Archive - February 2021

If anything concerns the Atlantic Canada region, it’s the task of retaining the immigrants who have settled there. The Atlantic Immigration Program was started as a pilot in 2017 to address the issues of gaining and retaining immigrant workers in the Atlantic provinces of Canada.

Lately, in a review done by IRCC, the performance of the AIP was assessed for the period from 2017 to the fiscal year 2019-20. The aim was to understand if AIP had succeeded in growing the population and meeting the labor demands of the Atlantic Canada provinces. The results were very encouraging and the pilot seemed to be very much on track.

The AIP is a program that’s employer-driven, providing a pathway to recruit skilled workers from foreign nations without the delay and expenses of LMIA involved. Through AIP, immigration candidates reach to work in Canada with a job in hand and with a settlement plan from a designated service provider.

The main agenda of the AIP pilot was the retention of immigrants in the Atlantic Canada region. In this regard, the program has been successful. IRCC has found that most of the 5,590 people who responded to IRCC’s survey and had immigrated to Atlantic Canada via AIP, were still living in the province where they had arrived 2 years ago.

Many AIP immigrants were also found to be working for the same employer in Canada during the survey done by IRCC to understand the performance of AIP. Even those who changed their employers were still living and working in the same province. This proved the fact that AIP has a higher rate of immigrant retention than other economic programs for Canada immigration in Atlantic Canada.

Atlantic Canada is home to the provinces of New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, and Newfoundland & Labrador.

45% of the respondents to the survey lived in New Brunswick. 34% of respondents lived in Nova Scotia. 10% of the respondents came from PEI and Newfoundland & Labrador each.

Most of those who responded to the survey were willing to stay in their province of residence. The main reason they gave for this was that they liked their community. Other reasons included job satisfaction and affordable living. About one-third of the respondents said that they had friends or family in the province.

Those who wanted to leave their current province cited the need to make more money in a different province as a major reason. 40% of these respondents said that they couldn’t find other job opportunities in the province they originally arrived.

Among the recommendations put forward by IRCC to improve the program was to develop a strategy to make immigration applicants under AIP aware of settlement services that are available to them and their family members.

The AIP pilot is currently given an extension until December 2021.

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Note:

AIP – Atlantic Immigration Program

IRCC – Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada

LMIA – Labor Market Impact Assessment

The Canadian province of Quebec is investing over $8 million into its community program aimed at promoting the sustainable establishment of immigrants and their families in the region. The PAC program seeks immigrants to fully take part in the vitality of all regions of the francophone province of Quebec. The contribution of immigrants is thus expected in the economic recovery of Quebec.

With the onslaught of the COVID-19 pandemic, Quebec’s immigration numbers have fallen considerably. IRCC reveals that there has been a fall in Canada PR population in Quebec by 37.9% in 2020; i.e., from 40,565 to 25,195.

Almost a third of those who arrived in Quebec in 2020 on a Canada PR visa came via family sponsorship programs. In numbers, it comes to 7,765 new immigrants. To keep these newcomers comfortable and feel accepted, co-ops and non-profit organizations are being invited to submit proposals to give support to the integration of immigrants in the province. The new immigrants must settle into Quebec’s communities smoothly so that they stay on and become beneficial to the province.

In 2020, the Government of Quebec invested $1.7 million in the PAC. It was to fuel the 68 projects spread in 76 municipalities and regional municipalities. Quebec supports immigrants with services offered via 72 outlets in the province. This was only the first leg of the PAC.

The second leg of the PAC came only weeks after Quebec had its latest immigration procedures guide published. However, this guide included the values test for immigrants that became controversial. The new guide makes it required for foreign nationals and their family members aged above 18 years to show that they have knowledge of Quebec’s values and democratic values. These are laid out in Quebec’s charter of human rights and freedoms.

The requirement in the new guide is only not applicable to those who are restricted by a medical condition.

If you are looking to Study, Work, Visit, Invest or Migrate to Canada, talk to Y-Axis, the World’s No.1 Immigration & Visa Company.

