Canada Issued Double The Number Of Temporary Resident Visas In 2022

Colin Singer
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Canada Issued Double The Number Of Temporary Resident Visas In 2022

Figures from Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) show the number of foreign nationals in Canada to study or work more than doubled last year.

Canada’s immigration department issued 101.5 per cent more temporary resident visas, more than 3.1 million, last year compared to just over 1.5 million – exactly 1,544,867 – in 2021.

Almost half of that jump in the number of temporary residents to Canada came as Ukrainians fled their war-ravaged country in the wake of Russian President Vladimir Putin’s attack on their country on Feb. 24, 2022. In the wake of that attack, Ottawa quickly put in place special measures to help Ukrainians flee their country to the relative safety of Canada.

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Under the Canada-Ukraine Authorization For Emergency Travel (CUAET), Ukrainian nationals and their family members can apply for a temporary resident visa to travel to and stay in Canada. The CUAET also allows Ukrainians to extend their work or study permits so that they can continue to work or study in the country.

The result of this special measure for Ukrainians has been a flood of temporary permit applications at the IRCC. The immigration department reports that it received 922,386 applications under the CUAET from March 17 last year through to March 9 this year. 

The CUAET provides priority processing for their emergency travel applications, waives fees for temporary resident visas and permits and their extensions, study permits and extensions, work permits and extensions, and biometrics for Ukrainian nationals, their spouses, common-law partners and dependents. 

Through a partnership with Miles4Migrants, The Shapiro Foundation, Air Canada, and the Jewish Foundation of Greater Toronto, the Canadian government has also formed Ukraine2Canada which provides free flights for Ukrainians and their family members who need travel support.

Last year, Ottawa also provided three flights paid out of public funds for Ukrainians to come to Canada.

India Was The Top Source Of Temporary Residents To Canada In 2022

“Winnipeg has a proud history of welcoming Ukrainians and we know that these 328 newcomers will be embraced by their new communities,” said Immigration Minister Sean Fraser when the first flight landed in Winnipeg in May last year.

With all of that support through the CUAET initiative and the on-going war in Europe, the number of temporary permit applications and extensions from Ukrainians skyrocketed by 6,618 per cent last year, from 10,221 in 2021 to 686,644 in 2022.

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The total number of temporary permit applications and extensions last year was also 148.8 per cent higher than in 2020, the first full year of the COVID-19 pandemic, when there were slightly more than 1.2 million such applications.

While the Ukraine became a top source of temporary residents to Canada last year with the start of the Russia-Ukraine war, it was not the biggest source of temporary residents. The Ukraine was only the second most important source of temporary residents to Canada in 2022.

China Was The Third Most Important Source Of Temporary Residents To Canada Last Year

India, which was the top source of students to Canadian colleges and universities last year and is regularly one of the top sources of new permanent residents to the country, was the biggest source of temporary residents to Canada in 2022.

Last year, there were 886,494 Indians in Canada as temporary residents, a jump of 76.7 per cent from the 501,630 the previous year. Roughly a quarter of them, 226,450, were Indian students with study permits at Canadian colleges and universities.

China was the third most important source of temporary residents to Canada last year with 206,077 Chinese getting temporary resident permits and extensions.

The Philippines ranked fourth with 134,763 temporary residents in Canada last year, up 84.8 per cent from 72,941 the previous year. 

In 2022, there were also 76,743 Mexicans who got temporary resident status in Canada, 75,193 Iranians, 59,790 Columbians, 55,316 Nigerians, 51,082 French nationals, and 49,002 Vietnamese.

Saskatchewan To Nominate 42% More Canada Immigration Candidates In Three Years

Colin Singer
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Saskatchewan To Nominate 42% More Canada Immigration Candidates In Three Years

Saskatchewan Immigration Minister Jeremy Harrison is hoping to boost the number of nominations through its Saskatchewan Immigrant Nominee Program (SINP) by 42 per cent over the next three years.

This year, Saskatchewan’s allocation for its Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) is the biggest in its history, 7,250 nominations, and is expected to result in about 18,000 newcomers to the province in 2023.

By 2025, that SINP allocation is expected to swell to 8,500.

In the wake of the Forum of Ministers Responsible for Immigration in Halifax earlier this month, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) agreed to cut red tape in the processing of SINP nominations and give the province sole authority over assessing a candidate’s ability to live in Saskatchewan. 

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The IRCC also agreed to up Saskatchewan’s annual allocation of provincial nominees.

“I am pleased to see that our proposal for a significant increase in our SINP allocation has been accepted by the government of Canada,” said Harrison. 

“Saskatchewan is seeing record-high population growth numbers and immigration to the province has played a significant role in that. We are well on our way to our goal of 1.4 million residents by 2030.”

At the forum of immigration ministers, Harrison and his counterpart in the federal government also discussed federal settlement funding. The province wants to have control of those funds which are spent to help immigrants settle within Saskatchewan.

Prairie Province Wants More Immigrants To Fill Jobs Going Begging For A Lack Of Workers

In July last year, the province put forth its Saskatchewan Immigration Accord, modelled after a similar deal between Ottawa and Quebec, which contains measures to give the province more autonomy over immigration. 

Under the accord, Saskatchewan would set its own immigration levels, select skilled immigrants aligned with labour market needs, re-establish a family class immigration stream and gain control over the design and delivery of settlement and integration services.

