Quebec Expression of Interest system to invite candidates soon

The Quebec Expression of Interest (EoI) system will start inviting candidates to apply for Quebec Selection Certificate (CSQ) in the coming weeks, it has been informed. The Quebec EoI system, named Arrima, already has around 115000 profiles registered with it, ever since it was launched in September 2018.

Quebec’s immigration ministry (MIDI) has announced: “From now on, the department will use a new system, which makes it possible to invite, as a matter of priority, a permanent selection request to those who best meet the needs of Québec.

“The minister will invite those who have filed a declaration of interest and who meet the conditions set out in the law to submit a request for permanent selection.”

In the initial rounds of invitation, priority will be given to those candidates who applied under the old system before August 2, 2018, and were living in Quebec when they submitted the application or when Bill 9 was passed. But the candidates need to fulfil the precondition that they must have submitted an Expression of Interest to Arrima.

Quebec Expression of Interest system

The Quebec Expression of Interest system is similar to the federal Express Entry system. The candidates interested in migrating to Quebec can submit Expressions of Interest. The EoIs are then ranked on the basis of certain eligibility factors. The highest-scoring candidates are invited to apply for Quebec Selection Certificate in the draws that are conducted regularly. The profiles will remain valid for 12 months. In order to be considered for an invitation, the candidates must first submit an Expression of Interest in Arrima.

While selecting candidates, MIDI will give priority is given to those candidates who demonstrate the ability to integrate into the Quebec community faster. The applications for the Quebec Selection Certificate are classified under two categories–one is of candidates living in Quebec, have a job offer and meet specific criteria. The other is of candidates who live outside Quebec and meet other criteria.

The candidates who receive invitations from Quebec can submit the complete application within 90 days. Upon receiving the Quebec Selection Certificate, they can apply for Canadian permanent residence.

In the first quarter of 2019, Quebec reported the highest job vacancy rate among the provinces of Canada. For eligible candidates, Quebec is a land of vast opportunities. Contact us to explore your chances for Quebec migration.

New Canada caregiver immigration pilots opened for applications

On June 18, Canada opened Home Child Care Provider and Home Support Worker, the two new pilot programs for caregiver immigration. The pilots offer a direct pathway for caregivers to migrate to Canada and allow them to bring their family members along. These programs have replaced the Caring for Children and Caring for People with High Medical Needs pilots from June 18, 2019 onwards.

The maximum number of principal applicants to be admitted under each of these caregiver immigration pilot programs has been fixed by the Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) at 2,750. So the total number of caregivers to be admitted to Canada under these two pilot programs per year will be 5500, besides their accompanying family members.

In order to be eligible under these caregiver immigration programs, the candidates must have a job offer from a Canadian employer and meet the standard criteria for economic immigration programs. After obtaining two years of work experience, they can apply for permanent residence in Canada.

The federal government of Canada has also announced its decision to reopen the Interim Pathway for Caregivers on July 8, 2019 for three months. This short-term pathway targets caregivers who came to Canada as temporary foreign workers since 2014 but did not qualify for permanent residence through any existing program.

Important features of the new caregiver immigration pilots

Occupation-specific work permits in place of employer-specific work permits. It allows candidates to change jobs if they want.
Open work permits and/or study permits for family members
Guaranteed permanent residence after the candidate acquires two years of work experience.

The initial applications to the new pilots have a targeted processing time of 12 months. The applications for permanent residence from these caregivers once they acquire two years of work experience in Canada is expected to be six months.

Caregivers who were planning to apply under the expiring pilots can now apply through either of the new pilots. Those who applied through the old system before June 18 will have their applications processed through to a final decision. Moreover, as the candidates are being issued occupation-specific work permits, employers will no longer need a Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) before hiring a caregiver from overseas.

For the candidates who meet the eligibility criteria for caregiver immigration, the new pilot programs open a doorway for Canada migration. Please get in touch with us if you want to know more about caregiver immigration.

Expert opines Australia annual immigration target should have been kept at 190000

The Australia annual immigration target should have been kept at 190,000, according to Peter McDonald, professor of Demography at the University of Melbourne. In an Australian Financial Review report, he was quoted as saying that Australia is facing a potential “labour-supply crunch” as two million Baby Boomers are retiring from the workforce.

The professor is of the opinion that the retiring workforce is not going to be replaced at the young end because the young end is not growing. “The young end is flat and even falling because people are staying in education longer. So migration is really the only solution to that … it probably would have been better to stick at 190,000,” he said.

