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Monthly Review: Canada PR Nomination Draws in October 2021

Canada is recovering fast and with the opening up of its borders to international travellers, the country is eyeing to meet its immigration levels plan of welcoming up to 1.2 million new immigrants by 2023.

Additionally, Quebec released its new immigration levels plan for 2022 and will invite up to 52,500 new immigrants.

Canada immigration news

During the month of October’21, Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) held just two program-specific Express Entry draws resulting in about 1,569 invitations to apply (ITAs) for Canada PR. Meanwhile, the Provincial Nominee Programs (PNPs) invited a total of 4,002 eligible candidates to apply for provincial nominations.

Immigration experts view these developments as a sign of relief as more new aspirants can be expected to immigrate to Canada in near future.

Canada Permanent Residence Under Express Entry Draws in October 2021

Somewhere in the whole nomination draws in 2021, the preference for candidates under Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSWP) is still being sidelined. Usually, foreign skilled workers who have adequate work experience but outside Canada are taken under the FSWP category.

The federal Express Entry provides a direct immigration pathway for skilled foreign workers even without a job offer or work experience in Canada to obtain permanent residence (PR).

Last month, Express Entry only preferred Express Entry candidates under PNP categories for permanent residence.

Express Entry Draws – October 2021
Draw Number Nomination Draw Date Qualifying CRS ITAs issued
#207 October 14 PNP-specific: 720 points 681
#208 October 28 PNP-specific: 744 points 888

Canada Express Entry is a long-drawn (maximum one-year validity) two-step process.

All registered profiles are assessed and ranked on a Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS). Core human factors such as age, education, language skills, and work experience are the metrics to calculate a CRS profile score.

The second step will involve the fortnightly nomination draws held by IRCC. The high-ranking candidates based on the CRS score get invitations to apply (ITA) for permanent residence (PR).

Active Provincial Nominations for Canada PR in October 2021

The unique arrangement between the federal and provincial/territorial governments in Canada, except in Quebec & Nunavut, allows the nomination of foreign candidates separately based on the unique labour demand of each province. These provincial nominations allow eligible candidates to apply for permanent residence.

Further, candidates with an active Express Entry have a chance to gain an additional 600 points towards their overall CRS score. This would effectively guarantee them an ITA for Canada PR in a subsequent Express Entry draw.

BRITISH COLUMBIA:

Nearly 960 candidates were invited to apply for the provincial nomination in the last month. These provincial nominations were issued through the Express Entry British Columbia, and Skills Immigration streams.

With the turning of the tech pilot program into a permanent immigration program, aspirants can expect more nominations of specific foreign tech workers to immigrate to Canada.

ONTARIO:

The province seemed busy as it held a total of seven draws last month. The Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program (OINP) invited about 2,620 eligible candidates throughout the month.

Typically, foreign workers with Canadian work experience in various occupations fitting the categories under the National Occupational Classification (NOC) skill level 0, A, B may qualify for such streams.

MANITOBA:

The province of Manitoba held a draw under Skilled Workers in Manitoba, International Education Stream, and Skilled Workers Overseas streams. A total of 885 Letters of Advice to Apply were issued of which 179 were issued to candidates who declared a valid Express Entry profile.

ALBERTA:

The province issued only one draw that invited 293 candidates with CRS scores of at least 300.

PRINCE EDWARD ISLAND:

The province went as per its pre-scheduled draws, rather with a larger draw size. A total of 204 eligible candidates under Express Entry, Labour, and Business Impact candidates.

Here’s a quick review of our previous editions of monthly nomination draws review: 

Get a free assessment of your immigration profile and find the best pathway to migrate to Canada.

Check Your CRS Scores

Book your free appointment with CanApprove to get genuine immigration advice based on your work and academic profile.

Canada Updates NOC 2021 for Economic Class Immigrant Applicants

Come this fall 2022 and Canada is set to overhaul the way it classifies occupations for immigrants.

Canada categorizes occupations through a system called the National Occupational Classification (NOC). It is reviewed every year and updated every five years to ensure foreign immigrants with the right skillset get a fair chance of opportunity in Canada’s dynamic labour market.

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While the federal government is yet to make an announcement about which sorts of immigration applicants may be affected, it is certain that the new NOC code will affect some economic class and foreign worker, applicants.

About the new NOC 2021

As reported by CIC news, Canada will introduce the new occupation classification sometime in “fall 2022”.

Immigration, Refugees, Citizenship Canada (IRCC) is also expected to align the new NOC rollout with the department of Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC) to ensure consistency of Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) applications for work permits.

Canada made a significant overhaul to the NOC in 2011, followed by another update in 2016. Statistics Canada released its new NOC 2021 publication last month for use by federal and provincial governments to manage skilled worker immigration programs and the Temporary Foreign Worker Program (TFWP).

This is to ensure that foreign immigrants who specialize in emerging fields like data science, cyber security and others get adequate opportunities to work & settle in Canada.

