Australia releases skilled migration occupational ceilings for 2019-20!

Australia has released the occupation ceilings for skilled migration programs for the year 2019-20. Occupational ceiling means the maximum number of ‘Expressions of Interest’ (EOI) or invites that would be issued from an occupation group in a year. Australian government sets ceilings for occupations to make sure that the skilled migration program is not dominated by a small number of occupations.

A person who applies for Australia migration through one of the skilled migration programs must make sure that their occupation is listed on the Skilled Occupation List (SOL). The list, at present, includes more than 200 occupations. The Department of Home Affairs (DHA), Australia updates the list regularly.

Once the maximum number of invites as per the ceiling is issued under a particular occupation, no more invitations are issued for that occupation or program in that year. Instead, the invitations will be issued to migrants in other occupations even if they have less ranking score.

The occupation ceilings indicate which are the most in-demand occupations in the Australian labour market. While the ceilings of some occupations are high, the ceiling limit of some other occupations may be low.

Occupational Ceilings for major occupations

Australia government has fixed the occupational ceiling for registered nurses at more than 17,000 for the year 2019-20. At the same time, occupation ceiling is more than 8,000 for electricians, carpenters, Secondary school teachers and software programmers. The ceiling for music professionals, economists and cartographers is 1000. If an occupation has a high ceiling, it means the occupations are in high demand in the Australian labour market.

Australia has reduced its migration program for 2019-20. But this has not affected the occupational ceilings. However, the applicants must remember that ceilings do not mean these many invitations will be issued for each of these programs.

Occupational Ceilings do not apply to Australia Visa 190 –State or Territory and Employer Sponsored or Business Innovation and Investment visa subclasses.

Are you planning to migrate to Australia? The expert immigration consultants of CanApprove help you enjoy a hassle-free Australia migration process! Contact us for more details!

Alberta Express Entry draw invites candidates with CRS scores as low as 300!

Alberta Immigrant Nominee Program (AINP) held two Alberta Express Entry stream draws in a gap of just one week and a total of 471 candidates were invited in both these draws. The first draw was held on July 17, which invited a total of 251 Express Entry candidates with a minimum Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score of 400. At the same time, the minimum CRS requirement for the second draw held on July 24 was only 300 and a total of 220 Notifications of Interest (NoIs) were issued in the draw.

The Alberta Express Entry stream allows AINP to search for candidates who meet the eligibility requirements of the stream in the federal Express Entry pool and invite them to apply for provincial nomination. AINP held its first Express Entry stream draw on July 6, 2018. Ever since, a total of 26 draws have been conducted so far and 5,063 NOIs have been issued.

Eligibility requirements for Alberta Express Entry Stream

In order to be considered for provincial nomination through Alberta Express Entry stream, the candidates must first create an Express Entry profile. Though the candidate does not require a job offer, he/she must have work experience in an occupation that supports the economic development and diversification priorities of Alberta. The candidate must also have a minimum CRS score of 300.

Candidates who meet any of the following conditions get priority in Alberta Express Entry stream draws:

a job offer and/or work experience in Alberta;
a degree from a Canadian post-secondary institution and a valid job offer; or
a parent, child or sibling already living in Alberta.

At the same time, there are also some factors that decrease the chances of an Express Entry candidate receiving an NoI from Alberta. One such factor is the expiry date of the candidate’s Express Entry profile. Chances are less for a candidate to receive NoI if his/her Express Entry profile expires within three months from the date of the draw. Likewise, it is less likely for a candidate to receive an NoI if his/her occupation is listed in the Alberta Opportunity Stream Ineligible Occupations list.

Alberta Express Entry stream

The Alberta Express Entry stream gives a golden opportunity to those Express Entry candidates whose low CRS scores prevent them from obtaining a Canada PR visa. Alberta has invited candidates with CRS score as low as 300 on four occasions in 2019. In three draws held in 2019, the minimum CRS score was 301, while in another one, the cut-off score was 302. The highest minimum CRS score in an AINP Express Entry draw so far is 425. These scores are so low compared to the minimum cut-off scores in federal Express Entry draws. In the latest Canada Express Entry draw held on July 24, the minimum CRS score wasas 459.

The Express Entry candidates who are nominated by Alberta for permanent residence in Canada receive 600 additional Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score points that guarantee them an invitation to apply for permanent residence in Canada in the subsequent Express Entry draw.