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Note:

PAC – Programme d’appui aux collectivités

PR – Permanent Residence

Search for a job in Canada is your first step in the process of migrating to the nation that’s in need of many more skilled and resourceful immigrants to take care of its economy. If you are educated, skilled, qualified, and ready to work in Canada, it’s time you went about job hunting in Canada.

You will want to look for a job in which you are already involved and has the experience to back your skills. In case you are new to Canada, it will be a novel experience for you to get so much input and guidance from a work abroad consultancy.

These days, with the COVID-19 pandemic all around, it will make you put in more preparation and effort to realize your dream of landing a job in Canada. So, stay updated about the latest happenings in the Canadian labor market and Canada immigration circles.

Here, we will give you some quick tips to successfully find a job of your liking and choice in Canada.

Polish and update your resume

We needn’t tell you that resume makes a world of difference in how the potential employer looks at you even before you meet them. So, it matters that you polish your resume well enough to catch the interest and impression of a Canadian employer. Here are a few tips:

• Canadians prefer resumes formatted in a traditional fashion
• Give highlights of your work experience
• Prepare a focused resume meant for the post you are seeking rather than a generic resume and send it likewise to chosen employers and job openings
• It’s recommended to add a well-written covering letter

Narrow your job search

Choose jobs to apply for based on what matches your experience and skillset. And of course, let the opportunity excite you. To seek out job openings with such specificity could be time-consuming and quite an effort. But trust this, it’s going to be much more worth it than spreading your resume to almost every opportunity that’s listed on Canadian job sites.

Also, it will be wise to choose the area in Canada where you would want to pitch your resume. E.g., if you are an IT expert, try to find a job and settle in cities like Vancouver or Toronto.

Find the right resources

You are a first-timer and it’s natural for you to be confused about where to find a job opening listed online. You can look for genuine and suitable job opportunities in:

• Job Bank of the Canadian government – This is an official website for job listings in Canada. It even has listings for COVID-19 related jobs which obviously are in-demand now.
• Candian immigration resources – The Canadian government has all the immigration resources you will need to get your SIN along with getting the assessment of your credentials done.

Learn to network

This advice takes you beyond job search websites. Social media platforms like LinkedIn and Facebook are hugely resourceful in broadening your professional network. There are umpteen recruiters posting and sharing job opportunities on these social media platforms where you must create an engaging profile.

Rather than just putting up your resume for grabs, keep posting professional content and enrich your profile enough to catch the eye of a potential employer in Canada. Also, connect with professionals in your chosen field and stand a chance to get an offer to work in Canada.

Listen to podcasts

Podcasts are extremely helpful in getting an idea of the Canadian experience at the workplace and in the community. Listen to podcasts of those who have first-hand knowledge of the Canada immigration process.

Get strong endorsements

It’s always an asset to get letters of recommendation from your past employers. Keep healthy relations with them and who knows, if your old employer had any ties with Canadian recruiters, you may get a lead to a suitable job! That too with your ex-employer vouching for you!

Improve your interview skills

Oh yes! The most valuable suggestion probably that can come your way. That’s because even if you nailed your resume when it comes to a personal interview, so many people blow it and come back to square one.

Learn the tips about confident communication and excellent presentation involving flawless body language from expert guides through podcasts or seminars. It’s important to watch your dress code for the interview. If you are going for an interview, your attire may better be formal so that you can look serious about the opportunity at hand.

Stay in the conversation, focused, precise, concise, and confident. It’s worthwhile to remember that your demeanor, attitude, and confidence are the factors assessed even before they start with their scores for your knowledge and qualifications. Never shy away from showing a genuine interest in the company for the qualities you saw were great. Companies need employees who will stay and contribute rather than go opportunistic to jump for just a better package.

Besides all these, it will help you much to work on your teleworking skills. That’s because, in the future, a lot of communication, presentation, and pitching will be done via online communication tools such as Zoom. In fact, it’s already almost the norm during the COVID-19 pandemic. Your being skillful in in-person and teleworking skills will raise your prospects in the company many times more.