NOC skill levels to be replaced by new TEER system

Canada uses NOC skills levels that were last updated in 2016. It classifies all occupations in Canada into four categories:

  • NOC 0: Skill type 0 jobs are usually managerial in nature;
  • NOC A: Skill type A jobs are professional in nature and usually require a university degree; or
  • NOC B: Skill type B jobs are skilled trades occupations that usually require a college diploma or training as an apprentice.
  • NOC C & D: Jobs include semi- and low-skilled workers in the trades, primary and manufacturing industries, sales and services, as well as certain clerical and assistant categories

National Occupational Classification(NOC) 2021 brings in a new system of skill classification which will be based on the Training, Education, Experience and Responsibilities (TEER) system.

Statistics Canada explains the rationale behind the new TEER system:

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

The benefits of the new TEER system could lead to more favourable opportunities for foreign immigrants and the mapping of new occupations in emerging fields like data science, cybersecurity, etc.

The new TEER system has 516 occupations, up from 500 in NOC 2016. All occupations are classified into six categories: 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5

TEER 0

  • Management occupations.

TEER 1

  • Completion of a university degree (bachelor’s, master’s or doctorate); or
  • Several years of experience in a specific occupation from TEER category 2 (when applicable).

TEER 2

  • Completion of a post-secondary education program of two to three years at community college, institute of technology or CÉGEP; or
  • Completion of an apprenticeship training program of two to five years; or
  • Occupations with supervisory or significant safety (police officers and firefighters) responsibilities; or
  • Several years of experience in a specific occupation from TEER category 3 (when applicable).

TEER 3

  • Completion of a post-secondary education program of less than two years at community college, institute of technology or CÉGEP; or
  • Apprenticeship training of less than 2 years; or
  • More than six months of on-the-job training, training courses or specific work experience with some secondary school education; or
  • Several years of experience in a specific occupation from TEER category 4 (when applicable).

TEER 4

  • Completion of secondary school; or
  • Several weeks of on-the-job training with some secondary school education; or
  • Several years of experience in a specific occupation from TEER category 5 (when applicable).

TEER 5

  • Short work demonstration and no formal educational requirements.

This tool from Statistics Canada can be used to view how your current NOC compares to the NOC 2021.

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

Check Your CRS Scores

For more expert analysis and opinion, get in touch with our consultants. Book your free appointment with us today!

How Work Experience can make you eligible for Canada PR under Express Entry?

Immigrating to Canada is simple.

Canada is the only G7 country to offer a direct permanent residence (PR) pathway. The Express Entry system contributes significantly to Canada PR intakes annually.

Canada immigration news

It is a federally managed database of foreign skilled worker applicants willing to settle in Canada permanently. They are selected mainly based on their overall work experience, language proficiency in English or French, education qualification, and age.

Our focus in this blog would be to determine how your work experience can make you eligible for Canada PR even without having a job offer in Canada.

Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) assesses your work experience based on how much education is required to do your job.

As a thumb rule, the more education and experience it takes to work in your position, the higher your occupational skill level will be.

Canada currently analyzes a job’s skill level – 0 (management jobs), A (professional jobs), B (technical jobs) using the 2016 National Occupational Classification (NOC) under the Express Entry system.

Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) consider “full-time” to be equal to 30 hours per week. Over one year, this adds up to be 1,560 hours. You can meet this requirement by working full-time for a year or part-time.

IRCC does not count any hours you worked above 30 hours per week. So, you cannot become eligible faster for working more hours.

All work experience for the purposes of an Express Entry-managed program must be paid. Volunteer work and unpaid internships do not count.

Work Experience for Federal Skilled Worker Program

FSWP is the most popular permanent residence pathway among foreign skilled immigrants without a job offer or work experience in Canada under the Express Entry system.

Candidates needs to meet minimum work experience, language proficiency, and education requirements. You need to score at least 67 out of 100 in order to pass. At least 15 of these points come from work experience.

Experience  Maximum 15 points
1 year 9
2-3 years 11
4-5 years 13
6 or more years 15

Self-employment in Canada does not count towards work experience. You can also get an additional 10 points for “adaptability” if you have at least one year of full-time, skilled work experience in Canada.

Work Experience for Canadian Experience Class

In order to meet the work experience requirement, you need to have worked full time for at least one year in Canada in a skilled occupation. This work experience may have been completed anytime within the three years before you apply for permanent residency through the CEC.

Unfortunately, self-employed work or work that you did while studying in Canada does not count.

Canada rejigs NOC for new occupations

Canada is changing its National Occupation Classification (NOC) system to Training, Education, Experience and Responsibilities (TEER) categories.

In the new TEER system, there will be six skill levels instead of five. Instead of skill levels 0, A, B, C, and D, there will be 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5. There will be 516 occupations in the new classification system, up from 500 in the current edition.

Take this free assessment online to determine your eligibility.

