Nov 27, 2019 | Blog, Canadian Experience Class, Express Entry, Featured, Federal Skilled Trades, In the News, Skilled Workers
Every few weeks, the government of Canada holds an Express Entry draw, inviting thousands of qualified applicants to apply for Canadian permanent residence (PR). In the most recent Express Entry draw, held on Wednesday, November 27, Immigration, Refugees & Citizenship Canada (IRCC) sent out invitations to 3,600 candidates in the Express Entry pool with a Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score of 471 or more. Individuals who have a profile in the Express Entry pool and meet the minimum CRS cut-off score should have received an Invitation to Apply (ITA) for immigration to Canada.
This is the second draw to occur this month, continuing the trend of two draws a month by IRCC. The previous draw, held on November 13th, had a cut-off CRS score of 472, just one point more than the most recent draw. The same number of candidates received ITAs in the last draw as in this recent one, bringing the total number of invitations to 7,200 for the month of November. In total, 78,900 invitations have been sent out so far this year. In 2018, a record-breaking 89,800 candidates received ITAs and with just one more month left in 2019, it is unclear whether that record will stand. It’s still possible for this record to be broken in the final month of the year, depending on the number of draws held and the size of the draws.
Did you receive an ITA?
First of all, we want to congratulate those who received an invitation this week. If you are among the individuals who received an ITA in this week’s draw, now is the time to start preparing your permanent residence application. Keep in mind that you must submit your complete application with all required documents within 60 days of receiving your ITA. Often, these applications can be confusing and even the smallest of errors could result in your application being delayed or even refused. If you have a spouse, common-law partner, and / or dependent children, whether or not they will accompany you to Canada, it is necessary to include these family members in your application. If you wish to bring your spouse, partner, or dependent children with you to Canada, this can make the application process all the more complex. To prevent delays or refusal of your application, it is important that you prepare your application accurately and completely. Our immigration consultants can help you to determine what information is required and what documents you need to provide. We will guide you throughout the process and be with you every step of the way to ensure the best possible outcome for you and your family. If you need help preparing and submitting your permanent residence application or if you are interested in entering the Express Entry pool before the next draw, contact us to speak with a licensed immigration consultant.
How to apply for Express Entry
Individuals who wish to enter the Express Entry pool to possibly receive an ITA in the next draw will need to first determine that they are eligible for one of the three current economic programs. The first step to determine your eligibility is to complete our free online assessment. Our team of consultants will review and assess your qualifications to determine if you meet the requirements for an Express Entry application. This assessment will rank you based on various factors – including language, work experience, education, and others – to determine whether you meet the minimum requirements for one of Canada’s economic immigration programs. If you are found to be eligible, you may then proceed with the next step in the application process.
Canada’s Express Entry pool is open to all individuals who meet the minimum requirements of any one of the following economic programs:
In addition to these three programs, certain Provincial Nominee Programs also allow candidates to apply through the Express Entry pool. You may be required to enter the pool before or after receiving a nomination, depending on the requirements of the provincial program. If you meet the requirements of a Provincial Nominee Program, we can assist you in the process of entering the Express Entry pool and submitting an application to the province of your choice.
How to get an ITA
Individuals who meet the requirements of one of the above listed economic immigration programs will need to first create an online profile in the Express Entry pool. Once you’ve entered, your profile will remain in the pool for 12 months. If, after that 12-month period, you have still not received an invitation, you may submit your profile to the pool again. IRCC will select the most qualified applicants from the pool to invite so it’s important to make sure you meet the minimum selection criteria. For example, having a job offer is not a requirement to enter the pool but those with job offers will receive more points, making them more likely to be selected and receive an ITA. Other factors that impact your score include age, education level, work experience, and language ability. If you did not receive an ITA this time around, you may want to work on some of these factors. Increasing your language ability will result in a higher score, improving your chances of being invited in the next draw. Applicants who receive a nomination from a province will receive 600 CRS points, all but ensuring that they will receive an ITA in the next round of invitations. In total, there are 1200 CRA points that one can acquire. Our immigration consultants can assess your situation and assist you in determining which areas you may be able to improve in order to earn more points and possibly receive an ITA in a future draw.
Jun 18, 2019 | Caregiver Program, Complete Representation, Featured, Immigrate to Canada, In the News, New Immigration Programs, New Laws, Temporary Foreign Workers, Work Permits, Working In Canada
New Caregiver Programs take effect today. Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has made changes to the In-Home Caregiver Program. These changes affect how employers hire caregivers and what is required as part of the approval process for both employers and caregivers. As of June 18, 2019 employers who are hiring caregivers from overseas are no longer required to submit an Labour Market Impact Assessments (LMIA) application for approval. Any LMIA application that was submitted on or before June 17, 2019 will continue to be processed and work permits for those caregivers will still continue to process as well. Caregivers who are currently in Canada on work permits that require extensions or those that are changing employers will require new LMIAs and new work permits.
There are now 2 new caregiver streams to consider when applying to hire a caregiver from overseas. Employers should consider starting early as it is expected to take about 12 months for a caregiver to arrive in Canada on a work permit.
