A new provincial outlook report by Mouvement Desjardins economists forecasts that Quebec’s economic growth is likely to fall short of the national average for a second consecutive year in 2023.
This belief stems from observing Quebec’s slide into a “fairly light” recession in the second half of this year, which is a sign of the dwindling provincial economic strength following eight straight Bank of Canada interest-rate hikes from March 2022 to January 2023.
“Things are moving in slow motion,” said senior economist at Desjardins in Lévis, Hélène Bégin. “Economic data is relatively weak. A lot of economic indicators are weaker in Quebec than elsewhere.”
For illustration purposes, the provincial GDP climbed by only 0.9 in the first four months of 2023, which is dwarfed by the 2.3 percent national average.
Residential construction has steadily fallen in Quebec, and there is “only a slight” rebound in the resale market. This is in combination with a fall in provincial business investments and international exports, while the same metrics are holding up on a national scale.
The GDP drop of 0.4 percent in April, according to Bégin, is a foreteller of negative growth for the entire second quarter due in part to forest fires, which have unprecedentedly stunted output and exports from the paper and wood industries, among others.
The pattern of a lower GDP growth in comparison to the national average is similar to the one from last year, when Quebec’s real GDP growth of 2.8 percent lagged the 3.4 percent at the Canada-wide level. Moreover, it is further predicted to stretch into early next year.
According to Desjardins economists, the primary reason for Quebec’s economy being negatively affected in the ways described above is the slower population growth when compared to the rest of Canada.
Quebec’s population grew by only 2.1 percent in the year ending in April 2023, which falls short of the 3.1 percent national average. Ontario meanwhile witnessed a population expansion of 3.4 percent over the same time-period.
As per Bégin, interprovincial migrations do not bring in a large workforce, and Quebec also has an older-than-average population when compared to the rest of Canada.
When these factors are combined with the fact that international immigration and immigrant integration in Quebec are weak compared to national rates, it is evident that the labour market has excess demand which is insufficiently met by the current immigration levels.
This resultantly creates less demographic support for the economy.
Watch Video:
The Canadian Federation of Independent Business’ (CFIB) recent study reported that several Quebec regions should expect severe labour shortages in the coming years, unless the government encourages the expansion of provincial immigration targets – especially outside of Montreal.
In March 2023, there was a projected annual shortfall of 18,000 immigrants in Quebec, with Montreal and Laval being the only exceptions to the rule.
However, on June 7th the Quebec government Coalition Avenir outlined a slew of proposed changes in its Official Gazette, that will impose stronger French language requirements across most permanent and temporary immigration programs.
Once implemented, these new requirements will make it harder for Quebec employers to attract top international talent. They will also render Quebec less attractive to foreign nationals as a temporary or permanent settlement choice.
CFIB suggested that luring immigrants away from the immigration hubs could be achieved by reducing paperwork, making housing more affordable, increasing services such as childcare for families, and making financial incentives available for newcomers. A speedier Canada citizenship process for foreign workers who want to settle in Quebec could also be implemented.
However, these observations will unlikely address the more acute issue of the proposed new immigration rules that will likely come into force later this year.
Canadian companies are still struggling to fill Canada jobs for cybersecurity specialists, even with a massive surge in the number of people qualified in the last few years.
They need even more foreign nationals with the right qualifications to take jobs that are going begging for a lack of candidates.
An Information and Communications Technology Council (ICTC) report reveals about one in six jobs for cybersecurity specialists goes unfilled in Canada due to an estimated shortfall of 25,000 of these workers.
“Despite the current correction in the tech labour market, many job vacancies in key digital occupations remain unfilled,” notes the ICTC.
“Also, the medium to long-term demand for digitally skilled talent is strong, forecasted to require an additional 250,000 key positions in the digital economy by 2025, for an overall labour market of around 2.26 million workers.”
Job Bank, the federal job-hunting and career-planning website, is forecasting the job prospects for cybersecurity specialists will be either “good” or “very good”, its highest rating, across the country over the next three years.
With Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) announcing earlier this year that Canada’s Express Entry system will begin targeting 82 jobs in healthcare, technology, trades, transport and agriculture this summer – including cybersecurity specialists – foreign nationals hoping to immigrate to Canada are now looking at a new opportunity to get their permanent residence here.
