Invitations to Express Entry candidates with a provincial nomination on the rise

According to new data from the Government of Canada, invitations issued to Express Entry candidates with a provincial nomination for permanent residence are up this year.

Out of 62,500 Express Entry candidates invited to apply for Canadian permanent residence between January and September, 12 per cent had a provincial nomination.

During the same period in 2017, Invitations to Apply (ITAs) issued to Express Entry candidates nominated by a Canadian province, stood at just over 9 per cent of all invitations issued.

Canada’s Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) works to spread the benefits of immigration more evenly across Canada by allowing participating provinces and territories to nominate a set number of economic immigration candidates for permanent residence each year.

Every province and territory with an immigrant nominee program now has at least one immigration stream that is linked to the federal Express Entry system, which manages the pool of candidates for Canada’s 3 main economic immigration programs – The Federal Skilled Worker Class, Federal Skilled Trades Class, and the Canadian Experience Class.

The rising number of candidates in the Express Entry pool with a provincial nomination and the 600 points may be partly responsible for the increase that has been seen in the Express Entry minimum scores in 2018, which haven’t gone below 440.

If the trend continues, obtaining a provincial nomination may now be one of the best bets for receiving an ITA for Express Entry candidates with scores below 440.

Exponentially growing PNP

The increase in ITAs issued to provincial nominees reflects the growing importance of the PNP to the federal government’s overall immigration strategy.

Canada’s new multi-year immigration level plan has admissions through the PNP set to rise by 6,000 next year, to 61,000.

By 2021, these admissions are expected to reach 71,300 – an increase of nearly 30 per cent over 2018’s target of 55,000.

In its 2018 report to Parliament, IRCC noted that the PNP has grown ‘exponentially’ since its implementation in 1996 – from 233 admissions in 1996 to 49,724 in 2017.

Of the nearly 50,000 new permanent residents admitted through the PNP in 2017, 13,531 were Express Entry candidates and their family members. IRCC said this was an increase of 73 per cent over Express Entry admissions in 2016.

Canada’s Unemployed Rate Down To 40-Year Low

November 2018 was a historic month for Canada’s labour force as unemployment fell to its lowest monthly rate since 1976, according to Statistics Canada’s monthly Labour Force Survey. 

The unemployment rate, which can be defined as the number of unemployed people as a percentage of the labour force, plunged to 5.6 per cent last month — a number that hasn’t been reached in over 40 years.

Around 19 million people were employed in Canada in November, an increase of 0.5 per cent over the previous month of October.

Ø  Employment boost in six provinces

Six Canadian provinces witnessed employment increase in November, with Quebec and Alberta received the highest gains.

In Quebec, the number of employed swelled by 26,000 in November, mainly as the result of full-time work. Over four million people in Quebec were employed in November and the province’s unemployment rate positioned at 5.4 per cent, a little below the national rate of 5.6 per cent.

While talking about Alberta, employment rose by 24,000 in the province, all thanks to gains in full-time work. Apart from it, Ontario also noticed employment rise, with 20,000 more people employed in November here.

Employment also increased in British Columbia in November, as 16,000 more people employed than the previous month. Regardless of a slight increase in November, the province’s unemployment rate (4.4 per cent) remained among the lowest in Canada.

The Provinces of Saskatchewan and Manitoba also saw employment gains in November of 5,500 and 2,600, respectively.

Ø  Industries in focus

In terms of industries, Statistics Canada stated that the most momentous employment gains in November occurred in professional, scientific and technical services, which recorded an increase of 26,000, with most of the growth in Ontario and Quebec.

Many of the employment gains in November 2018 were thanks to increases in the construction, transport and warehousing sectors as a total of 24,000 extra jobs were created across these three sectors. Besides, employment in health care and social assistance also rose in November, with a gain of 19,000.

Top 5 European Countries to Look For Investment Opportunities

Europe is a very attractive continent for foreign investors thanks to the variety offered by each country as well as the European Union block which offers unity, stability and easy access to other markets. But when being required to choose the best country to invest in Europe, what does one choose?

Here is a list of top 5 countries in Europe that offer investors excellent strategic business investment opportunities.

