Ontario seeks an increase in annual nomination allocation

Ontario has requested the federal government to double its annual nomination allocation by 2022. Vic Fedeli, the Immigration Minister of Ontario, has sent a letter in this regard to his federal counterpart Marco Mendicino.

Annual nomination allocation means the number of immigration candidates a province can nominate for permanent residence in Canada in a year. The nomination allocation for Ontario for the current year is 6650. The province wants this to be increased to 13300 by 2022.

Provincial Nominee Programs

Under the Canada PNP, participating provinces and territories are allowed to nominate a certain number of immigration candidates for permanent residence. The annual nomination allocations for each province vary according to the PNP admission targets of Canada. In the current year, Canada is planning to admit 61000 newcomers through PNP. In 2018, the annual PNP target was 55000. For the coming year, Canada has set an immigration target of 67800 for PNP.

Over the past few years, Ontario has been receiving the largest nomination allocation among all Canadian provinces and territories.Though the annual allocation for Ontario in the current year was 6650, an additional 700 nominations were allocated for the province last week with which the total number of nominations allocated for Ontario has touched 7350.

However, Ontario has not yet revealed how it is planning to distribute the additional nominations among the immigration streams under the Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program (OINP). The province is also yet to make clear how the increased allocation will benefit the proposed Ontario Regional Immigration Pilot that will be launched in early 2020.

Ontario is also seeking greater autonomy and control over the selecting immigrants to the province. The province of Saskatchewan has already put forward its demand to have more control over immigration to the province. Currently, Quebec alone enjoys greater control over immigration among the provinces and territories of Canada.

Canada PNP is fast becoming a popular and fast-track pathway for migration to Canada. This is a viable option even for candidates with low CRS scores. Get in touch with the expert immigration consultants of CanApprove to explore your options to migrate to Canada through PNP.

Parents and Grandparents Program 2020 intake likely soon

The details of the upcoming intake for the Parents and Grandparents Program (PGP) for 2020 will be released soon, according to the Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC). The Parents and Grandparents Program is one of the most popular sponsorship programs among permanent residents and citizens of Canada.

The program allows eligible permanent residents and citizens of Canada to sponsor their parents or grandparents for permanent residence. A huge number of persons depend on this program to bring their parents/grandparents to Canada. The program adopted first-come, first-served system for accepting applications in 2019. Under this system, eligible sponsors may submit Interest to Sponsor forms online when the system is open to accept the forms. The system remains open till the previously decided number Interest to Sponsor forms are accepted. After reviewing these forms, IRCC issues invitations to the sponsors to submit the complete application, which can be done within 60 days of receiving the invitation. As in the case of 2019 intake, IRCC has retained the forms of those who have submitted an Interest to Sponsor form and received a confirmation number, but did not receive an invitation to apply, to be considered in the 2020 intake.

The program has faced a lot of criticism in the past few years for its methods of selection. The online first-come, first-served process of application was introduced in 2019, replacing the lottery system of selecting sponsors. Under the lottery system, the sponsors could submit Interest to Sponsor forms during a month-long window of January after which IRCC randomly selected a set number of sponsors.

After introducing the first-come, first-served system, the program was opened on January 28, 2019. But the system remained open for only a few minutes and many could not submit Interest to Sponsor forms. This also led to much controversy as it was argued that the system discriminated against those who were unable to fill the form quickly and whose internet connection was slow. The maximum number of Interests to Sponsor forms accepted in the 2019 intake was 20000.

Later, the federal government of Canada had to award 70 places under the program to settle two lawsuits that claimed that the online first-come, first-served system of accepting Interests to Sponsor was unfair. According to a report by the CBC News the settlement was made secretly in which the members of the lawsuits were allowed to sponsor their parents/grandparents.

Canada’s immigration system gives highest priority to keeping families together. Get in touch with our expert immigration consultants to explore your options to move to Canada permanently with family.

Canada’s immigration priorities outlined in Mandate Letter to Mendicino

Among the major tasks assigned to Marco Mendicino, the new immigration minister of Canada, are the implementation of the annual Immigration Levels Plan for 2020-2022 and the new Municipal Nominee Program. All the priorities of the new Liberal government with regard to immigration are outlined in the Mandate Letter to Mendicino, which was published by the government recently.

The tasks that are assigned to the immigration minister align with the immigration policies of the Liberal Party, which were enacted during its first mandate. The tasks are also in line with the election promises made by the Liberal government.

