On June 26, 2010 Citizenship and Immigration Canada and Minister Jason Kenney moved to change the rules for Skilled Workers wishing to immigrate to Canada and drastically reduce the number of Federal Skilled immigrants. This move was made by eliminating more then 7 professional categories and limiting the number of total applicants accepted in a year to 20,000 people. This contrasts to over 30,000 applicants in the first quarter of 2009! What is very surprising is there will be a limit of 1,000 applicants in each profession.

This move mean that there will likely be no chance for a Registered Nurse to immigrate if they try to apply in late December or at the start of 2011. If 1,000 nurses apply to immigrate to Canada by November 2010,  this will max out the number of applicants unless, they have the support of an employer. A new number may be allowed in after June 30, 2011 but we do not know how many that will be.

A labour-market outlook for 2009 to 2019 released by the Ministry of Advanced Education and Labour Market Development, predicts a shortage of 1,710 workers in the Vancouver Island region by 2014. The shortage is expected to worsen each year, reaching a deficit of 7,860 workers by 2019. With all of Canada competing for skilled workers this deficit will be hard to fill.

On Vancouver Island masonry and plastering; medicine, dentistry and veterinary medicine; and nursing jobs are all expected to grow at more than four per cent each year. With only 1,000 people or less immigrating to Canada under in each category it will be up to employers to hire directly through the Provincial Nominee Program or compete with all employers across Canada.

Skilled Workers in Canada

In March 2010, the Minister of Citizenship, Immigration and Multiculturalism, Jason Kenney made the first indication of upcoming changes to the Federal Skilled Worker priority occupation list.  The ministry’s “research shows it is time to revise [the list of priority occupations] to make sure they continue to meet their goals.”

Currently there are 38 occupations that are “fast tracked” through the immigration process, granting international skilled workers permanent resident status in less than one year without a job offer.  These occupations range from Nurses, Electricians, Construction Managers and Accountants.  For a complete list of all 38 occupations please visit our Skilled Worker page.

What does this mean for you as a Foreign Worker?

As an international skilled worker, it means that if you currently qualify as a Federal Skilled Worker, and want to move to Canada you should apply as soon as possible before any changes are made.  The minister hints that there may be significant changes to the fast tracked occupations and the process for applying stating “When these conditions change, the instructions are meant to change too”.  They may significantly change the priority occupations or the entire application process, as they did in 2008. 

What does this mean for you as an employer?

Let Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) know what occupations you are having trouble filling with educated and experience Canadian workers.  Minister Kenney has requested the public’s input on “worker shortages in trades and professions across Canada.”  They are looking at all occupations across Canada to determine where there is the most demand and how they can update the list of 38 priority positions to benefit Canada’s economy.  To give your opinion on where the labour market is seeing the highest demand for specific skills, visit the CIC web site.

The current fast tracked occupations allow for a foreign worker to receive permanent resident status in less than 1 year.  This means that there is no further paper work, Labour Market Opinions or temporary permits required once the permanent resident application is approved.  It considerably decreases the amount of paperwork and effort required to continue to employ the most talented workers.

The Current Federal Skilled Worker Process:

Right now, skilled workers who have a minimum of one year of experience in an occupation listed in one of the 38 positions may qualify to apply for permanent resident status if they meet a minimum number of points.

67 points are required to qualify and the points are calculated based on age, number of years of experience, education, ability to speak French and or English, and family relationships in Canada.  Additional points are awarded if the candidate has received an approved job offer, otherwise known as an Arranged Employment Offer (AEO).

To find out if you currently qualify to permanently immigrate to Canada with your family as a Federal Skilled Worker please visit our Assessment Page to complete the questions and our Red Seal Immigration staff will be in contact with you to discuss your options.

If you are an employer interested in information about hiring international workers, please visit our Contact Us page, or send an email to info@redsealimmigration.com. 

By Ruth Mitchell Eden
Immigration Consultant, B.Comm, CCIC
Red Seal Immigration Ltd.

It’s the start of the Winter Olympics in Vancouver, British Columbia today and opening ceremonies kick off this evening!  Go Canada Go!

