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.
Dec 12, 2012 | Immigrate to Canada, Immigration, In the News, New Immigration Programs, New Laws, Permanent Residency, Skilled Workers, Working In Canada
Among the many program updates being made for the new year, Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) is changing the requirements of the Canadian Experience Class (CEC) to make it easier and faster for qualified applicants to obtain permanent residence in Canada. Changes to the program will allow skilled workers to apply for the Canadian Experience Class with only 12 months of Canadian work experience instead of the 24 months which was previously required. Skilled workers applying for Canada immigration through the Canadian Experience Class will therefore be able to become permanent residents of Canada a year sooner than before.
In addition to these changes for skilled workers, the Canadian Experience Class will now be easier for international students who are applying for permanent residence. Students applying for immigration to Canada through the Canadian Experience Class are required to earn one (1) year of work experience prior to their application for permanent residence. In the past, students were required to earn this experience within 24 months of graduating. Part of the changes to the Canadian Experience Class will now allow students 36 months in which to obtain their work experience.
With these changes to the Canadian Experience Class, CIC expects to accept close to 10,000 applications for permanent residents. This is a huge number compared to previous years. The Canadian Experience Class is growing quickly and the government is intent on making it easier for skilled workers to transition to permanent residence status. These changes will be put in place on January 2nd.
If you are a skilled worker or an international graduate who is interested in immigration to Canada, you may contact our office to speak with an immigration consultant about the Canadian Experience Class. You may also take our free assessment to find out if you qualify for this Canada immigration program. We urge you to share your thoughts with us and to spread the good news to any of your friends and family who may be affected by these changes. Call us today for more information on the Canadian Experience Class and/or to get answers to any of your Canada immigration questions.
Dec 11, 2012 | Immigrate to Canada, Immigration, In the News, New Immigration Programs, Skilled Workers, Working In Canada
In an ongoing effort to improve Canada’s economic health and fill gaps in skilled trades, Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) has developed a new program for foreign workers wishing to immigrate and work in Canada. The Federal Skilled Trades Program, which will be launched at the start of the new year, will “help address serious labour shortages in some regions of the country, and support economic growth,” according to Citizenship, Immigration and Multiculturalism Minister Jason Kenney. This new Federal Skilled Trades Program is designed to replace the outdated Federal Skilled Worker Program and make it easier for skilled workers to immigrate to Canada. Minister Kenney has added that “The Federal Skilled Trades Program will help transform Canada’s immigration system into a fast and flexible system focused on jobs, growth and long-term prosperity.”
While the specifics of the Federal Skilled Trades Program have not yet been released, we do know that there will be minimum requirements that one must meet in order to be eligible for immigration to Canada under this new program. Applicants for the Federal Skilled Trades Program must show that they have the skills and experience required to be successful in Canada.
You may be eligible to apply for the Federal Skilled Trades Program if you meet the following four requirements:
- You must have a job offer from a Canadian employer or a certificate of qualification from a province or territory which attests to the fact that you are qualified and available to work upon entry to Canada;
- You must meet the basic language requirements for Canada immigration;
- You must have a minimum of two years of work experience in your trade; and
- You must have the necessary skills and experience as set out in the National Occupational Classification (NOC B) system.
Applicants for the Federal Skilled Trades Program must be skilled in a trade which is in high demand and for which Canadian employers are unable to find Canadians to fill the gaps. Some of the occupations which will be included in the Federal Skilled Trades Program include electricians, welders, heavy-duty equipment mechanics, pipefitters, and others. More specific details regarding the Federal Skilled Trades Program – including a list of occupations that qualify for the program – will be made available at the launch of the program on January 2nd, 2013. We recommend that you contact our office after January 2nd to speak to an immigration consultant and get more information about the Federal Skilled Trades Program. Our consultants can assess your situation and tell you whether you qualify for this or any other Canada immigration program.
As always, we wish to hear from our readers about this new plan. Do you think the Federal Skilled Trades Program will benefit Canada’s economy? Are you a skilled tradesperson who is interested in immigration to Canada and would like to know if you qualify? We urge you to share your opinions on this new program and to share this news with your friends and family on Facebook, twitter, or any other social network. Comments posted on our blog are monitored closely but if you have specific questions, we recommend that you contact us directly or take our free assessment (after January 2nd) to see if you meet the eligibility requirements for the Federal Skilled Trades Program. We look forward to hearing from you!
