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Monthly Archives: February 2019

New Entry/Exit Program Instructions from IRCC

The Entry/Exit Program allows for the collection and sharing of entry and exit information of travellers entering and departing from Canada. Access to entry and exit information in the Global Case Management System (GCMS) will be based on an employee’s security clearance and organizational requirements to carry out day-to-day work activities. IRCC will obtain accurate and objective entry and exit information from the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) to support the administration of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act, the Citizenship Act and the Canadian Passport Order.

IRCC will be able to query the CBSA’s Entry/Exit Information System directly to

  • verify residency requirements to process an ongoing application to objectively verify the information provided by the client, such as applications for grants of citizenship (CIT) or permanent resident cards (PR cards)
  • verify if a temporary residence applicant may have previously overstayed their allowable period of admission in Canada
  • assist in an investigation into an individual’s entitlement to a Canadian travel document

In addition, IRCC will be able to use entry and exit information to

  • verify that sponsors are residing in Canada where required by law
  • verify relationships and compliance with conditions for spouses and partners applying or admitted under the family class
  • verify if a refugee claimant entered Canada using their travel documents
  • support investigations into possible fraud in relation to immigration, citizenship, and passport (PPT) and travel document programs
  • verify residency requirements to validate if a medical examination is required

 

Ontario issued 6,850 nominations for Canadian permanent residence in 2018

Ontario issued 6,850 nominations for Canadian Permanent Residence through  Ontario Immigration Nominee Program in 2018 with nearly half going to candidates in the federal Express Entry system.  The OINP met its full 2018 nomination allocation in early November. In December, the federal government granted Ontario an additional 250 nominations, which were allocated before year end. This brought the total number of nominations in 2018 to 6,850 principal applicants. Those applications included 6,721 spouses and dependents for a total of 13,571 new immigrants to Ontario. The Ontario Immigration Nominee Program (OINP) allows foreign workers, international students and others with the right skills, experience and education to apply for a nomination for permanent residence in Ontario.

In 2018, the OINP saw a high number of nominations in technology-related occupations. Approximately 25 per cent of all nominations were to individuals citing work experience or a job offer in a high-tech occupation, including software engineers and designers, computer programmers, interactive media developers, IT systems analysts and technology consultants. The program also surpassed its 5 per cent target for francophone immigration, reaching a program high of 7.7 per cent or 526 francophone nominees. Most applicants received nominations under the French-Speaking Skilled Worker Stream and the Human Capital Priorities Stream. Nominees in 2018 came from 147 countries with applicants from India and China receiving the highest number of nominations.

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New pathways to permanent residency for Caregivers

Canadian Government has launched 2 new 5-year caregiver immigration pilots for Caregivers that will replace expiring and ineffective pilot programs. New pilots will allow Caregivers to come to Canada together with their family and provide a pathway to permanent residence. Caregivers will also soon have greater flexibility to change jobs quickly, and barriers that prevent family members from accompanying caregivers to Canada. Applicants will be assessed for permanent residence criteria before they begin working in Canada. Once the caregiver has their work permit and 2 years of work experience, they will have access to a direct pathway to become a permanent resident. These pilot programs will replace the Caring for Children and Caring for People with High Medical Needs pilots and include:

  • Occupation specific work permits for caregivers, providing the ability to change jobs quickly when necessary.
  • Open work permits for spouses/common-law partners and study permits for dependent children, to allow the caregiver’s family to accompany them to Canada.

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Latest EE draw invites 3350 candidates to apply for Canadian permanent residence

A total of 3,350 candidates were invited to apply for Canadian permanent residence in the Express Entry draw which took place on February 20, 2019. Minimum comprehensive ranking score (CRS) in this round of invitation was 457. Significant increase in minimum cut-off as compared to January 30, 2019 draw is because of 3 weeks gap between two consecutive draws. More time between draws allows more time for the EE pool to replenish with higher scoring candidates, which can have the effect of increasing the cut-off score. Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has now issued a total of 14,500 Invitations to Apply (ITAs) in 2019, which remains the biggest start to a year since the Express Entry system’s introduction in 2015.

The Express Entry system manages the pool of candidates for Canada’s three federal economic immigration programs (Federal Skilled Worker Class, Federal Skilled Trades Class and Canadian Experience Class). Express Entry candidates are given a ranking score (comprehensive ranking score – CRS) based on various factors (e.g. age, education, work experience and proficiency in English or French). The CRS determines candidate’s position in the Express Entry (EE) pool. IRCC invites the highest-ranking candidates through regular draws from the Express Entry (EE) pool. Candidates are required to submit a complete Canadian permanent residency application online to IRCC within 60 days after receiving an invitation to apply (ITA).

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Changes in Post-Graduation Work Permit Program for International Students

International students applying for a Post-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP) will now have 6 months to apply once they obtain their final marks and will no longer require a valid study permit. The changes were announced on February 14, along with other modifications to Canada’s popular Post-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP) program. The extension doubles the amount of time recent graduates have to apply for a PGWP once their school issues their notice of graduation, from 90 days to 180 days. Another corresponding change was the removal of the requirement that international graduates have a valid study permit when applying for a PGWP.

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