New Brunswick to hold information sessions for nurses in the UAE

The Canadian province of New Brunswick will be conducting information sessions on immigration for nurses and their families. The sessions, which will be conducted in Abu Dhabi and Dubai, will help nurses and their families learn more about the province’s economic immigration programs and the professional pathways to move to New Brunswick.

Interested nurses will have to register online in order to attend these sessions. They need to furnish details regarding their professional experience and work experience of their spouses in the registration form and upload necessary documents.

New Brunswick has huge demand for nursing professionals. According to the province’s Ministry of Health, there will be a shortage of at least 130 Registered Nurses every year in the next 10 years. So, by 2028, there will be a shortage of more than 1000 Registered Nurses in New Brunswick. The New Brunswick Labour Market Outlook predicts that there will be a total of 4,376 new RN jobs in the province by then. Besides, a significant number of Registered Nurses who are currently employed in the province will be retiring soon. It means more immigrant nurses will be needed to fill these vacancies.

The demand for nurses at New Brunswick is growing at a range of 5% per year. The population of the province is ageing fast and the province has the highest percentage of population above the age of 65 years. Besides, the death rate is higher than the birth rate in the province. As a result, there is more demand for health services and long-term care in New Brunswick. This has propelled the demand for registered nurses (RN) and licensed practical nurses (LPN) in the province.

Major pathways for nurses to move to New Brunswick

High-skilled Worker Stream, Atlantic Immigration Pilot: The candidate must have a job offer from a designated employer

Federal Skilled Worker (FSW) Program: Express Entry candidates may settle in New Brunswick through this federal immigration program.

Invitation from NBPNP: If you receive an invitation to apply for a provincial nomination from NBPNP and successfully apply, you will have 600 additional Comprehensive Ranking System(CRS) score points added to your total CRS score that would guarantee you an invitation to apply for permanent residence in Canada in the subsequent federal Express Entry draw.

To know more about New Brunswick migration and registering for the information sessions in the UAE, get in touch with our Canada immigration consultants now!

New Brunswick plans to increase immigration limit to 10000 per year by 2027

The Atlantic Canada province of New Brunswick is planning to increase the number of new permanent residents it admits to a maximum of 10000 by 2027. In 2019, the total number of permanent residents welcomed by the province, till November, was 5660. In the previous year(2018), the number was 4610. New Brunswick wants to continue increasing these numbers and attain the target of 10000 per year by 2027.

Immigration is the cornerstone of the plan for boosting New Brunswick’s economy, which was laid out by the province’s Premier Blaine Higgs in his recent State of the Province Address. By increasing the immigration levels, the province wants to bring down its dependency on incentives, expand the tax base, reach one million population and lower the median age. According to the Premier, New Brunswick would become a natural magnet of investment by ensuring the right infrastructure, tax and policy investment.

The new immigration policy of New Brunswick also aims to improve the credential recognition of newcomers. As part of its efforts to improve the retention rates of newcomers, the province will make it easier for them to find a new job or start a new business.

When it comes to the pathways for admitting new immigrants, New Brunswick does not depend much on the federal Express Entry system. Instead, most of the immigrants move permanently to the province through programs such as New Brunswick Provincial Nominee Program (NBPNP) and Atlantic Immigration Pilot. In 2019, only 29 per cent of the immigrants came to New Brunswick through Express Entry.

New Brunswick Provincial Nominee Program (NBPNP)

Through the New Brunswick Provincial Nominee Program (NBPNP), the province attracts eligible candidates with the skills and qualifications which are in high demand in the province.

The four immigration categories under the NBPNP are:

Express Entry Stream
Skilled Worker Stream
Entrepreneurial Stream
Post-Graduate Entrepreneurial Stream

Canada Provincial Nominee Program is a viable and fast-track pathway for migrating to the country. If you wish to migrate to Canada through PNP, seek the help of expert immigration consultants of CanApprove to find out the right Provincial Nominee Program for you to apply.

Canada exceeded its immigration intake target in 2019, set another record

Canada admitted a total of 341000 immigrants from various countries in 2019, which is a new record. The number of immigrants admitted by Canada exceeded the target which had been set for the year as per the Immigration Levels Plan for 2019-2021 by more than 10000. This is the fifth time in the whole immigration history of Canada that the country is welcoming more than 300000 immigrants in a single year. Around 58 percent of the total number of immigrants admitted in 2019 obtained Canada PR through the economic class immigration programs while 27 percent arrived in Canada through family sponsorship programs. Canada welcomed the rest of the immigrants through refugee programs.

