What is Canadian Bridging Work Permit?

Canada Place (Photo credit: quinet)

January 30, 2014 by Jessica

Imagine you are in Canada on a work permit as temporary foreign worker from Pakistan and have applied for Canadian permanent residence under the Canadian Experience class. You are waiting for the final decision on your permanent residence application and your work permit will expire in a couple of months. If your case is not decided within the validity period of your work permit, you may have to leave the country and return only once you have the permanent residence.Immigration Canada has a remedy for such cases in the form of bridging work permit that allows you to stay in Canada while your application is being processed.

Bridging Work Permit:

Bridging Work Permit allows the foreign nationals currently in Canada who have received a positive eligibility decision under one of the Economic Class programs and whose work permits are due to expire to maintain their legal status and continue residing in Canada. Prior to the arrangement of Bridging work permit, the applicants had the option to apply for visitor visa and stay as visitor without being able to work or find an employer who will file an application for LMO and then work permit.

Eligibility:

The foreign nationals must meet the eligibility criteria before applying for bridging work permit.

• The foreign national is currently in Canada;
• They have valid status on a Work Permit that is due to expire within 4 months;
• They are the principal applicant on an application for permanent residence under the Federal Skilled Worker Program, Canadian Experience Class, Provincial Nominee Program or Federal Skilled Trades Program;
• They have received a positive eligibility assessment on their Permanent Residence application under one of the Economic Class programs above; and
• They have made application for an open Work Permit.

Validity:

The Bridging Work Permit is valid for the period of one year from the date it is issued. The foreign nationals may request to extend their stay on an open Work Permit, however, it  will be considered on a case-by-case basis.

Employment Location:

The open work permit is valid for employment at any location if it has been issued to the applicants of Federal Skilled Worker Program, Canadian Experience Class,  or Federal Skilled Trades Program.

However, if the applicant had applied for Provincial Nominee Program and was issued bridging work permit, then the work permit holder can only work in the nominating province.

 Source: http://www.visato.com/canada/what-is-canadian-bridging-work-permit-20140130

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4 Requirements of Skilled Trades Program for Canadian Immigration

March 6, 2014 by Jessica

Skilled Trades Program for Canadian permanent residence is for qualified skilled trades persons who meet the 4 basic requirements of the program. The applicants must also meet the other criteria for admissibility under the Canadian immigration and refugee protection act and regulations such as health condition and security clearance. They must also have sufficient funds to support them self and their family members when they arrive in Canada.

Following are the 4 requirements of the skilled trades program:

1. Language Proficiency:

As an applicant of Skilled Trades program, you must demonstrate that you meet the minimum requirements of language proficiency and provide evidence of your abilities in English or French (speaking, reading, listening and writing). The results of one of the following language tests from a testing agency designated by Citizenship and Immigration Canada must be submitted with the application:

English:
CELPIP: Canadian English Language Proficiency Index Program (General test only)
IELTS: International English Language Testing System (General Training test only)

French
TEF: Test d’évaluation de français (both modules must be submitted in order to demonstrate results for all four language abilities)

2. Work experience in a skilled trade occupation

You must meet the following work experience requirements:

• You must have at least two years of full-time, paid work experience or the equivalent in part-time employment in the skilled trade occupation you specify in your application.
• Your work experience must be in the skilled trade occupation eligible for the program.
• Your work experience must have been obtained after becoming qualified to independently practice that occupation. Time spent in an apprenticeship position will not be counted.
• You must have acquired this experience within the last 5 years.

You do not need to be employed at the time you submit your application.

3. Employment requirements in a skilled trade occupation

You must meet the relevant employment requirements of the skilled trade occupation you specify in your application.

Relevant employment requirements include education, training or other qualifications as set out in the National Occupational Classification (NOC) description of your occupation.

4. Offer of employment OR certificate of qualification in a skilled trade occupation

You must have either a qualifying offer of employment OR a certificate of qualification from a Canadian province or territory in the skilled trade occupation you specify in your application.

You can apply for the Skilled Trades Program for Canada permanent residence if you meet the above 4 requirements.

Source: http://www.visato.com/canada/4-requirements-skilled-trades-program-canadian-immigration-20140306

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