Canadian Immigration Questions and Answers with Attorney David Cohen

Every month, Attorney David Cohen will answer a few general Canadian immigration questions submitted by our readers. Here are this month’s questions and answers:

Can I still submit a Quebec Skilled Worker application after March 31, 2014?

Yes. The Government of Quebec has announced that it will accept a maximum of 6,500 applications under the Skilled Worker category between April 1st, 2014 and March 31st, 2015. This cap does not include applications submitted under the Programme de l’expérience québécoise (PEQ) or applications supported by validated job offer from an employer based in Quebec. Any applications submitted April 1st 2014 will be subject to the regulations and selection criteria in force at the time of application submission.

When reading about immigration, I frequently see the abbreviation “NOC”. What is an NOC, and what relevance does it have for prospective immigrants?

“NOC” stands for National Occupational Classification. The Government of Canada has created the NOC coding system for classifying occupations. Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) uses the NOC coding system to evaluate the employment history of prospective immigrants. This system allows the CIC to decide whether your work experience qualifies as “skilled work”, as well as your work experience matches any eligible occupations

I currently hold a Green Card (US Permanent Residency). Will this be of benefit to me in a work or immigration application?

A permanent resident of USA, or US Green Card holder, does not currently require a Visit Visa to visit Canada. Otherwise, there are no Canadian Immigration benefits accruing from being a permanent resident of the US. There are some benefits available to citizens of the USA under the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) that allow for facilitated temporary work permits, but these are not available to foreign nationals who hold a Green Card.

If you would like your general immigration question to be featured in our newsletter, please email your question to QNA@CICNEWS.COM

If you would like to be assessed for Canadian immigration, please complete a free Canadian immigration assessment form.