Can-Quest International Immigration Services

25/09/2017

14/09/2017

2,772 Invitations to Apply for Canadian Permanent Residence Issued in September 6 Express Entry Draw

Canadian flag pinned over map of Canada

A total of 2,772 candidates have been issued an Invitation to Apply (ITA) in the Express Entry draw which took place on September 6.
The latest draw saw a minimum Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score requirement of 435. Therefore, candidates in the Express Entry pool with a score of 435 or above at the time of the draw may now apply for Canadian permanent resident status.

The most recent draw was not restricted to one specific program; candidates in all programs managed through Express Entry were in a position to receive an ITA. In order to be eligible, individuals are first required to meet the criteria of one of the three immigration programs managed through the Express Entry system — the Federal Skilled Worker Class (FSWC), Federal Skilled Trades Class (FTSC), or Canadian Experience Class (CEC).

Once candidates enter the Express Entry pool, they are assigned a CRS score based on factors including civil status information, education, work experience, language ability, and other criteria. This score determines their ranking in the pool. During these periodic Express Entry draws conducted by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC), the highest-ranking candidates are issued ITAs. Candidates who receive an ITA may submit an application for Canadian permanent resident status.

28/08/2017

Seniors Look to Super Visa Program to Join Loved Ones in Canada
With Canada’s Parent and Grandparent sponsorship immigration program (PGP) currently closed for new applications, parents and grandparents who want to join their children and grandchildren in Canada may do so through the Super Visa program, which remains open.

The Super Visa allows individuals multiple entries to Canada for a period up to 10 years. The key difference between a Super Visa and a visitor visa is that a Super Visa allows its bearer to stay for up to two years on initial entry into Canada, while a 10-year multiple entry visitor visa would only have a status period for six months on each entry.

Nearly 90,000 Super Visas have been issued since the program was first launched in late 2011, with around 40 percent of visas granted to citizens of India. Other Asian countries, including China, Pakistan, the Philippines, and Bangladesh also dominate the most common nationalities of Super Visa holders.

22/08/2017

Ontario Launches In-Demand Skills
The newly launched Employer Job Offer In-Demand Skills Stream of the Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program is not aligned with the federal Express Entry system. As long as the program is open, candidates who meet all program criteria can apply and successful applicants will receive a provincial nomination for immigration. Once you receive a provincial nomination, you need to apply to Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) for Canadian permanent residence.
Residential and commercial installers and servicers
= Heavy equipment operators (expect crane)
= General farm workers
= Nursery and greenhouse workers
= Harvesting labourers
= Construction trades helpers and labourers
= Industrial butchers, meat cutters, poultry preparers, related workers

13/07/2017

More than 200 Applicants to Atlantic Immigration Pilot Can Now Apply for Permanent Residence
Downtown St John's, Newfoundland, CanadaFederal and provincial political leaders in Canada meeting in Newfoundland have said that the Atlantic Immigration Pilot Program (AIPP) is working. More than 200 candidates have been endorsed to apply for Canadian permanent residence since the program opened to receive applications in March.

In addition, more than 400 employers in the region have attained designated status, allowing them to recruit through the AIPP.

These figures came out following a meeting in Steady Brook, Newfoundland, in which officials also discussed new initiatives to drive tourism in Atlantic Canada.

11/07/2017

12/06/2017

IRCC Makes Slight Revision to CRS Ranking Approach
Candidates in the Express Entry pool with tied scores under the Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) are now ranked according to the precise date and time they submitted their profiles. This new approach is one of various recent changes to the CRS introduced by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) on June 6, 2017.
A candidate’s CRS score is still the primary factor in determining his or her ranking in the pool. In the case of candidates with tied CRS scores, profiles are ranked according to the date and time of submission. Older profiles are ranked higher than more recently-submitted profiles.

08/06/2017

Express Entry to begin awarding additional points to candidates with siblings in Canada and to candidates with strong French language skills

News Release

From Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada

June 5, 2017—Markham, ON – Improvements to the Express Entry system taking effect tomorrow help support the integration of skilled workers as they build their new life in Canada. This benefits Canada as newcomers are able to more quickly put their skills to use to help strengthen and grow Canada’s economy.

Starting on June 6, new points will be awarded to candidates with siblings in Canada. Studies have shown that as newcomers build a new life in Canada, those with siblings benefit by having improved integration into Canadian society.

Other changes to the Express Entry system include points for candidates with strong French language skills, removing the requirement to register with Job Bank and a new approach to rank tied candidates in the Express Entry pool.

Programs managed through the Express Entry system attract high-skilled foreign workers and former international students who want to live in Canada permanently and whose in-demand skills are needed by employers across the country to help build businesses and grow the economy

06/06/2017

New Changes to the Express Entry Comprehensive Ranking System Now In Effect
As of June 6, 2017, candidates in the Express Entry pool who have a sibling in Canada may obtain additional points under the Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS). Another change involves additional points being awarded to candidates with proven French ability. These improvements to Express Entry are the latest to come from Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC), with a more dynamic Express Entry system now the main driver of economic immigration to Canada.

In addition to the changes to the CRS, registration in the Canada Job Bank is no longer mandatory for candidates without a qualifying job offer or a provincial nomination, though candidates may still choose to enter the Job Bank and pursue employment opportunities via this free service.

These changes, first announced in March but only introduced this week, are not as wide-ranging as the improvements that were made to the system last November. In that reform, IRCC changed the number of CRS points awarded for a qualifying job offer from 600 to 50 or 200 points, depending on the position offered. At the same time, candidates who had completed a study program in Canada were awarded additional points for the first time.