Nov 2, 2012 | Immigration, In the News, New Laws, Processing Times, Skilled Workers
In an attempt to clear up the backlog of Federal Skilled Worker applications, Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) issued a pause on all new Federal Skilled Worker applications as of July 2, 2012. This pause prevented thousands of federal skilled workers from applying for immigration to Canada as it requires foreign workers to have a qualifying job offer or to qualify under the PhD stream.
Many actions have been taken by the government in order to fix the backlog of Federal Skilled Worker applications and allow more federal skilled workers and their families to immigrate to Canada. The Action Plan for Faster Immigration of 2008 was the first step taken by CIC to limit the number of federal skilled worker applications to only occupations which were a priority. CIC took further action to limit the federal skilled worker applications in 2010 and again in 2012 with the Jobs, Growth and Long-Term Prosperity Act. The final step to put a stop to the backlog problem was to place a pause on all new federal skilled worker applications.
Now, Immigration Minister Jason Kenney has announced a new plan which will allow for faster processing times for federal skilled worker applications as well as the possibility of faster processing times for additional immigration programs. In an effort to attract federal skilled workers from around the globe and promote economic growth, CIC will be introducing an Expression of Interest (EOI) system for federal skilled workers. With this system in place, federal skilled workers and their families will have the option of immigrating to Canada and having their immigration applications processed in a period of 12 months or less. This is a huge improvement over the old system which made federal skilled workers wait for years, some as long as eight years, to have their applications processed.
As a result of this new immigration program and the steps taken over the last few years, the backlog of federal skilled worker applications is expected to be cleared by the end of 2014 which will allow new applications for the Federal Skilled Worker Program to be processed as they are received. This new system for processing applications – “a just in time system” – will bring between 53,500 and 55,300 Federal Skilled Workers and their families into Canada. Minister Kenney has stated that “Immigration plays a vital role in our country’s long-term prosperity. By improving our economic immigration system, we can ensure that Canada is competitive on the world stage.” Allowing federal skilled workers to enter the work field more easily and quickly will contribute to Canada’s economic growth and allow Canadian employers to fill shortages in high skill occupations. This new plan is excellent news both for Canada and for federal skilled workers wishing to immigrate to Canada.
More information regarding this new system along with the final regulatory changes and the new selection criteria for the Federal Skilled Worker Program will become available later this year.
We would like to hear from you. Tell us what you think about this new immigration system for federal skilled workers and their families. If you are a federal skilled worker or you know anyone who may benefit from this new plan, we urge you to share, tweet, like, and comment on this issue.
For more information about immigration to Canada under the Federal Skilled Worker Program, contact our office to speak with a certified immigration consultant and find out if you qualify as a federal skilled worker.
Oct 10, 2012 | How to find Employment, In the News, Skilled Workers, Work Permits
Last weekend in Dublin, an international job fair dubbed The Working Abroad Expo, attracted close to 80,000 people in search of work outside of Ireland. Canada has opened the doors to the Irish with a change in the International Experience Canada (IEC) program.
In an attempt to increase the numbers of educated Irish workers immigrating to Canada, Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) plans to allow entrance to nearly double the number of young Irish, between ages 18 to 35, by the year 2014. Canada has seen a huge loss in Irish immigrants to Australia and New Zealand in the last few years; a loss that immigration minister Kenney would like to see reversed.
The IEC now allows young Irish workers to come to Canada with an open work permit for a period of up to a year. Currently, this program can be utilized twice, though the plan is to change it to a one-time 24 month program at the start of this coming year. The only downside to this plan is that there is no guarantee for these workers to remain in Canada once their open work permit expires. Those whose skill level does not allow for them to apply for permanent residency are left with no other options but to return home or find someone who can sponsor them in Canada (a spouse or common-law partner). On the other-hand, for those skilled workers who wish to leave their native land in search of better opportunities in Canada, this program gives them an opportunity to do just that.
To learn more about the International Experience Canada (IEC) program we encourage you to contact our office to speak with an immigration adviser. If you are already in Canada with an open work permit that was issued for only one (1) year, you may be eligible to extend. Those who are in Canada and would like to apply for permanent residence, contact our office today.
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