Citizenship and Immigration Canada cautions against preparing Federal Skilled Worker Program applications until key details are announced

As previously reported, the Federal Skilled Worker Program (“FSWP”) will begin accepting applications as of May 4, 2013. A “temporary pause” on the acceptance of new FSWP applications (subject only to limited exceptions) has been in place since July 1, 2012.

Citizenship and Immigration Canada (“CIC”) has recently reminded applicants who may be preparing to submit applications that it still expects to announce three important elements of the FSWP in April 2013, which will have a significant impact on who can apply under the program. These elements include:

1. The cap on the number of applications that will be accepted in the first year;
2. The new list of priority occupations; and
3. The organizations that will be designated to conduct educational assessments.

Each of these elements is briefly described below.

Cap on the number of applications

Prior to July 1, 2012, FSWP applicants who did not have an offer of employment in Canada were limited to a total overall cap of 10,000 a year and a sub-cap of 500 per year applicable to each of the twenty-nine eligible priority occupations. CIC is expected to announce the total cap that will be imposed on such applications during the first year of the new FSWP, as well as the sub-cap applicable to each eligible occupation.

New list of priority occupations

CIC is expected to announce a new list of priority occupations that will apply under the new FSWP. FSWP applicants who fall under one of these priority applications will be permitted to apply without a job offer.

Designated Educational Assessment Organizations

The new FSWP requires the designation of organizations and professional bodies that will act as credential evaluators. These designated evaluators will authenticate individual foreign credentials and determine their equivalent in Canada for the purposes of the FSWP:

1. Applicants in regulated occupations will be required to submit the relevant designated professional body’s foreign credential evaluation establishing that the foreign credential is equivalent to the Canadian educational credential required to practice in that occupation.
2. Applicants in non-regulated occupations will be required to submit a foreign educational assessment provided by a designed organization to demonstrate that their educational credential is equivalent to a Canadian educational credential.

Applicants whose credentials do not exist in Canada or do not have a credential equivalent to the completed Canadian version in Canada will not be eligible under the FSWP.

CIC cautions future applicants that anyone preparing their application before this information is announced will do so at their own risk. Applications that do not meet the requirements that will be announced in April 2013 will not be processed.

Henry Chang
Blaney McMurtry LLP

Read more: http://blog.firstreference.com/2013/03/14/citizenship-and-immigration-canada-cautions-against-preparing-federal-skilled-worker-program-applications-until-key-details-are-announced/#ixzz2NZc4oq2n

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Best Employers for New Canadians

English: The logo may be obtained from Loblaw Companies Limited. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

ow entering its 7th year, the Best Employers for New Canadians competition is managed by the editors of Canada's Top 100 Employers. This special designation recognizes the nation's best employers for recent immigrants. These employers offer interesting programs to assist new Canadians in making the transition to a new workplace — and a new life in Canada. This year's winners were announced in a special editorial feature published March 13, 2013 in The Globe and Mail.

2013 Winners:
(in alphabetical order, click for our editors' reasons for selection)

AltaGas Ltd.
Assiniboine Credit Union Limited
BC Hydro
Bell Aliant Inc.
Business Development Bank of Canada
Christie Digital Systems Canada Inc.
CIBC / Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce
COM DEV Ltd.
Dalhousie University
Deloitte & Touche LLP
Ernst & Young LLP
Fraser Milner Casgrain LLP
Health Canada / Santé Canada
Home Depot Canada, The
Humber College
KPMG LLP
Loblaw Companies Limited
Manitoba Hydro
Medtronic of Canada Ltd.
Mississauga, City of
Mount Sinai Hospital
National Bank Financial Group
New Flyer Industries Limited
Nordion Inc.
NTT Data Canada, Inc.
Ontario Public Service
Provincial Health Services Authority
Pythian Group Inc., The
RBC / Royal Bank of Canada
Saskatoon Regional Health Authority
SaskPower
Shaw Communications Inc.
St. Michael's Hospital
TD Bank Group
TELUS Corporation
TransCanada Corporation
University of Ottawa
Vancouver, City of
Xerox Canada Inc.
York, Regional Municipality of

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2012: Canada’s Record-Breaking Year for Immigration

2012 was a record-breaking year for Canadian immigration programs across the board, according to Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC). From visitors to immigrants, workers to students, Canada continued its tradition of welcoming hundreds of thousands of temporary and permanent residents from around the world. Last year continued a 7-year trend of successive record-breaking, welcoming over 257,000 new permanent residents alone. Here is a summary of some other initiatives that in 2012 smashed previous records:

Canadian Experience Class (CEC)

Almost 10,000 permanent resident visas were issued through the CEC last year, making it Canada’s fastest-growing immigration program. Issuances exceeded the government’s target of 7,000 by 34%, marking an increase of over 50% from 2011.

