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Tag Archives: work permit

Skilled Immigration: A necessity for Canada to fill vacant jobs

As the world strives to put Covid-19 in its rearview mirror, however difficult it might be. The post-COVID era for Canada looks bleak, especially in the labor market. There are already 550,000 unfulfilled skilled jobs, and reports are suggesting that this number will only rise as 125,000 more workers are expected to quit or retire by the end of this year.

It doesn’t sound as promising especially for a developed country like Canada, but it presents itself as a silver lining for skilled people around the globe who are planning to migrate from their home country. Canada is in a dire need for skilled people and is planning to fill those positions by inviting immigrants. Just in the month of July 2021 Canada welcomes 40,000 immigrants, 4000 more than the previous month and the number will only go up as the Canadian Economy tries to recover from the hit it took during the past year.

There are multiple ways for skilled workers to immigrate to Canada.

Express Entry

Express Entry is a points-based system that manages immigration applications for the three Federal High Skilled programs, which include the: Canadian Experience Class, Federal Skilled Worker Program, and Federal Skilled Trades Program. IRCC regularly invites skilled workers from both inside and outside Canada through this program.

The Canadian Experience Class (CEC) is for skilled workers who have Canadian work experience and want to become permanent residents. Having obtained work experience in Canada, these individuals have already settled into Canadian society and established important networks in their communities and their careers.

Federal Skilled Worker (FSW) applications are assessed based on an applicant’s ability to become economically established upon immigration to Canada. This is Canada’s flagship immigration program for workers, allowing the country to welcome tens of thousands of newcomers every year. This is a key category of the Express Entry (EE) program.

The Federal Skilled Trades Program (FSTP) is for skilled workers who want to become permanent residents based on being qualified in a skilled trade. This economic immigration program was developed at the request of Canadian businesses and employers who were struggling to find enough skilled trade workers to help them complete their work on time.

Provincial Nominee Programs

The British Columbia Provincial Nominee Program (BC PNP) regularly invites a number of skilled workers to apply for provincial nomination for permanent residence. This is through the Skilled Worker and International Graduate category.

The BC PNP also offers a priority pathway to certain tech workers called the BC Tech stream. This Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) targets candidates who have job offers in one of 29 eligible tech occupations.

Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program targets prospective immigrants with the desired skills and experience for immigration nomination. The In-Demand Skills Stream in Ontario provides some workers in high-need occupations a pathway to permanent residence.

The Atlantic Immigration Pilot is yet another option for skilled workers who wish to make their new home in any one of Canada’s Atlantic provinces – New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador, Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island.

Work Permits

Skilled workers can temporarily come to Canada under one of two paths, Temporary Foreign Worker Program (TFWP) and International Mobility Program. This stream allows foreign workers to work in Canada for Canadian companies.

8687 LMIA’s were approved in the first quarter of 2021, despite the adverse effects of COVID-19. This demonstrates shortage of skilled workers in Canada, which has now become a perennial problem with plummeting interest from new generations to enter trades and more veteran tradespeople retiring.

It can be predicted that job vacancy rates will continue to rise in the short term, particularly in service-oriented jobs. This gap in the labor market has created a golden opportunity for foreign skilled workers to apply for jobs in Canadian companies facing labor shortage.

To attract immigrants, Canada is introducing new policies that help protect foreign domestic workers from a drop in wages. Canada is also investing in settlement services for temporary foreign workers who are eligible to transition to permanent residence.

Canada has over 100 economic class streams, which assess candidates on their human capital factors including age, education, language skills and work experience. While having a valid job offer can help you in the immigration process, most economic class immigrants arrive in Canada without pre-arranged employment.

Canada with its abundant natural resources, scenic beauty, jobs, and countless opportunities sounds like a perfect country to come to. If you decide to come to Canada contact Can X for a free consultation and let us help, to make your Canadian dream a reality. 

Canada launches 2 new immigration pathways for Hongkongers

The Canadian government has opened two new pathways to permanent residence for Hong Kong recent graduates and workers living in Canada as part of an initiative initially launched in February. There are two streams under new program. Over the years Canada has become a second home for many Hong Kong residents after their families moved to cities like Vancouver and Toronto.

Stream A will allow Hong Kong residents who have graduated from a Canadian post-secondary institution in the past three years to apply for Canadian Permanent residency. Stream B targets Hong Kong residents who have completed post-secondary studies in Canada or abroad within the past five years and have worked in Canada for at least one year in the past three years.

Stream A (In Canada Graduates)

To be eligible for Stream A, the applicants must have completed a post-secondary education from a Canadian Designated Learning Institution in the last three years. They must have done at least half of their program in Canada, either in person or online. Eligible diploma programs must be at least two years in length. Graduate or post-graduate credentials must be at least one year in length, with the previous credential earned no more than five years before the start of the program.

