent Immigration Program

Businesses in Sudbury are worried the pending end of the Rural and Northern Immigration Pilot (RNIP) this year will make it harder for them to recruit the employees they need and they want Ottawa to make the immigration program permanent.

In an open letter to local Members of Parliament, Viviane Lapointe and Nickel Belt Marc Serré, the Greater Sudbury Chamber of Commerce urged that the RNIP become a permanent program of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC)

“If you talk to any business owner and our members, a big challenge they’ve had over the last few years is finding talented labour and skilled labour and the … program is something that facilitates that,” Geoffrey Hatton, chair of that chamber of commerce and president and CEO of Spectrum Telecom Group, reportedly told CTV News.

“Twenty per cent of our staff (are) international hires, so it’s a big impact for us.”

In the first 11 months of 2023, the RNIP allowed 2,475 foreign nationals become new permanent residents of Canada, putting the program on track to welcome 2,700 new permanent residents by the end of that year.

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That’s more than double the 1,345 new permanent residents the RNIP welcomed to the participating communities which are spread out throughout Ontario, Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Alberta and British Columbia in 2022.

Lapointe is bullish on the program.

“My northern colleagues and I have advocated for RNIP to become a permanent program,” she reportedly said. “We’ve seen first-hand the importance of this program and how it is a driver of economic prosperity for our communities.

“I am very encouraged by the results so far and all the expressions of support from the local community for the program and expect to hear more about the future of the program soon.”

The findings of a Northern Policy Institute report, Community Immigration Pilot Making Economic ‘Cents’: How the Rural and Northern Immigration Pilot is Growing the Local Economy in Thunder Bay, highlight the importance of that immigration program to rural and northern communities.

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“The RNIP helps to attract immigrants to smaller communities by providing them with a path to permanent residency,” states the report.

“In turn, it gives communities the opportunity to select which workers have the most desired skills by their local industries and are the most likely to settle and stay in that northern or rural community in the long term.

“By doing so, the RNIP benefits both skilled immigrants and smaller communities at the same time.”

RNIP Helps 11 Communities In Five Provinces Attract Immigrants

To be included in the pilot, communities must:

  • have a population of 50,000 or less and be located at least 75km from the core of a census metropolitan area, or;
  • have a population of up to 200,000 people and is considered remote from other larger cities, according to the Statistics Canada Remoteness Index.

Here are the participating communities in the pilot program:

Community Community website
North Bay, ON https://northbayrnip.ca/
Sudbury, ON https://investsudbury.ca/why-sudbury/move-to-sudbury/rnip/
Timmins, ON www.timminsedc.com
Sault Ste. Marie, ON www.welcometossm.com
Thunder Bay, ON https://gotothunderbay.ca/
Brandon, MB www.economicdevelopmentbrandon.com
Altona/Rhineland, MB www.seedrgpa.com
Moose Jaw, SK https://www.moosejawrnip.ca/
Claresholm, AB www.claresholm.ca
Vernon, BC https://rnip-vernon-northok.ca/
West Kootenay (Trail, Castlegar, Rossland, Nelson), BC https://wk-rnip.ca/

Candidates for immigration through the RNIP must meet both the federal and the community eligibility requirements.

The federal requirements include qualifying work experience or an international student exemption.

Candidates must have one year (1,560 hours) of full or part-time work experience in the last three years but it doesn’t need to be continuous or be with just one employer. It must, however, include most of the main and essential duties listed in the National Occupational Classification (NOC) and unpaid and self-employed hours do not count.

Candidates who are international students are exempt from needing work experience provided they either graduated with a master’s or doctoral degree or:

  • graduated with a credential from a minimum two-year-long post-secondary program in the recommended community;
  • were studying as a full-time student for the full duration of two or more years;
  • received the credential no more than 18 months before the date of application for permanent residence, and;
  • they were in the community for at least 16 of the last 24 months spent studying to get the credential.

Those who graduated with the higher degrees must still:

  • have studied as a full-time student for the duration of the degree in the recommended community;
  • received the degree no more than 18 months before applying for permanent residence, and;
  • have been in the community for the length of their studies.

There are basic minimum language requirements for the RNIP with the level required based on the classification of the job under the National Occupational Classification system. Candidates must also have a Canadian high school diploma or an equivalent foreign credential with an accredited Educational Credential Assessment (ECA) report.

