Cassandra specializes in Canadian immigration cases pertaining to Procedural Fairness Letters (PFL), Study Permits, PR Card Renewal on Humanitarian and Compassionate Grounds, Criminal Rehabilitation, Temporary Resident Permits, Canadian citizenship, Family Sponsorship, and Visitor Visas. She has advocated for her clients with an impressive success rate, including for applications with prior refusals.
Canadians who were directly impacted by the hurricane Fiona will receive free replacement documents
Canadians who were directly impacted by the hurricane will receive free replacement documents like travel documents and citizenship certificates from Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC). These documents will also expire on the same day that the originals that were destroyed or lost would have.
The special measures for the Hurricane Fiona Recovery Fund (HFRF) will take effect retroactively from September 24, 2022 and will continue until further notice. During this time period, Canadians and permanent residents will not have to pay any fees to replace documents and can submit their applications for the Fund.
Minister of Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship, Sean Fraser, announced today that fees for replacing lost or destroyed important documents such as travel documents and citizenship certificates will be waived. The statement was made by Minister Ginette Petitpas Taylor, who is also responsible for the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency and Minister of Official Languages.
The Canadian government is still making aggressive efforts to help those who were directly touched by the disaster in addition to the relief provided through the Hurricane Fiona Recovery Fund.
Hurricane Fiona Recovery Fund Rebuilding livelihoods and safeguarding the economy
The Hurricane Fiona Recovery Fund (HFRF) is a federal government program that will provide up to $300 million over 2 years to support local communities and businesses affected by the storm and to help long-term recovery efforts. The HFRF is intended to fill gaps for those who may not qualify under their insurance or other existing federal and provincial support measures. The Fund is coordinated by the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency (ACOA), which will work with other federal departments and agencies to determine local recovery needs, develop targeted initiatives to assist in recovery and rebuilding, and allocate funds accordingly.
Building on the government’s ongoing response to Hurricane Fiona in Atlantic Canada and Eastern Quebec, the HFRF will support recovery efforts such as:
helping local communities and businesses rebuild and recover from the impacts of Hurricane Fiona
restoring the economic activity that local communities depend on by repairing and rebuilding critical infrastructure, including fishing wharves and small craft harbours damaged or destroyed by the storm
ensuring the safety of navigation and protecting marine wildlife
The glitches which occurred after the implementation of new NOC 2021 are the reason that we had not had an Express Entry draw in nearly 2 months. The IRCC has set a massive immigration target for the year 2023 through 2025, so it is no surprise that the system needs to be functioning perfectly. Canada will accept approximately 500,000 new permanent residents in 2023.
Latest Express Entry Draw – #237 – January 11th 2023 (includes Canadian Experience Class, Federal Skilled Workers and Federal Skilled Trades )
Rank required to be invited to apply:5,500 or above
Date and time of round:January 11, 2023 16:14:19 UTC
CRS score of lowest-ranked candidate invited:507
National Occupational Classification NOC 2021
On November 16, 2022, IRCC switched to the 2021 version of the National Occupational Classification (NOC) which means that the new 6- category system represents the training, education, experience and responsibilities (TEER) needed to work in an occupation. Due to the change to the new NOC foreign nationals with work experience in the 16 occupations will be now eligible to apply through Express Entry.
Everyone who submits an EE Profile needs to put in the new 5-digit TEER occupation code.
The new 2021 National Occupational Classification NOC system is used to classify jobs (occupations) into training, education, experience and responsibilities TEER categories which are based as the one from 2016 on the type of:
job duties
the type of work a person does
The program will impact all of these Canadian immigration applications:
The last draw was plagued by errors that appeared in the express entry system after the transition to the new NOC on November 16, 2022. Since then only one draw was held and was full of errors, such as
inviting people who are not eligible to apply
giving points which candidates weren’t entitled to
the system changing the names of documents uploaded so that it is not possible to tell which document is which after upload
not being able to log into the portal even if all of the information is accurate
Nearly 2 months passed without an Express Entry draw.
Changes in how Express entry candidates are selected in 2023
Changes in the Express Entry in 2023 will allow Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) to invite candidates based on specific attributes, such as NOC/Teer code, rather than their overall CRS score alone.
