Abramovich & Tchern Immigration Lawyers is pleased to provide our weekly news review of the latest immigration news. Last week, Canadian provinces invited new skilled candidates to apply for permanent residence. In addition, IRCC introduced new updates for several programs and streams.
Ontario invited candidates through three immigration streams of the OINP
Last week, the Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program (OINP) conducted new rounds of invitations in three immigration streams. On December 19, the province issued 936 targeted Notifications of Interest (NOIs) under the Express Entry Human Capital Priorities Stream. All issued NOIs were in in-demand occupations of the tech sector. On December 21, the OINP issued 725 invitations under the Master’s Graduate stream, with a minimum score of 46 – the highest score for the stream in 2022. Finally, on December 22, Ontario invited 14 business candidates under the Entrepreneur Stream. In total, the OINP invited 4,012 candidates through the Express Entry Human Capital Priorities Stream, 3,890 candidates under the Master’s Graduate stream, and 96 business candidates in 2022.
The OINP provides foreign nationals with various pathways to obtain permanent residency in Canada. It is specifically crafted to welcome immigrants who can contribute valuable skills, fill labour shortages, provide entrepreneurial expertise, and make investments that will benefit the province. This year, the OINP reached its 2022 nomination allocation, issuing a total of 9,750 nominations for qualified applicants. In 2022, Ontario invited 21,860 candidates under all streams of the OINP. If you also want to immigrate to Canada’s most popular immigration destination, Abramovich & Tchern Immigration Lawyers have the right advice and expertise to help you make that dream come true. Our immigration lawyers will assist you in every step of the process.
Iranian nationals are now eligible for the pre-removal risk assessment
On December 19, 2022, the Government of Canada made a ground-breaking announcement – Iranian refugee claimants with a final negative pre-removal risk assessment (PRRA) decision from either the Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada (IRB), Federal Court, or Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) between December 20, 2021, and December 19, 2022, are now eligible to apply for PRRA. Eligible Iranian nationals with an enforceable removal order will be notified by the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) that they can apply for a PRRA. This means that Iranian nationals who obtained a negative decision from the IRB or PRRA between December 20, 2021, and December 19, 2022, are exempt from the 12-month bar restriction. However, decisions made after this period remain subject to the 12-month bar.
PRRA is important for refugee claimants who are being removed from Canada. In most cases, there is a 12-month waiting period for those who withdraw their refugee claims or PRRA application, whose refugee claims or PRRA applications are rejected by IRB, and whose refugee claim or PRRA decision has been refused by the Federal Court to be reviewed. Refugee claimants who face removal from Canada may contact Abramovich & Tchern Immigration Lawyers to discuss their eligibility for a PRRA. Our experienced immigration lawyers can help assess your situation and provide legal advice on the best course of action.
Canada achieved a remarkable milestone by processing the highest-ever number of applications in 2022
This year, Canada will make history in terms of application processing. By November 30, 2022, IRCC had already processed an astonishing 670,000 study permits – a record-breaking number! Similarly, impressive progress was made on the front of work permit processing, with over 700,000 successful applications being handled by IRCC. In addition, over the past eleven months, Canada has seen a thrilling surge in new citizens – an astonishing 251,000 individuals. This number surpasses last year’s total Canadian citizenship figures. With this impressive success and continual improvement, Canada is well on its way to greeting 431,000 permanent residents in 2022.
On August 24, 2022, Sean Fraser, Minister of Immigration, unveiled IRCC’s plan to bolster Canada’s immigration system while reducing application backlogs. This plan emphasizes resolving labour shortages, enhancing customer service experiences and reuniting more families. The plan highlights include accepting more skilled immigrants through the Atlantic Immigration Program and the International Mobility Program Plus and supporting the labour market integration of skilled newcomers under the Foreign Credential Recognition Program. In addition, the Government of Canada will help skilled refugees overseas connect with Canadian employers to fill critical labour shortages through the Economic Mobility Pathways Pilot.
Parents and Grandparents Program stopped accepting applications on Christmas Eve
The Permanent Residence Portal stopped accepting applications under the Parents and Grandparent Program (PGP) at 11:59 pm EST, December 24, 2022. This means that only those families who applied before December 24 will have a chance of being chosen as part of the “lucky” group of sponsors. This year’s competition is fierce, as IRCC will only choose 15,000 grandparents and parents from the massive pool of 155,313 sponsorship applications. Of these chosen sponsorships, 23,100 recipients will receive invitations to apply in 2022.
