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Canada exempts newcomers, students from travel restrictions

In a recent update on the travel restrictions introduced in the wake of COVID-19 outbreak, the Government of Canada has announced that the foreign nationals already working, studying or committed to make Canada their permanent home are exempted from the restrictions. Travel by these individuals will be considered as essential travel for land border restrictions by the Government of Canada. The update, announced in a recent news release, has exempted the following persons:

  • Seasonal agricultural workers, fish/seafood workers, caregivers and all other temporary foreign workers
  • International students who held a valid study permit, or had been approved for a study permit, when the travel restrictions took effect on March 18, 2020
  • Permanent resident applicants who had been approved for permanent residence before the travel restrictions were announced on March 16, 2020, but who had not yet travelled to Canada

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In the news release, the Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada(IRCC) says: “Allowing foreign workers to enter Canada recognizes their vital importance to the Canadian economy.”

However, those affected by these exemptions should not travel to Canada immediately. The exemptions would come into effect only after the government makes an announcement in this regard, which will most likely be early next week.

The news release also says it is mandatory for all the travellers who come to Canada must follow the health screening protocols before travel and isolate for 14 days once they arrive.

The Government of Canada had announced certain other exemptions earlier and these will continue, according to the release. They include:

  • Foreign nationals travelling at the invitation of the Canadian government for a purpose related to the containment of COVID-19
  • Close family members of Canadian citizens
  • Close family members of Canadian permanent residents
  • A person who is authorized, in writing, by a consular officer of the Government of Canada to enter Canada for the purpose of reuniting immediate family members
  • A person registered as an Indian under the Indian Act
  • Accredited diplomats and family members (including NATO, those under the United Nations Headquarters Agreement, other organizations)
  • Air crews
  • Any foreign national, or group of foreign nationals, whose entry would be in the national interest, as determined by the Minister of Foreign Affairs, the Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship, the Minister of Public Safety
  • Members of the Canadian military, visiting forces and their family members
  • Transiting passengers

Canada Immigration

Canada has kept their doors open for new immigrants. If you wish to move to Canada, don’t hesitate to start the preparations. Contact us to explore your options for Canada immigration.

 

668 provincial nominees invited

668 provincial nominees invited in March 18 Express Entry draw

In an Express Entry draw held exclusively for provincial nominees on March 18, Canada invited 668 candidates to apply for permanent residence. The candidates had to score a minimum of 720 Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score points to be invited.

Though the CRS cut-off score may appear too high when compared to the previous draw, in which the minimum required score was 471, it is in fact low for provincial nominees as they receive 600 additional CRS score points along with the nomination.

668 provincial nominees invited

The Tie-break rule was applied in the March 18 draw and the time stamp given was March 19, 2020, at 02:04:06 UTC. It means not all candidates with a minimum CRS score of 720 received invitations, but only those who had submitted their Express Entry profiles before the said date and time.

Though the Express Entry draw was held on March 18, the Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) revealed the details only on March 20. With the latest draw, the total number of Invitations to Apply (ITAs) issued through Express Entry so far this year is 19368.

IRCC’s operations are slogged down owing to the impact of COVID-19, the efforts are still on to meet the immigration target for the year 2020.

Canada Express Entry

The Express Entry system of Canada manages immigration applications through the three major federal economic immigration programs– Federal Skilled Worker Class, Federal Skilled Trades Class and Canadian Experience Class. Each profile that enters the Express Entry pool is assessed on the basis of various factors that include age, education, skilled work experience and proficiency in English or French and awarded a Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score. The highest-scoring candidates are invited in the federal Express Entry draws that are conducted regularly.

PNPs aligned to Express Entry

In the last few weeks, the provincial nominee programs of Saskatchewan, Alberta, Manitoba, Ontario, and Prince Edward Island have issued more than 5000 invitations to Express Entry candidates. Saskatchewan has invited more than 1750 Express Entry candidates since the start of the current year. In January, Ontario invited 954 Express Entry candidates with work experience in six tech occupations. Express Entry candidates with CRS scores as low as 300 received invitations from Alberta in the two draws held this year.