Next week I will be in Vancouver to watch men’s curling, hockey and the medal ceremony.  It really is exciting to be so close to all of the Olympic action. I’ve always enjoyed going to big events where there are thousands of people milling around, you really get caught up in the excitement.  To help show my support for Canada I went out last night and bought a red Canada sweater and t-shirt in support of the Canadian athletes and the games.  (or maybe this is a show of support for consumerism… but regardless, it sure feels patriotic!)

With over 205 countries represented through the Olympics, it brings a piece of home closer to everyone here in Canada. 

Everyone in Canada immigrated from somewhere; whether you arrived in Canada last week, or your family immigrated to Canada a few generations ago. Our country was built and continues to grow because of immigration.  The Olympics is a perfect time to celebrate your heritage and show the appreciation you have for your country! 

So grab your flag, wear your country colours and support your athletes and teams!

Thinking of making Canada your new home to stay?  Contact us for more information!

By Ruth Mitchell
Immigration Consultant, B.Comm, CCIC
Red Seal Immigration Ltd.

When asked of your opinion regarding Canada’s recognition of international credentials for foreign workers, you probably picture a doctor driving a cab and assume that Canada or Canadians are narrow minded when it comes to accepting training, degrees and certifications issued outside of Canada.

While there has been a struggle setting an appropriate standard for recognizing international credentials, it is an area that has been getting even more attention lately. On November 30, 2009, Human Resources and Skills Development Canada (HRSDC) launched a new framework that will speed up the assessment and recognition of foreign qualifications within Canada. They have set targets so that foreign trained workers will know within 1 year if their qualification or certification will be recognized.

This seems like an impossible task considering the number of societies, professional associations and regulating bodies that monitor a countless number of jobs across Canada. For example, Accountants in Canada may have a CGA (Certified General Accountant) designation that is issued by the association, an Electrician can receive certification from 13 different provincial training authorities, and a Nurse in BC receives certification through the provincial authority, the CRNBC. There are so many occupation specific certifications that this concept of stream lining is a significant task. To coordinate recognition of international certifications through a centralized process appears a bit lofty at first glance. But you have to admire their goals.

There are four objectives for this new initiative:
• Develop the principles of timeliness, transparency, fairness and predictability that the federal, provincial and territorial governments set out to guide the process;
• Develop standards for the timely handling of requests;
• Identify the priority occupations for developing recognition standards; and
• Help people who want to come to Canada start the assessment process before they arrive.

I think that the most exciting of these initiatives is the last bullet. When new skilled workers arrive in Canada they need to be able to practice in the area that they are trained in as soon as possible. If they can receive Canadian certification prior to their arrival in Canada it benefits everyone involved. Jason Kenney, Minister of Citizenship, Immigration and Multiculturalism states:

“A priority of this government has been to make our immigration system more competitive globally and more responsive to Canada’s needs. This framework complements initiatives such as the Action Plan for Faster Immigration, as they make our immigration system better meet the needs of our labour market. We want newcomers to be able to use their skills and work to their full potential. It’s good for them and good for the Canadian economy.”

The framework will initially be implemented in the following eight occupations by December 31, 2010:
• Architects
• Engineers
• Financial Auditors and Accountants
• Medical Laboratory Technologists
• Occupational Therapists
• Pharmacists
• Physiotherapists
• Registered Nurses.

We’re looking forward to seeing some improvements!  For information on the occupations listed above, please visit the Red Seal Immigration Ltd. web site.

By Ruth Mitchell
Immigration Consultant, B.Comm, CCIC
Red Seal Immigration Ltd.

Adjusting to life in a new city is difficult. Moving to a new country forces you to adapt to an entirely different way of life, often leaving behind friends, family and familiarity in general.

Canada’s Host Program is designed to help newcomers adjust to their new life and surroundings with the help of another Canadian who is carefully matched based on age, similar interests, profession, or family size. A couple of hours a week is spent doing everyday things: going grocery shopping, catching a movie, taking a walk or visiting local attractions. A Host also shows newcomers basic things about living in their community such as the transit system, opening a bank account, or how to find a job. You help a new Canadian become integrated into their new community, aiding them in becoming an active member of Canadian society.

Hosts benefit by learning about other cultures, countries and languages as well as perhaps discovering new things about Canadian life that you wouldn’t have otherwise noticed.

Newcomers to Canada benefit by having a person there to “show them the ropes”, providing a friendly, knowledgeable face to Canada.