The flagship Express Entry selection system has previously only conducted draws based on immigration programs, not by targeting specific occupations.
Are you an employer looking to hire foreign workers in Canada? Immigration.ca can help through its sister company, skilledworker.com. We provide a comprehensive recruitment package to help you identify and hire the best individuals from abroad. Contact us now.
Candidates will 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.
The opportunities are there.
There were already 263 job listings for cybersecurity specialists, categorized under the National Occupational Classification (NOC) 2021 system with the code 21220, posted on the Indeed.ca job-hunting website in July, some of them from employers hoping to hire more than one employee.
Ontario, Alberta, British Columbia, Quebec Need The Most Cybersecurity Specialists
Most of the jobs for cybersecurity specialists listed in July on Indeed were in British Columbia, Alberta, Ontario and Quebec.
In Canada, the median hourly wage for cybersecurity specialists is $42.16 but that varies from a low of $25 right up to $61.54, reveals Job Bank.
If you are a candidate looking for a Canada job, or an employer looking to recruit foreign talent from abroad, immigration.ca can help. Access our expertise through our in-house recruitment enterprise skilledworker.com, “the leader in foreign recruitment”.
Based on a standard, 37.5-hour work week, that means cybersecurity specialists could expect to earn a top median annual income of $120,003.
Immigration Minister Opened Up 82 Occupations To Targeted Express Entry Draws
“Everywhere I go, I’ve heard loud and clear from employers across the country who are experiencing chronic labour shortages,” said former 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.”
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.
Video
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.
Are you ready to live and work in Canada? Fill out our free evaluation form to find out if you are eligible.
Become the right candidate with the job you always wanted with our online IELTS and EECP packages at skilledworker.com.
The British Columbia government has unveiled a $7-million grant for the Immigrant Employment Council of BC (IEC-BC). This funding is aimed at enhancing job accessibility for new immigrants arriving in the province.
Across British Columbia, employers have been facing challenges in filling positions within their firms due to the region’s low unemployment rate.
Moreover, with over 900,000 new job openings projected through the year 2027, the need for strategies to support immigrant employment has become even more critical.
The grant hopes to fix this problem by allowing IEC-BC to provide mentorship to underemployed and unemployed immigrants, thereby assisting them in understanding and adapting their skills and experience to the Canadian labour market – which is currently “very hot” in terms of work opportunities, according to CEO of S.U.C.E.S.S., Queenie Choo.
The BC government’s funding has also allowed the implementation of a new research initiative called Tech Connect Plus, which connects employers and new immigrants for interview and hiring opportunities. Furthermore, it addresses factors affecting newcomer employment.
“We want newcomers to find good jobs here, and we want employers to have an easier time finding workers,” said Sheila Malcolmson, Minister of Social Development and Poverty Reduction.
“With this funding, more newcomers and immigrants will find good jobs, more employers will find skilled workers ready to join the workforce.”
The not-for-profit IEC-BC is an organization providing BC employers with the solutions, tools, and resources they would require to attract, hire, and retain qualified international talent.
The programs it offers remove guesswork for both small and large business employers, and gives job seekers an opportunity to showcase their skills.
“Non-profits like IEC-BC play a critical role in connecting businesses with people new to the province,” said Megan Dykeman, Parliamentary Secretary for Community Development and Non-Profits.
“The funding demonstrates how we are actively working with non-profits to open opportunities that newcomers and immigrants need to build their lives in our great province.”
Watch Video:
IEC-BC CEO Patrick MacKenzie also weighed in on this news, arguing that the funding would allow the not-for-profit to extend to small- and medium-scale firms in communities lying outside of urban centres.
The Government of Canada invests more than $2 million every year through the Labour Market Development Agreements (LMDAs) program, which is a federal initiative to help Canadians get the training they need to find and keep jobs.
It thus assists provinces and territories so that they can support Canadians with Employment Insurance (EI)-funded skills training and employment help.
In this case, the grant comes from the Canada-British Columbia Labour Market Development Agreement, under which BC receives more than $300 million each year to fund employment services and supports. These include those provided through the 102 WorkBC centres throughout the Province.
We are recruiting long haul (HGV) drivers for a major employer in Canada. If you have a valid Class 1 license equivalent in your country, please submit your CV here.
