Tag: Express Entry

Recent changes to the Express Entry requirements for the Immigration Medical Examination (IME)

Author: Cassandra Fultz Date: 2022/07/08

Shortly after midnight on July 8, 2022, an email was sent to all candidates with a profile in the Express Entry pool with an update about the immigration medical exam (IME) requirements for Express Entry PR applications:

As of July 7, 2022, if you receive an invitation to apply (ITA), an upfront Immigration Medical Examination (IME) is required as part of your application, whether you are in Canada or outside of Canada. Your family members, must also have their IME results, even if they aren’t coming with you.

What is the change to the IME for Express Entry?

The update advises a change in the requirements effective July 7, 2022 outlining that all applicants for PR through Express Entry and their family members will now need to complete an UP-FRONT medical exam.

Who is impacted by the change?

The update specifies that this requirement to get an up-front medical exam applies to:

All principal applicants
All dependent spouses – accompanying OR non-accompanying
All dependent children – accompanying OR non-accompanying

Do I need a medical exam if I have a profile in the Express Entry pool?

No – only people who have received an Invitation to Apply for PR (ITA) are required to get the medical exam.

Why are family members who are not coming to Canada required to have a medical exam?

It has always been the case under the current Canadian immigration law for every type of PR application that immediate family members of principal applicants for PR must be “examined” as it is called in the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act.

The reason for this examination, which includes both an immigration medical exam (IME), as well as police clearances and background checks for family members age 18 or older, is that family members must be admissible to Canada even if they are not coming to Canada as part of the PR application. The reason for this is that an inadmissible family member can actually make the principal applicant inadmissible to Canada too.

If family members are not examined at the time of the principal applicant’s PR application, they will be deemed not to be family members of the principal applicant and will never be able to be sponsored to Canada as a family member per R117(9)(d) of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Regulations.

What is an up-front immigration medical examination (IME)?

An up-front medical exam is a medical examination done by an IRCC-approved panel physician prior to an application being submitted. For some IRCC applications such as work permits for certain fields and study permits for applicants using the Student Direct Stream, medical exams are required to be submitted with the application. For other types of applications, such as family sponsorships, the medical exam is submitted after the application is submitted – the applicant will receive a request from IRCC to complete the IME.

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Tags: Express Entry

Measures To Support Canada’s Economic Growth And Address The Labour Market Shortage.

Author: Bonnie Tyler Date: 2022/04/22

Measures To Support Canada’s Economic Growth And Address The Labour Market Shortage.

The Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship, Mr. Sean Fraser, announced today new measures to address the labour shortage Canada has been facing since the beginning of the travel restrictions in 2020 and the delay of the overseas processing times in 2021.

The Minister declared[1], “With the economy growing faster than employers can hire new workers, Canada needs to look at every option so that we have the skills and labour needed to fuel our growth”.

Aiming to manage the high inventory, IRCC paused the invitations to apply under the federal skilled streams Canadian Experience Class (CEC), Federal Skilled Worker (FSW), and Federal Skilled Trades (FST), causing the federal skilled inventory to decrease from 111,900 in September of 2021 to 48,000 people in March of 2022.

The good news is the invitations to apply under these streams through Express Entry will finally resume in “early July” and IRCC intends to process the majority of the new applications within the 6-month service standard.

See below the promising TEMPORARY POLICIES that were announced today to enter in force this summer and who will benefit from them:

INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS

Starting in summer 2022, former students who have a Post-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP) that expires between January and December 2022 will be able to extend their open work permit for up to eighteen (18) months.

This policy will benefit about 95,000 post-graduation work permit holders who will have their permits expired within this period.

Canada’s goal with this policy change is to retain talented and skilled International Students that are already integrated into the Canadian labour market to address the labour shortage across the country.

It is essential to mention that this additional extended period of an Open Work Permit will also increase the chances of the interested, talented former students to transition to permanent residence successfully.

