Changes to Express Entry will benefit applicants, including international students

When the Liberals came into power last year, and John McCallum was named the minister of immigration, he said he would take some time to assess the recently adopted Express Entry system of immigration before making any changes. Now, after a year of focusing on first, the arrival of Syrian refugees and a summer of consultations on the immigration system, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has announced some changes to Express Entry.

The changes to Express Entry, which will take effect on Nov. 19, aim to create a more fair and responsive immigration system that will address emerging needs and ensure long-term economic growth for the middle class.

Changes include awarding points for job offers to eligible candidates already in Canada on Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) exempt work permits, and to international students who completed their studies in Canada.

Also, more time will be allocated to candidates to submit an application for permanent residence once an invitation to apply is received.

“We have committed to doing more to attract highly skilled immigrants to come to Canada and become permanent residents because this is important to build our economy and strengthen our society,” says Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship McCallum. “I am confident that the changes to Express Entry will be one of the many positive outcomes of the changes we will be bringing to our immigration system.”

THE DETAILS

BEFORE NOV. 19, 2016

Job offers

The Express Entry Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) awards 600 points for a job that is permanent and is supported by a Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA).

Education

The Express Entry system only awards points for education overall as long as it has been assessed as equivalent to a Canadian standard. No additional benefit is awarded specifically to former international students who have received an education in Canada.

Applications

After receiving an invitation to apply, candidates have 60 days to submit a complete application for permanent residence. This includes all documentation such as police certificates and medical exams.

AFTER NOV. 19, 2016

Job offers

On Nov. 19, 2016, the points awarded by the CRS for a job offer will change in three ways:

Points will be awarded for job offers of eligible candidates here on LMIA exempt work permits.

Many people in Canada temporarily on an employer specific LMIA-exempt work permit, but who want to stay in Canada permanently, will no longer need to get an LMIA to be awarded job offer points by the CRS. This includes candidates who are here under the North America Free Trade Agreement, a federal-provincial agreement, Mobilité Francophone, or who are intra-company transferees. The candidates must meet certain criteria, such as at least one year of work experience from the same employer who is providing their job offer.

Job offers will only need to be a minimum of one year in duration once they receive permanent residence.

By changing the job offer requirement from permanent to one year means that more highly skilled candidates working in contract-based industries will have a higher likelihood of receiving an invitation to apply for permanent residence.

Points awarded for job offers will be reduced.

A total of 50 points will be awarded to candidates with a valid job offer in a National Occupational Classification (NOC) 0, A or B occupation, while a total of 200 points will be awarded to candidates with a valid job offer in a NOC 00 occupation.

The number of points awarded for a job offer, often made it hard for highly skilled candidates without job offers to get an invitation to apply. This change means Canada will now welcome more highly skilled candidates whose skills and experience will help support and grow our economy.

The change in points for job offers will now also better recognize the skills and experience required for the job, together with the value that it brings to the economy.

Education

On Nov. 19, 2016, points will be awarded by the CRS for education obtained in Canada in the following way:

Points will be awarded for study in Canada above high school.

The CRS will award 15 points for a one- or two-year diploma or certificate and 30 points for a degree, diploma or certificate of three years or longer including a master’s, professional or doctoral degree.

With these changes, more former international students will be able to transition to the permanent residence using the Express Entry system. Former international students are a key source of candidates in Express Entry because of their age, education, skills, and experience. In addition to the time already spent in Canada, integrating into Canadian society permanently will be easier because they will have established social networks and familiarized themselves with life in Canada.

Applications

On Nov. 19, 2016, applications will be treated in the following way:

Candidates will have 90 days to complete an application for permanent residence if they get an invitation to apply. This will give candidates more time to gather all the required documentation and submit a complete application.

Source: http://canadianimmigrant.ca/immigrate/immigration-law/changes-to-express-entry-will-benefit-applicants-including-international-students

Canada adopts lottery system for reuniting immigrants with parents, grandparents

Replacing current 1st-come, 1st-served system to make process more fair for all applicants

By Kathleen Harris, CBC News Posted: Dec 14, 2016 11:11 AM ET

Canada is adopting a lottery system to replace the current first-come, first-served immigration process to reunite parents and grandparents.

The change, which will take effect in the new year, is designed to make the system fair for all applicants, according to a release from Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada. In past, the number of applications has far exceeded the number of available spots, creating a backlog in applications.

"We're listening to what past applicants had to say and making the process fairer for people who want to sponsor their parents or grandparents," Immigration Minister John McCallum said in a statement.

"We're ensuring everyone can access the application process by giving them the same chance to have their name chosen."

Between Jan. 3 and Feb. 2, 2017, Canadian citizens and permanent residents who want to sponsor their parents or grandparents will be required to complete an online form on the IRCC website within 30 days.

• Spousal reunification wait times to be cut in half
• Canada to open door to more immigrant families

Once the information is properly transmitted, the prospective sponsor will get a confirmation number. The release from IRCC says duplicate entries will be removed. It warns that completing the form does not mean person has applied to sponsor under the program.

Instead, at the end of the 30 days, IRCC will randomly pick 10,000 prospective sponsors and invite them to complete the full application for the Parent and Grandparent Program. They will have 90 days to submit a full application.

Those not selected can reapply

IRCC will let everyone who completed an online form know whether or not they were chosen.

Prospective sponsors who weren't selected can go through the same process in 2018.

Last week, McCallum announced the government would cut the waiting time for family reunification by half, promising to complete the process in one year from an average of two years.

The government will admit 20,000 parents and grandparents to Canada under the program in 2017, the same number as this year.

Parents and grandparents of Canadian citizens or permanent residents can also apply for a super visa, which allows them to extend a visit for up to two years after the initial entry into Canada. A 10-year multiple-entry visa allows several visits of up to six months at a time.

Toronto immigration lawyer Sergio Karas said the lottery process represents a slight improvement over the previous system, which led to a "mad rush" every January, with people lining up at the doors of the processing centre overnight or paying place-holders in the queue to deliver applications prepared by consultants or lawyers.

"The lottery system created today will at least give the opportunity to everyone who wishes to apply, understanding that their chances of success are probably in the 20 per cent range," he said.

"However, the larger policy question that should be addressed and that the government desperately wishes to avoid is whether it makes any economic sense for Canada to continue to allow individuals who are elderly or at least of non-working age to receive permanent residence at a time in which there exists increased pressure on the health-care system and social safety net."

Transparency needed

But Dory Jade, CEO of the Canadian Association of Professional Immigration Consultants, said Canada has a long tradition of welcoming parents and grandparents as part of the family reunification program. He said they contribute greatly to the social and economic fabric of Canada, often helping to care for children while the parents go to work.

Jade said the new lottery system will modernize the process, moving it from a paper-based system to an online application. He said there are questions around how the random selection process will unfold, and whether a second round will be held if chosen prospective sponsors either don't submit applications, or have their applications disqualified.

"It needs to be transparent," he said.

Source: http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/canada-immigration-parents-grandparents-1.3895808