Check Your CRS Scores

Book your free appointment with CanApprove to check whether your job will count for points in the Express Entry system before you apply.

Applying for Canada Permanent Residence along with your Spouse

The new federal government and economic recovery in Canada have re-ignited hopes for the improvement of family immigration to Canada.

Canada is likely to welcome around 80,000 immigrants per year under the spousal, partner, and children category.

Canada immigration news

Any newly acquired permanent residence for Canadian citizens of foreign origin may sponsor their foreign Spouse (legally married), Common-law/Conjugal partners (not legally married but has been living with you for at least 12 consecutive months) to obtain Canadian permanent residence.

Sponsoring your Spouse for Canada PR

If one of the partners is above 18 years old and is a Canadian citizen or permanent resident, they can sponsor the other partner for Canada PR.

Such applicants must submit two applications to Immigration, Refugees, and the Citizenship Canada (IRCC):

  • the sponsorship application and
  • permanent residence application.

IRCC asks you to submit both applications together.

Step 1: Confirm you meet the eligibility criteria to sponsor with CanApprove 2: Get the application package from IRCC’s website
3: Pay all required fees on IRCC’s website. Like processing, right of permanent residence, and biometrics fees  4: Mail both applications together to IRCC

Sponsors must demonstrate their financial adequacy to take care of a partner to be sponsored for at least three years. Sponsor is not allowed to sponsor another person for the next five years after they obtain Canada PR.

The standard processing time is 12 months.

If you are applying with your partner who is living with you in Canada. The process has slightly different steps than if you were applying from abroad.

The Spouse or Common-Law Partner in-Canada class is for Canadian citizens and permanent residents who are already living together in Canada and want to obtain permanent residence.

However, under the Outland Spousal or Common-Law Partner Sponsorship, Canadians or permanent residents may sponsor their spouse or common-law partner for permanent residence in Canada, regardless of their place of residence.

Express Entry for Married Couples or Common-Law Union

A married couple or common-law partners can receive fewer base points than a single person, but can also gain points from their partner. 

A couple applying for Canada PR, either within Canada or outside Canada, through Express Entry, will necessarily have to assign only one among them as a Principal Applicant (PA) for assessment and evaluation based on the Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS).

The couple can choose which partner is the PA as long as both partners qualify for at least one of three Express Entry programs, i.e. the Federal Skilled Workers Program, the Federal Skilled Trade Program, and the Canadian Experience Class.

PA can be accompanied by a spouse, common-law partners, or dependent children.

The scoring system for single PAs and partnered PAs is somewhat different. 

The CRS reduces the number of points the PA can get for various factors by a total of 40 points. However, the CRS also allows the PA to earn up to 40 points through their partner’s profile.

For more details, read our previous blog on Canada PR through Express Entry For Married Couples or Common-Law Union.

Canada provides an application guide online, as well as a document checklist for people going through the process. We advise you to go through it.

However, a significant advantage of applying through an immigration consultant like CanApprove will lessen your documentation compliance burden apart from full support to explore various options depending upon your unique profile.

Take this free assessment online to determine your eligibility.

Check Your CRS Scores

Book your appointment with CanApprove today.

Monthly Review: Canada PR Nomination Draws in September 2021

The Liberals are forming a new federal government for the third consecutive time and are set to increase more skilled immigration in upcoming years.

Canada immigration news

And why is foreign immigration to Canada important?

If one is to understand the importance of immigration in building the Canadian economy & support the ageing demography, the recent election campaigning in Canada was not centred on whether the country should accept immigrants, but how Canada can best welcome them!

Canada is recovering fast and with the opening up of its borders to international travellers, the country is eyeing to meet its annual immigration target of up to 400,000 new immigrants.

During the month of September’21, Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) held four program-specific Express Entry resulting in about 4,000 invitations to apply (ITAs) for Canada PR. Meanwhile, the Provincial Nominee Programs (PNPs) issued over 6,500 ITAs to eligible immigration candidates.

Experts on immigration view these developments as a sign of relief as more new aspirants can be expected to immigrate to Canada in near future.

Canada Permanent Residence Under Express Entry in September 2021

Somewhere in the whole nomination draws in 2021, the preference for candidates under Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSWP) is still being sidelined. Usually, foreign skilled workers who have adequate work experience but outside Canada are considered under the FSWP category.

The federal Express Entry provides a direct immigration pathway for skilled foreign workers even without a job offer or work experience in Canada to obtain permanent residence (PR).

Throughout the year 2021, Canada preferred Express Entry candidates only under CEC or PNP categories.

Express Entry Draws – September 2021
Draw Number Nomination Draw Date Qualifying CRS ITAs issued
#203 September 01 PNP-specific: 764 points 635
#204 September 14 CEC-specific: 462 points 2,000
#205 September 15 PNP-specific: 732 points 521
#206 September 29 PNP-specific: 742 points 761

Clearly, IRCC emphasized more candidates with provincial nominations to apply for permanent residence in September’21.