Compared with the same period of 2021, in the first quarter of 2022, IRCC has doubled the number of Permanent Resident application decisions welcoming more than 113.000 new permanent residents into Canada.

FOREIGN NATIONALS IN CANADA AS VISITORS

Since August 2020, foreign nationals with visitor status were authorized to apply for an “employer-specific” work permit from inside Canada, and this temporary policy is now extended to February 28, 2023.

EXTENDED PERIOD OF WORK PERMIT FOR PERMANENT RESIDENCE APPLICANTS UNDER THE TR TO PR PATHWAY.

Applicants who are waiting for a decision on their TR to PR (Permanent Residence) application and applying for an open work permit will now be able to extend their work permit validity until December 2024, ensuring that applicants have a valid work permit until the end of their Permanent Residence process. Also applicants will not need to remain in Canada during the process of their applications.

Family members that are still outside Canada but were included in the principal applicant’s Permanent Residence application will be eligible to apply for an open Work Permit to support family reunification.

Ultimately, Canada intends to restore standard Express Entry processing time to retain talented workers and bolster economic growth.

While more details will clarify how these policy changes will be implemented, we can expect a high volume of new applications.

Therefore, persons interested in staying in or coming to Canada as temporary or permanent residents should be prepared and ensure their eligibility to apply under one of the several programs and meet the established requirements.

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Tags: CEC, Express Entry, FST, FSW

Pause on Express Entry FSW and CEC Draws Extended Later into 2022

Author: Cassandra Fultz Date: 2022/01/19

An IRCC internal briefing memo that has been obtained via an Access to Information Act request, states that in December 2020 Invitations to Apply for PR through Express Entry under the FSWP (Federal Skilled Worker Program) were paused due to travel restrictions preventing approved applicants from landing as permanent residents. This pause was extended into 2021 and now 2022 with its end scheduled for January 31, 2022. Now, it seems, IRCC has requested a further pause of Express Entry draws in an attempt to alleviate the severe backlog of applications.

Why Have ITAs Stopped Being Issued?

Whilst this initial pause enabled IRCC to create the TR to PR program (Temporary Resident to Permanent Resident), which helped to support 2021 admissions goals of new permanent residents by increasing the number of Canadian residents who could apply for permanent residence, it hasn’t done anything to help with the accumulation of Express Entry Federal Skilled Worker, Canadian Experience Class, and Federal Skilled Trades applications which are still in process. This has pushed the processing times for these applications way beyond the six month service standard to approximately 20.4 months for FSW applications. The memo predicts that processing times may even increase to 36 months throughout 2022 for FSW.

The memo, although redacted in various sections, also brings to the forefront the CRS (comprehensive Ranking System) and implies that once draws do resume, there are so many people in the pool (over 207,000 at the time this memo was written sometime in late 2021) that the lowest CRS score will be above 500 and remain high once draws begin again. It states that PNP (Provincial Nominee Program) invitations will continue.

What does this mean?

Express Entry ITAs for FSW, CEC, and FST draws will likely remain paused for the foreseeable future.
According to the memo, there are so many applications currently in process, that IRCC could meet their immigration goals through 2023 without inviting anyone to apply through Express Entry for PR until at least July 1, 2022.
The current backlog is so long that even people invited to apply now for PR under the FSW would not even become permanent residents until 2023.
The number of Skilled Workers originally planned to be invited in 2022 (110,000) could be reduced by up to 50%
When draws do resume, the lowest CRS score is expected to stay over 500 for at least 6 months

What is FHS (Federal High Skilled)?