It was in March 2019, Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison cut the Australian immigration target to 160,000 per year, in order to appease the Australian voters worried about job security and congestion in cities.

The professor also pointed out that the reduction in Australia immigration target had not made any difference in the congestion faced by Sydney and Melbourne. Many of the Baby Boom generation who will be retiring soon, had been in lower-skilled jobs. If these jobs are not filled by migrants, Australia will also face a shortage of lower-skilled workers too.

Australia has fixed the permanent migration at 160,000 for the next four years. With an aim to steer migrants away from highly populated cities such as Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane, the government has also been introducing skilled visas. These visas, covering 23,000 entrants, require the candidates to have three years of residence in the regions as a precondition for securing permanent residency.

The 160,000 cap includes 110,000 skilled workers and 47,000 family immigrants. Currently, 101,419 applications are pending in the skilled worker category and another 194,908 in the family migration category, including 80,539 partners applying for residency. Many of these candidates are already in Australia on bridging visas.

Australia is facing huge demand for skilled workers. Do you want to know if you are eligible for Australian migration? Contact us now!

Quebec records the highest job vacancy rate in Canada

Quebec has emerged as the province with the highest job vacancy rate among the Canadian provinces, according to the latest Help Wanted report of the Canadian Federation of Independent Business (CFIB). The report states that the job vacancy rate of Quebec is 4.1 percent, which is 0.8 percentage points above the national average. The rate is also 0.5 percentage points above any other province.

Quebec reported 120,800 vacancies at the end of the first quarter of 2019. This huge number reveals how difficult it is for the employers of this French-speaking province to find employees for filling the vacant positions. Quebec is the second most populous province of Canada. Though Ontario has more number of vacancies at 174,800, the population of the province is also larger, which means the job vacancy rate is only 3.3 per cent.

The Skilled Worker immigration system of Quebec is currently stalled as it is undergoing an overhauling process in order to improve the integration of immigrants. But this has left the employers in the province in lurch as they have nowhere to search for employees.

The Coalition Avenir Quebec government has announced its plan to gradually increase the immigration levels, starting from 2020. Earlier in 2019, the number of immigrants to be admitted by Quebec had been cut down by 20 percent to 40000. As per the new proposal, Quebec will welcome 44,500 new immigrants in 2020, 47,500 in 2021 and 52,500 by 2022.

Canada’s national job vacancy rate has also been steadily climbing for the past two years and it reached another record high last quarter, according to Ted Mallett, CFIB’s vice-president and chief economist. The industries in Canada that face the biggest difficulty in filling positions include construction, with a 4.9 per cent vacancy rate, and personal services, at 4.7 per cent. The other sectors which have vacancy rates above the national average are agriculture (3.8 per cent), hospitality (3.7 per cent), professional services (3.6 per cent) and transportation (3.6 per cent).

For qualified immigrants, Quebec is a land of countless opportunities! Are you interested in migrating to Quebec? If yes, please get in touch with us to know your eligibility. Because, there is no better time than now to migrate to Quebec!

Job vacancy rate in Canada hits the highest in first quarter of 2019

The private sector in Canada reported a record rate of job vacancies in the first three months of 2019. Among the provinces, the highest number of job vacancies in Canada was reported in Quebec, says a news update by the Canadian Federation of Independent Business (CFIB). The update further reveals that a total of 435,000 job vacancies in Canada were reported in the first four months of 2019, which has put the job vacancy rate in the country at 3.3.percent.

Ted Mallet, vice-president and chief economist of the CFIB was quoted as saying by the CIC News that Canada job vacancy rate had been climbing steadily in the past two years and reached a record high last quarter. The update from CFIB also observes that the labour shortages affected skilled positions more, compared to semi and unskilled occupations. The labour shortages are also putting pressure on employers to increase wage levels.

Despite the fact that Canada job vacancy rate is coming down compared to the same period in 2018, labour shortages continue to be a challenge, especially in Quebec, British Columbia and Ontario. Quebec witnessed the highest level of labour shortage with the job vacancy rate reaching 4.1 per cent in the first quarter of 2019. The second-highest job vacancy rate was reported by British Columbia at 3.6 per cent. Ontario came third with 3.3 per cent.