Canada immigration target for 2020

In 2018, Canada admitted 320000 newcomers and in 2019, the total number of newcomers admitted by Canada was 341000. For 2020 too, Canada has set an immigration target of 341000. Canada plans to welcome a vast majority of its newcomers through economic class immigration programs in 2020. Of the total immigrants who would be admitted to Canada in the year, 58 per cent will come to Canada through Express Entry programs, the Provincial Nominee Program (PNP), Quebec’s programs, and other federal streams such as the Atlantic Immigration Pilot (AIP).

668 provincial nominees invited

Express Entry draws held so far in 2020

Draw Number Date Number of ITAs issued Minimum CRS score
139 March 18   668 720
138 March 4 3900 471
137 February 19 4500 470
136 February 5 3500 472
135 January 22 3400 471
134 January 8 3400 473

 

Canada Express Entry offers a simple and fast-track pathway for international skilled workers to migrate to the country. Check your eligibility for Express Entry migration by our free online assessment form.

Choose Your Australia Migration Agent Wisely

Choose your Australia migration agent wisely. Make the migration process hassle-free

High living standards, better career opportunities and social security benefits and many other advantages make Australia a favourite migration destination. As per the 2018 date, around 7.3 million migrants are living in the country. Australia’s popularity as a migration destination is growing rapidly, so is the number of migration agents.

Australia immigration

But if you want to make your Australia migration process smoother, you need to choose your migration agent wisely. With the help of a qualified Australia migration agent, the whole migration process can be made totally hassle-free and best results for your efforts can be ensured. A reliable Australia migration agent will have deep and updated knowledge about the requirements for the applicants to successfully migrate as well as the steps involved in the process.

An important thing you must check before selecting your Australia migration agent is whether they are experienced or not.  You need to know how many years of experience they have because, the service of an experienced migration agent is crucial to ensure maximum success for the visa application. Besides, experience is also a major factor when it comes to trustworthiness and reliability.

More importantly, you must make sure that the migration agent whom you have chosen is registered. If the migration agent is unregistered, chances are high for things to go wrong. If anything wrong happens, you would not be able to complain as unregistered agents are not answerable to anybody. At the same time, if the migration agent is registered with a migration body like the Migration Agents Registration Authority (MARA), they need to abide by the rules and regulations of that body. You may also approach the concerned body if you have any complaint against the migration agent as they have the authority to penalize the agent.

Further, you must check whether the migration agent is overcharging you and responds to your needs without any delay. You must also read their terms and conditions carefully before accepting their services.

CanApprove is a professional Australia migration consultancy registered under the Migration Agents Registration Authority (MARA). We have more than two decades of experience in providing support for Australia migration. Contact CanApprove’s Australia migration consultants for the best support and the right guidance to move to Australia permanently.

COVID-19 impact on Canadian Immigration

Will COVID-19 outbreak affect Canada immigration?

The Canada Immigration Levels Plan for 2020-2022 was released recently, even though the corona virus crisis was affecting the country severely. The crisis has made a negative impact on the Canadian economy, just like so many other countries. By all indications, Canada is heading towards an economic downturn.  This situation is worrying for hopeful immigrants as they fear that Canada may bring down the immigration levels. But immigration experts think that it is necessary for Canada to keep the immigration levels high in order to bring down the economic effect of the corona virus crisis.

Canada Immigration

Ever since the 1980s, Canada does not link the immigration levels to the economic condition of the country. It means the economic condition does not affect the Canada immigration levels. Canada has taken such a policy because of the fact that immigrants have been helping the Canada economy grow. Besides being workers, the immigrants contribute towards the growth of the country as both consumers and taxpayers.

Canada has always formulated its immigration policies keeping long-term goals in mind. It is not only about meeting immediate requirements for filling vacancies. Canada needs immigrants to sustain its economic growth. Because of this reason, Canada has welcomed immigrants even during recessions.

It is expected that a large proportion of the current work force of the country would retire in the near future. As Canada’s birthrate is too low, the country has to depend on immigrants to make sure that they have sufficient supply of labour and the economic growth is sustained. So even if there is a recession, it’s less likely to affect the Canada immigration scenario. Experts believe that high immigration levels would help Canada leave behind the impact of coronavirus crisis as well as boost the economy of the country.

Don’t put your Canada immigration plans on the back burner. Canada still needs workers like you! Get in touch with CanApporve’s immigration consultants to explore your options for Canada migration.