The PGP allows Canadian citizens and Permanent Residents to sponsor their parents and grandparents for permanent residence. To be considered for the program, applicants must receive an invitation to apply. The application process comprises two steps: first, submitting a request to sponsor your parent or grandparent and then having them begin their permanent residence application. Therefore, it is essential to ensure that all application forms are completed accurately and completely. Our immigration lawyers can guide you through the process, answer questions, and provide high-quality service.
BC invited new skilled candidates and tech workers through the new BCPNP draws
On December 20, British Columbia issued 173 invitations in the Skilled Worker – International Graduate categories of the British Columbia Provincial Nominee Program (BCPNP). In addition, the province issued 153 invitations in the Tech-targeted draw, 15 invitations for early childhood educators (NOC 4214), and five invitations for entry-level and semi-skilled workers. British Columbia offers a fast-tracking permanent residence application process for experienced, skilled workers, entrepreneurs and their family members. This year, the province issued 9,018 invitations to qualified candidates and their families.
The BCPNP evaluates potential candidates using the Skills Immigration Registration System (SIRS). The program strengthens the economic growth of the province by attracting skilled workers from abroad who can acquire permanent residency in Canada. The BCPNP rewards points for the relevant skill level of job offers, work experience, education, annual wages and language proficiency. Abramovich & Tchern Immigration Lawyers help potential candidates assess their circumstances for eligibility under the BCPNP. Through comprehensive assessments and detailed reviews, we provide professional advice to ensure clients achieve maximum points on the SIRS score calculator. Contact us today to find out if you are eligible for the program.
Canadian employers raise wages to fill job openings
Canadian employers have difficulty finding the right employees to fill their job openings and are now increasing wages to attract workers. This trend is being seen across various sectors, including the tech sector, finance, healthcare and transportation. Statistics Canada’s most recent report shows that the average hourly wage has increased by a remarkable 7.5%, amounting to $24.20/hour, while job vacancy rates have also risen concomitantly! This means it is an excellent time for individuals searching for new occupations in Canada, as salaries and opportunities are both on the rise.
The upward trend in wage growth is expected to continue throughout 2023 and beyond as businesses struggle to find the right employees. With an aging population, Canada’s labour force is shrinking while demand for various services continues to grow. Wages are rising to match the increased demand. This presents an opportunity for Canadian workers to secure higher wages while employers can access qualified foreign workers. As the job market continues to evolve, foreign workers may find attractive opportunities to work in Canada and take advantage of higher wages than they could secure elsewhere. No matter what your situation is, now is an excellent time to consider looking for a job in Canada!
The Government of Canada introduced new updates for the Global Talent Stream
On December 22, the Employment and Social Development department Canada (ESDC) profoundly expanded the Global Talent Stream profession list from 12 to 17 occupations by adding five engineering positions. In addition, this expansion will allow many more foreign professionals to enter the Canadian labour market and make it easier for employers to access global talent. By having more occupations available, employers can recruit highly skilled professionals who bring more innovative and diverse ideas to their businesses. The five new occupations added are civil engineers (NOC 21300), electrical and electronics engineers (NOC 21310); mining engineers (NOC 21330); aerospace engineers (NOC 21390), and computer engineers (NOC 21311).
Eligible employers can hire foreign talents through Category A or B of the Global Talent Stream. Those who have been referred to the program by one of the designated partners to hire an individual with unique and specialized talent must apply for Category A. Employers seeking to hire highly-skilled foreign workers to fill positions in in-demand occupations found on the Global Talent Occupations List must submit their application to Category B. All employers must comply with the program requirements and uphold the conditions and rules set out in the Immigration and Refugee Protection Regulations regarding hiring a temporary foreign worker.
Abramovich & Tchern Immigration Lawyers believe that everyone has the right to pursue their dreams. Our lawyers are passionate about helping people from all around the globe achieve their immigration goals. We strive to ensure our clients have the best outcome in their immigration matters by providing exceptional legal services backed by years of experience. Contact us today to discuss how we can help you embark on a successful immigration journey.