Do you think low CRS score would bring down your chances for Canada migration? Don’t worry! The expert immigration consultants of CanApprove would help you choose the right Canada migration pathway that matches your qualifications and aspirations. Contact us for more details

Report says Australia citizenship approvals increased by 88% in one year!

The number of applications for Australian citizenship that got approval witnessed a significant increase this year, says a report released by the Australian Immigration Department of Home Affairs (DHA). According to the report, the processing time of applications for Australian citizenship has come down and the backlog of applications has also reduced.

Australia approved more than 132,000 citizenship applications during the period between 1st July 2018 and 31st May 2019. It indicates a significant increase compared to 70,000 applications approved during the same period last year. The report has revealed that during the past one year, citizenship approvals increased by 88 percent.

According to David Coleman, Australia’s Immigration Minister, the increase in citizenship approvals can be attributed to the reforms implemented by the Department of Home Affairs (DHA). The reforms introduced by DHA include setting up task forces to deal with complicated citizenship cases and enhanced online systems with automated processes to customize the application process. Australian government also invested $9 million to recruit and train extra staff for making the processing of citizenship applications more efficient.

The new reforms proved effective in bringing down the backlog of citizenship applications from 250,000 last year to almost 222,800 this year. This number is expected to come down further in the future. As per the report of the Department of Home Affairs, processing time of 75% of the applications has come down from 20 months in April 2019 to 16 months in June 2019.

However, it must be noted that despite the reduction in processing time and increase in the number of approvals, the number of citizenship applications awaiting approval is still above 200000. According to DHA report, the number of pending applications as on May 31st is 221,695. On the positive side, the increase in the number of citizenship approvals and reduction in the processing time of applications have made the prospective Australian immigrants more optimistic about their Australia migration plans.

Get the professional help of experienced immigration consultants to make your Australia immigration journey hassle-free and smooth. Contact us for more information and guidance on Australia migration.

1773 Express Entry candidates invited in second Ontario Tech Draw!

A total of 1773 Express Entry candidates received invitations to apply for a provincial nomination in the second Ontario Tech Draw held on August 1. The draw selected candidates who had a minimum Comprehensive Ranking System(CRS) score of 435 and who had submitted their Express Entry profiles between August 1, 2018, and August 1, 2019. The candidates were also supposed to have work experience in one of the six targeted occupations for the Ontario Tech Draw.

Ontario launched Tech Draw in July 2019 with an aim to invite candidates with work experience in tech-related occupations. In the two Ontario Tech Draws that have been conducted so far, the Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program (OINP) has invited a total of 3396 Express Entry candidates.

Ontario has a booming tech sector, with some of the major tech hubs in Canada like Toronto, Ottawa and Waterloo located in the province. Ontario Tech Draws cater to the growing demand for skilled workers in the technology sector of the province.

According to the 2019 CBRE Scoring Tech Talent Report, more than 80,000 tech jobs were created in the last five years in Toronto alone.

Ontario Tech Draw

Ontario selects candidates to be invited to apply for provincial nomination through the Ontario Tech Draw from the federal Express Entry pool. It simply means if a candidate wishes to be invited to apply for a provincial nomination, he/she must first create an Express Entry profile.

In order to be invited through Ontario Tech Draw, the candidate must also have work experience in one of the six targeted occupations. They are:

Software engineers and designers (NOC 2173)
Computer programmers and interactive media developers (NOC 2174)
Computer engineers (NOC 2147)
Web designers and developers (NOC 2175)
Database analysts and data administrators (NOC 2172)
Computer and information systems managers (NOC 0213)

OINP conducts Tech draws through its Human Capital Priorities Stream. A candidate does not need to have a job offer in order to be considered in Tech Draw.

Provincial nominee programs such as the Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program provide vast options for Canada migration, especially to those candidates with low CRS scores. While the minimum CRS score required in the latest Express Entry draw was 459, the minimum CRS score requirement was only 435 in the Ontario Tech Draw held on August 1. To know which PNP suits your qualifications and aspirations, you can seek the help of an expert immigration consultant.

Highest number of BC PNP Skills Immigration nominations issued to Indians in 2018!