IRCC says that Canada will invite Express Entry candidates on a new basis due to the Bill C-19, one that would support an economic goal identified by the minister who will be consulting with provinces, business councils and other stakeholders to best evaluate which candidates are the best to target for the express entry draw.
The system is changing due to the labour shortage in Canada at the moment with one of the most pressing sector the healthcare industry. There aren’t enough people to fill the positions which are open in Canada at the moment which leads to high number of job vacancies. Canada will rely on immigration to fill these positions and grow the economy.
Express Entry Profile
Express Entry is an online system used to create a Express Entry Profile and submit applications for permanent residency under the four economic immigration Categories:
Canadian Experience Class
Federal Skilled Trades
Federal Skilled Worker
Provincial Nominee Program
Contact us if you have questions about applying for Express Entry.
No Express Entry Draw this week and problems in the online immigration system of Canada
Express Entry candidate are experiencing a lot of issues with their applications which makes the whole process of applying, frustrating. Since the new NOC 2021 transition, express entry applicants have experienced even bigger number of issues with the online application system. After the transition to the new NOC 2021 on 16 Novmeber,2022, Express entry candidates needed to accordingly update the system with the NOC 2021 5 digit code and their primary occupation to match the National Occupation Classification (NOC) 2021 so their application is correct and they are eligible for an ITA.
The problems are highlighted as follows:
People who are in the pool and by the scores they had didn’t receive an ITA (Invitation to apply) and there are no updates from IRCC regarding this.
Some of the applicants have received an ITA but can’t access their dependent spouse part of the profile and are not being awarded points for spouse’s Canadian work experience
there are a lot of 404 errors on the official website for express entry of Canada and applicants can’t access their profiles and update them correctly.
Some of the problems is also the system requiring the NEW NOC 5 digit code rather than the 4 digit code for the old NOC, even for applicants who received an ITA before 16 November, 2022, which shouldn’t be happening and goes against the instructions of the IRCC.
The system changing the names of documents uploaded so that it is not possible to tell which document is which after upload—this has happened for multiple clients and with multiple documents such as police certificates, letters of employment, etc.
The other problem that isn’t new and that has been going on for some time is not being able to log into the portal even if all of the information you typed in is correct.
Candidates receiving points they were not entitled to and got an ITA
Candidates being marked eligible for Canadian Experience Class (CEC) even if they didn’t required it
The problem with the portal and issues the Express entry candidates are experiencing are going on for some time. The solution which has worked for some of the applicants is trying multiple times to get something done which can be really frustrating.
Note: Make sure to always report the technical issues on the portal so the problem is resolved as quickly as possible
No express entry draw
This week also is marked because there was no Express Entry Draw. Candidates were eager for the results of this week and now are getting worried and there are no updates from IRCC regarding this. Maybe all of the issues and glitches mentioned above are the reason that there wasn’t express entry draw this week. However there isn’t an easy solution to problems like this and things may be like this for some time in the future.
The errors that appeared in the express entry system started after the transition to the new NOC on November 16, 2022. Since then only one draw was held and was consisted of many errors, such as inviting people who are not eligible to apply and gained points which weren’t entitled to. Now it seems that the IRCC is trying to resolve the issues before the next draw so they can avoid illegible candidates and try to fix the issues for the ones that should get an ITA.
Foreign Nationals In 16 Occupations Now Eligible To Apply Through Express Entry
Starting November 16, 2022 the old 2016 NOC transitions to the new NOC 2021 version which also changes the occupations that are now eligible for Express Entry.
Foreign nationals with work experience in the following 16 occupations are now eligible to apply through Express Entry. The codes from the NOC 2016 and the new ones from NOC 2021 from the available occupations are down below:
OCCUPATION
OLD NOC CODE
OCCUPATION
NEW NOC CODE
Payroll administrators
1432
Payroll administrators
13102
Dental assistants
Dental technologists, technicians and laboratory assistants
3411
3223
Dental assistants and dental laboratory assistants
33100
Nurse aides, orderlies and patient service associates
3413
Nurse aides, orderlies and patient service associates
33102
Other medical technologists and technicians (except dental health)
3219
Pharmacy technical assistants and pharmacy assistants
33103
Elementary and secondary school teacher assistants
4413
Elementary and secondary school teacher assistants
41220
Sheriffs and bailiffs
4421
Sheriffs and bailiffs
43200
Correctional service officers
4422
Correctional service officers
43201
By-law enforcement and other regulatory officers, n.e.c.
