Sterling Consultancies

06/12/2023

Canada the land of opportunity and inclusion

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November has been declared the National Lebanese Heritage Month. Thanks to MP Lena Diab from Nova Scotia who introduced the Lebanese Heritage Month Act. Ever...

13/11/2023

On November 1st Immigration Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) released the Immigration Levels Plan 2024-2026.

The sets the target for the number of permanent resident admissions to Canada for the next three years.

Canada will admit 485,000 new permanent residents in 2024 and 500,000 annually in both each of 2024 and 2025.

Over 60% of newcomers over the next three years will be from economic class immigration pathways such as Express Entry managed programs, the Provincial Nominee Program or other regional economic immigration programs.

In 2024, Canada will welcome 281,135 economic immigrants and 301,250 in both 2025 and 2026.

In May this year, IRCC introduced category-based selection Express Entry rounds of invitations.

These new categories are aimed at targeting Express Entry candidates who have specific attributes that will help IRCC fulfill its mandates. The categories are:

Healthcare;
STEM professions;
Trades;
Transport;
Agriculture and agri-food; and
French language proficiency
Through these category-based rounds, IRCC selects those who are better placed to fill labour force gaps in sectors with a high job vacancy rate such as healthcare and construction. To date, IRCC has invited 5,600 candidates in healthcare occupations and 1,500 trades occupation candidates.

The Levels Plan shows that in 2024, Canada will admit 110,770 Express Entry candidates and 117,500 in both 2025 and 2026.

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03/11/2023

Canada has released its Immigration Levels Plan 2024-2026.

Canada's immigration levels will remain unchanged from its current targets. In 2024, the country will target the admission of 485,000 new immigrants. In 2025 and 2026, Canada will look to welcome 500,000 new immigrants in each year.

The targets are the same as those announced under the Immigration Levels Plan 2023-2025. The new information released today is the 2026 target, as well as updates to the levels of immigrants that will be admitted under each class and program between 2024-2026.

Breakdown of immigration targets by class:

In 2024, Canada will look to welcome about 281,135 immigrants under the economic class, or 58% of the annual target. By 2026, this will rise to 301,250 immigrants, or 60% of the annual target.

The family class target, in 2024, will be 114,000 immigrants, or 24% of all admissions. This will rise to 118,000 immigrants by 2026, which will also be 24% of all admissions.

Humanitarian admission targets will be 89,865 immigrants in 2024, or about 19% of all admissions. These totals include refugees, protected persons, and those admitted for humanitarian, compassionate, or other reasons. By 2026, the target will be 80,832 immigrants, or 16% of admissions.

Note that figures may not add up to 100% due to rounding.

Express Entry and PNP targets to rise:
The Express Entry target will be 110,700 permanent resident admissions in 2024, and this will rise to 117,500 immigrants in each of 2025 and 2026.

The Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) target will be 110,000 immigrants in 2024, and rise to 120,000 in 2025, and another 120,000 in 2026.

Spousal, Partner, and Children sponsorship has a target of 82,000 admissions in 2024, and this will rise to 84,000 in each of 2025 and 2026. Meanwhile, the Parents and Grandparents Program (PGP) target will be 32,000 immigrants in 2024, followed by 34,000 immigrants in each of 2025 and 2026.

Canada is pursuing new strategy to improve immigration system:

The Immigration Levels Plan 2024-2026 comes one day after Canada unveiled a new strategy to improve its immigration system. On October 31, Immigration Minister Marc Miller acknowledged shortcomings in the country's immigration system as he outlined the pillars of a new approach to modernize the system.

The new strategy, entitled An Immigration System for Canada's Future, has three major goals:

Create a more welcoming experience for newcomers
Align immigration with labour market needs
Develop a comprehensive and coordinated growth plan
IRCC is seeking to deliver a more pleasant and user-friendly experience to its clients.

In addition, IRCC would like to better align Canada's immigration policies with its skills and labour strategy.

Third, IRCC would like to develop an integrated plan among all three of Canada's levels of government to ensure the country can offer adequate housing, health care, and infrastructure to its growing newcomer population.

