Jun 23, 2017 | Blog, Canadian Employers, In the News, Processing Times, Student Visas, Temporary Foreign Workers, Tourist Visas, Work Permits, Working In Canada
Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has announced the launch of the new Global Talent Stream, a part of the Canadian government’s new Global Skills Strategy. As a result, certain high-skilled workers may now be able to obtain their temporary work permits in 2 weeks. This includes an open work permit for a spouse and a study permit for dependent children of the primary applicant.
The Global Talent Stream is comprised of two categories:
- Category A is available for employers who have been referred by an Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC) Designated Partner
- Category B allows certain employers to hire foreign workers in one of the designated high-skill occupations.
Employers are required to develop a Labour Market Benefits Plan, which highlights their commitment to the Canadian labour market.
Our team of immigration consultants can help you determine your eligibility and prepare your work permit application. To find out if you qualify for expedited processing of your work permit application, contact us to discuss your options.
If you are an employer looking to hire foreign workers to fill labour shortages, click here to find out more.
May 17, 2017 | Blog, Citizenship, Family Immigration, Featured, Immigrate to Canada, Immigration, In the News, Permanent Residency, Spousal Sponsorship, Student Visas, Temporary Foreign Workers, Tourist Visas, Work Permits, Working In Canada
According to a U.S. News study, Canada was ranked the second best country in the world in 2017. U.S. News partnered with Y&R’s BAV and Wharton to rank 80 countries, based on several attributes, divided into nine (9) sub-rankings:
- Adventure (friendly, fun, pleasant climate, scenic, and sexy);
- Citizenship (cares about human rights, cares about the environment, gender equality, progressive, religious freedom, respects property rights, trustworthy and well-distributed political power);
- Cultural Influence (culturally significant in terms of entertainment, fashionable, happy, has an influential culture, modern, prestigious and trendy);
- Entrepreneurship (connected to the rest of the world, educated population, entrepreneurial, innovative, provides easy access to capital, skilled labor force, technological expertise, transparent business practices, well-developed infrastructure and well-developed legal framework):
- Heritage (culturally accessible, has a rich history, has good food and many cultural attractions);
- Movers (different, distinctive, dynamic and unique):
- Open for Business (bureaucratic, cheap manufacturing costs, corrupt, favorable tax environment and transparent government practices);
- Power (a leader, economically influential, politically influential, strong international alliances and strong military alliances); and
- Quality of Life (affordable, a good job market, economically stable, family friendly, income equality, politically stable, safe, well-developed public education system and well-developed public health system).
Coming in as the second best country overall after Switzerland, Canada was also ranked #1 in the Quality of Life sub-category and 4th in the Citizenship sub-category. With a great public health care system and strong education system, as well as being a safe and family-friendly country; Canadians can boast a high quality of life. Canada is also known for being welcoming to immigrants and accepting of the diverse cultures of all their citizens. Canada is a land of opportunities for many foreign nationals as well as a safe haven for refugees. It might even be said that the American Dream is currently alive in Canada. In fact, the United States ranked 7th overall behind the United Kingdom, Germany, Japan, and Sweden (ranked 3rd, 4th, 5th, and 6th, respectively). Canada also ranked second best country overall in the same survey done in 2016 (behind Germany) as well as #1 in Quality of Life and #2 in Citizenship.
In addition to the above-mentioned categories, Canada also ranked number one for Best Countries for Education, well above the United States (which ranked 7th). Canada secured this #1 spot because of its highly developed public education system and quality universities. All in all we can say that Canada is a wonderful place to live. No matter where in the world you come from, what your beliefs are, and what your future goals look like, Canada and its occupants welcome you with open arms.
Are you interested in exploring this beautiful country? There are so many opportunities for individuals and families looking to study, work, and live in Canada. Our team of experienced immigration consultants is here to help you achieve your dream. Maybe you want to come for a visit to see the sights or to visit family. Perhaps you are looking for temporary status that allows you to work and /or study in Canada. Even if you are seeking a more long-term status, we can help. Canada places much value on the reunification of families. So if you have family members living in Canada, we can help with Family Sponsorship applications, including Spousal Sponsorship. From visitor visas to permanent residence to citizenship, our team can help you choose the best program to fit your needs. To get started, take our free online assessment or contact us today. We would gladly answer all of your questions and discuss your options for Canada immigration.
Apr 26, 2017 | Blog, Express Entry, In the News, Provincial Nominee Program
A part of the Nova Scotia Nominee Program (NSNP), Nova Scotia Demand allows candidates to apply through Express Entry for faster processing of their permanent residence applications. This particular stream has been closed since December of 2015 but is expected to reopen in the coming weeks.