And to give you a parting shot, perseverance is the greatest virtue you can attain and practice in finding jobs in Canada. Always learn from the misses, strengthen your skills, and overcome your weaknesses. Success will be yours.

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2021, the right time to try Express Entry; Here’s why

Note:

SIN – Social Insurance Number

Do you doubt whether Canada will achieve its high Canada immigration targets set for the next couple of years and beyond that? Let’s tell you why you should think more positively. You must in fact anticipate that the aim of welcoming 401,000 new immigrants in the years starting 2021 could very well be achievable as the performance in immigration Canada is showing indicates.

On February 13, 2021, Canada held an Express Entry draw with invites to apply for Canada PR sent to a whopping 27,332 candidates. This one surprise event itself shows that the Canadian government means it when it talks about achieving a huge target like the one it has in hand.

Till March 2020, Canada was inviting around 3,500 new immigration candidates in each Express Entry draw. The CRS score requirement was around 470. However, towards the end of 2020, Canada invited a record-breaking 5,000 candidates in the Express Entry draw. Up till Christmas 2020, this was repeated 4 times.

Fast forward to the February 13 Express Entry draw. The draw was phenomenal not just by its size, but by the lowest ever requirement for CRS: 75 points. Moreover, the draw took place on a Saturday unlike the normal practice of conducting them on weekdays.

Whoever got the invite has 90 days to submit a full application for a Canada PR visa.

Now, there’s a reason for the huge number of invites issued in the February 13 draw. About 90% of the candidates who received invites in this draw were CEC candidates. These are the people already living in Canada, with experience of doing work in Canada, and readily available without any hassles of travel restrictions as with overseas candidates.

Hence, from an operational perspective, choosing them meant fewer difficulties with procedures after receiving an ITA, which includes:

• Collecting and submitting documents
• Submitting biometrics
• Getting clearances from police and health officials
• Traveling to Canada

Before COVID-19, those living in Canada receiving the ITA had to first exit the Canadian border and re-enter the country to activate their new Canada PR. Given the difficulties in doing all that during the COVID-19 period, the February 13 draw made a very smart decision to choose candidates available in Canada.

Moreover, with enough experience of study and work in Canada, these candidates are willing to stay on as residents in Canada. Their merging into the Canadian society and environment will be much easier. The transition will be smooth.

In Canada Immigration Levels plan is planning to get immigrants in the following manner in the years to come:

• 60% from the economic class
• 25% from the family class
• 15% from the refugee and humanitarian class

So, considering this, we may be able to explain how the high immigration target could be achieved.

This year Canada is planning to invite 108,500 new immigrants via Express Entry draw. Already, IRCC has issued 37,986 ITAs. If IRCC could issue another 30,000 ITAs within the coming 2 months, they have a solid chance to realize their target by the end of 2021. For this, IRCC will have to issue 5,000 ITAs in bi-weekly immigration draws till April 2021 from now.

In all, to achieve the target of 401,500, new immigrants will have to be invited in the following numbers under different immigration programs:

• PNP – 80,800
• AIP and similar federal programs – 15,500
• Quebec’s economic class immigrants – 30,000

With increased PNP allocations granted by the IRCC, the provinces can invite as many candidates as possible from those who already reside in Canada. They will be invited via PNP streams that are aligned with Express Entry.

Except for AIP, other provinces take from 6 months (most economic class programs) to 2 years (PNP & Quebec) to process applications for immigration. That means, there will be a need to speed up the processing of files that do not belong to purely Express Entry immigration received from candidates in Canada.

A rehashing of eligibility criteria can do a lot towards improving the attempts to reaching the high immigration goals.

Coming to refugee and family class immigration, Canada has set a target of 103,500 new immigrants for 2021. The target number for refugees and humanitarian categories is 66,000.

Since the family class is exempted from travel restrictions, the family class target is easier to achieve. However, speeding up the processing of applications for spousal immigration could be a necessary step for Canada. The reason? Spousal applications form the majority of family class applications received by the IRCC. That’s also why Canada processed 6,000 spousal applications monthly at the end of 2020.