4423
By-law enforcement and other regulatory officers
22231
Estheticians, electrologists and related occupations
6562
Estheticians, electrologists and related occupations
63211
Residential and commercial installers and servicers
7441
Residential and commercial installers and servicers
73200
Pest controllers and fumigators
7444
Pest controllers and fumigators
73202
Other repairers and servicers
Supervisors, motor transport and other ground transit operators
Bus drivers, subway operators and other transit operators
7305
7512
Supervisors, motor transport and other ground transit operators
Bus drivers, subway operators and other transit operators
72024
73301
Heavy equipment operators (except crane)
Contractors and supervisors, heavy equipment operator crews
7521
7302
Heavy equipment operators
73400
Aircraft assemblers and aircraft assembly inspectors
9521
Aircraft assemblers and aircraft assembly inspectors
93200
The list for the new 16 Occupations for foreign nationals that can now apply for Express Entry is as follows:
Payroll administrators
Dental assistants and dental laboratory assistants
Nurse aides, orderlies and patient service associates
Pharmacy technical assistants and pharmacy assistants
Elementary and secondary school teacher assistants
Sheriffs and bailiffs
Correctional service officers
By-law enforcement and other regulatory officers
Estheticians, electrologists and related occupations
Residential and commercial installers and servicers
Pest controllers and fumigators
Other repairers and servicers
Transport truck drivers
Bus drivers, subway operators and other transit operators
Heavy equipment operators
Aircraft assemblers and aircraft assembly inspectors
But there are occupations also that are no longer available to foreign nationals to apply for Express Entry:
Other performers
Program leaders and instructors in recreation, sport and fitness
Tailors, dressmakers, furriers and milliners
These occupations no longer available for Express Entry are still eligible for certain programs with broader work experience criteria, such as some streams of the Provincial Nominee Program (PNP).
Contact us if you have questions about the new NOC 2021 TEER system and how it impacts your Express Entry profile and PR application.
UPDATE: Transition to National Occupational Classification (NOC) 2021
If you currently have a profile in the Express Entry pool, then you received an email yesterday advising of the change from NOC 2016 to NOC 2021. With the changes from November 16, 2022, candidates in the Express Entry pool will not be eligible to receive an ITA until their profile is updated with the NEW NOC 2021 code, also known as TEER. The ITA rounds may resume as soon as at 23 November 2022 and everyone who has a profile in the EE pool needs to update their profile with the new 5-digit TEER code as soon as possible. If you already received an invitation to apply (ITA) before November 16, 2022 you must submit your application using the old (2016) NOC code.
If you have already submitted a profile but have not been sent an ITA you must update your profile with your new TEER Category and 5-digit occupation code. You can search for your occupation under NOC 2021 list on this website https://noc.esdc.gc.ca/?GoCTemplateCulture=en-CA .
On November 16, 2022 IRCC switched to the 2021 version of the National Occupational Classification (NOC). The 2016 NOC skill type and skill level structure (NOC 0, A, B, C and D) will be replaced by a 6-category system representing the training, education, experience and responsibilities needed to work in an occupation in Canada. The National Occupational Classification (NOC) is updated every few years based on information received from Statistics Canada. The new NOC 2021 contains 516 occupations, up from the 500 unit groups included in the NOC 2016.
The new updated program means that:
The current NOC 2016 skill type and skill level structure (NOC 0, A, B, C and D) will be replaced with a 6-category system representing the training, education, experience and responsibilities (TEER) needed to work in an occupation
· 4-digit occupation codes will become 5-digit codes
· the eligibility criteria for all programs that use the NOC will be further updated
If you are a Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) candidate your NOC version will depend on when the province received your application.
Here is what the employment history looked like with the NOC 2016
Here is how it looks now in an Express Entry profile with the new updated NOC 2021 code:
Next Steps – How To Update Your Profile to TEER (2021 NOC)
Login to your Express Entry profile and change the four digit NOC code to the five digit TEER code according to your job.
