Canadian Immigration: How To Improve Express Entry CRS Score For Those Aged Above 30

Posted on October 22, 2022 by Sandy Leave a Comment

Express Entry programs like the Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSWP), Canada Experience Class (CEC), and the Federal Skilled Trades Program (FSTP) make up the largest source of immigration of skilled workers in Canada.

Both programs present opportunities for direct and indirect means of qualifying for Canada PR respectively, through a point-based nomination grid called the Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS).

While applicants’ age determines their position in the Express Entry CRS score grid, the points progressively decline from 100 points for those aged 30 and reach 0 points for those aged 45 and older.

This blog is designed in such a way for you to maximize your Express Entry CRS score if you’re aged 30 or above.

How To Maximize Qualifying Chances For Canada PR Under Express Entry For Those Aged Above 30

Strategy I – Applying through Provincial Nominee Programs
Strategy II – Applying under Express Entry with a job offer
Strategy III – Making your spouse/partner a principal applicant
Strategy IV – Strengthening other Express Entry CRS criteria including education attainment, work experience & language proficiency

Use our CRS calculator to determine your chances of qualifying for Canada PR under Express Entry.

What is the Comprehensive Ranking System under Express Entry?

Canada has its unique Comprehensive Ranking System for evaluating the federal Express Entry candidates for immigration under federal immigration programs – FSWP, CEC, FSTP – as well as Express entry linked provincial nominee programs.

Eligible candidates may submit a profile into the Express Entry pool and they are awarded points based on factors including age, education, skilled work experience, and proficiency in English or French.

The highest-ranked candidates are regularly issued Invitations to Apply (ITAs) for Canadian permanent residence (PR) through regular draws from the Express Entry pool.

How to Maximize Express Entry CRS Scores for Those Aged 30 or Above?

If you are 30 years old or above, the maximum Comprehensive Ranking System points for the age category will progressively decrease – every year (95 points for an applicant aged 30, 90 points for a 31-year-old applicant, and so forth until it reaches 0 points for those aged 45 and above).

Typically, every Express Entry draw determines a unique qualifying score that hovers around 500 points. Here are some alternative strategies to pushing your Express Entry CRS score above the threshold score for Canada PR.

Strategy I – Applying through Provincial Nominee Programs

Candidates in the Express Entry pool can be picked up by provincial streams depending on the local labor demand. Those who receive a notification of interest from a province can apply for nomination to immigrate to a specific province.

If they are successful in their provincial nomination, 600 CRS points get added to their Express Entry profile, which pushes the score beyond the usual threshold and thus guarantees an invitation to apply for permanent residency from Immigration Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC).

For instance, PNP-specific draws conducted during the month of June targeted 932 candidates with provincial nominees and received invitations to apply for Canada PR. The automatic addition of 600 points to their base human capital score meant candidates effectively required only 196 Express Entry CRS points to qualify.

Strategy II – Applying under Express Entry with a job offer

Express Entry system is popular among foreign skilled workers as it allows a direct pathway for Canada PR. The applicants need not have prior job offers and may qualify based on work experience, education, and language proficiency alone.

If you’re someone aged 30 or above and willing to enter the Express Entry pool may do so while holding a valid job offer in Canada. Make sure to have a job offer that specifies in writing the details of all job requirements, including pay, duties, and employment conditions.

You may gain an additional 50 or 200 additional CRS points depending on the position and compensate for points lost under the age category.

Strategy III – Making your spouse/partner a principal applicant

As an industry expert for close to two decades in immigration consultancy services, we have closely observed the growth of the Canada Express Entry system since its launch in 2015.

Based on our client interaction experience, applicants aged above 30 may find that their spouse has a better Express Entry CRS score.

We recommend swapping the principal applicant and the dependent spouse or common-law partner to increase your chances of obtaining Canada PR.

Strategy IV – Strengthening other Express Entry CRS criteria

If you are losing points under the age category, try maximizing your Comprehensive Ranking System score under other core categories like work experience, education attainment, and language proficiency.

To improve your CRS score under the education attainment category, we advise you to earn additional credentials such as another degree or obtain an Educational Credential Assessment (ECA) for an existing degree. Our experience shows you can increase Express Entry CRS scores by upto 250 points.

English or French proficiency can be combined with other factors like education attainment to maximize your CRS score. For instance,

An applicant with a post-secondary program credential AND English or French Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) 7 in Listening, Speaking, Reading, and Writing (among which one at CLB 9) can earn 13 CRS points, OR

An applicant with two or more post-secondary program credentials (one at least 3 years long) AND CLB 9 in English or French can earn 50 CRS points

Sometimes articulating your work experience better in your immigration application may help get recognized better and improve Express Entry CRS scores.

While getting assessed under the Comprehensive Ranking Score is the easiest way to qualify for Canada PR, you are free to pursue other Canadian permanent residence pathways at the same time.

Visit a certified immigration consultant to determine your eligibility and choose the most suitable immigration program based on your education and work profile.

Book your appointment with CanApprove today!

Understanding Canada Through Q&A: 4 FAQs on Canadian Immigration:

Posted on October 15, 2022 by Sandy Leave a Comment

Understanding Canadian immigration through Q&A may address some pertinent questions that you were looking to get answered by experts for a long.

You can go through our previous edition of FAQs on Canadian Immigration: Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, Part 5, Part 6 & Part 7 to make an informed choice.

Let’s begin with this edition of FAQs on Canadian immigration by discussing the four most relevant topics in current times.

Q1. How is Canadian immigration policy boosting intake for international students in 2023?