Considering the recent developments, we can assume that the federal government will continue to increase the annual immigration levels, almost by 10000 by the year 2022. The annual immigration target of Canada is expected to be 41,000 in 2020, 350,000 in 2021, and around 360,000 in 2022.

Canada is spending a huge amount, more than any other country, on its efforts to facilitate the smooth integration of immigrants to Canadian society. The government has no plans to find out if these efforts had been successful in meeting their goals.

The introduction of the Municipal Nominee Program was yet another election promise of the Liberal party. The program would allow local communities, chambers of commerce and local labour councils to sponsor immigrants directly. Around 5000 new spaces are expected to be allocated for this program.

The new Liberal Government also has plans to make the Atlantic Immigration Pilot program permanent. At least 5000 new spaces are expected to be allocated for this program as well.

The Liberal Party, in its election campaign, has also promised to waive the citizenship fees completely, after it received the feedback that the application fee is too high. The government expects that this would lead to 40 per cent more immigrants obtaining citizenship by around by 2024.

If you wish to migrate to Canada, this is the right time to start the efforts to make your dream come true. Contact the expert immigration consultants of CanApprove to know more about your options to migrate to Canada

Manufacturing industry urges government to increase immigration levels

The manufacturing industry representatives of Quebechave urged the Quebec government rethink its immigration policies in an open letter sent to federal and provincial governments. The letter from the Manufacturiersetexportateurs du Quebec (MEQ) and signed by 25 manufacturing industry representatives was sent to the government in the context of the industry facing a dire shortage of workers.

According to the industry representatives, the Quebec manufacturing industry is currently facing a chronic shortage of nearly 20000 workers. They believe that increasing the immigration levels would help to resolve the labour crisis in the province.The Coalition Avenir Quebec(CAQ) that came to power in 2018 cut down the immigration levels by 20 percent in 2019.

The letter points out that Quebec does not have enough skilled workers. It leads to contracts and business opportunities are being refused. As a result, investment and product development is slowing down. The letter also brings the attention of the government to the issues that arise when the employers are compelled to hire unqualified labourers.

Further, the letter has urged the government to bring about necessary changes in the Temporary Foreign Worker Program in order to help employers hire skilled workers without delay, as the immigration reform is a long-term process.

Quebec has one of the tightest labour markets in Canada. But the CAQ government reduced the annual immigration levels of Quebec from 50,000 in 2018 to 40,000 in 2019 when they came to power. The Quebec government has revealed that they have plans to increase the immigration levels again to above 50,000 slowly by 2022. But according to the industry experts, it is too little, too late.

Another immigration reform introduced by the CAQ government when it came to power was the scrapping out 16000 existing applications under the Quebec Skilled Worker Program. The move was part of speeding up the introduction of Arrima, the Expression of Interest system of application for the Quebec Skilled Worker Program. However, Quebec has invited only those with a job offer or those legally residing in Quebec after their previous QSWP applications were scrapped, through the Arrima system.

Quebec is the right destination for those immigrants looking for better career opportunities and high standards of living. If you wish to know more about Quebec migration, get in touch with the expert immigration consultants of CanApprove now!

Ontario invites 667 Express Entry candidates in December 11 Skilled Trades Stream draw

In the latest Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program (OINP) draw held on December 11, a total of 667 Express Entry candidates belonging to the Skilled Trades Stream received Notifications of Interest. The draw was held following Ontario receiving an additional nomination allocation of 700 for the year 2019. The latest draw has brought the total allocation of nominations for OINP to 7350. Originally, Ontario had been allocated only 6650 nominations for the current year.

OINP Skilled Trades Stream

The Skilled Trades Stream is one of the three immigration pathways under OINP that are aligned to the federal Express Entry system. Under the stream, OINP selects those candidates with work experience in one of the eligible skilled trades for issuing Notifications of Interest to apply for provincial nomination from Ontario. To be eligible for the Skilled Trades Stream, the candidate must have at least one year of work experience in Ontario in an eligible skilled trade and meet other criteria.

The December 11 draw selected candidates with a minimum Comprehensive Ranking System score of 410. This is quite low compared to the minimum CRS score requirement for the latest federal Express Entry draw, which was 472. The OINP will consider those who have received NOIs in the December 11 draw under the 2020 nomination allocation for the province.

