Ontario Issues 883 Canada Immigration Invitations In International Graduate PNP Draw

Colin Singer
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Ontario Issues 883 Canada Immigration Invitations In International Graduate PNP Draw

Ontario has issued 883 Canada immigration invitations in two new Expression of Interest draws through the Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program Masters Graduate and PhD Graduate streams.

The draws were conducted on April 4, 2023.

For the Masters Graduate draw, 752 candidates were invited, requiring a score of 52 or above. 

In the PhD Graduate draw, the minimum score was 48 and 131 invitations were issued.

For both draws, candidates needed to have submitted their profile within the last 12 months.

Meanwhile, Ontario also issued 6 invitations under the Employer Job Offer: Foreign Worker stream to qualified refugee candidates through the federal government’s Economic Mobility Pathways Project.

Masters Graduate Stream Expression of Interest Draw

Date issued Number of invitations issued Date profiles created Score range Notes
04-04-23 752 November 22, 2022 – April 4, 2023 52 and above General Draw

PhD Graduate Stream Expression of Interest Draw

Date issued Number of invitations issued Date profiles created Score range Notes
04-04-23 131 November 22, 2022 – April 4, 2023 48 and above General Draw

Employer Job Offer: Foreign Worker Draw

Date issued Number of invitations issued Date profiles created Score range Notes
04-04-23 6 November 22, 2022 – April 4, 2023 N/A Targeted draw for Economic Mobility Pathways Project candidates.

Read More Canada Immigration News 

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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.

Masters Graduate 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, that 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.

PhD Graduate Stream

This stream offers international students an opportunity to become a permanent resident for who hold 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.
  • Application must be submitted within two years of completing the requirements to graduate from the PhD degree.

Anyone With Interest In Canada Immigration Asked To Share Their Views In Online Survey

Colin Singer
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Anyone With Interest In Canada Immigration Asked To Share Their Views In Online Survey

Everyone and anyone with an interest in Canada immigration are being asked to share their views through an online survey to run until almost the end of April.

“Consulting clients, stakeholders and those with expertise in immigration in Canada is our opportunity to get your feedback on how best to support and strengthen our communities, from coast to coast to coast,” says Immigration Minister Sean Fraser.

“I encourage all Canadians to take the time to share their ideas and perspectives and help us shape an immigration system that will contribute to Canada’s success for generations to come.”

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The survey runs from March 27 to April 27, 2023, and takes about 15 minutes to complete. All responses to it are completely anonymous and will have no bearing on any immigration applications made by the respondents.

The survey is part of the immigration minister’s fact-finding tour, an initiative being dubbed An Immigration System for Canada’s Future.

“Immigration is critical to Canada’s long-term success and we need to ensure our policies and programs are aligned with the needs of our communities,” said Fraser.

“That’s why the government of Canada is launching this large-scale engagement initiative, which will provide an opportunity for a wide range of stakeholders and Canadians to share their ideas and perspectives on how we can build a stronger, more adaptive immigration system for Canada’s future.”

Through this engagement initiative which will continue throughout the spring, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) are holding in-person dialogue sessions across the country, thematic workshops and this survey.

Fraser kicked off the new initiative in February by chairing the first discussion session in Halifax.

Last year, the latest IRCC data reveals Canada welcomed 437,500 new permanent residents – and that level of immigration is only expected to grow over the coming years.

Immigrants To Be Almost A Third Of Canadian Population By 2036, Says Statistics Canada

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.

Immigration already accounts for almost all of Canada’s labour force growth, with more than 75 per cent of Canada’s population growth coming from immigration, mostly in the economic category.

By 2036, immigrants will represent up to 30 per cent of the Canadian population up from 20.7 per cent in 2011, states Statistics Canada.

The rising levels of immigration are being seen by many as vital to ensuring Canada can resolve its serious labour shortages and help employers fill positions left empty for a lack of suitable candidates.

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“There were 883,200 job vacancies across all sectors in January,” reveals Statistics Canada. “Job vacancies increased 3.4 per cent … in January 2023, led by transportation and warehousing … and healthcare and social assistance.”