Canada remains committed to attracting and retaining international students. Going by the recent figures, the number of study permit holders is forecasted to rise to approximately 753,000 international students between 2022 – 2023.

The increased intake of international students is complemented by Canada’s strategic plan to expand permanent residence for international students.

Presently, the most popular Canada PR options after Post Graduate Work Permit visas are

Express Entry
Provincial Nominee Program
Atlantic Immigration Pilot
Quebec Immigration
Family Sponsorship

Canadian immigration minister Sean Fraser submitted a strategy plan that expands pathways to permanent residence for international students and temporary foreign workers.

More than half (56.1%) of Canadian businesses in 2021 reported that their overall workforce was not fully proficient to perform their job at the required level. Increasing study permit intake levels and providing PR pathways for international students in Canada will help address the workforce skill shortage.

Further, the intake of international students in Canada is aided by liberal measures undertaken by the Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) that

covers each individual with the aim of reducing vulnerabilities while moving to Canada
aiding international students through the permit application
helping in the settlement process in Canada

For specific details relating to your case, please consult our immigration expert.

Q2. Why is Canada Express Entry accepting self-employed Physicians that were never considered before?

Physicians who are in Canada for the purpose of gaining work experience were not allowed to obtain permanent residency through Express Entry programs. However, Canada has now recognized this barrier for self-employed immigrant Physicians in Canada.

In a bid to close the skill shortage gap in the healthcare and social assistance sector, Canada will allow self-employed Physicians in Canada to obtain PR through Express Entry, like Canada Experience Class.

It is important to note that being self-employed outside Canada and having at least one year of work experience abroad did not stop the candidates to apply for permanent residency through the Express Entry program.

Further, it is also found that one in every four healthcare professionals in Canada is an immigrant. Consider discussing specific details of your case with our immigration expert.

Q3. What are some upcoming developments that will shape Canadian Immigration in the near future?

Canada will release major end-of-year developments in October. These announcements are expected to shape Canadian immigration targets and trends for the next couple of years.

Firstly, IRCC will the Immigration Levels Plan 2023-2025 will be announced by November 1. It has very recently announced a PGP 2022 intake of 23,100 sponsors.

Secondly, the qualifying Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score for the newly resumed all-program Express Entry draws is expected to fall below 500 while the draw size is expected to remain around 4,000 invitations to apply (ITAs) for Canada PR.

The latest Express Entry draws invited 4,250 candidates with CRS 500 and above.

Additionally, Statistics Canada will soon publish census data on immigration in 2021 which will give us an outlook on the success of Canadian immigration for the first time in five years.

Take this free assessment online to determine your eligibility for Canadian immigration.

Q4. Is Canada now seeing immigration-led population growth?

Canada encourages the intake of foreign students and depends upon foreign skilled immigration to sustain its aging population and support the economy.

In fact, a report published by Statistics Canada shows how immigration contributed to an astonishing 94.5% growth in Canada’s population during the period of April-June (Q2) 2022. Most contributions came from the increase in work and study permit holders.

Additionally, Canada’s provincial nominee program draws registered a record 11,548 nominations in September 2022 to qualify for Canadian permanent residency in a single month.

Plan your Canada Immigration with CanApprove

Canada is seeing the biggest rise in demand for augmenting the local workforce with foreign talent. It is supported by liberal immigration policies targeting over 430,000 new permanent residents per year.

Going by the latest trends, the future for economic-class immigration seems bright as 60% of the annual immigration targets will be coming from programs like Express Entry, and the Provincial Nominee Program. And this is why we have come up with FAQs on Canadian immigration for you to comprehend your chances of qualifying sooner!

You can book your free appointment with CanApprove, a CICC-certified consultant in Dubai.

We will help you determine your eligibility for Canadian immigration on the basis of your work experience or academic profile

How To Find Work In Canada On Student Visa For You and Your Partner/Spouse?

Posted on October 6, 2022 by Sandy Leave a Comment

Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) reported increasing demand for study permits in Canada. Last year, Canada reported a 56% increase in study permit applications over 2020. In Q1 of 2022, Canada received about 175,000 applications.

The growing popularity among other major study destinations could be due to various options for work in Canada on student visa, not only for self but also for a spouse or common-law partner immigrating alongside the permit holder.

Additionally, a recent survey noted Canada’s reputation for safety and stability as a major deciding factor in choosing to study.

With many immigration options for international students now open, interested candidates are most likely to get their choice of study course and eventually, qualify for permanent residency status in Canada.

Work Options in Canada for Study Visa Holders

Work-study visas are an excellent way to retain foreign skilled talent and also let them gain some local work experience. This is a great way to qualify for immigration, say permanent residence visas under the points-based immigration system.

Generally, students switching schools or taking an authorized leave from their studies are not allowed to work in Canada on student visa.

Let’s explore various options for work in Canada on student visa.

I. Off-campus work rules

Off-campus work rules apply in situations where students prefer to work for an employer in Canada that is not located on the university/college/institution campus.

Student visa in Canada allows work upto 20 hours per week during regular academic semesters, and full-time during scheduled academic breaks, like winter, spring, and summer break.

Typically, an international student must ensure the following pre-requisites to work in Canada on a student visa off-campus:

enroll themselves in a full-time study course of at least 6 months at any Designated Learning Institution (DLI) and leading to a certificate, diploma, or degree
hold a valid Canadian study permit
have a social insurance number (SIN)

II. On-campus work rules

On-campus work rules apply in situations where students prefer to work for an employer located on the university/college/institution campus itself.

Such employers within the campus could be

the school,
a faculty member,
a student organization,
a private business on campus,
a private contractor providing services to the school, or
self-employed on-campus.