OINP Express Entry

The OINP has three immigration pathways aligned to the federal Express Entry system and the Skilled Trades Stream is one among them. The other two are Human Capital Priorities Stream and French-speaking Skilled Worker Stream. While the Human Capital Priorities Stream issued total of 6958 Notifications of Interest this year, 549 NoIs were issued through the French-speaking Skilled Worker Stream. Those who receive NoI, apply for provincial nomination, and successfully obtain the nomination will get 600 additional CRS score points that would guarantee them an Invitation to Apply for permanent residence in Canada in the subsequent federal Express Entry draw.

Canada PNP is a viable option for Express Entry candidates, especially those with low CRS scores. Choose your Canada immigration pathway wisely to ensure success in making your dream come true. Contact the expert Canada migration consultants of CanApprove, who can offer you professional guidance and support for Canada migration, every step of the way!

December 11 Express Entry draw invites 3200 candidates to apply for Canada PR

In the latest Canada Express Entry draw held on December 11, a total of 3200 candidates were issued invitations to apply for permanent residence. The Comprehensive Ranking System(CRS) cut-off score for candidates to be selected in the draw was 472. Compared to the previous draw held on November 27, the score is one point higher.

Tie-break rule was applied in the draw, which means not all candidates with a CRS score of 472 received invitations. The time stamp given for the tie-break was December 6, 2019 at 03:03:49 UTC. The draw prioritised those who had submitted their Express Entry profiles before the said date and time.

Usually the time gap between two Express Entry draws is two weeks. So the next draw was supposed to take place on December 25, which is highly unlikely, as it is a public holiday in Canada. It is expected that next draw would be taking place at a later date.

The total number of ITAs issued in the December 11 draw was 3200. The number is 400 lower compared to the November 27 draw, when the number of ITAs issued was 3600. The lesser number of ITAs might be the reason for the increase in CRS cut-off score by one point.

According to the Immigration Levels Plan of Canada for the year 2019-2021, the country is planning to admit 256000 candidates through Express Entry alone. Another 200000 newcomers would be admitted through Provincial Nominee Programs during the plan period.

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

Date	CRS cut-off 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
November 27, 2019	471	3600
December 11, 2019	472	3200

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

Manitoba PNP invites 221 foreign workers, international students in latest draw

In the latest held on December 6, Manitoba PNP issued Letters of Advice to Apply(LAAs) for provincial nomination to 221 immigration candidates. Candidates belonging to the Skilled Worker in Manitoba and Skilled Worker Overseas categories as well as the International Education stream of Manitoba PNP were invited in the draw.

The distribution of the Letters of Advice to Apply(LAAs) issued in the December 6 draw is as follows:

Skilled Workers in Manitoba: 165
Skilled Workers Overseas: 23
International Education Stream: 33

The December 6 Manitoba PNP draw has brought the total number of LAAs issued this year to 7362.

Manitoba PNP Express Entry

In the December 6 draw, 18 Express Entry candidates received LAAs to apply for provincial nomination. To be considered for selection, Express Entry candidates must have work experience in one of the in-demand occupations of Manitoba. They must also submit a separate Expression of Interest. The nominated candidates will receive 600 additional Comprehensive Ranking System(CRS) score points. In the subsequent Express Entry draw, they would also receive an invitation to apply for permanent residence.

Expression of Interest in Manitoba PNP

To be invited through either the Skilled Worker in Manitoba category or Skilled Worker Overseas category, the candidate must first register an Expression of Interest(EoI) with the Manitoba PNP. Each Expression of Interest profile is awarded a score out of 1000 based on various factors that include previous connections to Manitoba, education, work experience, language proficiency etc.

The candidates with the highest scores will receive LAAs and they can apply for a provincial nomination from Manitoba for permanent residence in Canada. In the latest draw, the lowest score to be selected for the Skilled Worker in Manitoba candidates was 522 and for Skilled Worker Overseas, the minimum score was 718.

Manitoba PNP Skilled Worker Overseas category

Skilled Worker Overseas category allows Manitoba to nominate skilled foreign workers, who can support the labour market of the province, for Canada PR. This category requires the candidate to have an established connection to Manitoba in the form of close family or friends, previous education or work experience in the province or an invitation received through one of the Strategic Recruitment Initiatives of Manitoba PNP.

At the same time, Skilled Worker in Manitoba category requires the candidate to be working in Manitoba at the time of application. Further, they must have received a full-time permanent job offer from Manitoba.

International Education Stream is meant for international students who have graduated from Manitoba institutions of higher education and have certain in-demand skills.