As inflation climbed halfway through last year, though, others expressed concern Canada’s immigration levels were so high as to be fueling immigration and taxing the country’s social safety net and infrastructure.

Among the most outspoken of those calling for lower immigration levels was People’s Party of Canada (PPC) Leader Maxime Bernier who said Ottawa’s ambitious immigration targets for the next few years just aren’t sustainable.

“It’s mass immigration,” said Bernier. “Yes, we must have sustainable immigration but we believe we must have lower immigration than that number.”

People’s Party In Quebec Wants To Hold Line On Immigration 

In the last federal election, the PPC got 4.9 per cent of the popular vote and failed to elect a single candidate to the House of Commons. The party regularly polls at less than five per cent of popular support.

But worries over Canada’s immigration levels and how the country can provide an adequate level of settlement services to all the newcomers persist.

In the francophone province of Quebec, provincial Immigration Minister Christine Fréchette has told Ottawa the province will not be accepting significantly more immigrants in the coming years.

“It is up to Quebec to set its own targets for permanent immigration,” she tweeted in French. “The upper limit for Quebec is now 50,000 (new permanent residents) due to our capacity to welcome, provide French-language services and integrate them.”

Canada is, arguably, a nation of immigrants. In 2021, more than 8.3 million people, or 23 per cent of the population, were, or had ever been, landed immigrants or permanent residents in Canada.

Strong Start In 2023 For Canada’s Start-Up Visa Program

Colin Singer
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Strong Start In 2023 For Canada’s Start-Up Visa Program

The Start-Up Visa (SUV) program started the year strong with almost the same number of new permanent residents settling in Canada in January 2023 as came last year.

The latest data from Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) reveals 50 immigrant entrepreneurs used the SUV to gain their permanent residence in Canada in January this year, almost the same level as the 55 for the comparable month in 2022.

In January this year, Ontario attracted 20 immigrant entrepreneurs through the SUV, Manitoba welcomed five, Alberta received 10, and British Columbia 15.

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The SUV’s performance was twice as strong this January as it was two years ago, in 2021, when only 20 immigrant entrepreneurs, 150 per cent fewer, settled in Canada through the program during the comparable month.

Prior to last year, the previous record for the number of new permanent residents under the SUV was in January 2020 when 40 immigrant entrepreneurs gained their permanent residency through the program.

Although the first case of COVID-19 in Canada was identified in late January of 2020, it was not until mid-March of that year that the Canadian government imposed travel restrictions on foreign nationals coming into the county. The dramatic drop in immigration levels that year only started once the travel restrictions were in place.

This year, the number of people to gain their permanent residence in Canada through the SUV in January was 25 per cent higher than in January 2020, one of the last few months before the pandemic travel restrictions were put in place.

Last year, 575 foreign nationals gained their permanent residence in Canada through the SUV.

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That was 11.6 per cent, or 60 immigrant entrepreneurs, more than the 515 who started businesses and gained their permanent residence through the program in 2019, the last full year before the start of the pandemic.

When the coronavirus arrived in Canada in early 2020, Ottawa quickly put in place public health and travel restrictions which resulted in immigration to the country falling 45.9 per cent from 341,175 new permanent residents in 2019 to only 184,590 new permanent residents the following year.

The number of new arrivals under the SUV saw a similar drop, falling from 515 new permanent residents in 2019 to only 260, barely more than half, in 2020.

Immigration Roared Back To Life In 2021 And Hit What Was Then A Record Level

In 2021, immigration roared back to life, hitting a new record at the time of 406,045 new permanent residents, and the SUV program also rebounded – but not by quite as much.

While overall immigration to Canada more than doubled, growing by 118.3 per cent, the number of immigrants arriving under the SUV in 2021 grew by a more modest  48.1 per cent to 385 new permanent residents.

Then, last year, the SUV program caught up with the overall immigration trend, spiking another 49.3 per cent, or 190 new permanent residents, to set the new record of 575 newcomers under the program for 2022.

Ontario and British Columbia won the lion’s share of the economic benefits of those immigrant entrepreneurs last year with each province welcoming 260 of them through the SUV.