June 6 changes: who is affected?

In contrast to the changes introduced last November, no candidates will see a reduction in their CRS points total as a direct result of the changes introduced on June 6. Many candidates will retain their existing score, while some candidates — specifically, those with a sibling in Canada and/or proven French ability — may obtain a boost in their score.

While each CRS point can be valuable to a candidate, it is worth noting that some of the other additional factors that currently exist are worth significantly more points than the new factors being introduced. Candidates with a sibling in Canada may obtain 15 additional points, and candidates with French ability may obtain either 15 or 30 points, while candidates with a qualifying job offer obtain either 50 or 200 points and candidates with a provincial nomination obtain 600 points. The latter factor is the single most valuable factor in the system.
Speaking about these improvements to the system, Canada’s Minister of Immigration Ahmed Hussen stated that “Economic immigration programs managed by the Express Entry system attract highly talented and skilled immigrants that businesses need to help grow and strengthen our economy.
“As the improvements are implemented, I’m pleased that Canada will welcome more skilled immigrants with siblings in Canada who can help them quickly integrate into their new life here, and that we’ll continue to see Francophone minority communities flourish.”

The CRS is a dynamic system, and though many candidates will not be directly affected by the latest changes, the introduction of new additional factors as of June 6 will shift the make-up of the pool to some degree. In that sense, the changes affect more than just those candidates who obtained additional points, as even candidates who did not see a change in their score may experience a change in their ranking.

Why siblings, and what are the requirements to obtain these points?

According to IRCC, ‘having a sibling in Canada has been shown to improve health and social outcomes by accelerating a newcomer’s integration into their new life in Canada.’

Candidates in the Express Entry pool with a sibling in Canada may be awarded 15 additional CRS points if the sibling is a Canadian citizen or permanent resident and at least 18 years of age. Up to 15 points only may be awarded for this factor; that is to say, candidates with more than one sibling in Canada will be awarded 15 points in total, not 15 points per sibling.

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.

Proving French proficiency

Individuals who wish to enter the Express Entry pool must first take a language test recognized by the government of Canada in English and/or French — this has always been the case. Of the 1,200 points available in total under the CRS, 136 points may be awarded for a candidate’s ability in a first language, with a further 24 available for ability in a second language. Up to 100 more points are available for a candidate’s language skills within the combination (skills transferability) factors.
However, as of June 6 candidates with French ability are able to obtain even more points. A total of 15 additional points will be awarded to candidates who prove adequate intermediate (equivalent to Canadian Language Benchmark, or CLB, 7) or better French ability, and English ability of CLB 4 or lower. Candidates who prove adequate intermediate or better French ability, and who also prove English ability of CLB 5 or better, may obtain 30 additional points.

01/06/2017

Quebec Investor Program Now Open for New Applications
😉😉😉😉🇨🇦️🇨🇦️🇨🇦️🇨🇦️🇨🇦️🇨🇦️
unique Canadian business immigration program opened for new applications on May 29. The Quebec Immigrant Investor Program (QIIP) offers international investors the opportunity to obtain permanent resident status in Canada by making a risk-free $800,000 CAD investment that is guaranteed by a Quebec government entity.

The QIIP is Canada’s only passive investor immigration program, and the program offers a number of other advantages. Certain other Canadian business immigration programs, as well as many programs internationally, such as the EB-5 program in the United States, require individuals to create a certain quota of jobs within a specified timeframe.

The QIIP, on the other hand, has no such requirement. Moreover, it also offers Canadian permanent resident status upon initial landing, with no interim status on a work permit. The applicant’s immediate family members may also be included on the application and obtain Canadian permanent residence, enjoying all the benefits that this status bestows, including universal health care and access to world-class education.

Further, the QIIP is a route not just to Canadian permanent resident status, but also to Canadian citizenship and the right to a Canadian passport.

Up to 1,900 applications will be accepted for processing during the current intake period, which is scheduled to run until February 23, 2018. A maximum of 1,330 of these applications will be accepted from foreign nationals from the People’s Republic of China, including the administrative regions of Hong Kong and Macao.

Though French proficiency is not required, applicants with an advanced intermediate proficiency in French are not subject to the intake cap and may submit an application at any time. Moreover, their applications are given priority processing.

The investment

The investment of CAD $800,000 is submitted through an approved financial intermediary (broker or trust company). This investment can be paid by the applicant, though brokers and trust companies also offer the possibility of financing the investment, which is guaranteed by a government of Quebec entity and returned in full after five years.

QIIP Requirements
•Minimum net worth

Applicants must have, alone or with an accompanying spouse or common-law partner, net assets of at least $1,600,000 CAN obtained legally, excluding the amounts received by donation less than six months before the date on which the application was filed. Assets such as property, bank accounts, pension funds, stocks, and shares may be included.
•Investment

Applicants must intend to settle in Quebec and sign an investment agreement agreeing to invest $800,000 CAD with an approved financial intermediary. The investment can be financed by a financial intermediary.
•Management experience

Applicants must have acquired a minimum of two years’ management experience in the past five years. The experience is not limited to commercial activities; it can also be gained at an international agency, department or government agency.

“Quebec offers something unique in the Canadian business immigration landscape, where investors may take a less hands-on approach to business. Indeed, the program may also be considered exceptional among international investor immigration programs,” says Attorney David Cohen.

“Based on previous application cycles, it is entirely possible that the QIIP intake cap may be reached before the scheduled end date next February. Therefore, I encourage potential applicants to take some initial steps, such as working with an eligible financial intermediary and proving net worth, as soon as possible. By doing so, potential applicants may have the greatest chance of success.”