India major source country for Canada immigration

In 2019, Indians constituted almost 25 percent of the total people migrated to Canada. With a total of 86000 Indians making Canada their permanent home, India continues to remain the main source country for Canada immigration. The Chinese came second and their percentage share was around 9 percent. The Philippines was the third major source country with 8 percent of the total number of Canada immigrants hailing from the country. The other major source countries were Nigeria, USA, Pakistan, Syria, Eritrea, South Korea and Iran.

Ontario the most popular immigration destination

In 2019, almost 45 percent of the newcomers chose to settle in Ontario. It is two percentage points higher compared to the previous year. Quebec slashing its immigration intake by 20 percent in 2019 is pointed out as a reason for the increased preference for Ontario. British Columbia is the second most preferred destination for immigrants and it welcomed 50,000 immigrants in 2019. Alberta came third, followed by Quebec. The other major provinces that witnessed a significant increase in immigration intake are Manitoba, Nova Scotia and New Brunswick and the territory of Yukon.

Canadian cities attract more immigrants

One in every three newcomers who moved to Canada in 2019 preferred to settle in the Greater Toronto Area(GTA) of Ontario. GTA attracted more immigrants (118,000 in total) than all immigrants settled in the Atlantic provinces, Quebec, Manitoba, Saskatchewan and the territories of Canada combined together. Vancouver was the second leading city, which welcomed 40,000 immigrants. In the third place was Montreal (35,000), followed by Calgary (around 20,000). Around 62 percent of the newcomers to Canada settled in the four largest cities of Canada–Toronto, Montreal, Vancouver, and Calgary.

Canada likely to break record again

As per the Immigration Levels Plan of Canada for 2019-2021, the immigration target for the year 2020 is 341000. As the country has already achieved this target, in all likelihood, Canada will exceed the target for the current year too and the intake may go up to 360000. There would be more clarity on the immigration intake levels once Immigration Minister Marco Mendicino tables the Immigration Levels Plan for 2020-2022, which is likely to happen soon.

Do you wish to migrate to Canada? Contact us for expert advice and professional support for moving to Canada permanently.

Latest Alberta Express Entry Stream draw invites candidates with CRS score 300

In the latest Alberta Express Entry Stream draw held on January 29, the details of which were released recently, the province invited 150 candidates with Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) scores as low as 300. In the preceding draw that was held on January 22, a total of 201 candidates with a minimum CRS score of 350 received invitations. With these two draws, the total number of invitations issued through the Alberta Express Entry stream in January alone has touched 501.

Alberta Express Entry stream

The Express Entry stream of Alberta aims to select eligible candidates from the federal Express Entry pool and nominate them for permanent residence in Canada. The federal Express Entry system manages applications for permanent residence in Canada through the three major federal economic immigration programs which are, the Federal Skilled Worker Program, Federal Skilled Trades Program and Canadian Experience Class. Those who obtain a provincial nomination from Alberta would also receive 600 additional CRS points that ensure an invitation to apply for Canada PR in the subsequent federal Express Entry draw.

Alberta Express Entry stream allows even those with a low CRS score to apply for permanent residence. While the minimum CRS score for candidates to qualify in the latest federal Express Entry draw held on February 5 was 472, Alberta selected candidates with CRS scores as low as 300 in the latest Express Entry stream draw.

Eligibility criteria for Alberta Express Entry stream

To be selected for provincial nomination through the Alberta Express Entry stream, the candidate must demonstrate work experience in an occupation that supports the economic development and diversification priorities of Alberta. The province does not have an in-demand list of occupations. Though a job offer is not mandatory to receive an invitation, those who meet the following criteria have priority in the Express Entry stream draws:

Those with a job offers or work experience or both in Alberta
A Canadian degree and a valid job offer
A close family member residing in the province

The Canada Provincial Nominee Programs open up several opportunities even for those candidates with low CRS scores. Contact our expert immigration consultants to find out the right pathway for you to migrate to Canada.

Arrima 2020: Expectations from Quebec Expression of Interest system

After the Quebec Expression of Interest system called Arrima came into being, the province has issued a great number of invitations for Quebec Skilled Worker Program candidates to apply for a Quebec Selection Certificate. As in last year, it is expected that the Quebec Expression of Interest would continue to remain upbeat in 2020 too.