The language proficiency can be demonstrated through either the Canadian Language Benchmarks (CLB) or Niveaux de compétence linguistique canadiens (NCLC) standards.

These results must be submitted from a designated language test and be less than two years old at the time of the application.

Under the program, applicants must demonstrate they have enough money to support themselves and family members while they get settled in their community. This includes family members who may not be coming to Canada.

Candidates already working legally in Canada are exempt from settlement fund requirements.

This money cannot be borrowed from another person and the proof of funds can include:

  • bank account statements;
  • documents that show real property or other investments (such as stocks, bonds, debentures or treasury bills), or;
  • documents that guarantee payment of a set amount of money payable such as banker’s drafts, cheques, traveller’s cheques or money orders.

Low-Cost Loans For Canadian Schools Wanting To Build Residences

Colin Singer
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Low-Cost Loans For Canadian Schools Wanting To Build Residences

Colleges and universities in Canada will be able to apply this autumn for low-interest loans to build more student housing.

Many of the schools will likely be facing limits on the number of international students they can welcome due to pending caps on study permits.

“Canada needs more student housing and we’re going to help build it,” Housing Minister Sean Fraser announced on Monday, Jan. 29.

The plan is to allow post-secondary institutions in Canada to apply under the Apartment Construction Loan Program, as the Rental Construction Financing Initiative has been rebranded since late November last year.

Ottawa pumped another $15 billion into the Apartment Construction Loan Program last autumn, topping up the total funding available to $40 billion, but is not putting in additional money into it now to fund more student residences.

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International students have been blamed at least in part for Canada’s housing crisis which has seen the average Canadian rent jump to a record high of $2,178 per month as of December last year.

Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada’s (IRCC) response to the housing crisis has been to announce there will be a cap on the number of on study permits, effectively lowering the number of new international students coming to Canada.

“The cap is expected to result in approximately 364,000 approved study permits, a decrease of 35 per cent from 2023,” Immigration Minister Marc Miller has reportedly said. “In the spirit of fairness, we are also allocating the cap space by province, based on population.”

Under the proposed cap on study permits, the provinces and territories will each have a limit on their ability to welcome new international students.

Those proposed limits will allow some provinces to increase their international student population while dramatically cutting it in other provinces, including Ontario.

The proposed cap on study permits was announced the same week as the eligibility requirements for Post-Graduation Work Permits (PGWP) were changed. Under the new criteria, students attending some private colleges might not qualify for PGWPs upon graduation.

“Starting Sept. 1, international students who begin a study program that is part of a curriculum licensing arrangement will no longer be eligible for a post­-graduation work permit upon graduation,” notes the IRCC.

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“Under curriculum licensing agreements, students physically attend a private college that has been licensed to deliver the curriculum of an associated public college. These programs have seen significant growth in attracting international students in recent years, though they have less oversight than public colleges and they act as a loophole with regards to post-graduation work permit eligibility.”

The immigration minister reiterated in January that international students are vital to Canada and enrich communities but insisted Ottawa has an obligation to ensure that they have access to the resources they need for an enriching academic experience.

“In Canada, today, this isn’t always the case,” he said. “Today, we are announcing additional measures to protect a system that has become so lucrative that it has opened a path for its abuse.

Faced with the prospect of caps on study permits, the provinces have pledged to improve their oversight of the treatment of international students but have also warned Ottawa’s proposed cap could lead to the closure of some colleges and universities.

British Columbia’s minister of post-secondary education, Selina Robinson is among those provincial politicians who have vowed to take a suite of actions to improve quality controls for international students.

BC Post-Secondary Education Minister Bemoans The Lack Of Student Housing In Province

She told CBC Radio she is appalled by the actions of some of the province’s post-secondary institutions who recruit students with promises of guaranteed housing and in-class instruction.

“The student does all the right things and they arrive and there is no housing, there are no supports, and in fact I’ve heard cases where there is no classroom,” Robinson reportedly said.

“We’re going to be requiring much more accountability by these private institutions.”

Ontario’s advanced education minister, Jill Dunlop, has agreed.

“We know some bad actors are taking advantage of these students with false promises of guaranteed employment, residency, and Canadian citizenship,” she reportedly said. “We’ve been engaging with the federal government on ways to crack down on these practices.”

Across the country, some colleges and universities are bracing for an economic blow as the number of international students, all of whom pay higher tuition fees than Canadian students, drops.

Colleges and Institutes Canada (CIC) is worried about how the caps on study permits will affect post-secondary institutions.