As with any other Provincial Nominee Program, the Nova Scotia Demand stream grants applicants an additional 600 Comprehensive Ranking Score (CRS) points. These additional points make it very likely that candidates will receive an Invitation to Apply (ITA) for permanent residence in the next Express Entry draw seeing as how the most recent draw invited applicants with as low as 415 points.
High-skilled individuals looking to reside in the province of Nova Scotia may be interested in the Nova Scotia Demand stream. Interested applicants must meet the minimum eligibility requirements:
- Have at least one year of skilled work experience in a target occupation;
- Have a Canadian high school credential or equivalent;
- Prove language ability in either English or French at Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) 7;
- Score a minimum of 67 points on the stream’s six selection factors;
- Show enough financial resources to successfully settle in Nova Scotia; and
- Have a profile in the Express Entry pool.
Considering it takes time to prepare a complete application, we highly recommend that you get a start early. Individuals looking to settle in Nova Scotia should contact us or take our free online assessment to see if you qualify for this or one of the other provincial nominee programs.
Apr 24, 2017 | Blog, Canadian Employers, In the News, Temporary Foreign Workers
Alberta has launched a new pilot program that prevents Canadian employers in the province from hiring temporary foreign workers in one of 29 high-skilled occupations. Applications through the Temporary Foreign Worker program for these occupations will be placed on a “refusal to process list” and employers who attempt to hire foreign workers in one of these prohibited occupations will be redirected to available local workers. This two year pilot program will be closely watched by the federal government and, if successful, might be implemented in other provinces or federally. The goal of this initiative is to ensure that Canadians are first in line for available jobs. The jobs included in the 29 banned occupations include engineers, plumbers, electricians, carpenters, construction, and truck drivers. The selection of these particular jobs was based on the unemployment in Alberta and may be adjusted as time goes on.
If you are a Canadian employer looking to hire foreign workers, click here for more information or contact us to speak with a qualified immigration consultant.
Foreign workers wishing to come to Canada with a temporary work permit, take our free online assessment or contact us to see if you are eligible to apply.
Apr 20, 2017 | In the News
In December 2016, the Canadian government lifted the requirement for Mexicans to obtain a visa prior to entering the country. With this came a prediction that the number of Mexicans claiming asylum would rise in 2017. The numbers now show that there have been 266 new claims for asylum this year – a huge increase from 2016, in which there were 241 claims in the whole year. When lifting the requirement, Canada informed Mexico that the visa would be reinstated if the number of claims reached a certain level. It is unknown how many claims would have to be made before the visa would be reinstated though it is believed that the current number is well below the limit. There has been an increase in the number of flights between Canada and Mexico with the majority of newcomers claiming asylum at Vancouver airport.
Mexican citizens looking to enter Canada have many options. For more information click here or contact us to speak with an immigration consultant.
Apr 14, 2017 | In the News, New Immigration Programs, Permanent Residency, Provincial Nominee Program
The Atlantic Immigration Pilot Program – a new three-year immigration program introduced last month – will allow 2,000 applicants and their families to apply for Canadian permanent residence in 2017. This employer-driven pilot program welcomes skilled workers and international graduates seeking to settle in one of the four Atlantic Provinces – New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador, Nova Scotia, and Prince Edward Island. Canadian employers in one of these provinces are able to participate in the pilot program after being designated by the provincial government. In the early weeks of the pilot, over 200 employers have showed an interest in participating and 50 employers have already been designated to recruit foreign workers as of March 31. Designated employers are not required to obtain a Labour Market Impact Assessment prior to hiring foreign workers.
Applicants to the Atlantic Immigration Pilot Program are required to obtain a job offer from a designated employer and to develop a settlement plan with the help of a settlement service provider. These settlement plans are meant to aid newcomers to integrate by providing information and services. Being as it is an employer-driven program, the employers will play a large role in assisting foreign workers in the settlement process.
Applications are currently being accepted through one of three streams available under the Atlantic Immigration Pilot Program:
- The Atlantic High-Skilled Program (AHSP)
- The Atlantic Intermediate-Skilled Program (AISP)
- The Atlantic International Graduate Program (AIGP)
Skilled workers and international graduates who are interested in settling in an Atlantic province should contact our office for more information and to see if you qualify. We will assess your qualifications to determine the appropriate stream for you and assist you in the preparation and submission of your application. Those who do not fall under one of these streams may be eligible to apply under one of the Atlantic provinces Provincial Nominee Programs. For more information click here or take our free online assessment to see if you qualify to apply for permanent residence under the Atlantic Immigration Pilot Program.
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