Fraudulent Canada Immigration Consultants Subject Of New Code Of Conduct

Colin Singer
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Fraudulent Canada Immigration Consultants Subject Of New Code Of Conduct

Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has published a new code of conduct aimed at tackling the scourge of fraudulent immigration consultants.

Dated May 15, 2021, but published the day before in the official Canada Gazette, the ‘Code of Professional Conduct for College of Immigration and Citizenship Consultants Licensees’ seeks to “establish standards of professional conduct and competence” for those advising clients on their immigration applications.

It features sections on professional conduct, competence, relationship with clients and marketing immigration consultancy services, among others.

The clauses cover everything from sexual harassment and discriminatory behaviour, through possession of important documents and charging of fees, to potential conflicts of interest.

However, stakeholders will be wary of the value of such a code of conduct, given the repeated abject failure at self-regulation demonstrated by the immigration consultancy industry.

Too often, so-called ghost immigration consultants have been allowed to slip through the net by a series of self-regulatory bodies beset with unprofessionalism.

IRCC knows this, which is why it conducted a review of the system in 2019 in the first place. But the result of that review was to persist with self-regulation, announcing the formation of a new College of Immigration and Citizenship Consultants (CICC) in April 2019.

Delays since then, including the coronavirus pandemic, mean the CICC is yet to be officially formed, with industry regulation still in the hands of the Immigration Consultants of Canada Regulatory Council (ICCRC).

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The ICCRC was the subject of a damning parliamentary committee report as far back as 2017, which recommended it be disbanded and the job of regulating consultants be brought under the direct remit of the federal government.

The ICCRC was itself set up in 2011 because of irregularities regarding how the previous body, the Canadian Society of Immigration Consultants, created in 2003, was being managed.

Despite all this, IRCC is allowing the existing ICCRC to form the basis of the new CICC, when it officially takes over as the regulatory body, which is expected to happen sometime in 2021.

Whether this rebranding will actually make any difference remains to be seen, but the federal government does acknowledge the past failures of the system.

“The role and regulation of consultants has been a recurrent issue over the past decades,” says the Canada Gazette analysis statement, which accompanies the new code of conduct.

“Some unscrupulous or fraudulent consultants take advantage of newcomers or applicants’ lack of knowledge of Canadian laws and regulations, which can have serious negative impacts on clients and jeopardizes the integrity of Canada’s immigration and citizenship system.”

The statement accepts that the victims of such fraud are the most vulnerable immigration applicants.

“This especially impacts different population groups such as those with limited to no proficiency in English or French, those with less knowledge of Canada’s regulatory system and immigration system, and those with fewer ties and connections to Canada,” the statement continues.

Ottawa promises that the CICC “will be a fundamentally different organization” from the ICCRC, with more authority and expanded government oversight. 

It adds that the new code of conduct represents “a comprehensive and more prescriptive set of standards” which will “establish strong and ethical professional standards that all licensees of the College must abide by and for which they would be held accountable in the context of the College’s robust complaints and discipline regime.”

Ottawa is urging stakeholders to provide feedback on the draft code of conduct over the next 30 days.

Why Canada’s Start-Up Visa Is The Best Permanent Residence Pathway For International Graduates

Colin Singer
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Why Canada’s Start-Up Visa Is The Best Permanent Residence Pathway For International Graduates

International graduates should consider Canada’s Start-Up Visa as the best route to permanent residency after all the places were filled in Ottawa’s one-time pathway to immigration. 

When the pathway to PR for 40,000 international graduates went live last week, the spots were taken in just over 24 hours.

While more spaces may or may not become available under the stream, currently many thousands of international student graduates are looking for faster ways to transition to permanent residency.

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Canada has an established route to permanent residency for international graduates, but it takes time.

First the foreign student studies and graduates from a Designated Learning Institution (DLI).

Then they can obtain a Post-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP), depending on the length and type of study.

Experience gathered while holding a PGWP counts towards an application for permanent residency through the Express Entry system.

But the whole process can take many years, with COVID-19 leaving many international graduates out of work and unable to gather that valuable work experience.

However, that does not mean all hope is lost. There are many other avenues to permanent residency in Canada, and one of the fastest is the Start-Up Visa.

Watch

Unlike almost every other federal and provincial-level entrepreneur program which requires a minimum of one or two years of previous experience either owning a business or in top-level management, the Start-Up Visa program does not require previous management experience.

The support of a government-designated entity is enough. And that support can be either financial or in the form of accepting the candidate into a business incubator program. Candidates for the Start-Up Visa program consistently report that it is quick, both for the initial work permit and permit residence application.

With a viable start-up business project, an immigrant entrepreneur can expect it to take about four to six months to secure a commitment certificate or letter of support from a designated entity. Once that letter of support is received, the application for permanent residence can be submitted.