Applicant must have completed one of the following at a post-secondary designated learning institution in Canada in the last 3 years:

  • degree (bachelor’s degree, master’s degree, or doctorate)
  • diploma from a program that is at least 2 years in length.
  • graduate or post-graduate credential (for a diploma or certificate) from a program that is at least 1 year in length; in addition, 50% of the program must be completed in Canada.
  • If an applicant has a graduate or post-graduate diploma or certificate, they must have completed a post-secondary diploma or degree as a prerequisite to this education, in the 5 years before starting graduate or post-graduate program.

Stream B: Canadian Work Experience

This stream is for applicants who have at least one year of full-time work experience, or 1,560 hours of part time work experience in Canada within the last three years. During this period applicant must be allowed to work legally in Canada on a valid work permit or should be exempted.

Applicants cannot include hours of work they performed as a full-time student, self-employed person, unemployed, work on job leaves (maternity, paternity, or similar), or work outside Canada.

Applicant must also have completed one of the following at a post-secondary DLI in Canada in the last 5 years:

  • degree (bachelor’s degree, master’s degree, or doctorate)
  • diploma from a program that is at least 2 years in length.
  • graduate or post-graduate credential (for a diploma or certificate) from a program that is at least 1 year in length; in addition, the program must require a post-secondary degree or diploma, which must have been earned no more than 5 years before starting the graduate or post-graduate program.
  • ECA report for international qualification equivalent to a Canadian post-secondary diploma (for a program of at least 2 years), a Canadian post-secondary degree, or a Canadian graduate or post-graduate diploma or certificate (for a program of at least 1 year).
  • If an applicant has a graduate or post-graduate diploma or certificate, they must have completed a post-secondary diploma or degree as a prerequisite to this education, in the 5 years before starting graduate or post-graduate program.

Under the employment section, applicants need to demonstrate a copy of the T4 tax information slips, notices of assessment issued by Canada Revenue Agency, copies of records of employment, pay stubs, copies of bank deposits showing salary payments, and a letter from your employer.

Other Requirements for both Stream A and B

All applicants must fill the following visa and supporting application forms:

Generic Application Form for Canada [IMM 0008]

Schedule A – Background/Declaration [IMM 5669]

Additional Family Information [IMM 5406]

Supplementary Information – Your Travels [IMM 5562]

Document checklist [IMM 0134]

Additional Dependents/Declaration [IMM 0008 DEP]

Use of a Representative [IMM 5476]

Applicants need to hold a valid passport issued by the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People’s Republic of China or by the United Kingdom to a British National (Overseas) from Hong Kong.

Applicants must intend to live in any Canadian province or territory other than Quebec.

Applicants are subjected to Canada’s regular immigration application, screening processes and admissibility requirements.

Applicants must be physically present and have valid temporary resident status in Canada at the time they submit their application and when their permanent residency status is granted.

Applicants must have CLB 5 in all 4 skills (reading, writing, listening, and speaking) in either English or French.

Canada believes that this policy will strengthen Canada’s international ties and provide skilled Hongkongers with a unique opportunity to develop their careers in turn helping to accelerate post pandemic recovery for the country.

Experienced immigration professionals at Can X can help you make Canada your new home. We can prepare and submit your application in compliance with IRCC standards. If you wish to prepare and submit your application by yourself, but are unsure about rules, regulations, and completeness of application, you can avail our file review services. We will professionally review the application, supporting documentation and offer you a chance to ask any queries.

Contact us for free consultation and assessment!

The Impact of Processing Delays on Canadian Businesses

Canada is facing a growing skilled labor crunch and industries are struggling to find qualified workers. The increased processing times of immigration pathways is a problem that is closing doors to new growth and leaving employers open to risk.

According to a survey conducted by The Canadian Employee Relocation Council (CERC), “Unless addressed, increasing processing times are likely to have a negative impact on business operations within the next year.”

A total of 26 organizations that rely on access to international talent to meet talent needs and fill skills gaps were surveyed. Participating organizations were from technology, manufacturing, government /health care/ education, natural resources, and construction/engineering services. 44 % of participating organizations report using economic immigration programs to access temporary residence workers.

Primarily, 74% of participating companies used Express Entry and CUSMA professional pathways to hire foreign nationals while 67% used PNP immigration pathways. All participating organizations agreed to the importance of international talent to their businesses, while 70% strongly agreed to their contributions.

In the survey, as an impact of processing impediments 83 % of organizations stated that canceled and or delayed projects are the most common consequence of the delays, almost two-thirds expect the delays to result in lost revenues and 30% stated they had to face penalties for not meeting contractual obligations. The unprecedented labor shortage is forcing organizations to hire ill-suited candidates, resulting in foregone opportunities that impede businesses’ ability to compete.

