Quebec – Province promises to help businesses recruit temporary foreign workers

The government of Quebec has announced nearly $21 million to help private businesses recruit and integrate temporary foreign workers as the province struggles with a growing labour shortage.

Labour Minister Jean Boulet, said that “the funding will help cover the costs of companies’ recruitment missions and provide financial assistance of up to $1,000 per worker for relocation.”

Under the plan, Boulet told reporters on Monday he believes the province will aid 2,000 businesses in recruiting temporary foreign workers within the next two years.

Boulet said that “The recruitment of temporary foreign workers is an option that more and more businesses are turning to in their efforts to address labour shortages.”

As part of the plan, the government is also investing $34 million to improve the newcomers’ integration in Quebec.

The additional funding is also being cautiously welcomed by the Comité consultatif personnes immigrants (CCPI), a commission that looks into the labour problems facing immigrants.

The government says its immigration policies will ensure immigrants are properly integrated and that those admitted meet existing labour needs in the province.

Express Entry - Alberta PNP Issues Invitations to 121 Candidates

On August 15th, Alberta issued 121 Notifications of Interest (NOIs) to Express Entry (EE) stream candidates with Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) scores as low as 400 in its latest draw.

Prior to this on August 7, Alberta issued 35 invitations to candidates who had a CRS score of 352.

The EE stream of Alberta’s PNP is connected to the federal EE system, which means that the candidate must first create an EE profile in order to be considered for a PNP nomination. It is worth mentioning that to be eligible candidates do not require to have a job offer or previous work experience in Alberta. The key is that they should be working in an occupation that supports the economic development and diversification priorities of the province of Alberta.

The Express Entry stream of Alberta PNP gives priority to candidates with:

• A job offers and/or work experience in Alberta;

• A degree from a Canadian post-secondary institution and a valid job offer; or

• A parent, child or sibling already living in Alberta.

Student Direct Stream available to international students coming from Senegal and Morocco

Starting September 9, 2019, the Student Direct Stream (SDS) will be expanded to support Francophone immigration. As a result, students from Senegal and Morocco will get access to a more efficient process for study permits.

By providing fast, reliable processing of study permit applications, Canada is better equipped to compete in attracting the best and the brightest from around the world.

The more efficient SDS process was launched in 2018 for students applying from China, India, the Philippines, Vietnam and Pakistan, with an average processing time of less than 3 weeks.

Canada is a top destination for students seeking both a high-quality international education and employment in their field of study once they graduate. With Canadian education credentials and skilled work experience in Canada, former international students are well positioned for success in applying for permanent residence through Express Entry.

Since 2017, Express Entry candidates with strong French skills have been able to earn additional ranking points. This provides more opportunity for them to successfully transition to permanent residence and contribute to the vitality and growth of Francophone communities outside of Quebec.

Expanding this faster and more efficient application process to prospective students from Senegal and Morocco supports the Canada’s Francophone Immigration Strategy to encourage more young French speakers to choose to study in Canada.

EXPRESS ENTRY DRAW: September 4, 2019

The Express Entry draw of today, September 4th, issued 3,600 invitations to apply (ITAs) and were issued to candidates who had a comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score of 463.

The score in this draw went up by 6 points from the last draw on August 20th.

Wishing You All a Happy Labour Day!

"The miracle is not that we do this work, but that we are happy to do it".

(Saint) Mother Teresa

Canadian Muslims being denied entry to U.S.

There have been a number of instances where Canadian Muslims have been turned away at the Canada-U.S. point of entry (POE) according to a recent report.

Read the entire article here

Saskatchewan - 150 candidates invited to apply for Express Entry and Occupations In-Demand streams

Recently, Saskatchewan Immigrant Nominee Program (SINP) issued 150 invitations to apply in the latest draw. The candidates who received the invitation to apply (ITA) were in the Occupations In-Demand and Express Entry categories as follows:

• Occupations In-Demand - 105

• Express Entry – 45

All the candidates had to have a minimum Saskatchewan Expression of Interest score of 78 points from 100 points and was based on education, language proficiency (English/French), work experience and having a family member in the province.

It is worth noting that the minimum expression of interest (EOI) points went up to 78 effective August 15, 2019. In the prior draws in July it was 74 points.

Find out if you qualify to immigrate to Canada by either calling us at 1-905-820-3924 or WhatsApp at 1-416-904-3815, by email at info@onecanadavisa.com or by completing our free on-line evaluation at www.onecanadavisa.com . We will get back to you within one day.

Canada’s New International Education Strategy (2019-2024)

The new International Education Strategy (IES) builds on the attributes that make Canada a powerhouse in international education: strong schools and programs of study in both English and French; peaceful, welcoming and diverse communities; an enviable quality of life; opportunities to work and start careers; and pathways to permanent residency.