It will then take approximately 18-months from submitting an application to transitioning to permanent residence visa.  For the candidate to qualify for permanent residence:

  • The intended business must be incorporated and carrying on business in Canada;
  • The candidate must own at least 10 per cent of the voting rights in the corporation, and;
  • No other person can hold 50 per cent or more of the voting rights in the corporation.

Start-Up Visa Growing In Popularity

The Start-Up Visa program is growing in popularity. In 2019, the total number of new permanent resident approved admissions reached 510, more than double the 250 welcomed in 2018. The figures were increasing steadily over the five years prior to the coronavirus pandemic.

Under the Canada Start-Up Visa program, three types of private-sector investors are considered: angel investors, venture capital funds, and business incubators. A designated venture capital fund must confirm that it is investing at least $200,000 into the qualifying business.

Candidates can also qualify with two or more commitments from designated venture capital funds totalling $200,000. A designated angel investor group must invest at least $75,000 into the qualifying business.

Watch

Candidates can also qualify with two or more investments from angel investor groups totalling $75,000. A designated business incubator must accept the applicant into its business incubator program. It is up to the immigrant investor to develop a viable business plan that will meet the due diligence requirements of these government-approved designated entities.

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

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

The basic government-imposed candidate eligibility requirements for the Start-Up Visa program are:

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

Ottawa does not give financial support to new Start-Up Visa immigrants. When candidates apply, they need to show evidence they have the finances to support themselves and their dependents in Canada. This money cannot be borrowed.

Additionally, it often occurs that candidates will need to show additional, sufficient funding to meet start-up costs of their business project, as a condition of investment by a designated entity (VC or Angel).

This is an area where experienced legal consulting will prove invaluable. The amount of settlement funding needed depends on the size of the candidate’s family.

Settlement Funds Needed Under Start-Up Visa Program

Number of family members Funds required
1 $12,960
2 $16,135
3 $19,836
4 $24,083
5 $27,315
6 $30,806
7 $34,299
* Each additional family member $3,492

As many as five candidates can have their permanent residence application supported by the same business investment.  But that can come with a risk. Certain candidates may be designated as essential to the business. If any of the essential candidates withdraw their applications or are refused, all other candidates under the same business investment will see their applications terminated.

Surveys suggest Start-Up Visa candidates usually go on to succeed in Canada, in terms of growing their business, attracting further investment, networking or selling their business for a profit.

Through its Toronto based facilities, Immigration.ca works extensively with industry-acclaimed designated entities in the Canadian start-up ecosystem. The firm provides a range of hands-on business advisory services to help intending entrepreneur immigrants and their start-up business concept meet all industry requirements.

To find out if you qualify for the Start-Up Visa program, click here.

New Canada Permanent Residence Pathway For Families Of Ethiopian, Ukraine Air Disasters

Colin Singer
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New Canada Permanent Residence Pathway For Families Of Ethiopian, Ukraine Air Disasters

A new pathway to Canada permanent residence for families of victims of the Ethiopian Airlines Flight 302 and Ukraine International Airlines Flight 752 plane crashes has been announced.

A new public policy, announced May 13, 2021, allows in-Canada family members of citizens, permanent residents and those found eligible for permanent residence who were victims of one of the two crashes to apply for permanent status.

Applicants are still eligible if they lost their status in Canada. All other standard fees and biometric requirements and standard admissibility requirements apply.

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Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) says it is working on further measures to help family members who are outside Canada.

Meanwhile the temporary residence policy put in place specifically for victims of the Ukraine crash has been extended. This will allow those that qualify for the new permanent residence stream to extend their status while their application is processed.

Immigration Minister Marco Mendicino said the new pathway was designed to help grieving families.

“This new pathway to permanent residence is one of the ways we are helping families of Canadian victims cope, in the hope that they may build their lives in Canada,” he said.

How the Tragedies Happened

  • On March 10, 2019, Ethiopian Airlines Flight 302 crashed near the town of Bishoftu, Ethiopia, killing 157 people, including 18 Canadians and many others with ties to Canada.
  • On January 8, 2020, a passenger jet carrying 55 Canadian citizens and 30 permanent residents was shot down by an Iranian surface-to-air missile, in Tehran. Of the 176 people who died on Ukraine International Airlines Flight 752, 138 had ties to Canada.

Public Policy For Victims Of Air Disasters: Who Can Apply?