The only other province to see any activity through the SUV in 2022 was Manitoba which welcomed 35 immigrant entrepreneurs last year.

In 2015, the SUV welcomed only 55 new permanent residents to Canada. By the end of last year, it had grown more than 10 times.

The SUV program generates much lower overall numbers of new permanent residents than federal worker programs, such as the Federal Skilled Worker (FSW) and Federal Skilled Trade (FST), the Provincial Nominee Programs (PNP) or the regional economic development programs including the Atlantic Immigration Program (AIP) or Rural and Northern Immigration Pilot (RNIP).

Due to these smaller numbers, the monthly fluctuations in the number of new permanent residents under the SUV can sometimes seem exaggerated when examined in percentage terms.

Immigrant Entrepreneurs Can Come To Canada On A Work Permit While Applying Under SUV

Candidates applying under the SUV 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 entire process of applying for permanent residence to Canada through the SUV is currently estimated by the IRCC to take 33 months.

Under the SUV, 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. 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.

Investing and the development of the business is 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.

The basic government-imposed candidate eligibility requirements for the SUV are:

As Immigration Grows, Ontario Injects $25m Into OINP

Colin Singer
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As Immigration Grows, Ontario Injects $25m Into OINP

Ontario is investing another $25 million into its Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) over the next three years to handle the anticipated doubling of skilled immigrants using it to come to Canada.

“Our government is ready to welcome more skilled newcomers to Ontario, to help build the highways, transit, schools, homes and hospitals our growing population needs,” said Premier Doug Ford. 

“As we continue to tackle historic labour shortages, we’re doing everything we can to ensure we have the workforce to help build Ontario. It’s all hands on deck.”

Read More Canada Immigration News

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The infusion of money comes only days after the province announced it is hoping to double economic immigration through the Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program (OINP) over the next few years.

“From 9,000 immigration spots in 2021 to over 18,000 in 2025, (this) announcement is a significant win for the people of Ontario and will help us control our economic destiny by selecting more of the skilled immigrants we know are well-placed to succeed and build stronger communities for all of us,” said provincial Immigration Minister Monte McNaughton.

The announcement on March 18 of the doubling of immigration through the OINP came in the wake of the Forum of Ministers Responsible for Immigration (FMRI) at the Canadian Museum of Immigration in Halifax.

Last year, Ontario welcomed 19,220 new permanent residents through its OINP, roughly 10.4 per cent of the total 184,940 new permanent residents to the province, the latest Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) data reveals.

Since it is the most populous province in Canada, Ontario regularly gets the biggest share of immigrants to the country, with almost 42.3 per cent of new permanent residents to Canada last year choosing to settle there.

“Every year, more immigrants come to Ontario than any other province,” said McNaughton. “It is critical to ensure we have the resources to select and welcome those best placed to succeed, building stronger communities for everyone.”

The latest funds, earmarked in the province’s Building a Strong Ontario 2023 budget are in addition to the $15 million over three years announced last year.

McNaughton has been calling on Ottawa to double the number of immigrants allowed under the OINP to tackle the province’s labour shortages since at least April 2021.

Business Leaders Say Their Industries Facing Serious Labour Shortages In Ontario

Ontario reached its allocation of 9,750 immigrants through the OINP in 2022, including 3,900 skilled trades workers, 2,200 software and IT workers, and nearly 100 nurses and personal support workers.

“As we remain focused on addressing the acute labour market shortages and building a strong economy into the future, one thing remains certain: immigration is a key part of the solution,” said federal Immigration Minister Sean Fraser.

“As Canada’s flagship regional economic immigration program, the Provincial Nominee Program’s (PNP) increasing growth will support the long-term well-being of communities in Ontario.”

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Business leaders in Ontario have been quick to praise the move to boost economic immigration to the province.

“Ontario’s new car dealers are in dire need of automotive technicians and auto body repairers and this announcement will help attract workers for these well-paying careers that are waiting for them today,” said Frank Notte, director of government relations for the Trillium Automobile Dealers’ Association.

Trucking industry reps agreed.