“This approach, characterized by Minister Miller as a ‘blunt instrument,’ will have far-reaching consequences across the sector, especially in key regions, including the possibility of layoffs, closures and increased tuition fees – all of which will inevitably affect both Canadian and international students,” the CIC reportedly stated.

“Chronic public underinvestment in post-secondary education puts Canada’s world-class system at risk. Without significant reinvestment, we risk compounding the challenges facing Canada’s economy and society, especially in the context of fierce global competition.”

Judge Rules First-Generation Limit On Canadian Citizenship Unconstitutional

Colin Singer
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Judge Rules First-Generation Limit On Canadian Citizenship Unconstitutional

An Ontario judge has ruled that grandchildren born abroad of Canadian parents will no longer be denied their Canadian citizenship at birth.

Judge Rules First-Generation Limit On Canadian Citizenship Unconstitutional

An Ontario judge has ruled that grandchildren born abroad of Canadian parents will no longer be denied their Canadian citizenship at birth.

The court handed down its decision on Dec. 19 last year. Immigration Minister Marc Miller has now confirmed that Ottawa will not be appealing that decision.

“The Citizenship Act currently includes a ‘first generation limit’ to citizenship by descent, which means that children born abroad to Canadian citizens beyond the first generation generally do not acquire Canadian citizenship automatically at birth,” said Miller.

“On Dec. 19, 2023, the Ontario Superior Court of Justice declared that the first generation limit for those born abroad is unconstitutional.

“This law, as it currently stands, has had unacceptable consequences for Canadians whose children were born outside the country. For this reason, we will not appeal the ruling.”

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The immigration minister acknowledges that this first-generation limit had a profound impact on many people.

“People who may be impacted by this situation will no doubt have questions about what this means for them and their families,” he said.

“That is why we will continue to assess the impacts of the decision on existing legislation and will provide more information and confirm next steps as quickly as possible.”

A group of families living abroad brought the case to court because they were affected by the first-generation limit as it left them unable to pass on their Canadian citizenship to their own children. With the Ontario court’s ruling they are feeling vindicated.

“It’s been a long fight. Some of them have been fighting for over a decade,” their lawyer Sujit Choudhry reportedly told CTV News.

“They feel more of a sense of relief by the government’s decision not to appeal.”

The first-generation limit was put in place in 2009 by then-Prime Minister Stephen Harper who maintained it would protect the value of Canadian citizenship by ensuring it was limited to those who had a real connection to Canada.

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The move came in the wake of public outcry after Canada spent $94 million to bring home 15,000 Canadian citizens from Lebanon during the Israel-Hezbollah war in 2006, an action which led to many politicians questioning the legitimacy of the evacuees’ connection to Canada.

But the Ontario court has ruled that first-generation limit violates the Charter of Rights and Freedoms’ sections that protect Canadians’ mobility and equality rights.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s Liberal Party of Canada formed the current government in Ottawa in 2015. Under that government, Ottawa has been bullish on immigration and Canada is currently a world leader in accepting refugees and asylum seekers.

Canadian Citizenship And Passport Highly Prized Throughout The World

Under the 2024-2026 Immigration Levels Plan, Canada is now planning to welcome 485,000 new permanent residents in 2024, another 500,000 in 2025 and then hold the line on immigration in 2026 with another 500,000 newcomers.

That’s a total of 1.485 million immigrants to Canada over those three years.

Due to the benefits conferred by Canadian citizenship, the Canadian passport is highly prized throughout the world with the Henley Passport Index rankings showing it to be the seventh-most desirable passport in the world.

The 18-year-old Henley Passport Index, which is updated quarterly, uses data from the International Air Transport Authority (IATA) to compare 199 passports for 227 travel destinations and gives 104 rankings for the top ones, reflecting the global mobility afforded by the passports of those nations.

Canada regularly features among the countries with the world’s most powerful passports, offering visa-free access, which is seen as a measurement of the freedom of citizens of a country, to 185 destinations.

Canada’s Immigration Application Backlog Still a Major Problem Despite Falling 7% Since 2022

Colin Singer
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Canada’s Immigration Application Backlog Still a Major Problem Despite Falling 7% Since 2022

Canada’s application backlog for permanent and temporary residency and citizenship is slowly being reduced, falling to a little more than 2.2 million applications at the end of December from almost 2.4 million in late June 2022.