Canada job vacancy rate: Province-wide data

The construction sector was the industry sector that faced the highest job vacancy rate in the first quarter of 2019 at 4.9 per cent. The personal services sector reported the second-highest job vacancy rate at 4.7 per cent. The agricultural business sector came third with a job vacancy rate of 3.8 per cent, followed by the hospitality sector at 3.7 per cent.

The number of job vacancies can also be interpreted as a high rate of job creation in Canada that continues to defy expectations. A record 106500 news jobs were created in April followed by another 27700 in May. Unemployment in Canada was also at its lowest point in more than 40 years. This situation has also benefited the new immigrants in the age group of 25-54, as the employment rate among them rose to 71 per cent in 2018.

For eligible migrants, especially skilled workers with qualifications and experience, Canada is a land of countless opportunities. Do you think you have the right set of skills and experience to make it big in Canada? Then there is no better time than now to migrate to Canada. CanApprove, with more than two decades of experience in migration, is ready to offer you any advice or assistance in this regard! Contact us for further details.

Processing time of Australian Citizenship applications comes down

Data released by the Australian Department of Home Affairs show that the processing time of applications for Australian citizenship came down by 10 percent in 2019. The number of citizenship applications approved by Australia has also increased during the current year, according to data. To be precise, the number of Australian citizenships granted doubled during the period between 1st July 2018 and 30th April 2019, compared to the same time period in the previous year.

Drop in the processing time of Australian citizenship applications mean that 75% of applications will be processed within 18 months as opposed to 20 months. By processing time, we mean the period between the time when the citizenship application is submitted to the time of conferring the citizenship. The Department of Home Affairs observes that the reduction in waiting time is mainly owing to the reforms implemented by the Australia government to streamline the application process for Australian citizenship. By introducing these reforms, the Department of Home Affairs aimed to streamline the application process without compromising on national security or integrity of the process.

Currently, 220,000 applications for Australian citizenship are pending for approval. This number is lower compared to the same point of time last year, when the number of pending applications was 250000. The number of applications came down mainly owing to the reduction in the processing time. The Department expects that this number will come down further in the coming years. For 90 per cent of applications though, the processing time remains unchanged at 23 months.

Applying for Australian Immigration through PR programs is the way of moving towards Australian citizenship. Moving to Australia permanently has a lot of benefits that include high quality of living and vast opportunities for career growth. Besides, Australia offers high quality education and world class healthcare.

No wonder that people from across the globe want to make Australia their permanent home. Do you think it’s time for you too to take the big step? Then why hesitate? Contact us to know what you need to do in order to migrate to Australia.

3350 candidates issued invitations in June 12 Express Entry draw

In the latest Express Entry draw held on June 12, the Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada(IRCC) issued 3350 Invitations to Apply(ITAs) for permanent residence in Canada. The Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) cut-off threshold for the latest draw was 465, five points lower than the score required in the previous draw. The CRS cut-off threshold for the draw held on May 29 was 470.

As in the previous draws, tie-break rule was applied in the latest draw too, the time stamp given being June 6, 2019 at 13:51:59 UTC. It means not all candidates with a CRS score of above 465 received invitations. Priority was given to those candidates who submitted their profiles before the said date and time.

This is the 12th Express Entry draw to be held in 2019 and the 119^th since the Express Entry system came into existence in 2015. With 38,450 invitations issued so far, it appears that 2019 will be yet another great year as far as Express Entry is concerned. The number is 6,250 more than the total number of ITAs issued during the same period of time in 2018, the year which saw a record 89,800 ITAs being issued. Canada has set an even higher target for 2019 and it means the CRS cut-off threshold is likely to come down in the upcoming draws.

The Government of Canada aims to process applications for permanent residence from Express Entry candidates within six months or less.

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

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

Number of new immigrants finding jobs in Canada is highest ever

The number of new immigrants finding jobs in Canada soon after they arrive in the country reached a new high in 2018, according to an internal memo of the federal government. The memo observes that the Express Entry system and strong job creation are the major factors that led to this increase. Canada has been welcoming more economic immigrants with in-demand skills and experience in recent years. Unemployment was at its lowest level in more than 40 years in the country. All these developments have also contributed to the increased placement of new immigrants.

The memo further says that the employment rate of immigrants in the 25-54 age group, who came to Canada in the last five years, is 71 per cent. This is the highest rate since the employment rate of immigrants began to be recorded in 2006. Immigrants in the age group of 25 to 54 were found to be well educated and 80 per cent of them possessed post-secondary level education in 2018, compared to 75 per cent in 2008. The percentage of Canada’s general population with post-secondary-level education, in the same age bracket, was 71 per cent during this period. These figures have a huge significance at a time when Canada is all set to increase the number of immigrants the country welcomes each year to well beyond 300000.

