Cutting Red Tape for Skilled Immigrants: Minister Kenney Introduces New Bridging Open Work Permit

OTTAWA, ONTARIO--(Marketwire - Dec. 20, 2012) - The new Bridging Open Work Permit enables certain economic class applicants to maintain their status and continue working in Canada while they wait for a final decision on their permanent residence application, Minister of Citizenship, Immigration and Multiculturalism Jason Kenney announced.

"We are making our immigration system faster and more flexible, and cutting red tape for the skilled immigrants Canada's economy needs to grow and thrive," said Minister Jason Kenney. "The new open work permit provides those who are transitioning to permanent residency with better opportunities to integrate into Canada's labour market to the benefit of our economy and all Canadians."

The bridging work permit is available immediately and is valid for one year from the date of issuance. Qualifying foreign nationals currently in Canada, who have submitted an application for permanent residence under the Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSWP), Canadian Experience Class (CEC), Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) or the Federal Skilled Trades Program (FSTP) may be considered for an open work permit if their current work permit is about to expire.

Previously, applicants who were awaiting a decision on their permanent residence application could find their temporary work permits expiring before their application was processed. As a result, these individuals would no longer have been authorized to work in Canada unless their employer applied for and received a Labour Market Opinion from Human Resources and Skills Development Canada (HRSDC) and the applicant then applied for an extension of status.

Open work permits are already available for other in-Canada immigration streams, such as live-in caregivers, spouses or common-law partners. This improvement will result in consistent treatment for other applicants already in Canada.

"We are preventing unnecessary disruption in the lives of the newcomers who are already contributing and successfully integrating into the Canadian economy," said Minister Kenney. "Improvements to our immigration system like this will help Canada attract the best and brightest from around the world - the skilled immigrants we need to fill our skilled labour shortages."

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Youth and language proficiency new must-haves for would-be immigrants

Dec 19, 2012 Stephanie Levitz, The Canadian Press 1

OTTAWA – The points system used to decide who can immigrate to Canada is getting a makeover.

The new judging criteria for the federal skilled worker program will award more points to younger immigrants and changes the way the government looks at work experience and education.

Immigration Minister Jason Kenney unveiled the new system on Wednesday after first introducing a plan for it in the government’s March budget.The way points are allocated for language ability will also change.

“For too long, too many immigrants to Canada have experienced underemployment and unemployment, and this has been detrimental to these newcomers and to the Canadian economy,” Kenney said.

“Our transformational changes to the (skilled worker program) will help ensure that skilled newcomers are able to contribute their skills fully to the economy as soon as possible. This is good for newcomers, good for the economy, and good for all Canadians.”

The government had stopped accepting new applications under the skilled worker program in July in advance of rejigging the system.

That followed a decision in the March budget to wipe out the existing backlog in the program by returning thousands of applications.

The program is expected to re-open in May when the new changes will take effect.

he points system sees would-be immigrants graded on a scale of 100, with points awarded for language ability, age, education, work experience and adaptability to Canada.There will also be a cap on the number of applications being accepted, though that number has not yet been released.

The pass mark is 67 and that won’t change under the new system.

What is being amended is the way the points are allocated and also how language and education credentials are assessed.

For example, the maximum number of points awarded under the age category was 10 and that was given to anyone between the ages of 21 to 49.

Under the new system, the maximum number of points awarded for age is 12, with 18 to 35 year olds eligible under that category.

When it comes to language, the new system mandates a minimum level of language proficiency and adjusts the number of points allocated accordingly to favour those with a strong command of either English or French.

But being bilingual will have less weight, with the ability to speak a second official language given fewer points.

An analysis of the program changes published in August for public consultation said research has suggested that there’s no evidence indicating speaking a second official language has any bearing on positive economic outcomes for applicants.

Applicants will also have to pass a language proficiency test.

Under the education component, applicants will now have their credentials assessed ahead of time to see how they compare to the Canadian system and then points will be allocated to match.

Meanwhile, the number of points allocated for work experience will be reduced.

“Foreign work experience is largely discounted by Canadian employers when the immigrant first enters the Canadian labour market, and it is a weak predictor of economic success,” the analysis said.

“These changes will reflect the relative value Canadian employers place on foreign work experience, and redirect points to language and age factors, which are better indicators of success in the Canadian labour market.”

The overhaul of the points system is part of a three-pronged review of the skilled worker program carried out by the government over the last two years.

The other two elements are the introduction of a new immigration stream for skilled trades and changes to the Canada Experience Class, which allows people already working or studying in Canada to get permanent residency sooner.

All three are expected to generate some $90 million in increased revenue to Canadian businesses from a system that better meets their needs, the analysis said.

Resources for Immigrants in Manitoba

Government Portals

Immigration and Multiculturalism (employers)Recognizing the vital role employers play in the province’s labour market-driven immigration strategy, Manitoba Immigration and Multiculturalism assists employers with recruitment and retention of skilled immigrant workers.

Manitoba.caThe official Manitoba government website has a portal for businesses, including a section on human resources for employers with information about hiring employees, as well as employment laws and regulations.

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Community Resources

ContactManitoba’s community resource site allows you to search for community services by keyword or use the advanced search to search by subject and sub index (such as immigrants and support services) and region.

Manitoba Immigration Info MapThis interactive map provides information about services for recent immigrants, including employment and education. You can select a region and a category to find services nearby.

Settlement Roadmap – ManitobaA searchable database of immigrant services (including settlement, languages and employment) in each province.