“Since gaining access to the OINP in 2019, the Ontario trucking industry has continued to welcome newcomers to our sector to help fill key job vacancies,” said Jonathan Blackham, the director of policy and public affairs for the Ontario Trucking Association.

“As the past few years have shown, bolstering the trucking sector’s labour market is one of the surest ways we can help strengthen the supply chain and keep the economy moving. Today’s announcement is not only positive for our sector, it’s positive for all businesses and Ontarians who rely on the trucking industry to deliver the essential goods and products they need every day.”

Under the OINP, the province nominates applicants for permanent residence who have the skills and experience to contribute to Ontario’s economy. This provides a much-needed source of labour to fill the 300,000 jobs that were going begging for a lack of workers in December last year.

“For decades, immigrants have developed our communities, supported our economy, and made Ontario what it is today,” said Andrew Pariser, vice-president of the Residential Construction Council of Ontario.

“This will help fill critical labour shortages in the construction and reduce barriers for immigrants to gaining employment and making a living in Ontario.”

Prince Edward Island PNP Draw: Province Issues 113 Canada Immigration Invitations

Colin Singer
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Prince Edward Island PNP Draw: Province Issues 113 Canada Immigration Invitations

Prince Edward Island has conducted a new provincial draw, issuing invitations to apply to 113 skilled worker Canada immigration candidates.

The March 30 draw saw invitations issued through the Labour Impact and Express Entry Prince Edward Island Provincial Nominee Program (PEI PNP) stream.

Prince Edward Island publishes a list of dates for monthly provincial draws. However, it has recently begun conducting draws outside that schedule.

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PEI PNP Immigration Draw

Date Category Invites Issued Minimum Score
30-03-2023 Labour Impact/Express Entry 113 N/A

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

Watch Video

PEI issued a total of 1,853 invites during 2022, compared to 1,933 in 2021.

Of the 2022 invites, 1,729 went to Labour Impact and Express Entry candidates, with the remaining 124 going to Business Impact candidates.

Prince Edward Island Express Entry Stream

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

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

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

Prince Edward Island Labour Impact Category

1) Skilled Worker Stream

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

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

2) Critical Worker Stream

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

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

Prince Edward Island Business Impact Category

Work Permit Stream

Individuals applying under the P.E.I. Work Permit Stream must obtain a Canadian work permit and work for a P.E.I. business for a certain amount of time as designated in a Performance Agreement.

After the Performance Agreement is fulfilled, the applicant must make a minimum $150,000 investment in the business and commit to managing the business on a daily basis from within P.E.I.

Previously, Prince Edward Island operated direct permanent residence business streams, but these were closed in September 2018 over immigration fraud concerns.

 

Canada Has More Than 883,000 Job Vacancies

Colin Singer
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Canada Has More Than 883,000 Job Vacancies

Canada job vacancies rose 3.4 per cent in January after six months of steady declines due to growth in the provinces of Quebec and Newfoundland & Labrador.

There were 883,200 job vacancies across all sectors of the Canadian economy in January.

In its Payroll Employment, Earnings and Hours, and Job Vacancies, January 2023 Report, Statistics Canada notes the growth in job vacancies was led by openings in the transportation and warehousing, and healthcare and social assistance sectors.

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Transportation and warehousing jobs grew by 14,500 positions during the first month of the year and positions in healthcare and social assistance by 12,400.

The overall growth in job vacancies across the country was 29,000 positions, reports the statistical and demographic services agency.

Despite the rise in the number of jobs going begging for a lack of qualified workers to fill them, the job vacancy rate itself did not budge in January, remaining at 4.9 per cent, because the overall labour force also grew as more people landed paying gigs.

“The number of employees receiving pay or benefits from their employer, measured as ‘payroll employees’ in the Survey of Employment, Payrolls and Hours, rose by 71,100, up 0.4 per cent, in January, following an increase of 53,700, or 0.3 per cent in December 2022,” notes Statistics Canada.

“Overall payroll employment has generally trended upwards over the previous five months, resulting in cumulative gains of 275,400 jobs filled, up 1.6 per cent from September 2022 to January 2023.”