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30/10/2023

The Canadian Authorities have posted the following:

The situation in Lebanon is volatile and unpredictable due to recent and ongoing events in Israel, the West Bank, and the Gaza Strip.

Canadians, permanent residents and their spouse and dependent children should follow the travel advice for Lebanon and leave while commercial flights remain available.

Our focus is on helping Canadians and permanent residents get the documents they need to travel and keeping families together. We continue to monitor the situation in collaboration with our partners and will tailor our response to meet the unique needs of those who require our support.

Get your documents
If you or any members of your family do not have valid travel documents to travel to Canada, please complete the appropriate application as soon as possible.

We’re increasing our capacity in the region to process these applications as quickly as possible.

Canadian citizens:
Canadian citizens require a Canadian passport to travel to Canada. If you do not have a Canadian passport, including an emergency passport, you must apply for one.

Permanent residents of Canada:
Permanent residents require a permanent resident card to travel to Canada. If you do not have a valid permanent resident card, you need to apply for a permanent resident travel document.

Immediate family members of Canadian citizens or permanent residents:
Any family members who are not Canadian citizens or permanent residents will require a visitor visa or an electronic travel authorization (eTA) to travel to Canada.

If you need a visitor visa, you should apply for a visa as soon as possible. You can continue to provide your biometrics at the visa application center in Beirut.

You should apply for an eTA as soon as possible if you need one.

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28/09/2023

Immigration Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has issued Invitations to Apply (ITA) in a new Express Entry round of invitations today.

The department invited 3,000 candidates in an all-program draw. The minimum Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score to receive an ITA was 504.

This draw follows multiple rounds during the week of September 18. IRCC invited 3,200 candidates on September 19 in an all-program draw. The following day, on September 20, it invited 1,000 candidates in the first-ever category-based draw for Express Entry candidates in a transport occupation.

Summary of Express Entry draw results since June 2023
Date Draw Type Number of ITAs Minimum CRS
Sept 26 All-program 3,000 504
Sept 20 Transport occupations 1,000 435
Sept 19 All-program 3,200 531
Aug 15 All-program 4,300 496
Aug 3 Trade occupations 1,500 388
Aug 2 French language proficiency 800 435
Aug 1 All-program 2,000 517
July 12 French language proficiency 3,800 375
July 11 All-program 800 505
July 7 French language proficiency 2,300 439
July 6 Healthcare occupations 1500 463
July 5 STEM occupations 500 486
July 4 All-program 700 511
June 28 Healthcare occupations 500 476
June 27 All-program 4,300 486
June 8 All-program 4,800 486

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12/07/2023

The department invited 800 candidates in an all-program draw with a minimum Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score of 505.

Six rounds of invitations in two weeks
This round follows a two-week period in which IRCC invited 9,800 candidates over six rounds of invitations.

The most recent Express Entry rounds of invitations were issued on July 7 to 2,300 candidates with strong French-speaking abilities and a minimum CRS of 439.

It was the last of four consecutive draws between July 4-July 7. These draws were the first time that IRCC has issued Express Entry ITAs over four consecutive days.

IRCC invited 1,500 candidates on July 6 in an expected category-based selection draw for healthcare professionals with a cut-off CRS score of 463.

The invitations issued on July 4 were from an unexpected all-program draw in which the 700 invited candidates needed a minimum CRS score of 511. This was the highest required CRS score for any all-program draw so far in 2023.

The second draw of the week, on July 5, was the anticipated first-ever round of invitations issued to candidates with work experience in select science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) occupations. IRCC invited 500 candidates with a minimum CRS score of 486. IRCC announced that this draw would take place a week in advance.

In the previous week, IRCC invited candidates in two rounds of invitations. The first, on June 27 was an all-program draw in which 4,300 candidates were considered from all Express Entry managed programs such as the Federal Skilled Worker Program, the Canadian Experience Class and the Federal Skilled Trades Program. These candidates required a minimum CRS of 486.

