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Recent news that may interest you.
The Launch of the Express Entry System for January 1, 2015
December 12, 2014
If you are currently a student or working in Canada on a temporary work permit, there will be new changes starting on January 1, 2015. On December 1, 2014, Citizenship & Immigration Canada (“CIC”) has released details regarding the launch of the new express entry system which will be based on a rigorous points system. This new system will affect immigration programs such as Federal Skilled Workers, Canadian Experience Class, Federal Skilled Trades and BC Provincial Nominees.
CIC will choose the best applicants by inviting them to apply for permanent residence in Canada and process their application in about 6 months or less.
The Express Entry System will be an online portal where prospective applicants can create an online profile and provide information about their skills, work experience, language ability, education, and other details that may contribute to their ability to establish economically in Canada. If the prospective applicant meets the requirements, he/she will be put into a pool of applicants and the applicants with the highest scores in the pool will be issued an Invitation to Apply.
It is anticipated that candidates who accept the invitations and submit their required documentation will have their applications for permanent residency processed within 6 months or less.
Prospective applicants will be assessed, scored and ranked on a point system that is out of 1200 points. Based on the new points system referred to as the Comprehensive Ranking System (“CRS”), the CRS consists of several factors which CIC would assess the prospective applicant such as:
· age
· level of education (ie: post-secondary degrees, post-graduate degrees, diplomas, certificates or trade certificates)
· proficiency in one or both official languages (English or French)
· past work experience or Canadian work experience
· whether the applicant is in possession of a Nomination Certificate or a Letter of Acceptance from a Provincial/Territorial Nomination Program (PNP)
· an Offer of Arranged Employment
Applicants who are in possession of a Provincial Nomination Certificate/ Letter of Acceptance or who has an Offer of Arranged Employment, will be allotted 600 points.
An applicant who has no accompanying spouse or common-law partner has the potential to be given higher scores for age, education, language, and Canadian work experience in comparison to an applicant who has an accompanying spouse or common-law partner.
However, there is also potential to obtain a higher ranking score where the candidate has an accompanying spouse who also may have high points under the same categories.
As January 2015 approaches, it is very important for temporary foreign workers, Canadian employers and other prospective immigrants to Canada to maintain their knowledge of which programs may still be available before the end of 2014.
If you have any questions about the new Express Entry System or have any other questions regarding other immigration categories, please speak to any of our Immigration Professionals.
NEWS UPDATE - Sponsorship of Parents & Grandparents for 2015
December 12, 2014
The popular sponsorship program for Parents and Grandparents for Canadian immigration is expected to reopen in January 2015. This family sponsorship program allows Canadian citizens and permanent residents to bring their foreign parents and grandparents to Canada as Canadian permanent residents. There was a cap of 5,000 applicants accepted for processing under the most recent application cycle, which opened in January 2014. This allocation was reached in just three weeks and the program has since been closed.
Given that last year’s in-take of applications was filled up in such a short period of time and that many prospective sponsors and their families have been waiting a long time, it seems that the public demand for this program will continue to grow. Therefore, sponsors and sponsored parties may be able to maximize their chances of submitting an application before the 2015 program fills by preparing their relevant documents and having them ready for submission by January 2015. Failure to prepare for the program in advance may result in applicants missing their opportunity to apply.
Successful parents and grandparents applying under this program will receive Canadian permanent resident status and would be able to apply for Canadian Citizenship after fulfilling residence obligations of living in Canada for four to six years. To be eligible to sponsor parents or grandparents, the sponsor in Canada must meet the following requirements:
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Be a Canadian citizen or Permanent Resident;
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Be 18 years of age or older;
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Exceed the minimum necessary income level for this program by submitting notices of assessment issued by the Canadian Revenue Agency (CRA) in support of their sponsorship application. Sponsors must also demonstrate they have met the minimum necessary income level for three consecutive years. If married or in a common-law relationship, the income of both persons can be included. Please see the minimum necessary income chart below:
The following table applies to residents of ALL Provinces except Quebec. For each of the three consecutive taxation years preceding the date on which the application is submitted to CIC, the sponsor (and co-signer, if applicable) must meet the Minimum Necessary Income, which is based on the Low Income Cut-offs (LICO) plus 30%
The Minimum Necessary Income requirement, which you must meet for each of the three years preceding the date of your application, is equal to the Low Income Cut-Offs (LICO) plus 30%.
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The sponsor must sign an undertaking to repay any provincial social assistance benefits paid to the sponsor and accompanying family member(s), if any, for a period of 20 years, if necessary. If the sponsor resides in Quebec, an additional ‘undertaking’ must be signed.
BREAKING NEWS:
Citizenship & Immigration Canada has announced the re-opening of the Federal Skilled Worker Program.
April 22, 2014
The Government of Canada has announced new occupations and caps for the popular Federal Skilled Worker program. Additional important information has been announced for the Federal Skilled Trades and Canadian Experience Class programs.
The new changes go into effect for all three programs on May 1, 2014.
Effective May 1, 2014, the FSW will be accepting an overall total of 25,000 new applications. Applicants must have at least one year of work experience in one of 50 eligible occupations. A maximum of 1,000 applications will be accepted per eligible occupation.
