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IMPACT – MEDIUM
What is the change? Canada conducted its sixth Express Entry draw of the year Wednesday, issuing 3,350 invitations to apply for permanent residency. The lowest Comprehensive Ranking System score was 452.
Analysis & Comment: Wednesday’s draw was the fourth consecutive draw in which 3,350 invitations were issued. So far this year, the government has issued 21,200 invitations compared with 14,500 at the same time last year, a significant increase and a positive overall trend for Express Entry applicants.
The following chart lists Express Entry Draws to date in 2019:
Background: The Express Entry system prioritizes permanent residence candidates in four skilled migration programs—Federal Skilled Worker, Federal Skilled Trades, Canadian Experience Class and a portion of the Provincial Nominee Program—on a points system that considers such factors as current job offer, education, skills, work experience and age, among others. Candidates register their profiles online through the Express Entry system. Draws are conducted roughly every two weeks, usually for all four categories but sometimes limited to one or two of them. The Minister of Citizenship and Immigration publishes the results of each draw, indicating the number of invitations for permanent residence that are issued and the minimum score needed to earn an invitation. Individuals who receive an invitation must apply for permanent residency within 60 days. Under tie-breaking rules, applicants with the same CRS score are ranked according to the date and time they submitted their profiles, highlighting the importance of submitting Express Entry profiles as early as possible.
This alert was prepared by Garson LLP, an independent law firm, allied with Deloitte LLP in Canada.
What is the news? Canada has released a budget plan that would make the Global Talent Stream permanent.
Background: On June 12, 2017, Canada launched its Global Skills Strategy, a three-pronged plan to attract high-skilled foreign talent by providing a faster and more predictable process for qualifying companies and employees. The plan introduced short-term work permit exemptions and two-week work permit processing, and launched the two-year pilot of the Global Talent Stream program.
What is the Global Talent Stream program? The Global Talent Stream simplifies the Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) process. Eligible companies are able to present a Labour Market Benefits Plan (LMBP) demonstrating how they will generate job growth and promote skills training of Canadian workers instead of going through the lengthy LMIA recruitment procedures. While the pilot program is set to conclude in 2019, the recent budget proposal plans to “build on the success of the Global Talent Stream pilot” and make it a permanent program.
Analysis & Comments: The expected continuation of the Global Talent Stream program is good news for companies that are already eligible and benefiting from the pilot program. More information regarding the permanency of the program will be available after parliament approves the budget.
What is the change? Canada conducted its fifth Express Entry draw of the year Wednesday, issuing 3,350 invitations to apply for permanent residency. The lowest Comprehensive Ranking System score was 454.
Analysis & Comment: Wednesday’s draw was the third consecutive draw in which 3,350 invitations were issued. The minimum CRS score was 454, down three points from the last draw. So far this year, the government has issued 17,850 invitations compared with 11,500 around the same time last year, a significant increase and a positive overall trend for Express Entry applicants.
What is the change? Canada conducted its fourth Express Entry draw of the year Wednesday, issuing 3,350 invitations to apply for permanent residency. The lowest Comprehensive Ranking System score was 457.
Analysis & Comment: Wednesday’s draw was the second consecutive draw in which 3,350 invitations were issued. The minimum CRS score was 457, up 19 points from the last draw. So far this year, the government has issued 14,500 invitations compared with 11,500 around the same time last year, a significant increase and a positive overall trend for Express Entry applicants.
The following chart lists Express Entry Draws from December, January and February:
*Draw limited to two programs
**Draw limited to Federal Skilled Trades program
Background: The Express Entry system prioritizes permanent residence candidates in four skilled migration programs—Federal Skilled Worker, Federal Skilled Trades, Canadian Experience Class and a portion of the Provincial Nominee Program—on a points system that considers such factors as current job offer, education, skills, work experience and age, among others. Candidates register their profiles online through the Express Entry system. Draws are conducted roughly every two weeks, usually for all four categories but sometimes limited to one or two of them. The Minister of Citizenship and Immigration publishes the results of each draw, indicating the number of invitations for permanent residence that are issued and the minimum score needed to earn an invitation. Individuals who receive an invitation must apply for permanent residency within 60 days. Under tie-breaking rules, applicants with the same Comprehensive Ranking System score are ranked according to the date and time they submitted their profiles, highlighting the importance of submitting Express Entry profiles as early as possible.
