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Immigration to Canada Overview
The Canadian government through Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) admits 300,000 immigrants to Canada annually, mainly under the Family Class and the Economic Class.
The Economic Class comprises of professionals and skilled workers under the federal skilled worker program,federal skilled trades, the Canadian experience class, the provincial nominee class and the Quebec skilled worker class. The Economic Class also includes business, investment-based programs.
IRCC manages skilled worker, economic class immigration programs using the Express Entry system. Applicants who meet basic criteria, submit an online profile to the express entry pool known as an expression of interest, under one of the above 3 federal Canada immigration programs or a participating provincial immigration program.
The profiles of candidates in the pool are ranked against each other, under a Comprehensive Ranking System. The highest ranked candidates will be considered for an invitation to apply for permanent residence under regular draws. Candidates who receive an invitation to apply, must quickly submit a full application, within a delay of 90-days. The government aims to process cases in only 6-months.
Business immigration programs offering permanent admission to Canada comprise of the Quebec Immigrant Investor Program (QIIP), Quebec Entrepreneur program, Quebec Self-Employed, several Provincial Nominee Entrepreneur programs, the Federal Immigrant Investor Venture Capital (IIVC) Pilot Program and the Federal Start-Up Visa program.
The Provincial Nominee Entrepreneur programs and self-employed programs are aimed at individuals with a mid-range personal net worth who intend to establish and operate a business in Canada. The Quebec Immigrant Investor Program (QIIP) and Federal Immigrant Investor Venture Capital (IIVC) Pilot Program are suited for high net worth individuals who wish to make a passive investment with no obligation to establish a business.
Wealthy business immigrants may also buy or establish a new business in Canada and qualify for a temporary work visa, under federal ‘owner-operator’ policies. After a period of time, qualified applicants may submit an application for permanent residence under a provincial nominee class program, or under the express entry system.
Under the federal family class, current sponsorship policies promote the reunion in Canada of Canadian citizens and permanent residents with their close relatives including a spouse, common-law partner or conjugal partner 16 years of age or older, an unmarried dependent child under the age of 22, a parent or grandparent, and a brother, sister, nephew, niece, grandchild who is an orphan, unmarried and under 18 years of age or any other relative where the sponsor has none of the above relatives or family members, in Canada or abroad.
Canadians may also sponsor parents and grandparents for permanent residents through an annual lottery process. Candidates who are not selected can apply for a long-term visitor Parents and Grandparents Super Visa.
Canada Express Entry Immigration
Heads up! Canada Express Entry is the most popular immigration system offering Canadian permanent residence. Applicants who meet basic criteria, submit an online profile known as an expression of interest, under one of 3 federal Canada immigration programs or a participating provincial immigration program, to the Express Entry Pool.
The profiles of candidates in the pool are ranked against each other, under a Comprehensive Ranking System. The highest ranked candidates will be considered for an invitation to apply for permanent residence. Candidates under Canada Express Entry 2018, receiving an invitation to apply, must quickly submit a full application, within a delay of 60-days. The government aims to process cases in only 6-months. Most immigrants to Canada will come through the Canada Express Entry Immigration 2018 system, this year.
l Comprehensive Ranking System Points Breakdown
There is a total of 1,200 points available under the Comprehensive Ranking System.
For candidates without an accompanying spouse or common-law partner, there are:
• a maximum of 500 points available for core human capital factors;
• a maximum of 100 points available for skill transferability factors; and
• 600 points available for additional factors (including a provincial nomination, an offer of arranged employment, Canadian study experience, a sibling in Canada, and/or French language ability).
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For candidates with an accompanying spouse or common-law partner, there are:
• a maximum of 460 points available for core human capital factors of the principal applicant;
• a maximum of 40 points for the core human capital factors of the spouse or common-law partner;
• a maximum of 100 points available for skill transferability factors; and
• 600 points available for additional factors (including a provincial nomination, an offer of arranged employment, Canadian study experience, a sibling in Canada, and/or French language ability).
June 6, 2017, changes to the Comprehensive Ranking System include additional points awarded to candidates with French ability and to candidates with a sibling in Canada.
French ability
• 15 additional points for French-speaking candidates who prove adequate intermediate (equivalent to Canadian Language Benchmark 7) or better French ability, and English language test result of CLB 4 or lower, or no English test results at all.
• 30 additional points for French-speaking candidates who prove adequate intermediate or better French ability, and who also prove English language test result of CLB 5 or better.
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Sibling in Canada
• 15 additional points for candidates with a sibling in Canada who is a Canadian citizen or permanent resident of at least 18 years of age. These points may also be awarded if the candidate’s spouse or common-law partner has a sibling in Canada. The candidate or his or her spouse/common-law partner must share a mother and/or father with the sibling in Canada. This relationship can be through blood, adoption, marriage, or common-law partnership.
Skilled Worker Immigration Overview
Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada manages skilled worker immigration under the Canada Express Entry system. The highest scoring candidates in the Express Entry pool are issued with Invitations to Apply to one of the following programs:
Federal Skilled Worker
Federal Skilled Trades
Canada Experience Class
Provincial Express Entry Categories
Once an invitation to apply has been issued, the candidate must complete a full application to the relevant program.
The Federal Skilled Worker program uses its own points system according to various factors. It is designed to show if the applicant and dependents will successfully establish in Canada. Ideal applicants will possess skills and experience compatible with in-demand occupations. The selection rules favour applicants with government-approved job offers.
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Federal Skilled Trades Program
On January 2nd 2013 Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) began accepting applications for permanent residence under its widely anticipated Federal Skilled Trades Program. The program is quota based and limited to 3000 applications per year with sub quotas in many of the 43 targeted occupations.