To be eligible, candidates must meet three criteria:

  1. The member of the candidate’s family who was a victim of flight ET302 or PS752 must have been a:
  • Canadian citizen.
  • Permanent resident of Canada.
  • Foreign national with a positive eligibility decision on their permanent residence application.
  1. Candidates must be:
  • The spouse or common-law partner of a Canadian victim of flight ET302 or PS752.
  • One of the following relatives of a Canadian victim or of their spouse or common-law partner:
    • Child.
    • Grandchild.
    • Parent.
    • Grandparent.
    • Sibling (including half-siblings).
    • Aunt or uncle (sibling of a victim’s parent or sibling of a victim’s spouse or common-law partner’s parent).
    • Niece or nephew (child of a victim’s sibling or child of a victim’s spouse or common-law partner’s sibling).
  1. Candidates must be in Canada at the time of application, and have done one of the following:
  • Had valid temporary resident status in Canada when the family member died flight ET302 or PS752.
  • Been granted temporary residence after the family member died on flight ET302 or PS752, as long the application was dated before March 23, 2021.
  • Made a refugee claim in Canada on or after the date that the family member died on flight ET302 or PS752, and the claim has not been found ineligible to be referred to the Immigration and Refugee Board.
  • Benefitted from the 2020 or 2021 temporary residence public policy for families of victims of Flight PS752.

Plenty of Ways For International Graduates to Seek Canada Permanent Residence

Colin Singer
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Plenty of Ways For International Graduates to Seek Canada Permanent Residence

International graduates who missed the deadline under Ottawa’s pathway to permanent residency still have a lot of options if they want to stay in Canada.

Last week, Immigration, Refugee and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) started accepting applications for permanent residency under six new streams, including two for international graduates already in Canada. 

One of those new streams for international graduates was for francophones outside of Quebec. There is no cap on the number of applications under that stream.

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The other stream for international graduates was open to both anglophones and francophones and had a cap of 40,000 applications.

Within 25 hours, it maxed out. 

So far, immigration officials have kept mum on what will happen to spots under that stream when some applications are rejected – although those spots could then become available for new applicants. 

Given Ottawa’s bullish stance on immigration, IRCC could also increase the cap on applications under that stream to allow more international graduates to stay in Canada.

Until either of those two things happen, though, the best bet for international graduates hoping to gain permanent residency to stay and work in Canada is to apply through the many other programs already in existence.

The first step for international graduates who want to apply for permanent residence is to go through the federal Express Entry system and see how many points the system gives their application.

Then, the international graduate needs to determine where he or she wants to live in Canada and under what programs he or she can apply. 

During the COVID-19 pandemic, two particular regions stand out as being particularly attractive for international graduates worried about coming into contact with the coronavirus.

The northern territory of the Yukon, with its high COVID-19 vaccination rate and low population density, currently doesn’t have even a single case of COVID-19. 

Although not COVID-19-free, the Atlantic Canadian provinces have so far suffered much less during the pandemic with fewer cases. The region’s employer-driven Atlantic Immigration Pilot (AIP) has a specific stream for international graduates. 

Under the AIP, international graduates must:

  • have a degree, diploma or other credential from a publicly-funded institution in an Atlantic province;
  • have lived in an Atlantic Canadian province for at least 16 months in the two years before getting that degree, diploma or credential;
  • take a language test to show they can communicate in English or French, and;
  • show they can support themselves and their families when they come to Canada.

As Canada’s most-populous province, Ontario has often been called Canada’s economic engine and offers many opportunities for recent international graduates. 

Under the Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program (OINP), international graduates with a job offer in a skilled occupation at skill type 0, A or B through the National Occupational Classification (NOC) can apply for permanent residence in that province.

Ontario also has two streams that do not require a job offer for international students with masters and doctoral degrees.  Under both the Masters Graduate Stream and the PhD Graduate Stream international graduates with the appropriate degree from an Ontario university can apply for permanent residence through the Expression of Interest system.

In the neighbouring province of Quebec, Canada’s only francophone province, international graduates can apply for permanent residence through the Programme de l’expérience québécoise (PEQ – Québec experience program). 

The PEQ allows adult international graduates to get a Quebec selection certificate to settle in Quebec permanently provided they:

  • have knowledge of oral French equivalent to Level 7 on the Échelle québécoise des niveaux de compétence en français des personnes immigrantes adultes;
  • are in Quebec at the time of application;
  • have stayed in Québec for at least half of the duration of their studies;
  • demonstrate financial self-sufficiency, and;
  • have obtained an eligible diploma and eligible work experience after completing their studies.

On Canada’s West Coast, the province of British Columbia offers a pathway to permanent residence for international graduates through BC Provincial Nominee Program (BC PNP). 

Under that stream, graduates can apply for permanent residence provided they graduated from a Canadian university or college within the last three years, got a job seeker code through the Express Entry system, and have accepted a full-time job with an NOC code of 0, A or B from an employer in that province. They also have to be eligible for immigration and meet the minimum language requirements.