The memo also revealed that among the second-generation Canadians, 95 per cent of 25 to 44-year-olds have completed high school. But the percentage among those with two Canadian-born parents was 89 per cent. The percentage of university degree holders among second-generation Canadians was 41 per cent, while the percentage of those with Canadian-born parents was 24 percentage. The average income of second-generation Canadians was also found to be high at $55,500, nearly $4,000 higher than those with Canadian-born parents.

According to data from Statistics Canada, the total number of newcomers in Canada in the year 2018 was 321,065. This is the highest number ever since 401,000 new immigrants came to Canada in 1913. As Canada has set a target of welcoming more than one million immigrants by 2021, these numbers are set to rise further. Canada will be welcoming 330,800 newcomers in 2019, a total of 341,000 in newcomers in 2020 and 350,000 newcomers in 2021.

With Canada set to welcome more skilled immigrants to the country, there is no better time than now to migrate to Canada. CanApprove, with more than two decades of experience, has helped thousands of our clients to successfully migrate to Canada. Contact us for any advice or assistance for Canada migration.

Quebec immigration levels expected to touch 52500 by 2022

The Quebec government introduced a few important proposals related to immigration on June 7, which are likely to lead to the Quebec immigration levels touching 52,500 in 2022. This translates into an increase of 10,500 newcomers compared to a maximum of 42,000 newcomers this year. If the new proposals are any indication, Quebec is returning to the immigration levels that existed before the new Coalition Avenir Québec (CAQ) government came to power in October 2018. These proposals are also expected to be the basis of public hearings on immigration, which will begin on August 12.

Changes in Quebec immigration levels

The Quebec immigration levels were above 50000 during the period between 2015 and 2018. In the late 2018, the government of Quebec decided to bring down the immigration levels as part of fulfilling an election promise that the concerns regarding the newcomers failing to properly integrate into the Quebec community would be addressed.

In the proposals introduced on June 7, the Immigration Ministry of Quebec (MIDI) explained that the number of newcomers was reduced last year with an aim to revamp the integration programs and services of the province. Now the government will gradually increase the number of newcomers per year by 3000 or 4000 between 2020 and 2022. It will allow both state and civil society actors to provide immigrants with the tools they need to successfully integrate into Quebec society. So, by 2022, the immigration levels will be between 49,500 and 52,500. Out of these, 65 percent of newcomers will be selected through the economic-class immigration programs of Quebec.

The other major proposals include:

Favour foreign workers and foreign nationals with a degree in Québec, who meet the province’s labour market needs and are already living in Quebec
Favour skilled applicants with in-demand training or a validated job offer
Expedite the arrival of economic-class immigrants
Support employers in their efforts to recruit temporary foreign workers
Promote the selection of immigrants who know Quebec’s values
Expand the number of adult immigrants who speak French
Encourage permanent immigration of young people

Migrating to Quebec guarantees vast opportunities for career growth and high standards of living. CanApprove is a recognized immigration consultancy with decades of experience in Canada/Quebec migration. Contact us for any advice or assistance with regard to Quebec migration.

Manitoba invites 209 skilled workers, international graduates

Manitoba Provincial Nominee Program (MPNP) issued 209 invitations to apply for provincial nomination in the latest draw held on June 7. The invited candidates belonged to the Skilled Workers in Manitoba, Skilled Workers Overseas and International Education streams of MPNP.

Out of the total invitations issued, 121 Letters of Advice to Apply (LAAs) were issued to Skilled Workers in Manitoba candidates, with a minimum score of 542. Skilled Worker Overseas candidates received 60 LAAs and their minimum required score was 701. The remaining 28 LAAs were issued to International Education Stream candidates. The candidates who have received the LAAs can submit a complete application for provincial nomination with all the supporting documents within 60 days.

Manitoba immigration

Manitoba is one of the most popular destinations for Canada immigrants to settle in. Last year, the province issued nominations a total of 5,207 candidates, which is a record. Under the Skilled Workers in Manitoba stream of the MPNP, temporary foreign workers and international student graduates currently working in Manitoba can apply for provincial nomination. The candidates must also have a permanent, full-time job offer from a Manitoba employer.