The new IES will, in collaboration with the provinces, territories, associations and institutions:

• Encourage Canadian students to gain new skills through study and work abroad opportunities in key global markets, especially Asia;

• Diversify the countries from which international students come to Canada, as well as their fields, levels of study, and location of study within Canada; and

• Increase support for Canadian education sector institutions to help grow their export services and explore new opportunities abroad.

The Minister of International Trade Diversification, James Gordon Carr said in a statement “International education is an essential pillar of Canada’s long-term competitiveness. Canadians who study abroad gain exposure to new cultures and ideas, stimulating innovation and developing important cross-cultural competencies. Students from abroad who study in Canada bring those same benefits to our shores. If they choose to immigrate to Canada, they contribute to Canada’s economic success. Those who choose to return to their countries become life-long ambassadors for Canada and for Canadian values.”

The IES includes a five-year Outbound Student Mobility Pilot program which will help post-secondary students with the costs of study or work abroad. The program also focuses on supporting under-represented students (e.g., Indigenous students, students from less privileged backgrounds, students with disabilities) to develop the skills they need to succeed in an increasingly globalized and changing economy.

Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) will also improve its online services and forms to better connect to people who seek to visit, study or work in Canada. It plans to expand the Student Direct Stream (SDS) and make it available to prospective students from more countries. The SDS enables students who submit electronic applications and meet additional up-front requirements to benefit from quicker processing times.

Canada has world- famous universities such as McGill, in Montreal, and the University of Toronto, both of which are popular with international students. To make sure that Canada will remain one of the world’s top destination for learning, the new (IES) aims to strengthen Canadian international education competitive advantage to enable students to take what they learn and use it to help create jobs.

It is hoped that IES will increase awareness of what Canada has to offer international students and will contribute to Canada’s reputation as a respected centre of international education.

Quebec Introduces New Program to Help Newcomers Integrate

Immigration Minister Simon Jolin-Barrette stated that this program is a key piece to reforming Quebec’s immigration system. Adding that, Quebec is investing $20 million each year in its new “personalized support course” program to help newcomers successfully integrate into Quebec society.

The foreign national (FN) must first obtain a Quebec Selection Certificate (CSQ) to immigrate which is issued by the Diversity and Inclusion (MIDI) ministry. The FN has to then apply to the federal government to become permanent residents.
Upon receiving the CSQ the FN has access to various resources and also has a designated immigration officer assigned to them. When the FN (now a newcomer) arrives in Quebec, they are greeted at the airport and invited to meet with a designated integration assistance officer within a week, and an individualized action plan is created for them.
Basically, there are four steps to this newcomer process:

1. Arrival

2. Francization

3. Integration into the job market

4. Community integration
   
   

Officers will monitor the progress of each immigrant and adjust strategies to provide services tailored to each applicant’s needs, said the government. Training will be offered in terms of francization, recognition of prior learning and information on all regions of Quebec.
Read more about the program here

Prince Edward Island issues 143 invitations in its latest draw

Prince Edward Island (PEI) launched its expression of interest in January 2018, and since then has made regular draws every month.

On August 15th, the PEI provincial nominee program (PNP) issued 10 invitations to applicants in the Business Impact stream, and 133 invitations to the Labour Impact Express Entry stream.

The total number of invitations that have been issued in 2019 stands at 1,065.

As the PEI PNP is linked to the federal Express Entry system, it enables the province to nominate applicants for PR through the FSWC, FSTC and CEC.

Quebec Experience Graduate Stream Applications Temporarily Suspended

The Government of Quebec has announced that the intake of applications to the Quebec Experience Program’s Graduates Stream has been suspended until November 1, 2019. In his ministerial instructions on July 10, 2019, Quebec’s Immigration Minister, Simon Jolin-Barrette has highlighted the key elements of the suspension.

However, there are a couple of exceptions under which the applicants can apply:

1.     Graduates who have a valid work permit as of July 10th, 2019, expiring before November 1, 2019, and are currently living in Quebec.

2.     Applicants who had previous applications terminated with the passing of Quebec’s Bill 9 in June 2019, and were either working or studying in Quebec on a temporary resident visa (TRV).

As this has curtailed international students from applying for the PEQ, students have other choices of either the Post Graduate Work Permit (PGWP) and the Canadian Experience Class pathways to attain permanent residence (PR).

Do You have a Question in relation to your options, JM Immigration can assist you, call/text 416-904-3815, or send your query to www.onecanadavisa.com.

World Humanitarian Day - 19 August

"From supporting civilians caught up in crisis to addressing disease outbreaks, women humanitarians are on the front lines."

— UN Secretary-General, António Guterres

Celebrated every year on 19 August, World Humanitarian Day is directed towards honoring humanitarian efforts worldwide and propagating the idea of supporting people in crisis. On this day, United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OPCA) advocates on behalf of the entire humanitarian community.

Read the article here

Happy World Humanitarian Day!

If each of us reaches out in our own little way in helping to improve the welfare and happiness of people, the world will be a better place.

