Mar 27, 2017 | Canadian Experience Class, Express Entry, Immigrate to Canada, Permanent Residency, Provincial Nominee Program, Skilled Workers
On March 24, Immigration, Refugees & Citizenship Canada (IRCC) made an Express Entry draw and invited 3,749 candidates to apply for immigration to Canada. Candidates in the Express Entry pool with 441 or more Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) points received an Invitation to Apply (ITA). This is the second draw to occur this month, continuing the trend of two draws a month by IRCC. We see a slight increase in points from the last draw on March 1st, which had a lowest score of 434 and invited 3,884 candidates.
If you received an ITA, you are now able to submit an application for Canadian permanent residence for yourself and your family. Applicants who received an invitation are able to bring their spouses or common-law partners and any dependent children. Keep in mind that you must submit your complete application with all required documents within 90 days of receiving your ITA. To prevent delays or refusal of your application, it is important that you prepare your application accurately. Our immigration consultants can help you to determine what information is required and what documents you need to provide. 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. If you are eligible you will be able to proceed with the next step towards making an application. This assessment will rank your minimum language requirement, skilled work experience and education level.
Candidates who meet the minimum requirements of the following economic programs may make an application to the Express Entry pool:
Certain Provincial Nominee Programs 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.
Sep 5, 2013 | Immigrate to Canada, New Laws, Permanent Residency
In an ongoing effort to strengthen ties to the community within Manitoba, the province has amended the Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) which allows temporary foreign workers a faster path towards Permanent Residence (PR).
At the start of 2013, Manitoba opened the option of applying online to all PNP applications – this option was formerly available to Priority applicants only. With the availability of applying online, it is now faster and easier than ever to apply for PR through the Manitoba Provincial Nominee Program (MPNP). Along with this came a deadline for mail-in applications. Applicants using a paper application must have it submitted and received by the MPNP no later than September 6th, 2013. From this date forward, all applications for the MPNP must be submitted online. All correspondence with the MPNP will be made by email so applicants must provide a valid email address in order to apply for the program. In July 2013, the MPNP underwent major renovations with new requirements put into effect on September 1st. From this date forward, applicants with ties to another Canadian province or territory must meet the following requirements in order to be eligible for the Manitoba Provincial Nominee Program.
If you are a foreign national who has studied in any other province or territory of Canada, you must:
- Show at least one year of continuous work experience with an employer in Manitoba
- Hold a valid work permit issued by Citizenship & Immigration Canada (CIC)
- Have a permanent, full-time job offer from an employer in Manitoba
The most significant change is the amount of work experience required which has doubled from the previous 6 months requirement. Note that this change will not affect international students who have graduated from a Manitoba post-secondary educational institution. Only applicants who have studied in another province or territory of Canada will be affected by this change. In addition to the above mentioned requirements, applicants will still need to show strong ties to Manitoba and ties to other provinces or territories must not be stronger than Manitoba ties. In essence, the province is trying to keep applicants from leaving Manitoba once they have been approved for PR.
In order to make it even easier for foreign workers who wish to join the community in Manitoba, the MPNP was streamlined in April 2013 to create two paths for immigration to Manitoba. Temporary foreign workers now have two options for immigration to Manitoba.
- Temporary Foreign Workers in Manitoba – If you are a temporary foreign worker or an international student graduate working in Manitoba full-time for at least six months with an offer of permanent employment from a Manitoba employer, you may be eligible to apply for PR through the Manitoba Provincial Nominee Program. Keep in mind that you must not have previous education in Canada outside of Manitoba. If you do, you will need to meet the eligibility requirements mentioned above.
- Skilled Workers outside Canada – Skilled workers from abroad looking to immigrate to the province of Manitoba may be eligible to apply for the MPNP as long as they meet the minimum requirements of employability and adaptability.
Applicants for the Manitoba Provincial Nominee Program are assessed based on points given for each of the following categories:
a. Age
b. English proficiency – you must show your proficiency in English by taking one of the approved English-language tests. Points are given based on the score obtained on this test.
c. Work experience
d. Education
e. Connection to Manitoba
The Manitoba Provincial Nominee Program is open to skilled workers from any occupation that can prove they are employable in the province of Manitoba. An exception to this is caregivers, who must apply for PR directly from CIC. Anyone living in Canada as a refugee or who have claimed and been refused refugee status may not apply for the MPNP. Investors and entrepreneurs may apply through the Manitoba Provincial Nominee Program for Business.
For more information about Manitoba’s Provincial Nominee Program and to find out whether you qualify to apply for one of the two MPNP categories, contact our office by calling 1-888-808-7338 to speak with an immigration consultant or you may fill out the form on the right side of this page and one of our consultants will get in touch with you promptly.
