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
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
Sponsor Content Understanding the IELTS Speaking test Take every opportunity to practice speaking English! Spend as much time as you can talking to a teacher, classmate or a friend who also speaks English. In this post, we will look at the three parts of the IELTS Speaking test, the assessment criteria, and suggest how you can improve your performance in each part. By IELTS
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
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
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
Ontario, British Columbia and Manitoba issue invitations to apply for provincial nomination Three provinces have invited candidates in most recent draws. Ontario, British Columbia and Manitoba have issued invitations to apply to candidates through their most recent rounds of provincial nominee program (PNP) draws. By Edana Robitaille
IRCC considering Express Entry draws based on occupations, and other categories Recent consultations outline the possibility of targeting Express Entry candidates who have key attributes such as occupation, sector, being a temporary resident, and French language proficiency. Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) recently held consultations with the public and stakeholders to adapt the Express Entry application management system to better target Canada’s economic needs and labour shortages. By Edana Robitaille