Canada Immigration Newsletter

Ontario Launches Employer Job Offer In-Demand Skills Stream

August 16, 2017 by Hugo O'Doherty

A new Canadian immigration stream has been launched by the government of Ontario. The Employer Job Offer In-Demand Skills Stream, which was announced on August 16 and opened the same day, is a pilot for workers in high-demand occupations with a job offer in Ontario.

The Employer Job Offer In-Demand Skills Stream is part of the Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program (OINP), which allows Ontario to nominate individuals for immigration to Canada based on criteria set by the province.

The current list of occupations includes occupations in the agriculture and construction sectors. [Read more…]

Second Express Entry Draw in a Week Sees Reduction in Minimum CRS Score Requirement

August 9, 2017 by Hugo O'Doherty, Eman Katem and Noah Turner

Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has invited 2,991 candidates in the Express Entry pool to apply for permanent residence in the second draw to take place so far this August.

Candidates with 433 or more Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) points will receive an Invitation to Apply (ITA) as a result of the August 9 draw. This is the lowest CRS cut-off threshold since May, and therefore the lowest since changes to the CRS — including the introduction of additional points for French speakers and candidates with a sibling in Canada — were implemented in early June. [Read more…]

Saskatchewan Reopens ‘Occupations In-Demand’ Immigration Sub-Category for Skilled Workers

August 9, 2017 by Hugo O'Doherty

The Canadian province of Saskatchewan will welcome up to 1,200 new applications under the International Skilled Worker – Occupations In-Demand sub-category of the Saskatchewan Immigrant Nominee Program (SINP) during an intake period that began on August 9. [Read more…]

CanadaVisa News Briefs for Early August, 2017

August 9, 2017 by CIC News

The following is a summary of developments concerning Canadian immigration and citizenship that have taken place over the past couple of weeks.

Our Canadian immigration news briefs bring you the latest news as it happens. When published, these articles are posted across our social media channels, including Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Google+ and LinkedIn. Follow us across these channels to get the latest news as it occurs.
[Read more…]

August 2 Express Entry Draw Invites 3,264 Candidates to Apply for Immigration to Canada

August 2, 2017 by Hugo O'Doherty and Eman Katem

The first Express Entry draw in three weeks took place on August 2, with 3,264 candidates in the pool receiving an Invitation to Apply (ITA) for Canadian permanent residence. Invited candidates each had a Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score of 441 or above. Accompanying family members, including spouses or common-law partners, as well as dependent children, may also come to Canada along with the principal applicant. IRCC aims to process complete submitted applications within six months. [Read more…]

Understanding the New Saskatchewan In-Demand Occupations List and Obtaining Licensure

August 2, 2017 by Hugo O'Doherty

Last week, on July 29, the Canadian province of Saskatchewan announced an expanded list of 43 in-demand occupations for two of its most popular immigration categories. Slightly more than half of these occupations require professional licensure on the part of the applicant, a process that may seem daunting. However, in many cases this process can be done from outside Canada in conjunction with one of the relevant organizations designated by the government of Saskatchewan.

A range of occupations are included in the new list, including occupations in IT, engineering, social work, medicine, marketing, agriculture, skilled trades, and more besides. [Read more…]

Trump Unveils Plan to Slash US Immigration Numbers and Move to Merit-Based System

August 2, 2017 by Hugo O'Doherty

United States President Donald Trump and two Republican Senators have presented an immigration plan that would move the country towards what they call a ‘merit-based’ system that rewards highly skilled workers. The plan would also cut legal immigration to the US by around 50 percent over the coming decade.

Before and after coming to power, President Trump has cited Canada as an example for the US to emulate when it comes to immigration. However, the plan presented by Trump and Senators Tom Cotton and David Perdue at the White House today — known as the Reforming American Immigration for a Strong Economy (RAISE) Act — shows significant differences from the Canadian immigration system. [Read more…]

Canadian Immigration Questions and Answers with Attorney David Cohen

August 2, 2017 by David Cohen

Every month, Attorney David Cohen will answer a few general Canadian immigration questions submitted by our readers. These questions cover immigration programs, eligibility, processing, language requirements, investing in Canada, landing, admissibility, studying in Canada, working in Canada, and much more. Here are this month’s questions and answers. [Read more…]

CanadaVisa News Briefs for August, 2017

August 2, 2017 by CIC News