1.       Greece

Greece offers attractive investment opportunities to investors in a wide variety of sectors. The country’s

massive reform efforts are opening new investment frontiers that not only reward first movers but established players as well. Greece is expected to see sustained growth in tourism, energy, ICT, food, logistics, beverage and agriculture, and life sciences in coming decade. The country’s newly designed investment framework supports the creation of new businesses, new synergies and new partnerships, which make it a perfect destination for investors.

2.       Portugal

In recent years, Portugal has taken great strides to boost growth by increasing its competitiveness and easing the process of investing and doing business in the country. Recent reforms in competition law and country’s positive approach towards international business has made it much easier to invest in Portugal. The country offers a strategic location, easy access to key markets, skilled human resources, competitive costs and top infrastructures, which are the top qualities investors generally look for.

3.       Cyprus

Cyprus has become increasingly popular to overseas investors in recent years. With an aim to incentivize more foreign investment, the Cypriot government has introduced a citizenship by investment scheme, where investors can obtain Cypriot citizenship. Apart from it, the country’s location has also been a key factor that is attracting investors. Due to its unique location, Cyprus has been an important hub for trade for many decades.

4.       Spain

Spain is one of the fastest growing economies in the European Union. Factors improving Spain’s economic situation include the labor market and the banking sector. Adaptability and flexibility are Spain’s two strongest points when it comes to welcoming foreign investors. There are no strict restrictions applied to foreign investors/citizens coming to establish businesses in Spain. Moreover, they get benefit from the same conditions for opening a company in Spain as any other local businesses.

5.       Malta

Malta is one of the best countries in Europe to invest. There are a plethora of reasons for investing in this emerging economy. Despite being one of the smallest countries in the world and in Europe, Malta has one of the greatest densities in population. Although there are cheaper foreign direct investment locations, Malta offers definite advantages to investors  in terms of quality, product turnover, specialized production runs, product development as well as sales and marketing into Europe and North Africa.

New immigration pathway opens for international graduates in Manitoba

A new immigration pathway for international graduates of post-secondary institutions in Manitoba is open to Expressions of Interest from eligible candidates.

To become eligible for the Career Employment Pathway, candidates must have graduated from a full-time program of at least one year / two semesters and should be living in the province at the time they submit their 

Expression of Interest (EOI).

Among other criteria, candidates must also have:

·         a full-time job offer from an eligible current employer in an occupation in-demand in Manitoba and is consistent with their training and education;

OR

·         completed a bridging program and passed the initial stage of certification as determined by the relevant regulatory body.

Interested international students can apply immediately after completing graduation and must be living in Canada.

The pathway’s opening on 30 November, 2018 brings the number of immigration options for international students in Manitoba to three under the Manitoba Provincial Nominee Program (MPNP)’s new International 

Education Stream.

The other two pathways – the Graduate Internship Pathway and International Student Entrepreneur Pathway were unveiled on November 1.

The MPNP stated that attracting and retaining international graduates from Manitoba’s post-secondary institutions along with training to support innovation has been a key element of the MPNP’s renewal program.

New Brunswick reopens its Express Entry Labour Market Stream

The province of New Brunswick has reopened its Express Entry Labour Market Stream under the New Brunswick’s Provincial Nominee Program (the NBPNP) on November 28 to eligible Express Entry candidates after closing it temporarily in September.

The Express Entry Labour Market stream allows province to nominate eligible candidates in the federal Express Entry system for Canadian permanent residence.

The federal Express Entry system manages the pool of candidates for Canada’s three major Federal High Skilled economic immigration programs:  the Federal Skilled Worker Class (FSW), Federal Skilled Trades Class (FST) and Canadian Experience Class (CEC).

Express Entry candidates with a provincial nomination from New Brunswick receive an additional 600 points toward their comprehensive ranking score, which effectively guarantees an invitation to apply (ITA) for Canadian permanent residence.

