Apr 14, 2017 | Canadian Experience Class, Express Entry, In the News, Permanent Residency, Skilled Workers
Lowest Score Ever & Highest number of invitations issued yesterday.
April 12, 2017 – For the second time this month, the Express Entry selection system breaks the record for lowest Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) points required. Down from 431 on April 5th to 423, this is the lowest score to date. Candidates in the Express Entry pool with 423 or more CRS points received an Invitation to Apply (ITA) for permanent residence. A total of 3,923 candidates received an ITA in this draw; this is the largest number of invitations issued in one draw. The trend of inviting more candidates with lower CRS scores means that more candidates are now able to apply for Canadian permanent residence.
These recent draws fall between two major changes to the Express Entry system. In November 2016, Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) changed the number of points awarded for a job offer from 600 points to 50 or 200 points depending on the position of the job offered. This change was meant to balance the system and expected to lower the CRS point requirements. The second set of changes have already been announced and are due to go into effect on June 6th of this year. These new changes will award more points to French-speaking candidates and those who have a sibling living in Canada. In addition to this, applicants will no longer be required to register for the Job Bank prior to entering the Express Entry pool.
These updates to the Express Entry system should allow a wider range of skilled individuals and their families to realize their dream of settling in Canada. With the increasing number of ITAs issued this year, it seems there is no better time for interested individuals to create an online profile and enter the Express Entry pool. It is important to make sure your profile is accurate and up-to-date. Incorrect or missing information in your profile could result in your application being refused. Applicants who received an ITA in this recent draw are now eligible to apply for Canadian permanent residence through the Express Entry system. Keep in mind that you only have ninety days from the date you received your ITA to submit your complete application with all required documents. To prevent delays or refusal of your application, it is important to prepare your application thoroughly and 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. Applicants who receive a nomination from a province will receive 600 CRS points, increasing their chance of obtaining an ITA in the next round of invitations.
Apr 5, 2017 | Canadian Experience Class, Express Entry, Federal Skilled Trades, Immigrate to Canada, In the News, Permanent Residency, Provincial Nominee Program, Skilled Workers
April 5, 2017 – This morning, Immigration, Refugees & Citizenship Canada (IRCC) made an Express Entry draw inviting 3,753 candidates to apply for permanent residence. Candidates in the Express Entry pool with 431 or more Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) points received an Invitation to Apply (ITA). This is ten points lower than the previous draw and is the lowest score requirement seen since Express Entry was first introduced in January 2015. This decrease in the CRS points requirement means that more candidates are now eligible to apply for Canadian permanent residence.
Did you receive an ITA? This means you are now eligible to apply for Canadian permanent residence. Applicants who received an invitation can choose to include their spouses or common-law partners and any dependent children in their PR applications. 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. Applicants who receive a nomination from a province will receive 600 CRS points, increasing their chance of obtaining an ITA in the next round of invitations.
Mar 31, 2017 | Canadian Experience Class, Express Entry, Immigrate to Canada, In the News, Permanent Residency, Skilled Workers
Canada’s Express Entry system allows for faster processing of permanent resident applications for qualified applicants of key economic immigration programs. Foreign workers in high-skilled positions may be eligible to apply under the Express Entry system if they meet the minimum requirements of one of the economic immigration programs. These programs include the Canadian Experience Class, Federal Skilled Worker, Federal Skilled Trades, and some of the Provincial Nominee Programs.
Improvements to the Express Entry system will go into effect on June 6, 2017 and will award more Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) points to candidates with strong French language skills and those who have siblings in Canada. The current Express Entry system awards points for either English or French, with a maximum of 136 points for first language and 24 points for second language. From June 6 on, additional points will be rewarded to French speakers, up to 30 extra points for those who also have English language skills.
Currently, no CRS points are awarded to applicants for having siblings in Canada. With this update, having a sibling who is a Canadian citizen or permanent resident age 18 or older could earn you 15 additional points. Siblings must share at least one parent – mother or father – with the principal applicant or their spouse / common-law partner.
In addition to the addition of extra CRS points for language and siblings, applicants to the Express Entry system will no longer be required to register for Job Bank. Currently, applicants who do not have either a job offer or a provincial nomination are required to create a Job Bank account before they are placed in the Express Entry pool. This will no longer be the case as qualified applicants will now be automatically placed into the pool upon submission of their Express Entry profile. Those candidates without a job in Canada will have the option of registering for Job Bank to start their job search after submitting their online profile to Express Entry. Canadian employers will still be able to use the Job Bank – and other Express Entry recruiting methods – to search for potential candidates.
These updates to the Express Entry system will benefit qualified applicants, employers, and Canada as a whole. Allowing high-skilled workers to earn more CRS points means a higher chance of receiving an Invitation to Apply (ITA) for permanent residence. Candidates with high French language ability are an asset to Canadian communities, especially for those who test high in both of Canada’s official languages. Having a sibling in Canada increases overall well-being and health of an individual as well as their adaptability. Allowing candidates to enter the pool without first having to register for Job Bank will increase their opportunity for receiving an ITA. Thus, these changes will be beneficial for everyone involved.