Aug 6, 2013 | Immigrate to Canada, New Immigration Programs, Permanent Residency
Alberta is making it easier for you to apply to become a permanent resident! If you are living and working in Alberta, you may qualify to apply under the new Alberta Work Experience Category. Normally, in any of the Alberta Immigrant Nominee Programs, the employer must apply with you to be nominated. In this new Alberta Work Experience Category, you can apply for nomination without your employer. This is a time-limited opportunity so we suggest that if you qualify, you should contact our office to apply immediately!
Do I Qualify?
- is your occupation on the Eligible Occupations List?
- Have you worked in Alberta for at least 2 years?
You must be working in an occupation that is listed in the Occupations List, especially at the time of making your application. Qualified work means that you have worked full time and hold a valid work permit. You must also be a full time resident of Alberta. Of course, if you are working in a regulated occupation you must provide evidence of your certification, licensing, or registration.
As part of your application you would have to submit an official language test result from either the International English Language Testing System (IELTS), or the CELPIP. Make sure to study before you take this test because you must score a minimum of 4.5 in Listening, 3.5 in Reading, 4.0 in Writing and 4.0 in Speaking for IELTS test and 2H for Listening, 2H for Reading, 2H for Writing and 2H for Speaking on the CELPIP test.
If you plan to submit an application such as this one on your own, without representation, be sure to complete your applications properly. Incomplete applications or applications with missing documents or information will not be processed and will be returned to you. A complete application is one that includes all of the required documents, fees, and supporting evidence. Once a decision is made on your application the Alberta Immigrant Nominee Program will not reconsider a decision.
As this is a new program and not all of the information is out there for the public, we strongly encourage you to contact our offices to speak with an immigration consultant. The immigration consultant can provide you with further information and assess you for eligibility in this new Alberta Work Experience Category.
May 3, 2013 | Immigrate to Canada, Immigration, New Immigration Programs, New Laws, Permanent Residency, Policies and Problems, Skilled Workers
The Federal Skilled Worker Program, one of Canada’s most sought-after immigration options, is now being re-opened to allow foreign workers, in 24 qualifying applications, to apply for immigration to Canada. This program, which allows immigrants to apply for permanent residence based on a points system, was closed to anyone that did not have a job offer or meet the criteria of the Ph.D. stream since July 1, 2012. New applications for the Federal Skilled Worker Program will be accepted by Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) beginning on May 4, 2013.
With the re-opening of the Federal Skilled Worker Program comes a new set of rules and requirements. Professionals who wish to apply for Canada immigration through the new Federal Skilled Worker Program must be sure that they meet the new criteria. Do not assume that you qualify now just because you may have qualified in the past. The points system that was previously in place has been amended to put more emphasis on language and age. But before you can assess your points, you must be sure that you fit into one of the following categories of the new Federal Skilled Worker Program:
- You are working in one of the 24 eligible occupations for a minimum of one (1) year;
- You have a job offer from a Canadian Employer;
- You are eligible to apply under the Ph.D. stream.
If you meet the criteria for one of these three options, you will then be required to meet the minimum eligibility requirements of the Federal Skilled Worker Program. Your eligibility will be assessed based on your language abilities, age, education, work experience, arranged employment, and adaptability. Points are awarded in each category with a maximum of 100 points available and a minimum of 67 points required in order to qualify for the program.
Another major update of the Federal Skilled Worker Program is in the way the points are assessed. With the new emphasis being on language and age, some people who qualified under the old Federal Skilled Worker Program may not qualify for the new program.
Research has shown that individuals adapt better in Canada if they are proficient in at least one of the country’s two official languages – English and French. As such, more points are now being awarded for language (the same is true for age as younger people have shown better adaptability as well as having more years to be in the workforce). In order to qualify for the Federal Skilled Worker Program, you must be able to prove your proficiency in one of the two languages. To do this, you must take and pass one of the following language tests:
- Canadian English Language Proficiency Index Program (CELPIP)
- International English Language Testing System (IELTS)
- Test d’évaluation de français (TEF)
Each test will assess your language skills in reading, listening, speaking, and writing. You must obtain the required score for one of these tests in order to apply for immigration through the Federal Skilled Worker Program.
In addition to language skills, your education will be assessed using the new Educational Credential Assessment (ECA). If you wish to apply for the Federal Skilled Worker Program using educational credentials from an institution outside of Canada, you will be required to get an ECA. This process will assess that the foreign education you have is equivalent to the required education in Canada for your field of work. For example; if you are an engineer with an engineering degree from a foreign institution, your foreign engineering degree would have to be equivalent to the Canadian engineering degree in order for you to work as an engineer in Canada. In some countries, less education may be required for certain occupations. Therefore, you may be ineligible based on your education if you do not meet the minimum requirement for your occupation in Canada. Confused? You don’t have to be. Contact our office to speak to a qualified immigration consultant who can help you to understand the new system and determine whether you qualify to apply for the new Federal Skilled Worker Program.