The Skilled Workers Overseas stream allows Manitoba to nominate eligible candidates living outside Canada and having an established connection to the province, in the form of previous education or work experience or close relatives or friends living in the province. An invitation under the Strategic Recruitment Initiatives of MPNP also makes them eligible for provincial nomination.

Manitoba Expression of Interest

In order to be considered for provincial nomination from Manitoba, the candidates must first submit an Expression of Interest to the MPNP. Based on the information provided on basic eligibility factors in the Expression of Interest, each candidate is awarded a score and the highest scoring candidates are invited to apply for provincial nomination. The Express Entry candidates who receive provincial nomination from Manitoba will obtain 600 additional Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score points that guarantee an invitation to apply for permanent residence in Canada in the subsequent Express Entry draw.

Canada provincial nominee programs are a viable option for those who wish to migrate to Canada. Choosing the right pathway is very important in deciding the success of your application for Canada migration. CanApprove, with years of experience in Canada migration can help you make the right choice! Contact us for any advice or assistance with regard to Canada migration.

Saskatchewan invites Express Entry, Occupation In-Demand candidates

The latest Saskatchewan Immigrant Nominee Program (SINP) draw held on June 6 invited Express Entry and Occupation In-Demand candidates. The draw issued to a total of 426 invitations out of which, 342 invitations were issued to candidates belonging to the Occupation In-Demand sub-category and the remaining 84 went to Express Entry candidates.

The cut-off score for the candidates of both the sub-categories was 75. This is 7 point less than the cut-off score of the previous SINP draw held on May 15. With the latest draw, the total number of invitations issued to Saskatchewan Express Entry candidates this year has reached 898, and to Occupation In-Demand candidates has touched 1196.

Saskatchewan Express Entry sub-category:

The Saskatchewan Express Entry sub-category is aligned to the federal Express Entry system. The Express Entry candidates who receive provincial nomination from Saskatchewan would obtain 600 additional Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score points, which would ensure them an invitation to apply for permanent residence in Canada in the subsequent Express Entry draw.

In order to be eligible to apply for provincial nomination under the Saskatchewan Express Entry sub-category as well as the Occupations-in-demand sub-category, the candidate must have work experience in one of the 19 occupations in the in-demand occupations list of Saskatchewan.

The candidates who wish to be considered for provincial nomination under the Saskatchewan Express Entry sub-category must first submit an Expression of Interest (EoI) with the SINP. The EoI must include important details such as the candidate’s education, work experience and language proficiency, among the information about other eligibility factors. Each selected candidate will be awarded a score out of 100 and the highest-scoring candidates will be invited to apply for a provincial nomination from Saskatchewan.

Canada PNP is a great option for those who are less fortunate with Express Entry. Contact us if you want to know which Canada migration pathway is the best for you!

Canada launches a new initiative to support newcomer women

The Canada Government has launched a new initiative that will make it easier for newcomer women to find a job in the country. Under the initiative, these women will be provided the support and services needed to succeed in the Canadian job market. It will also help them highlight their talents and experiences as they settle in the country.

The initiative especially targets visible minority newcomer women. The Government of Canada defines visible minority (French: minorité visible) as “persons, other than aboriginal peoples, who are non-Caucasian in race or non-white in color”. These women usually face multiple barriers when they attempt of find a job and settle in Canada including weak social and employment supports.

As part of implementing the new initiative, Canada government has selected 22 organizations from across the country. In the coming two years, these organizations will launch a number of projects that aim to:

Develop and test innovative approaches to enable more visible minority newcomer women to find a job and succeed at work;
Support smaller organizations to increase their capacity to serve visible minority newcomer women and enable them to overcome barriers to employment; and/or
Increase the digital literacy of visible minority newcomer women to access and advance within the Canadian labor market.

Over the next two years, the Canada government will provide up to $7.5 million for the selected organizations to launch new projects.

Commenting on the new initiative Ahmed Hussen, Canada’s Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship said “Visible minority newcomer women face more challenges than any other group to enter the workforce. This isn’t just about getting women jobs; it’s also about providing a sense of dignity and belonging. Canada’s gender equality is for all women, not just for some.”

Canada is a country that gives high priority to social welfare and security. Canada’s new initiative to help newcomer women will definitely be a boon for all migrant women, especially single mothers and those who migrate to Canada as dependents. Get in touch with us to explore your options to make Canada your permanent home!

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