Exception for international students who are teaching or research assistants. They can work at a library, hospital, or research facility associated with their school in Canada even if it is outside the campus.

III. Co-op work rules

Co-op study programs mandates students to undergo work internships to account for it in program credits and complete the study course.

Eligible students need a separate co-op work permit to work in Canada on a student visa.

The co-op work permit is a separate, closed-work permit. It may only be used for work that is essential to the program of study.

IV. After graduation

An open work permit called Post-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP) allows international students to work in Canada full-time upon graduation. The PGWP is valid for up to three years and allows the holder to work for an employer of their choice in Canada.

Students that are not eligible to work off campus include

visiting or exchange students at a designated learning institution
students only taking courses required to be accepted into a full-time program
students enrolled in English as a Second Language (ESL) or French as a Second Language (FSL) program

Students that are not eligible to work on campus include

students whose study permit has expired
students who stop studying full time unless they are in their final semester and meet other requirements

Work Options in Canada for Partner/Spouse

The spouse or common-law partner may be eligible for work in Canada on student visa of an international student.

The spouse or common-law partner of international students on a valid study permit is eligible for an open work permit if the student:

eligible for a Post-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP)
enrolled in a full-time program at one of the public post-secondary schools, a private college-level schools in Quebec or a Canadian private schools that can legally award degree under provincial law.

Open-work permit in Canada is not job-specific and eligible beneficiaries are free to apply for most job positions.

Take this free assessment online to determine your chances of qualifying for immigration.

Applying for a Study Permit in Canada with CanApprove

Canada’s Post-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP) Program is one of the most popular immigration options for international students. It allows them to gain work experience and have a better chance at qualifying for permanent residency, especially through the Canadian Experience Class under Express Entry.

The Provincial Nominee Program is another significant immigration program for international students. There are dedicated provincial immigration streams from Saskatchewan, Manitoba, British Columbia, and Ontario that nominate international student graduates to apply for provincial nominations.

If you are in the Express Entry pool already, you may be invited to apply for a provincial nomination. Then if you get the nomination, it will mean you get 600 points added to your score and you will be able to apply for immigration as a PNP candidate!

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Connect with our consultants today to learn more about the University Programs, Scholarships, Tuition Fees, and settlement options after graduation.

How to extend your Temporary Residence in Canada

How to extend the Temporary Residence status in Canada?

Posted on October 5, 2022 by Sandy Leave a Comment

Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) permits a few options that allow temporary residents in Canada to remain in the country while they wait for a decision regarding temporary or permanent status.

For instance, if a temporary resident in Canada applies for a new temporary status, then they don’t need to leave Canada even if their documents expire before IRCC takes a decision. Students, visitors, and temporary foreign employees can preserve their temporary resident status through maintained status in order to remain in Canada until they hear about their new application.

Bridging Open Work Permit (BOWP) may be beneficial for temporary residents who are applying for permanent residency and whose documents are about to expire

Post-Graduation Work Permit cannot be renewed or extended, While some temporary residency permits can be. However, this does not always indicate that these workers are not eligible for another type of work permit.
A temporary Resident Visa (TRV) doesn’t paves way for working or pursuing an academic in Canada. Those applicants may also be eligible to apply for a Visitor Record and be permitted to stay for longer than six months, but it doesn’t enable them to work or study. Let’s look at the programs that help people to stay in Canada, they are:

Work Permits
Study Permits
Post-Graduation Work Permits
Bridging Open Work Permits
Spousal Open Work Permits

Work permit for Temporary Residents

Canada has two broad categories of Work permits, one with a positive or neutral Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA), and the other is LMIA-exempt.

The employer who is in need of a worker should show that they need a foreign worker to fill a vacant position and that’s how the LMIA process. The Employment and Development Services Canada (EDSC) issues the LMIA to the employer and the employer sends a copy of the confirmation letter to the worker. Following this, the worker can apply for a work permit to IRCC.

Most temporary foreign workers have work permits that are LMIA exempt. More than 315,000 work permits from LMIA-exempt, were issued in 2021, which is roughly three times more than the LMIA work permits. To hire through an LMIA-exempt work permit program, Canadian employers should submit the offer of employment through the IRCC’s employer portal.

The LMIA-exempt has open work permits, which let holders work anywhere for any employer in Canada. It also includes work permits issued through the International Experience Canada (IEC) program. IEC offers pathways for young people from particular nations who want to gain Canadian experience.

Study Permit for Temporary Residents

If your career and your financial status are viable and endurable, you can very well apply for a study permit to stay in Canada. You can work part-time for 20 hrs during the period of your academics and full-time during your summer and fall breaks. However, first, you need to be admitted to a Designated Learning Institution (DLI).

There are possibilities to get qualified to remain in Canada after completing your program through the PGWP (if you have never had one before). Additionally, you will be qualified for routes to permanent residency that are for international student graduates.

Post-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP)

This is for international student graduates who completed their post-secondary program at a Designated Learning Institution. It doesn’t tie down the worker to only one employer or occupation and is open to work anywhere he or she wishes.

Study programs that last more than eight months but less than two years could be qualified for a PGWP. International students who successfully completed two-year or longer programs may be qualified for a three-year PGWP.

Bridging Open Work Permit (BOWP)

This allows specific permanent residency applicants to stay in Canada over the expiry date of their temporary residence status.

The given are the few programs that are eligible for a BOWP:

Federal Skilled Worker Program
Canadian Experience Class
Federal Skilled Trades Program
Provincial Nominee Program
Quebec Skilled Workers
Agri-Food pilot program

To get into a BOWP applicants need to receive an Acknowledgement of Receipt (AOR) from IRCC. But according to their circumstances, they may apply for other work permits.