Canada Express Entry is a long-drawn (maximum one-year validity) two-step process.

All registered profiles are assessed and ranked on a Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS). Core human factors such as age, education, language skills, and work experience are used to calculate a CRS profile score.

The second step will involve the fortnightly nomination draws held by IRCC. The high-ranking candidates based on the CRS score get invitations to apply (ITA) for permanent residence (PR).

Active Provincial Nominations for Canada PR in September 2021

The unique arrangement between the federal and provincial/territorial governments in Canada, except in Quebec & Nunavut, allows the nomination of foreign candidates separately based on the unique labour demand of each province. These provincial nominations allow eligible candidates to apply for permanent residence.

Further, candidates with an active Express Entry were extremely benefitted as provincial nomination will give them a chance to gain an additional 600 points towards their overall CRS score. This would effectively guarantee them an ITA for Canada PR in a subsequent Express Entry draw.

ONTARIO: About 1,751 invitations to apply for provincial nominations were issued throughout the month. Eligible candidates under various streams like the Master’s Graduate and Ph.D. Graduate streams, the Employer Job Offer: Foreign Worker and Employer job offer: International Student streams, In-Demand Skills stream and also, the Regional Immigration Pilot.

Typically, foreign workers with Canadian work experience in various occupations fitting the categories under the National Occupational Classification (NOC) skill level 0, A, B may qualify for such streams.

BRITISH COLUMBIA: Nearly 994 candidates were invited to apply for the provincial nomination throughout the past month. These provincial nominations were issued through the Express Entry British Columbia, and Skills Immigration streams.

With the turning of the tech pilot program into a permanent immigration program, aspirants can expect more nominations of specific foreign tech workers to immigrate to Canada.

ALBERTA: The province issued 1,335 ITAs over three Express Entry-linked draws in September’21. MANITOBA: The province of Manitoba held a draw under Skilled Workers in Manitoba, International Education Stream, and Skilled Workers Overseas streams, issuing up to 1,252 Letters of Advice to Apply.
SASKATCHEWAN: The province invited nearly 919 candidates under provincial draws through the Express Entry and Occupations In-Demand sub-categories of the International Skilled Worker Category. Additionally, 41 invitations were issued under the Entrepreneur stream draw. PRINCE EDWARD ISLANDS: The province went as per its pre-scheduled draws inviting 143 eligible candidates under Express Entry, Labour and Business Impact candidates.

The provincial nomination draws from Nova Scotia were seen active during the month. The province held new business immigration draws under the Entrepreneur stream and Internation Graduate Entrepreneur stream, resulting in 30 nominations.

Here’s a quick review of our previous editions of monthly nomination draws review: 

Take this free assessment online to determine your eligibility to qualify for the upcoming Express Entry draws.

Check Your CRS Scores

Book your free appointment with CanApprove to get genuine immigration advice based on your work and academic profile.

Top In-Demand Jobs in Nova Scotia because of COVID-19

A recent study released by the Government of Canada examines occupational employment trends in Nova Scotia arising from the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Over these years of liberal immigration phase in Canada, the province has welcomed a good share of foreign skilled workers & international students to study, work & settle in Canada permanently.

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Based on the same government-sponsored study, let’s look into the most in-demand jobs in Nova Scotia and various ways of immigrating to the province to qualify for permanent residence.

Healthcare Jobs in Nova Scotia

Even though the demand for healthcare workers & professionals was high owing to the ageing population, the pandemic has resulted in a sudden surge in demand. The province will meet this increase in demand with the intake of foreign immigrants.

Some of the in-demand healthcare jobs in Nova Scotia:

Registered nurses and registered psychiatric nurses (NOC 3012);

Licensed practical nurses (NOC 3233);

Massage therapists (NOC 3236);

Nurse aides, orderlies and patient service associates (NOC 3413).

Engineering Jobs in Nova Scotia

Among various engineering fields, Nova Scotia is seeing an increased preference for foreign immigrants who have work experience in the computer and information systems field. Some of the in-demand engineering jobs in Nova Scotia:

Information systems analysts and consultants (NOC 2171);

Software engineers and designers (NOC 2173);

Computer programmers and interactive media developers (NOC 2174);

User support technicians (NOC 2282).

Business  & Finance Admin Jobs in Nova Scotia

Foreign skilled immigrants with work experience in administrative works have been recommended by Nova Scotia for provincial nominations. As many jobs in this field can be conducted remotely, the demand remains the same even after the pandemic.

Some of the in-demand admin jobs in Nova Scotia:

Financial auditors and accountants (NOC 1111);

Administrative officers (NOC 1221);

Administrative assistants (NOC 1241);

General office support workers (NOC 1411).

How To Apply For Canada PR Through Nova Scotia?

Come 2021, the province seems to focus on attracting foreign talent with specialized skills or occupations that match identified labour shortages. Further, the province seeks to retain international students after they graduate from any institution in the province.