New Brunswick Occupation List for Express Entry Expanded

New Brunswick added 9 occupations to the New Brunswick Express Entry stream’s priority list (Labour Market Stream). This list now has 19 occupations. The applicants who apply and are selected in the Express Entry Stream are eligible to an additional 600 points, and makes them eligible to receive and invitation to apply (ITA) for permanent residence (PR).

NOC 9461 -Processing and packaging technician

NOC 7237 - Welders and related machine operators

NOC 9536 - Industrial painters

NOC 7231 - Machinist

NOC 7316- Machine fitters

NOC 9526 - Mechanical assemblers

NOC 6552 - Customer service representatives

NOC 6322 - Cooks

NOC 0631 - Restaurant and food service managers

NOC 6311 - Food service supervisors

New Brunswick’s Express Entry Labour Market Stream allows the New Brunswick (NBPNP) to use the federal Express Entry immigration selection system to nominate candidates who meet New Brunswick’s specific labour market needs.

The NBPNP only considers Expressions of Interest to this category from candidates who meet the eligibility criteria for the Federal Skilled Worker Class (FSWC) and who have a score of 67 points out of 100 in the FSWC selection factors.

Saskatchewan’s new Expression of Interest System

Saskatchewan’s new Expression of Interest system for Express Entry, Occupations In-Demand sub-categories has more benefits that the previous first-come, first-served model.

The first-come, first-served model that was used for the international skilled worker sub-categories had prevented many qualified candidates from applying as they missed the date for submitting their applications.
The Occupations In-Demand sub-category is for eligible skilled workers who have the required amount of work experience in one of Saskatchewan’s in-demand occupations.
Applicants who are interested need to register a profile with the Saskatchewan Immigrant Nominee Program (SINP). They are provided with a ranking score that is based on their answers to questions relating to work experience, education and English or French language proficiency, and a couple other factors.
Applicants who score 60 points on Saskatchewan’s assessment grating are entered into its pool of candidates for the Express Entry and Occupations In-Demand sub-category. Applicants who are selected are invited to apply for a provincial nomination through the usual draws.

OINP August 15, 2019, Draw Invites 997 Candidates in the HCP Stream

Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program (OINP) opens a draw on August 15, 2019 in the Human Capital Priorities Stream (HCP) and issues Notifications of Interest (NOIs) to 997 Express Entry candidates. The CRS score was between 439 and 464.

The OINP targeted candidates with work experience in the following priority occupations:

• 0114 Other administrative services managers

• 0601 Corporate sales managers

• 1122 Professional occupations in business management consulting

• 0124 Advertising, marketing and public relations managers

• 0621 Retail and wholesale trade managers

• 1111 Financial auditors and accountants

• 3012 Registered nurses and registered psychiatric nurses

• 0111 Financial managers

• 1114 Other financial officers

• 0651 Managers in customer and personal services, n.e.c

Canada’s new biometrics rules: Europe, the Middle East and Africa

Fingerprints and a photograph are now required for identification purposes and have become mandatory for people from Middle East, Africa and Europe when applying either for a visitor visa, work permit, study permit, permanent residence or for asylum.

However, people coming form visa-exempt countries with a valid electronic travel authorization (eTA) do not have to provide biometrics.

Biometric cost CAD $85 for one person or CAD$170 for a family when applying together.

Visitor visa, study and work permit applicants need to give their biometrics once every 10 years. They don’t need to give your biometrics again until the 10-year period expires.

Permanent residence applicants need to give their biometrics and pay the fee each time they apply, even if they gave their biometrics in the past for another application.

IRCC launches Agri-Food Immigration Pilot

IRCC is launching a new 3-year economic immigration pilot that will fill labour shortages mainly in meat processing and mushroom production, within the agri-food sector.

The agriculture and agri-food industry are an important contributor to Canada’s economic growth and supports 1 in 8 jobs in Canada.
Meat processing and mushroom production industries have experienced constant difficulty in finding and keeping new employees over the past several years.
This new pilot aims to attract and retain workers by providing them with an opportunity to become permanent residents.
Temporary foreign workers with more than 12 months of Canadian work experience in some occupations be able to apply under this pilot program as of 2020.
The Agri-Food Immigration Pilot complements the Atlantic Immigration Pilot, the Provincial Nominee Program and the recently launched Rural and Northern Immigration Pilot.

Independence Day - India

Wishing all Indians a Happy Independence Day 2019! – May you always have the freedom to choose, freedom to dream and freedom to live.

Canadian Citizenship Test

The Canadian citizenship test is a written test, you may request for an interview. You will be tested on two basic conditions for citizenship: 1) knowledge of Canada and of the rights and responsibilities of citizenship, and 2) adequate knowledge of English or French, the economy and Canada today.

If you are taking the citizenship test, click here to see how you would score

Pakistan Independence Day

Wishing all Pakistanis a Happy Independence Day. On this special day I wish you peace and happiness.