Australia issued 1500 invitations

1500 invitations issued in latest Australia Skill Select round

Australia has revealed the results of the latest Skill Select round held on February 11 in which, 1500 candidates have received invitations.  The invited candidates belonged to two General Skilled Migration Visa categories– Skilled Independent Subclass 189 visa and Skilled work Regional (provisional) Subclass 491 visa-Family sponsored. While 1000 of the total invitations issued went to candidates of Skilled Independent Subclass 189 visa category, the remaining 500 invitations went to candidates of Skilled Work Regional (provisional) Subclass 491 visa-Family sponsored category.

Immigration in Australia

The Subclass 189 visa applicants had to score a minimum of 90 points to be invited, while the minimum score required for Subclass 491 visa-family sponsored candidates was 85 points. Invitations went to candidates with the highest score points. If more than one candidate had the same score, the rank was determined on the basis of the time at which they reached their point score.

The draw prioritized those who had submitted their EoIs earlier, than those who had submitted their EoIs later. The pro rata occupations invited in the draw along with the minimum score points are detailed below:
Subclass Visa Pro Rata Occupations Minimum point Score
189 Accountants 95
189 Auditors, Company Secretaries and Corporate Treasurers 95
189 Electronics Engineer 90
491 Electronics Engineer 85
189 Industrial, Mechanical and Production Engineers 90
189 Other Engineering Professionals 90
189 ICT Business and System Analysts 90
189 Software and Applications Programmers 90
491 Software and Applications Programmers 85
189 Computer Network Professionals 90
491 Computer Network Professionals 85

 

In Australia Skill Select rounds, places are first allocated to Subclass 189 visa candidates and only the remaining places are allocated to Subclass 491 visa-family sponsored candidates. If all the places are allocated to Visa 189 candidates, 491 visa applicants will not receive any invitations.

Australia Skill Select invitation rounds are usually conducted on the 11th of each month. But the date may vary depending on the number of applications.

Contact our Australia immigration experts to know more about Australia immigration. Check your eligibility for Australia immigration by filling our free online assessment form.

https://www.canapprove.com/how-to-migrate-to-quebec/

Special instructions issued on Canada immigration in the wake of COVID-19 outbreak

In the wake of COVID-19 outbreak having turned into a global pandemic, the Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has issued certain special instructions with regard to Canada immigration. These instructions have been issued with an aim to prevent the further spread of the disease, as well as to support the officials and immigration applicants who have been affected by the outbreak.

The IRCC has informed that all citizenship ceremonies, citizenship tests and re-tests are cancelled until further notice. In-person permanent resident landing appointments and in-person refugee claim appointments have also been closed till April 13.

Canada Immigration

IRCC has informed that Canada immigration applications will not be refused for non-compliance. The processing of the applications will continue, though some delays are expected as some visa application centres are closed and some IRCC offices are operating with essential staff only.

IRCC has further informed that expedited processing will be allowed for those applicants in special circumstances. But it will be provided at the discretion of the Migration Program Manager of the responsible IRCC office, and the manager of the responsible processing office in Canada.

IRCC will continue to request for additional documents including police clearance certificate, passport, medical exam etc. for the processing of immigration applications. These additional documents need to be submitted within 90 days of receiving request letter. In case if applicant is unable to submit the required documents within 90 days after receiving the request letter from IRCC, their deadline will be extended for another 90 days.

IRCC will continue to issue letters instructing to provide biometric details. Though the letter would ask the applicants to fulfill the biometric requirements within 30 days, they would be given 90 days.

More time would also be given for applicants to submit complete application for permanent residence. If an applicant cannot submit all the required documents along with the application within 60 days, they can submit the application incompletely by including an explanation as to why they could not submit all the documents. They may get their deadline extended for an additional 90 days, upon paying all the associated fees.

Those who have confirmation of permanent residence and permanent residence visas can also get their deadlines extended for further procedures, provided they apply for the same.

Canada has suspended all citizenship ceremonies, knowledge testing and retesting temporarily. The new dates are expected to be announced in the coming weeks.

Canada immigration system would return to full swing mode as soon as the COVID-19 menace is tackled. However, you may start the preparations for Canada immigration right away! Connect with our expert Canada immigration consultants for more info.

Your success rate for finding a job in Canada is very high!

80 percent immigrants successful in finding a job in Canada

A report based on a study conducted by the World Education Services (WES) society says that more than 80 percent of skilled immigrants to Canada are successful in finding a job in the new country. More importantly, a vast majority of them are able to find permanent jobs, according to the report.