You also have to modify the NOC code in the dropdown – even though the title still says “four digit NOC code”, you MUST update to the five digit format. When you make the change, the code will automatically appear as a five digit number with the occupation you selected.
The previous version is still in place and looks like this:
Here is how the new NOC 2021 TEER code should look:
Classifying jobs
The new 2021 National Occupational Classification NOC system is used to classify jobs (occupations) into training, education, experience and responsibilities TEER categories which are based as the one from 2016 on the type of:
job duties
the type of work a person does
The program will impact all of these Canadian immigration applications:
These programs will have updated eligibility requirements because of the change to NOC 2021:
Permanent Residence
Express Entry
Federal Skilled Worker Program
Canadian Experience Class
Federal Skilled Trades Program
Atlantic Immigration Program
Provincial Nominee Program
Caregiver programs
Rural and Northern Immigration Pilot
Agri-Food Pilot
Temporary Status (Work Permits)
Out-of-status construction workers
International Mobility Program
Temporary Foreign Worker Program
New NOC 2021 TEER Categories
Programs that used the NOC skill type or levels in the 2016 NOC are now updated and will use TEER categories from the NOC 2021 system.
NOC 2016
NOC 2021 TEER
Skill type 0
TEER 0
Skill level A
TEER 1
Skill level B
TEER 2 and TEER 3
Skill level C
TEER 4
Skill level D
TEER 5
Most jobs will stay in the TEER category that is equal to the skill level in the table. Some jobs may change to a different TEER category.
Skill level B jobs may become either TEER 2 or TEER 3 jobs.
Find your occupation under the NOC 2021 list to find out what TEER category it belongs to.
Additional instructions related to NOC 2021 will be provided for remaining economic permanent residence applications at a later date which has not yet been released by IRCC.
Summary of Changes – NOC 2016 to NOC 2021 TEER
The biggest change is the replacement of skill levels with the Training, Education, Experience and Responsibilities (TEER) categories which is more precise because NOC now assesses the level of training a person has, formal education of experience required to gain entry into each occupation, and the responsibilities associated to it. The old NOC assessed the level of skills which was not as precise as the new updated NOC.
The second major change revolves around the number of TEER categories which the new one consist of. In the new NOC structure of 2021, there are six TEER categories, up from the current four skill levels. In the 2016 version of the NOC, “skill level” B contains the most occupations of all skill levels (about 1/3 of all unit groups) and its employment requirements are relatively wide. This change ensures clearer distinctions between the employment requirements associated with each TEER category, leading to a more consistent and homogeneous classification.
The new TEER categories are outlined here:
TEER 0
Management occupations.
TEER 1
Completion of a university degree (bachelor’s, master’s or doctorate); or
Several years of experience in a specific occupation from TEER category 2 (when applicable).
TEER 2
Completion of a post-secondary education program of two to three years at community college, institute of technology or CÉGEP; or
Completion of an apprenticeship training program of two to five years; or
Occupations with supervisory or significant safety (police officers and firefighters) responsibilities; or
Several years of experience in a specific occupation from TEER category 3 (when applicable).
TEER 3
Completion of a post-secondary education program of less than two years at community college, institute of technology or CÉGEP; or
Apprenticeship training of less than 2 years; or
More than six months of on-the-job training, training courses or specific work experience with some secondary school education; or
Several years of experience in a specific occupation from TEER category 4 (when applicable).
TEER 4
Completion of secondary school; or
Several weeks of on-the-job training with some secondary school education; or
Several years of experience in a specific occupation from TEER category 5 (when applicable).
TEER 5
Short work demonstration and no formal educational requirements.
The third major change is the classification system which is moved from a four tiered to a five tiered system and changed from the traditional 4-digit format to a new 5-digit format which is more flexible and allows many new unit groups as needed in the future.
The new NOC 2021 led to a number of changes to the occupations themselves according to ongoing changes in the Canadian labour market. New unit groups were created for emerging occupations such as Data scientists and cybersecurity specialists and some were granted their own unit group such as Financial advisors and Police investigators, and the three distinct unit groups created for Software developers and programmers. The information sector, health and agriculture sector as well as postal service and military occupations also were renewed.