The New Brunswick’s Provincial Nominee Program (NBPNP) set five important criteria that Express Entry candidates must meet to submit an Expression of Interest (EOI) during this latest opening and submissions that do not meet all five criteria will be rejected. These include:

·         The applicant must have an Express Entry profile and a valid Express Entry profile number and Job Seeker validation code;

·         The candidates should currently be living and working in New Brunswick, and needs to submit a letter of employment from the employer along with his/her EOI;

·         The National Occupational Classification code for their current job must be for an occupation rated NOC Level 0, A, or B, and this code must be included with the EOI;

·         The applicant must have valid language test scores (IELTS, CELPIP, or TEF Canada) equivalent to CLB 7 in all four language competencies and he/she must submit a copy of these test results with the EOI;

·         The candidates must have a valid Educational Credential Assessment (ECA) that attests to a minimum equivalent of a Canadian high school diploma.

The recent NBPNP’s update did not indicate work experience in a priority occupation, which was an important requirement in previous Express Entry openings.

The New Brunswick’s Provincial Nominee Program (NBPNP) is one of Canada’s popular Provincial Nominee Programs, through which provinces nominate individuals for Canadian permanent residence.

Applicants must score at least 67 points under the Express Entry Labour Market Stream points grid to enter into the EOI pool of candidates.

Saskatchewan issues 514 invitations to Express Entry & Occupation In-Demand candidates in latest draws

The province of Saskatchewan issued new invitations to apply (ITA) for a provincial nomination to candidates in its International Skilled Worker immigration category in latest round that took place on November 23. It also includes 247 invitations to candidates in the federal Express Entry system. 

Another 267 invitations have been issued to Saskatchewan’s Occupation In-Demand sub-category candidates with a minimum score of 64. However, the lowest-ranked Express Entry candidate had a score of 63 under province’s International Skilled Worker point grid in this latest draw.

Those Express Entry candidates who apply for and receive a provincial nomination are awarded an additional 600 points toward their Express Entry ranking score, which directly increase their chances to receive an invitation from the Government of Canada to apply for permanent residence in a subsequent Express Entry selection round.

Currently being one of the most popular immigration programs in the world; the Express Entry system manages the pool of candidates for Canada’s three major federal economic immigration categories — the Federal Skilled Worker Class (FSW), the Federal Skilled Trades Class (FST) and the Canadian Experience Class (CEC).

The Express Entry candidates, who want to be considered for immigration to Saskatchewan, need to register a separate profile with the Saskatchewan Immigrant Nominee Program (SINP) under its Expression of Interest (EOI) system.

The November 23 draws were the fifth for both sub-categories, i.e International Skilled Worker and Occupation In-Demand since the province of Saskatchewan switched them from a first-come, first-served approach to an Expression of Interest (EOI) system in July.

Saskatchewan has now issued a total of 3,337 invitations through its International Skilled Worker Expression of Interest system, out of which 1,552 were issued to Express Entry candidates while 1,785 went to Occupation In-Demand candidates.

For more information visit WWICS Group

Permanent Residence In Canada For International Graduates Under Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program (OINP)

International students who recently graduated from a degree or diploma study program at a Canadian university or college can apply for a provincial nomination under the International Student category of the Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program (OINP).

With a nomination, the applicant can then apply to Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) for permanent resident status. Applicant’s spouse or common-law partner as well as any dependent children can also be included on the application.

Ø  Basic Requirements

However, there is a set of requirements that an applicant must have to fulfill. Given below are key requirements to apply under the International Student category of the Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program (OINP).

• Applicant must be graduated from or has met the requirements of a full-time degree or diploma program from a publicly-funded Canadian college/university
• The study program should be of at least two years in length or a one year post-graduate certificate program, which requires a previous degree to qualify
• Applicant must have completed at the minimum half of their studies in Canada
• Applicant must apply within two years from the date on which he/she graduated
• Applicant must have an approved permanent or full-time job offer in a high-skilled occupation (National Occupational Classification level 0, A or B) that fulfill the entry-level wage levels in Ontario for that occupation

Ø  Some other important things to note

• The Ontario International Student category is not associated with the federal Express Entry system. Therefore, applications for permanent residence made following a nomination under this program are processed entirely outside Express Entry.
• It is not compulsory that the study program should have been located in Ontario; graduates of study programs across Canada can be eligible to apply.
• Obtaining a job offer from an employer in Ontario is mandatory as it is not possible to successfully apply to this stream without a valid job offer. However, Ontario employers looking to hire under this visa program, first have to submit a Pre-Screen Application mentioning the position they wish to fill. Their application must be approved by OINP.

