In February, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) continued to invite candidates through Express Entry and Provincial Nominee Programs and eased travel to Canada. The Government also released the 2022-2024 Immigration Levels Plan, increasing the number of immigrants for 2022 to a record high. According to the plan, Canada will accept 431,645 new permanent residents in 2022, 447,055 in 2023, and 451,000 in 2024.
Immigration to Canada via Express Entry
Express Entry is the fastest way to permanent residency both for candidates living in Canada and those applying from overseas. On February 2, 2022, IRCC issued 1,070 Invitations to Apply (ITAs) targeting candidates who are already in Canada. Invitations issued under the Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) increased the number of invited candidates to 2,498.
According to the new Immigration Levels Plan, in 2022, 55,900 immigrants will be able to immigrate to Canada through Express Entry. The Government also increased the quota for the Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) to 83,500, which allows candidates with job offers from the provinces or international graduates to easily immigrate. If you want to immigrate to Canada through Express Entry, or you already submitted your application and have been waiting longer than usual, you can contact our immigration consultants for assistance with your application.
Canada will accept most of the candidates under the Provincial Nominee Programs
Ontario attracts immigrants from different backgrounds and sectors. Thus, the province holds several draws every month to invite applicants working in different occupations. On February 8, 2022, the Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program (OINP) invited candidates under Ontario’s Express Entry Human Capital Priorities (HCP) and French-Speaking Skilled Worker (FSSW) Streams, issuing 622 and 206 Notifications of Interest (NOIs) relatively. On February 9, the OINP held new draws in the Employer Job Offer: Foreign Worker (EJO FW) and In-Demand Skills Streams (EJO IDS) and issued 166 and 476 ITAs relatively. In total, Ontario invited 4,195 candidates in 2022. In addition to the PNP draws, in February, the province issued nominations to 496 foreign nationals, increasing the total number of nominated applicants to 1,275. Ontario, as the most immigrant accepting province, may be the best suit for you! If you want to immigrate to Canada via the OINP streams, you can book a time with one of our consultants.
British Columbia is known throughout North America for its breathtaking natural beauty. BC invites candidates to live and work in the province through several immigration streams. From February 1 to February 15, the province invited 166 candidates who work in the High-Tech Sector under the British Columbia Provincial Nominee Tech Program (BCPNP Tech). On February 8, BC held two rounds in the Skills Immigration and Express Entry British Columbia categories and invited 198 candidates. If you want to immigrate to British Columbia and need advice or a consultation, our experts can help you.
Alberta also accepts skilled immigrants both from inside of the country and overseas under the Alberta Opportunity Stream and the Express Entry system of the Alberta Immigrant Nominee Program (AINP). On February 1, the province announced the intake of 350 skilled immigrants through the Alberta Express Entry Stream, increasing the number of invited immigrants to 600.
Manitoba is also one of the most popular provinces for international students and immigrants since the province regularly invites candidates. On February 10, 2022, Manitoba invited 273 candidates under three streams of the Manitoba Provincial Nominee Program (MPNP). In 2022, Manitoba has already invited 1,031 candidates, which shows the interest of the province to involve more immigrants to the province.
Eligible candidates can immigrate to Canada’s Atlantic province Nova Scotia both through the Nova Scotia Nominee Program (NSNP) and the Atlantic Immigration Program (AIP). On February 8, registered nurses have been invited to apply for a provincial nomination under the Labour Market Priorities Stream of the NSNP. If you are a registered nurse or have a different occupation and want to immigrate and live in Nova Scotia, our immigration consultants can provide you with the best service and help with your application.
Canada eased requirements for international students to obtain a PGWP
On February 7, the Government of Canada eased instructions for international students who studied their studies online and graduated outside of Canada. According to the new instructions, foreign students who have been enrolled in a post-graduate work permit-eligible program between March 2020 and summer 2022 can complete 100% of their program online and be eligible for the Post-Graduation Work Permit Program (PGWPP). Those who haven’t finished their studies yet, still have time until August 31, 2022. International students who want to apply for PGWP can contact our immigration experts to get the study permit faster and easier. Participation in the PGWPP is one of the best pathways to permanent residency.
IRCC will increase the permanent residence fee in 2022, to manage increasing program and service delivery costs due to the high rise in inflation. After the last update in the PR fee on April 30, 2020, IRCC announced that the fees for all permanent residence applications, including economic, family, and humanitarian programs, will be automatically adjusted for inflation in Canada every two years. If you plan to apply for PR and need assistance do not hesitate to contact us.
Top immigration news in Canada for February 2022
In the first half of February, IRCC held new draws in the pools of International Experience Canada (IEC) and issued 12,895 ITAs under the IEC Program. In total, in 2022, Canada issued 27,330 ITAs under the IEC Program. If your country participates in the IEC program and you want to take the opportunity to work and live in Canada, please, book an appointment with one of our consultants.
Immigrants who came to Canada as children and obtained education in Canada earn more wages during adulthood when compared to their Canadian-born peers. Statistics Canada’s publication analyzed the characteristics of these immigrants and their socioeconomic outcomes and median wages based on income tax data in 2019 and concluded that children of economic immigrants had higher median wages than the overall Canadian population of the same age range.
Global Affairs Canada offers Study in Canada scholarships for international students from certain European, Asian, and African countries. These scholarships replace the full-degree-based Study in Canada Scholarships program piloted in 2020. Study in Canada scholarships allows foreign students to study or research in Canadian post-secondary institutions at the college, undergraduate, or graduate levels. By 2022, at least 50 scholarships will be awarded to eligible international students. If you want to pursue a post-secondary degree in Canada, this is the best chance! Contact us to receive support from our colleagues.
On February 15, the Public Health Agency of Canada introduced changes to the border measures. After February 28, 2022, fully-vaccinated travellers will be able to use either a COVID-19 rapid antigen or a molecular test result before their flight or arrival at the border. In addition, on-arrival testing for the randomly selected travellers has also been eased and now allows fully vaccinated travellers no longer quarantine while awaiting their test results. These measures are not applicable for exempted unvaccinated travellers. They still have to continue to follow testing and quarantine requirements.
At Abramovich and Tchern Immigration Lawyers, we provide the best immigration services to individuals looking to study, work, invest and live in Canada. Our experts will help you deal with complex paperwork and deadlines and obtain your Canadian visa or permanent residency stress-free. Don’t hesitate to contact us for assistance!