“Saskatchewan needs more workers to fill job vacancies in all sectors of the economy,” said Jason Aebig, chief executive officer of the Greater Saskatoon Chamber of Commerce.

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“Federal immigration programs and settlement services are not meeting the needs of Saskatchewan’s labour market. We are calling on the federal government to speed up the negotiation process of the Saskatchewan Immigration Accord, enabling Saskatchewan the freedom to dictate immigration levels and deliver services that best support newcomer retention and integration.”

There were more than 15,600 job vacancies in Saskatchewan posted on the provincial job board, SaskJobs, and the federal job-hunting website, Jobbank, and there are a total of 135,800 job openings forecast to be created in Saskatchewan over the next five years.

Alberta is Also Bullish On Immigration To Resolve Labour Shortages

Saskatchewan’s announced upcoming boom in PNP allocations comes less than a month after its neighbour, Alberta, made a similar announcement. 

In early March, Alberta Premier Danielle Smith announced the number of nominations through the Alberta Advantage Immigration Program (AAIP) is expected to soar by almost 67 per cent over the next three years.

“Alberta is still calling,” Smith wrote on her LinkedIn page.

“Right now there are over 100,000 job vacancies to fill in Alberta. We need more skilled workers to keep our economy firing on all cylinders!”

Alberta, like Saskatchewan, has also been given the green light to increase its immigration under the AAIP to 9,750 nominations in 2023 and it expects to receive 10,140 nominations in 2024 and 10,849 nominations in 2025, substantial increases from the 6,500 allowed in last year.

“Alberta needs more immigrants,” said Alberta Immigration Minister Rajan Sawhney in a statement. “We need them to help grow our communities, address labour shortages in key sectors and help continue Alberta’s economic success.”

Canada Helps Immigrant Women Get Tech Jobs With $1.1m Investment

Colin Singer
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Canada Helps Immigrant Women Get Tech Jobs With $1.1m Investment

Canada is helping minority, immigrant women get jobs in the information technology sector by investing $1.1 million into the Racialized Newcomer Women Pilot (RNWP) program at the Vancouver YWCA over two years.

“Racialized newcomer women face significant challenges in entering the workforce,” claims Marie-France Lalonde, parliamentary secretary to the immigration minister.

“We are working to break down these barriers to ensure all immigrants can work in jobs that align with their skills and experience,” she says. “Programs like Tech Connect are taking important steps to combat gender and race-based discrimination, giving women important opportunities to reach their fullest potential.”

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Under the RNWP, which had already received a pledge a year ago of more than $15 million over two years starting in 2021, organizations are funded to deliver programs to address the alleged barriers faced by racialized newcomer women. Those perceived barriers include purported gender and race-based discrimination, unstable employment, and lack of affordable childcare.

The Vancouver YWCA is only one of many organizations offering programs through the RNWP.

“We are delighted to receive a two-year extension of the YWCA Tech Connect employment program from Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada. (IRCC),” said Erin Seeley, chief executive officer of YWCA Metro Vancouver.

“This grant will enable our program to support more newcomer women to secure rewarding careers in the tech industry.”

Women Who Immigrated From 128 Countries Were Offered RNWP Services In 2019 – 2020

During the 2019-2020 fiscal year, more than 2,500 women who had immigrated from 128 countries participated in activities related to the RNWP. Most of them were between 25 and 54 years old and had lived in Canada for less than five years.

“Canada can only reach its full potential if everyone in it reaches theirs,” said then-Immigration Minister Marco Mendicino in 2019. “These important projects will help racialized newcomer women lay the cornerstone of success: finding a good, well-paying job.

“This is both the right thing to do for our society and the smart thing to do for our economy. By breaking down barriers faced by racialized newcomer women, we’re helping them make even greater contributions to their communities and country.”

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The funding announced earlier this month and last year for the pilot program is in addition to the $31.9 million committed by the federal government in 2018.

The RNWP, previously called the Visible Minority Newcomer Women Pilot, attempts to help immigrant minority women land jobs in IT by:

  • continuing relationships with non-traditional organizations and recipients to develop new approaches to increase employment opportunities for these women, and;
  • testing and evaluating the effectiveness of employment-related services for racialized newcomer women through ongoing service delivery.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, immigrant women who had recently arrived in the country were the most likely to lose their jobs, Statistics Canada figures reveal.

Natural And Applied Sciences Fields Were Top Jobs For Canada Express Entry 2022

Colin Singer
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Natural And Applied Sciences Fields Were Top Jobs For Canada Express Entry 2022

The latest data from Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) reveals professionals working in natural and applied sciences were the most likely to land jobs in Canada and get permanent residence through Express Entry last year.

In 2022, a year which saw Express Entry draws put on hold for more than six months, the number of people who got their permanent residence in Canada through the Federal Skilled Trades (FST), Federal Skilled Worker (FSW) and Canadian Experience Class (CEC) programs fell by 25.4 per cent, from 155,850 in 2021 to only 116,230. 

Despite the drop in those getting permanent residence through Express Entry programs last year, those programs still helped 81.9 per cent more foreign nationals to immigrate to Canada than the 63,890 in 2020, the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic.

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Last year’s performance for the Express Entry programs was also just a bit over six per cent more than the 109,600 new permanent residents to Canada under these programs in 2019, before the start of the pandemic. 