Any eligible foreigner can apply for receiving a provincial nomination from Nova Scotia in two ways: the Atlantic Immigration Program (AIP), and the Nova Scotia Nominee Program (NSNP).

Eight different immigration streams under the NSNP:

‘Enhanced’ PNP streams –

  • Nova Scotia Experience: for candidates with their profiles registered in the federal Express Entry pool and work experience in Nova Scotia for at least one year;
  • Nova Scotia Labour Market Priorities: for candidates with their profiles registered in the federal Express Entry pool and who meet specific labor market needs;
  • Nova Scotia Labour Market Priorities for Physicians: for candidates with their profiles registered in the federal Express Entry pool and who have a job offer as a family physician or specialist physician;

‘Base’ PNP streams –

  • Physician Stream: for physicians who have a job offer in Nova Scotia and are not in the Express Entry system;
  • Skilled Worker Stream: for skilled workers who have received a job offer in the province;
  • Occupation In-Demand Stream: for workers with a job offer in an occupation that is deemed “in-demand;”
  • Entrepreneur Stream: for individuals who wish to start a business in the province; and
  • International Graduate Entrepreneur Stream: for international graduates who wish to start a business in the province.

To apply under the AIP, candidates must have a job offer from a designated employer and must have an individualized settlement plan. Atlantic Canada consists of four provinces: Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador, and Prince Edward Island.

If you’re planning to immigrate to Canada anytime soon, now is a good time. You can seek help from CanApprove, a leading immigration & overseas education consultant since 1998. Avail of our proven services to ensure approval of immigration applications in quick time.

Take this free assessment online to determine your eligibility based on your specific profile.

Check Your CRS Scores

Book your free appointment with one of our advisors today!

Entering the Federal Express Entry Pool Now Far Outweigh the Risks

Canada has given its mandate to the liberal party to form a government at the federal level for the third consecutive term. Even though it will be yet another minority government led by the liberal party, we can expect Canadian immigration to only improve further.

PNP News

With Canada’s Immigration Levels Plan 2021-2023 eyeing over 400,000 immigration candidates every year and travel relaxations, foreign skilled workers, international students can start planning for their immigration to Canada soon.

Ever since the launch of the Express Entry system in 2015, it has become the main way for Canada to process skilled worker immigration applications. Canada remains to be the only G7 country to offer a direct pathway to permanent residence (PR) to eligible foreigners even without a job offer or previous study/work experience in the country.

The Express Entry system manages the applications of immigration candidates qualifying for any one of the three federal programs: the Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSWP), the Canadian Experience Class (CEC), the Federal Skills Trades Program (FSTP) for semi-skilled foreign workers, and few linked provincial nomination streams.

FSWP made up nearly half of all Express Entry immigrants per year prior to the coronavirus pandemic. Desirable economic-class immigrants are chosen on their basis of age, work experience, education, and language proficiency.

Given the situation, you may want to adopt a “wait and watch” approach about entering the Express Entry pool now. But CanApprove has always observed Canada values skills and talents and will be receptive to foreign skilled immigration, no matter how hostile the global situation be.

Top Reasons to Enter Federal Express Entry Pool Now

In the uncertainty over FSWP draws, the only real risk of entering the Express Entry pool now is that your official language test score will expire in about two years if you do not receive an Invitation to Apply (ITA) within this time period. However, you can always retake the test and update the latest score upon expiry.

But CanApprove still thinks now is a good time to enter the Express Entry for the following reasons:

  1. Chance to receive a provincial nomination: Great chances are that your Express Entry profile may qualify for one of the linked Provincial Nominee Programs (PNP). A successful provincial nomination can result in up to 600 additional CRS points that will effectively guarantee an invitation to apply for permanent residence in the upcoming federal Express Entry draws.

For instance, IRCC has conducted over 18 Express Entry draws so far in 2021, inviting candidates with provincial nominations alone. Click here to get a quick review of nomination draws in the months of January, February, March, April, May, June, July, August 2021.

  1. Match with suitable employment opportunities: Registering your profile in the federal pool can help you match with suitable employment opportunities even before you’re invited to apply for permanent residence. This could result in eligible job offers that can add 50 or 200 CRS points.

While the additional CRS points cannot guarantee you an ITA for Canada PR, but they sure will help your chances. Upon receiving an ITA, you will be in good standing to quickly integrate into the Canadian labour market through your pre-arranged employment.

  1. Uncertainty over ITAs for FSWP candidates: Throughout 2021, IRCC has not nominated any immigration candidates qualifying under the Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSWP) stream. However, this is not to suggest that IRCC will never consider the popular FSWP stream.

Express Entry draws by design are unpredictable and were introduced to be competitive by giving advantage to the highest-scoring candidates and responsive to the needs of Canadian provinces and employers. In an unprecedented move earlier on February 13, 2021, IRCC held a historic draw inviting nearly 27,332 immigration candidates with Canadian Experience and a minimum qualifying CRS of 75 points! The previous record was 5,000 ITAs.