This refers to the grouping of Federal Express Entry programs: Federal Skilled Worker, Canadian Experience Class, Federal Skilled Trades

IRCC Internal Memo Re: Federal Skilled Worker and CEC Draws in 2022

The memorandum addressed to the Deputy Minister and the Associate Deputy Minister is reproduced below – Please note that all emphasis is ours:

[SUBJECT] Managing the Federal High Skilled Inventory – FOR DECISION

The purpose of this memorandum is to seek your decision regarding an extension of the pause on Federal High Skilled Express Entry Rounds from November 1, 2021 to January 31,2022, based on existing large inventories and limited levels space planned for the Federal High Skilled (FHS) streams in 2022
Travel restrictions that were in-place throughout most of 2020 and 2021 have led to the accumulation of a large volume of FHS applications in the processing inventory. This will continue to drive processing times up in excess of the six month service standard.
At this time, the department projects that the inventory under the FHS streams (Federal Skilled Workers, Federal Skilled Trades and Canadian Experience Class) at the end of 2021 will be more than sufficient to meet admissions targets next year, under all of the scenarios currently under consideration in the 2022-2024 Multi-Year Levels Plan.
[REDACTED]

BACKGROUND:

The department has maintained a pause on Federal Skilled Worker (FSW) invitations since December of 2020, due to travel restrictions inhibiting the processing of overseas economic applications. In the spring of 2021, the Department created the Temporary Resident to Permanent Resident Pathway (TR2PR) and invited large numbers of Canadian Experience Class (CEC) candidates, in an effort to support 2021 admissions by increasing the number of Canadian residents who could apply for permanent residence.
This led to significant inventory growth, which will need to be addressed in upcoming years. The inventory buildup has led clients, who previously applied through Express Entry streams, to face processing times in excess of the six month service standard.
The number of FHS [Federal High Skilled] invitations issued from January 1, 2021 to September 20, 2021, will for the most part result in 2021 admissions. However, with the border effectively closed since March 2020 for overseas skilled workers, the FHS inventory grew significantly. In order to achieve the 6 month service standard and respect the FHS levels space planned in 2022, this inventory would need to be reduced by more than half before inviting any new clients to apply.

CURRENT STATUS:

Under current options being explored as part of the 2022-2024 Multi-year Levels Plan (MYLP), FHS is likely to face a significant reduction to accommodate other ministerial and departmental priorities. Under the current options, the FHS admission target could be significantly reduced with some preliminary scenarios seeing decreases by more than 50% of the 110.5k that was allocated in the previous plan. These reductions are due to admissions space required to accommodate the TR2PR stream and the resettlement of Afghan nationals to Canada.
FHS rounds have been paused since September 20th. An estimated 76K FHS persons will be on inventory at the start of 2022, which is significantly higher than what is needed to meet 2021-2023 FHS admission targets, and therefore, no new FHS intake is required for at least the first half of 2022.
FSW processing times are currently at 20.4 months (over three times higher than the service standard), and is expected to continue to grow as older inventory is processed. The FSW processing time is expected to rise to 36 months throughout 2022. For CEC, the processing time is 7.6 months.
Given that existing inventory is sufficient to meet FHS levels space under all scenarios being considered for 2022, any FHS invitations issued between November 1, 2020 and January 31, 2022 will be processed outside of the six month service standard, and will not contribute to 2022 admissions.
The size of the Express Entry pool has grown over the last year. This trend is expected to continue, with the pool growing to approximately 207,000 candidates by the end of 2021, even if invitations to apply are resumed at a modest pace.
Given the current composition of the pool, the minimum Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score necessary to receive an invitation to apply would likely rise above 500 and remain high, regardless of whether invitations are further paused, or resume at a modest pace in the very near term. In both scenarios, the CRS score would likely remain high for approximately six months. Candidates with these scores have very high human capital, but also tend to be very homogenous (high language proficiency, education levels, significant work experience and potential arranged employment).

Huge thanks to immigration lawyer Steven Meurrens who posted this memo via Twitter.

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Tags: CEC, Express Entry, FSW

Education Credential Assessment (ECA) for Express Entry Applications

Author: Muhammad Nawaz Date: 2022/01/12

As a rule, every Express Entry applicant has to have their educational credentials assessed by designated entities. The objective is to have the foreign degree, certification or diploma (your proof of education credential) validated and verified to be equal to a Canadian qualification.