The Canadian labour market remains very tight with unemployment holding steady at five percent, reveals the latest Labour Force Survey.

Job Openings In Healthcare And Social Assistance Hit A Record High In January

With that increase in job vacancies in healthcare and social assistance, there are now 162,100 jobs going begging for a want of workers in that sector, the highest level on record.

There were also 49,600 job vacancies in the transportation and warehousing sector, 53,900 in the administrative and support, waste management and remediation services sector, 15,700 in the information and cultural industries, and 12,300 in the real estate and rental and leasing sector.

While the number of job vacancies in the professional, scientific and technical services sector slid 10.9 per cent in January, it still offered 50,700 positions.

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The manufacturing and educational services sectors were in a similar situation in January. While job vacancies in manufacturing fell by 4,200, there were still 66,600 open positions. The educational services sector saw a drop of 3,800 job vacancies but there were still 22,900 openings in January 2023. 

The provinces which showed the greatest tightening of their labour markets were the francophone province of Quebec and the Atlantic Canadian province of Newfoundland and Labrador. 

Quebec’s number of job vacancies rose by 10,400 to hit a whopping 223,800 positions unfilled for a lack of workers in that province’s labour market in January. Newfoundland and Labrador’s job vacancies rose by 1,500 to hit 8,000 that month.

Tight Labour Market Is Forcing Employers To Increase Wages To Retain Workers

Due to labour shortages, workers are managing to negotiate higher wages from their employers. In the past year, average wages have risen 2.9 per cent to hit $1,185.39 per week.

Foreign nationals hoping to gain their permanent residency in Canada can seize the opportunities offered by this tight labour market to immigrate through the country’s many economic immigration programs.

Under the Express Entry system, immigrants can apply for permanent residency online if they meet the eligibility criteria for one of three federal immigration programs, the Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSW), Federal Skilled Trades Program (FST), and Canada Experience Class Program (CEC), or a participating provincial immigration program.

Candidates’ profiles then are ranked against each other according to a points-based system called the Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS). The highest-ranked candidates will be considered for an Invitation to Apply (ITA) for permanent residence. Those receiving an ITA must quickly submit a full application and pay processing fees, within a delay of 90-days.

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

Canadian employers can also recruit and hire foreign nationals through the Temporary Foreign Worker Program (TFWP) and the International Mobility Program (IMP).

The Global Talent Stream (GTS), a part of the TFWP, can under normal processing situations lead to the granting of Canadian work permits and processing of visa applications within two weeks.

Saskatchewan PNP Draw: Province Issues 496 Canada Immigration Invitations

Colin Singer
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Saskatchewan PNP Draw: Province Issues 496 Canada Immigration Invitations

Saskatchewan has conducted a new Expression of Interest draw through the Saskatchewan Immigrant Nominee Program, issuing 496 Canada immigration invitations.

The March 23 draw featured 312 invitations through the province’s Occupations In-Demand stream and 184 via its Express Entry stream. 

The invitations targeted 110 National Occupational Classification codes and required a minimum score of 82.

Read More Canada Immigration News

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Latest Saskatchewan Expression of Interest Draw

Draw date Category Minimum score Invites issued Other considerations
23-03-23 Occupations In-Demand 82 312 NOCs included: 00012, 00013, 00015, 10010, 10011, 10012, 10020, 10021, 10022, 10029, 10030, 11101, 11102, 11109, 11200, 11201, 11202, 12010, 12011, 12013, 12100, 12101, 12102, 12103, 12200, 12202, 13100, 13101, 13110, 13111, 13112, 20010, 20012, 21101, 21110, 21112, 21120, 21203, 21210, 21220, 21221, 21222, 21223, 21230, 21231, 21232, 21233, 21234, 21300, 21301, 21310, 21311, 21322, 22100, 22101, 22110, 22212, 22220, 22221, 22222, 22232, 22300, 22301, 22303, 22310, 32102, 32112, 32120, 33101, 33103, 40020, 40030, 41200, 41210, 41300, 41320, 41400, 41401, 41402, 41404, 41406, 4212 , 42202, 43100, 60010, 60020, 60030, 62022, 62024, 62100, 62101, 62200, 63102, 63200, 63202, 70010, 70012, 70020, 72401, 72410, 73201, 73401, 80020, 82030, 82031, 90010, 92011, 92012, 92100, 93101
Express Entry 82 184

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What is the Process for Saskatchewan Expression of Interest?

