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148 candidates invited in the latest Alberta Express Entry draw!

In the Alberta Express Entry draw held on November 6, a total of 148 candidates were invited to apply for a provincial nomination. The invited candidates were required to have a minimum Comprehensive Ranking System(CRS) score of 400 to be invited, besides meeting other eligibility criteria.

These invited candidates, if successfully apply for and obtain provincial nomination from Alberta, will receive 600 additional CRS score points which would ensure them an invitation to apply for permanent residence in Canada in the subsequent Express Entry draw. The Alberta Express Entry stream allows the province to select candidates who are capable of contributing towards the growth of the province’s economy, from the federal Express Entry pool. The draws also give priority to those candidates who already have a strong connection to the province. Though a job offer from an Alberta employer is not a pre-condition to be selected, those who have one are prioritized in the draws. Those candidates with the following advantages are more likely to be invited by the AINP:

  • Job offer and/or work experience in Alberta
  • Having graduated from a higher education institution in Alberta
  • Close relatives such as parents, children or siblings residing in the province

At the same time, there are also certain other factors that reduce a candidate’s chances for being selected in an Alberta Express Entry draw that include:

  • Candidate’s Express Entry profile about to expire within three months
  • Candidate’s occupation included in either the Ineligible Occupations List of the Alberta Opportunity Stream or the list of high-wage and low-wage occupations in Alberta.
  • Candidate’s occupation having a high volume of submissions across all AINP streams.

Are you eligible for migration to Canada through Provincial Nominee Programs? Get in touch with our expert immigration consultants to know your options and choose the right pathway for Canada migration.

230 candidates invited in latest Manitoba Expression of Interest draw held on November 21

A total of 230 candidates were invited to apply for a provincial nomination in the 77th Manitoba Expression of Interest (EoI) draw held on November 21. The candidates invited in the draw belonged to the Skilled Worker in Manitoba category, Skilled Worker Overseas category and the International Education immigration streams. The distribution of the Letters for Advice to Apply(LAAs) issued in the November 21 draw is as follows:

Skilled Worker in Manitoba: 185

Skilled Worker Overseas: 16

International Education Stream: 29

The latest draw has brought the total number of invitations issued by Manitoba to skilled workers and International Education Stream candidates so far this year to 7141.

Manitoba Expression of Interest (EoI) System

The first step for a candidate to be considered for provincial nomination through either the Skilled Worker in Manitoba category or the Skilled Worker Overseas category is to submit an Expression of Interest to the MPNP. The EoI profiles submitted this way are ranked on the basis of a score out of 1000, awarded for a number of eligibility factors that include education, work experience, previous connections to the province and language proficiency. The highest scoring candidates are invited to apply for a provincial nomination from Manitoba in the Expression of Interest draws that are conducted periodically.

The Skilled Workers in Manitoba candidates invited in the November 21st draw had a minimum score of 504. At the same time,the Skilled Workers Overseas stream candidates had to score at least 739 to be invited in the latest draw. Sixteen among the Skilled Workers Overseas candidates invited in the latest draw received invitations directly under a Strategic Recruitment Initiative of the MPNP.

Manitoba Express Entry

In the latest Manitoba Expression of Interest draw, a total of 20 Express Entry candidates received invitation stop apply for a provincial nomination. Those who receive provincial nomination from Manitoba will be awarded 600 additional Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score points, which would make them eligible to be invited for permanent residence in Canada by the federal government. To be eligible for selection, the Express Entry candidates must have submitted a separate Expression of Interest to the MPNP and have work experience in one of the in-demand occupations of Manitoba. They must also meet certain other criteria.

Skilled Worker Overseas category

Through the Skilled Worker Overseas category, Manitoba selects and nominates foreign skilled workers capable of supporting the labour market of the province. To be eligible under this category, the candidate must have a previous connection to the province or received an invitation through one of the Strategic Recruitment Initiatives of the MPNP.

International Education Stream

Candidates graduated from one of the higher education institutions in Manitoba and have certain in-demand skills may receive provincial nomination through the international education stream. The stream has three subcategories: Career Employment Pathway, Graduate Internship Pathway, and the Student Entrepreneur Pathway.