For those applicants who are eager to get started, you may get a jump-start on your Federal Skilled Worker application by starting the process of getting an ECA now, as long as you meet all of the other requirements of the Federal Skilled Worker Program. CIC has designated organizations which can provide ECA reports for immigration purposes. If you would like to get started on this process and/or just get an idea of how your foreign credentials will be recognized in Canada, contact us today to get started. Our immigration consultants can assist you in obtaining an ECA and preparing your file early so that your application is ready to submit when the program opens. It is important to note that application forms for the Federal Skilled Worker Program will be updated upon the opening of the program so having an immigration consultant working on your case will prevent you from submitting outdated or incorrect forms.
Applicants for the Federal Skilled Worker Program should also note the cap of 5,000 applications – including a maximum of 300 applications for each of the 24 eligible occupations. With this cap in place, you do not want to risk having your application returned over a small clerical error as you may not have another chance to submit your application. With the CIC cracking down on even the tiniest of errors (not to mention large errors or missing information), it is always a good idea to have more than one pair of eyes reviewing your application. More than just another pair of eyes, our immigration consultants have a trained eye for even the most minute details. We have years of experience in dealing with these types of applications and the constant changes of the immigration system. With an immigration consultant by your side, you can rest assured that your application will be completed accurately and efficiently so that your time and money do not go to waste on a returned or refused application.
Don’t miss this opportunity to obtain your permanent residence in Canada. Applications are already being submitted and the doors may close on you if you do not act quickly. Contact us to get started right away and be ready when the new Federal Skilled Worker Program opens.
Dec 21, 2012 | Immigrate to Canada, Immigration, In the News, New Laws, Permanent Residency, Processing Times, Skilled Workers, Work Permits, Working In Canada
A new program has been introduced to allow skilled workers working in Canada to continue working as they wait for their permanent residence application to be processed. The new Bridging Open Work Permit will benefit skilled workers who have applied for permanent residence under one of the following Canada immigration options:
- Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSWP)
- Canadian Experience Class (CEC)
- Provincial Nominee Program (PNP)
- Federal Skilled Trades Program (FSTP).
This program will allow you to receive an open work permit should your current work permit expire before you receive permanent residence in Canada. The Bridging Open Work Permit will prevent skilled workers from losing status and being unable to work in Canada if their application for permanent residence is still in process and their work permit is about to expire.
Prior to the introduction of the Bridging Open Work Permit, Canadian employers would have to submit an application for a Labour Market Opinion and the skilled worker could submit a request for extension of their work permit only if the LMO was issued. The Bridging Open Work Permit will prevent “unnecessary disruption in the lives of newcomers who are already contributing and successfully integrating into the Canadian economy,” declares Minister Kenney. Open work permits are already available in other immigration streams and this new Bridging Open Work Permit gives foreign skilled workers a chance to apply for permanent residence with less worry of processing times.
If you are a skilled worker who is currently working for a Canadian employer and interested in submitting an application for permanent residence, you may take our free assessment to see which of the Canada immigration options will best meet your needs. If you have a work permit that is close to expiring and would like more information about the Bridging Open Work Permit, you should contact us to speak to a qualified immigration consultant.
Share your opinions on the new Bridging Open Work Permit by commenting on our blog or visit us on Facebook and Twitter to share, like, comment or tweet about the Bridging Open Work Permit.
Dec 20, 2012 | Immigrate to Canada, Immigration, In the News, Skilled Workers, Working In Canada
Citizenship, Immigration and Multiculturalism Minister Jason Kenney has announced new regulations for the Federal Skilled Worker Program which will begin taking new applications starting May 4, 2013. In an attempt to create jobs and promote economic growth, the government of Canada has made improvements to the Federal Skilled Worker Program. The majority of the changes made to the Federal Skilled Worker Program are based on research which has shown the two most important factors for successful adaptation into Canada to be language and age. As such, the following changes have been made to the Federal Skilled Worker Program in an attempt to ensure adaptability of new applicants:
- The minimum language proficiency requirement has been increased so that language is now the most important factor.
- Emphasis has been put on the age of new applicants and younger applicants will benefit from this update to the Federal Skilled Worker Program. It is known that younger applicants will adapt more easily in Canada and will spend more time working and aiding in Canada’s economic growth.
- The new Educational Credential Assessment (ECA) will ensure that points awarded for education will reflect the true value of the foreign credentials.
- Changes made to the arranged employment process will make it easier for Canadian employers to hire workers for in-demand occupations.
- Applicants for the Federal Skilled Worker Program will be able to obtain more adaptability points for the language ability and Canadian work experience of their spouse.
With all of the above changes to the Federal Skilled Worker Program, qualified applicants interested in Canada immigration will have the chance to apply and obtain status in Canada faster and easier. If you are interested in immigration to Canada, call our office for more information about the Federal Skilled Worker Program or any other Canada immigration program. Our qualified immigration consultants will answer any of your questions and assist you in deciding which immigration option is the right one for you.
Useful Resources for Canada
Useful Resources for U.S.
Our Local Immigration Services