In 2019, Quebec conducted nine Expression of Interest draws in which more than 2000 invitations were issued. The first draw was held in July 2019, almost a year after the Quebec Expression of Interest system opened for candidates to submit their profiles. But during this one year, Quebec also quashed thousands of applications which had been submitted to the Quebec Skilled Worker Program through the older system.

When the first Quebec Expression of Interest draw held on 4^th July 2019, a total of 691 candidates received invitations. At the same time, the total number of invitations issued in the latest draw held on 17^th December 2019 is 220.

The exact number of invitations issued in 2019 is 2062 and there are two types of candidates. One group is those who already reside in Quebec, but had their applications quashed when Quebec introduced certain reforms to its immigration system in 2019. The second is candidates with a job offer.

While candidates with a job offer received 449 invitations in four Arrima draws held last year, those with their earlier applications quashed were issued 1613 invitations in five draws. However, those candidates who had their applications quashed had to file a declaration of interest before December 17, 2019. In the Quebec Expression of Interest system held last year, the province has given priority to these candidates.

In 2020, candidates are most likely to be invited based on their general profile. Further, a higher number of candidates in a broader range are expected to receive invitations through the Quebec Expression of Interest system. Quebec immigration authorities are also likely to specify certain skills/occupations for candidates as part of the criteria for the future draws, it is assumed.

Are you interested in moving to Quebec permanently? Contact CanApprove’s competent Quebec expert immigration consultants to explore your options.

Migrate to Australia with Subclass 491 visa

The Government of Australia recently introduced Skilled Work Regional (subclass 491) visa with an aim to help international skilled workers and their families live and work in the regional areas of Australia for a maximum period of five years. This visa also allows the holder to apply for Australia PR after three years.

The two streams under the Subclass 491 visa are: family-sponsored and state nominated. Under the family-sponsored stream, a person living in a regional area of Australia may sponsor their relative for Subclass 491 visa. However, the candidate who wishes to be sponsored, must have experience in an occupation on the Medium and Long Term Skilled Shortage List (MLTSSL) and submit an Expression of Interest for a Subclass 491 visa. Based on the score in the points test, the candidate will be invited to apply for the visa in the monthly invitation rounds.

It is easier to obtain a visa under the state-nominated stream as the list of occupations available is longer and often only minimum points are required to receive an invitation. This stream also requires the candidates to submit an EOI. They will receive invitations as soon as the state/territory approves the nomination.

Though the criteria for selecting candidates are different for each state and territory, in all cases, it is mandatory for the candidate to demonstrate work experience in an occupation featured in the occupation list of a particular state or territory. They must also demonstrate the intent to reside in that particular state or territory.

Australian Capital Territory (ACT)

To receive a nomination from the Australian Capital Territory (ACT) for Subclass 491 visa, a person must demonstrate minimum 12 months of continuous work experience in their nominated occupation, acquired within the last three years. The candidate also needs to demonstrate employability in Canberra.

New South Wales (NSW)

For nomination from New South Wales, the candidate must meet any of the following requirements:

A full-time employment offer from an employer in a regional area of NSW
Five years of work experience in the nominated occupation
An immediate family member of the candidate residing in a regional area

Northern Territory (NT)

Candidates with work experience in the nominated occupation, of at least 12 months acquired within the last 24 months, are eligible for nomination from the Northern Territory. If they don’t have the required level of work experience, they must have Australian qualifications.

Queensland (QLD)

Candidates with at least two years of work experience in a nominated occupation, acquired after completing the education, are eligible for Queensland nomination if they meet other requirements.

South Australia (SA)

For nomination from South Australia for Subclass 491 visa, the candidate must demonstrate at least one year of skilled work experience, which is acquired within the last three years. However, the work experience need not be in the nominated occupation.

Tasmania (TAS)

To apply for a nomination from Tasmania, the candidate must not have lived in another Australian state or territory in the last 12 months. Besides, the candidate must prove that they have sufficient employment opportunities in the nominated occupation. In other cases, the candidate must have a job offer from an employer well established in business and prove that the need for the position is genuine.

Victoria (VIC)

Nomination from Victoria can be obtained if the candidate has a full-time employment offer in a regional area with a duration of at least 12 months.

Western Australia (WA)

For nomination from Western Australia, the candidate must have a minimum of one year of work experience in Australia or three years of work experience overseas in the nominated occupation. The duration of the employment contract must be at least 12 months.

Do you wish to know which is the right pathway for you to migrate to Australia? Contact the expert Australia immigration consultants of CanApprove for the right guidance and best support!

