IRCC

IRCC has indicated that more than 150,000 interested PGP sponsors remain from the group that submitted an expression of interest back in Fall 2020. Although there has yet to be any hint as to whether Canada will continue to draw from this candidate pool in 2023, the 2023-2025 Immigration Levels Plan may provide some insight into how the PGP will work next year.

Where are new Canadian citizens coming from?

What are the requirements to receive permanent residence under the Start-Up Visa Program?

One key reason behind the growing number of qualified workers in Canada, is a strong and internationally accredited post-secondary education system, which Canadians have benefitted from. The strength of the educational sector can be seen by its growth just among Canadians.

Every ECA submitted by a prospective Canadian immigrant is reviewed by IRCC to assess the equivalency of educational credentials (degrees, diplomas, certificates, and so on) earned in other countries, and to compare them to Canadian standards.

Quarterly CBSA detention statistics show that Canada separates detained persons based on seven different “grounds for detention”. The list of reasons for detaining immigrants includes:

The return of all-program draws is also major news for CEC candidates. The CEC is the primary way for Canada’s large international student and foreign worker population to gain permanent residence.

Canada’s aging population is set to benefit Canadian-born and immigrant workers alike.

Canada is enjoying its lowest unemployment rate ever.

On the surface, this may seem strange given the coronavirus pandemic.

More work permits are issued every year. Here are some of the ways Canadian employers can hire foreign workers.

Canadian employers hire hundreds of thousands of international workers every year through more than 100 different work permit pathways. With the exception of 2020, these numbers have only been going up since 2015 and there are no signs of stopping.

There are a number of reasons why no Federal Skilled Trades Program (FSTP) candidates were declared. IRCC prioritizes sending CEC invitations to candidates who are eligible for more than one program. IRCC invites candidates to apply for the CEC when they are eligible for both the FSWP and the CEC, or if they are eligible for all three programs including the FSTP. The reason is because CEC candidates do not need to have a proof of funds in order to apply for immigration, where as FSWP and FSTP candidates without a Canadian job offer do. So, it is more desirable for candidates who are eligible for both to apply through the CEC.

The next month will hold announcements for the Parents and Grandparents Program, Immigration Levels Plan 2023-2025, Statistics Canada census data and more.

Service standards and processing times: IRCC has different service standard goal that vary depending on the type of application.

Parents and grandparents of Canadians can get multiple entries over a 10 year period to stay in Canada for up to two years at a time.

Canada’s Super Visa is a temporary visa that may be an attractive option for Canadians who wish to bring their foreign parents and grandparents to Canada.

Immigration Minister Sean Fraser shares his thoughts on Canada's future permanent residence levels. "It's not a point of pride that I have to be the minister that gets to 500,000...what's important to me is that I'm meeting the needs of communities."

Canada has resumed all-program Express Entry draws as of July 6. Since then, the number of Invitations to Apply (ITAs) issued in each draw has grown by 250 each week, causing the Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score requirements to go down.

IRCC continues to weigh its options and is going to submit a new Express Entry plan to the Deputy Minister. A recent internal memo by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) states the department remains undecided on its Express Entry plans for this year but invitations to FSWP and CEC candidates will resume “later in 2022.”

The Deputy Minister is the senior-most non-political official in each Canadian government department. Unlike the Minister, who is an elected official tasked with carrying out the government’s political agenda, the Deputy Minister is responsible for providing the government with technocratic advice.
Key components of the memo include Invitation to apply rounds for Federal Skilled Worker Program, Canadian Experience Class, and Federal Skilled Trades Program (FSTP) candidates will resume later in 2022.

The PGP is one of Canada's most popular immigration streams.In a March 14, 2022 email to CIC News, IRCC said it has yet to be determined when the application process for the Parents and Grandparents Program (PGP) 2022 will open.

Those who have applied under the Home Child Care Provider (HCCP) and Home Support Worker Pilot (HSW) will now need less Canadian work experience to qualify for permanent residence.

Alongside the cost-of-living requirement, IRCC also announced that it is extending the waiver on the 20 hours of work per week cap for international students until April 30, 2024. Only students already in Canada, as well as those who have already submitted an application for a study permit as of December 7th, 2023, are eligible for this extension.