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November 21 PEI PNP draw invites 171 Express Entry, Labour Impact, Business candidates

Prince Edward Island, the smallest province of Canada, invited 171 immigration candidates to apply for provincial nomination in the latest Prince Edward Island Provincial Nominee Program(PEI PNP) draw held on November 21. This is the second largest PEI PNP draw held in the year 2019, after the February 21 draw that invited 199 candidates to apply for a provincial nomination. The candidates invited in the November 21 draw belonged to the Express Entry, Labour Impact and Business Impact categories of PEI PNP.

PEI PNP Express Entry

In the November 21 draw, 157 invitations were issued to Express Entry and Labour Impact candidates. The Express Entry candidates who successfully apply for and obtain provincial nomination will receive 600 additional Comprehensive Ranking System(CRS) score points. It guarantee them an invitation to apply for permanent residence in Canada in the subsequent federal Express Entry draw.

In order to be considered for provincial nomination, a candidate must first submit an Expression of Interest to the PEI PNP. Each EoI profile is awarded a score based on various eligibility factors and the highest ranking candidates receive invitations to apply for provincial nomination in the monthly PEI PNP draws.

PEI PNP Labour Impact category

The Labour Impact category of PEI PNP is for foreign workers who have a valid job offer from a PEI employer. The Labour Impact category has three streams: Skilled Worker, Critical Worker, and International Graduate. The Labour Impact category also requires the candidate to submit an EoI to be considered for provincial nomination.

PEI PNP has not revealed a breakdown of invitations issued to Express Entry and Labour Impact category candidates in the November 21 draw. Neither the minimum EoI score required for the invited candidates has been revealed. With this draw, the total number of Express Entry and Labour Impact category candidates invited by PEI PNP in the year 2019 has reached 1336.

PEI PNP Business Impact

The November 21 draw also issued invitations to a total of 14 Business Impact: Work Permit Stream candidates. The minimum score required for these candidates was 130. PEI PNP has issued a total of 182 invitations through this Business stream so far this year.

Canada PNP is a simple and faster pathway for Canada immigration aspirants to make their Canadian dream come true. If you wish to move to Canada permanently, you may contact the expert Canada immigration consultants of CanApprove Immigration Consultancy to know your options.

Recurring cases of visa fraud highlight the need for choosing authorized immigration consultants

In the past five years, the migration fraud division of Australia‘s Home Affairs Department has received a total of 2,796 visa scam-related complaints, says a report by SBS News. All these complaints were filed during the period between July 2014 and September 2019.

According to immigration experts,many more such cases go unreported because victims of visa fraud are reluctant to file complaints. Moreover, the victims whose visas have been refused or cancelled owing to fraud do not receive any sort of protection or visa security from the authorities even if they file a complaint. The victims of visa fraud would most probably be trying to secure their visa status rather than filing a complaint.

Further, their circumstances would also be preventing them from complaining to the concerned authorities. We can assume that a person vulnerable enough to trust somebody with their immigration process even without checking their credentials would not be informed enough to know how and to whom they must submit a complaint.

The Border Watch division under Australia’s Department of Home Affairs is encouraging visa fraud victims to report unlawful operators. They also assure that complaints would be acted upon. But the Department would not be providing the complainant any information regarding the progress or outcome of the investigations owing to privacy concerns.

Check the credibility of immigration consultants

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More newcomers likely to become Canada citizens by 2024

Canada government will be spending around $110 million in 2023-2024 for processing citizenship applications, as predicted by the campaign platform for the Liberal Party ahead of the general elections. This indicates a 40 percent increase compared to the amount Canada plans to spend for the same purpose over the coming fiscal year, which is around $75 million. The predicted amount for 2023-2024 period also indicates that the country would be accepting 40 percent more new citizens by   2024.

When a permanent resident acquires Canada citizenship, they get to enjoy a lot of exclusive privileges. These include the right to vote, to run for political office, to enjoy preferential treatment while applying to government jobs, to travel with a Canadian passport and to travel outside of Canada indefinitely.