This lack of skilled labor and halt in the international mobility of temporary foreign workers is increasing the labor market gap, businesses are facing a labor shortage and the demand for skills across many sectors is on the rise. The survey sheds light on global talent access via immigration and international mobility programs, the top three skills accessed are 93% of skilled workers, 85 % executive management, and 67 % engineering staff. Nonetheless, the demand for non-degreed professionals and technical staff is growing, though the lack of education makes it difficult to access their talent.

The survey also highlighted that apart from ongoing challenges faced by IRCC, the continued closure of Consulates, High Commissions and VAC abroad has had a great impact as temporary foreign workers cannot complete biometrics in their home country.

With a dearth of new talent pools and retiring workforce, Canada should take actions to expedite processing of applications. The survey questioned respondents if they would pay an additional fee for expedited processing of applications and 89% of respondents said they would be willing to pay between 10% and 25% above current processing fees for expedited processing as for Skilled labor shortage has become the most pressing need of their organizations.

Canadian immigration policy ranked fourth in the world

The Migration Integration Policy Index (MIPEX) released its international scorecard, which ranks the immigration policy performance of 52 countries across five continents, after measuring eight areas of integration policies through categorical Principal Component Analysis. The top five countries hitting the international benchmark are Sweden, Finland, Portugal, Canada, and New Zealand.

Canada stood fourth and received a score of 80, in recognition of its comprehensive, immigrant-friendly policies that emphasize equal rights, opportunities, and security for the newcomer’s future. Canada ranked sixth overall in the last MIPEX index held in 2015. Due to improvements in access to healthcare for asylum seekers and improvements to the 2017 Citizenship Act, the overall score of Canada increased by two points.

According to MIPEX research report, integration policies come into view as one of the strongest factors shaping both the public’s willingness to accept and interact with immigrants and the immigrants own behavior, sense of belonging, participation in the job market, and educational opportunities.

Anti-discrimination policies are the greatest strength of Canada according to the report. This is because Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedom encompasses multiculturalism supportive policies, and world-leading laws which result in high level of awareness, trust, and discrimination reporting.

Canada gained points as permanent residents can have the opportunity to attain citizenship, and gain voting rights faster than other countries. However, lack of permanent resident representatives in policy-setting bodies led to deduction in points as people without citizenship status, such as permanent residents, have limited opportunity for political participation at the local or national level. The report also states that Canada is less experimental in local democracy consultative structures.

The report mentions Canada’s family reunification policies as “favorable” and highlights that greater obstacles are faced by adult children, parents, and grandparents to reunite in Canada as opposed to top ten countries.

Canada’s Labor market mobility has room for improvement and potential to learn from other countries, as limited health care facilities can be availed by migrants without legal documents. Canada also lost points as permanent residency pathway is lengthy and frustrating process for most of the temporary foreign workers.

Canadian education system fetched points for its multicultural education policies that ensure safety, security, and equality in academic institutes. Canada faced limitations as better representation is needed across the curriculum, teaching profession, and higher education.

New online PR confirmation portal expedites process for newcomers

In the interest of public safety during the coronavirus pandemic, Canada is using a new online portal to confirm permanent resident status. This new electronic process was introduced in October on a trial run, to expedite the landing process for new permanent residents.

Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu Limited developed this new, secure portal for Canada. This portal is different from an IRCC account and applicants can access the portal using supported browsers like Chrome, Firefox, or Edge.

This secure portal offers services to share personal information, declare that applicant is in Canada, confirm address, submit recent photo for PR card, and access proof of permanent resident (PR) status. This portal does not offer services to check the status of application.

In this new electronic portal, everyone has their own separate account profile, with distinctive username and passwords. This portal can be accessed only by the applicant, representatives cannot use the portal on behalf of the applicant. 

Working of the portal

Step 1 

If an application is approved by IRCC, they contact the applicant via email to invite the applicant to use the new online portal. The principal applicant needs to submit their own email address and all email addresses of other members in the application.

Step 2

After receiving these details, IRCC will create an account for the applicant as the portal does not allow applicants to create a profile for themselves.

Step 3

Then the applicant will confirm the details mentioned in the account. Later IRCC will send another email with a link to the portal and guidelines on how to sign in the account, with a unique username and temporary password.

Step 4

Applicants can now login for the first time and create their own password. Applicants could confirm that they are currently in Canada, update home or postal address, and upload digital/ scanned photos.

Step 5

IRCC will review and accept the photo if it meets the requirements. Applicants can check if the photo is accepted or not on the portal. If the photo is returned, the applicant can resubmit a new photo into the portal. Common reasons for photos to be returned are dark pictures, flare, improper visibility of facial features, and wrong format.

Step 6

Once the photo is accepted, applicants will receive a Permanent Resident card within one week at their mailing address inside Canada.

If any issue arises throughout the PR card process, IRCC will contact the applicant directly. If the applicant is unable to login the portal, they can contact IRCC via email mentioned in the invitation message.