Welcome to Abramovich & Tchern Immigration Lawyers’ weekly news review. This week we saw a lot of activity in Canadian immigration, with new policies being announced and new opportunities opening up. Read on for all the latest news.
Canada will admit 15,000 parents and grandparents
On October 11, 2022, the Government of Canada announced that Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) will accept 15,000 applications under the Parents and Grandparents Program (PGP) in 2022. IRCC aims to send out 23,100 invitations this week to a total of 15,000 applications. The process will be similar to the approach used for the 2021 intake, where invitations were randomly sent to potential sponsors who were in the pool of submissions from 2020.
In addition, IRCC lowered the income requirement for the sponsorship of parents and grandparents as many potential sponsors experienced financial difficulties because of the pandemic. For the 2020 and 2021 tax years, sponsors will only need to earn the minimum necessary income instead of 30% more than that. Additionally, regular Employment Insurance benefits and temporary COVID-19 benefits can be counted toward a sponsor’s income. By implementing these measures, the Government will ensure that sponsors and applicants are not unfairly penalized for any loss of income due to the pandemic.
Ottawa processed a record number of study permit applications in 2022
The Canadian Government has put in place a number of initiatives to attract international students to study in Canada. In the first nine months of 2022, more than 452,000 study permit applications have been processed by the Government of Canada. In 2021, 367,000 applications were processed. It is a 23 percent rise from 2020. IRCC process study permit applications and extensions under the automated process. However, the pilot does not automatically refuse or recommend applications. Immigration officers review the application to ensure that the applicant meets the eligibility criteria and admissibility requirements and then make a decision to approve or refuse an application.
There are a number of reasons why Canada is becoming an increasingly popular destination for international students. In addition to its high-quality education, Canada offers a safe and welcoming environment, diverse culture, and opportunities to work while you study and after students graduate. The majority of international students in Canada come from China, India, and Nigeria. If you are planning to study in Canada, it is important to familiarize yourself with the Canadian education system and the different types of institutions and programs. Our experienced immigration lawyers can help you choose the right program and institution and complete your study permit application. Contact us today for more information.
Ontario’s businesses find it difficult to deal with understaffed conditions
With Christmas just around the corner, many Ontario retailers are worried as the number of vacant positions is on the rise. According to Statistics Canada figures, in only one year, the number of job vacancies in Ontario increased by 46.4 percent – going from 264,530 during the second quarter of last year to 387,235 for this year’s same period. In only one year, the number of payroll employees in Ontario rose by 506,895 people – almost 8.6 percent. The labour shortage is also declining rapidly in the province, with job vacancies increasing by 15 percent from the first quarter to the second quarter of this year.
According to Statistics Canada’s Labour Force Survey for September 2022, the unemployment rate fell to 5.2% in September, up from 5.4% in August. Last month, the number of employed young women aged 15 to 24 decreased for the second month in a row. Meanwhile, male youth and core-aged women saw employment increases. British Columbia had the most increased employment opportunities, while Ontario and Prince Edward Island saw a decrease. Statistics from September showed that almost one million people aged 55 to 64 retired (983,000; 57.5%) in 2022.
The Government of Canada released an update on the Economic Mobility Pathways Pilot program
On October 13, the Government of Canada published updated instructions for the Economic Mobility Pathways Pilot (EMPP) program to provide prospective applicants with additional information related to eligibility requirements. The recent update eliminated the time required for work experience selection criteria. The work experience selection criterion requires applicants to assess whether they have obtained the total required amount of work experience before applying, allowing for breaks or gaps in their employment history. Furthermore, the Government updated guidance on loan usage as evidence of settlement funds and announced that applicants will now be able to apply for the EMPP online.
The Economic Mobility Pathways Pilot (EMPP) provides skilled refugees with a means of immigrating to Canada through existing economic programs and simultaneously gives employers access to a larger pool of qualified candidates. There are 2 sets of eligibility requirements applicants must meet to apply for the EMPP: First, Applicants must be a convention or country of asylum refugee, have a document that shows they are a registered or recorded asylum seeker, be outside Canada and their country of persecution, have no durable solution in a third country and be admissible to Canada. Second, applicants must be eligible for one of the following economic immigration programs: Atlantic Immigration Program (AIP), Provincial Nominee Program (PNP), or Rural and Northern Immigration Pilot (RNIP).
The University of Toronto ranked as Canada’s best educational institution
Maclean’s news magazine has named the University of Toronto as Canada’s best university, which regularly places near the top of worldwide rankings for the world’s best educational institutions. The University of Waterloo secured second place overall, and the University of British Columbia landed in third. The news magazine also ranked the universities according to different subcategories, such as the highest quality of education. In that particular category, McGill excelled above all others with the University of Toronto coming in a close second followed by the University of Waterloo. The University of Waterloo placed first in the degree of innovation subcategory, followed by the University of Toronto and the University of British Columbia.
According to Quacquarelli Symonds, a provider of analytics and insight into the global higher-education sector, McGill University, the University of Toronto, and the University of British Columbia were named as some of the best 50 universities in the world earlier this year. For context, there were more than 1,400 universities in the QS Top Universities ranking – of which 14 Canadian ones made it into the top 25 percent.
Alberta nominated more than 5,000 applicants in 2022
On October 13, the provincial government of Alberta published the inventory update of the Alberta Advantage Immigration Program (AAIP). According to the update, Alberta nominated 5,283 applicants in 2022. To note, the province has been provided 6,500 nominations for the AAIP for this year. As of October 13, 2022, there were 1,075 Alberta Opportunity Stream applications and 260 Expressions of Interest in the Alberta Express Entry pool. So far, the province invited 2,320 candidates under the AAIP in 2022.
The Alberta Advantage Immigration Program (AAIP), better known as the former Alberta Immigrant Nominee Program, is an economic immigration program that nominates individuals for permanent residency in Alberta. To qualify, nominees must have skills to fill job shortages or be planning to buy or start a business in the province. Prospective applicants must also show that they can financially support their families. The program is run by both the provincial government of Alberta and the Federal Government of Canada. Applicants who want to immigrate to Alberta and need assistance with their application can get in touch with Abramovich & Tchern Immigration Lawyersto get started.
Canada continues to accept Ukrainian nationals under the CUAET
The Government of Canada continues to process and issue visitor visas and work permits to eligible Ukrainian nationals under the Canada-Ukraine authorization for emergency travel (CUAET). As of October 14, 2022, IRCC received 614,544 applications and approved the applications of 302,971 Ukrainian nationals under the CUAET. Between January 1 and October 9, 2022, 102,125 Ukrainians arrived in Canada. The Government of Canada remains committed to supporting the people of Ukraine during this time of uncertainty. If you are a Ukrainian national who needs help with the CUAET application, please, contact our Immigration lawyers.
The Government of Canada has introduced the CUAET as one of its special measures to support Ukrainians. The CUAET gives Ukrainians and their family members free, extended stay in Canada with working and studying privileges until it is safe for them to go home again. The CUAET offers a pathway for Ukrainians and their eligible family members to stay in Canada as temporary residents for up to 3 years. To apply from Ukraine or another country, Ukrainian citizens must complete an online application for a Canadian visitor visa and submit their biometrics. The Canadian Government is urging all Ukrainians to apply for a 3-year open work permit with their visitor visa application to be able to work in Canada.
Abramovich & Tchern Immigration Lawyers is a Canadian law firm that specializes in helping individuals immigrate to Canada. Our team is dedicated to helping you navigate the Canadian immigration process and obtain the necessary visas and work permits required to live and work in Canada. Contact us today to learn more about our services and how we can help you immigrate to Canada.