By far the most sought-after occupation offered by employers looking to hire foreign nationals through the Express Entry system in 2022 were those professional occupations in the natural and applied sciences, categorized in the National Occupational Classification (NOC) under the code 41400. Last year, 14,505 new permanent residents to Canada used these programs to fill such jobs.

Canada Accepted 6,185 Candidates In Business And Finance Fields

In the number two spot of the top 10 most popular jobs for foreign nationals coming to Canada under the Express Entry programs last year were those professional jobs in business and finance, which attracted 6,185 applicants.

There were 5,475 service supervisors and specialized service occupations filled through the Express Entry system last year, 5,230 administrative and financial supervisory and administrative positions, and 5,130 specialized middle management occupations. 

Canada welcomed 3,390 new permanent residents filling jobs in the technical occupations related to natural and applied sciences, 2,980 retail sales supervisors, 2,845 pros in the educational field, and 2,185 who went to work in law or social and community and government services.

There were 2,180 middle managers in retail and wholesale trade and customer service workers who came to Canada under Express Entry last year.

Here Are The Top 10 Jobs Under Express Entry In 2022

Occupation – NOC code Number of Admissions under Express Entry
Professional occupations in natural and applied sciences (NOC 41400) 14,505
Professional occupations in business and finance (NOC 00012) 6,185
Service supervisors and specialized service occupations (NOC 72011) 5,475
Administrative and financial supervisors and administrative occupations (NOC 10019) 5,230
Specialized middle management occupations (NOC 11201) 5,130
Technical occupations related to natural and applied sciences (NOC 22310) 3,390
Retail sales supervisors and specialized sales occupations (NOC 62010) 2,980
Professional occupations in education services (NOC 40012) 2,845
Professional occupations in law and social, community and government services (NOC 41300) 2,185
Middle management occupations in retail and wholesale trade and customer services  (NOC 10022) 2,180

Express Entry program applications dropped last year due to a temporary pause in these draws which started in mid-September 2021 and lasted until July 6 last year as the IRCC tackled a growing backlog of applications.

IRCC Now Has Enough Staff To Process Applications In A Timely Manner

In its bid to reduce that backlog, Ottawa pumped an extra $85 million into the IRCC last year to reduce application processing times, hired 500 new employees, digitized applications, and implemented technology-based solutions such as digital intake and advanced analytics.

Earlier this year, Canadian parliamentary budget officer Yves Giroux reported that the IRCC now has more than enough staff to meet its application processing goals for the next three years.

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“Current staffing levels at the IRCC are expected to be more than sufficient to meet the processing time goal for all years of this costing,” noted Giroux in a report.

“In fact, for 2022 – 23, IRCC is estimated to have 65 per cent more staff than would be required to meet the goal. This percentage will decline each year as the number of applications increases, ultimately reaching four per cent in 2026 – 27.”

With the backlog of applications at the IRCC already starting to come under control in July last year, the IRCC began  issuing Invitations to Apply (ITAs) to skilled worker candidates both already in the country and from overseas. Since the fall 2021, ITAs had been issued only to Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) candidates.

Ontario French Speaking Skilled Worker Draw: Province Issues 615 NOIs Targeting 98 Jobs

Colin Singer
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Ontario French Speaking Skilled Worker Draw: Province Issues 615 NOIs Targeting 98 Jobs

Ontario immigration has issued Notifications of Interest to 615 candidates in 98 occupations in two new draws through the Express Entry-linked French Speaking Skilled Worker stream. 

The March 16 Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program draws saw NOIs issued to candidates in two batches of jobs.

A draw targeting health, education and finance occupations featured 344 invitations and a Comprehensive Ranking System score range of 400 to 489. The following occupations were targeted:

  •  NOC 10010 – Financial managers
  •  NOC 10011 – Human resources managers
  •  NOC 12101 – Human resources and recruitment officers
  •  NOC 12102 – Procurement and purchasing agents and officers
  •  NOC 13100 – Administrative officers
  •  NOC 13110 – Administrative assistants
  •  NOC 31100 – Specialists in clinical and laboratory medicine
  •  NOC 31101 – Specialists in surgery
  •  NOC 31102 – General practitioners and family physicians
  •  NOC 31112 – Audiologists and Speech-Language Pathologists
  •  NOC 31120 – Pharmacists
  •  NOC 31200 – Psychologists
  •  NOC 31202 – Physiotherapists
  •  NOC 31203 – Occupational Therapists
  •  NOC 31204 – Kinesiologists and other professional occupations in therapy and assessment
  •  NOC 31301 – Registered nurses and registered psychiatric nurses
  •  NOC 31302 – Nurse practitioners
  •  NOC 31303 – Physician assistants, midwives and allied health professionals
  •  NOC 32101 – Licensed practical nurses
  •  NOC 32103 – Respiratory therapists, clinical perfusionists and cardiopulmonary technologists
  •  NOC 32109 – Other technical occupations in therapy and assessment
  •  NOC 32120 – Medical laboratory technologists
  •  NOC 32121 – Medical radiation technologists
  •  NOC 33102 – Nurse aides, orderlies and patient service associates
  •  NOC 33103 – Pharmacy technical assistants and pharmacy assistants
  •  NOC 33109 – Other assisting occupations in support of health services
  •  NOC 40021 – School principals and administrators of elementary and secondary education
  •  NOC 41200 – University professors and lecturers
  •  NOC 41210 – College and other vocational instructors
  •  NOC 41220 – Secondary school teachers
  •  NOC 41221 – Elementary school and kindergarten teachers
  •  NOC 41300 – Social Workers
  •  NOC 41301 – Therapists in counselling and related specialized therapies
  •  NOC 41310 – Police investigators and other investigative occupations
  •  NOC 41321 – Career development practitioners and career counsellors (except education)
  •  NOC 42201 – Social and community service workers
  •  NOC 42202 – Early childhood educators and assistants
  •  NOC 42203 – Instructors of Persons with Disabilities
  •  NOC 43100 – Elementary and secondary school teacher assistants

A further draw targeting tech, trades and other priority occupations saw 271 invitations issued and a CRS score range of 291 to 489.