Did you know if you can apply for 2 Canadian immigration programs simultaneously?

Spousal Open Work Permit (SOWP)

Generally, Spousal sponsorship can be an option if your spouse or common-law partner is a Canadian citizen or permanent resident. Spouses and common-law partners in Canada can undergo their immigration process by the Spousal Open Work Permit (SOWP).

This may be available to you if you are applying for sponsorship from within Canada. In-land applicants are those who apply from within Canada. Also, temporary residents’ spouses may get an open work permit.

If it’s possible to convince the government, then their spouse can be enrolled in this program.

To know more about the Canadian immigration pathways, stay in touch with CanApprove. And are you seeking immigration assistance? Fret not! CanApprove is right here…

EXPLAINED: Can You Apply Simultaneously For 2 Canadian Immigration Programs?

Posted on September 24, 2022March 12, 2024 by Sandy Leave a Comment

The official department dealing with immigration and citizenship in Canada, allows eligible prospects to apply simultaneously for two immigration applications. However, you may have to withdraw one of any applications before making your decision final with the other.

This means that interested candidates can apply for more than one Canada immigration program to increase their chances of qualifying. Upon receiving an invitation to apply for one particular program, the applicant should withdraw the application for the other program.

Canadian Immigration Act reads,

“The Immigration and Refugee Protection Act and Regulations do not prohibit multiple applications from being made in the economic stream. However, prior to concluding one of the applications, the immigration officer will advise the applicant to withdraw the other.

Furthermore, while multiple applications may be submitted, the applicant must also be aware that there will be no refund of processing fees paid for the other application(s) once processing has begun.”

Choose from 100+ Options to Immigrate to Canada from the U.A.E

Canada welcomes the influx of skilled workers and business entrepreneurs/investors to sustain its economy. All skilled worker evaluations will be on fundamental human capital factors like age, education, work experience, and proficiency in the official language.

Since the majority of immigrants from the Emirates have a stronghold in the English language, they have an inherent advantage of securing a Canada PR.

Express Entry for skilled workers

An Express Entry is a popular immigration pathway. With the same, the foreign skilled workers can apply for Canada PR without a job offer. It is a system for maintaining a pool of interested candidates who wish to obtain permanent residency.

You cannot have more than one Express Entry profile at a time. However, you can add your spouse’s or dependent’s profiles.

The usual validity of Canada Express Entry profile is 12 months.

After expiry, you have to submit a new application if you wish to stay in the Express Entry pool in the hope of getting a PR invitation.

Such candidates must qualify under one of the three federal immigration programs- the Federal Skilled Workers Program (FSTP), the Canadian Experience Class (CEC), and the Federal Skilled Trades Program (FSTP).

In addition, any Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) with a dedicated Express Entry immigration stream can make use of the Express Entry pool to nominate desirable candidates to apply for Canada PR.

FSWP stands out to be the most preferred choice among the foreign-skilled workers who have not lived in Canada before. It gives them a good chance to apply for permanent residency in Canada.

On successful registration of your Express Entry profile, you will get your Comprehensive Ranking System score.

Finally, Canada resumed its all-program Express Entry draws post-pandemic and is actively inviting candidates under FSWP. After the pandemic, IRCC reinvented Express Entry draws and issued invitations to eligible candidates with provincial nominations and candidates with Canadian experience to apply for Canadian permanent residency.

Provincial Nominee Programs for economic-class immigration

The unique federal-provincial-territorial arrangement in Canada allows 13 provinces and territories of Canada to nominate economic-class immigrants including skilled workers, international students, and business investors/entrepreneurs independently.

Tech workers are finding newer and better opportunities in Canada in view of visa curbs by the USA. Canadian provinces like British Columbia, and Ontario have dedicated immigration streams for Tech workers. Other provinces like Saskatchewan, Manitoba, News Brunswick, and Prince Edward Islands are actively inviting economic-class immigrants.

It is expected that Canada may target up to 90,000 new immigrants annually, henceforth. This will be from provincial nominee programs.

Talk to our consultants to determine your eligibility for an immigration plan based on your academic profile and work experience.

How To Create & Register Your Canada Express Entry Profile?

Posted on September 22, 2022March 16, 2024 by Sandy 3 Comments

Immigration in Canada means obtaining Canadian permanent residency (PR).

Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) uses the Express Entry system to manage applicants for three distinct immigration programs: the Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSWP), the Federal Skilled Trades Program (FSTP), and the Canadian Experience Class (CEC).

Any skilled worker with enough work experience can directly apply for Canadian permanent residency in Canada under FSWP without a job offer or Canadian experience. Canada has had a high success rate under the FSWP category since the launch of the Express Entry system in 2015.

On the other hand, international students and other temporary residents are retained in Canada as permanent residents under CEC. Various reports have shown 85% retention of permanent residents in Canada.

An international student who wishes to stay in Canada after graduating may do so by completing an extra step: applying for a Post-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP).

PGWP is an open work permit allowing you to work for a Canadian employer for up to three years and no requirement to have a job offer to apply for it. Graduates can use this permit to get the required skilled work experience before applying for the CEC.

How To Apply for Canada PR Under Express Entry?

Qualifying for PR via Canada Express Entry is a two-step process.

Step1: Here the interested candidates confirm their eligibility for at least one of the three Express Entry programs – FSWP, CEC, or FSTP.

Step2: Candidates can upload their Express Entry profile onto IRCC’s website. All the registered profiles are then assessed and ranked based on the CRS score.