The refusaI of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) to give work permits to foreign nationals already approved for Canada jobs by Quebec immigration officials is hampering trucking companies in the province.
Josyanne Pierrat, director of compliance and legal affairs at the Association du Camionnage du Québec (ACQ) trucking association, reportedly told TruckNews.com that businesses recruiting international drivers are seeing candidates approved by Quebec’s immigration department, the Ministère de l’Immigration, de la Francisation et de l’Intégration (MIFI), sometimes get rejected by the IRCC.
“The Gagnon-Tremblay/McDougall agreement says that Quebec can choose its candidates but this is not respected by the federal government in several cases,” Pierrat reportedly said.
“We have notified Minister of Immigration, Francisation and Integration, Christine Fréchette, of this situation. She is aware of the problem.”
Employers in the transportation industry are turning towards immigration as a recruitment strategy to fill trucking jobs going begging for a want of qualified workers to fill them.
The province had 339 job ads for truckers, categorized under the National Occupational Classification (NOC) 2021 with the code 73300, on Job Bank, the federal government’s job-hunting and career-planning website, as July drew to a close.
In Quebec, the median hourly wage for trucking jobs is $22.08 but that varies from a low of $16 per hour right up to $30 per hour, reveals Job Bank.
Based on a standard 37.5-hour work week, that would be $58,500 at the upper end of the annual wage scale for truckers in Quebec but truck drivers are also often paid bonuses by the kilometre, enabling them to earn significantly more.
Are you an employer looking to hire foreign workers in Canada? Immigration.ca can help through its sister company, skilledworker.com. We provide a comprehensive recruitment package to help you identify and hire the best individuals from abroad. Contact us now.
With transportation companies desperately looking for truckers to replenish and grow their aging workforce, both the federal and provincial governments have been helping out with immigration policies to grant work permits and permanent residence to qualified foreign workers looking for these kinds of jobs in Canada.
Truck driver is now one of the 82 jobs to be targeted with new occupation-specific Express Entry draws at the federal level.
But, unlike most provinces in Canada, Quebec does not participate in the Economic Mobility Pathways Pilot (EMPP) to help employers hire skilled refugees and other displaced individuals, including for trucking jobs.
And the province, which operates its own immigration system, also does not take part in the Federal Skilled Worker (FSW) program which added truck driver as one of 16 occupations to its list of eligible occupations when the NOC 2021 classification system was adopted in November last year.
Quebec Trucking Association Calls On MIFI To Clarify Rules For Temporary Foreign Workers
Quebec does, however, operate its own Regular Skilled Worker program for those foreign nationals who have training and professional skills that will facilitate their job integration in Quebec.
That means foreign nationals who want to work as truck drivers and have a job offer in Quebec can and should be able to immigrate and get Canadian permanent residence in that province.
The fly in the ointment to that process would be a refusal by the IRCC to grant MIFI-approved foreign nationals the work permits they need to accept those job offers in Quebec.
If you are a candidate looking for a Canada job, or an employer looking to recruit foreign talent from abroad, immigration.ca can help. Access our expertise through our in-house recruitment enterprise skilledworker.com, “the leader in foreign recruitment”.
In Quebec, the trucking association has also called on the provincial immigration department to create a working group to examine the trucking industry’s internationally-recruited workforce.
“We know the process is long and we know there’s a back-and-forth of questions between the agent evaluating the file and the carrier because there’s a lack of understanding of our industry,” Pierrat reportedly said.
“For example, many truckers are paid by the mile and not by the hour, the method used to determine the median wage.”
Video
Trucking companies want the provincial immigration department to clarify what they call “implied status.”
That’s the perceived right of temporary foreign workers to stay in Canada and keep working even as their work permit renewal application is being renewed.
“The problem is that a trucker who was going to the United States can’t get out until his application is approved. He has to be relocated on local haulage or haulage within Canada only,” Pierrat reportedly said.
Foreign Nationals Must Create Online Arrima Profile To Work In Quebec
Using Quebec’s Arrima online Express of Interest (EOI) system foreign nationals who want to work as truckers in that province must first create a profile which is then ranked based on their employability and contribution to the vitality of the French language.