Given the nature of Express Entry nomination draws, IRCC may begin to invite FSWP candidates anytime once again. By virtue of being in the pool, you may potentially be the beneficiary of an unconventional draw like the one we saw on February 13.

Eventually, IRCC will re-open its doors to FSWP candidates and expand its nomination draw sizes to accommodate more foreign immigrants. You can check your eligibility and explore various immigration options with CanApprove.

Check Your CRS Scores

We are a leading immigration consultant and have been offering genuine and trusted immigration, overseas education consultancy for over two decades. Book your free appointment with our expert consultants to discuss your prospects on the basis of your academic and work profile!

Free Settlement Services: One Other Reason To Plan for Canada PR

Until now, you may have known Canada to boost immigration levels by setting a historic target of welcoming over 400,000 new immigrants each year until 2023. These could majorly include economic-class immigrants with/without job offers and international students who are willing to settle in Canada permanently.

PNP News

But did you know?

  • Individuals who have been selected (pending verifications), inside or outside Canada, to become permanent residents (PR);
  • Non-permanent residents and foreign nationals who have been selected by employers under the Atlantic Immigration Pilot Program;
  • Non-permanent residents who have received confirmation of a complete Application for Permanent Residence under the Rural and Northern Immigration Pilot;
  • Eligible persons include both the principal applicant and eligible dependents (spouse and children);

The above category of immigration candidates is eligible to avail themselves of the free Settlement services in Canada to successfully integrate into Canadian society.

Canadian government-funded settlement services remain to be one of the many reasons why immigration to Canada is so attractive.

Even though many immigrants do not know about these services, the settlement services have so far been proven to help the majority of the newcomers to access genuine information to settle & integrate well within the society.

The Immigration, Refugee, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) offer services to help you prepare to live in Canada. In-person services are offered in major out-migrant regions like China, India and the Philippines.

These services help you get information about life in Canada, such as healthcare, housing, and transportation. They can also refer you to more specific community services, depending on your needs. IRCC also has a list of services to help you prepare to work in Canada. There are some industry-specific resources for those working in architecture, engineering, trades, finance, tech, construction, nursing and others.

Click here to know more about the province-specific settlement services.

Various Settlement Services Offered by Canada to Newcomers

In order to fulfil the objective of promoting the successful integration of permanent residents into Canada, the following types of services are offered to newcomers:

  • Needs assessments help immigrants identify what services they need to know about Canadian society and how to get them.
  • Information services supply information about securing life essentials such as housing, healthcare, social services, and transportation. It shares information with you on your rights and obligations. Even though most newcomers get information from their friends, these services are genuine sources of information.
  • Language training helps immigrants develop language skills as it is a crucial area to immigrants’ success in Canada.
  • Employment services help immigrants prepare for working in Canada. It provides information on specific settlement needs in career, education, language, social programming, finances, and more. It will also put you in touch with employment agencies and provide career search assistance.
  • Community services help immigrants meet friends and get involved in local activities.
  • Support services referring to translation, child care, and transportation, assist in completing forms and applications, and others.
You may visit the Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) website to learn more about free newcomer services near you.

Thanks to the active community on the internet, finding information on Canadian immigration for newcomers is less of a barrier these days. However, many can be misled. Canada recommends seeking such information from a genuine settlement worker or certified immigration consultants who can help teach you how systems work in Canada so that you have a better understanding of how best to use the information and resources you find.

CanApprove is officially a registered & approved immigration consultant by ICCRC. By virtue of this certification, CanApprove is legally authorized to support immigration aspirants to Canada with guidance, documentation and counselling support that also includes post-landing services.

Get a free assessment of your immigration profile and find the best pathway to migrate to Canada.

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Book your free appointment here to meet expert counsellors at CanApprove and explore various options based on your work/academic profile to immigrate to Canada.

Study in Canada is Rewarding, Excellent Scope to Obtain Permanent Residency

It is rhetoric now to answer the question of why study in Canada

PNP News

Canada enjoys a dominant position in world affairs by virtue of being a part of the G7 advanced economies. The world-class infrastructure to support the immigration of foreign skilled workers, international students make it an exciting destination to settle permanently. 

The unique arrangement between the federal government and the provinces/territories allow each Canadian province and territory to identify and invite immigration candidates who can meet their local economic needs. In this process, many Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) streams are geared towards international students, some are even dedicated to them.

In this blog, we look to summarize various pathways available for International students to obtain permanent residence in Canada. 

To know your eligibility, take this free assessment online. 

New Brunswick Launches New Immigration Pilot for International Graduates 

The pilot aims to facilitate permanent residency for international students who have graduated from one of 19 eligible programs of study.

New Brunswick has unveiled a new immigration pilot project for international students who graduate from four private career colleges in the province.