What is the change? Canada conducted its third Express Entry draw of the year Wednesday, issuing 3,350 invitations to apply for permanent residency. The lowest Comprehensive Ranking System score was 438.
Analysis & Comment: While the number of invitations dropped in Wednesday’s draw, it was conducted just one week after the last draw. Overall, Canada continues to issue a high number of invitations for permanent residence, and the minimum score of 438 was down five points from last week.
The following chart lists Express Entry draws from November, December and January.
Source: Deloitte LLP. Deloitte LLP is a limited liability partnership registered in England and Wales with registered number OC303675 and its registered office at 1 New Street Square, London EC4A 3HQ, United Kingdom.
What is the change? Canada conducted its second Express Entry draw of the year Wednesday, issuing 3,900 invitations to apply for permanent residency, with a minimum Comprehensive Ranking System score of 443.
Analysis & Comment: Wednesday’s draw marked the eighth consecutive draw in which 3,900 invitations were issued. The minimum CRS score was 443, down six points from the last draw. The overall trend remains positive for Express Entry applicants, with Canada continuing to issue a high number of invitations for permanent residence.
The following chart lists the last six Express Entry draws:
IMPACT – HIGH
What is the change? Chinese consulates in Canada are now requiring that visa applicants appear in-person for biometrics.
What does the change mean? Visa applicants must arrange an appointment in advance at one of the visa applications offices in Calgary, Montreal, Ottawa, Toronto or Vancouver.
Analysis & Comments: The additional step requiring an in-person biometrics appointment complicates a previously simple process. Applicants should anticipate delays, especially if they need to travel to one of the visa application centers.
What is the change? Canada conducted its first Express Entry draw of the year Wednesday, issuing 3,900 invitations to apply for permanent residency, with a minimum Comprehensive Ranking System score of 449.
Analysis & Comment: Wednesday’s draw marked the eighth consecutive draw in which 3,900 invitations were issued. The minimum CRS score was 449, up 10 points from the last draw. The overall trend remains positive for Express Entry applicants, with Canada continuing to issue a high number of invitations for permanent residence.
The following chart lists the last five Express Entry draws:
What is the change? Canada’s Department of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship (IRCC) has confirmed that it will reopen the Parent and Grandparent Program later this month.
What does the change mean? An estimated 20,000 applications for the program are projected to be accepted in 2019 on a first-come, first-served basis, according to an announcement by IRCC Minister Ahmed Hussen in August 2018. Canadian citizens or permanent residents interested in sponsoring a parent or grandparent through the program should prepare to file a statement of interest as soon as the program opens.
Analysis & Comments: The expected increase in the application quota, from 17,000 in 2018 to 20,000 this year, is welcome news for Canadian citizens and permanent residents who want to sponsor a parent or grandparent. Interested applicants are reminded that this is an extremely popular program and they should prepare to file as soon as the filing period is announced.
What is the change? Quebec plans to allow around 40,000 new permanent residents under the 2019 Quebec Immigration Plan, around 10,000 fewer than 2018’s projected numbers.
What does the change mean? The plan, published by Minister for Immigration, Diversity and Inclusion Simon Jolin-Barette, aims to reduce immigration by 20 percent from last year by limiting the number of qualified workers, businesspeople and economic migrants, among others, moving to Quebec in 2019.
Background: The Canada-Quebec Accord gives Quebec the authority for selecting immigrants and refugees to move to the province. Each year, Quebec’s Ministry of Immigration, Diversity and Inclusion releases its projections for the following year.
This year’s plan fulfills a campaign promise by the recently elected Coalition Avenir Québec to slow immigration despite pushback from Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, who has expressed that reduced immigration may exacerbate the labor shortage problem in the province.
Please refer to the chart below for a comparison of admission projections in 2018 and 2019, as outlined by the 2019 Plan summary:
Analysis & Comments: Employer and foreign nationals should take the projected goals into account when applying for residence permits in Quebec.