Invitations To Apply (ITAs) are then issued during regular draws based on the applicant’s ranking in three main categories:
human capital (age, proficiency in French, level of education, etc.);
ability to find a job in Québec (having a validated job offer, having earned a degree in Quebec, or having temporary worker status with at least six months work experience in Quebec), and;
changing needs of the job market (areas of training associated with fields experiencing labour shortages).
Once a foreign national has accumulated sufficient work experience in Quebec, he or she can then apply for permanent residence to the province through the newly-relaxed criteria for the Programme de l’Expérience Québécoise (PEQ) – or Quebec Experience Class immigration program.
The PEQ is an accelerated immigration program for international students and temporary workers similar to the federal Canadian Experience Class (CEC) pathway to permanent residence but with an even more simplified process.
Are you ready to live and work in Canada? Fill out our free evaluation form to find out if you are eligible.
Become the right candidate with the job you always wanted with our online IELTS and EECP packages at skilledworker.com.
The Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) was introduced in all Canadian provinces and territories (with the exception of Quebec and Nunavut) between 1998 and 2009.
Over the years, it has become the largest selection program for economic immigrants. In the process, it has played a crucial role in attracting skilled economic immigrants to settle outside major cities and fulfill employers’ workforce requirements, as perceived by each province or territory.
The late 20th century was underscored by a concentration of immigrant inflows in Ontario, Quebec, and British Columbia, especially in their respective major cities of Toronto, Montreal, and Vancouver. In fact, 88 per cent of immigrants to Canada settled in one of the three provinces.
This concentration was at the expense of immigration to other provinces, especially those in the Prairie and Atlantic regions.
For some provinces – especially Manitoba – the type of lower-skilled immigrants they required were not being provided through the Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSWP).
The PNP was thus established, so that the provinces have more control over the type of economic immigrants that enter their provincial labour market. Manitoba was the first to have its own PNP, followed by British Columbia and Saskatchewan. Other provinces followed suit over the years.
The Expansion of the PNP
The unprecedented growth of the Provincial Nominee Program over the last 20 years has revolutionized the way economic immigrants are selected to come to Canada.
While 79 per cent of economic immigrants (including both principal applicants and their dependents) came to Canada through the FSWP in 2000, that rate had fallen to 30 per cent by 2019.
Concurrently, the PNP’s share of economic immigration went from 1 per cent in 2000 to 35 per cent in 2000. It is now the largest program for economic immigration to Canada.
How the Growth of the PNP Impacts the Canadian Labour Market
The expansion of the PNP has contributed to a substantial regional decentralization of economic immigrants.
The share of newcomers intending to settle in Ontario, for example, declined from 61 per cent to 42 per cent. This reflects that fewer immigrants are gravitating towards Toronto, and are instead considering different provinces for calling home.
Further supporting this assertion is the data showing an increase in newcomers to previously neglected provinces. Alberta and the Atlantic provinces count among this category, with their collective share of immigrants rising from 1 per cent to 7 per cent between 2000 and 2019.
The characteristics of provincial nominees have also changed since the program’s inception, with rising shares of immigrants holding pre-immigration Canadian work and study experience, higher educational attainment levels, as well as improved knowledge of official languages.
Watch Video:
There was also a continuous increase in the percentage of provincial nominees aged 20 to 54 who had previously been temporary foreign workers at the time of landing.
In 2002, this proportion was only 6 per cent, but had risen significantly to 61 per cent in 2019 and 72 per cent in 2021. Such a marked change was not observed through the FSWP.
This is an important trend, as earlier research showed that immigrants who had previously been temporary foreign workers had better labour market outcomes in both the short and longer run, compared to those Canadians who did not have pre-landing Canadian work experience.
Furthermore, provincial nominees are relatively younger since the PNP has expanded. The share of 20- to 29-year-olds at the time of immigration went from 24 per cent in 2005 to 38 per cent in 2019.
Lastly, they are also more likely to be principal – rather than dependent – applicants. As principal applicants are primarily selected for their ability to contribute to Canada’s labour force, this trend showcases a likely improvement in the collective economic outcomes of recent economic immigrants.
Continued growth of the Provincial Nomination Program (PNP) is expected to contribute to increased regional decentralization of immigration, which is in alignment with the shared policy objective of expanding immigrant resettlement in different regions.
How the PNP Works
Any one of Canada’s ten territories or three provinces (except for Quebec and Nunavut) can nominate skilled worker candidates who hold the skills required by their local economies. The nominated candidates can then apply for Canadian permanent residence via federal immigration authorities.