About the National Occupation Classification (NOC)
The National Occupational Classification (NOC) is the national reference for occupations in Canada which provides a classification structure that categorizes occupations for labour market information employment-related program administration. This type of information of an utmost importance for the labour market and people who want to work in Canada. This system is used by immigration services to decide if a job or type of work experience meets their eligibility. The basic principle is the kind of work performed and jobs are grouped with this principle on the work someone does this being determined by the tasks, duties, employment requirements, and responsibilities associated with each occupation.
What is an occupation?
An occupation is defined as a collection of jobs that are sufficiently similar in work performed to be grouped under a common label for classification purposes. A job, in turn, encompasses all the tasks carried out by a particular worker to complete their duties. The NOC comprises about 30,000 job titles gathered into 500 unit groups, organized according to four skill levels and ten broad occupational categories. Unit groups are based on similarity of skills, defined primarily by functions and employment requirements.
NOC classification criteria
As classification criteria is used the occupation and skill level. Other factors may be also taken in consideration like occupational mobility and industrial sector.
Broad occupational category: Represents the type of work performed, the field of study, or the industry of employment whenever industry-specific work experience is required for entry into occupation. The first digit of a NOC code represents the broad occupational category.
Skill level: Represents a broad aggregation of education, training, and work experience and also takes into account the complexity of the tasks and responsibilities associated with the job. The second digit of a NOC code represents the skill level.
Updated IEC Working Holiday Visa Requirements for Italy
Canada has vastly improved the IEC working holiday visa for young people from Italy. Now the program allows Italian citizens to work in Canada for up to 12 months, which is fantastic for Italian applicants as this will allow them to gain enough work experience in Canada to become eligible for permanent residence under the Canadian Experience Class through Express Entry.
Previously, Italian citizens had one of the most unfavourable versions of the IEC Working Holiday Visa program. Citizens of the UK, Ireland, Australia, and others were allowed to work for up to two years in Canada. However, Italians were only allowed to work in Canada for up to 6 months, and then to apply to change to visitor status for another 6 months – far short of the minimum requirement of 1 year of Canadian work experience for PR.
Italian citizens will now also have access to the Young Professionals and International Co-Op categories of IEC visas. Until now, Italians were only allowed to participate in the working holiday category.
Italian citizens will be allowed to participate twice in the program where they were previously only allowed to be issued the working holiday visa one time.
When will the changes to the Italy IEC visa come into effect?
The Minister did not specify when exactly the changes would come into effect. However, IEC pools are now closed for the year for ALL countries and ALL programs (working holiday, young professional, international co-op). IEC pools generally reopen in January so we expect that the changes will be in place by that time for 2023 applicants.
Italy—Working Holiday
The Working Holiday category is designed for Italian citizens who wish to find temporary paid employment to pay for their travel in Canada. This program is perfect for Italians who wish to know the culture in Canada and it’s beauty and with the new agreement this is possible now for youth from 18 – 35 years old to work and travel up to 24 months total, if you participate twice
To be eligible for the IEC Working Holiday category from Italy, you must:
be an Italian citizen
have a valid Italian passport for the duration of your stay in Canada
NOTE: Your work permit in Canada can’t be valid longer than your passport
prove you’re a resident of Italy when you apply
This means you must give either a residential or mailing address in Italy
be between the ages of 18 and 35 (inclusive)
have a minimum of CAN$2,500 to help cover your expenses in Canada
have health insurance for the duration of your stay as a worker
You may have to present evidence of this insurance when you enter Canada
not be inadmissible to Canada
have, before departure, a round-trip ticket or demonstrate that you’ll have the financial resources to purchase a departure ticket at the end of your authorized stay in Canada
not be accompanied by dependents
pay the fees
Note: If you have dual citizenship you can participate in the program under each citizenship.
To be eligible for a working holiday visa as a dual citizen, you need to:
be a citizen of the participating country
have a valid passport issued by the participating country
meet all of the eligibility criteria for this country, and
provide a letter of explanation in your work permit application that says
you are a dual citizen
your other work permit is under your other country of citizenship.
Note: The cost of living varies depending on where you decide to settle in Canada. Prepare financially by finding out how much it costs to live in the city and province or territory where you plan to stay.