On the other side of the country, in Nova Scotia, international graduates can apply for permanent residency under four streams. In addition to the AIP, international graduates who have landed jobs can also apply through the Skilled Worker stream to get their permanent residency. 

But there are two other streams through which international graduates can gain permanent residency in that Maritime province. There is also the Nova Scotia Experience: Express Entry for those with at least one year of experience in a high-skill occupation and the International Graduate Entrepreneur Stream for those who have already started or bought a Nova Scotia business and operated it for at least a year. 

Next door to that province, sitting in the Atlantic Ocean, is Newfoundland and Labrador which offers permanent residency to international graduates who already have a Post-Graduation Work Permit and a job or job offer from a Newfoundland and Labrador employer.

In the Canadian Prairies, all the provinces also have their own pathways through which international graduates can seek permanent residency.

In oil-producing Alberta at the foothills of the Rockies, the Alberta Opportunity Stream (AOS) is for temporary foreign workers who are already working full-time in the province and have a full-time job offer from an Alberta employer in an eligible occupation. 

Saskatchewan offers up two main pathways to permanent residency for international graduates. 

For those who are either looking to set up a business or have already bought or started one, the province provides the International Graduate Entrepreneur Stream through the Saskatchewan Immigrant Nominee Program.  The province also offers up the International Skilled Worker stream through the Saskatchewan Express Entry system.

Smack in the middle of the country, Manitoba offers international graduates three pathways to permanent residency.

Under the Manitoba Work Experience pathway of the Skilled Worker in Manitoba stream, international graduates can seek out permanent residency provided they:

  • have been working in an occupation on Manitoba’s published In-demand Occupations list for a minimum of six months in Manitoba, even if the job is not necessarily related to their field of study, or;
  • if they are out-of-province graduates and have been working in such jobs for a minimum of 12 months in Manitoba, or;
  • are Manitoba graduates in occupations not on Manitoba’s published In-demand Occupations list but they have been working a minimum of 12 months in the province.

Graduates with masters and doctoral degrees in Manitoba can also complete Accelerate or Elevate internships with Mitacs in Manitoba and so qualify to apply immediately for permanent residence through the Manitoba Provincial Nominee Program. 

Every year, Manitoba gives up to 20 international students who have graduated from Manitoba institutions the opportunity to pursue entrepreneurship through the International Student Entrepreneur Pilot. After the grad has met the conditions of their business performance agreement, they are then nominated for permanent residence. 

Canada Sees 22,500 New Immigrants In March, Towards 2021 Target Of 401,000

Colin Singer
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0
Canada Sees 22,500 New Immigrants In March, Towards 2021 Target Of 401,000

Canada saw 22,425 new permanent resident arrivals in March, the third-highest monthly immigration total since COVID-19 travel restrictions were imposed.

The latest federal government figures show Canada welcomed 70,500 newcomers in the first three months of the year, compared to just over 69,000 in 2020 – a solid start on its way to an ambitious target of 401,000.

January to March was easily the most prolific quarter for Canada immigration since the start of the coronavirus crisis.

However, the numbers are still well short of those needed for Canada to its target. If 70,500 newcomers are welcomed every quarter this year, the total would reach only 282,000 permanent resident admissions.

Canada Sees 22,500 New Immigrants In March, Towards 2021 Target Of 401,000

Ottawa is clearly expecting a major increase in the remaining three quarters, boosted by the new pathway the permanent residence launched last week, through which it expects to receive 90,000 applications from international graduates, healthcare workers and other essential workers.

Meanwhile, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has also significantly increased the numbers of Invitations to Apply being issued through Express Entry, including 27,332 in a single Canadian Experience Class draw on February 13.

These candidates, 90 percent of them already in Canada, are likely to make the transition to permanent residency in the second half of the year.

Immigration Minister Marco Mendicino remains confident Canada will hit the 401,000 target, set in the fall 2020 immigration levels plan.

“I am confident that we are doing everything we can to meet that target and we will meet that target and the reason it is important to hit that target is because immigrants create jobs … and allow us to meet our workforce needs,” he said during a virtual press conference on Monday.

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Strict COVID-19 restrictions on non-essential international travel imposed by Ottawa since March 2020 dramatically cut the number of newcomers by almost half last year, to 184,370 from 341,175 in 2019.

Despite the restrictions still being in place, Canada has once again displayed its ability to pivot its immigration policies to attract newcomers to help foster the economic recovery as the coronavirus crisis abates.

Canada has enhanced screening measures and pre-arrival testing for anyone entering the country’s land or air borders and a 14-day quarantine for non-essential travellers.

All travellers coming to Canada by air for non-essential reasons need to stay in government-designated hotels for three days at their own costs after getting a COVID-19 test.

Ottawa recently extended its restrictions on international travel to Canada and the Canada-U.S. border until May 21.

