Express Entry: How does IRCC decide when to hold draws? There is no rule in the Immigration and Refugees and Protection Act that dictates how frequently Express Entry draws must occur. There has been a change in routine surrounding Express Entry draws of late. Typically, the draws take place every two weeks on Wednesdays. However, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) recently paused draws for six weeks starting November 23 and returned on January 11 inviting 5,500 candidates followed by another draw of the same size […] By Edana Robitaille
The Lunar New Year: A Time to Remember and Celebrate Canada’s Diverse Heritage Lunar New Year is an annual holiday that marks the beginning of a new lunar calendar for people of Chinese heritage. Also known as the Spring Festival, Lunar New Year 2023 begins today — on January 22 — and ends on February 1. By Vimal Sivakumar
British Columbia, Alberta, Quebec and Prince Edward Island issue invitations to apply for provincial immigration Four provinces have invited candidates in most recent provincial immigration draws. British Columbia, Alberta, Quebec and Prince Edward Island have issued invitations to apply to candidates through provincial immigration programs this week. Alberta and Quebec draws are recent publications of draws that occurred in December. By Edana Robitaille
Alberta adds family relatives to eligibility criteria for the Alberta Express Entry program Candidates who have immediate family relatives in Alberta can now receive extra consideration under the Alberta Express Entry program. On January 18th, the Alberta Advantage Immigration Program (AAIP), which functions as Alberta’s Provincial Nominee Program, added having relatives in the province to their candidate selection criteria for the Alberta Express Entry stream (managed under the AAIP). By Asheesh Moosapeta
Sunwing says holiday travel disruptions caused by rejection of an LMIA The airline did not have enough qualified pilots on staff to meet increased demand over the holiday season. Sunwing Airlines is crediting the rejection of a Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) on December 9 as a major factor in widespread disruption to its passengers over the holiday season. By Edana Robitaille
IRCC invites 5,500 Express Entry candidates in second draw of 2023 IRCC held a surprise draw today marking Express Entry draws in two consecutive weeks. IRCC has now already invited 11,000 Express Entry candidates in 2023, which is the quickest start to Express Entry ever. Canada held the second Express Entry draw of the year today. By Edana Robitaille
Age of most recent immigrants signals hopeful future for Canada’s workforce Most of Canada’s recent immigrants are between the ages of 25 and 54. Read more to find out why this could have a significant benefit on the national workforce across Canada. According to Statistics Canada, “the working-age population [in Canada] — persons aged 15 to 64 — has never been older”. By Vimal Sivakumar
Refusals and appeals for Canadian immigration applications You may have recourse if your immigration application was unjustly refused. It can be devastating to learn that your temporary or permanent residency application to Canada has been refused. Fortunately, you may have recourse. By Daniel Levy
What is the British Columbia Provincial Nominee Program? The BC PNP is for skilled workers, graduates and healthcare professionals who wish to immigrate to the province. British Columbia is Canada’s westernmost province and home to the country’s third largest city, Vancouver. The province’s economy is reliant on a strong natural resources sector, which focuses on forestry and mining. By Julia Hornstein