There are 3 different kinds of work and travel experiences available:
Working Holiday
Young Professionals
International Co-op (Internship)
If you’re a citizen of a partner country, you may be able to apply to one or more of these 3 categories.
If you aren’t a citizen of a partner country, you may still be able to apply to IEC through a recognized organization.
Rounds of invitations – International Experience Canada
2022 IEC season is closed
The pools for the 2022 season are closed. This means that if you have not submitted your profile into the IEC pool yet for 2022, you can no longer do so until the pools reopen next year.
If you have already received an ITA, you can still submit your work permit application. However, your profile will be removed from the pools if you do not receive an ITA for the 2022 season. If this happens, you can create a new profile when the pools reopen for the next season. Your account and GCkey are still valid. You will not have to create a new account or sign-up for a new GCkey.
Eligible candidates are regularly invited from the IEC pools to apply for a work permit which are called rounds of invitations and the number of candidates called varies through each round. Rounds will take place until there are no more spots available or the season for that year closes.
One IEC profile in multiple pools
You can only have 1 IEC profile at any time. However, you can be eligible for more than 1 IEC pool which means you can have your profile in multiple different pools. You know which pools are available when you complete your profile.
The available pools and the Invitations to Apply are issued in the following order:
International Co-op (Internship)
Young Professionals
Working Holiday
Facts – IEC Working Holiday between Italy and Canada
A fact which is widely known in both Canada and Italy is that they have strong historical ties as there are more than 1.5 million Canadians able to claim Italian ancestry or about 3.9 per cent of Canada’s population of 37.7 million. This agreement won’t just be good for the young people of the both countries but it will also be good for the strong relationship these two countries have.
Contact us if you need help to apply for your working holiday visa, or to discuss how to apply for Canadian PR once you have your work permit.
If you don’t have a parent who is a Canadian citizen (which is truly the easiest way to move to Canada), then having work experience in a skilled profession is the next best thing.
The Express Entry system allows people with managerial, professional, or technical job experience to apply for permanent residence (PR) in Canada. To apply for permanent residence in Canada, applicants are evaluated and given points under several selection factors:
Work Experience
To be eligible for Express Entry, you need to have a minimum of 1 year of skilled work experience. Under Canada’s National Occupation Classification (NOC), at least one year of work experience must be listed under NOC 0, NOC A, or NOC B.
Examples of eligible jobs include:
NOC 0 – Managerial Jobs
NOC A – Professional Jobs
NOC B – Technical Jobs and Skilled Trades
Advertising, Marketing, PR Managers – NOC 0124
Registered Nurse – NOC 3012
Food Service Supervisor – NOC 6311
Retail Manager – NOC 0621
Physician – NOC 3112
Graphic Designers and Illustrators – NOC 5241
Financial Manager – NOC 0111
Civil Engineer – NOC 2131
Administrative Assistant – NOC 1241
Managers in Healthcare – NOC 0311
Software Engineers and Designers – NOC 2173
Plumber – NOC 7251
Library, Archive, Museum, Art Gallery Managers – NOC 0511
Paralegal – NOC 4211
Electrician – NOC 7241
Recreation, Sports and Fitness program directors and Managers – NOC 0513
Secondary School Teachers – NOC 4031
Tilesetter – NOC 7283
Corporate Sales Managers – NOC 0601
Veterinarian – NOC 3114
Cook – NOC 6322
The more work experience you have in a skilled job or job(s), the more points you receive.
Education
Depending on the category you are using to apply for PR through Express Entry, there may be no minimum educational requirement or a high school diploma may be required.
Language Ability
The official languages of Canada are English and French. To be eligible for Express Entry, you need to meet a minimum level of proficiency with either language. You will also receive extra points if you have proficiency with both languages.
Age
Applicants for Express Entry must be at least 18 years old. There is no maximum age to apply, but the most points are awarded to people who are aged 18 – 35 at the time of the application. Points are awarded to applicants through age 46.
Job Offer in Canada
Additional points are also awarded if you have an eligible job offer in Canada.
