HRSDC REPLACED 2006 EDITION OF NATIONAL OCCUPATIONS CLASSIFICATIONS

Human Resources and Skills Development Canada has reported that On January 31, 2012, [HRSDC] and Statistics Canada replaced the 2006 edition of the National Occupation Classification (NOC) with a 2011 version.

NOC codes reflect federal employment standards and are used widely for immigration. They describe, amongst other things, job duties, recommended qualifications, and prevailing regional wages for over 40,000 jobs in 500 occupational groups.

The NOC matrix is updated approximately every five years, drawing from new data gleaned in Canada’s national census as well as consultations with leading economic stakeholders.

Foreign workers who plan to or are in the process of applying through an economically driven immigration program (such as Federal Skilled Worker, Provincial Nominee Programs or Temporary work permits may be directly affected by these changes.

For individuals whose Federal Skilled Worker applications were received at the Centralized Intake Office before January 31, Citizenship and Immigration Canada has confirmed that they will be assessed according to the old NOC system. Those received after should conform to the 2011 guidelines.

LANGUAGE TEST REQUIRED FOR SOME PROVINCIAL NOMINEES

Speaking in Saskatchewan, the Canadian Minister of Immigration and Cultural Communities, Jason Kenney, stated that some applicants to Provincial Nominee Programs (PNPs) will be required to prove English or French language capabilities before submitting their immigration applications.

Beginning in July, PNP candidates applying to semi- and low-skilled jobs will be required to prove their proficiency in either French or English. “You can’t succeed in a society if you don’t have the capacity to communicate in it,” said Kenney, “and it’s unfair, I think, to newcomers to make them believe otherwise.” He elaborated on this point, stating that research suggests that language proficiency is key to successful integration of newcomers to Canada.

PNP programs have become increasingly important to provinces seeking to bring in targeted immigrants to bolster their economies and labour markets. Saskatchewan alone welcomed approximately 5,300 new immigrants through their PNP in 2010. These program changes are some of the many overhauls to the immigration system that the current government seeks to gradually implement in the future.

SHORTAGE OF LABOUR IN ALBERTA

A shortage of labour was cited by a roundtable of energy companies in Alberta as their key business challenge. Easing immigration rules has been put forward as a possible partial solution. Alberta having the highest employment growth in Canada, and the fact that oilsands production (based in Alberta) is expected to climb from 1.6 million barrels a day to 3 million in 2020, point to growth in both the economy and population of Alberta.

According to an article in the Postmedia news, “more than 30 percent of the [oil and gas] industry’s core workforce is expected to retire within the decade as the first baby boomer’s turned 65 in 2011.” These workers all have to be replaced.

There are a variety of immigration and temporary status programs available in Alberta with the goal of helping to alleviate these labour shortages. These include:

• The Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSW):The list of 29 qualifying occupations, has several skilled and semi-skilled occupations relevant to the energy industry.

• The Alberta Immigrant Nominee Program (AINP):Fast-track options for engineers, as well as criteria for semi-skilled workers such as truck drivers and those in the hospitality industry that can complement the energy industry.

• Temporary Work Permit Options:That can eventually lead to permanent residency.

MONTREAL BEST CITY IN CANADA FOR UNIVERSITY STUDENTS

Montreal was just ranked the best city for university students in Canada, and the 10^th best in the world.The survey, conducted by the British firm QS, has Montreal beating out Chicago and New York City, and just behind Paris, London and Boston. Montreal scored so highly based heavily on its quality of life and number of international students.

Montreal has four universities and has a higher percentage of university students in its population than all other major North American cities. What’s more, the average yearly tuition paid by Quebec students is the lowest in Canada. As well, the province offers a number of generous student aid programs.

While tuition for out-of-province and international students studying in Quebec is significantly higher, the children of new immigrants to the province can take advantage of the low in-province tuition rates.

MANITOBA PROVINCIAL NOMINEE PROGRAM – INTERNATIONAL STUDENT STREAM

International Student stream falls under the Priority Assessment    Stream of the Manitoba Provincial Nominee Program. Under this category, international students can immigrate to Manitoba and apply for permanent residence status in Canada. Graduates from a Manitoba post-secondary educational institute who have a regular employment offer from a Manitoba employer, which is related to what they have studied are eligible to apply for the Manitoba Provincial Nominee Program. 

Below are few of the requirements for the students:

• The applicants applying under the category for overseas students must be the graduates from a Manitoba post-secondary program.
• An open work permit for the post graduates in Manitoba has to be applied for with the Canadian High Commission.
• Applicants are also required to continue working with an employer in Manitoba for six months at the least, at the time of filing the application.
• They must have a permanent and regular job offer from their employers with whom they have been working for last six months or more.