Canada PNP is a viable and fast-track option for international skilled workers who wish to make Canada their permanent home. Fill our free eligibility assessment form to check your options for Canadian migration

Latest Alberta Express Entry stream draw invites 132 candidates

The Express Entry stream draw of Alberta Immigrant Nominee Program (AINP) held on December 5 issued Notifications of Interest (NoIs) to 132 candidates to apply for provincial nomination for permanent residence in Canada. The minimum Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score of the candidates invited in the draw was 400.

Through the Express Entry stream, AINP selects eligible candidates to invite to apply for provincial nomination, from the federal Express Entry pool. The Express Entry candidates who successfully apply for and receive provincial nomination from Alberta will also have 600 additional CRS score points added to their total CRS score. This guarantees them an invitation to apply for permanent residence in Canada in the subsequent federal Express Entry draw.

The CRS cut-off score set for the December 5 AINP Express Entry stream draw is much lower in comparison to the cut-off scores for the federal Express Entry draws held this year. The lowest CRS cut-off score in a federal Express Entry draw this year so far was 438.

It is not necessary for a candidate to have a job offer from Alberta to be eligible for invitation under the Alberta Express Entry stream. However, if the candidate has one or more of the following advantages, they are more likely to be selected in the Alberta Express Entry stream draws:

A job offer or previous work experience in Canada
A degree obtained from a Canadian post-secondary institution and a valid job offer
A parent, child or sibling residing in Alberta.

In the year 2019, Alberta conducted 31 provincial nomination draws. The nomination allocation for Alberta for the current year was 6000. AINP has issued all the 6000 certificates for the year. The province is expected to issue invitations again in January 2020.

The Express Entry stream of Alberta is the best pathway for immigration aspirants, especially those who are worried about their low CRS scores. In a few draws held this year, the province invited Express Entry candidates with CRS score as low as 300. Thus, AINP opens up opportunities for eligible skilled workers to move to Canada permanently and live/work/study in the province.

Canada PNP offers numerous options for immigration aspirants to make their dream come true, even if they have low CRS scores. Contact our expert Canada immigration consultants to know more about your options to migrate to Canada through provincial nominee programs.

Canada immigration via Express Entry & the PNP looks even brighter in 2020

The legacy of welcoming foreign skilled immigrants to Canada is all set to continue in 2020. The new year will see the target rise to 85,800, up from 81,400 in 2019, for the three federal Express Entry immigration programs – Federal Skilled Workers, Canada Experience Class and Federal Skilled Trades Program.

The Provincial Nominee Programs, or PNP, will also witness a rise in admission target from 61,000 to 67,800 in 2020. In the said scheme, nine Canadian provinces and two territories have immigration streams linked to the Express Entry system. These streams issue provincial nominations to eligible candidates from Express Entry pool.

IRCC issues a document named Invitation to Apply (ITA) to eligible candidates in the Express Entry pool. With an ITA, the eligible candidates may apply for a permanent residence in Canada.

Candidates in the Express Entry pool who receive a provincial nomination are eligible to get an additional 600 points toward their Comprehensive Ranking System score. Effectively, this guarantees an invitation from IRCC to apply for permanent residence in Canada.

Take a free assessment to improve your CRS score and know the best option to migrate to Canada.

It is also interesting to note that the rising target of Canada immigration via Express Entry and the PNP may have a downward impact on the minimum CRS score, enabling more people to be eligible to apply for permanent residence in Canada.

A CRS score is based on core human capital factors like age, education qualification, work experience, proficiency in English or French. The CRS score under all-program Express Entry draw in 2019 alone touched its peak of 475 in October 30 draw. However, the minimum CRS hovered around 450-460 for the most part of the year. The enhanced provincial nomination streams have low as 300 (Alberta Express Entry stream) or no minimum CRS score requirements.

If you are looking to work & settle abroad, Canada offers tremendous opportunities that can change your life forever for good. Get in touch us to let us be your personal consultant & begin your process for immigration today!

Social and community service workers invited in latest NSNP Labour Market Priorities Stream draw

In the latest Labour Market Priorities stream draw held on December 5^th, Nova Scotia Nominee Program(NSNP) invited Express Entry candidates with work experience as social and community service workers. The occupation of the candidates invited in the latest draw is classified under National Occupation Classification(NOC) 4212-Social and Community Service Workers.

Through the Labour Market Priorities Stream, Nova Scotia selects candidates with specific work experience that is in demand in the province from the federal Express Entry pool and invites them to apply for provincial nomination. The December 5 Labour Market Priorities Stream draw is the sixth draw to be held under this stream in 2019. The earlier Labour Market Priorities draws had invited Express Entry candidates with work experience as nurses, carpenters, financial auditors and accountants.