The British Columbia Provincial Nominee Program (BC PNP) issued the highest number of provincial nominations through its Skills Immigration nomination streams to Indian candidates in 2018, says a new report released by the British Columbia government. The report says that 29 percent of all nominations issued by BC PNP through the Skills Immigration streams went to Indian applicants. Other top countries of origin in terms of receiving high number of nominations are China, Brazil and South Korea.

The report further says that there was a significant increase in the number of nominations issued through the Skills Immigration program of BC PNP in 2018. The number of SI: Skilled Worker candidates who received provincial nomination from BC PNP in 2018 was 1607, compared to 1218 nominations issued by BC PNP through this stream in 2017. There was also an increase in the number of nominations issued through the SI: Entry Level and Semi-Skilled Category and the International Post-Graduate Category in 2018. The proportion of British Columbia nominations received by technology workers also witnessed a rise from 17.2 per cent to 19.7 per cent in 2018.

Nominations issued under BC PNP Express Entry streams

The number of provincial nominations issued by BC PNP through its Express Entry-aligned streams in 2018 was 3100. Close to 2000 nominations out of these were issued to candidates in the Express Entry B.C. (EEBC): Skilled Worker Category. Another 936 nominations were issued through the EEBC: International Graduate Category.

The number of provincial nominations issued by British Columbia through its Express Entry-aligned immigration streams has increased by 750 in 2018 compared to 2017. Further, 48 percent of all nominations issued by BC PNP in the year 2018 went to Express Entry candidates.

The four immigration categories of BC PNP linked to the federal Express Entry are:

EEBC: Skilled Worker
EEBC: International Graduate
EEBC: International Post-Graduate
EEBC: Healthcare Professional

The Express Entry candidates who wish to be considered for provincial nomination from British Columbia must first register with the Skills Immigration Registration System (SIRS) of BC PNP. The candidates will then receive a score based on various eligibility factors. The highest scoring candidates will receive provincial nomination from British Columbia in the draws that are conducted regularly.

In 2018, BC PNP issued 1987 nominations through EEBC: Skilled Worker category, 806 more compared 2017. The number of invitations issued through the EEBC: International Post-Graduate and EEBC: Healthcare Professional categories also increased in 2018.

Provincial Nominee Programs are a great option for Canada migration, especially for those candidates with low CRS scores. Contact us to find out the best Canada immigration pathway for you!

New Brunswick to hold targeted searches in Express Entry pool!

New Brunswick will soon start selecting candidates directly from the federal Express Entry pool in order to invite them to apply for nomination from the province. It is not necessary for the Express Entry candidates to submit an Expression of Interest to the New Brunswick Provincial Nominee Program (NBPNP) in order to be considered by the province. The province would be choosing candidates who demonstrate capabilities to meet the specific labour market requirements of the province.

In a recent update, NBPNP has revealed that it “will, on occasion, invite candidates directly from the federal Express Entry pool in response to provincial labour-market needs.” The Express Entry candidates who receive invitations from NBPNP can apply for provincial nomination from New Brunswick. The candidates nominated by the province would earn an additional 600 Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score points, which guarantee them an invitation to apply for Canada PR in the subsequent Express Entry draw.

In order to be considered for provincial nomination from New Brunswick, the Express Entry candidates must also meet the eligibility requirements stipulated under its Express Entry Labour Market Stream (EELMS). Besides selecting candidates directly from the Express Entry pool, New Brunswick would continue to invite candidates through Expression of Interest draws.

The Express Entry-aligned immigration streams of various provincial nominee programs are increasingly becoming popular these days. What makes them attractive for prospective Canada immigrants is the fact that, even those with low CRS score can obtain Canada PR through these streams. Some of the popular Express Entry streams under provincial nominee programs are Ontario’s Human Capital Priorities Stream, the Alberta Express Entry Stream and Nova Scotia’s Labour Market Priorities Stream. Several draws have already been conducted under these streams this year in which, hundreds of candidates have received invitations to apply for provincial nomination. The growing relevance of Express Entry-aligned PNP streams shows how important is it for the prospective migrants to create an Express Entry profile in order to improve their chances for migrating to Canada.

Check out your options for being invited to apply for provincial nomination by filling our free eligibility assessment form!

High demand for nurses in New Brunswick province of Canada!