The qualifying score based on the Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) is used to identify skilled worker candidates who will be the most successful in Canada’s job market.

Such profiles are evaluated on a total of 1200 points. The human capital criteria like

age,
education,
work experience outside Canada,
language proficiency in English/French,
spouse adaptability,
Canadian study experience, etc. are considered for evaluation purposes.

Take this free assessment online to determine your chances of qualifying.

The Costs of Creating an Express Entry Profile

Note: All prices mentioned here are in Canadian dollars.

1 US Dollar = 1.34 Canadian Dollar

IRCC has an Express Entry application processing fee for a single application is $850.

If you’re applying with a spouse/partner, the application processing fee is doubled to $1,700. Every dependent child will incur a charge of $230.

Further, if the candidates qualify in their bid for Canadian permanent residency, every adult in the application will have to pay an additional Right of Permanent Residence Fee (RPRF) of $515.

Therefore, the total application and qualifying fee under Express Entry is between $1365 (single person applicant) to $2,960 (for a family of three)

Further, there are associated fees to assembling an application (with a myriad number of required documents and official papers).

Documents required to register a Canada Express Entry Profile:

Passport copy/copy of travel document
English or French Language proficiency tests
Proof of Canadian Education or an Education Credential Assessment (ECA)
A Provincial Nomination Letter (if obtained)
A written job offer letter from a Canadian employer or proof of work experience or certificate of qualification in a trade occupation (is applicable); and
Proof of settlement funds (only for FSWP & FSTP candidates who do not have a valid job offer in Canada)

Among the mandatory documents, collecting few will attract additional cost:

Language proficiency testing

Canadian immigrants accepts two languages: English and French as their official language.

Any candidate is expected to score a minimum proficiency score in order to qualify for immigration.

For pursuing accreditation in English, the following tests can be taken:

IELTS (International English Language Testing System) testing costs between $302-$311 + tax, depending on what location one is testing in. and
CELPIP (Canadian English Language Proficiency Index Program) testing costs $280 + tax.

For pursuing accreditation in French, the following tests can be taken:

TEF (Test d’Évaluation de Français pour le Canada) testing costs $440 with an additional $75 non-refundable charge if the applicant needs to cancel or reschedule before the testing day, and
TCF (Test de Connaissance du Français) testing costs $460 and features the same $75 non-refundable charge.

Education credential assessment

An ECA (Education Credential Assessment) becomes mandatory if you had your graduation from outside Canada. The assessment is to determine how your education may compare to an equivalent Canadian education.

The average cost of receiving an ECA is roughly $200, in addition to courier fees.

Additionally, ECA may incur translation charges into English or French. Costs here can vary from $0.06 to $0.20 per word of translation.

Preferably, translations should be done by registered providers with the appropriate board authorities.

Some examples of board authorities are The Association of Translators and Interpreters of Ontario (ATIO); the Society of Translators and Interpreters of British Columbia (STIBC); and le Ordre des Traducteurs, Terminologies et Interprètes agréés du Québec (OTTIAQ). Each province has its own board authority for translators.

Proof of settlement funds

Canada requires proof of financial stability from prospective immigrants who apply for immigration without a job offer. It applies to candidates under Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSWP) and Federal Skilled Trades Program (FSTP).

The major requirement here is that these funds must be readily available at the time of immigration and not be kept in form of equity, property, or any form of other immovable assets. An official letter from the bank acts as proof.

Depending on the size of your family these costs will vary.

The official guidelines listed on the IRCC website are:

1 person = $13,310
2 people = $16,570
3 people = $20,371

Recent Changes to Canada Express Entry

Since its inception in 2015, Canada Express Entry has remained the number one pathway for permanent residency. However, the provincial nominee programs are receiving more preference in recent times.

Canada is expected to welcome over 400,000 newcomers consistently each year. We could see more nomination draws giving priority to immigrants with Canadian experience in the near future.

This will be followed by major reforms in the Express Entry system set to come into force in early 2023. IRCC would be able to invite candidates based on an economic goal, ie. candidates with specific occupation skills may be prioritized to apply for Canada PR, likely from early 2023.

Earlier, Immigration Minister Sean Fraser promised to process new Express Entry applications for Canadian permanent residency within standard 6 months, the standard pre-pandemic levels.

Educate yourself on how will new Canada NOC 2021 affect Canada Express Entry Eligibility among other programs.

Apply for Canada Express Entry With CanApprove

Applying through a certified immigration consultant can boost your chances of qualifying for Canada PR.

CanApprove is a certified immigration consultant in Dubai and is registered with the College of Immigration and Citizenship Consultants (CICC). Choose from a wide of our customized immigration services like

Profile Evaluation: we help match your skillset with the right visa eligibility requirements for easy immigration.
Arrange documents: we can also help you procure the required documents needed before applying for a visa.
Resume Writing: our expert documentation team can create a likable resume that stands out by the concerned immigration authority.
Post-Landing Services: Any kind of settlement assistance like accommodation, community orientation, etc can be customized and arranged.

You even get a dedicated immigration consultant to work exclusively on your case until resolved!

Book your free appointment with CanApprove to learn more about your chances of qualifying for immigration to Canada.

You may also like reading 16-Point Canada Immigration Checklist Before Moving to Canada.

Recent Canadian Immigration Trends 2022 That You Should Know

Posted on September 12, 2022March 16, 2024 by Sandy 2 Comments

Various reports and surveys from Statistics Canada note the continued dependence of Canada on economic-class immigration to support its population growth. Estimates show us that Canada’s population could reach up to 57 million people by 2068 and would be largely driven by skilled immigration.