On June 28, IRCC issued the first-ever ITAs for category–based selection. Overall, 500 candidates with work experience in healthcare occupations and a minimum CRS score of 476 were invited to apply for permanent residence.

Category-based selection
Canada’s immigration minister, Sean Fraser, announced on May 31 that IRCC had finalized categories for category-based selection. These categories were expected following the royal assent of Bill C-19 in Canada’s parliament last June and it became a law. The law grants the immigration minister the authority to invite economic immigration candidates who will support Canada’s economy and promote the French language outside of Quebec.

This means that the minister can invite newcomers based on specific attributes, such as language or work experience, rather than focusing on an overall CRS score.

The categories were chosen after discussions with stakeholders and provincial and territorial governments to identify the most crucial gaps in Canada’s labour force. They are as follows:

Healthcare
Science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) professions
Trades, such as carpenters, plumbers, and contractors
Transport
Agriculture and agri-food
Strong French-language proficiency
Candidates selected under these categories must still be eligible for an Express Entry program. It is also beneficial to have a high CRS score as candidates will still be ranked against one another.

According to the Immigration Levels Plan 2023-2025, IRCC plans to admit 82,880 new permanent residents to Canada through Express Entry by the end of 2023. This rises to 109,020 in 2024 and 114,000 by 2025. The new Express Entry categories will help ensure that newcomers to Canada are helping to meet these targets while strengthening Canada’s workforce.

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05/07/2023

IRCC has invited 700 candidates in the most recent Express Entry draw.

It was an all-program draw and candidates required a minimum Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score of 511.

This draw comes as a surprise as Immigration Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has said it will invite 1,500 healthcare workers via category-based selection today, July 5. In addition, it is expected IRCC will also invite candidates with work experience in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) occupations in the first-ever category-based selection Express Entry draw for STEM professions. It remains to be seen what the minimum CRS score will be required for healthcare and STEM candidates.

Last week, on June 28, IRCC held the first-ever Express Entry category-based draw, inviting 500 healthcare workers with a minimum CRS score of 476. On that same date, IRCC announced it would be inviting STEM professions in a category-based Express Entry round this week.

The current CRS score of 511 is the highest seen in any all-program draw of 2023. It is significantly higher than it was in the last all-program draw on June 27 when there were 4,300 candidates invited with a minimum CRS score of 486. It is also 35 points higher than the 476 required in the category-based draw on June 28.

Category-based draws
Category-based selection draws are a new type of Express Entry draw that aims to invite candidates within specific occupational fields or those who have other in-demand attributes. There are six new categories for which candidates may be eligible:

Healthcare
Science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) professions
Trades, such as carpenters, plumbers, and contractors
Transport
Agriculture and agri-food
Strong French-language proficiency
Category based selection draws were made possible following changes to the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act in June 2022. The changes give the immigration minister the authority to invite economic immigrants based on a specific attribute that align with Canada’s economic priorities or will promote the French language outside of Quebec.

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30/06/2023

IRCC has announcrd that the first STEM round for category-based selection will open the week of July 5th.

The draw will prioritize sending invitations to candidates with Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics (STEM) expertise, which includes data scientists, software developers and programmers, mathematicians, statisticians and actuaries, and electrical and electronic engineers.

Through this initiative, Canada hopes to meet the growing demand for STEM talent and fill key positions that contribute to the nation’s economic growth and technological advancement.

This announcement is a milestone in Canada’s commitment to attracting top global talent and solidifying Canada’s position as a leader in research, development and innovation. The announcement is also in line with the Canadian government’s effort to retain and recruit top candidates to address STEM workforce labour challenges, building on the recent launch of the Tech Talent Attraction Strategy.

Last month, the Honourable Minister Fraser announced the new Express Entry category based selection. Category based selections will help address labour needs that support an identified economic goal and will also strengthen Francophone immigration by inviting candidates that have specific work experience or French language ability to apply for permanent residency.

Category based selection rounds will continue throughout the year alongside the general invitation rounds, with more details to be announced in the coming weeks.

For more information contact Sterling Consultancies.

