Total complete applications received since June 26, 2010

Image via Wikipedia On June 26, 2010, the eligibility criteria for Federal Skilled Worker applicants changed.
Between June 26, 2010, and June 30, 2011, a maximum of 20,000 complete Federal Skilled Worker applications will be considered for processing. Within the 20,000 cap, a maximum of 1,000 Federal Skilled Worker applications per eligible occupation will be considered for processing within this same time frame.
These limits do not apply to applications with an offer of arranged employment (job offer).
Applications received toward the overall cap: 7,156 of 20,000 as of January 31, 2011

Applications received per eligible occupation:

Eligible Occupation (by National Occupational Classification [NOC] code)	Number of Complete Applications Received*
0631 Restaurant and Food Service Managers	480
0811 Primary Production Managers (except Agriculture)	77
1122 Professional Occupations in Business Services to Management	1,000 (Cap reached)**
1233 Insurance Adjusters and Claims Examiners	151
2121 Biologists and Related Scientists	456
2151 Architects	429
3111 Specialist Physicians	359
3112 General Practitioners and Family Physicians	433
3113 Dentists	507
3131 Pharmacists	736
3142 Physiotherapists	171
3152 Registered Nurses	1,000 (Cap reached)**
3215 Medical Radiation Technologists	29
3222 Dental Hygienists and Dental Therapists	13
3233 Licensed Practical Nurses	91
4151 Psychologists	97
4152 Social Workers	313
6241 Chefs	72
6242 Cooks	147
7215 Contractors and Supervisors, Carpentry Trades	69
7216 Contractors and Supervisors, Mechanic Trades	174
7241 Electricians (except Industrial and Power System)	97
7242 Industrial Electricians	107
7251 Plumbers	29
7265 Welders and Related Machine Operators	33
7312 Heavy-Duty Equipment Mechanics	28
7371 Crane Operators	2
7372 Drillers and Blasters – Surface Mining, Quarrying and Construction	9
8222 Supervisors, Oil and Gas Drilling and Service	47

*The number of complete Federal Skilled Worker applications received as of January 31, 2011 is approximate.
**Once the cap has been reached, we can only accept applications for this occupation from people with an existing offer of arranged employment.
NOTE: Because application intake fluctuates, these figures are meant as a guide only. There is no guarantee that an application sent in now will fall within the cap.

Foreign-trained Nurses are Just What the Doctor Ordered

Image via Wikipedia

An aging population combined with a shortage of nurses is a dangerous combination for the Canadian health care sector. The number of practicing nurses is declining worldwide and in Canada, the shortage of nurses is causing longer hospital wait times and a decrease in the quality of service provided.

Canadian nurses themselves are part of the problem. In the province of Quebec alone, over 71,000 nurses are now over the age of 55 and are quickly approaching retirement. Canadian nursing schools are not producing enough graduates to fill the nursing vacancies and because of this shortage, countless nurses are required to work over-time. As Canada is not producing enough nurses, foreign-trained nurses may be the best prescription.

Canadian immigration programs, such as the Federal Skilled Worker Program, target specificoccupations that are in high demand in Canada, like Registered and Licensed Practical Nurses. Last June, the Federal Skilled Worker Program was adjusted so that only 1,000 applications would be accepted for each of the 29 eligible occupations. As of December 2010, Registered Nurses had already reached the cap limit.

Attorney David Cohen offers the following advice for nurses, “Although the Registered Nurses occupation has reached its cap limit under the Federal Skilled Worker Program, Licensed Practical Nurses still have over 800 spots available. An applicant needs one year of paid work experience as a Licensed Practical Nurse within the past 10 years in order to qualify, even if they are not currently working as a nurse. As well, there are many other immigration programs available for nurses, such as the Quebec Skilled Worker Program and the numerous Provincial Nominee Programs. Nurses can also obtain a work permit for Canada once he/she has a job offer from a Canadian employer.” Many Canadian hospitals are currently in desperate need of nurses. Because of its shortage of nurses, one hospital in Quebec, has recently announced that they respond to any nurse who submits a resumé within 1 hour.

All nurses, including those who are internationally trained, are required to be certified by a provincial regulation body before they are able to practice in Canada. Registered Nurses, except those wishing to practice in Quebec, must also pass the Canadian Registered Nurse Examination. Canada’s Economic Action Plan and the Foreign Credential Recognition Program are working together to assist foreign workers to better integrate into the Canadian workplace. The assessment of foreign credentials and experience is currently being streamlined for 8 priority occupations, including Registered Nurses, meaning their credentials will be evaluated in less time compared to other occupations. The next set of 6 priority occupations will include Licensed Practical Nurses.

If you are a foreign-trained nurse who wants to immigrate to Canada, there has never been a better time to apply.

Source: Canada Immigration newsletter


 

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