Are you looking for assistance in preparing your application for Canadian permanent residence?

If so, the experienced staff at WWICS can assist you in your goals. At WWICS, we handle each case individually and offer customized advice to the clients through our legal counsels comprising ICCRC members, solicitors and other paralegals.

 

3,900 Express Entry Candidates Invited to Apply For Permanent Residence In New Draw

Under a new draw held on October 3, the Government of Canada has invited 3,900 Express Entry candidates to apply for Canadian permanent residence. The minimum comprehensive ranking system score for this draw was 445.

This invitation was the third draw from Express Entry pool in three weeks and marks a return top 3,900 invitations to apply, which is the largest number drawn in 2018. The tie-break date and time in this draw was October 2, 2018 at 04:02:11 UTC. All the candidates with a score of 445 and above, 

who have submitted their profile before this date and time received an ITA in this invitation round.

The Express Entry manages the profiles of candidates in Canada’s three main federal economic immigration categories- the Federal Skilled Worker Class, the Federal Skilled Trades Class, and the Canadian Experience Class.

The candidates are ranked on the basis of their Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS), which awards points based on factors including education, age, work experience and proficiency in French or English.

The candidates ranking highest are issued an Invitation to Apply through regular invitation rounds.

IRCC has introduced large, standardized draw sizes that have gradually increased over the course of the year up to the current high of 3,900 ITAs.

The Express Entry candidates can also improve their ranking in a number of ways, including provincial nominations that result in 600 additional CRS points.

Relaxed Canadian visa procedures to benefit Indian students

According to Canadian Immigration Authority, Students from India, China, Vietnam, and Philippines will get faster visas to study in Canada as it has introduced major changes in its visa procedures to reduce the processing time.

If we talk about official figures, over 1254,000 Indian students study in Canada and education is the key area of collaboration between the two countries.

The Canadian move comes at a point of time when the UK’s government has decided to exclude Indian students from easier visa norms.

Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) said it is making great strides in promoting Canada a choice destination for international students seeking quality education by exploring efficient ways to process applications.

The IRCC announced the Student Direct Stream (SDS) which will benefit students from China, India, Vietnam, and the Philippine. The main aim behind this is to support the growth in study permit applications.

The IRCC in a statement said, ‘Students from those countries will demonstrate upfront that they have the financial resources and language skills to succeed academically in Canada will benefit from faster processing times.’

It also said that similar programmes have been in place in these 4 countries for a few years. We are aligning them together into one programme to ensure consistency.

To qualify for SDS, the applicants are required to meet additional requirements, in particular, language levels that are strict than regular study permit requirements.

Students who do not have all of the additional information required for the SDS can apply through the regular study permit application process, either online or at a Visa Application Centre.

The IRCC said, “The SDS complements the Express Entry system as these students will be well placed to continue on the path to permanent residence and Canadian citizenship after completing their studies in Canada if they wish to.”

According to the reports, the new program will cut down the processing time for study permits to within 45 days from within 60 days.

Most Canadians Consider Asylum Immigrants as Crisis

66% of Canadians trust the present inundation of refuge searchers into Canada is an "emergency" and that could have political repercussions for Canada's Liberal government and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, says another survey by the Angus Reid Institute.

Since January 2017, approximately 30,000 individuals have asserted refuge in Canada by intersection its outskirt with the United States between official ports of passage. By far most of these supposed "sporadic" intersections have happened in Quebec.

The quantity of intersections dropped altogether in June, yet the survey reflects general conclusion between July 25 and 30.

The Angus Reid Institute survey found that 65 for every penny of Canadians accept there are "too much" individuals asserting shelter by unpredictable means for specialists and specialist organizations to deal with.

About portion of those surveyed, in any case, put the number at more than 50,000 and almost 33% of Canadians evaluated at least 75,000 had crossed the outskirt by an unpredictable course.

"The individuals who overestimate the quantity of sporadic crossers have a tendency to probably observe the issue as an emergency, while the individuals who belittle it are considerably less concerned," the Angus Reid Institute watched.