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19/06/2023

The category-based draws will happen along with the general draws and the program-specific draws. In general draws, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) invites the highest-ranking candidates to apply for permanent residence. In program-specific draws, invitations are limited to the highest-ranking candidates by program.

In the new category-based draws, IRCC will invite the highest-ranking candidates who have a high proficiency in French, or who have work experience in any of the following areas:

Healthcare
Science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) professions
Trades, such as carpenters, plumbers and contractors
Transport
Agriculture and agri-food
How were these categories chosen?
If you are eligible for selection under one of these categories, it would be useful to know what the job market of your category looks like and where jobs are the most available. This article will summarize Statistics Canada data about job vacancies (2022 Q4) in Canada and further break the data down by province and territory.

The new categories were chosen to fill vacant positions throughout Canada, as immigration is seen as an integral way to reduce the labour shortage in Canada. These categories were chosen after legislative requirements made sure the Minister participated in consultions with provinces and territories, members of injury, unions, employers, workers, worker advocacy groups, settlement provider organizations and immigration researchers and practioners.

HEALTHCARE
Since the COVID-19 pandemic, Canada has experienced extremely high job vacancies in the Healthcare and Social Assistance category.

Canada relies heavily on immigration to fill the vacancies in the healthcare system. A quarter of registered nurses and 36% of physicians in Canada were born outside of Canada. Because of this, IRCC is taking measures to make it easier for foreign-trained healthcare workers to immigrate, such a removing some of the barriers for physicians who are already in Canada on a temporary residency visa.

In the fourth quarter (Q4) of 2022, there were 143,695 job vacancies in the Healthcare and Social Assistance category, making the job vacancy rate 6%. The job vacancies per province were:

Ontario: 55,250
Quebec: 40, 105
British Columbia: 17,705
Alberta: 9,770
Saskatchewan: 2,955
Manitoba: 6,790
Newfoundland: 2,250
Nova Scotia: 4,780
New Brunswick: 2,630
PEI: 685
Northwest Territories: 565
STEM professions
Occupations within Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) tend to fall within the Professional, Scientific, and technical services category. This sector had 56,915 job vacancies, or 4.6% in Q4 2022. The job vacancies per province were:

Ontario: 24,525
Quebec: 14,725
British Columbia: 8,115
Alberta: 5,515
Saskatchewan: 895
Manitoba: 630
Newfoundland: 405
New Brunswick: 595
Nova Scotia: 1,110
PEI: 200

The job vacancies for the territories are either unavailable or there are no job vacancies.

STEM occupations are growing in demand in Canada. A report released by Statistics Canada in November of 2022 stated that the high rate of retirement coupled with the evolving technology and automation used in business and everyday life is creating a gap in skills needed in Canada’s labour force.

Many of the STEM professions offer a competitive pay compared to other categories. The hourly offered average wage in Q4 2022 was $35.80, compared to $16.35 in the Accommodation and Food services category, for example.

Trades
The trades category include wholesale trades and retail trades for the purposes of the Statistics Canada data. The total wholesale trades job vacancies were 30,930, while the total retail trades job vacancies were 108,795. The job vacancies per province were:

Ontario: 55,660
Quebec: 34,495
British Columbia: 19,215
Alberta: 15,545
Saskatchewan: 4,665
Manitoba: 3,025
Newfoundland: 895
New Brunswick: 2,155
Nova Scotia: 3,065
PEI: 520 (retail trade, no wholesale trade job vacancies)
Transport
In the transportation and warehousing category, there were 43,700 job vacancies, or 5%. Since the beginning of 2021, the job vacancy rate in transport has been declining. The job vacancies per province were:

Ontario: 15,110
Quebec: 7,950
British Columbia: 9,060
Alberta: 6,445
Saskatchewan: 915
Manitoba: 1,915
Newfoundland: 210
New Brunswick: 720
Nova Scotia: 1,055
PEI: 115

Agriculture and agri-food
In Q4 2022, the Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting category had a job vacancy rate of 10,535, or 3.9%. Since 2021, the job vacancy rate in this area has been declining, where it reached its peak at 7.2% in the second quarter of 2022.