Starting April 1, 2022, New Brunswick will extend provincial nominations to international students who graduate from four private career colleges in the province. These colleges include: 

  • Atlantic Business College, 
  • Eastern College, 
  • McKenzie College, or 
  • Oulton College.

Additionally, they are required to complete their study in one of 19 targeted occupations. 

The press release made a note that the new immigration pilot will benefit recent graduates of designated learning institutions who are not currently eligible for the federal Post-Graduation Work Permit program. 

All eligible designated learning institutions are expected to offer the following career courses for International students in Canada

  • social and community service workers;
  • early childhood educators and assistants;
  • educational assistants;
  • health-care aides;
  • home support workers;
  • licensed practical nurses;
  • paramedics and related occupations;
  • medical laboratory technologists;
  • medical laboratory technicians and pathologists’ assistants;
  • medical administrative assistants;
  • computer programmers and interactive media developers;
  • web designers and developers;
  • computer network technicians;
  • user support technicians;
  • accounting technicians and bookkeepers;
  • payroll clerks;
  • shippers and receivers;
  • supply chain and logistics supervisors; and
  • production logistics co-ordinators

This new initiative is in line with the priorities set by business groups and organizations in the province. Specific details and requirements for the new pilot project will only be available in the fall. 

”With the increased competition for skilled labour, the potential to transition international students into permanent residents is crucial”, recognises both the business community and the provincial government. 

The usual route for International graduates from New Brunswick is to qualify for New Brunswick Skilled Worker Stream. This program is for foreigners who have a job offer from a New Brunswick employer. It is not specifically for international student graduates, but they do allow people who completed a one-year program at a New Brunswick post-secondary to skip the one-year work experience requirement.

Other Provincial Level Programs for International Students

Ontario is one of the preferred immigration destinations for skilled foreign workers to work & settle in Canada. The Ontario Immigrant Nominee Progam (OINP) has two streams dedicated to international student graduates: the Master’s Graduate Stream, and the PhD Graduate Stream. The good part is neither of these programs does not require you to have job offers in order to apply for provincial nominations. 

British Columbia is another preferred immigration destination. The British Columbia Provincial Nominee Program ( BC PNP) has a number of options for international graduates through the Express Entry British Columbia stream and the Skills Immigration stream. If you are eligible for the International Post-Graduate Category, you need not require a job offer to apply. 

The Canadian Province of Manitoba has an International Education Stream for people who graduated from a post-secondary institute in the province. It accepts applications for provincial nominations under three sub-categories:  Career Employment Pathway, Graduate Internship Pathway, and the Student Entrepreneur Pathway

Saskatchewan is not behind with a dedicated stream for Experience Category students who recently graduated from an eligible Canadian post-secondary. You need a full-time job offer from a Saskatchewan employer to qualify.  

Similar dedicated provincial streams for International graduates with a job offer is offered by Prince Edward Island and Newfoundland and Labrador. The job must be in your field of study.

Graduates Showing Interest in Entrepreneurship 

For international graduates with an aptitude in entrepreneurship can benefit from Nova Scotia’s International Graduate Entrepreneur Stream. You need to have at least two years of full-time study at a Nova Scotia university or college. You need to have operated your own business in the province for at least one year and intend to make Nova Scotia your new home.

Newfoundland and Labrador graduates who want to run a business in the province can apply under the International Graduate Entrepreneur Category and get nominated for a provincial nomination. 

A successful provincial nomination may be valid for up to 6 months and eligible candidates can apply to Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) for permanent residency within this time period. 

Federal Level Immigration Program for International Graduates

A most common route to settle in Canada is by graduating from any Canadian learning institution and apply for a Post-Graduation Work Permit, which comes with a time validity of 3 years. Most PGWP holders choose to enter the Express Entry pool by qualifying for the Canadian Experience Class (CEC) after gaining at least one year of work experience. 

Recent estimates from Statistics Canada has revealed that Canada was able to retain & transform more than 50% of international students who completed their under-graduation degree from Canadian learning institutions into a permanent resident in the last decade. 

Another route to obtain permanent residency By international student graduates is through the Atlantic Immigration Pilot. It is expected to become a permanent program in 2022. 

Graduates including International students from eligible institutions in Newfoundland and Labrador, Prince Edward Island, Nova Scotia, and New Brunswick may be able to apply for the Atlantic International Graduate Program. This program allows graduates to apply for permanent residence without having any previous work experience.

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Monthly Review: Canada PR Nomination Draws in August 2021

Canada needs immigration. 

And why are we painting such an optimistic picture to you?

PNP News

Canada is heading for a fresh federal poll on September 20, two years ahead of its mandated time. In all their election campaigns, major Canadian political parties are rooting for immigration.

If one is to understand the importance of immigration in building the Canadian economy & support the ageing demography, the election campaigning in Canada is not centred on whether the country should accept immigrants, but how Canada can best welcome them!