These perspectives on the haven searcher circumstance are spread over Canada's political range, the survey says, and are shared by the greater part of Canadians who voted in favor of the government Liberal or New Democratic gatherings in the last decision.

Of Canadians who voted in favor of the Conservative Party of Canada, 84 for every penny accept there are an excessive number of individuals asserting refuge and that Canada is "excessively liberal" toward them.

'Emergency' account censured

The hop in sporadic intersections at Canada's U.S. outskirt corresponded with the initiation of U.S. President Donald Trump, whose organization has moved to strip shielded status from residents of Haiti and different nations and restriction explorers from a bunch of Muslim-greater part nations, among other hard-line migration approaches. This dynamic was supplanted for this present year by a flood in haven claims from Nigerians.

The Conservative Party of Canada has been the most frank on the circumstance, denouncing the decision Liberal government under Prime Minister Justin Trudeau of fumble and making light of what the circumstance, which the Consevatives have since quite a while ago marked an "emergency."

The Canadian government has kept away from such dialect and Trudeau has been joined by human rights pioneers in blaming the Conservatives for playing an "unsafe amusement."

Prince Edward Sent New Invitations to Apply to Candidates

The Atlantic Canada province of Prince Edward Island became active recently and issued new invitations to apply to candidates for a provincial nomination in its Express Entry, Business Impact and Labour Impact categories.

The Express Entry and Labour Impact categories came out with a total of 75 invitations and in the Business Impact Category a total of 50 invitations were issued in the latest round of invitation which was carried out on July 19^th.

The Office of Immigration of Prince Edward Island (PEI) did not disclosed the breakdown on the number of invitations it issued to Express Entry candidates.

Along with this, nothing was said on the eligibility factors of the candidates who were invited, for example, if they were already working in Prince Edward Island.

Candidate with the minimum point in the Business Impact Category had scored 135 points.

Candidates are awarded points by Prince Edward Island in its different immigration categories as per the unique points grids which are associated with its immigration system based on Expression of Interest (EOI).

In case you are interested in moving and settling down in Prince Edward Island permanently than you are required to create and submit an Expression of Interest profile. Thereafter, candidates are given points depending on the answers given by them as and when they created their EOI profile and got an entry in the pool of respective category.

Candidates who score the highest and have a connection to Prince Edward Island are sent invitation to submit their application for provincial nomination through the provincial nominee program of the province.

An additional of 600 points are given in Comprehensive Ranking System to candidates in the Federal Express Entry pool who get the nomination from PEI.

Saskatchewan's New Expression of Interest System Comes into Effect

The new Expression of Interest system for Express Entry and Occupations In-Demand sub-categories from the Saskatchewan Immigrant Nominee Program is in operation now.

The old method of first-come, first-served model that was used by Saskatchewan has come to an end as the new Expression of Interest (EOI) system comes into effect.

It will come as a big new of relief for all the aspiring immigrants who have not been able to submit their application as it had time limitations.

By using Express Entry sub-category, Saskatchewan picks up eligible immigration candidates from the Express Entry system that is run by the Federal government and invite them to apply for a provincial nomination.

The Occupations In-Demand sub-category that is run by Saskatchewan is for eligible skilled workers who have the desired amount of work experience in any one of the in-demand occupations from Saskatchewan.

Change to Boost Economic Outcomes

Saskatchewan is of the view that this change will enable it target the right candidates in a better way and they will have a higher probability to succeed in the labour market of Saskatchewan.

Saskatchewan Immigrant Nominee Program has mentioned in a statement, the goal of the EOI system is to make sure strong economic outcome and long-term retention in Saskatchewan for those invited to apply.

As per the EOI system that has been adopted by Saskatchewan, candidates who are interested will register a profile with the SINP and their profile will be ranked based on their education, work experience and proficiency in English or French, among other factors.

A candidate who is able to score a minimum of 60 points on the assessment grid from Saskatchewan, and fulfill other eligibility requirements, enters the pool of candidates. Thereafter, at the time of regular draws candidates are picked up from Express Entry and Occupations In-Demand sub-category and invited to apply for provincial nomination.