Make a difference in the life of a new Canadian! If you’re interested in becoming a host, please contact an immigrant-serving organization , call the CIC Call Centre or if you’re in BC, email Immigrant Services Society at: host@issbc.org.

Ottawa’s Citizenship & Immigration Minister Jason Kennedy announced a new, more comprehensive citizenship guidebook for prospective immigrants yesterday. This updated version is a 62-page guidebook titled Discover Canada: The Rights and Responsibilities of Citizenship, emphasizing the idea that with citizenship rights also come duties. The guidebook includes the values which define Canadians as well as a more detailed history of Canada and other information which newcomers use to prepare for their citizenship test.

Discover Canada will be given to the estimated 250,000 newcomers (Statistics Canada) who arrive in Canada each year to be used to prepare for the citizenship test. Applicants between the ages of 18 and 54 are required to write a test to demonstrate their knowledge of Canada before they are granted citizenship. Included in this revised version of the guidebook is Canadian history, multiculturalism, gender equality and even sports: “It’s NHL hockey, CFL football then curling. In that order. Knowing this will place would-be Canadians one step closer to passing…” (The Globe and Mail online, 11/12/2009).

For the full version of the guidebook please go to Canada’s Citizenship & Immigration website at: http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/index.asp .

By Kirsten Youngs, BA
Red Seal Immigration

An exciting decision has been made by the government of Nova Scotia in that they are attempting to re-unite families by allowing adult children of recent Provincial Nominees to immigrate to Canada. This is thrilling news for immigrant families, skilled workers, employers and the whole province.

We have assisted many Nova Scotia families with their work permits and Provincial Nominees and this will allow their adult children who have already graduated from University and entered the work force to come to Canada. Not only will this mean more educated and experienced workers but they will have strong family support.

This family support is very important in becoming established in a community and will help the economy. Family members will support each other and help provide the knowledge and financial support needed to make a life in Canada.

As Provincial Nominees are usually highly educated skilled workers who have put their kids in good schools and universities this will mean more registered nurses, electrical engineers and business graduates will be arriving in communities like Halifax, Dartmouth, Truro and beyond.

Map of Canada, British Columica to Nova Scotia

Canada continues to bring in temporary and permanent skilled workers despite the recession, but many people are concerned that this temporary solution will hinder Canada’s economic viability in the future. 

Last year a record 193,000 temporary foreign workers received Canadian work permits to fill labour shortages, which is an increase of more than 80,000 over 2004.  However, the number of Permanent Residents coming to Canada has not changed over the years.

A study by Toronto’s Maytree Foundation claims that using temporary work permits to fill current labour demands is going to fill the short term gaps but hinder future development in Canada because resources are being used to accommodate immediate and not long term demand. 

Last year the Minister of Citizenship and Immigration changed the application process for Federal Skilled Workers, in Bill C-50 limiting it to 38 occupations that applicants must have experience in.   But maybe this limitation has its bright side. 

If they are now using those resources that were previously available for the Federal Skilled Worker – Permanent Resident category, for processing of immigration classes such as the Canadian Experience Class or Provincial Nominee applications, maybe we will see a decrease in processing times for those categories that allow temporary workers to become permanent. 

This has its advantages.  For employers, they can retain their trained international staff members.  For international workers, they have an opportunity to permanently establish themselves in Canada.  In addition to this, research shows that international workers who have a job in Canada have a much higher ability to adapt and establish a new life for themselves in Canada. 

Citizenship and Immigration Canada and the Immigration processes are definitely evolving.  Finding the right balance for people in Canada, employers, and family members is a balancing act that the government regulates.   One thing is for sure, we have not seen the end of the changes to the rules, regulations and categories for immigrating to Canada.

On Monday, July 13, 2009 the Minister of Citizenship and Immigration Canada, made changes to the requirements for visitors coming from the Czech Republic and Mexico.  Visitors from these two countries used to be visa exempt and could apply at the border upon arrival, however, they will now be required to have a visa prior to entering Canada

Temporary Visa is now required for citizens of Mexico and Czech Rebuplic

. 

This is causing a huge reaction from the Czech and from Mexico.

The reasoning behind the new rules, is that the majority of the refugee claims are coming from these two countries and it is “creating significant delays and spiraling new costs in our refugee program.” – Jason Kenney, Minister of Citizenship and Immigration Canada. 