The healthcare sector of New Brunswick province in Canada has huge demand for nurses. In order to meet this increasing demand, the newly released Nursing Resource Strategy of New Brunswick has proposed recruiting internationally trained nurses. The Nursing Resource Strategy has proposed four so-called “action items” to meet the increasing demand for nurses in health services and long-term care among New Brunswickers and the recruitment of internationally educated nurses (IENs) is one among them.

As per the information included in the Strategy document, the population of New Brunswick is aging faster than any other region in Canada, which is a “critical demographic situation.” It should also be noted that New Brunswick has one of the oldest populations in Canada.

The document further shows that 41 per cent of registered nurses (RNs) in New Brunswick are 50 years of age or older. There has also been a decline in enrolment to bachelor of Nursing programs in the province and an attrition rate of 30 per cent for nursing students. According to New Brunswick’s Ministry of Health, the healthcare sector of the province would be facing a shortage of at least 130 registered nurses (RNs) each year over the next 10 years. During this period, around 4,376 RN vacancies are expected to be created in the province. In short, there will be a huge demand for nurses in New Brunswick in the near future.

As part of the efforts to meet the growing demand for nurses, New Brunswick will be recruiting Internationally Educated Nurses from countries where Nursing education programs have similar nursing professional standards, competencies, and credentials to New Brunswick. It will help the province recruit immigrant nurses who can meet its registration requirements.

The New Brunswick government has also recommended an examination to identify any barriers, areas for improvement or efficiencies for IENs and to improve the application process. Another recommendation is launching a program to help IENs find work in the healthcare sector of the province while their applications for registration are being processed. The program will boost positive integration of Internationally Educated Nurses into the province.

The other action items in the Nursing Resource Strategy are offering permanent employment (full-time and part-time) to New Brunswick graduates and RNs recruited from other provinces or countries and a signing bonus in exchange for a three-year commitment to serve in rural areas of New Brunswick.

There is a huge demand for nurses and other trained professionals in almost all the provinces and territories of Canada. You too can migrate to Canada through any of the provincial nominee programs if you meet the eligibility criteria. Check your eligibility by filling our free eligibility assessment form now!

135 candidates invited in latest PEI PNP Expression of Interest draw!

Prince Edward Island Provincial Nominee Program (PEI PNP), in the latest Expression of Interest draw held on July 18, invited 135 candidates to apply for provincial nomination. The draw invited candidates belonging to Labour Impact, Express Entry and Business Impact categories of PEI PNP. Of the total 135 invitations issued, 118 invitations went to Labour Impact and Express Entry candidates, while Business Impact candidates received the remaining 18.

PEI PNP Expression of Interest system

The Expression of Interest system of PEI PNP was launched in the year 2018. PEI PNP has been conducting monthly draws under the stream. So far, seven Expression of Interest draws have been conducted this year. PEI PNP issued a total of 922 invitations in all these draws. Of the total invites, 789 were issued through the Labour Impact/Express Entry streams while the remaining invites were issued to candidates from the Business Impact stream.

In the previous year, PEI PNP issued a total of 1,446 invitations through the Expression of Interest system. Of the total number of invitations issued, 1,240 went to Labour Impact and Express Entry candidates and the remaining 206 invites were issued to Business Impact candidates. The largest PEI PNP Expression of Interest draw, ever since the system was launched, took place on October 18, 2018, when 297 candidates were invited.

PEI PNP Express Entry stream

The Express Entry stream of the PEI PNP allows the province to select candidates who meet the requirements of the province from the federal Express Entry pool and nominate them for permanent residence in Canada. The candidates nominated by Prince Edward Island would receive 600 additional Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score points that would guarantee them an invitation to apply for permanent residence in Canada in the subsequent Express Entry draw. The Express Entry stream of PEI PNP has two pathways, one that require a job offer and one that does not.

PEI PNP Labour Impact category

The Labour Impact category of PEI PNP has two streams–Skilled Worker Stream and Critical Worker Stream. Skilled workers with an employment offer from a PEI employer are eligible under the Skilled Worker Stream. Critical Worker Stream, which aims to resolve labour shortages in the province, is meant for foreign workers already working in Prince Edward Island with employment in specific critical demand occupations.

Provincial Nominee Programs are a better option for those candidates who feel less fortunate with the Express Entry stream, having low CRS score. PNPs offer a faster and simpler pathway for migrating to Canada. Get in touch with us to know the best Provincial Nominee Program that suits your qualifications and aspirations.