The new system will give more importance on the so-called human capital factor of a candidate, rather than how quickly he or she is able to submit the application. Saskatchewan joins a number of other provinces of Canada as it make the change to use merit-based EOI approach.

Saskatchewan Express Entry Program Opened Reached Limit in 24 Hours

The Saskatchewan Immigrant Nominee Program's Express Entry sub-classification has now shut, in the wake of opening for about multi day to 500 new applications.

The International Skilled Worker — Express Entry-adjusted sub-classification opened toward the evening of Thursday, July 5 — on a first-come, first-served premise — to hopefuls who had been acknowledged in the government Express Entry pool and who meet the base qualification necessities for the sub-class.

Express Entry hopefuls, who get a designation under this class, are granted an extra 600 Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) points. With the extra focuses, these competitors are very much situated to get an Invitation to Apply, or ITA, for Canadian perpetual living arrangement from the central government.

Third opening of the year incorporates a refreshed SINP In-Demand Occupations list

The July 5 admission denotes the third time in 2018 that the SINP opened its Express Entry sub-category to people hoping to move to Canada.

The two past admission time frames occurred on January 10 and June 13, and at each event the SINP reported the most extreme application designation of 400 filled inside hours.

The SINP has allotted a most extreme of 2,600 applications to its International Skilled Worker – Express Entry sub-class for 2018.

Prior this week, the SINP revamped its In-Demand Occupations. The SINP occupations list is significant to the Express Entry and Occupations In-Demand sub-classes since people inspired by applying to the SINP through these sub-classifications are required to show work involvement in a Saskatchewan popular occupation.

To apply to the SINP's Express Entry sub-classification, competitors must have a functioning Express Entry profile with a Job Seeker Validation Code.

Further, applicants should make a record in the SINP's online framework and score at least 60 brings up of 100 on the SINP's interesting appraisal network.

Once an admission period is declared by the SINP, competitors who are set up with the required documentation might have the capacity to present a total application before the sub-classification achieves its admission top, which has over and over filled inside hours.

Travel Insurance for Canada Immigrants

Whether you are planning for a visit or coming to Canada on a temporary work permit, you will need to purchase travel insurance before you land in Canada. Those immigrating to Canada through Express Entry system also require insurance coverage.

All those who participate in the IEC Working Holiday Visa in Canada program need to have an insurance that provides them coverage for the full duration of the work permit along with covering for the repatriation cost. Insurance requirement for those immigrating through Express Entry system are different.

Insurance is also provided by the employer in Canada to all those who are coming on work permit, but, unfortunately, this will not be enough. A new immigrant need to purchase a travel insurance for Canada.

There are a number of insurance companies who have come out with their offering designed specifically for the IEC market, such as BestQuote and True Traveller Travel Insurance. Insurance is also required for those immigrating through Express Entry system.

Canada is a hot spot for people across the globe looking for adventure in snowboarding and skiing, with provinces such as Alberta and British Columbia being world famous for such activities.

All those who are coming to Canada to enjoy all such adventurous yet risky activities need to make sure their Canada travel insurance policy covers them for injuries associated with such activities.

Why Travel Insurance is required for IEC Work Permit Holders?

1.      It is mandatory for IEC work permit holder        

A number of people are denied IEC work permit every year just because they did not had appropriate Canadian travel insurance. As per the rules, it is mandatory to have travel insurance for the complete duration of the work permit before it is granted.

2.      Provincial insurance does not provide sufficient coverage

Provincial insurance that is available is not considered sufficient enough by the federal immigration authorities. The reason is repatriation cost is not covered in it i.e. flying a person to the home country in the event of death.

This is not all, expenditure associated with ambulance, dental accidents, medical devices like crutches and casts, and medications are also not included in it. You may not be allowed to travel to Canada as a permanent resident through Express Entry system if you do not have insurance.

3.      It is for the own good of the Travelers

An insurance, in the majority of the circumstances is considered as a waste of money, till the time something happens and we feel the need to use it. An insurance is for those times when something bad happens to us.

Purchasing an insurance also shows that you are a responsible person as your family members would not like a hefty bill in case you suffer a serious injury while enjoying your adventurous activities.