That’s a roughly seven per cent drop in the number of applications in the immigration department’s inventory over a 1.5-year period.

“To meet our annual immigration targets and help us increase processing capacity and efficiency, it’s important to have an inventory of applications for our programs,” states the Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) website.

“An inventory contains all applications received for a program that have not yet been finalized. This includes those that are processed within our service standards, as well as a backlog of applications that have been in our inventories longer than our service standards.

“At any given time, IRCC is managing over one million applications from our inventories. In 2023, we finalized more than 7.3 million decisions across our lines of business.”

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IRCC officials were starting down a pile of 2,221,100 applications in the system as of Dec. 31 last year. Of those, 949,500 of them were what is considered to be the backlog, those applications that had not been processed within the immigration department’s own service standards.

That backlog included at that time 47 per cent of the 1,257,000 applications for temporary residence, or 590,790 temporary residence applications. The backlog also included 308,880 permanent residence applications, or 44 per cent of the total 702,000 permanent residence applications in the system.

As the year came to a close, the IRCC was doing a much better job of staying on top of citizenship applications, with only 19 per cent of the total 262,100 such applications, or 49,799, being in the backlog.

“We’re taking action to reduce the backlogs of applications within our inventories,” notes the IRCC.

“Our goal is to process 80 per cent of applications within our service standards. This allows for expected delays in some very complex cases or when we need more information from our clients before we can finalize their files.”

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Despite the improvements made by the immigration department to clear its backlog, a standing committee of the House of Commons insisted in December last year the IRCC set a deadline to clear its backlog of applications and put in place accountability measures to make sure that deadline is met.

In his report In Demand Yet Unprocessed: Endemic Immigration Backlogs, Sukh Dhaliwal, chair of the standing committee on citizenship and immigration, went so far as to call for the establishment of a special task to tackle the challenge.

“Unfortunately, the number of applications has far outpaced processing capacity, while the transition to a digital processing environment has faced major challenges, forming a seemingly insurmountable backlog,” Dhaliwal writes in that report.

The standing committee decided to study application backlogs and processing times in February 2022 and started holding meetings on May 5 of that year. By the end of November, it had heard from 44 witnesses, including lawyers and consultants, settlement workers, industry advocates and refugee organizations.

Backlog Of Immigration Applications Is Hurting Canada’s Reputation

In addition to the trouble these backlogs pose to foreign nationals applying for permanent residence, temporary foreign workers seeking work permits to fill jobs in Canada, and international students whose studies can be adversely affected by application processing delays, the standing committee also heard from business organizations who noted Canada’s reputation suffers when business people cannot come here in time to attend conferences.

“Canada’s reputation abroad has been tarnished at some international conferences and events when participants were not able to attend as they couldn’t get a visa,” Claire Launay, president of the advocacy group Le Québec C’est Nous Aussi, reportedly told the standing committee.

Tour operators have also faced challenges in getting international groups into Canada, reportedly said Beth Potter, president and chief executive officer of the Tourism Industry Association of Canada.

On Dec. 14, 2023, the standing committee released its report. It contained a list of 40 recommendations to the House of Commons to wrestle the backlogs down and improve processing of immigration applications.

Google Search Results Show Canada A Top Work Destination

Colin Singer
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Google Search Results Show Canada A Top Work Destination

Are you a candidate with skills and qualifications in one of Canada’s 82 jobs for occupation-specific Express Entry draws? We want to help you move to Canada. Please submit your CV here.

Canada is the top work destination in the world because it offers lots of jobs, a great healthcare system and top-quality public education, reports Givetastic, a group gifting website.

“After conducting our thorough research, Canada came out on top! According to Google search volume, the United States’ biggest neighbour is the most popular country to emigrate to for work,” notes Givetastic.

“Canada is a great option for people looking to emigrate. It offers ample employment opportunities, free healthcare and an excellent education system. What’s not to love?”

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IRCC Says Canada Has More Than One Million International Students
Report Says Two-Step Canada Immigrants Earn More Than One-Step Newcomers

The United States ranked seventh on the list of most popular work destinations. Canada also beat out Germany, in the second spot, Qatar in third, and the United Kingdom in fourth.