Adaptability
You can also receive points based on your ability to adapt to life in Canada. Adaptability points can come from:
Your spouse or common-law partner’s English or French language ability
Other relatives you or your spouse/partner have in Canada
Education completed in Canada
Work experience in Canada by you or your spouse/partner
Having Arranged Employment in Canada
Express Entry Application Process from the US
Express Entry applications have two parts: a profile and an application for permanent residence.
The first step is to submit the profile to the government of Canada. The second step is to submit the application for permanent residence once you have received the invitation to apply from the Canadian government. All parts of the application are submitted online – no paper documents are required.
All applicants for Express Entry (EE) are allowed to bring their family members such as spouse, common-law partner, and dependent children up to age 21. All family members will also be required to undergo a medical exam as part of the application process.
Applicants are allowed to apply for Express Entry on their own, or they can also use a representative to assist them. Regulated Canadian Immigration Consultants and immigration lawyers are both allowed to represent clients with their Express Entry applications.
Immigration Options from the United States
Besides Express Entry, there are other options for immigrating to Canada from the US.
Police Certificate Update on the Spousal Sponsorship Document Checklist
The document checklist that guides applicants on their Spousal Sponsorship Permanent Residence Application outlines the rules for providing a police clearance so that the applicant can prove they do not have any criminal charges. However, the countries that the applicant needs to provide a police clearance for have very recently changed.
Previously, the applicant only had to provide a police certificate from:
The country where they currently live, if they have been there for 6 months or more AND
The country where they have lived most of their life since the age of 18
Since the new updates, the principal applicant and family must provide a police certificate from every country other than Canada where they have spent 6 or more months in a row since the age of 18.
This is the NEW document checklist for police certificate and clearances
This is the OLD document checklist for police certificate and clearances
So that means if you have lived in multiple countries since the age of 18, or some of your family members have lived in different countries over the age of 18 for more than 6 months, you have to ask the authorities to give you a police certificate which will prove that you have no criminal record so the immigration officers know that you pose no threat to Canada.
Interestingly, this was the rule for providing police clearances for sponsorship applications for many years. The procedure only changed just a few years ago, and now it has changed back. This type of change and then reversion to previous rules is common in Canadian immigration.
NOTE: If the applicant has lived in Canada for the last six months or Canada is the country where you lived most of their life, you don’t have to provide a police certificate – IRCC will get the information directly from Canadian police agencies.
Who is required to provide a police clearance?
The principal applicant and the family members 18 or older who are not Canadian citizens or permanent residents must submit police certificates.
Why do I need to provide a police clearance?
The police certificate is needed when you apply to become a permanent resident or a Canadian citizen, in this case it is the sponsorship application, for the government to check if you have a criminal record and to help the immigration officers make sure you are not a security risk to Canada.
If someone has ever had any contact with police in a criminal context whatsoever, such as
Arrest
Detention
Being charged with a crime
Being convicted of a crime
They may be inadmissible to Canada, which means they are not allowed to enter or remain in the country. Inadmissibility is grounds for the refusal of any Canadian visa or permit.
You may need a criminal and security check if you are coming to Canada as a live-in caregiver, tourist, student, or temporary worker. If you are applying for permanent residence, you must have one done. If your certificate is in a language other than English or French, it must be translated to be used in your immigration application.
If you have questions about the police clearance requirements for spousal sponsorship, contact us.
A new change allowing international students in Canada to work over 20 hours during instructional periods;
Why this change was implemented;
How this change impacts the financial assessment of a study permit application.
UPDATE: International Students In Canada Are Now Allowed To Work Over 20 Hours Off-Campus
In huge news, The Honourable Sean Fraser, Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship announced on October 7th, 2022 that the 20-hour-per-week cap of off-campus work for international students while class is in session will be removed from November 15, 2022 to December 31, 2023.
From November 15, 2022, until December 31, 2023, international students who are in Canada and who have off-campus work authorization on their study permit will not be restricted by the 20-hour-per-week rule. Foreign nationals who have already submitted a study permit application, as of today, will also be able to benefit from this temporary change, provided their application is approved.
Before this change, international students were limited to work only 20 hours per week off-campus outside of scheduled breaks, such as winter and summer holidays.