  •  NOC 20010 – Engineering managers
  •  NOC 20012 – Computer and Information Systems Managers
  •  NOC 21111 – Forestry professionals
  •  NOC 21112 – Agricultural representatives, consultants and specialists
  •  NOC 21120 – Public and environmental health and safety professionals
  •  NOC 21211 – Data Scientists
  •  NOC 21223 – Database Analysts and Data Administrators
  •  NOC 21230 – Computer systems developers and programmers
  •  NOC 21231 – Software engineers and designers
  •  NOC 21232 – Software developers and programmers
  •  NOC 21233 – Web designers
  •  NOC 21234 – Web Developers and Programmers
  •  NOC 21300 – Civil engineers
  •  NOC 21301 – Mechanical engineers
  •  NOC 21310 – Electrical and electronic engineers
  •  NOC 21311 – Computer engineers (except software engineers and designers)
  •  NOC 21320 – Chemical engineers
  •  NOC 21321 – Industrial and manufacturing engineers
  •  NOC 21322 – Metallurgical and materials engineers
  •  NOC 21330 – Mining engineers
  •  NOC 21331 – Geological engineers
  •  NOC 22101 – Geological and mineral technologists and technicians
  •  NOC 22301 – Mechanical engineering technologies and technicians
  •  NOC 22302 – Industrial engineers and manufacturing technologists and technicians
  •  NOC 22313 – Aircraft instrument, electrical and avionics mechanics, technicians, and inspectors
  •  NOC 62020 – Food service supervisors
  •  NOC 63201 – Butchers – retail and wholesale
  •  NOC 63202 – Bakers
  •  NOC 72011 – Contractors and supervisors, electrical trades and telecommunications occupations
  •  NOC 72014 – Contractors and supervisors, other construction trades, installers, repairers and servicers
  •  NOC 72020 – Contractors and supervisors, mechanic trades
  •  NOC 72024 – Supervisors, motor transport and other ground transit operators
  •  NOC 72100 – Machinists and machining and tooling inspectors
  •  NOC 72101 – Tool and die makers
  •  NOC 72104 – Structural metal and platework fabricators and fitters
  •  NOC 72106 – Welders and related machine operators
  •  NOC 72200 – Electricians (except industrial and power system)
  •  NOC 72201 – Industrial electricians
  •  NOC 72204 – Telecommunications line and cable installers and repairers
  •  NOC 72205 – Telecommunications equipment installation and cable television service technicians
  •  NOC 72300 – Plumbers
  •  NOC 72302 – Gas fitters
  •  NOC 72310 – Carpenters
  •  NOC 72311 – Cabinetmakers
  •  NOC 72320 – Bricklayers
  •  NOC 72400 – Construction millwrights and industrial mechanics
  •  NOC 72401 – Heavy-duty equipment mechanics
  •  NOC 72404 – Aircraft mechanics and aircraft inspectors
  •  NOC 72410 – Automotive service technicians, truck and bus mechanics and mechanical repairers
  •  NOC 72421 – Appliance servicers and repairers
  •  NOC 73100 – Concrete finishers
  •  NOC 73102 – Plasterers, drywall installers and finishers and lathers
  •  NOC 73110 – Roofers and shinglers
  •  NOC 73111 – Glaziers
  •  NOC 73112 – Painters and decorators (except interior decorators)
  •  NOC 73402 – Drillers and blasters – surface mining, quarrying and construction
  •  NOC 82020 – Supervisors, mining and quarrying
  •  NOC 82030 – Agricultural service contractors and farm supervisors
  •  NOC 93200 – Aircraft assemblers and aircraft assembly inspectors

To qualify for both draws, candidates had to submit Express Entry profiles within the last year.

Candidates must have a minimum Canadian Language Benchmark of 7 in French and 6 in English to qualify for the FSSW program.

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Latest Ontario FSSW Draws

Date NOIs Issued CRS Score Range Express Entry profile submission date
16-03-2023 271 (tech, trades and other priority) 291-489 March 16, 2022 – March 16, 2023
344 (health, education and finance) 400-489

Source: OINP

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What Are The Requirements For The Ontario Express Entry: French-Speaking Skilled Worker Stream?

To qualify applicants must have:

  • Pending application under the Federal Express Entry system;
  • Minimum of 1-year of full-time, or full-time equivalent work experience under NOC occupation level 0, A or B;
  • Canadian equivalent Bachelors degree, Masters degree or PhD;
  • Minimum CLB level 7 in TEF exam (French); AND minimum CLB 6 in IELTS exam (English)
  • Intention to reside in the Province of Ontario.

Prince Edward Island PNP Draw: Province Issues 144 Canada Immigration Invitations

Colin Singer
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Prince Edward Island PNP Draw: Province Issues 144 Canada Immigration Invitations

Prince Edward Island has conducted a new provincial draw, issuing invitations to apply to 144 skilled worker and entrepreneur Canada immigration candidates.