When some candidates do not qualify for one of the federal programs, they may be eligible for admission under the PNP.
Each province/territory has its own streams – immigration programs that target certain groups – and requirements.
Provinces and territories may target:
Students
Business people
Skilled workers
Semi-skilled workers
The application options depend on the PNP stream one is applying to, and they may need to apply using a non-Express Entry or Express Entry route.
Applicants would also need to pass a medical exam and get a police check (certificate), no matter where they want to live in Canada.
The number of new permanent residents coming into the country through the Parents and Grandparents Program (PGP) rose in May after a sluggish performance the previous month.
In May, the PGP helped reunite 3,730 parents and grandparents with their children in Canada.
That’s up 1,440 new permanent residents, or 62.9 per cent, over the 2,290 new permanent residents through the program in April, the latest data from Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) reveals.
Due primarily to a strong start earlier this year, the PGP program is outperforming last year’s results, with 12,775 new permanent residents arriving in Canada in first five months of this year, up by 2,150 parents and grandparents, or 20.2 per cent, compared to the 10,625 during the same period last year.
Based on the level of immigration through the PGP in the first five months of this year, Canada would receive 30,660 new permanent residents through that program by the end of the year if the current trend continues.
Canada’s most populous province, Ontario, saw the greatest number of arrivals under the PGP in the first five months of this year with 6,050 parents and grandparents settling there.
The other provinces and territories attracted the following number of new permanent residents under the PGP during that period:
Newfoundland and Labrador – 15
Prince Edward Island – 0
Nova Scotia – 80
New Brunswick – 20
Quebec – 1,090
Manitoba – 540
Saskatchewan – 355
Alberta – 2,470
British Columbia – 2,160
Yukon – 15
Northwest Territories – 10
Nunavut – 0
With Ottawa’s much-higher immigration targets for the coming years, there’s little doubt the PGP numbers will close 2023 much higher than they did in 2022.
In its 2023-2025 Immigration Levels Plan, Ottawa has set the target for 2023 at 465,000 new permanent residents. The country is to welcome 485,000 new permanent residents in 2024 and another 500,000 in 2025.
That’s a total of 1.45 million immigrants to Canada over the coming three years.
PGP Sponsors Must Be Adult Canadian Residents
Under the PGP, applicants pay $1,050 to sponsor a parent or grandparent and the process takes up to 23 months, with the people being sponsored required to provide biometrics after they apply. That processing time includes the time to provide those biometrics.
Once a Canadian citizen or permanent resident has submitted an interest in sponsoring these relatives, he or she is sent an Invitation to Apply (ITA0 and must then submit two applications to the PGP:
the sponsorship application, and;
the permanent residence application.
If those applications get the green light, the sponsor signs an agreement called an undertaking which starts on the day the sponsoree becomes a permanent resident of Canada.
Among the several requirements which need to be met to determine eligibility to sponsor a parent or grandparent, are:
a receipt of an Invitation to Apply;
being at least 18 years old;
Canadian residency;
being a Canadian citizen, a permanent resident of Canada, or a person registered in Canada as an Indian under the Canadian Indian Act;
sufficient funds to support the parent or grandparent;
proof of income, although a spouse or common-law partner can co-sign to combine their income with that of the sponsor, and;
meeting all other requirements under the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act and the Immigration and Refugee Protection Regulations.
All sponsors living outside of the province of Quebec, which has its own immigration system, must promise to financially support the sponsorees for a period of time.
Watch Video:
This undertaking commits the sponsor to:
providing financial support for sponsored family members for 20 years, starting when they become permanent residents;
repaying any provincial social assistance (money from the government) sponsored family members get during that time, and;
agreeing to certain responsibilities during the undertaking period in a sponsorship agreement.
That sponsorship agreement means that the sponsor will provide the basic needs of the sponsoree, including:
food;
clothing;
utilities;
personal requirements;
shelter;
fuel;
household supplies, and;
healthcare not covered by public health insurance, such as eye and dental care.
Sponsors Remain Financial Responsible For Relatives Even In Tough Times
The sponsorship agreement is not one to be entered into lightly as it is obliges the sponsor to meet those requirements even in the case of:
separation or divorce;
family rifts;
unemployment;
change in finances, and even;
death of the main applicant.