  1. Submit EOI profile.
  2. Enter EOI candidate pool.
  3. EOI candidates selected.
  4. Invitations to Apply issued via regular draws.
  5. Candidates submit full application within 60 days.
  6. SINP officials assess applications and make decision.

What Are the Requirements for The Occupation-In-Demand Sub-Category?

  • Score a minimum of 60 points on the SINP points assessment grid;
  • Have a language score of at least Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) 4. Employers and regulatory bodies may ask for higher;
  • Have completed one year of post-secondary education, training or apprenticeship comparable to the Canadian education system. You must have earned a diploma, certificate or degree.
    • Degrees and diplomas obtained outside Canada subject to an Educational Credential Assessment;
  • At least one-year work experience in the past 10 years:
    • In your field of education or training occupation, and
    • In an eligible occupation in NOC A, B, 0. See the excluded occupations list.
  • Obtain the appropriate licensure in Saskatchewan if your field so requires it, as the authorities will not process an application without the licensure.
  • Have proof of settlement funds and a settlement plan.
  • Pay a non-refundable $300 application fee online.

What Are the Requirements for The Saskatchewan Express Entry Sub-Category?

Candidates from outside Canada, or with legal status in Canada, qualify for this Saskatchewan immigration category, provided they are not a refugee claimant.

Additionally, candidates must:

  • Have a profile in the Express Entry Pool, with profile number and job seeker validation code;
  • Score a minimum of 60 points on the SINP points assessment grid;
  • Provide valid language test results from a designated testing agency matching those in the Express Entry profile;
  • Have completed one year of post-secondary education, training or apprenticeship comparable to the Canadian education system. You must have earned a diploma, certificate or degree.
    • Degrees and diplomas obtained outside Canada subject to an Educational Credential Assessment;
  • Have at least one of the following experience requirements in your field of education or training occupation:
    • One year of work experience in the past 10 years in a skilled profession (non-trades);
    • Two years of work experience in a skilled trade in the past five years; or
    • One year of work experience in Canada in the past three years (trades and non-trades).
  • Have work experience in a high-skilled, eligible occupation in NOC A, B, 0. See the excluded occupations list.
  • Obtain the appropriate licensure in Saskatchewan where your profession is regulated, or a skilled trade. For skilled trades, a certificate is required from the Saskatchewan Apprenticeship and Trade Certification Commission.
  • Have proof of settlement funds and a settlement plan.
  • Pay a non-refundable $300 application fee online.

Many Temporary Foreign Workers In Canada Exempted From Ban On Buying Homes

Colin Singer
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0
Many Temporary Foreign Workers In Canada Exempted From Ban On Buying Homes

Temporary foreign workers who have at least 183 days left on their Canada work permits have been added to the growing list of foreign nationals allowed to buy homes despite the two-year ban on home ownership by non-Canadians.

Those temporary foreign workers, though, will be limited to buying no more than one residential property.

The ban took effect on Jan. 1 this year.

Read More Canada Immigration News

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Bank Of Canada Governor Urges Ottawa To Boost Immigration To Avoid Interest Rate Hikes

Right at the outset, permanent residents, international students, diplomats and consular officials were exempt from the ban on buying Canadian real estate. 

Then, in early December, Ottawa added a few additional exemptions to the ban to also include any vulnerable persons who already have temporary visa who are fleeing a conflict or those who have already filed a refugee claim in Canada. Those exemptions are at the discretion of Immigration Minister Sean Fraser.

Now, Canada is exempting temporary foreign workers with six months left on their work permits as well as foreign nationals and businesses who intend to buy vacant land to develop it for residential or mixed use.

Housing and Diversity and Inclusion Ahmed Hussen says the latest exemptions to the ban are to provide greater flexibility to newcomers and businesses seeking to contribute to Canada.