NOTE: This change does not apply to every single international student in Canada during that time period, but rather those who already have a study permit or submitted their application as of the day of the announcement, October 7th. Check our table below to see which category you fall into:
International Student Status
Allowed To Work Over 20 Hours Off-Campus While School Is In Session
Study permit allowing off-campus work has already been issued
YES
Study permit has NOT been issued yet, applied for oneon or before October 7th, 2022
YES (Pending Approval of Study Permit)
Study permit has NOT been issued yet, applied for one on or after October 8th, 2022
NO
NOTE: Even if your study permit application was submitted before October 7, 2022, if the application gets refused, you will not be able to benefit from this rule change even if a new application is approved. You would only be able to benefit from this change if you successfully filed for Judicial Review of the refused application and the decision was overturned.
Increased Working Hours Does Not Impact Financial Requirements for a Study Permit
It’s extremely important to keep in mind that the minimum financial requirements that a student must meet in order to be issued a study permit:
(1 year of tuition + minimum $10,000 Canadian Dollars for most countries)
Moreover, these financial requirements must be met by the student WITHOUT working in Canada. The ability to work more hours and earn more money does not have any impact whatsoever on the likelihood of approval of a study permit application – any money a student would make is meant to be used for “funny money” (discretionary spending like nights out, shopping, and coffee). This money is not taken into consideration at when an officer is determining whether to approve or refuse a study permit application because the student and/or their financial supporters are expected to be able to meet this requirement without the student working at all while they are in Canada.
Submitting evidence of meeting only the minimum financial requirement for issuance of a study permit is likely to lead to a refusal of the study permit application.
Why This Change Was Implemented
Currently, there are more than 500,000 international students already in Canada, with that number expected to rise significantly once study permit applications submitted on or before October 7th, 2022 are processed.
Canada has been battling a historic labour shortage, with nearly one million job vacancies spread across all industries. Simultaneously, the unemployment rate is at 5.2% in September, continuing a year that has seen the lowest unemployment rate since the early 1970s.
With this unprecedented economic situation, it is highly beneficial for Canada to allow international students to work extended hours, while international students also have the opportunity to bolster their Canadian work experience.
NOTE: Work experience gained as a student does NOT count toward meeting the minimum work experience eligibility requirement for PR under the Canadian Experience Class.
Contact us if you are planning on submitting a study permit application soon, or your study permit application has been refused.
Canadian Citizenship Oath Swears Allegiance to New King of Canada
Since the announcement of the passing of Queen Elizabeth II – who also served as the Queen of Canada since 1952 – some new citizens-to-be were faced with a dilemma: who do they swear their allegiance to?
Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has yet to make an announcement on how the oath will proceed, but Roberto Rocha – reporter for Investigative Journalism Foundation – gave some insight into how his friend’s ZOOM citizenship ceremony proceeded:
And they ended with “The Queen is dead, long live the king”!
Furthermore, in common law, the Crown is a “corporation sole”, which essentially means that the Queen or King, regardless of who is the current reigning individual, is understood to represent the same position, legally. In short, swearing to the Queen is not “incorrect” and DOES NOT void the legitimacy of someone’s citizenship oath.
The Historical Impact of Queen Elizabeth II in Canada
As the longest-serving monarch of the Commonwealth, Queen Elizabeth II has been an integral part of Canada’s cultural identity. Below are some of the regularities in Canadian life that the Queen saw through or was directly involved with:
The current red and white maple leaf flag that Canadians are so familiar with was officially proclaimed by Queen Elizabeth II on January 28, 1965.
The Order of Canada, which recognizes notable Canadians who have profoundly impacted Canada and the world as a whole, such as Wayne Gretzky, Celine Dion, Terry Fox, Leonard Cohen, and David Suzuki, was established by Queen Elizabeth II on July 1, 1967.
In 1982, Queen Elizabeth II signed the Proclamation of the Constitution Act, which finally gave Canada full sovereignty independent of British Law, and also brought on the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms.
Many know that Queen Elizabeth II is prominently featured on the Canadian $20 bill, but she has been on Canadian bank notes since 1935, when she was just 9-year-old Princess Elizabeth.
As such an integral part of Canada’s history since her accession to the throne in 1952, Queen Elizabeth II has seen the nation through some of its most formative years, and the legacy she left behind will forever leave an imprint on the fabric of Canadian politics, culture, and society.
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