Over 92000 received Canada PR in 2018 | Express Entry year-end report

Over 92000 received Canada PR in 2018, says Express Entry year-end report

The number of immigrants being admitted to Canada through Express Entry has been witnessing a steady increase ever since the Express Entry system was launched in 2015. Now the year-end report on Express Entry released by the Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) shows that the year 2018 witnessed all-time high in the number of persons who received Canada PR through Express Entry. According to the report, over 92000 candidates received Canada PR through Express Entry in the year 2018. The number was only 65423 in 2017.

Canada PR and age factor:

The report shows that more than half of the candidates who received ITAs in Express Entry draws held in 2018 were in the age group of 20 to 29. Under the Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS), candidates in this group receive the highest points. Candidates in this age group, with a spouse or common law partner, earn 100 CRS points under the age factor. At the same time, candidates without a spouse who belong to this age group receive 110 CRS points.

Canada PR and education level:

Among those who received ITAs in Express Entry 2018, 90 percent had post-secondary level education. Candidates who have education above post-secondary level can earn between 84 and 150 CRS score points. It shows that education is a major factor that decides the success of a candidate’s Express Entry application.

Candidates with a Canadian degree or diploma can earn some additional CRS score points. In fact, Canadian education was a common factor that helped many candidates earn a few extra CRS score points in Express Entry 2018.

Job offer not necessary:

It must be noted that almost half of the candidates were successful in obtaining Canada PR even without any additional CRS points. The candidates claimed points for arranged employment comprised only 10 percent. It indicates that a job offer is not a necessary pre-requirement to obtain Canada PR through Express Entry.

Canada PR and country of Citizenship:

As per the Express Entry year-end report for 2018, 43% of the international immigrants who received Canada PR through Express Entry were Indians. Second came Nigerians, who constituted 7% of the total number of successful candidates, closely followed by the Chinese in the third place with 6% of successful candidates.

Express Entry, being simple and fast-track, is the most popular pathway for migrating to Canada. In order to obtain Canada PR through Express Entry, the candidates must first check whether they are eligible. All you need to do is fill our free eligibility assessment form to check your eligibility and know your options.

381 candidates invited in Saskatchewan Expression of Interest draws

The Saskatchewan Expression of Interest draws held on July 24 invited 381 candidates to apply for provincial nomination. In the draws which were held just over a month after the previous Saskatchewan Expression of Interest held on June 20, candidates from the Express Entry and Occupation In-Demand subcategories of Saskatchewan Immigrant Nominee Program (SINP) were invited to apply. While Occupation In-Demand candidates received 277 invitations, the number of Express Entry candidates who received invitations was 104.

Saskatchewan Expression of Interest system:

To be considered for provincial nomination under the Express Entry and Occupation In-Demand subcategories of SINP, the candidates must first create a profile with the Saskatchewan Expression of Interest system. The profile must include information such as education, work experience, and language proficiency. Based on these eligibility factors, each profile is awarded a score out of 100. A candidate must score at least 60 points to be eligible. The highest-scoring candidates will be invited to apply for a provincial nomination from Saskatchewan in the Expression of Interest draws that are conducted regularly. Besides, the candidate must also have work experience in one of the 19 occupations listed in the in-demand list of Saskatchewan.

The highest-scoring candidates will be invited to apply for a provincial nomination from Saskatchewan in the Expression of Interest draws that are conducted regularly. The minimum cut-off score of selected candidates in the July 24 Expression of Interest draws was 74, which is six points higher than the cut-off score for the previous draw held on June 20, which was 68. SINP has so far issued 1004 invitations to Express Entry candidates and 1473 invitations to Occupation In-demand candidates this year.

The Express Entry candidates who are nominated for permanent residence in Canada will receive 600 additional Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score points that would ensure them an invitation to apply in the subsequent Express Entry draw. The applications for permanent residence of Occupations In-demand candidates will be processed outside the Express Entry system.

Canada PNP offers vast opportunities for candidates with skills which are in demand in provinces. The success of your Canada PR application depends on choosing the right pathway for Canada migration. CanApprove, with more than two decades of experience in Canada migration, can provide you expert guidance and assistance to migrate to Canada. Contact us for more details.

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