Top 10 Most Popular Countries to Emigrate to for Work

Rank Country Number of Countries as Top Search
1 Canada 56
2 Germany 13
3 Qatar 11
4 UK 8
5 Switzerland 7
5 Australia 7
7 Spain 6
7 USA 6
9 Malta 5
10 Niger 4
10 Portugal 4

Through its two-tier immigration system, Canada allows foreign nationals to gain their permanent residency through the federal Express Entry system’s Federal Skilled Worker (FSW) program, Federal Skilled Trades (FST) program and Canadian Experience Class (CEC), as well as the Provincial Nominee Programs (PNP) of the 10 Canadian provinces.

Under the Express Entry system, immigrants can apply for permanent residency online and their profiles then are ranked against each other according to a points-based system called the Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS). The highest-ranked candidates will be considered for an Invitation to Apply (ITA) for permanent residence. Those receiving an ITA must quickly submit a full application and pay processing fees, within a delay of 60 days.

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Through a network of  PNPs, almost all of Canada’s ten provinces and three territories can also nominate skilled worker candidates for admission to Canada when they have the specific skills required by local economies. Successful candidates who receive a provincial or territorial nomination can then apply for Canadian permanent residence through federal immigration authorities.

Canada also leads the English-speaking western countries as a destination for international study although the United States and Germany are catching up.

In its Top Trends in International Education for 2024 and Beyond report, the Canadian educational technology company, reveals ApplyBoard highlighted Canada’s enviable position as a favourite destination for international study late last year.

Canada Also A Top Destination For International Students

“Canada processed nearly 740,000 student visa applications in 2022, shattering the previous year’s record by 34 per cent … (and) 2023 is also poised for yet another all-time high,” notes the report.

“Canada processed more than 660,000 applications through the first nine months of the calendar year.”

The United States, though, is seeing massive growth in its international student population with more than 630,000 F-1 visa applications processed during 2022 fiscal year, a 42 per cent increase over the previous year.

Immigration Minister Marc Miller is bullish on improving programs to help international students study in Canada.

“International students are talented, bright and deserving of a positive experience as they pursue their studies in Canada,” he said.

“We will continue to improve Canada’s International Student Program by protecting students and weeding out those who try to take advantage of them. Whether an international student stays and works after graduation or returns home, we want their time as a student in Canada to have been beneficial to their growth and aspirations.

Immigrate To Canada As A Worker In Health Service Support: All You Need To Know

Colin Singer
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Immigrate To Canada As A Worker In Health Service Support: All You Need To Know

Are you a candidate with skills and qualifications in one of Canada’s 82 jobs for occupation-specific Express Entry draws? We want to help you move to Canada. Please submit your CV here.

Foreign nationals who are qualified to provide assistance in the delivery of healthcare services can expect to see even more opportunities to gain their permanent residence here through occupation-targeted Express Entry system draws in the coming seven years.

These workers include:

  • audiometric assistants
  • audiometric technicians
  • autopsy assistants
  • blood donor clinic assistants
  • cast room technicians
  • chiropractic assistants
  • clinical laboratory helpers
  • morgue attendants
  • ophthalmic assistants
  • ophthalmic laboratory technicians – retail
  • ophthalmic lens grinders
  • ophthalmologist assistants
  • optical laboratory assistants
  • optometrist assistants
  • orthopedic technologists and
  • sterile processing technicians

Job Prospects Bright For Workers In Health Service Support Occupations

Job Bank, the federal government’s job-hunting and career-planning website, listed 128 jobs for these other assisting occupations in support of health services in Canada in early November.

The job prospects of workers doing other assisting occupations in support of health services, categorized under the National Occupational Classification (NOC) 2021 system  with the code 33109, are ranked as very good by Job Bank in Manitoba and Saskatchewan over the coming three years, good in Alberta, New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador, Nova Scotia, Ontario and the Yukon, and moderate in Quebec, Prince Edward Island and British Columbia.

Read More Canada Immigration News

International Students In Canada: Top 10 Most Important Source Countries
IRCC Says Canada Has More Than One Million International Students
Report Says Two-Step Canada Immigrants Earn More Than One-Step Newcomers

The Canadian Occupational Projection System (COPS) website is projecting shortages of healthcare workers across the country over the coming years due to the aging of the Canadian population.

“The growing number of seniors is anticipated to lead to an increase in the demand for diagnostic services,” notes the COPS website.

“Moreover, the arrival of new medical technologies and techniques, as well as the introduction of more advanced equipment, will increase the demand for technologists.”

With Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) changing Canada’s Express Entry system to allow it to target 82 jobs in healthcare, technology, trades, transport and agriculture this summer – including other assisting occupations in support of health services – it opened the door to a new pathway to immigration for them.