We are seeing more such interesting Canadian immigration trends that will reaffirm your decision to move to Canada. Here’s us presenting the top 6 immigration trends that also promise to boost Canadian permanent residency targets:

Job vacancies are at an all-time high

Job vacancies in Canada are hiking even more and it reached 1,000,000 in June this year. There is a labor shortage and high demand for skilled workers in Healthcare and social assistance sectors. Job vacancies in the retail sector, Manufacturing, Professional, scientific, and technical services, and Finance and insurance have gone up.

Unemployment in Canada continues to decrease while job vacancy rises all over the country. Canada looks at immigration as one of the methods to solve this problem by inviting a large number of prospective permanent residents between now and 2024.

Read along with Canada’s plan for increasing immigration, Canadian businesses are now dependent heavily on skilled immigrants to fulfill increasing job vacancies across industries.

Skilled Immigration continues to rise

Canada is set to exceed its annual target of 431,000 new permanent residents in 2022. Most immigrants favored Ontario followed by British Columbia, Quebec, and Alberta as their preferred choice provinces in Canada.

The biggest reason for Canada to show an increased tendency to welcome more immigrants is because working-age Canadians are quickly reaching the retirement age of 65. By 2030, it is expected that nine million Canadians will have retired.

Therefore, Canada is resorting to sustaining its population through skilled immigration. At the present, Canada’s Immigration Levels Plan has a target of over 450,000 new permanent residents a year by 2024, the highest number in its history.

We are seeing increased invitations to apply (ITA) under fortnightly all-program Express Entry draws. Candidates under Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSWP) who don’t have any Canadian experience or job offer can qualify for Canadian permanent residency under it.

Take your free assessment online to determine eligibility for Canadian immigration

Improving PNP intake levels

Immigration ministers from across Canada came together at the Forum of Ministers Responsible (FMRI) for Immigration earlier this July in Saint John, New Brunswick.

The meeting of Immigration Ministers focussed around increasing Canada’s Immigration Levels Plan alongside agreeing on multi-year PNP levels plan. The current plan is targeting to welcome over 400,000 new immigrants annually till 2024. Over 60% of the target is to meet through economic-class and family-class immigration programs.

Specifically, PNP is targeting 80,000 intakes in 2022 and would increase to 90,000 intakes next year. With the latest agreement between the Immigration ministers, PNP allocation targets will also be set on a three-year basis.

The ministers agreed to determine the multi-year PNP plan by March 31, 2023.

Returning back to processing standards

Canadian immigration trends suggest more investment to digitize immigration services.

Immigration, Refugees, Citizenship and Canada (IRCC) will begin transitioning to 100% digital applications for most permanent residence programs on September 23.

Canada is also promising new exemptions, and more application status trackers to improve client experience and reduce immigration backlogs. IRCC is targeting to process 80 percent of new applications within their service standards.

Earlier, Immigration Minister Sean Fraser promised to process new Express Entry applications for Canadian permanent residency within standard 6 months, the standard pre-pandemic levels.

More opportunities for international students

Canada has received 175,000 student visa applications in the first quarter of 2022 alone.

IRCC is reporting a significant rise in demand for study permits from international students. The figures for 2021 show a 56% increase in study permit applications over 2020 levels, indicating the return of normalcy.

More and more international students are choosing Canada in spite of popular study abroad destinations like Australia, New Zealand, the UK, Ireland, the USA, France, Germany, Poland, Malta, and Switzerland, because of its reputation for safety and stability.

Additionally, the retention rate in Canada in issuing Post-Graduation Work Permits and later qualifying for Canadian permanent residency is the highest among popular destinations.

This concludes our discussion on the latest Canadian immigration trends to watch out for and plan your immigration accordingly. Don’t forget to book your free appointment with CanApprove to determine your eligibility based on your work or academic profile!

New Canada NOC 2021 Will Affect Canada Express Entry Eligibility Among Other Programs

Posted on August 4, 2022 by Sandy 1 Comment

Immigration, Refugees, Citizenship Canada (IRCC) will switch to the new 2021 version of the NOC system on November 16. As a result, Canada NOC 2021 will affect various immigration programs including Canada Express Entry eligibility.

Presently, Canada is classifying eligible immigrants with relevant work experience. It will be based on NOC 2016 standards, skill types 0, A, or B. Canada NOC 2021 attempts to determine work experience eligibility on the basis of the new Training, Education, Experience, and Responsibilities (TEER) system.

Hence, this blog discusses how NOC changes will affect Express Entry candidates.

Impact of NOC 2021 on Canada Express Entry Eligibility

Statistics Canada explains the rationale behind the new TEER system:

Focus on the education and experience required to work in a given occupation.
Accurately capture the skills required in each occupation.

Indeed, the new TEER system classifies all occupations into six categories: 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and is equivalent to present Skill level 0, A, B, B, C, and D respectively.

For Instance, let’s look at the implications of the new Canada NOC 2021 on Canada Express Entry eligibility:

CRS implications

In fact, All registered profiles in the federal pool are evaluated using the Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS).
That is factors in age, education, and work experience, and language proficiency among others.

Also, with the new Canada NOC 2021 coming into force, the points you get for arranged employment will follow the Skill Type/Level update chart.

For example, if you would have received 50 points for arranged employment in Skill Type/Level 0, A, or B, you will still get those points if your NOC is in TEER 0, 1, 2, or 3.

Selection factor points for Federal Skilled Worker Program

However, the points you get based on the selection factors for the Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSWP). It will follow the Skill Type/Level update chart.