As far as the post-graduate open work permit is concerned, prospective applicants of the International Students Stream of the MPNP can apply for the same with the CIC. A maximum of ninety days is given after the completion of their academic program to apply for this work permit. For your information, graduates in Canada from other Canadian provinces can also be eligible for the Manitoba Provincial Nominee Program.

For more information about the Manitoba Provincial Nominee Program, contact us on our e-mail info@sourcesint.com

STUDENT WORK VISA FOR CANADA

Many foreign students studying in Canada need to work to pay their bills while in Canada. Our government has a visa for students to work while studying.

If you are a full time student (at least 15 hours a week) you can work on campus without a work visa. For students wanting to work off campus, you must have been studying in Canada for the past 6 months and be registered for the upcoming session. You will have to submit to Citizenship and Immigration Canada form IMM 5580. If you are approved, you will be allowed to work off campus

For Further Details Contact us on info@sourcesint.com

FROM TEMPORARY WORK PERMIT TO PERMANENT RESIDENCY

The path to Permanent Residency (PR) in Canada can be daunting in its complexity. However, some individuals find work in Canada before achieving permanent status, first entering on a Temporary Work Permit. This temporary permit can be a stepping stone towards PR. Indeed, in some ways the possession of a temporary work permit will ease a PR candidate’s overall application experience. For an individual who is already in Canada on a work permit, there are four main paths to transforming one’s temporary status to PR status.

1. Arranged Employment (through Federal Skilled Worker program).

2. Canadian Experience Class.Quebec Experience Class

3. Provincial Nominee Program

4. Quebec Experience Class

PROVINCIAL NOMINEE IMMIGRATION PROGRAMS ARE SUCCESSFUL:

Canada’s Provincial Nominee Programs(PNPS) continue to be successful according to a new report released today by Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC).

The CIC’s report evaluated immigrants admitted under a PNP between 2005 and 2009. One of its main focuses was the economic success of these immigrants, and it found that average incomes ranged between $35,200 and $45,100, with 70 percent of those surveyed holding a job in line with their skills.

“Clearly provincial nominees have strong economic outcomes and are making a positive contribution to Canada,” said Citizenship, Immigration and Multiculturalism Minister Jason Kenney.

According to the report, PNPs are effective in helping spread the benefits of immigration across the country, which was the original raison d’être of their creation. The report quantifies that by stating that today 26 percent of all economic immigrants are destined for provinces other than Ontario, British Columbia, and Quebec, compared to 11 percent in 1997.

The report did have some suggestions for improvement, including:

• Recommended minimum language requirements.
• Closer correlations between eligible occupations and local labour market needs.
• Better coordination between provincial and federal bodies when processing PNP applications to prevent fraud.
• Encouragement of the development of official language minority communities through alterations to the respective PNPs.

WORKING TEMPORARILY IN CANADA

Some temporary workers require a work permit and some do not. For some categories of workers, permits are approved more quickly.

You almost always have to apply for a work permit from outside Canada. Sometimes, you can apply from inside or as you enter Canada.

Eligibility to apply from outside Canada

To apply for a work permit from outside Canada, you must submit the following documents:

• A job offer from a Canadian employer.
• A completed application, that shows that you meet the requirements of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act and the Immigration and Refugee Protection Regulations, and
• Written confirmation from Human Resources and Skills Development Canada (HRSDC) that the employer can hire a foreign worker to fill the job. This confirmation is called a positive labour market opinion.

Eligibility to apply from inside Canada

You can only apply for a work permit from inside Canada if:

• You have a valid study or work permit, or your spouse or parents have a study or work permit.
• You have a work permit for one job but want to apply for a work permit for a different job.
• You have a temporary resident permit that is valid for six months or more or
• You are in Canada because you have already applied for permanent residence from inside Canada.

FAST TRACK HIGH DEMAND OCCUPATIONS FOR CANADA:

 Following are the fast track high demand occupations for Canada:

• Primary Production Manager (Except Agriculture)
• Insurance Adjusters and Claims Examiners
• Architects
• Specialist Physicians
• Dentists
• Physiotherapists
• Medical Radiation Technologists
• Dental Hygienists & Dental Therapists
• Licensed Practical Nurses
• Psychologists
• Social Workers
• Chefs
• Cooks
• Contractors and Supervisors, Carpentry Trades
• Contractors and Supervisors, Mechanic Trades
• Electricians (Except Industrial and Power System)
• Industrial Electricians
• Plumbers
• Welders and Related Machine Operators
• Heavy-Duty Equipment Mechanics
• Crane Operators
• Drillers and Blasters – Surface Mining,
• Quarrying and Construction
• Supervisors, Oil and Gas Drilling Service