“These amendments will allow newcomers to put down roots in Canada through home ownership and businesses to create jobs and build homes by adding to the housing supply in Canadian cities,” said Hussen.

“These amendments strike the right balance in ensuring that housing is used to house those living in Canada rather than a speculative investment by foreign investors.”

Along with these changes, the government also redefined what it means to be a foreign-owned company, effectively allowing companies to have more foreign ownership without being deemed foreign-owned companies.

Ban Put In Place To Curb Housing Inflation Due To Speculative Buying By Foreigners

“For the purposes of the prohibition, with regards to privately-held corporations or privately-held entities formed under the laws of Canada or a province and controlled by a non-Canadian, the control threshold has increased from three per cent to 10 per cent,” the government noted in a statement. “This aligns with the definition of ‘specified Canadian Corporation’ in the Underused Housing Tax Act.”

The exemption to allow foreign-owned companies to buy vacant land in Canada for development comes roughly two weeks after Ottawa launched its $4 billion Housing Accelerator Fund to provide funding for municipalities to fast-track the creation of 100,000 new homes across Canada. 

“Canada has the fastest growing population in the G7 but our housing supply hasn’t kept up with demand,” said Prime Minister Justin Trudeau in a statement on March 17. 

“The Housing Accelerator Fund will help local governments cut red tape and backlogs, build the housing we need, and give more people in Canada a safe and affordable place to call home. We will continue to work to make life more affordable and create stronger, more prosperous communities from coast to coast to coast.”

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The two-year ban that prevents many non-Canadians from buying real estate sets out penalties for those who break the law and even allows for the government to sell off property bought in breach of the prohibition.

Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland unveiled Ottawa’s strategy last year as part of a plan to keep house prices in Canada from rising so high as to push working-class and young Canadians out of the real estate market.

“We will make the market fairer for Canadians,” said Freeland. “We will prevent foreign investors from parking their money in Canada by buying up homes. We will make sure that houses are being used as homes for Canadian families rather than as a speculative financial asset class.”

Canada Hoping For Record-Setting Immigration For Each Of the Next Three Years

Those foreign investors, though, do not include foreign nationals who are studying at Canadian colleges and universities or those from other countries who have already obtained their permanent residency.

Ottawa put the ban into place because of the perception that speculative investment in Canadian real estate was fueling inflation in the housing market.

“For years, foreign money has been coming into Canada to buy residential real estate, fuelling concerns about the impact on costs in cities like Vancouver and Toronto and worries about Canadians being priced out of the housing market in cities and towns across the country,” stated a backgrounder on the housing market published online by the federal government’s finance department.”

Canada remains bullish on immigration with record-breaking targets for each of the next three years.

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.

Ontario’s PNP Nomination Allocation Set To Double To 18,000 By 2025

Colin Singer
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Ontario’s PNP Nomination Allocation Set To Double To 18,000 By 2025

Ontario Immigration Minister Monte McNaughton says the province is going to double economic immigration through its Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program (OINP) over the next few years. 

“From 9,000 immigration spots in 2021 to over 18,000 in 2025, today’s announcement is a significant win for the people of Ontario and will help us control our economic destiny by selecting more of the skilled immigrants we know are well-placed to succeed and build stronger communities for all of us,” said McNaughton.

The OINP’s allocation from the federal government for 2023 is 16,500 nominations.

The announcement over the weekend, on March 18, came barely a week after the Forum of Ministers Responsible for Immigration (FMRI) at the Canadian Museum of Immigration in Halifax.

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But Ontario’s lobbying to be allowed to welcome more economic immigrants goes back at least two years. 

In April 2021, McNaughton called on the federal government to double the number of immigrants allowed under the OINP to tackle the province’s labour shortages. 

Ontario reached its allocation of 9,750 immigrants through the OINP in 2022, including 3,900 skilled trades workers, 2,200 software and IT workers, and nearly 100 nurses and personal support workers.

“As we remain focused on addressing the acute labour market shortages and building a strong economy into the future, one thing remains certain: immigration is a key part of the solution,” said federal Immigration Minister Sean Fraser.