Sponsors who live in Quebec must meet that province’s immigration sponsorship requirements after the IRCC approves of the sponsor. The length of the undertaking is 10 years for Quebec.
Due to the need for sponsors to accept responsibility for their parents and grandparents through sponsorship agreements under the PGP, past criminality and serious financial troubles can render a Canadian citizen or permanent resident ineligible for this program.
Applicants may not be eligible to sponsor their parents or grandparents if the sponsors:
are in a jail, prison or penitentiary;
didn’t pay back an immigration loan or performance bond;
failed to make court-ordered family support payments such as alimony or child support;
didn’t give the financial support specified under a sponsorship agreement to sponsor someone else in the past;
declared bankruptcy and are not discharged;
receive social assistance for a reason other than a disability;
were convicted of a violent criminal offence, any offence against a relative or any sexual offence inside or outside Canada, or;
can’t legally stay in Canada and must leave the country because they received a removal order.
The applicant cannot sponsor his or her spouse’s parents or grandparents, aka their in-laws, but can be a co-signer on that spouse’s application to bring to Canada his or her parents and grandparents.
The PGP program also does not allow a Canadian citizen or permanent resident to sponsor someone who is otherwise inadmissible to come to Canada.
The PGP is restricted to the applicant’s own parents and grandparents, related by blood or adoption.
IRCC Urges Applicants To Keep Their Information Current To Avoid Delays
“In case of divorce, you’ll need to submit separate applications if you sponsor divorced parents and grandparents,” notes the IRCC on its website.
“If your divorced parents or grandparents have a current spouse, common-law partner or a conjugal partner, these people become dependants on the application and can immigrate to Canada with your parents and grandparents, if approved.”
A PGP application can include the sponsor’s own brothers and sisters, or half-brothers and sisters, or step-brothers and step-sisters – but only if they qualify as dependent children of the sponsor’s parents.
Delays in processing can quickly occur when the IRCC is faced with information which is no longer accurate and so Canadian immigration officials encourage applicants to keep their contact information and application details up to date.
Important information which must be updated includes:
changes in relationship status;
birth or adoption of a child;
death of an applicant or dependant;
contact information such as e-mail addresses, phone numbers, and mailing addresses.
The applicant is responsible for going into the application and updating it with this information him or herself.
“Don’t mail us changes to your contact or application information,” notes the IRCC. “If you do, we won’t acknowledge your request and we won’t update your application.”
Canadian immigration officials notify applicants under the PGP as soon as they begin to process the application, sending them both an application number and an acknowledgement of receipt of the application.
The IRCC then assesses both the applicant’s eligibility as a sponsor and the person being sponsored for permanent residence.
“If we refuse you as a sponsor, you can choose to have us keep processing the application for permanent residence for your family members,” notes the IRCC.
Choosing to have the IRCC continue processing the application at that point means the sponsor forgoes all fees which have been paid.
By choosing to withdraw the application in the eventuality of being deemed ineligible to sponsor, the applicant can get all of his or her fees back, minus the $75 sponsorship fee.
Once Canadian immigration officials have approved a sponsor under the PGP, they then turn their attention to the people being sponsored to determine their eligibility under the program.
The IRCC will typically request documents from those being sponsored, including:
medical exam results;
police certificates, and;
biometrics.
Letters requesting that biometric information are sent to the parents or grandparents and their dependent children as named in the application and they then have 30 days to provide the biometric information at the closest collection point.
Two years after a government revealed almost one in five Canadians over the age of 11 years old needed mental health services, the number of Canada jobs for psychologists is still climbing.
“We drive ourselves crazy sometimes trying to figure out how to reorganize or redistribute the services we provide,” Saskatchewan psychiatrist Dr. Tamara Hinz reportedly told the CBC earlier this year.
“But at the end of the day, there’s just not enough pie there.”
Job Bank, the federal job-hunting and career-planning website, is forecasting a shortfall of 400 qualified workers to fill the positions for psychologists over the coming nine years.
“For psychologists, over the period 2022 – 2031, new job openings arising from expansion demand and replacement demand are expected to total 18,800 , while 18,400 new job seekers arising from school leavers, immigration and mobility are expected to be available to fill them.