The March 16 draw saw invitations issued through the Labour Impact, Express Entry and Business Impact Prince Edward Island Provincial Nominee Program (PEI PNP) streams.

It saw 138 invites issued to Labour Impact and Express Entry candidates, while Business Impact candidates received 6 invitations.

Business Impact candidates required a minimum score of 52 points.

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PEI PNP Immigration Draw

Date Category Invites Issued Minimum Score
16-03-2023 Labour Impact/Express Entry 138 N/A
Business Impact 6 52

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 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 Immigration Minister Sean Fraser announces 18-Month PGWP Extension

Colin Singer
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Canada Immigration Minister Sean Fraser announces 18-Month PGWP Extension

Immigration Minister Sean Fraser announced on Friday that Canada is giving international graduates with expired or expiring Post-Graduation Work Permits (PGWPs) another 18-month extension.

“We need to use every tool in our toolbox to support employers who continue to face challenges in hiring the workers they need to grow,” said Fraser.

“At the same time, we’re providing international graduates whose work permit is expiring or has expired with some additional time to stay in Canada to gain valuable work experience and potentially qualify to become a permanent resident.”

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PGWPs are not usually renewable but, starting Apr. 6, international graduates with one of these permits which expired last year or earlier this year will qualify for an additional or extended work permit to stay longer and gain additional work experience for up to 18 months. 

Those with expired work permits will be able to restore their status, even if they are beyond the 90-day restoration period and will receive an interim work authorization while awaiting the processing of their new work permit application.

Tens of thousands of international students successfully transition to permanent residence each year, including more than 157,000 in 2021, a record high, and nearly 95,000 in 2022, the second-highest total ever.

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There were more than 286,000 international graduates in Canada with PGWPs at the end of last year, the latest data from Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) reveals.

About 127,000 of them were set to expire in 2023 but about 67,000 PGWP holders have already applied for permanent residence. Once they become permanent residents, they will not need to extend their work permit through this latest IRCC initiative. 

This will be the third time Canada has allowed international students to renew their PGWPs and relieved their worries about being able to stay in Canada.

Many such international grads have feared their PGWPs would expire before having an opportunity to apply for permanent residency under the Canadian Experience Class (CEC), CityNews Ottawa reported last year.

PGWPs Offer International Grads An Opportunity To Gain Valuable Canadian Work Experience

“When I was given this last extension [in 2021], my understanding was that it was meant for people to transition to permanent residents,” Gaurav Purohit, a finance professional whose work permit was to expire in October last year, reportedly told CityNews Ottawa.

“But then the process for transitioning people from post-graduate work permits to permanent residents was stopped for probably like 10 months.”

With the extension announced last year, Purohit was given another opportunity to stay in the country.

Under the CEC program, applicants need to demonstrate they have at least a year’s worth of work experience.

In the draws for Invitations to Apply (ITA) under that program, the IRCC scours the Express Entry pool of profiles which are ranked according to their Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) scores, with those applicants with higher scores being more likely to receive an ITA.

By having more work experience in Canada, applicants gain more points.

“The government recognizes that international students are an important source of future permanent residents,” said IRCC spokesperson Rémi Larivière last year. “Of the 406,005 people who became permanent residents in 2021, more than 157,000 were former international students, a new record.”

Canada Immigration Applications Dropped In 2022 Due To Impact Of Express Entry Freeze

Colin Singer
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0
Canada Immigration Applications Dropped In 2022 Due To Impact Of Express Entry Freeze

The number of applications for permanent residence received by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) dropped in 2022 due to a freeze on Express Entry draws for federal programs that lasted for almost 10 months.

The latest data reveals the number of permanent residence applications received by the IRCC plummeted by 60.3 per cent, falling to 264,778 from 667,261 in 2021. 

That is a 27.7 per cent lower level of applications received than during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic, in 2020, when the IRCC received only 366,408 applications for permanent residence.

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Parents And Grandparents Program: Canada More Than Doubles Number Of New Immigrants
Report reveals IRCC’s staffing level more than enough to process applications quickly
Hiatus Of Express Entry Draws Sees Canada’s Federal Skilled Trades Immigration Numbers Drop

In its bid to cut through a growing backlog of applications for immigration to Canada, the IRCC hit pause on Express Entry federal program draws in late 2021. 

The last such draw was on Sept. 14 of that year and that freeze on Express Entry program draws, including the Federal Skilled Trades (FST), Federal Skilled Worker (FSW) and Canadian Experience Class (CEC) programs, lasted until July 6 of last year.

By the spring of last year, Immigration Minister Sean Fraser was able to announce that the federal high-skilled backlog had been cut by more than half, from nearly 112,000 in September 2021 to 48,000 in March 2022.

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Ottawa also pumped an extra $85 million into the IRCC last year to reduce application processing times, announcing that in its 2021 Economic and Fiscal Update.

That extra money went to hire new processing staff, digitize applications, and implement technology-based solutions such as digital intake and advanced analytics.

Then, in late January this year, the immigration minister announced further measures to speed things up.

“These measures build on the work we’ve already done to reduce wait times, including hiring 500 new processing staff and digitizing applications,” he tweeted.

IRCC Now Has Enough Staff To Meet Its Application Processing Goals, Says PBO

It seems to be working. 