Canada is keen about helping new immigrants to integrate well to the Canadian society and the country’s high rate of citizenship acquisition shows that it does a good job in facilitating integration. A study conducted by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) in 2018 showed that around 91 per cent of the immigrants who had lived in Canada for at least 10 years have held citizenship. While in Australia, the percentage was 81 percent and in the United States, it was 62 per cent.

A new study by Statistics Canada has found that the citizenship acquisition rate was 86 per cent in Canada at the time of 2016 Census compared to 82 per cent during 1991 Census. But the country had been witnessing a decline in naturalisation rates in the past few years, mainly owing to the citizenship policy changes made by Canada over the last decade. Canada introduced a new language requirements and a new citizenship exam in 2010, which had an impact on the number of new citizens. The increase in the citizenship application fee from $100 to $300 also affected the naturalisation rates.

But recently, the Canada government has introduced certain policy changes with an aim to improve the naturalisation rates. These include upgrading the economic class selection standards that resulted in more immigrants with a higher level of language proficiency arriving in the country. Similarly, the family class immigrants chosen for immigration have social-economic characteristics similar to Canadian citizens and permanent residents sponsoring them, which means they come with a higher human capital. All these make it easier for the new immigrants to integrate well to the Canadian society.

Further, Canada has brought down the language test and citizenship exam requirements for those belonging to the age group of 18-54. The Liberals had promised to waive the citizenship fees completely if they came to power, which they may implement soon.

Canada has a lot of opportunities in store for those who wish to move to the country permanently. If you too wish to enjoy a better life in Canada, the time is now for you to start your Canada migration journey. Take the first step by filling our free eligibility assessment form.

New 491 visa replaces 489– What does it mean for regional migration to Australia?

The 491 visa is a new points-based visa introduced by Australia replacing 489 visa, with an aim to promote regional migration to the country. The introduction of the new visa is part of the changes that are set to be introduced in Australia migration system in the near future.

Introduction of 491 visa: Phases

The 489 visa, which has been replaced by the new 491 visa, was phased out in November 2019. The last day for the States and Territory governments in Australia to nominate and issue invitations to applicants for the Subclass 489 visa was September 10, 2019.  The invited applicants were allowed to submit applications till 15th November 2019. The Australia immigration authorities started to receive lodge Expressions of Interest for the new Subclass 491 visa from 16th November 2019 onwards. The state and territory governments are allowed to nominate applicants and issue invitations for 491 visa from this day onwards.

491 visa: Important features

A 491 visa holder and their family may live, work and study in the designated regional areas of Australia for a period of five years. They may also apply for permanent residence in Australia after three years.

In order to obtain the 491 visa, an applicant must first submit an Expression of Interest(EoI) in SkillSelect. They must also receive nomination from an Australian state or territory or be sponsored by an eligible family member residing in a designated regional area. Eligible applicants will be invited to apply for the 491 visa.

Eligibility criteria for 491 visa

Those who wish to settle in the regional areas of Australia may apply for the 491 visa. By regional areas, it means all of Australia except Sydney, Melbourne, Perth, Brisbane and the Gold Coast.

To be eligible to apply for 491 visa, a person must meet the following criteria:

  • The applicant’s occupation must be on a skilled occupation list
  • A suitable skills assessment has to be done for the occupation
  • The applicant must earn at least minimum points in the points test
  • The applicant’s age must be below 45 years
  • The applicant must prove to have a sufficient level of English language proficiency
  • The applicant must submit an Expression of Interest through SkillSelect
  • Obtain a nomination from a state or territory government or be sponsored by an eligible relative
  • Fulfil the health and character requirements for Australian migration.

Regional migration will be the main focus in Australia in the coming few years and the Australian government is keen on promoting skilled migration to the regional areas of the country. Make the most of this opportunity to move to Australia permanently! Start your journey by getting advice from the expert Australia migration consultants of CanApprove Immigration Consultancy.

Migrate to Australia through Victoria Nomination Program with Visa 491

Victoria Nomination Program, which will come into effect on November 18, 2019, will be a great pathway for international skilled workers to migrate to Australia. The program allows the Australian state of Victoria to nominate applications to migrate to Australia under the skilled work regional (Subclass 491) visa.