“The labour shortage conditions seen in recent years is expected to persist into the 2022 – 2031 period.”
Job Bank is forecasting the job prospects for psychologists to be “good” in Alberta, Newfoundland and Labrador and Prince Edward Island through to 2031.
Things are looking even brighter for those psychologists looking to set up practices in British Columbia, Manitoba, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Ontario, Saskatchewan and Quebec. Job prospects for psychologists, categorized under the National Occupational Classification (NOC) 2021 system with the code 31200, were ranked as “very good”, Job Bank’s highest rating, in those seven provinces.
Are you an employer looking to hire foreign workers in Canada? Immigration.ca can help through its sister company, skilledworker.com. We provide a comprehensive recruitment package to help you identify and hire the best individuals from abroad. Contact us now.
With Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) announcing earlier this year that Canada’s Express Entry system will begin targeting 82 jobs in healthcare, technology, trades, transport and agriculture this summer – including psychologists – foreign nationals hoping to immigrate to Canada are now looking at a new opportunity to get their permanent residence here.
The flagship Express Entry selection system has previously only conducted draws based on immigration programs, not by targeting specific occupations.
Candidates will 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.
The opportunities are there.
If you are a candidate looking for a Canada job, or an employer looking to recruit foreign talent from abroad, immigration.ca can help. Access our expertise through our in-house recruitment enterprise skilledworker.com, “the leader in foreign recruitment”.
There were already 98 job listings for psychologists on Job Bank in July. Indeed.ca, another job-hunting website, listed 1,027 such positions.
In Canada, the median hourly wage for psychologists is $43.50 but that varies from a low of $24 right up to $58.79, reveals Job Bank.
Based on a standard, 37.5-hour work week, that means pilots could expect to earn a top median annual income of $114.640.
Immigration Minister Opened Up 82 Occupations To Targeted Express Entry Draws
“Everywhere I go, I’ve heard loud and clear from employers across the country who are experiencing chronic labour shortages,” said former 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.”
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.
Video
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.
Are you ready to live and work in Canada? Fill out our free evaluation form to find out if you are eligible.
Become the right candidate with the job you always wanted with our online IELTS and EECP packages at skilledworker.com.
At least 24 months of full-time business experience in the past 60 months, as an owner or senior manager.
Create two full-time jobs for Canadian citizens or permanent residents in the proposed company if located inside the GTA. Business located outside the GTA, or in either ICT or digital communications, must create one full time job.
Make exploratory visit to Ontario in the 12 months prior to application. Note: This only applies to those buying an existing business.
Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) is offering free replacement documents for flood victims in Nova Scotia.
In one of his final acts as immigration minister, Sean Fraser, who moved to the ministry of housing, infrastructure and communities in a Cabinet shuffle earlier this week, offered the free replacement documents to those affected by flooding in that Atlantic Canadian province.
“From severe wildfires to flooding, this has been a challenging few months for those in my home province of Nova Scotia. But it has also served as a reminder of the strength and resiliency of our communities,” said Fraser.
“Just as people in the province have been stepping up to help those in need, so too is the government of Canada. My department is introducing these new measures to make it easier for Canadians, permanent residents and temporary residents to replace lost documents.
“They will also help make sure temporary residents are not unduly penalized and are there to continue rebuilding our communities.”
The latest IRCC data reveals 13,150 study permits were issued to international students in Nova Scotia last year and another 5,260 this year as of the end of May.
The IRCC also issued 9,370 work permits through the International Mobility Program (IMP) to temporary foreign workers in Nova Scotia last year and another 6,495 in the first five months of this year.
There were also 3,360 work permits issued through the Temporary Foreign Worker Program (TFWP) to temporary workers in Nova Scotia last year and another 2,115 in the first five months of this year.
Watch Video:
The heaviest rainstorms to hit Nova Scotia in half a century began on July 21, triggering floods and “unimaginable” damage, killing at least two people and another two still missing.
During the downpour, more than 25 cm of rain fell on some parts of the province in just 24 hours, the same amount that usually lands in three months. The resulting floods washed away roads, weakened bridges and swamped buildings.
Nova Scotia Premier Says Floods Caused ‘Scary’ Situation, Halifax In State Of Emergency
Authorities have declared a state of emergency in Halifax, the largest city in Nova Scotia, and four other regions.
