PNP

The Canadian government is set to make the biggest reform to Express Entry since it introduced the application management system in January 2015.

Canada has invited 7,257 PNP candidates so far in 2022.

On April 13, Canada invited 787 Express Entry candidates to apply for permanent residence.

IRCC invites 7,000 candidates with a minimum CRS score of 490. This is the first all-program draw since January 18.

ITAs issued to candidates with a minimum CRS score of 533.

Canada has announced significant changes to its Express Entry system, removing bonus Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) points previously awarded for arranged employment and Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA)-supported job offers.

When you apply for immigration to IRCC, you usually have to pay an application fee for yourself, and any dependents coming with you to Canada such as your spouse or common-law partner, and your children. You also have to pay a right of permanent residence fee for yourself and your partner. Dependent children are exempt from this fee.

Recent federal immigration cuts are sparking concern across Nova Scotia and Newfoundland, as the reduction in key programs threatens to impact labor markets, healthcare, and housing. The Atlantic Immigration Program (AIP) and Provincial Nominee Program (PNP), crucial pathways for economic immigrants, have been slashed by 50% compared to previous years​.

The most recent results from British Columbia, Quebec, Prince Edward Island and Saskatchewan.

The PNP is a popular option for skilled workers to immigrate to Canada.

Starting April 6, 2023, some current and former Post-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP) holders may be eligible for an 18-month Open Work Permit.

Foreign workers can work for anywhere in Canada with an open work permit.
Open work permits allow foreign workers the flexibility to choose where they work in Canada.
Oftentimes, foreign nationals who want to work in Canada need a work permit. These permits may be tied to a specific employer, or occupation. By contrast, open work permits allow for freedom of movement, whether it is between workplaces, occupations or locations in Canada.

Post-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP) is a critical initial step for many international students after completing their studies in Canada. The PGWP allows graduates to work for any employer in Canada for up to three years, depending on the length of their study program. While the PGWP is not a PR pathway itself, the Canadian work experience gained through it is highly beneficial and often essential for qualifying for various PR pathways.

There are a number of pathways for nurses to immigrate to Canada.

Canada was experiencing nursing shortages even before the pandemic. Ontario, for example, is planning to invest $342 million over the next five years to hire more than 13,000 healthcare workers to the province. BC has promised to provide up to $16,000 to about 1,500 internationally educated nurses to cover application fees, English language tests, and educational upgrading. Also, Quebec is investing $65 million to recruit and train nearly 1,000 nurses from francophone countries.

The CRS starts by assessing what the Canadian government refers to as “core human capital factors”, which include the following characteristics: age, education, first language ability (English or French), second language ability (English or French) and Canadian work experience.

As of mid-March, IRCC reports a backlog of 1,844,424 persons across all lines of business.
IRCC reports there are 1.84 million people waiting on decisions in its inventory as of mid-March.

The backlog has progressed as follows since summer 2021:

• March 15 and 17, 2022: 1,844,424 persons
• February 1, 2022: 1,815,628 persons
• December 15, 2021: 1,813,144 persons
• October 27, 2021: 1,792,404 persons
• July 6, 2021: 1,447,474 persons

The data represents the number of persons currently awaiting processing by IRCC.
Permanent residence inventory data is from March 15 and temporary residence inventory data is from March 17. The reason for the difference is when IRCC provided the March 15 temporary residence data initially, the “visitor record” data was missing. On March 17 temporary residence data was provided when requested.

In a significant policy shift, Immigration Minister Marc Miller has unveiled plans to integrate temporary resident targets into Canada's annual Immigration Levels Plan from fall 2024. Historically focusing solely on permanent residency quotas, the updated plan will now also consider the influx of temporary residents, aiming to refine and potentially reduce their numbers over the next three years. This move is not designed as a hard cap but could lead to application limitations in specific sectors.

May 12 is celebrated as International Nurses Day in Canada, to recognize the contribution of nurses to healthcare services.

A recent analysis of Canadian international students suggests that most who receive a study permit in a certain province tend to remain in that province for their next period of study or work.

The recent update provides the following report:

System problems occurring since the implementation of NOC 2021 are having an impact on Express Entry candidates.