Canada currently has exemptions in place for the following people, provided they are travelling for a non-discretionary reason.

  • Seasonal agricultural workers, fish/seafood workers, caregivers and all other temporary foreign workers.
  • International students who held a valid study permit, or had been approved for a study permit, when the travel restrictions took effect on March 18, 2020. More international students will be allowed to travel from October 20 under a new exemption.
  • Permanent resident applicants who had been approved for permanent residence before the travel restrictions were announced on March 18, 2020, but who had not yet travelled to Canada.
  • Immediate family members of Canadian citizens and permanent residents are also exempt if entering to be with an immediate family member for at least 15 days.
  • Extended family members of citizens and permanent residents, plus foreign nationals travelling on compassionate grounds.

Canada’s vaccine campaign is now fully underway, with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau reassuring Canadians that anyone wanting to be vaccinated will have their injections by the end of the summer.

Latest Alberta Express Entry Draw Sees 250 Invited, Lowest CRS of 300

Colin Singer
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Latest Alberta Express Entry Draw Sees 250 Invited, Lowest CRS of 300

Alberta immigration’s latest Express Entry draw saw the province issue invitations to 250 candidates with CRS scores as low as 300.

The May 5 Alberta Immigrant Nominee Program draw featured the lowest minimum CRS so far in 2021.

Important requirements for the Alberta Express Entry stream are that candidates have stated an interest in immigrating permanently to the province, and are working in an occupation that supports Alberta’s economic development and diversification.

For full details of the requirements for Alberta Express Entry, please see below.

Read More

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New Alberta Express Entry Draw Sees Province Invite 200 Candidates
Alberta Draw Targets 300 Express Entry Candidates With Minimum Scores As Low As 301

Alberta Express Entry 2021 Draws

Draw Date NOI Letters Sent CRS Score of Lowest-Ranked Candidate
05-May-21 250 300
20-Apr-21 200 301
06-Apr-21 200 302
26-Mar-21 300 301
02-Mar-21 200 301
16-Feb-21 159 352
10-Feb-21 200 301
28-Jan-21 100 360
08-Jan-21 50 406

Source: www.alberta.ca

Video

While federal government nomination limits for 2021 are not yet available, Alberta has 2,050 Alberta Opportunity Stream applications and 275 expression of interest applications in the Alberta Express Entry pool.

High Number of Applications

Alberta says a high number of AINP applications have been received in the following occupations, meaning they may take longer to process:

  • 6311 – Food service supervisors
  • 6211 – Retail sales supervisors
  • 6322 – Cooks
  • 7511 – Transport truck drivers
  • 1241 – Administrative assistants
  • 0621 – Retail and wholesale trade managers
  • 0631 – Restaurant and food service managers
  • 4214 – Early childhood educators and assistants
  • 1311 – Accounting technicians and bookkeepers
  • 1221 – Administrative officers

What are the Requirements for Alberta Express Entry?

In order to be eligible to receive a notification of interest, candidates must:

  • Have an active Express Entry profile in the federal Express Entry pool.
  • Have stated an interest in immigrating permanently to Alberta.
  • Be working in an occupation that supports Alberta’s economic development and diversification.
  • Have a minimum Comprehensive Ranking System score of 300 points.

Factors that may improve a candidate’s chances of receiving notification of interest:

  • A job offer from an Albertan employer and/or work experience in Alberta.
  • Having graduated from a Canadian post-secondary institution.
  • Having a relative that is living in Alberta: parent, child and/or sibling.

Factors that decrease a candidate’s chances of receiving notification of interest:

British Columbia PNP Conducts Two New Immigration Draws

Colin Singer
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British Columbia PNP Conducts Two New Immigration Draws

Two new draws through the British Columbia Provincial Nominee Program saw the province issue invitations to a total of 379 candidates.

The May 11 draws featured a general draw, and a second draw targeting two NOC codes: 0621 for Retail and Wholesale Trade Managers and 0631 for Restaurant and Food Service Managers.

In the general draw, the province issued 331 invitations across five streams, with minimum scores ranging from 77 to 94.

In the NOC-specific draw, 48 invites were issued through four streams, all featuring minimum scores of 112.

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Latest General B.C. Immigration Draw

Date Category Minimum Score Invitations Issued
11-May-21 SI – Skilled Worker 94 Total: 331
  SI – International Graduate 92
SI – Entry Level and Semi-Skilled 77
  EEBC – Skilled Worker 94
  EEBC – International Graduate 92

Source: www.welcomebc.ca

B.C. Draw Targeting NOCs 0621, 0631

Date Category Minimum Score Invitations Issued
11-May-21 SI – Skilled Worker 112 Total: 48
  SI – International Graduate 112
  EEBC – Skilled Worker 112
  EEBC – International Graduate 112

Video:

 

Saturday May 15 An Important Canada Study Permit Deadline For International Students

Colin Singer
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Saturday May 15 An Important Canada Study Permit Deadline For International Students

International students planning to attend Canadian colleges and universities might not be able attend the fall semester if they fail to submit their completed study permit applications by this Saturday.

