In the second half of March, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) invited candidates through 2 Express Entry (EE) draws. Many Canadian provinces also issued invitations to candidates under Provincial Nominee Programs (PNP). In addition, the Government of Canada launched special measures for Ukraine and started accepting Ukrainian citizens.
Immigration via the Express Entry
Express Entry – one of the most popular ways for overseas candidates to immigrate to Canada – had two draws in the second half of March. On March 16 and 30, 2022, IRCC issued 924 and 919 Invitations to Apply (ITA) respectively, in the new PNP-targeted draws. To date, Canada has issued 6,470 ITAs to eligible candidates through Express Entry. If you are in Canada or overseas and want to immigrate to Canada via Express Entry, feel free to book a time with our lawyers.
Immigration via Provincial Nominee Programs
Immigration to Canada via the Provincial Nominee Programs is gaining momentum. For instance, Ontario, as the most immigrant accepting province in Canada, invited skilled applicants through several provincial programs. From March 16 to March 31, the Government of Ontario held four draws inviting applicants under the Employer Job Offer: Foreign Worker (EJO FW) and In-Demand Skills Streams (EJO IDS) of the Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program (OINP), as well as under the Skilled Trades and Masters Graduate Streams. So far, more than 8,397 candidates have been invited under the OINP streams. Book a time with our consultants to evaluate your chances of immigration to Ontario.
In the 2nd half of March, British Columbia held new draws in the Express Entry British Columbia (EEBC) and British Columbia Provincial Nominee Tech Program Skills Immigration categories. The province conducted 2 draws in the Skilled Worker – International Graduate categories of the British Columbia Provincial Nominee Program (BCPNP) and one draw in the British Columbia Provincial Nominee Tech Program (BC PNP Tech). In total, the province invited 410 applicants in these three draws. If you are a skilled immigrant and have decided to permanently move to British Columbia, do not hesitate to contact us.
In March, Manitoba held the second draw for Ukrainian candidates and invited 71 Ukrainian citizens who have been affected by the ongoing war in Ukraine. In addition, on March 18, 2022, the province issued 191 Letters of Advice to Apply (LAA) under the Manitoba Provincial Nominee Program’s (MPNP) Skilled Workers in Manitoba, Skilled Workers Overseas streams, and International Education Category. If you are a Ukrainian citizen eligible for immigration under the MPNP or an overseas candidate, our experts can help you to immigrate to Manitoba.
The Government of Alberta issued 350 Notifications of Interest under the Alberta Advantage Immigration Program (AAIP). As of March 29, there were approximately 600 Alberta Opportunity Stream applications and 700 Expressions of Interest in the Alberta Express Entry pool. If you also want to immigrate to Alberta, our lawyers can provide you with the best service.
Prince Edward Island regularly invites candidates to live in the province. On March 17, 2022, the province conducted a new invitation round under the Prince Edward Island Provincial Nominee Program (PEI PNP) and issued a record number of 130 invitations for 2022. This year, the province invited 396 candidates.
Canada-Ukraine Authorization for Emergency Travel (CUAET)
Canada has launched a new temporary residence pathway for Ukrainian citizens. The Canada-Ukraine Authorization for Emergency Travel (CUAET) is a new temporary residence pathway for Ukrainian citizens that will allow them to stay in Canada for three years and obtain open work permits. The Canadian Government also equipped immigration offices in Moldova, Romania, Poland, and Austria with mobile biometric kits to ease Ukrainian nationals’ travel to Canada. Canada also announced that the IRCC will urgently process travel documents for Canadians, permanent residents, and their immediate family members, and prioritize the processing of citizenship grants for adoptions, as well as permanent and temporary residence applications. The Federal Government will also fasten the renewal of work and study permits applications from Ukrainians currently residing in Canada. Ukrainian newcomers arriving in Canada will also receive settlement support in their new communities. The Government expanded Settlement Program services, which are usually available only to permanent residents until March 31, 2023, to help Ukrainians coming to Canada under the CUAET. After the Russian invasion of Ukraine, IRCC has received 80,613 applications under the CUAET and approved applications of 9,647 Ukrainian nationals and their family members.
Ottawa has changed the medical inadmissibility policy
On March 16, the Government of Canada changed the medical inadmissibility policy of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act (IRPA), allowing the Government to better align the medical inadmissibility policy with Canadian values on diversity. In addition, Canada has tripled the cost threshold for determining medical inadmissibility for permanent residency applicants and removed some services from the social services list, which includes costs of treatments for some medical conditions.
Canada’s latest immigration news for March 2022
In the second half of March, IRCC reduced the number of invitations by 80% in the International Experience Canada (IEC) draws and issued 2,143 ITAs for foreign nationals under the IEC Program. This year, in total, Canada issued 59,329 ITAs under the IEC Program. If you are a prospective IEC applicant, you can contact us to book an appointment with our consultants to get help with your application.
Nova Scotia has temporarily paused the Atlantic Immigration Program (AIP) and the Nova Scotia Experience: Express Entry (NSEEE) stream to foodservice supervisors working under the NOC 6311. However, applicants who possess work experience under this NOC can apply through the Skilled Worker Stream. Employers in the food and hospitality sectors who need to hire employees under this NOC may use the Skilled Worker stream. Additionally, employers may hire food and beverage servers (NOC 6513), food counter attendants, kitchen helpers, and related support occupations (NOC 6711) through the Occupations in Demand stream.
New Brunswick will accept Post Graduate Work Permit (PGWP) Holders who have completed their studies outside of the province under the province’s Express Entry Stream. Starting April 1st, 2022, PGWP-holders with a valid job offer from a New Brunswick employer in a NOC related to their field of study may apply for permanent residency in the province.
On March 30, 2022, the Government of Canada announced that 10,000 Afghan refugees have arrived in Canada since August 2021. Canada will admit even more Afghan refugees and expand this important milestone. The Government still works with Canadian Provinces and Territories, settlement service providers, community organizations, as well as Sponsorship Agreement Holders, to provide Afghan refugees with access to basic necessities and housing.
At Abramovich and Tchern Immigration Lawyers, you will get the best service and experience with our immigration lawyers. If you need assistance with your application or want to evaluate your chances of immigration to Canada do not hesitate to contact us.