Our immigration consultants can assess your eligibility and determine how many CRS points you have. We will also guide you in increasing the number of points you have in order to obtain an ITA. Take our free online assessment to see if you meet the requirements for Express Entry and contact us to discuss your options for immigrating to Canada.
Mar 30, 2017 | Immigrate to Canada, In the News, Investor Immigration, Permanent Residency, Why you need an immigration specialist
International business people interested in investing and settling in the province of Quebec will be delighted to know that the Quebec Immigrant Investor Program (QIIP) is set to reopen this year on the 29th of May. Foreign investors who meet the requirements of the Quebec Immigrant Investor Program will be granted permanent resident status for themselves and their family. This allows foreign investors to live, work, and do business anywhere in the country and allows your children to study in Canada as residents. The reopening of the program will allow 1,900 applications between May 29, 2017 to February 23, 2018. Foreign investors who are interested in the Quebec Immigrant Investor Program should get started on preparing your application right away so that it is ready to submit when the program reopens.
Foreign investors interested in applying must meet the following minimum requirements:
- Have a legally obtained minimum net worth of $1.6 million CAD;
- Be prepared to invest $800,000 CAD in Quebec through an authorized financial intermediary;
- Have at least two (2) years of legitimate, full-time business management experience in the five (5) years preceding your application; and
- Intend to settle in the province of Quebec.
In addition to these minimum requirements, Quebec investor applicants will also be assessed on several other factors including age, education, work experience, language, and adaptability. Our immigration consultants can aid you in determining whether you meet all of the requirements of the Quebec Immigrant Investor Program. We will assist you in properly preparing your complete application and guide you in collecting all the necessary documentation. Due to the limited number of applications being accepted this year, it is very likely that the program will reach capacity soon after opening. Thus, it is crucial that you begin preparing your application as soon as possible. Errors on your application could cause you to miss the window. With our help, you can prevent this from happening. Give us a call today to discuss your eligibility and find out how we can help you.
Mar 29, 2017 | In the News, Policies and Problems, Tourist Visas, Why you need an immigration specialist
Many people were concerned about being turned down at the U.S./Canada border, as a result of U.S. president Donald Trump’s immigration policy. However, new information now shows that less people are being refused entry to the United States from Canada since last year. U.S. government statistics now show that the total number of Canadians refused entry between October 2016 to the end of February 2017 has dropped from the same time period last year (Oct 2015 – Feb. 2016). The number of Canadians refused entry is 8.5 percent lower than last year – down from 7,619 to 6,875. We also note that the number of Canadians attempting to cross the border decreased by about 180,000 people since last year.
It is possible that these numbers do not accurately explain the situation. Perhaps people are simply preparing better before they attempt to cross the border. Many people are hiring immigration attorneys and consultants to prepare their applications for them. Instead of just going to the border unprepared, people are now more cautious about the possibility of being denied entry. Additionally, the fact that much fewer attempts have been made to cross the border might suggest that people are just deciding to stay home rather than risk being refused entry. Several groups, including Toronto District Schoolboard – have decided to cancel all future trips to the U.S. to avoid problems at the border. Being refused entry is not the only concern among these groups as some people are being detained and having to undergo invasive searches when attempting to cross the border.
Canadians looking to cross the border into the U.S. may want to be prepared for possible issues and prevent these by communicating with a knowledgeable immigration consultant. We can verify that you meet all the requirements to enter the United States and help you prepare all the necessary documentation in order to avoid refusal or detainment at the border.
Mar 9, 2017 | In the News
March 9, 2017 – New Immigration Executive Order signed by U.S. president Donald Trump on Monday will go into effect on March 16. This revised executive order places a temporary immigration ban on citizens of six predominantly Muslim countries – Iran, Somalia, Sudan, Yemen, Syria, and Libya. This new order will not affect current visa or green-card holders (permanent residents), but seeks to reduce the number of refugees entering the United States to under 50,000 in 2017. This is a huge jump from the 110,000 refugees allowed in last year. The new order – like the original – will suspend the U.S. refugee program for 120 days, preventing any new refugees from entering the country during this time.
While all of this is going on, we are likely to see large numbers of people seeking asylum in Canada. Several Canadian cities – including Toronto, London, Hamilton, and Montreal – have already been declared sanctuary cities for undocumented immigrants. This allows all residents in those cities to access public services regardless of immigration status – or lack thereof. This also means that refugees in those cities will not be arrested or deported for reasons of non-criminal offenses (e.g. parking tickets). While Canada is much more open to immigration than the U.S., many Canadians are against allowing more refugees into Canada as they fear this may result in people illegally crossing the U.S./Canada border.
The Safe Third Country Agreement states that an individual who claims refugee status in the U.S. cannot do so in Canada. However, this agreement only works for those refugees who make a legal claim at a Canadian border crossing. As such, it is possible for those who might be refused entry to cross the border into Canada illegally and seek asylum once inside. While we want to keep the doors open for those who are genuinely in need of asylum, we must be wary of those who might cross the border with malicious intent.
Many Canadian citizens and permanent residents are now speaking out against refugees as they see this as being unfair to those who have gone through – or must go through – a lengthy immigration process to enter Canada legally.
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