This means that if you would have received 10 points for arranged employment in Skill Type/Level 0, A, or B, you will still get those points for arranged employment in TEER 0, 1, 2, or 3.

Eligibility criteria	Canadian Experience Class	Federal Skilled Worker Program	Federal Skilled Trades Program
English or French skills	CLB 7 for TEER 0 or TEER 1 occupations; CLB 5 for TEER 2 or TEER 3 occupations	CLB 7	CLB 5 for speaking and listening; CLB 4 for reading and writing
Type/Level of work experience	Additionally, Canadian work experience in an occupation listed in one or more of these NOC TEER Categories: TEER 0, TEER 1, TEER 2, or TEER 3.	Work experience in an occupation listed in one of these NOC TEER Categories: TEER 0, TEER 1, TEER 2, or TEER 3.	Work experience in a skilled trade under key groups of TEER 2 or TEER 3.*
Amount of work experience	One year in Canada in the last three years (either combination of full-time or part-time work).	One year continuous within the last 10 years (combination of part-time, full-time or more than one job in your primary occupation).	Two years within last five years (either combination of full-time or part-time work)
Job offer	Not required.	Not required but you can get selection criteria (FSW) points for having a valid job offer.	A valid job offer of full-time employment for a total period of at least one year or a certificate of qualification in that skilled trade issued by a Canadian provincial, territorial or federal authority.
Education	Not required.	Secondary education is required. You can get more selection criteria (FSW) points for your post-secondary education.	Not required.

16 new occupations become eligible under TEER

Moreover, A total of 16 occupations including some in the healthcare sector will become eligible for Express Entry, and three will become ineligible.

Read this report for full analysis.

What Should Express Entry Candidates Do?

IRCC recommends Express Entry candidates in the pool as well as those who have not submitted to update profiles with the new Canada NOC 2021:

Candidates who have already submitted their profile but have not received an Invitation to Apply (ITA) will have to update their profile on or after November 16, 2022.

Candidates planning to enter the Express Entry pool on or after November 16 must find their occupation’s code on the latest NOC 2021 list.

Also, Candidates who receive ITAs before November 16 must submit their application using NOC 2016.

Accordingly, Canada Express Entry is the most popular pathway to permanent residency. Despite, the unusual break in all-program nomination draws and reduction in Express Entry targets due to increasing application backlogs, IRCC will get back to annual targets of over 110,000 new immigrants by 2024.

You can book your free appointment with our expert consultants to determine your eligibility for Canada Express Entry programs.

Ontario PNP Offers Nine Nomination Streams To Improve Chances Of Immigrating To Canada

Posted on June 22, 2022 by Sandy 5 Comments

Ontario posts an incredible immigrant retention rate of over 93%. A large number of immigrants prefer Ontario due to its open economic opportunities, and well-established immigrant communities. In fact, Ontario welcomed about 49% of all Canadian permanent residents or about 198,000 profiles in 2021. And the good news is that the Ontario PNP is on track to issue nearly 9,000 invitations to apply for a provincial nomination in 2022.

Qualifying for Canada Permanent Residency via PNP

Canada allows its provinces and territories to run their own Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) which attracts immigrants with specific skills and experience to support local labor force needs.

Such nominated candidates are qualified to apply for Canada permanent residency by virtue of gaining Canadian experience. Now they can settle in any part of the country, even outside the province that nominated them.

Immigration Categories Under Ontario PNP

Ontario invites eligible candidates under four immigration categories and within most categories are sub-streams.

Human Capital Priority Steams
Master and Ph.D. Categories
Employer Job Offer Category
Entrepreneur Category

Those who wish to qualify for Canada permanent residency through provincial nominations have nine pathways to choose from under Ontario PNP.

Express Entry Categories

Ever since the introduction of the Express Entry system in 2015, all provincial nominee programs have at least one stream that nominates candidates directly from its federal pool of foreign skilled talent.

Human Capital Priority Streams: Those who are eligible for the Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSWP) or Canadian Experience Class (CEC), are also eligible for a provincial nomination in Ontario.

French Speaking Skilled Worker Class: For those who are highly skilled in both official languages- English and French, Ontario PNP will favor them for provincial nominations. This stream is identical to FSWP but with a mandatory Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) of 7 in French and a 6 in English.

Skilled Trades Stream: Candidates who are eligible for Express Entry under the Federal Skilled Trades Program (FSTP) are eligible for provincial nomination through the Skilled Trades stream. This means candidates must have a minimum of one year’s work experience within their trade, and it must fall into National Occupational Classification (NOC) codes Minor Group 633 or Major Groups 72, 73, or 82.

Master and Ph.D. Categories

There are exclusive immigration programs designed for master’s students and Ph.D. students who graduate from Ontario universities and plan to stay in the province.

The Masters Graduate stream requires at least one year of study at an eligible Ontario university and graduation from the program.

The Ph.D. Students stream must complete at least two years of their Ph.D. in Ontario.

In order to qualify under both streams, candidates must have lived in Ontario for at least one year over the past two years.

Employer Job Offer Category

This category is for those aspirants with a job offer from a local employer in Ontario.

Employer Job Offer: Foreign Worker Stream: Foreign workers who are abroad and have a job offer from an Ontario employer may qualify under this stream. The job must fall under NOC codes 0, A, or B and you must be able to demonstrate an appropriate license (where needed) or a cumulation of two years’ work experience in the same occupation.

Employer Job Offer: International Graduates: Candidates who are graduating from colleges or universities in foreign countries and have received job offers from an employer in Ontario may apply.

Employer Job Offer: In-demand occupations: Skilled workers either in Canada or abroad with experience that falls under NOC C or D may apply.