Before accepting applications for the skilled work regional visa 491, the eligibility of the applicant is assessed on the basis of points test. The international skilled workers who successfully obtain this visa will be allowed to stay, study and work within the designated area of Australia along with their family members for a period of five years. The Visa 491 aims to provide the regional areas of Australia access to skilled and qualified people who would be able to contribute to the growth of their economies.

Australia introduced the 491 Skilled Work Regional Visa that allows international skilled workers to migrate to Australia on 16 November 2019, replacing Visa 489. To be eligible for Visa 491, the applicant must be sponsored either by an Australian state or Territory Government or an eligible family member residing in a designated regional area of Australia. A total of 14000 places a year have been allocated for Visa 491 by the Australian Department of Home Affairs.

So those international skilled workers who wish to migrate to Australia and willing to settle in a regional area of the country may apply for Visa 491. A primary requirement for this visa is that the applicant must have work experience in an occupation, which is in high demand in the Australian labour market. The candidate must also meet the following  criteria:

Age: The age must be below 45 years

English language: The candidate must prove their English language proficiency by scoring at least 6 bands in each module of the IELTS. English language tests such as OET, iBT, TOEFL, PTE Academic and Cambridge English are also acceptable.

Occupation:If the candidate is applying for a nomination from the state of Victoria under the Skilled Regional Visa (Subclass 491), their occupation must be mentioned under the Commonwealth’s skilled occupation lists.

A precondition for Visa 491 is that the holders will have to live and work in a regional area for a minimum of five years. Further, they would be allowed to move only between designated regional areas. The holder must agree to complete at least three years in a designated regional area before being able to apply for a different visa category.

The regional areas of Australia, which offer high living standards and better career opportunities, have huge demand for skilled workers. Take the first step to make Australia your permanent home by filling our free eligibility assessment form.

Manitoba invites francophone candidates for exploratory visit to the province

With an aim to allow prospective immigrants to build stronger ties with the communities in Manitoba, the province is inviting bilingual francophone candidates to conduct a pre-arranged exploratory visit to the province. During these visits, the skilled worker applicants for provincial nomination from Manitoba can explore the employment opportunities and communities in the province, which would help them make informed decisions regarding settling here. An MPNP interview will be part of all such exploratory visits, which may result in an invitation to apply for provincial nomination from Manitoba.

Though Manitoba has one of the largest francophone populations in Canada, the recent years have witnessed a plunge in their population size. According to the 2016 census of Canada, 46000 people in the province have French as their mother tongue. It means a decline of 3.6 percent compared to the year 2011.

Manitoba is organizing the exploratory visits in association with the Conseil de développementéconomique des municipalitésbilingues du Manitoba (CDEM), which supports economic development of the bilingual communities in the province.

Manitoba government expects that CDEM’s participation will help prospective francophone immigrants to build stronger ties to francophone communities in Manitoba and explore economic opportunities in the province. The MPNP has also updated its candidate screening guidelines with an aim to help facilitate the exploratory visit application processing and selection criteria.

Manitoba Skilled Worker Immigration Stream

The categories under the Manitoba Skilled Worker Immigration stream operate on the basis of an Expression of Interest system. EachExpression of Interest profile is then awarded a score on the basis of a number of eligibility factors. The highest scoring candidates are invited to apply for a provincial nomination from Manitoba. Upon receiving a Letter of Advice to Apply, the candidate may apply for provincial nomination within 60 days. Once the candidate obtains the provincial nomination, they can apply to the Immigration Refugees and Citizenship Canada(IRCC) for permanent residence in the country.

Are you interested in making Canada your permanent home? Know more about Canada migration and provincial nominee programs by contacting our expert Canada immigration consultants.

525 Express Entry, Occupations In-Demand candidates invited in November 12 SINP draw

In the latest Saskatchewan Immigrant Nominee Program (SINP) draw held on November 12, a total of 525 Express Entry and Occupations In-demand candidates were invited to apply for provincial nomination. Of the total number of candidates invited in the November 12 SINP draw, 303 belonged to the Express Entry subcategory. The Express Entry candidates who receive provincial nomination will have an additional 600 Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score points added to their total CRS score. They will also receive an invitation to apply for permanent residence in Canada in the subsequent federal Express Entry draw.