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In May this year, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) made all of these workers eligible for immigration to Canada Express Entry occupation-targeted draws.

The flagship Express Entry selection system had previously only conducted draws based on immigration programs, not by targeting specific occupations.

“Everywhere I go, I’ve heard loud and clear from employers across the country who are experiencing chronic labour shortages,” said then-Immigration Minister Sean Fraser.

“These changes to the Express Entry system will ensure that they have the skilled workers they need to grow and succeed.  We can also grow our economy and help businesses with labour shortages while also increasing the number of French-proficient candidates to help ensure the vitality of French-speaking communities.”

In Canada, the median hourly wage for workers in these other assisting occupations in support of health services is  $21 but that varies from a low of $15 right up to $28, reveals Job Bank.

Workers in Health Service Support Occupations Can Earn Up To $54,600 Annually In Canada

Based on a 37.5-hour work week, that means these workers can expect to earn up to $54,600 annually in Canada.

Candidates hoping to immigrate through Express Entry occupation-targeted draws need at least six months of continuous work experience in Canada or abroad within the past three years in one of these occupations to be eligible, experience that can have been gained while working in Canada as temporary foreign workers with a work permits or as an international student with a student visa.

Under the changes announced at the end of May, the Express Entry streams, including the Federal Skilled Worker (FSW) program, Federal Skilled Trades (FST) program and Canadian Experience Class (CEC), as well as parts of the Provincial Nominee Programs (PNP) are now more responsive to labour market needs.

Canada first signalled its intention to start occupation-specific draws through Express Entry in June last year, when changes were made to the Immigration, Refugee and Protection Act to allow invitations based on occupations and other attributes, such as language ability.

The majority of Canada’s provinces have been issuing occupation-specific invitations for several years.

Under the changes to the act, the immigration minister is required to consult provinces and territories, members of industry, unions, employers, workers, worker advocacy groups, settlement provider organizations, and immigration researchers and practitioners, before announcing new categories.

IRCC must also report to parliament each year on the categories that were chosen and the reason for the choices.

Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC) says the number of occupations facing shortages doubled between 2019 and 2021. From 2018 to 2022, federal high skilled admissions accounted for between 34 and 40 per cent of overall French-speaking admissions outside Quebec, which manages its own immigration intake.

Saskatchewan Invites 13 Canada Immigration Candidates In New Entrepreneur Draw

Colin Singer
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Saskatchewan Invites 13 Canada Immigration Candidates In New Entrepreneur Draw

Saskatchewan immigration has issued 13 invitations in a new Entrepreneur stream draw through the Saskatchewan Immigrant Nominee Program (SINP).

The January 11 draw required a minimum score of 120 and an average score of 135 points.

The province said all candidates with 125 points or higher were invited to apply. Candidates with 120 points and a Canadian Language Benchmark score of 6 or higher were invited to apply.

Saskatchewan Entrepreneur Stream 2024 Draws

Date Lowest score Average score Highest score Number of invitations
January 120 135 160 13

Saskatchewan prioritizes three selection factors to separate candidates with the same score on the Entrepreneur stream points grid.

The three factors, in order of priority, are:

  1. Official language ability.
  2. Those with businesses planned for a key economic sector.
  3. Completion of an exploratory visit.

Read More Canada Immigration News

International Students In Canada: Top 10 Most Important Source Countries
Report Says Two-Step Canada Immigrants Earn More Than One-Step Newcomers
IRCC Says Canada Has More Than One Million International Students

The Saskatchewan immigration Entrepreneur stream is a three-stage process:

  1. Expression of interest
  2. Invitation to submit application
  3. Nomination

The expression of interest must meet the following minimum entry requirements:

  • Minimum net worth of $500,000 legally acquired.
  • Minimum of three years of entrepreneurial or relevant management experience.
  • Investment of at least $300,000 in Regina or Saskatoon, or $200,000 in any other Saskatchewan area.

Candidates enter a pool where they receive a score. The top scoring candidates are invited to submit an application.

Applications must include:

  • Business Establishment Plan confirming figures in expression of interest, and including at least one third ownership of a company in Saskatchewan, unless investment is $1 million or higher.
  • Commitment to be active in day-to-day management of business.
  • Creation of two or more jobs for Canadian citizens or permanent residents if the business is located in Regina or Saskatoon.

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