Canada has now opened up its borders to international travellers, starting this September 9. It is even more encouraging to note that Canada welcomed over 35,000 new immigrants in the month of June 2021, the first of its kind since the imposed travel restrictions to curb the spread of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

This is viewed by expert immigration lawyers as a sign of relief as more new aspirants can be expected to immigrate to Canada very soon.

IRCC held four program-specific Express Entry resulting in over 7,000 invitations to apply (ITAs) for Canada PR, the Provincial Nominee Programs (PNPs) issued over 3,400 ITAs for provincial nominations, in August 2021.

Permanent Residence Under Express Entry in August 2021

Somewhere in the whole nomination draws in 2021, the preference for candidates under Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSWP) is still being sidelined. Usually, foreign skilled workers who have adequate work experience but outside Canada are considered under the FSWP category.

The federal Express Entry provides a direct immigration pathway for skilled foreign workers even without a job offer or work experience in Canada to obtain permanent residence (PR).

In the year 2019, before the current pandemic exploded the scenes, Canada created a record nomination through Express Entry draws by inviting over 1 million foreign skilled workers for the first time in its history. Data from Statistics Canada reveal that more candidates from the FSWP category were preferred.

Canada repeated the same feat in 2020, however, more candidates qualified under CEC & PNP categories.

Express Entry Draws – August 2021
Draw Number Nomination Draw Date Qualifying CRS ITAs issued
#109 August 04 PNP-specific: 760 points 512
#200 August 05 CEC-specific: 404 points 3,000
#201 August 18 PNP-specific: 751 points 463
#202 August 19 CEC-specific: 403 points 3,000

Canada Express Entry is a long-drawn (maximum one-year validity) two-step process.

As it manages the application database for three federal immigration programs – the Federal Skilled Worker (FSW), the Federal Skills Trades (FSTP), and the Canadian Experience Class (CEC) – aspirants are first required to qualify for individual program requirements.

Such eligible profiles are assessed and ranked on a Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS). Core human factors such as age, education, language skills, and work experience are used to calculate a CRS profile score.

The second step will involve the fortnightly nomination draws held by IRCC. The high-ranking candidates based on the CRS score get invitations to apply (ITA) for permanent residence (PR).

Active Provincial Nominations for Canada PR in August 2021

The unique arrangement between the federal and provincial/territorial governments in Canada, except in Quebec & Nunavut, allows the nomination of foreign candidates separately based on the unique labour demand of each province. These provincial nominations allow eligible candidates to apply for permanent residence.

Further, candidates with an active Express Entry were extremely benefitted as provincial nomination will give them a chance to gain an additional 600 points towards their overall CRS score. This would effectively guarantee them an ITA for Canada PR in a subsequent Express Entry draw.

With improved retention rates for immigrants and employers seeking more immigrants in Atlantic Canada, which otherwise was not much popular among immigrants, Canadian immigration through Provincial Nominee Programs and Express Entry is gaining much steam.

BRITISH COLUMBIA: Over 900 candidates were invited to apply for the provincial nomination throughout the past month. These provincial nominations were issued through the Express Entry British Columbia, Skills Immigration streams.

With the turning of the tech pilot program into a permanent immigration program, aspirants can expect more nominations of specific foreign tech workers to immigrate to Canada.

ONTARIO: The Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program (OINP) nominated 875 candidates in various EOI streams: In-demand streams, Masters Graduate, PhD. Graduate, Entrepreneur streams. Ontario is now eyeing to welcome at least 8,350 eligible candidates to apply for permanent residency (PR) in 2021.

Typically, foreign workers with Canadian work experience in occupations relating to National Occupational Classification (NOC) skill level 0, A, B. Such jobs include Managerial positions, Experts in certain fields, Professionals, Supervisors with graduate-level or higher education qualifications.

ALBERTA: The province held its biggest draw inviting candidates for 396 provincial nominations through its Express Entry stream. Officials from the province have reportedly spoken to media persons confirming that the AINP has now removed the temporary criteria adjustments made to the Alberta Express Entry Stream in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic. MANITOBA: The province of Manitoba held one draw through the following three streams: Skilled Workers in Manitoba, International Education Stream, and Skilled Workers Overseas in August. A total of 275 Letters of Advice to Apply were issued of which 36 were issued to candidates who declared a valid Express Entry profile.
SASKATCHEWAN: The total tally of nominations is nearly double that of last month. The province invited nearly 948 candidates over four provincial draws through the Express Entry and Occupations In-Demand sub-categories of the International Skilled Worker Category. PRINCE EDWARD ISLANDS: The province went as per its pre-scheduled draws inviting 161 eligible candidates under Express Entry, Labour and Business Impact candidates.

That being said, Canada is still far away from reaching its ambitious annual immigration intake levels of 401,000 new applicants. It is expected for Canada to invite at least over 40,000 new immigrants from August to December to fulfil this annual immigration target.

You can avoid it by consulting a genuine immigration consultant like CanApprove

Here’s a quick review of our previous editions of monthly nomination draws review: 

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