According to the Globe and Mail:
”Since the visa requirement for Czech nationals was lifted in 2007, nearly 3,000 refugee claims have been filed. In 2006, there were five.
Since 2005, the number of Mexican refugee claimants has tripled: from about 3,400 to 9,400 in 2008. This year to date there have been 5,500 claims received up to June 30, compared with 3,700 in the same period last year. The acceptance rate has been running at 11 per cent, well below the national average of 40 per cent.”

However, is that an adequate reason to change the visa requirements for the Czech Republic who is part of the European Union, and with Mexico who is part of the NAFTA agreement?

Approximately 15,000 Czech Tourists come to Canada as visitors each year, and these new rules will impact their ability to travel.�
Visitors from Czech will need to apply for a visitor visa from the Vienna, Austria processing times for a visitor visa vary from 2 days to 28 days.  Half of the applications received are processed in less than 2 days. 

In Mexico, 90% of temporary resident visa’s are approved in less than 2 days. So the good news is that processing times are quite quick in comparison to some other countries.  However, this will increase the number of applications being submitted and potentially slow down the processing times.

The Czech Republic is responding by saying that they may now impose restrictions on Canadians who want to travel to Czech for business or diplomatic reasons.  The Czech government replied:
“All the 27 member countries [of the European Union] have no visa arrangements for the Canadians and since it has been violated or Canada decided to behave otherwise to one of the conditions, a decision has to be taken.”

Hopefully, Czech will be the only country to implement rules for temporary visitors, but we will have to wait and see.  Will other countries in the European Union jump on board as well?  Who is the next highest country for refugee claims, can they expect similar rules to be established?  It is never a good thing when new restrictions start a spiral of law for law changes to immigration policies.

By Ruth Mitchell
Immigration Consultant, B.Comm, CCIC
Red Seal Immigration

West Coast scenery near Tofino on Vancouver Island BC, Canada.

On July 6, 2009 Citizenship and Immigration Canada issued and Operation Bulletin to more clearly define the issue of Dual Intent. This is an issue that I address in many of the applications I work with.

A concise and generalized definition of Dual Intent is this: when a person applies for temporary status and permanent status at the same time.   This seems quite basic but the requirements for temporary residents and Permanent Residents are opposite. 

For example, a person who is applying for a Visitor Visa, Temporary Resident Visa, Live in Care Giver Visa or Temporary Skilled Worker Visa and is also applying as a Permanent Resident will need to take this into consideration.

A person applying for temporary status must prove that they will leave the country at the end of the period authorized by the immigration officer.  Where as, a person who is applying for permanent resident status must prove that they will integrate into society and that they are able to permanently establish themselves in a specific community. 

So the issue arises when, for example, an international worker in Canada applies for an extension of their Work Permit while, at the same time, they have a Permanent Resident Application pending at a different Citizenship and Immigration office.  How would a person prove that they will leave Canada at the end of their authorized period of stay if they actually have no intention of leaving Canada, and they are hoping that their Permanent Resident Application is approved? 

You just need to be honest.  

Tell the visa officer or explain in a letter that you submit with your application that you have more than one application pending at the Citizenship and Immigration Office. Your intent is to eventually remain in Canada on a permanent basis, but you will follow any conditions outlined by the visa officer for your temporary work permit or entry visa. 

The following is additional evidence to back up your application:  The Citizenship and Immigration Act A22(2) states:

“An intention by a foreign national to become a permanent resident does not preclude them from becoming a temporary resident…”

You still need to prove that you will follow the instructions outlined by a Visa Officer and that you will leave at the end of the conditions outline.  But you don’t need to hide that fact that you are hoping to stay in Canada as a permanent resident.

One of the examples outlined in the Operational Bulletin is:

“A provincial nominee applicant applies for a temporary work permit. The officer is satisfied that the applicant will leave Canada by the end of the period authorized for the work permit should the applicant be refused a permanent resident visa. The officer issues a TRV visa. While the applicant is working legally in Canada, their provincial nominee file is finalized by the visa post and the individual becomes a permanent resident.”  

So don’t hesitate to apply for temporary status while your application for permanent residence is pending, just make sure that you clearly outline your Dual Intent!

By Ruth Mitchell
Immigration Consultant, B.Comm, CCIC
Red Seal Immigration