Federal Skilled Workers

Canada has an aging population, with a longer life expectancy and a relatively low birth rate. Accordingly, the country needs immigration to grow the population and economy, Regarding Canada's Citizenship and Immigration Policy, the new government -- led by Justin Trudeau -- has pledged to make family reunification a core priority, welcome new immigrants as a key strategy to job creation and long-term economic growth for the middle class, and place emphasis on humanitarian aid and assistance to refugees to demonstrate fairness and compassion.

The province of Prince Edward Island (PEI) has reopened the Express Entry stream of the PEI PNP program . The government of PEI had not been accepting new Expressions of Interest (EOIs) to this stream since late 2016. However, the PEI PNP is now once again accepting EOIs.

Law makers responsible for immigration issues in Canada have agreed that increasing immigration levels and establishing multi-year targets would help meet labour market needs across the country.

Provincial nominee programs offer more opportunities to a wider range of immigration candidates

Provincial nominee programs, or PNPs, permit participating provinces and territories to nominate number of economic immigration candidates for Canadian permanent residence each year based on a limited cap.

Quebec Immigration recently announced that it intends to cap the intake of new applications in the Immigrant Investor, Self-Employed Worker and Entrepreneur programs in an attempt to reduce processing times. The Skilled Worker program will also be divided into two groups, one of which will have a cap. The decision is still pending approval by the National Assembly of Quebec and would be retroactive from March 21, 2012. The proposed caps are as follows:

From August 16-22, 2016, the Ministère will receive 5,000 selection certificate applications under the Regular Skilled Worker Program. Starting at 8:30 a.m. (Montréal time), applicants who wish to access Mon projet Québec will be automatically directed to a virtual waiting room that will allow them to keep their place in line. Their position in line and the number of people waiting ahead of them will be displayed on screen.

May 22, 2019 – Quebec has tabled a draft regulation to establish a mandatory licence system aimed at personnel placement agencies and recruitment agencies for Temporary Foreign Workers(TFWs).

Quebec Immigration has lowered the pass mark for the skilled worker program. This program which is set to open on or before October 1st 2015, and the province plans to receive 6300 new applications during the 2015-2016. There are 75 eligible occupations and area of training that will enable applicants to qualify for a Quebec Certificate of Selection (CSQ), without a job offer. Many applicants can qualify with minimal knowledge of French.

A new study detailing the most in-demand occupations in Canada in 2018 shows business analysts, IT project managers and software engineers among the top 10.

Employment rate among immigrants aged 25 to 54 hit 71 per cent last year

The coverage available to protected persons, refugee claimants and others through the Interim Federal Health Program is being reformed. The biggest change will be the ending of coverage to all beneficiaries for dental care, vision care, mobility assistive devices and pharmacy care other than medications and immunizations needed to treat a disease that poses a risk to public health or a condition of public saftey concern.
The changes take effect on June 30,2012

The Express Entry New Brunswick Labour Market Stream has temporarily reopened to Expressions of Interest from skilled workers with work experience in software engineering and nine other occupation categories. In an update published January 30, the New Brunswick Provincial Nominee Program (NBPNP) reported that the stream is opening to those with work experience in one of the 10 following priority occupations:

Category B of the Nova Scotia Demand: Express Entry immigration stream briefly reopened on Saturday, Dec. 9.

With the rejection rate for H-1B visa applications on the rise in the United States, highly skilled foreign workers who depend on them are turning to Canada in search of stability and new opportunities.

Saskatchewan has issued 743 new invitations to candidates in its Occupation In-Demand and Express Entry immigration sub-categories in draws held December 6.  
These invitations 532 went to candidates in Occupations in demand candidates.

The reopened the morning of Tuesday, August 30, 2016. This SINP sub-category allows skilled workers with experience in an in-demand occupation in Saskatchewan to make an application for a provincial nomination certificate, which is then followed by an application for Canadian permanent residence. Interestingly, applicants do not require a job offer in order to make an application. Up to 700 new applications for immigration to Canada may be accepted in this intake.

This is Part 4 of the CIC News series 'PNPs in Profile'‎

138 invitations issued in latest Expression of Interest draw

Saskatchewan held new draws through its Express Entry and Occupation In-Demand ‎immigration sub-categories May 22, producing a total of 325 invitations to apply for a provincial ‎nomination for Canadian permanent residence. ‎