Requirements
Eligibility under the Federal Skilled Trades Class is assessed on a pass or fail basis, with applicants required to fulfill the following four requirements:
Have offers of employment from one or two Canadian employers for a duration of at least one year in an eligible skilled trade (NOC Skill level B), OR Hold certification of qualification for that trade from a Canadian provincial or territorial regulatory body;
Provide evidence of sufficient language proficiency in one of Canada’s two official languages;
Have 24 months of work experience in the last five years in the skilled trade, after trade qualification, where applicable;
Be qualified to meet the requirements of the job offer(s) or trade in Canada, as defined by the NOC;
The Federal Skilled Trades Class is not open to applicants wishing to establish themselves in the Province of Quebec which has its own authority to select applicants.
Certification or Offer of Employment
Trade certification in Canada falls under provincial jurisdiction. Each province outlines which professions will be regulated and establishes regulatory bodies where applicable. Provincial certification is often difficult to obtain from outside Canada and accordingly this program will be most beneficial to tradespeople who obtain an approved offer of employment from a recognized employer, or who are already working in Canada as temporary foreign workers. Not all trades are regulated in all of the provinces. Where a trade is not regulated, an offer of employment becomes mandatory.
Tradespeople who obtain an approved offer of employment for one year or more in their trade from a Canadian employer are also eligible to apply. The offer of employment will be evaluated to ensure that it is an eligible trade and that the hiring will have a neutral effect on the Canadian Labour Market.
Language Requirement:
Applicants must provide evidence that they have at least a basic proficiency in the English or French language for all four language abilities, including speaking, listening, reading and writing. Only test results from a CIC designated language testing agency will be considered to establish proficiency.
Two of the most commonly used language tests are the IELTS for English and the TEF for French. Applicants must obtain the following scores in each respective language ability:
Speaking Listening Reading Writing
IELTS 5.0 5.0 3.5 4.0
TEF 225 180 121 181
Eligible Trades and Caps on application
CIC will accept a maximum of 3000 applications in the Federal Skilled Trades Class in each calendar year. Eligible trades are separated into two categories: Those with individual sub-caps of 100 applications and those with no sub-cap.
The Canada Experience Class
Individuals who have worked in Canada and who wish to settle permanently in Canada with their accompanying dependants may qualify to apply for Permanent Residence under the Canadian Experience Class.Canada Experience Class
Canada Experience Class program recognizes the benefits to Canada by candidates who have spent significant amounts of time pursuing their studies and working careers in Canada. It recognizes their contributions to the Canadian economy and the creation of strong links to Canadian society. This strengthens the permanent residence programs to Canada.
Requirements for Canadian Experience Class
Eligibility for permanent residence under this class is assessed on a pass-fail basis where the primary criteria are the following:
Candidate has acquired 12 months of full-time work experience in an occupation categorized as Skill Type 0 or Skill Level A or B of the National Occupation Classification (NOC). Qualifying occupations are those of a managerial, professional, technical or skilled trade nature.
The qualifying Canadian work experience was acquired within the 36 months immediately preceding the date of application;
Candidate demonstrates sufficient proficiency in one of Canada’s official languages. The level of proficiency required is determined by the occupation in which the candidate gained qualifying Canadian work experience;
Not be inadmissible to Canada on medical, criminal or security grounds.
Qualifying work experience
Qualifying work experience must be full time and skilled. “Full-time” refers to 30 hours per week. Part time work will be considered, but only on a pro-rata basis. For example, 6 months in a part time skilled position at 15 hours per week will count as three months towards the required 12. Multiple concurrent part time jobs can also be used to meet the experience requirement.
Any work experience acquired in Canada without valid work authorization will not be considered. Nor will periods of self-employment or work experience gained while the candidate was enrolled in a program of full-time study.
Application Caps and Exclusions
Ministerial instructions have been issued limiting applications to the Canada Experience Class. A maximum of 12 000 new applications will be received for processing each year, and a sub cap of 200 applications will be applicable to any occupation classified under NOC skill level B. Furthermore, applicants with work experience in the following NOC occupations will not be considered:
1221 Administrative officers
1241 Administrative assistants
1311 Accounting technicians and bookkeepers
6211 Retail sales supervisors
6311 Food service supervisors
6322 Cooks
Other occupations classified as NOC Skill levels 0 and A are subject only to the general 12,000 cap.
Language proficiency
Minimum proficiency must be demonstrated in all four language abilities, namely: Reading; writing; speaking; listening. Applicants whose qualifying work experience is in an occupation categorized as NOC Skill Type 0 or Skill Level A must meet Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) level 7. Applicants whose qualifying work experience is in an occupation categorized as NOC Skill Level B must meet CLB level 5.
Canada Provincial Nominee Immigration Programs Overview
Each Canadian province and the three territories have their own Provincial Nominee Programs (PNPs), in order to serve their individual immigration needs. Many of them also run their own categories under the Canada Express Entry System. As a result, the provinces have an increasing role in the selection of economic immigrants. Applying for admission to Canada as a permanent resident under a provincial program follows a two-stage process. Applicants who receive a PNP nomination can then apply for permanent residence.
Conclusion
The Canadian Experience Class is an ideal program for individuals who have become familiar with life in Canada and who wish to resettle here. For qualifying candidates, it is an expedient and secure option for obtaining permanent residence, with objective criteria. Moreover, the application can be made from within Canada, while the candidate has appropriate temporary status. In short, it allows a seamless transition from temporary to permanent status in Canada.
*The Canadian experience class does not apply to foreigners wishing to establish themselves in the Province of Quebec; however education and work experience accumulated in that province are valid to meet Quebec program requirements.