January 30 Manitoba Expression of Interest draw issues 181 invitations

The Manitoba Expression of Interest draw of January 30 issued 181 invitations to immigration candidates to apply for a provincial nomination. The draw targeted candidates belonging to the Skilled Workers in Manitoba, Skilled Workers Overseas and International Education Stream of Manitoba Provincial Nominee Program. The distribution of Letters of Advice to Apply (LAAs) in the latest draw is as follows:

Skilled Workers in Manitoba: 124
Skilled Workers Overseas: 39
International Education Stream: 18

Among the 181 candidates invited in the draw, 11 are Express Entry candidates.

Manitoba Express Entry

The Express Entry of Canada manages applications for immigration through the three federal economic immigration programs, which are the Federal Skilled Worker Class, Federal Skilled Trades Class and Canadian Experience Class. Each Express Entry profile is assessed on the basis of various eligibility factors including age, education, work experience and language proficiency and based on this, a Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score out of 1200 is awarded. The regularly conducted federal Express Entry draws invite the highest scoring candidates to apply for permanent residence in Canada. Manitoba considers Express Entry candidates with work experience in one of the in-demand occupations of Manitoba for nomination. The Express Entry candidates who wish to be nominated by Manitoba must submit a separate Expression of Interest to the MPNP. If nominated, they will receive 600 additional CRS points, which guarantee them an ITA in next Express Entry draw.

Manitoba Expression of Interest

The candidates who wish to receive nomination through Skilled Worker in Manitoba and Skilled Worker Overseas categories must first submit an Expression of Interest (EOI). Each EoI profile is assessed, ranked and awarded a score out of 1000. The highest-scoring candidates receive invitations in Manitoba Expression of Interest draws. In the latest draw, the minimum score required for Skilled Worker in Manitoba candidates was 548, while for Skilled Worker Overseas Stream candidates, the minimum score was 679.

Skilled Worker Overseas, Skilled Worker in Manitoba streams

The Skilled Worker Overseas category gives priority to candidates who have a previous connection to the province, including previous study or work experience or family members residing here. The category also considers candidates who have received invitations through one of the Strategic Recruitment Initiatives of MPNP. All the 39 Skilled Worker Overseas Stream candidates who received LAAs in the latest draw had received invitations through a Strategic Recruitment Initiative.

To be eligible under the Skilled Worker in Manitoba Category candidates must be working in Manitoba at the time of application and have a full-time permanent job offer from a Manitoba employer.

International Education Stream

International graduates with in-demand skills may receive invitations through one of the three sub-categories under the International Education Stream–Career Employment Pathway, Graduate Internship Pathway, and the Student Entrepreneur Pathway.

Are you eligible for Canada PNP migration? To know, talk to CanApprove’s expert immigration consultants now!

IRCC issues 3500 ITAs in February 5 Express Entry draw

In the 136^th Express Entry draw held on February 5, the Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) issued 3500 Invitations to Apply(ITAs) to apply for permanent residence in Canada. The invited candidates were required to have a minimum Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) cut-off score of 472. Compared to the previous Express Entry draw held on January 22, the CRS cut-off score has come down by one point, though the number of ITAs issued has increased by 100 in the latest draw.

Tie-break rule was applied in the latest draw, the time stamp given being January 30, 2020, at 07:36:26 UTC. It means the draw prioritized those candidates with a minimum CRS score of 472, who had submitted their Express Entry profiles before the said date and time.

Canada Express Entry system

The Express Entry system of Canada manages applications for immigration through the three federal economic immigration programs–Federal Skilled Worker Program, Federal Skilled Trades Class and Canadian Experience Class. Each Express Entry profile is assessed and ranked on the basis of a number of eligibility factors including education, age, work experience and language proficiency. Based on this, each candidate is awarded a CRS score out of 1200. The highest scoring candidates receive invitations from IRCC to apply for permanent residence in Canada. Sometimes, Express Entry applications get processed within just six months.

Canada has set ambitious admission targets for the 2020 and 2021. In 2020, the country will be admitting 85,800 new permanent residents through Express Entry, while the target for 2021 is 88800.

Provincial Nominee Programs

Most of the Provincial Nominee Programs have at least one stream or category aligned to the Express Entry. The CRS requirements of these streams and categories are often low or nil. Further, the Express Entry candidates who receive provincial nomination through these streams will obtain an additional 600 CRS points. The admission target set by Canada through Provincial Nominee Programs for the current year is 67,800 and for 2021 is 713000.