Two-third of the skilled immigrants find jobs within three months after arriving in Canada and 74 per cent of the new skilled immigrants get placed in six months. The WES society prepared the report after conducting a survey of more than 6400 skilled immigrants in Canada. The successful transition of Canada’s immigration system from the one based on labour market shortages to the one that focuses on selecting highly-skilled and well-educated immigrants to the country clearly reflects in the results of the study, which was completed in 2018. The Express Entry system, launched by Canada in 2015, has played a major role in this transition as it focuses on selecting immigration candidates based on their potential to economically establish in Canada.

The 6402 skilled immigrants who took part in the survey conducted as part of the WES study were those who had applied for an Educational Credential Assessment (ECA) between 2013 and 2015. The study has found that younger candidates with prior Canadian experience are more likely to find a job than older candidates with no prior experience.

The study has also found that the highest rate of employment was recorded among those who had migrated to Canada under the Canada Experience Class (CEC) immigration program. The employment rate among them was 2.4 times higher than those who migrated under other immigration programs.

A high proportion of the CEC candidates who got placed in Canada had previous experience in food industry. But most of the Federal Skilled Worker candidates who could find a job in Canada had previous work experience in health sector.

The WES report suggests introducing ‘competency-informed assessments’ for helping new immigrants find jobs that align better with their skills and qualifications. The report also suggests to “deliver realistic, specific, targeted, accurate, and timely employment information to prospective and recent immigrants.”

The WES study report appreciates Canada’s move towards ‘profession-specific bridging programs’ provided by provinces. It also points out the need for efforts to find out what kind of help immigrants need to get placed in a regulated occupation. The report says, “All those working toward the integration of skilled immigrants need to collectively identify which specific employment services and service delivery models lead to the best results for skilled immigrant job seekers.”

Canada awaits you with the best opportunities to build a successful and rewarding career! Contact the expert Canada immigration consultants of CanApprove to explore your options for moving to Canada permanently.

Manitoba issues 222 invitations

Manitoba issues 222 invitations in March 12 Express Entry draw

Manitoba Provincial Nominee Program (MPNP) issued 222 invitations to apply for a provincial nomination in the Expression of Interest draw held on March 12. The draw, which is the 85th Expression of Interest draw conducted by the MPNP, invited candidates belonging to the following three streams:

  • Skilled Workers in Manitoba: 191
  • Skilled Workers Overseas: 13
  • International Education Stream: 18

Seventeen Express Entry candidates are among those who received invitations in the draw.

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Express Entry MPNP Expression of Interest draw

The first step for Express Entry candidates to be considered for a provincial nomination from Manitoba is to submit an Expression of Interest to the MPNP. The candidate must also have work experience in an occupation that is in demand in Manitoba, besides meeting other requirements. If they successfully obtain a provincial nomination from Manitoba, they will have 600 additional Comprehensive Ranking System (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.

Manitoba Expression of Interest

To apply for a provincial nomination from Manitoba through either the Skilled Workers in Manitoba and Skilled Workers Overseas category, a candidate must first submit an Expression of Interest to the MPNP. Each Expression of Interest profile is assessed on the basis of various eligibility factors that include education, work experience, previous connections to the province, language proficiency etc. and awarded a score out of 1000. The candidates with the highest score are invited to apply for a provincial nomination from Manitoba. The Skilled Workers in Manitoba candidates invited in the latest draw had a minimum score of 496, while Skilled Workers Overseas stream candidates had to score at least 672 to be invited.

To qualify under the Skilled Workers Overseas category, the candidate must demonstrate a previous connection to Manitoba in the form of close family members residing in the province, work or education experience or an invitation received through a Strategic Recruitment Initiative of the MPNP. However, it is not mandatory for the candidate to be present in Manitoba at the time of application.

In the case of Skilled Workers in the Manitoba category, the candidate must have a full-time, permanent job offer from a Manitoba employer to qualify, besides meeting other requirements.

The International Education Stream is for international students who have graduated from one of the post-secondary institutions of Manitoba and possess in-demand skills.

Canada PNP offers you a viable and fast-track option to obtain Canada PR. Explore your possibilities for migrating to Canada through PNP by filling our free online assessment form.