“We have a scary, significant situation,” Nova Scotia Premier Tim Houston reportedly told Reuters, adding that at least seven bridges would have to be replaced or rebuilt.
“The property damage to homes … is pretty unimaginable.”
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has already vowed that Ottawa will step up to the plate and provide help to the province.
The IRCC’s offer of free replacement documents is only part of that help.
These are being offered to Canadians, permanent residents and temporary residents in Nova Scotia who have been directly affected by the floods and include permanent resident cards, proof of citizenship, Canadian citizenship certificates, Canadian passports and other travel documents that are lost, damaged, destroyed or inaccessible as a result of this natural disaster.
Temporary residents, including international students, temporary foreign workers and other visitors who have been directly affected by the flooding and whose statuses will expire by Nov. 30 will also be eligible to apply to restore or extend their status in Canada free of charge.
With that measure, temporary workers who are unable to work because their workplace is closed due to the floods will be able to extend their status and stay until their workplace reopens. International students can extend their study permits if their classes are delayed or cancelled and finish their studies without penalty.
The free replacement documents and other emergency measures will be in place until Nov. 30.
The latest data from Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) reveals spousal sponsorship arrivals bounced back in May, rising by 44.3 per cent, after dropping for three consecutive months.
After starting the year off strong with 10,070 wives, husbands and common-law partners immigrating to Canada under the spousal sponsorship program, the monthly number of these new arrivals fell to 8,280 in February, then 6,975 in March, and dropped again to a paltry 4,990 in April.
That’s a drop of 5,080 new permanent residents per month, or 50.4 per cent, under the spousal sponsorship program during those three months.
The downward slide, though, came to a halt in May with 7,200 new permanent residents settling in Canada under the spousal sponsorship program, a gain of 2,210 new arrivals compared to the previous month.
With that resurgence in spousal sponsorships in May, the program finished the first five months of this year with about 30.1 per cent more spouses becoming permanent residents, 37,515, than the 28,845 during the comparable period last year.
Canada’s most populous province, Ontario, saw the greatest number of arrivals under the spousal sponsorship program with 13,950 spouses making it their home in the first five months of this year.
The other provinces and territories attracted the following number of new permanent residents under the spousal sponsorship program during that period:
Newfoundland and Labrador – 75
Prince Edward Island – 60
Nova Scotia – 430
New Brunswick – 245
Quebec – 4,270
Manitoba – 1,030
Saskatchewan – 640
Alberta – 4,845
British Columbia – 6,715
Yukon – 45
Northwest Territories – 30
Nunavut – 5
Immigration Levels Plan Has A Target Of 78,000 Newcomers Under Spousal Sponsorships This Year
Based on the level of immigration through spousal sponsorships in the first five months of this year, Canada could expect to welcome 90,036 spouses and common-law partners through this immigration program this year. That level of spousal sponsorships would be 40.4 per cent, or 25,911 new permanent residents, higher than the comparable figure of 64,125 of these immigrants for all of last year.
In its Immigration Levels Plan 2023 – 2025, Ottawa has already set an upper limit of 84,000 new permanent residents under programs to sponsor spouses, partners and children. The target for this year for that category of immigrants is 78,000 new permanent residents.
Watch Video:
When a Canadian citizen or permanent resident chooses to sponsor a spouse or common-law partner to immigrate to Canada, the sponsor must sign an undertaking, promising to give financial support for the sponsored person’s basic needs,
including:
food, clothing, shelter and their needs for everyday living, and;
dental care, eye care and other health needs not covered by public health services.
This agreement cannot be cancelled, even if:
the person sponsored becomes a Canadian citizen;
the couple divorces, separates or the relationship breaks down;
either the sponsor or the sponsored spouse or common-law partner moves to another province or country, or;
the sponsor experiences financial problems.
Spousal Sponsorship Processing Times Are Down To 14 Months
Maternity, parental and sickness benefits paid under the Employment Insurance Act in Canada are all considered income and contribute to allowing a person to sponsor a spouse or common-law partner but other payments from the government, such as employment insurance and federal training allowances, are not considered income.
According to that website, the current processing time for sponsorship applications for spouses or common-law partners currently outside the country and planning to live outside of Quebec is now down to 14 months, a considerable improvement over the 20-month processing time last year.