Express Entry draws held so far in 2020

Draw Number	Date	Number of ITAs issued	Minimum CRS score
136	February 5	3500	472
135	January 22	3400	471
134	January 8	3400	473

Canada Express Entry offers 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.

Smaller cities of Canada offer plenty of opportunities for immigrants!

Moving to the smaller cities of Canada has become a lot easier and more beneficial for immigrants thanks to the Provincial Nominee Programs. Besides offering numerous job opportunities, these cities provide high quality yet affordable living.

The Provincial Nominee Programs help the provinces and territories of Canada to attract more immigrants to cities outside their capitals. Ever since Canada introduced the Provincial Nominee Programs in 1999, the share of immigration to three of the largest provinces in Canada–Ontario, Quebec and British Columbia—has come down from 85 per cent to about 70 per cent today.

Besides the PNPs, the federal government has also launched a few immigration programs such as the Atlantic Immigration Pilot (AIP) and Rural and Northern Immigration Pilot to promote regional immigration. The government is also planning to launch the Municipal Nominee Program (MNP) to promote immigration to smaller cities.

Most of the Provincial Nominee Programs also have immigration streams for attracting immigrants to regional areas. In early 2020, Ontario launched the Regional Immigration Pilot for promoting immigration to the regions of the province. Almost 80 percent of the immigrants who come to Ontario prefer to settle down in its capital region called the Greater Toronto Area. It means the other cities in the province are struggling to attract immigrants.

Why move to smaller cities of Canada?

Job opportunities

Good career opportunities are one of the major reasons why skilled workers from across the globe prefer to move to Canada. Compared to bigger cities, smaller cities of Canada offer better job opportunities as the demand of workers is greater in these places. The number of young workers is also extremely low in these cities and they need young immigrants to fill the vacancies left by Canadians who are retiring from services.

The unemployment rate in most of the smaller cities in Canada is lower to national average. As the labour markets of these cities are less competitive, immigrants find it easier to land in a lucrative job.

Affordable accommodation

In big Canadian cities like Toronto and Vancouver, the cost of living is higher compared to smaller cities. Even if a new immigrant manages to land in a well-paying job in one of these cities, they will be spending more on housing compared to those living in smaller cities. While the average rent for a two-bedroom apartment in Toronto is $1600, it is only about $900 in Moncton and $600 in Trois-Rivieres.

Quality life

Residents in smaller cities of Canada enjoy better quality life. As the traffic is less on roads, the commute time to and from the work place is low. You can spend your free time for cultural and recreational activities similar to that of larger cities. Some regions are also famous destinations for outdoor activities such as skiing, fishing and hiking. It is also easy to make new friendships in smaller cities as the communities here are more tight-knit.

Do you wish to migrate to Canada? Contact us to explore your options to make your dream come true!

British Columbia will need more workers for senior care

Experts in the field of healthcare are urging British Columbia government to update its immigration policies according to the growing demand for healthcare attendants to take care of the elderly. Susan Fox, a Canadian healthcare leader, has written in her column in the Times newspaper that British Columbia needs more healthcare attendants to provide quality healthcare to the aging population of the province.

Senior care is predicted to be the fastest-growing sector in the economy of British Columbia in the next five years. Around 17000 new jobs will be created in this sector during this period.

By the year 2030, one in four people in British Columbia will be above the age of 65. People here preferring to have fewer children will also affect the population growth of the province. In this demographic condition, there will be fewer young workers to take care of the elderly. The situation demands the government of British Columbia to change the immigration policies to admit more foreign workers for senior care.

Further, more people will be retiring from the workforce in British Columbia in the near future, which will worsen the labour scarcity problem. If the vacancies created by the retirements are not filled on time, it will lead to the remaining workers having an extra workload.

The Conference Board of Canada has already expressed their opinion that Canada must use immigration to meet the labour demands of the province. The Advisory Council on Economic Growth also wants to increase the immigration numbers in order to meet the growing demand for skilled labour.

So the federal and provincial governments must work together to update immigration policy to ensure the availability of enough number of senior care professionals through immigration. Further, the governments must invest in immigration programs for facilitating HCA post-secondary training, speed up existing credential recognition and support immigrant integration.

If the British Columbia government decides to admit more healthcare workers to meet the growing demand, it will be a boon for the Canadian immigration aspirants who have relevant experience and qualifications.

Healthcare professionals have a lot of opportunities in Canada. Fill our free eligibility assessment form to explore your options for Canada migration.

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