The job vacancies per province were:

Ontario: 3,070
Quebec: 1,950
British Columbia: 2,475
Alberta: 940
Saskatchewan: 540
Manitoba: 550
New Brunswick: 720
Nova Scotia: 425
PEI: 130
Minister Fraser has said that inviting more skilled workers in these categories of professions will support Canada in admitting in-demand professionals into communities all across the country. The category-based draws are set to begin this summer but no exact date is available yet.

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09/06/2023

Immigration Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) invited 4,800 candidates in an all-program draw.

Candidates required a minimum Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score of 486.

Get a Free Express Entry Assessment

This was the first draw of June and follows the most recent draw on May 24 in which 4,800 candidates with a minimum CRS score of 488 were invited in an all-program draw. This score is higher than the April 26 all-program draw which had a minimum CRS score requirement of 483.

For more information contact Sterling Consultancies.

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07/06/2023

Ontario has become the first province in Canada to eliminate the Canadian work experience requirement for engineers. The historic legislation removes the necessity of Canadian work experience in over 30 regulated professions.
The change aims to support internationally-trained immigrants in realizing their career goals and aligning their professions with their qualifications. The move is expected to benefit skilled newcomers, such as engineers, doctors, and accountants, who often find themselves in low-paying jobs unrelated to their professions.
Studies show that only a quarter of internationally-trained immigrants in Ontario are employed in their regulated professions. Roydon Fraser, President of PEO, emphasizes that removing the Canadian work experience requirement will enable qualified international applicants to obtain licenses efficiently and contribute to the economy as engineers.
The change benefits newcomers under the Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program (OINP) and linked OINP streams, allowing them to pursue their desired professions.
Ontario's decision to remove the Canadian work experience requirement for engineers represents a positive change in the province's employment sector. By eliminating this barrier, Ontario aims to harness the potential of internationally-trained professionals and address the significant number of unfilled job vacancies.

This inclusive approach not only benefits individual newcomers but also contributes to the overall growth and productivity of Ontario's economy. With this progressive step, Ontario sets an example for other provinces to consider similar measures that support skilled immigrants in pursuing their chosen professions
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24/05/2023

The Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program (OINP) conducted a new invitation round for candidates with an active application under Ontario’s Express Entry Skilled Trades stream. A total of 1,694 Notifications of Interest (NOIs) were issued to candidates that met the eligibility criteria set for this latest Ontario draw held on May 18, 2023.

The minimum Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score required to be eligible ranged between 250 and 489. Not all occupations were invited.

Who was invited?

Date of NOIs issued: May 18, 2023

Number of NOIs issued: 1,694

CRS score range: 250 - 489

Profiles created in IRCC’s Express Entry system: May 18, 2022 - May 18, 2023

Type of Draw: Targeted

This was the fifth Express Entry Skilled Trades stream draw conducted by OINP in the year 2023. Invited candidates to this targeted draw were also required to have work experience in certain National Occupational Codes (NOC).

The British Columbia Provincial Nominee Program (BC PNP) conducted a new Skills Immigration draw on May 16, 2023. A total of 202 Invitations to Apply (ITAs) were issued to candidates present in the BC PNP pool. This was the third BC PNP Skills Immigration draw of the month.

Who was invited?

Category 1: General Draw (including Tech occupations)



Total number of invitations: 162.

Streams invited: Skilled Workers & International Graduates (including EEBC option) and Entry-Level & Semi-Skilled.

Minimum score: 85-107.

Category 2: Targeted Draw (Childcare: Early childhood educators and assistants (NOC 42202))



Total number of invitations: 29.

Streams invited: Skilled Workers and International Graduates (including EEBC option).

Minimum score: 60.

Category 3: Targeted Draw (Healthcare)



Total number of invitations: 11.

Streams invited: Skilled Workers and International Graduates (including EEBC option).

Minimum score: 60.



For more information contact Sterling Consultancies.
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