The number of invites issued to Occupation In-demand candidates in the November 12 SINP draw was 222. Skilled workers who do not have an Express Entry profile can apply for a provincial nomination through the Occupation In-Demand sub-category of Saskatchewan Immigrant Nominee Program (SINP). Neither the Express Entry nor the Occupation In-Demand sub-category of SINP requires the candidate to have a job offer. However, the candidates need to meet certain eligibility criteria that include one year of work experience in an eligible occupation, related to their field of study.

Saskatchewan replaced its limited In-Demand Occupations List with an Excluded Occupations List on September 25. It expanded the number of eligible occupations for both Express Entry and Occupations In-demand sub-categories from 19 to more than 200. Ever since, Saskatchewan has conducted a total of 12 invitation rounds so far and invited 5229 candidates.

In the November 12 SINP draw, candidates with work experience in 94 occupations that included human resource managers, database analysts and administrators, drafting technologists and technicians, and power engineers and power systems operators were invited.

The first step for a candidate to be considered for provincial nomination under either Express Entry or Occupations In-Demand subcategory of SINP is to submit an Expression of Interest. Each of the EoI profile is assessed on the basis of a number of eligibility factors such as age, education, skilled work experience, language proficiency and previous connections to Saskatchewan and awarded a score out of 100. The highest scoring candidates are invited to apply for provincial nomination. The November 12 SINP draw invited candidates with a minimum score of 69. To be selected, the candidates were also required to have their educational qualifications earned from outside Canada assessed.

Talk to our expert immigration consultants to know more about Canada Provincial Nominee Program and migration.

IRCC invites 3600 candidates with minimum CRS score of 472 in latest Express Entry draw!

In the latest Express Entry draw held on November 13, the Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) issued Invitations to Apply (ITAs) for permanent residence to 3600 candidates. The invited candidates have a minimum Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score of 472 or above. The CRS cut-off score in the previous Express Entry draw held on October 30 was 475 points.

Tie-break rule was applied in the November 13 draw too, the time stamp given being October 8, 2019 at 10:46:01 UTC. It means the draw prioritized those candidates with a minimum CRS score of 472 and those who had submitted their Express Entry profiles before the said date and time.

The CRS cut-off score of the previous CRS draw held on October 30 was 475, which is so far the highest CRS cut-off score in the year 2019. The reason for this rise in CRS cut-off score is assumed to be the longer time gap occurred between the two consecutive all-program Express Entry draws held on October 30 and October 2. Usually, IRCC conducts all-program Express Entry draws in every two weeks. A longer time gap means more time for the Express Entry pool to be filled with competitive profiles. So the IRCC sets the CRS cut-off score high to select the set number of candidates to apply for permanent residence in Canada.

However, it is expected that the CRS cut-off score would be coming down in the future draws. Candidates with CRS scores below 450 may receive ITAs as happened in January this year when candidates with CRS scores as low as 438 were invited.

As per the Immigration Levels Plan of Canada for 2019-2021, Canada will admit 256000 permanent residents through the federal Express Entry draws and 200000 through provincial nominee programs.

Minimum CRS requirements in the Express Entry draws held this year:

Date  Minimum CRS score Number of ITAs issued
January 10, 2019 449 3900
January 23, 2019 443 3900
January 30, 2019 438 3350
February 20, 2019 457 3350
March 6. 2019 454 3350
March 20, 2019 452 3350
April 3, 2019 451 3350
April 17, 2019 451 3350
May 1, 2019 450 3350
May 15, 2019(Program-specific) 332   500
May 29, 2019 470 3350
June 12, 2019 465 3350
June 26,  2019 462 3350
July 10, 2019 460 3600
July 24, 2019 459 3600
August 12, 2019 466 3600
August 20, 2019 457 3600
September 4, 2019 463 3600
September 18, 2019 462 3600
October 2, 2019 464 3900
October 16, 2019 (Program-specific) 357  500
October 30, 2019 475 3900
November 14, 2019 472 3600

Interested in Canada immigration through Express Entry? Contact us for more information and guidance

Canada’s highest employment gains in October recorded in British Columbia, Newfoundland

According to a new Labour Force Survey conducted by Statistics Canada, British Columbia and Newfoundland are the provinces that recorded the highest employment gains last month. The survey report shows that Canada added a total of 443000 new jobs during the period between October 2018 and October 2019.