Home Child Care Provider pilot (NOC 4411)
Home Support Worker pilot (NOC 4412)
General Program Requirements for Employers and Caregivers
- Employers will need to complete the job offer form
- Caregivers will need to submit an application for permanent residence along with a work permit application
- Caregivers can also apply for their spouses and children to accompany them to Canada and can obtain open work permits and study permits
- Caregivers must meet the eligibility criteria before applying for permanent residence, if eligible they will receive work permits to come to Canada
- Work permits will be valid for 3 years and will give the caregiver the opportunity to complete 24 months of full-time work as a caregiver
- Processing time can take up to 1 year for work permits to be issued.
- After the caregiver completes 24 months of work he/she will need to submit proof and their PR application will be finalized.
These new applications will require careful preparation by an authorized representative. It is strongly recommended that caregivers hire an authorized representative to ensure that their application will qualify and that they will achieve their goal of work permits and then eventually permanent residency in Canada.
For all inquiries, questions or concerns regarding these changes, please give us a call at +1-416-665-3939 or from inside Canada toll-free 1-888-808-7338.
Mar 4, 2019 | Caregiver Program, In the News, New Immigration Programs
As of Today, March 4, 2019 the Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada is accepting applications under the new Interim Caregiver Program. The intake period is open from today until June 4, 2019. In-Home Caregivers who have worked in Canada full-time for at least 12 months, pass the English test requirements and have at least a High School diploma, may apply under the new Interim Program.
Our office specializes in caregiver work permits, employer LMIA applications, and applications for caregivers who wish to become permanent residents of Canada. If you are a Caregiver who has completed at least 12 months of full-time paid work experience as a caregiver, even if you did not yet take your English test, or receive your credential evaluation for your education level, We can help you apply today!
We suggest that you call our office today to speak with the immigration consultant and determine if you qualify to apply under the Interim Program. If you wait too long, you may not be eligible in the future, or you may be required to wait longer and then be subjected to meeting some unknown program requirements; which are expected to be published in the coming months.
Call us today for a free consultation on how we can help you apply under the new Interim Program 1 (888) 808-7338
Feb 24, 2019 | Caregiver Program, In the News, New Immigration Programs, Permanent Residency, Working In Canada
On Saturday February 23, 2019, the Trudeau government made a much anticipated announcement regarding the foreign in-home caregiver program. Under these new caregiver programs, caregivers will be allowed to bring their spouses and children with them to Canada. These permanent residence programs will be replacing the program which had a limit of 4 years and is due to expire on November 29, 2019.
The new pilot programs, called Home Child Care Provider and the Home Support Worker programs will be opening later in the year with a total limit of 5,500 applications.
For many caregivers who arrived to work in Canada recently, permanent residence was doubtful as the current caregiver pathways to permanent residence expire on November 29, 2019. Caregivers who were unable to complete 24 months of work experience or did not have a post-secondary education credential were not eligible to apply.
The Trudeau government also announced that for those caregivers who are already in Canada, there is now an Interim Program designed to create a path for them to become permanent residents. The Interim Pathway requires a caregiver to have completed at least 12 months of paid work experience as a caregiver and pass minimum English language requirements.
Caregivers now have 4 ways to qualify and apply for permanent residence
- Interim Pathway for Caregivers
- Must have completed at least 12 months of work experience
- Must pass minimum English requirements
- Caregiver for Children Program
- Must have completed at least 24 months of work experience
- Must pass minimum English requirements
- Must have an post-secondary education credential of at least 1 year
- Caregiver for People with High Medical Needs
- Must have completed at least 24 months of work experience
- Must pass minimum English requirements
- Must have an post-secondary education credential of at least 1 year
- Live-in Caregiver Program
- You hold a LCP work permit
- Your employer submitted the LMO/LMIA prior to November 30, 2014
- Completed at least 24 months of full time work
Feb 7, 2018 | Caregiver Program, Immigrate to Canada, In the News, Work Permits
This has come to us as a surprise. Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) announced that they will no longer be accepting applications for the Caring for Children Program or the Caring for People with high Medical Needs Program. While the Canadian government did not formally make this announcement, the notice appears in regular text on the IRCC website. These two programs replaced the previous Live-In Caregiver Program (LICP) on November 29, 2014 and while the programs were a replacement, they were a pilot-project with a lifespan of 5 years, expiring on November 29, 2019.
Caregivers who will not complete 24 months of full-time work experience before November 29, 2019 will not be eligible to apply for permanent residence. As always, the federal government will now review the two programs and determine what they will do – either get rid of them completely, renew them or replace them with a different but similar program. It is very likely that an announcement will be made well before the expiration date of November 29, 2019.
Of course, many caregivers in Canada and abroad are confused, upset and were caught off guard by the news. Fear has spread throughout the caregiver community that this might just very well be the end of the caregiver program. The need for childcare and elderly care in Canada is well-known and there is a shortage in Canada. This unique one-of-a-kind program attracts caregivers from around the world whereby they leave their families and children behind to care for Canadian families. They make this sacrifice because of better employment prospects and wages in Canada.
Despite the uncertainty, it is believed that caregivers will continue to come to Canada in hopes for a chance to become permanent residents.
Caregivers who will complete their 24 months can contact our office for assistance with their application for permanent residence. We encourage those who meet the requirements to retain the services of an immigration representative to ensure their application is submitted properly to avoid disappointments, as this can be one of the only chances to get it right! Call our office at 416-665-3939 or toll-free 1-888-808-7338.