“If you submit a complete application after May 15, 2021, we will process it as quickly as possible – but you may not get a final decision before the fall semester begins,” Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) advises international students on its website.

Canadian immigration officials are promising to process study permit applications by Aug. 6, in time for students to attend colleges and universities in the country, outside of Quebec, only if they are handed in by May 15.

“We may not be able to process your application by Aug 6, 2021, if you’re unable to submit a complete application because of COVID-19 restrictions, such as reduced service at visa application centres (VACs) or other providers,” states the IRCC website.

Read More

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The tighter-than-usual deadline is a measure designed to allow international students ample time to self-isolate for 14 days as required under Canada’s emergency COVID-19 requirements.

Applications for study permits are to be completed online, regardless of whether the student is already in Canada or in a foreign country. 

With their study permit applications, international students need to submit:

  • the letter of acceptance issued to them by the designated learning institution (DLI);
  • as many of the documents needed for a complete application as possible, and;
  • a letter of explanation for any documents that are missing due to COVID-19.

The francophone province of Quebec has its own additional processes which international students must follow, including application for a Certificat d’acceptation du Québec (CAQ – Québec Acceptance Certificate).

Those international students planning to attend college or university in Quebec, who are not yet in the province and are still waiting for their CAQ, can instead submit their proof of receipt of their online application for temporary selection for studies as part of their study permit application.

Ottawa will then process those applications and put a hold on them pending a decision regarding the CAQ. Foreign students just need to make sure to submit their CAQ to the IRCC once they receive it to finalize their applications.

Quebec’s immigration ministry, the Ministère de l’Immigration, de la Francisation et de l’Intégration (MIFI), is encouraging all international students to apply for the temporary selection for studies through its Arrima Expression of Interest portal as soon as possible and to include all the required documents.

Quebec is bullish on attracting international students, earmarking $9.1 million in the latest budget to be spent over the next three years through economic development agencies in Montreal, Quebec City and Drummondville to attract foreign students.

International students are increasingly important to Canadian colleges and universities. 

During the decade that closed at the end of the 2018-19 academic year, the growth in the number of international students attending Canadian universities and colleges far outstripped the growth in the number of Canadian students.

“Enrolments for Canadian students in formal programs grew by 10.9 per cent, from 1,486,602 to 1,648,923. Over the same period, the number of international students more than tripled, from 101,304 … to 318,153,” a Statistics Canada study reveals.

That’s led to a growth in the proportion of international students attending Canadian colleges and universities, from 6.4 per cent during the 2008-09 school year to 16.2 per cent a decade later.

International students accounted for 57.2 per cent of the total growth in academic programs at Canadian colleges and universities during that time.

First Ontario Expression of Interest Draw Targets 23 Health, Skilled Trades Occupations

Colin Singer
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0
First Ontario Expression of Interest Draw Targets 23 Health, Skilled Trades Occupations

Ontario has targeted 23 healthcare and skilled trades jobs with the first invitations to apply to be issued through its newly launched Expression of Interest system.

On May 11, the Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program (OINP) targeted candidates through the Employer Job Offer: Foreign Worker stream with a score of 31 or above.

Candidates needed to have work experience in one of the following occupations:

Healthcare

3012 – Registered nurses and registered psychiatric nurses

3112 – General practitioners and family physicians

3121 – Optometrists

3122 – Chiropractors

3124 – Allied primary health practitioners

3125 – Other professional occupations in health diagnosing and treating

3131 – Pharmacists

3132 – Dietitians and nutritionists

3141 – Audiologists and speech-language pathologists

3213 – Animal health technologists and veterinary technicians

3214 – Respiratory therapists, clinical perfusionists and cardiopulmonary technologists

3215 – Medical radiation technologists

3216 – Medical sonographers

3232 – Practitioners of natural healing

3236 – Massage therapists

Skilled Trades

7241 – Electricians (except industrial and power system)

7271 – Carpenters

7291 – Roofers and shinglers

7302 – Contractors and supervisors, heavy equipment operator crews

7312 – Heavy-duty equipment mechanics

7313 – Refrigeration and air conditioning mechanics

7316 – Machine fitters

7318 – Elevator constructors and mechanics

Ontario’s Expression of Interest system was launched in April 2021, with two of the five linked streams currently open.

Both the Foreign Worker and International Student streams of the Employer Job Offer Category are currently open.