Entrepreneur Category

The Ontario PNP also invites foreigners to start their own businesses in the province and contribute to the economy.

Candidates for this category must also submit an Expression Of Interest (EOI). If they are invited to apply, they are required to attend a mandatory interview and sign a performance agreement.

Initially, they will be issued a temporary work permit to move to Canada and implement their proposed business plan in the next 20 months. Upon final review, they are eligible for Canada permanent residency.

If you are looking to immigrate to Canada, you may book a free appointment with CanApprove,

We are a certified immigration consultant that will help determine your eligibility based on work experience or academic profile, submit your EOI, and offer professional guidance in completing your documentation process.

Brief Analysis Of Comprehensive Ranking System Under Express Entry For Canada PR

Posted on June 15, 2022 by Sandy Leave a Comment

Anyone who is planning their immigration to Canada will across the Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS). It is a system for profile assessment and ranking under the Express Entry system for Canada PR.

Canada started using CRS to assess Express Entry profiles in 2015.

The Express Entry CRS is a detailed and evidence-based approach designed to identify immigrants who have the best chance of succeeding in the Canadian labor market.

It is done by awarding points to all the registered Express Entry profiles based on core human capital criteria such as age, education, language skills, and work experience. Candidates are then ranked against each other based on their CRS scores.

What is the Comprehensive Ranking System?

Canada has its unique Comprehensive Ranking System for evaluating the federal Express Entry candidates for immigration under federal immigration programs as well as Express entry linked provincial nominee programs.

The highest-ranked candidates are regularly issued Invitations to Apply (ITAs) for Canadian permanent residence (PR) through regular draws from the Express Entry pool. As Canada gears up to resume all-program Express Entry draws, the Express Entry applications for Canada PR will be processed within six months.

How to Improve Express Entry CRS score?

The biggest advantage of the federal Express Entry system for candidates is the fact that the candidates can improve their Comprehensive Ranking System score anytime. This may result in an increased probability of getting an invitation to apply to Canada PR.

Areas to improve the Express Entry CRS score include:

Improving proficiency in a language – English or French
Documenting their education and work experience correctly
Stay updated with active provincial nominee programs
Obtain a Canadian job or any other new credentials
Any candidate can boost a CRS score by proving they have completed secondary or post-secondary education in Canada.

Additionally, all candidates in the Express Entry pool who want to be assessed for their foreign education and/or that of their spouse or common-law partner under the Comprehensive Ranking System will need to get an Education Credential Assessment (ECA).

An ECA is used to determine the Canadian equivalent of an education degree obtained outside Canada. It is not required in order to enter the Express Entry pool as a Federal Skilled Trades Class and Canadian Experience Class candidate. However, under the Federal Skilled Worker Class, you will need an ECA.

How are Points Awarded Under the Comprehensive Ranking System?

A candidate may be eligible to get up to 1200 points under the Comprehensive Ranking System. There are four factors under which you can gain CRS points:

Core/Human Captial (age, skilled work experience in Canada, education, and language)
Spouse or common-law partner (education, language, work experience)
Skill Transferability (combinations of language, education, and work experience)
Additional factors (Provincial nomination, sibling in Canada, proficiency in English and French)

Core/human capital

Core/human capital factors can add up to a maximum of 500 points with language the highest number of points at 150 for a single applicant, followed by education at 140, age at 100, and Canadian work experience at 70 points.

Age:

Maximum points are awarded to those in the prime of their working life.

Candidates in their 20s score 100 points. Points progressively decline beginning from age 30, until it reaches 0 points for those aged 45 and older.

Work experience in Canada:

All Express Entry programs require a minimum amount of skilled work experience in an occupation that falls under skill levels 0, A, or B of Canada’s National Occupation Classification (NOC) system.

The CRS awards additional points to those with Canadian experience.

A single candidate with more than five years of Canadian work experience can score up to 80 points, while the minimum requirement of one year is 40.

Education:

More years of education will result in more points.

If a candidate with a bachelor’s degree or a three or more year program at a university, college, trade or technical school, or another institute can score up to 120 points.

Longer programs, such as a PhD, will score 150 while candidates who have only completed secondary school will receive 30 points.

Spouse or common-law partner

If you are planning to immigrate with a spouse or common-law partner, you should have them estimate their CRS score using a Comprehensive Ranking System calculator.

To account for your partner, the CRS reduces the number of points the Principal Applicant (PA) can get for various factors by a total of 40 points. However, at the same time, the CRS also allows the PA to earn up to 40 points through their partner’s profile.

If they have a higher score than you, it may be a good idea to have them apply as the principal applicant to maximize your overall CRS score.

Skill Transferability

The CRS also ranks based on skill transferability factors. Candidates can get an additional 100 Express Entry CRS points if they can show a combination of work experience and education both inside and outside of Canada, or a combination of post-secondary education and a high CLB score.

Additional factors

For example, a candidate who has a sibling in Canada will score higher, as well as a candidate who has a minimum CLB score of seven in both English and French.

Another example can be that the highest number of additional points comes from the Provincial Nominee Program (PNP).

Candidates who receive a notification of interest from a province can apply for nomination to immigrate to a specific province. If they are successful in their provincial nomination, 600 CRS points get added to their Express Entry profile, which is higher than most candidates’ scores and is likely to result in an invitation to apply for permanent residency from Immigration Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC).

For instance, in the latest Express Entry draws, 932 provincial nominees received invitations to apply for Canada PR. The automatic addition of 600 points to their base human capital score meant candidates effectively required only 196 Express Entry CRS points to qualify.