“As Canada’s flagship regional economic immigration program, the Provincial Nominee Program’s (PNP) increasing growth will support the long-term well-being of communities in Ontario.”

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Business leaders in Ontario were quick to praise the move to boost economic immigration to the province.

“Ontario’s new car dealers are in dire need of automotive technicians and auto body repairers and this announcement will help attract workers for these well-paying careers that are waiting for them today,” said Frank Notte, director of government relations for the Trillium Automobile Dealers’ Association.

Trucking industry reps agreed. 

“Since gaining access to the OINP in 2019, the Ontario trucking industry has continued to welcome newcomers to our sector to help fill key job vacancies,” said Jonathan Blackham, the director of policy and public affairs for the Ontario Trucking Association.

OINP Allows Province To Nominate Skilled, Experienced Applicants For Permanent Residency

“As the past few years have shown, bolstering the trucking sector’s labour market is one of the surest ways we can help strengthen the supply chain and keep the economy moving. Today’s announcement is not only positive for our sector, but it’s also positive for all businesses and Ontarians who rely on the trucking industry to deliver the essential goods and products they need every day.”

Under the OINP, the province nominates applicants for permanent residence who have the skills and experience to contribute to Ontario’s economy. This provides a much-needed source of labour to fill the 300,000 jobs that were going begging for a lack of workers in December last year. 

“For decades, immigrants have developed our communities, supported our economy, and made Ontario what it is today,” said Andrew Pariser, vice president of the Residential Construction Council of Ontario.

“This will help fill critical labour shortages in the construction and reduce barriers for immigrants to gaining employment and making a living in Ontario.”

Ontario’s food and beverage processing industry, the province’s biggest manufacturing sector by employment, provides jobs for more than 125,000 people working for more than 4,000 companies. That sector has been hurting due to a lack of workers.

“Labour is our top challenge,” said Chris Conway, chief executive officer of Food and Beverage Ontario. 

“The changes announced today to the OINP will permit increased recruitment of foreign workers for good jobs in addition to contributing to a strong and sustainable workforce for our industry. This is a win for Ontario and our sector.”

Suspension of Quebec Immigrant Investor Program Extended By Province

Colin Singer
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Suspension of Quebec Immigrant Investor Program Extended By Province

The continued suspension of the Quebec Immigrant Investor Program, until January 1, 2024, has been announced by the Minister of Immigration in Quebec.

The current suspension was to expire on April 1, 2023.

Stakeholders expect new regulations to be published early in the fourth quarter of 2023 that promote stronger settlement ties to the province.

It is well known the majority of QIIP applicants under previous versions of the program were from China and South East Asia and never settled in Quebec.

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The new version is expected to be a scaled-down version of the previous program, with French language and settlement performance bonds being considered as possible new requirements.

QIIP has been under suspension since 2019 with applicants dating as far back as 2017 who are still waiting to receive their Canadian permanent residence visas.

Despite it being suspended to new applicants for four years, 5,000 candidates became permanent residents through the QIIP in 2022, the most since 2015.

New Permanent Residents Through Quebec Immigrant Investor Program

A further 680 became permanent residents in January 2023, illustrating the backlog that exists under the program.

The Covid-19 pandemic saw a slump in numbers of new permanent residents through the program.

The most recent version of the program required a legally acquired personal net worth of $2 million and an investment of $1.2 million into a passive government-guaranteed bond for a period of five years, bearing no interest.

Candidates were also required to have two years of suitable management or business experience within the five years preceding the application and to declare their intention to settle in Quebec.

The issue with the program was that once candidates receive their permanent residence, they are free to move anywhere in Canada.

The majority opted to move to either Toronto or Vancouver, where local officials blame them for driving up real estate prices.

Quebec Immigrant Investor Program: Most Recent Requirements

  1. Legally acquired personal net worth of $2 million;
  2. Two years of suitable management or business experience within the five years preceding the application;
  3. Investment of $1.2 million into a passive government guaranteed investment for a period of five years bearing no interest;

Intend to settle in the province of Quebec

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