Bumper intake of over 1 million immigrants to Canada

Canada to welcome 390000 new immigrants in 2022

Canada has revealed the much-awaited Immigration Levels Plan for 2020-2022 according to which, the country will be welcoming around one million permanent residents during the Plan period. Canada is continuing its approach of gradually increasing the immigration levels and in 2022, Canada may admit up to 390000 new immigrants.

In 2018, the number of newcomers admitted to Canada was 320,000. In 2019, it increased to 341000 and in 2020, Canada targets to welcome another 341000 new immigrants. The target for 2021 is 351,000 new immigrants and for 2022, the target is 361,000. As per the plan, the total number of newcomers to be admitted by Canada in 2022 may go up to 390000.

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During the plan period, 58 percent of the newcomers will be admitted through economic class immigration programs that include Express Entry, Provincial Nominee Programs, Quebec’s programs and other federal programs such as the Atlantic Immigration Pilot (AIP). PNP admission target has been increased by 20 percent for 2022 compared to 2019. Canada will admit yet another 5200 new immigrants through pilot programs such as Agri-Food Immigration Pilot and the Rural and Northern Immigration Pilot. The intake through these pilots is also likely to be doubled by 2022.

Though the AIP program will be made permanent, the target will remain the same at 5000. As the immigration sector of Quebec is undergoing major reforms, the Quebec immigration levels for 2020-2022 will be determined only after consulting with the provincial government.

Twenty-six percent of the total newcomers to be admitted during the Plan period will enter Canada through family class immigration programs while the remaining 16 percent will be admitted on humanitarian and compassionate grounds.

Canada’s family class immigration target will remain stable at 91000 during the Plan period. The increase in the number of immigrants admitted on humanitarian and compassionate grounds will also be minimal.

Canada is increasing the immigration levels to maintain a steady supply of people, who can sustain the growth of the country’s economy as workers, consumers, and taxpayers.  Canada’s population is aging fast and the birth rate is low. In this situation, Canada cannot maintain a healthy population growth without immigration.

Immigration experts predict that Canada will continue to increase immigration levels gradually and eventually will admit 400,000 a year. In the current decade, around 3.5 million people are expected to settle in Canada. Canada’s next Immigration Levels Plan will be tabled in November 2020, which will contain immigration targets for 2023.

Do you want to explore the vast opportunities that await you in Canada? Then start your preparations for Canada immigration now! Contact us for more information.

Minimum CRS score 300

Minimum CRS score 300 in latest Alberta Express Entry stream draw

In the fourth Alberta Express Entry stream draw of 2020 held on February 20, the province invited 150 candidates with a minimum Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score of 300. To be eligible under the Alberta Express Entry stream, candidates must have an active Express Entry profile, though a job offer from the province is not mandatory.

Minimum CRS score 300

Express Entry system of Canada

The Express Entry system of Canada manages immigration through the three main economic class immigration programs of the country– Federal Skilled Worker Program, Federal Skilled Trades Program, and Canadian Experience Class. The first step for a candidate to enter the Express Entry pool is to create an Express Entry profile. The profiles are assessed and ranked under the Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS), where each profile is awarded a score out of 1200 based on various human capital factors that include work experience, education, official language proficiency and age. The candidates with the highest scores receive invitations to apply for permanent residence in Canada in the draws that are conducted regularly. If the candidate has obtained a provincial nomination, they will have 600 additional CRS score points added to their total CRS score.

Suppose a candidate who has received an invitation in the February 20 Alberta Express Entry stream draw has a CRS score of 300. If they successfully apply and obtain a provincial nomination from Alberta, they will get an additional 600 CRS score points and their total score would be 900. The minimum CRS score required for candidates to receive an invitation to apply for permanent residence in Canada in the latest federal Express Entry draw was only 471.

Eligibility requirements for Alberta Express Entry stream

To be eligible under the Alberta Express Entry stream, a candidate must demonstrate work experience in an occupation that supports the economic development and diversification priorities of Alberta. Those candidates who meet the following criteria are given priority in the Alberta Express Entry stream draws:

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

So far, Alberta has invited a total of 651 Express Entry candidates this year. The total number of candidates invited through the Alberta Express Entry stream in the year 2019 was 11137 candidates.

Canada Provincial Nominee Program offers a viable and fast-track option for obtaining Canada PR. Contact us if you wish to explore your chances for migrating to Canada through PNP.

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