India, China, Philippines Receive Record Visa Issuances

Canada receives its highest numbers of immigrants from China, India, and the Philippines. In 2012, all three countries saw the numbers of visas issued to nationals skyrocket.

Almost 33,000 permanent resident visas were issued to Chinese applicants, in addition to 235,000 visitor visas and over 25,000 study visas. These numbers made China the largest source country for Canadian immigration overall.

The Philippines was the second largest source country for Canadian immigration last year. Almost 33,000 new permanent resident visas were granted to Philippine nationals, as well as 44,000 visitor visas and 941 study permits.

India was the third largest source country for Canadian immigration in 2012. Indians received almost 29,000 permanent resident visas, 130,000 visitor visas, and 13,000 study permits.

International Students

For the first time in Canadian history, over 100,000 study permits were issued to international students. This represents a 60% increase from permit issuances since 2004.

Parent and Grandparent Super Visa

Since its launch in December 2011, the Super Visa has seen a steep rise in popularity, with more than 15,000 visa issuances to date. At present, over 1,000 visas are issued to the parents and grandparents of Canadian citizens or permanent residents every month.

Visitor Visas

The Canadian government approved almost 1 million visitor visas last year. This astounding number represents a 40% increase since 2004. Visa popularity has risen in part due to the fact that multiple-entry visa lengths have been extended from five to ten years for eligible applicants.

The Overseas Orientation Program

Through the Overseas Orientation Program, Canadian Permanent Residents may now avail themselves of the opportunity to prepare for their settlement in Canada before arriving in the country. The program has to date graduated 20,000 participants.

“Canada’s record-breaking year is further proof of the country’s commitment to welcoming individuals from around the world, whether for a short stay or for a lifetime,” said Attorney David Cohen. “I expect 2013 will continue this upward trajectory.”

CIC has already announced its immigration goals for 2013, indicating a sustained interest in keeping immigration levels high. The introduction of new programs, as well as the overhaul ofpopular immigration classes, will ensure that those who enter Canada do so with the full support of the Canadian government and the Canadian people.

Source: http://www.cicnews.com/2013/03/2012-canadas-recordbreaking-year-immigration-032346.html

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"Where the Jobs Are” in Canada

DSC_0120 (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Source: http://www.cicnews.com/2013/03/jobs-canada-032356.html

Public discussion has been growing over a report recently published by the Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce (CIBC). The report indicates a growing divide between the number of high-vacancy job fields in Canada and the skills of the Canadian workforce. To combat labour shortages, Canadian employers and government officials are increasingly looking beyond their own borders to find the employees they need. In addition, the government is taking ambitious efforts to secure skilled foreign workers, on temporary or permanent bases, to close employment gaps across the country.

In its report, CIBC targeted 25 professions that are most in need of qualified employees. They are as follows:

• Managers in Engineering, Architecture, Science and Info Systems
• Managers in Health, Education, Social and Community Services
• Managers in Construction and Transportation
• Auditors, Accountants and Investment Professionals
• Human Resources and Business Service Professionals
• Professional Occupations in Natural and Applied Science
• Physical Science Professionals
• Life Science Professionals
• Civil, Mechanical, Electrical and Chemical Engineers
• Other Engineers
• Professional Occupations in Health
• Physicians, Dentists and Veterinarians
• Optometrists, Chiropractors and Other Health Diagnosing and Treating Professionals
• Pharmacists, Dietitians and Nutritionists
• Therapy and Assessment Professionals
• Nurse Supervisors and Registered Nurses
• Technical and Related Occupations in Health
• Medical Technologists and Technicians (Except Dental Health)
• Technical Occupations in Dental Health Care
• Other Technical Occupations in Health Care (Except Dental)
• Psychologists, Social Workers, Counsellors, Clergy and Probation Officers
• Supervisors, Mining, Oil and Gas
• Underground Miners, Oil and Gas Drillers and Related Workers
• Supervisors in Manufacturing
• Supervisors, Processing Occupations

These occupations are all considered skilled work by the Government of Canada. In general, these professions fall in the fields of healthcare, mining, and manufacturing or business services. When added together, these fields account for 21%, or about one-fifth, of jobs in Canada.