The eligible occupations include many widely practiced professions. They are as follows:
1. Senior managers – financial, communications and other business services (NOC 0013)
2. Senior managers – trade, broadcasting and other services, n.e.c. (0015)
3. Financial managers (0111)
4. Human resources managers (0112)
5. Purchasing managers (0113)
6. Insurance, real estate and financial brokerage managers (0121)
7. Managers in health care (0311)
8. Construction managers (0711)
9. Home building and renovation managers (0712)
10. Managers in natural resources production and fishing (0811)
11. Manufacturing managers (0911)
12. Financial auditors and accountants (1111)
13. Financial and investment analysts (1112)
14. Securities agents, investment dealers and brokers (1113)
15. Other financial officers (1114)
16. Professional occupations in advertising, marketing and public relations (1123)
17. Supervisors, finance and insurance office workers (1212)
18. Property administrators (1224)
19. Geoscientists and oceanographers (2113)
20. Civil engineers (2131)
21. Mechanical engineers (2132)
22. Electrical and electronics engineers (2133)
23. Petroleum engineers (2145)
24. Information systems analysts and consultants (2171)
25. Database analysts and data administrators (2172)
26. Software engineers and designers (2173)
27. Computer programmers and interactive media developers (2174)
28. Mechanical engineering technologists and technicians (2232)
29. Construction estimators (2234)
30. Electrical and electronics engineering technologists and technicians (2241)
31. Industrial instrument technicians and mechanics (2243)
32. Inspectors in public and environmental health and occupational health and safety (2263)
33. Computer network technicians (2281)
34. Nursing co-ordinators and supervisors (3011)
35. Registered nurses and registered psychiatric nurses (3012)
36. Specialist physicians (3111)
37. General practitioners and family physicians (3112)
38. Dietitians and nutritionists (3132)
39. Audiologists and speech-language pathologists (3141)
40. Physiotherapists (3142)
41. Occupational therapists (3143)
42. Respiratory therapists, clinical perfusionists and cardiopulmonary technologists (3214)
43. Medical radiation technologists (3215)
44. Medical sonographers (3216)
45. Licensed practical nurses (3233)
46. Paramedical occupations (3234)
47. University professors and lecturers (4011)
48. Psychologists (4151)
49. Early childhood educators and assistants (4214)
50. Translators, terminologists and interpreters (5125)
Applicants under the FSW program will be assessed according to the same criteria as 2013. Applicants are assessed on a points grid that takes into account important factors such as education, language skills, work experience, age, and adaptability to Canada. All applicants must meet minimum language requirements in either English or French.
In addition to skilled workers, the FSW program includes streams for PhD holders and individuals who have received eligible job offers from Canadian employers. A maximum of 500 PhD applicants will be accepted under the upcoming program. Applicants who hold valid job offers are not subject to any intake caps.
Federal Skilled Trades Announcements
The Federal Skilled Trades Program ("FST") is for applicants with experience in a skilled trade. As of May 1, 2014 the FST program will be accepting a maximum of 5,000 applications for review. All NOC B level trades will be eligible for this program. This amounts to a total of 90 different occupations.
A maximum of 100 applications will be accepted under any single occupation. The 90 eligible occupations fall into the following general categories:
• Major Group 72: Industrial, electrical and construction trades;
• Major Group 73: Maintenance and equipment operation trades;
• Major Group 82: Supervisors and technical occupations in national resources, agriculture and related production;
• Major Group 92: Processing, manufacturing and utilities supervisors and central control operators;
• Minor Group 632: chefs and cooks;
• Minor Group 633: butchers and bakers
This is the highly anticipated announcement for skilled applicants from all over the globe. We at FP Immigration are certain that Citizenship & Immigration Canada will fulfill their mandate by allowing skilled workers to make significant contributions to the Canadian economy and help bridge their path to obtaining permanent residence in Canada.
Given that only 1000 applications would be accepted in the eligible list of occupations, we urge you to consult one of our representatives to help you apply and submit your application.
Hiring Temporary Foreign Worker changes - Service Canada - Disruptions - Changes - Labour Market Opinions.
June 27, 2014
During the past few weeks there have been some dramatic changes in regards to obtaining Labour Market Opinions for employers.
From all the attention you may have heard on the news regarding low skilled workers and the suspension of LMO's, positive changes have been made. However to ensure employers abide by the integrity of this program, more strict requirements are set.
Opportunities have also opened in regards to the above changes, in respect to performing artists who now are Work Permit exempt. This is to encourage more artists to come to Canada and to help local establishments.
For more information on the above changes or if you are an employer seeking help with obtaining a Work Permit for a prospective worker, contact us today.
Reopening of the Parental Sponsorship Program for 2015.
December 12, 2014
The new year is approaching and that means the Parental Sponsorship program for 2015 is going to reopen, with a quota of 5000 applications per year. We expect this quota to be met in the first few months of 2015.
If you want to sponsor your parent or grandparent, we advise you to contact us now for a consultation and for us to assist you in the prepraration of your sponsorship application.
Once the quota has been met, no more applications will be accepted and you will have to wait until 2016. This quota system is meant to speed up the process of sponsoring your parent or grandparent, and if you can submit your application within the quota, you will be one step closer in reuniting with your parent or grandparent.