The backlog of applications at the IRCC is coming down. Canadian parliamentary budget officer Yves Giroux has also reported that the IRCC now has more than enough staff to meet its application processing goals for the next three years.

“Current staffing levels at the IRCC are expected to be more than sufficient to meet the processing time goal for all years of this costing,” noted Giroux in a report.

“In fact, for 2022-23, IRCC is estimated to have 65 per cent more staff than would be required to meet the goal. This percentage will decline each year as the number of applications increases, ultimately reaching four per cent in 2026-27.”

With the backlog of applications at the IRCC already starting to come under control in July last year, the IRCC began issuing Invitations to Apply (ITAs) to skilled worker candidates both already in the country and from overseas. Since the fall 2021, ITAs had been issued only to Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) candidates.

As the immigration department resumed draws for federal Express Entry programs last year, the immigration minister expressed a strong desire to boost immigration levels to Canada.

“With the economy growing faster than employers can hire new workers, Canada needs to look at every option so that we have the skills and labour needed to fuel our growth,” said Fraser.

“Immigration will be crucial to easing our labour shortage, and these measures aim to address pressing needs in all sectors across the country while providing more opportunities for recent graduates and other applicants to build their lives in Canada and continue contributing to our short-term recovery and long-term prosperity.”

Ontario Targets Tech, Health And Skilled Trades Occupations With 908 Canada Immigration Invitations

Colin Singer
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Ontario Targets Tech, Health And Skilled Trades Occupations With 908 Canada Immigration Invitations

Ontario has conducted new Expression of Interest draws through two streams of the Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program (OINP), issuing 908 Canada immigration invitations.

The March 14 draws mainly featured invitations through the Employer Job Offer: International Student stream.

In a draw targeting technology and health occupations, 606 invites were issued to candidates scoring 70 and above. The following occupations were targeted:

  •  NOC 20012 – Computer and information systems managers
  •  NOC 21211 – Data Scientists
  •  NOC 21223 – Database analysts and data administrators
  •  NOC 21230 – Computer systems developers and programmers
  •  NOC 21231 – Software engineers and designers
  •  NOC 21232 – Software developers and programmers
  •  NOC 21233 – Web designers
  •  NOC 21234 – Web developers and programmers
  •  NOC 21311 – Computer engineers (except software engineers and designers
  •  NOC 22221 – User support technicians
  •  NOC 22222 – Information systems testing technicians
  •  NOC 30010 – Managers in healthcare
  •  NOC 31100 – Specialists in clinical and laboratory medicine
  •  NOC 31101 – Specialists in surgery
  •  NOC 31102 – General practitioners and family physicians
  •  NOC 31103 – Veterinarians
  •  NOC 31110 – Dentists
  •  NOC 31111 – Optometrists
  •  NOC 31112 – Audiologists and speech-language pathologists
  •  NOC 31120 – Pharmacists
  •  NOC 31121 – Dietitians and nutritionists
  •  NOC 31201 – Chiropractors
  •  NOC 31202 – Physiotherapists
  •  NOC 31203 – Occupational therapists
  •  NOC 31204 – Kinesiologists and other professional occupations in therapy and assessment
  •  NOC 31209 – Other professional occupations in health diagnosing and treating
  •  NOC 31300 – Nursing coordinators and supervisors
  •  NOC 31301 – Registered nurses and registered psychiatric nurses
  •  NOC 31302 – Nurse practitioners
  •  NOC 31303 – Physician assistants, midwives and allied health professionals
  •  NOC 32100 – Opticians
  •  NOC 32101 – Licensed practical nurses
  •  NOC 32102 – Paramedical occupations
  •  NOC 32103 – Respiratory therapists, clinical perfusionists and cardiopulmonary technologists
  •  NOC 32104 – Animal health technologists and veterinary technicians
  •  NOC 32109 – Other technical occupations in therapy and assessment
  •  NOC 32110 – Denturists
  •  NOC 32111 – Dental hygienists and dental therapists
  •  NOC 32112 – Dental technologists and technicians
  •  NOC 32120 – Medical laboratory technologists
  •  NOC 32121 – Medical radiation technologists
  •  NOC 32122 – Medical sonographers
  •  NOC 32123 – Cardiology technologists and electrophysiological diagnostic technologists
  •  NOC 32124 – Pharmacy technicians
  •  NOC 32129 – Other medical technologists and technicians
  •  NOC 32200 – Traditional Chinese medicine practitioners and acupuncturists
  •  NOC 32201 – Massage therapists
  •  NOC 32209 – Other practitioners of natural healing
  •  NOC 33100 – Dental assistants and dental laboratory assistants
  •  NOC 33101 – Medical laboratory assistants and related technical occupations
  •  NOC 33102 – Nurse aides, orderlies and patient service associates
  •  NOC 33103 – Pharmacy technical assistants and pharmacy assistants
  •  NOC 33109 – Other assisting occupations in support of health services

In a further draw targeting skilled trades occupations, 300 invitations were issued to candidates scoring at least 74. It targeted these occupations:

  •  NOC 22212 – Drafting technologists and technicians
  •  NOC 22221 – User support technicians
  •  NOC 22222 – Information systems testing technicians
  •  NOC 22301 – Mechanical engineering technologists and technicians
  •  NOC 22302 – Industrial engineering and manufacturing technologists and technicians
  •  NOC 22311 – Electronic service technicians (household and business equipment)
  •  NOC 22312 – Industrial instrument technicians and mechanics
  •  NOC 72010 – Contractors and supervisors, machining, metal forming, shaping and erecting trades and related occupations
  •  NOC 72011 – Contractors and supervisors, electrical trades and telecommunications occupations
  •  NOC 72012 – Contractors and supervisors, pipefitting trades
  •  NOC 72013 – Contractors and supervisors, carpentry trades
  •  NOC 72014 – Contractors and supervisors, other construction trades, installers, repairers and servicers
  •  NOC 72020 – Contractors and supervisors, mechanic trades
  •  NOC 72021 – Contractors and supervisors, heavy equipment operator crews
  •  NOC 72022 – Supervisors, printing and related occupations
  •  NOC 72024 – Supervisors, motor transport and other ground transit operators
  •  NOC 72101 – Tool and die makers
  •  NOC 72102 – Sheet metal workers
  •  NOC 72103 – Boilermakers
  •  NOC 72104 – Structural metal and platework fabricators and fitters
  •  NOC 72105 – Ironworkers
  •  NOC 72106 – Welders and related machine operators
  •  NOC 72200 – Electricians (except industrial and power system)
  •  NOC 72201 – Industrial electricians
  •  NOC 72203 – Electrical power line and cable workers
  •  NOC 72204 – Telecommunications line and cable installers and repairers
  •  NOC 72300 – Plumbers
  •  NOC 72301 – Steamfitters, pipefitters and sprinkler system installers
  •  NOC 72310 – Carpenters
  •  NOC 72320 – Bricklayers
  •  NOC 72321 – Insulators
  •  NOC 72400 – Construction millwrights and industrial mechanics
  •  NOC 72401 – Heavy-duty equipment mechanics
  •  NOC 72402 – Heating, refrigeration and air conditioning mechanics
  •  NOC 72403 – Railway carmen/women
  •  NOC 72404 – Aircraft mechanics and aircraft inspectors
  •  NOC 72406 – Elevator constructors and mechanics
  •  NOC 72410 – Automotive service technicians, truck and bus mechanics and mechanical repairers
  •  NOC 72422 – Electrical mechanics
  •  NOC 72423 – Motorcycle, all-terrain vehicle and other related mechanics
  •  NOC 72500 – Crane operators
  •  NOC 73100 – Concrete finishers
  •  NOC 73101 – Tilesetters
  •  NOC 73102 – Plasterers, drywall installers and finishers and lathers
  •  NOC 73110 – Roofers and shinglers
  •  NOC 73111 – Glaziers
  •  NOC 73112 – Painters and decorators (except interior decorators)
  •  NOC 73200 – Residential and commercial installers and servicers
  •  NOC 73201 – General building maintenance workers and building superintendents
  •  NOC 73202 – Pest controllers and fumigators
  •  NOC 73209 – Other repairers and servicers
  •  NOC 73400 – Heavy equipment operators
  •  NOC 82031 – Contractors and supervisors, landscaping, grounds maintenance and horticulture services
  •  NOC 92100 – Power engineers and power systems operators

The final two invitations were issued under the Employer Job Offer: Foreign Worker stream, to candidates of the Economic Mobility Pathways Project (EMPP).

This is a federal economic immigration pathway for refugees.

Ontario Employer Job Offer: International Student Stream Expression of Interest Draw

Date issued Number of invitations issued Date profiles created Score range Notes
14-03-2023 300 November 22, 2022 – March 14, 2023 74 and above Skilled trades draw
606 November 22, 2022 – March 14, 2023 70 and above Tech and health occupations draw

Read More Canada Immigration Invitations

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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.

Employer Job Offer: International Student Stream

To qualify under this stream, applicants must have:

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

Ontario Is The Number One Canada Province As Destination For New Immigrants

Colin Singer
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0
Ontario Is The Number One Canada Province As Destination For New Immigrants

Ontario once again punched above its demographic weight class to snag the lion’s share of new permanent residents to Canada last year. 

Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) data reveals Ontario welcomed 184,725 new permanent residents in 2022, or almost 42.3 per cent of the total and record-breaking 437,120 new permanent residents to Canada that year. 

Admittedly, that’s 7.3 per cent less than the 199,295 new permanent residents who came to Canada’s most populous province in 2021.

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But Ontario is still attracting a far greater percentage of immigrants than its demographic weight in Canada. The province’s population comprises a tad more than 38.8 per cent of Canada’s almost 39.3 million people.

Economic programs, including the Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program (OINP), Agri-Food Immigration Pilot (AFIP), Canadian Experience Class (CEC), Caregiver programs, Rural and Northern Immigration Pilot (RNIP), Federal Skilled Trades (FST) and Federal Skilled Worker (FSW) programs, the Start-Up Visa (SUV) and Self-Employed Persons (SEP) programs, and the Temporary Resident to Permanent Resident Pathway accounted for roughly half of all new permanent residents coming to Ontario last year. 

Those programs helped 93,795 new permanent residents arrive in Ontario last year. Another 46,610 new permanent residents arrived in Ontario through family sponsorships and 39,765 came through Canada’s refugee programs. 

Next door, the francophone province of Quebec welcomed the second-highest number of immigrants last year with 68,685 new permanent residents arriving in La Belle Province in 2022.

Quebec Premier François Legault repeatedly stated last year his government wants to hold the line on immigration and not greatly increase the number of new arrivals to Quebec. His immigration minister, Christine Fréchette, has echoed those sentiments.