The three remaining streams covered by the EOI system are Employer Job Offer: In-Demand Skills, Masters Graduate and PhD Graduate. They will open ‘in the near future’, Ontario recently said.

Ontario plans to keep the EOI system open permanently, allowing candidates to register at any time.

Once registered, an EOI profile is valid for 12 months or until an invitation to apply is received.

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The EOI system manages application intake for the following streams:

Ontario Expression of Interest Ranking System

Points are awarded based on the following attributes:

  1. Level and field of education and where they completed their studies.
  2. Proficiency in English or French.
  3. Intention to settle outside of the Greater Toronto Area.
  4. Skill and work experience level, earnings history, other factors relevant to prospects in Ontario job market.
  5. Labour market needs in the province or region of the province.

Employer Job Offer: Foreign Worker Stream

To qualify under this stream, applicants must have:

  • A permanent and full-time job offer under NOC 0, A or B that meets the median wage levels for Ontario, and in a position that is necessary to the business;
    • For those already working in the position, the proposed wage must be equal or greater than the current wage being paid
  • Two cumulative years of relevant work experience in the previous five years before the date of application;
  • Relevant mandatory licensing in Ontario, if the position so requires;
  • Live abroad, or be working, studying or visiting Canada on a valid permit;
  • Intention to settle in Ontario.

Employer Job Offer: International Student Stream

To qualify under this stream, applicants must have:

  • A permanent and full-time job offer under NOC 0, A or B that meets low wage levels for Ontario, and in a position that is necessary to the business;
    • For those already working in the position, the proposed wage must be equal or greater than the current wage being paid
  • Either
    • Graduated or met requirements of a full-time minimum two-year degree from a publicly-funded Canadian college or university; OR
    • Graduated or met requirements of a full-time minimum one-year post-graduate diploma program from a publicly-funded Canadian college or university.
  • Completed at least half the studies in Canada;
  • Apply within two years from the date you completed the above course
  • Legal status in Ontario
  • Intention to settle in Ontario.

Employer Job Offer: In-Demand Skills Stream

This stream targets candidates with specific skilled in demand in Ontario. To qualify, applicants must have:

  • A permanent and full-time job offer under certain occupations in the agriculture or construction sector and meets the median wage in Ontario for the occupation (see table below), and in a position that is necessary to the business.
    • For those already working in the position, the proposed wage must be equal or greater than the current wage being paid.
  • 9 months of cumulative work experience in the last three years in one of the eligible occupations. Experience must be paid and full-time or the equivalent amount in part-time work in Ontario.
    • Seasonal work does not count.
  • The equivalent of Canadian high school education or higher.
  • Valid certificate or license at the time of application for any claimed work experience that requires it.
  • Minimum CLB/NCLC 4 in English or French in all language competencies.
  • Live abroad, or be working, studying or visiting Canada on a valid permit;
  • Intention to settle in Ontario.

Masters Graduates Stream

This stream offers an opportunity to obtain permanent residence to international students who obtained a masters degree in Ontario without requiring a job offer.

To be eligible to apply, a candidate must meet the following criteria:

  • Graduated from a Master’s degree program from an eligible institution in Ontario, which was at least one year full-time.
  • Obtained minimum language CLB/NCLC level 7 or above in English or in French.
  • Resided legally in Ontario for at least one year in the last two.
  • Have sufficient settlement funds.
  • Intend to live and work in Ontario.
  • Must have legal status in Ontario or abroad.
    • Applications from elsewhere in Canada will not be accepted.
  • Application must be submitted within two years of completing the requirements to graduate from the master’s degree.

Ph.D. Graduates Stream

This stream offers international students an opportunity to become permanent resident who holds a PhD degree from Ontario without requiring a job offer.

To be eligible to apply, a candidate must meet the following criteria:

  • Graduated from a PhD degree program in an eligible institution in Ontario, and have completed at least two years full-time.
  • Resided legally in Ontario for at least one year in the last two.
  • Have sufficient settlement funds.
  • Intend to live and work in Ontario.
  • The application must be submitted within two years of completing the requirements to graduate from the PhD degree.

Canada Family Sponsorship Immigration From the Philippines: All You Need To Know

Colin Singer
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Canada Family Sponsorship Immigration From the Philippines: All You Need To Know

Data from Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada reveals the Philippines is one of the top three most important sources of new Canadian permanent residents who come through family sponsorship programs.

In 2019, the last full year before the COVID-19 pandemic hit Canada, 8,875 Filipinos became new permanent residents of Canada under these programs. 

That’s more than the 1,860 that became new permanent residents of Canada through family sponsorship from Mexico, the 1,955 from Iran, 2,145 from the United Kingdom and 2,285 from Vietnam combined. 

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Those four countries are the bottom four of the top 10 list of most important sources of new permanent residents to Canada through family sponsorship programs.