The survey report shows that the overall employment in Canada came down slightly in October with a reduction of 1800 in net jobs. However, the national unemployment rate remained steady at 5.5 percent. This drop is preceded by large employment gains in the months of August and September.

Among the provinces in Canada, British Columbia emerged top by gaining 15000 net jobs in October. The major reason for this increase was the rise in full-time employment among people above the age of 55. Meanwhile, the unemployment rate of the province remained the same, the lowest in the country at 4.7 percent.

Newfoundland and Labrador came second by gaining 2700 net jobs in October. The major reason for this increase was a hike in part-time work among those in the core working-age group of 24-54. In all other Canadian provinces, both the employment level and the unemployment rate remained relatively the same.

The number of new jobs in the public administration sector in Canada increased by 20000 in October.  Major gains in this sector were reported from British Columbia, Quebec, New Brunswick, and Prince Edward Island. Employment in the sector has grown by over 73000 or 7.6 percent since October 2018.

Other major sectors that witnessed an increase in employment in the month of October were finance, insurance, real estate, rental, and leasing industries.  The survey report by Statistics Canada says that an increase of 18000 net jobs in this field is the second such increase in three months. The number of jobs in this field has increased by 64000 since October 2018.

Canada has vast employment opportunities on offer for skilled immigrants. If you wish to make Canada your permanent home, there is no better time than now to take the first step. Start your Canada migration journey by filling our free assessment form.

New immigrants to Canada more likely to find success in business

A recent study conducted by the Business Development Bank of Canada (BDC) has revealed that new immigrants to Canada are more likely to become successful entrepreneurs than Canadian-borns. According to the study, the businesses started by the new immigrants are also likely to grow faster and create more jobs.

The study further observed that the new immigrants to Canada are twice as likely to take the efforts to turn a business proposal into reality. These may involve starting or acquiring a business or equipment or any other step required to launch a new enterprise.

Canada had 25600 newcomer entrepreneurs in the year 2018, which means a 22 per cent increase since 2006. By 2032, immigrants are predicted to constitute 80 per cent of Canada’s total population growth. It indicates that the number of successful immigrant entrepreneurs would continue to rise in the coming decades too. The study found that the number of new entrepreneurs among women, Millenials and older Canadians was also increasing.

Entrepreneurship for new immigrants to Canada

Though running a business is highly stressful, job satisfaction is high among entrepreneurs in Canada, according to the study. Almost 90 per cent of the entrepreneurs who participated in the study said they were satisfied with what they do. They are motivated to work every day and satisfied in their business progress.

It is not about money alone. Independence, autonomy, flexibility, passion, as well as self-fulfilment, are also important factors that make entrepreneurs happy.

Skills and success in entrepreneurship

Goal-oriented people who are resilient when faced with failures are setbacks are more likely to succeed as entrepreneurs. Starting a new enterprise requires a lot of courage and hard work. If courage cannot be learned, the skills necessary to grow a business can, says the BDC study.

An entrepreneur’s level of satisfaction is strongly connected to their level of managerial and technical skills, found the study. The study assessed the following skills of the entrepreneurs:

  • Financial management
  • Sales and marketing
  • Human resources management
  • Operations management
  • Strategic planning

They grouped the 11 managerial skills studied into the following four categories:

  • Organizational management
  • Leadership and people management
  • Innovation
  • Networking

According to the study, managerial skills in innovation and networking have a positive impact on sales growth. Innovation and organizational management skills also contributed to increasing entrepreneurial satisfaction.

Canada is awaiting new immigrants, both professionals and aspiring entrepreneurs, with a lot of opportunities.   If you wish to migrate to Canada, waste no time!  Fill our free assessment form to explore your options.