“It is up to Quebec to set its own targets for permanent immigration,” she tweeted in French last year.

“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.”

Quebec Welcomed A Relatively Small Number Of Immigrants Last Year Based On Its Population

The provincial immigration minister has maintained Quebec is already welcoming proportionately more immigrants than either the United States or France.

Maybe. But Quebec, which is home to almost 22.3 per cent of Canadians, only welcomed 15.7 per cent of all new permanent residents to Canada last year. 

Number of New Permanent Residents by Canadian Province and Territory In 2022

Province Number of New Permanent Residents 
Prince Edward Island 2,665
Newfoundland and Labrador 3,490
Nova Scotia 12,650
New Brunswick 10,205
Quebec 68,685
Ontario 184,725
Manitoba 21,645
Saskatchewan 21,635
Alberta 49,460
British Columbia 61,215
Yukon 455
Northwest Territories 235
Nunavut 45

Immigration to Quebec – despite its premier’s insistence – is on the rise with the province welcoming a record-breaking 68,685 new permanent residents in 2022, up 36.6 per cent over the 50,275 newcomers to Quebec the previous year.

British Columbia, Atlantic Canada and Saskatchewan and Manitoba all bullish on immigration

Among the provinces which welcomed a bigger percentage of Canada’s immigrants last year than their share of the population would suggest are British Columbia, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island and Nova Scotia.

In 2022, British Columbia welcomed 61,215 new permanent residents, or 14 per cent of the total number of immigrants to Canada while comprising slightly less than 13.7 per cent of the country’s population. 

Immigration to that province on Canada’s west coast dropped by 12 per cent last year from the 69,470 new permanent residents it welcomed in 2021.

Saskatchewan, though, saw a remarkable, 97.6-per cent growth in immigration last year with the number of new permanent residents rising to a record-breaking 21,635. 

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With that boom in immigration, Saskatchewan’s share of total immigration to Canada rose to 4.95 per cent last year even though the Prairie province only accounts for a smidgeon more than three per cent of the national population.

Next door, Manitoba also saw impressive growth in immigration last year with the number of new permanent residents rising almost 30.6 per cent to hit 21,645. In 2022, immigration to Manitoba comprised more than 4.9 per cent of the national total even though the province is home to only 3.6 per cent of the country’s residents.

In Atlantic Canada, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island, aided by the Atlantic Immigration Program (AIP), all punched above their demographic weight last year. 

Immigration To New Brunswick Almost Doubled To 10,205 New Permanent Residents

New Brunswick almost doubled its level of immigration, jumping from 5,310 new permanent residents in 2021 to 10,205 last year. Immigration to the only officially-bilingual province in Canada was 2.3 per cent of the national total despite only having under 2.1 per cent of the population.

Bluenosers, as the residents of Nova Scotia are affectionately called, also welcomed a much greater number of immigrants in 2022. 

The Atlantic Canadian province saw an almost 38.2 per cent jump in immigration with 12,650 new permanent residents last year, roughly 2.9 per cent of the total number of immigrants who came to Canada. 

Nova Scotia’s population is only 2.6 per cent that of Canada.

On Prince Edward Island, there was a new, provincial immigration record set in 2022 as the number of new permanent residents nudged up to 2,665. The Island, home to slightly more than 0.4 per cent of the Canadian population, welcomed 0.6 per cent of all immigrants to the country last year.

In the territories in Canada’s far north, immigration levels remained low last year.

The relatively-young territory of Nunavut only received 45 new permanent residents. In the Northwest Territories, immigration slumped 20.3 per cent to 235 new permanent residents. And the Yukon showed a similar trend. In that westernmost territory, immigration was off by 23.5 per cent last year, down to 455, but that after coming off the Yukon’s record-breaking performance of 595 new permanent residents set in 2021.

Alberta Premier Is Eager To Grow That Province’s Immigration Levels

Immigration to Alberta, the westernmost Prairie province, boomed last year, rising by 25.5 per cent to hit a record-breaking 49,460 new permanent residents. Despite that higher immigration level in 2022, Alberta is still welcoming slightly fewer immigrants than its share of the Canadian population. 

Alberta’s population comprises 11.7 per cent of total number of residents in Canada but it only welcomed 11.3 per cent of all immigrants to the country. 

Alberta Premier Danielle Smith is hoping to change that. 

Smith is eyeing a massive spike in her province’s Alberta Advantage Immigration Program (AAIP) over the next three years, with nominations expected to soar by almost 67 per cent by the end of 2025.

“Alberta is still calling,” the premier wrote on her LinkedIn page.

“Right now there are over 100,000 job vacancies to fill in Alberta. We need more skilled workers to keep our economy firing on all cylinders!”

The Prairie province has been lobbying Ottawa to up the number of immigrants it can welcome through its Provincial Nominee Program (PNP), which it calls the AAIP, to meet its labour shortage.

Now, it’s been given the green light to increase immigration under the AAIP to 9,750 nominations in 2023 and it expects to receive 10,140 nominations in 2024 and 10,849 nominations in 2025.

Those are substantial increases from the 6,500 allowed last year.

On the East Coast, in Atlantic Canada, Newfoundland and Labrador saw a 69.8 per cent surge in immigration as the province welcomed a record-breaking 3,490 new permanent residents last year. 

That, though, is still only 0.8 per cent of the total immigration to Canada and the province comprises more than 1.3 per cent of the country’s population.

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