Border restrictions and bans on all but essential international travel hampered the arrival of immigrants to Canada last year and continue to do so this year.

But the Philippines still retained the third-place spot on the list of top sources of new permanent residents to Canada through family sponsorship programs in 2020.

The number of Filipinos who came to Canada under family sponsorship programs in 2020 was only 4,165, less than half the number who made the move in 2019.

Top 10 Sources of New Permanent Residents to Canada Through Family Sponsorship Programs 2020

India is the top source of new permanent residents to Canada through family sponsorship programs, with 17,660 arriving in 2019 and another 7,223 in 2020. 

But the Philippines remain far ahead of most other countries as a source of new permanent residents to Canada through these programs.

That country provided more than three times as many new permanent residents to Canada through family sponsorship programs in 2019 as did Pakistan, which provided 2,655, and almost four times as many as the 2,370 from Jamaica. 

In 2019, the Philippines provided more than 9.7 per cent of the 91,310 new permanent residents who came to Canada through family sponsorship programs.

Filipinos Getting Permanent Residence In Canada Through Family Sponsorship Programs

In the five years from 2015 through to last year, the Philippines have been of increasing importance for new Canadian residents through family sponsorship programs. 

In 2015, 5,930 Filipinos came to Canada to become new permanent residents under these programs. In 2016, that number nudged up a bit to 5,995 but then jumped 24 per cent the following year to hit 7,435 in 2017. The following year, the number dipped as 30 fewer Filipinos made that move. 

Then, in 2019, the number of Filipinos using those programs to get their permanent residence in Canada shot up again, by 19.8 per cent, to hit 8,875.

With COVID-19 vaccines and therapies holding the promise of an end to the global pandemic, immigration is expected to pick up again this year and family sponsorships, one of the fastest and most popular ways to gain permanent residence in Canada, are expected to boom.

That will provide opportunities for many Filipinos to immigrate to Canada and gain permanent residence through family sponsorship programs.

Under these programs, a Canadian citizen or a permanent resident of Canada, aged 18 or more can sponsor certain family members to become Canadian permanent residents. 

With that permanent residence, those family members are able to live, study and work in Canada. 

Sponsors Are Financially Responsible For Relatives

The sponsor assumes all financial responsible for their relative once he or she arrives in Canada. 

To be a sponsor, the Canadian citizen or permanent resident must:

  • sign a sponsorship agreement with the relative to be sponsored that commits the sponsor to provide financial support for the relative, if necessary. This agreement also says the person becoming a permanent resident will make every effort to support him or herself;
  • provide financial support for a spouse, common-law or conjugal partner for three years from the date they become a permanent resident, and;
  • provide financial support for a dependent child for 10 years, or until the child turns 25, whichever comes first.

Relatives who can be sponsored include:

  • spouse – (restrictions apply)
  • common-law partner – (restrictions apply)
  • conjugal partner – (restrictions apply)
  • dependent children
  • parents – (Additional conditions apply)
  • grandparents – (Additional conditions apply)
  • brothers or sisters, nephews or nieces, granddaughters or grandsons who are orphaned, under 18 years of age and not married or in a common-law relationship
  • another relative of any age or relationship but only under specific conditions
  • accompanying relatives of the above (for example, spouse, partner and dependent children).

Spouses and common-law partners who come to Canada under the sponsorship programs are allowed to work under the Spousal Work Permit Pilot Program.

Spouses Can Work Under Sponsorship Programs

The program is designed to allow spouses and partners to work while their immigration applications are being finalized.

Eligible candidates must be in Canada and in the process of being sponsored for permanent residence under the spouse or common-law partner class. Candidates must also have valid temporary status as a visitor, student or worker.

Under the sponsorship programs, sponsors ink a contract with Canada’s immigration authorities to repay the government for any social assistance payments made to the sponsored person. Sponsors remain obligated to the undertaking agreement for the entire period of the contract, even in a change of circumstances such as marital breakdown, separation, divorce, or a financial change in circumstances.

In the case of a spouse, common-law partner or conjugal partner, a sponsor is required to sign an undertaking to reimburse the federal or provincial governments from the date in which they become a permanent resident for the period of three years.

In the case of a child under the age of 19 years, of the sponsor or the spouse, common-law partner, or conjugal partner, the obligation starts on the day that the child becomes a permanent resident of Canada for a period of 10 years or until the child reaches the age of 25 years.

In the case of a dependent child over the age of 19 years, the obligation starts on the day that the dependent child becomes a permanent resident, for a period of three years.

In the case of parents and grandparents, the sponsorship obligation extends for a period of 20 years from the date in which the member of the family class becomes a permanent resident. For all other family members, the obligation is of a duration of 10 years. 

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