Canada’s need for qualified workers varies greatly from province to province. As demonstrated by the chart below, the need is most defined in the country’s rapidly-developing interior. It is reflective of Canada’s booming natural resources economy.

Source: CIBC 

Canadian employment is still on the rise. In fact, employment grew by 51,000 in February 2013 alone. However, despite these increases, the country is unable to fill shortages in the fields listed above with home-grown talent alone. Analysts have theorized that this lack of qualified Canadians is the result, in part, of individuals pursuing education and training in professions that are experiencing a labour surplus. These include occupations in the fields of clerical work, food services, recreational guides, personal services and sales. Due to this surplus, individuals in these fields may see greater unemployment as well as wages slightly below average.

By contrast, those who pursue employment in one of the above targeted professions have a high likelihood of employment. At present, unemployment in this pool is a mere 1%. Additionally, wages in these fields have been rising steadily at a rate of about 4% per year.

The Canadian government has made efforts to offset employee shortages through a forward-thinking immigration system. Individuals with the education and skills most needed in Canada will find that programs for both temporary and permanent residence have been tailored to suit their profiles. Some recent immigration changes intended to bring in the workers Canada include:

• The popular Federal Skilled Worker Program has overhauled its selection criteria to better target those individuals who have a high likelihood of succeeding upon arrival in Canada. Citizenship and Immigration Canada hopes to accept over 50,000 new permanent residents through this program alone in 2013.
• A new class of immigration, the Federal Skilled Trades Class, has been created to more efficiently bring tradespersons to Canada.
• Discussions are currently in place regarding the introduction of a new immigration system, known as an Expression of Interest system, that will directly connect Canadian employers and government officials with skilled workers interested in immigrating to Canada.

More than ever, Canada needs immigrants to fill the jobs that Canadians are unable to perform. These jobs are for the most part in well-paying fields with high wages and employment. Individuals with skills in these fields may find themselves well-placed to take advantage of Canada’s many options for temporary or permanent residency.

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Strong Immigration Helps Canada Meet Labour Needs

Author: Andrew Heaton
Source: http://designbuildsource.ca/2013/03/strong-immigration-helps-canada-meet-labour-needs/

As huge oil and resource construction projects continue to soak up labour, immigrants continue to pour into Canada as the nation recorded its highest sustained level of immigration on record for the seventh consecutive year last year.

Last month, Citizenship and Immigration Canada announced the nation had welcomed 257,515 permanent residents in 2012, well within the government’s target of 240,000 to 265,000 new Canadians for the year.

Each year since 2006, the nation has admitted an average of around a quarter of a million immigrants, with the country averaging around 30,250 more admissions per year in the seven-year period from 2006 to 2012 than in the previous decade (1996 until 2005.)

Citizenship, Immigration and Multiculturalism Minister Jason Kenney said Canada’s immigration rates are among the highest of any country.

“Canada has been welcoming not only the highest sustained level of immigrants in Canadian history, we also have, on a per-capita basis, among the highest immigration rates in the world,” Kenney said, adding that the government is moving toward a more effective immigration system. “Immigration is a key part of the government’s plan to grow our economy, spur job creation, and ensure long-term prosperity for all Canadians.”

In many sectors in the nation’s economy, immigration has been highlighted as one of the strategies needed to ease help ease domestic labour shortages in construction, engineering and other areas. These shortages are typically caused by the retirements of those in the baby boomer generation and the mass volume of resource development projects on the horizon.

Shortages are particularly acute in construction, where the Construction Sector Council says the industry will need an extra 319,000 workers by 2020 – 100,000 to meet increased demand and 219,000 to replace those expected to retire.

Furthermore, in the resource industry alone, a report from the Conference Board of Canada predicts investment in oil sands alone will create demand for 880,000 person years of construction labour over the next 25 years.

By Andrew Heaton

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