The Express Entry candidates who successfully obtain provincial nomination through the Labour Market Priorities Stream and receive provincial nomination will also have 600 additional Comprehensive Ranking System(CRS) score points added to their total CRS score. It ensures them an invitation to apply for permanent residence in Canada from the federal government in the subsequent Express Entry draw.

A job offer is not required for the candidate to be selected for invitation through the Labour Market Priorities stream. Those who receive invitation in a Labour Market Priorities stream draw may apply for provincial nomination within 30 days.

The candidates selected in the December 5^th Nova Scotia Labour Market Priorities stream were required to meet the following criteria:

Primary occupation must be social worker or community social worker(NOC 4212)
Letters of reference from employers have to be submitted to prove that they have two or more years of full-time or equivalent part-time experience as a social worker or community service worker. The work experience must be acquired within five years before submitting the application
Minimum language proficiency equal to Canadian Language Benchmark score 7 in English or French in all the four abilities (reading, writing, speaking and listening)
Education qualification equal to a bachelor’s degree or must have completed a study program with a duration of three or more years at a university, college, trade or technical school or other eligible institute of higher education
Must have a valid Express Entry profile created on or after December 6, 2018.

Do you wish to migrate to Canada? Then Canada Provincial Nominee Programs can be a great option for you. Check your eligibility for free by filling our free online assessment form

New program for helping newcomers find affordable housing in Quebec

A new program has been launched in Quebec with an aim to help newcomers find affordable housing. Finding an affordable housing in Quebec has always been a serious challenge for newcomers when they arrived in Quebec for the first time.

The new project, named ‘Housing, key to a successful integration’, will help newcomers find affordable housing without much hassle in the province. The project is being run by the Fédération des Coopérativesd’HabitationIntermunicipale du Montréal Métropolitain (FECHIMM), a non-profit focusing on social housing. The City of Montreal and the Immigration Ministry of Quebec are financing the project.

The ultimate aim of the project is to help new immigrants integrate better and faster to the Quebec society. Under the program, newcomers would receive knowledge on affordable housing options as well as support throughout the process of finding an affordable home in Quebec.

FECHIMM has already made clear the purpose of the project, which is not to have more social housing units but to integrate newcomers better. The program will give newcomers an idea about social housing, co-ops in Quebec and how non-profits operate.

FECHIMM is the largest co-op housing federation in Quebec. As part of the program, it will work with partners to educate and share information with newcomers.

Most of the newcomers to Quebec, almost 70 percent,prefer to settle in the city of Montreal. Often they are compelled to spend an excessive amount on money on housing. FECCHIM’s project hopes to bring an end to this problem. According to FECHIMM’s data, around 20000 families live in around 600 co-ops in the Montreal area.

Are you looking for better career opportunities and living standards in another country? Then Quebec is the best destination for you. Get in touch with our expert immigration consultants to know more.

New South Wales invites applications from foreign skilled workers for Subclass 190 visa!

Skilled workers who wish to move to Australia permanently may now apply for nomination from the Australian state of New South Wales(New South Wales) under the Subclass 190 visa. Skilled Nominated Visa (190 visa) helps NSW to attract highly skilled foreign workers with work experience in a range of occupations to meet the labour market demands of the state.

Subclass 190 visa

A foreign skilled worker may apply for nomination from New South Wales if their occupation is included in the NSW 190 Priority Skilled Occupation List (NSW 190 List). Those who successfully receive nomination from NSW will have five points added to their total eligibility score for subclass 190 visa. However, in order to obtain the visa invited candidates will have to meet the eligibility criteria for both the state and the federal government. The candidate must also be willing to reside in NSW for at least the first two years after arriving in Australia.

Application process for Subclass 190 visa

The first step in the process of applying for Subclass 190 visa is to submit an Expression of Interest in SkillSelect. The candidates must also declare their interest for NSW nomination in the Expression of Interest. The candidates, if selected by NSW, would receive an invitation to apply for state nomination. The application can be submitted within 14 days after receiving the invitation. Those who receive provincial nomination from NSW may apply for the 190 visa within 60 days.

New South Wales has recently informed that, starting from January 2020, the state would not be accepting applications from those residing in another Australian state or territory at the time of application. If the candidate is applying from inside Australia, they must be residing in New South Wales itself.

The Australian states are keen about inviting skilled foreign workers who can contribute to the growth of their economy. If you wish to explore the vast opportunities that await you in Australia, get in touch with our expert consultants to kickstart your Australia migration journey.

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