However, achieving the target for humanitarian and refugee targets could be difficult as travel restrictions will act as a major impediment for these immigrants from overseas locations.

Creating new economic class pathways for those who have the experience of working in Canada could be a good way to address Canada’s immigration concern. Those including asylum claimants could be helped to make the transition to becoming a Canadian permanent resident. Recently, Canada launched an economic class program for asylum claimants who were active on the frontlines, working in the fight against COVID-19.

Nevertheless, Canada will also be expecting a considerable number of skilled overseas candidates. Canada knows that such individuals will prove highly contributory to garnering support for the objectives of the country for economic and social spheres.

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Note:

PR – Permanent Residence

ITA – Invitation to Apply

CRS – Comprehensive Ranking System

PNP – Provincial Nominee Program

AIP – Atlantic Immigration Pilot

Canada immigration! What ambition for a young, skilled, and progressive person who has the drive to make it big in life! It’s even better to know that the country is welcoming you for your ability to contribute to the progress of its economy and social development.

The process of immigration Canada has is lengthy and complicated. But with professional help from an immigration advisor can help you identify the best and fastest ways to immigrate to Canada. After all, to study and/or work in Canada is a decision that is guaranteed to take you on a path of progress in your career and lifestyle.

Here, we will look at some of the fastest ways to immigrate to Canada.

The Express Entry system

You must have heard so much about the Express Entry system if you have been interested in Canada immigration. The Express Entry system is the fastest and most efficient path to immigrate to Canada.

The average processing time of immigration applications in Canada is 6 months. You can apply for Canada PR online and you can attempt migration via 3 federal immigration programs. You can choose your program based on factors like your education, age, work experience, and skills in the English/French language. The 3 programs to choose from are FSTP, FSWP, and CEC.

You have to create a profile online in the Express Entry system once which will be valid for an entire year. Based on the ranking your profile gets from CRS, you will be selected into immigration draws conducted from time to time. If you are good enough for the purpose of the draw, you will be sent an invite to apply for a Canada PR visa.

Atlantic Immigration Pilot

Atlantic Immigration Pilot also follows the processing time of the Express Entry system along with the facility to apply for a Canada work visa online. With AIP, immigrants can migrate to the Atlantic Canada region comprised of New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Newfoundland & Labrador, and the Prince Edward Islands. There are 3 programs involved in AIP namely:

• Atlantic International Graduate Program
• Atlantic Intermediate-skilled Program
• Atlantic High-skilled Program

If you are willing to improve your chances of succeeding in getting a job to immigrate to AIP, check out the in-demand jobs in Canada and see if you are into any of the listed jobs.

BC PNP

The BC PNP processes visa applications in 2 to 3 months’ time. The online application portal of British Columbia facilitates such speedy processing. Moreover, BC PNP draws are more regularly conducted than the Express Entry system.

If you are a tech professional, you should try the BC Tech Pilot, which is exclusively meant for those with skills in technology and are willing to work in Canada in IT and similar fields. For the BC Tech Pilot, there are 29 in-demand jobs that are listed for the right candidates.

Global Talent Stream

This is a migration stream that caters to temporary work visa holders. Though it isn’t an immigration pathway, the processing time while going through this stream is 4 to 6 months. Once you work on a temporary work visa in Canada, you can go ahead and add that experience to attempt at getting a Canada PR visa via programs like the Saskatchewan Work Experience Stream.

This stream benefits you, especially if you are in the:

• Health Sector
• Agricultural Sector
• Long Haul Truck Driver
• Hospitality Sectors

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Canada holds a surprise draw, sends an amazing 27,332 invites

Note:

PR – Permanent Residence

FSTP – Federal Skilled Trades Program

FSWP – Federal Skilled Worker Program

CEC – Canadian Experience Class

CRS – Comprehensive Ranking System

AIP – Atlantic Immigration Program

BC PNP – British Columbia Provincial Nominee Program