The ECA report and reference must be included in the Express Entry application, and it may be helpful in finding a suitable job in Canada when they land. However, it does not guarantee that:

They will surely get a job in their preferred field of expertise and level; or
Be able to receive a license or certification to practice in a regulated profession.

If an applicant intends to work in a regulated profession, they must seek a license based on the profession and the province/territory they intend to practice in.

Do I need an ECA?

If you have an educational qualification from outside of Canada, you will need to have an ECA from a designated entity to:

Be eligible as the principal applicant for the Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSWP), or
Earn points for education received from outside Canada.

You also earn points for your spouse or common-law partner’s education if they are coming with you to Canada.

I have a Canadian qualification; do I still need an ECA?

If you have a Canadian education certificate, diploma or degree, you do not require to have your education assessed. The objective of the ECA is to assess foreign qualification against a Canadian qualification.

Does all my education get assessed?

The good news is that only your highest level of education needs to get assessed. If you have more than one highest level of education, such as 2 professional certifications, you can gain extra CRS points if both are assessed.

Sometimes though, you may be asked for your secondary education to be assessed. This would happen if the post-secondary education is not equivalent to a Canada credential.

Where do I get my credentials assessed?

You can get your education credentials assessed at one of the followed designated organizations:

Comparative Education Service: University of Toronto School of Continuing Studies
International Credential Assessment Service of Canada
World Education Services
International Qualifications Assessment Service (IQAS)
International Credential Evaluation Service

On completing their assessment, the organization you have chosen will send you a report that tells you what level of Canadian education credential yours is equal to.

If you’re a specialist or family physician, you must get your credentials assessed by the Medical Council of Canada.

If you’re a pharmacist and you need a license to practice your profession at a hospital, long term care facility or at a community pharmacy, you need to have your credentials assessed by the Pharmacy Examining Board of Canada. However, if you do not need a license for your job, for example if you are working with the government or the pharmaceutical industry, you can get your credentials assessed at any of the five organizations mentioned above.

How long is the ECA report valid for?

The ECA report will be accepted as part of your Express Entry application for up to 5 years, from the date of issue, if they were issued on or after April 17, 2013.

Does getting an ECA mean I can practice in a regulated profession?

No, your ECA only provides a form of equivalency for the purposes of applying under the Federal Skilled Worker Program and does not mean that they will be readily recognized in Canada. You will need to go through the process defined by the regulated profession or license issuing authority.

If you plan to work in a regulated profession, you should contact the regulatory authority in the province where you plan to work to find out more about how to get a license.

Can I re-submit my ECA if I’m applying for Express Entry again?

Yes, you can re-submit your ECA if it is still valid, meaning issued within the last 5 years, and still valid when you complete and submit your application.

How much does it cost to have my education assessed, and how long does it take?

For most people, the cost is about CAN$200 plus the cost to have it delivered. Delivery costs depend on how you choose it to be sent, with courier delivery being the most expensive.

The fees for an ECA report and the length of time to get one vary and can change without notice.

If you’re a family or specialist physician, or a pharmacist, the cost will be higher. You will need to contact the professional body that regulates your occupation to find out how much it will cost.

The time to get your education assessed is different for each designated organization or professional body. It can take from a few weeks to a few months.

You may contact the designated organizations directly for the costs and estimated duration of assessment.

Need help with your application? We’re here for you. Contact us today.

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Tags: ECA, Express Entry

Why Is IRCC Not Issuing ITAs for Express Entry?

Author: Cassandra Fultz Date: 2021/12/28

Please note: the views expressed in this blog post are solely opinions based on IRCC documentation and our office’s experience throughout the covid-19 pandemic; this is not legal advice.

Why Is IRCC Not Issuing ITAs for Express Entry?

Since the introduction of Express Entry on January 2015, IRCC has invited hundreds of thousands of skilled immigrants to apply for Permanent Residence in Canada. This is the first time in the nearly 7 year existence of Express Entry there has been such a long gap between invitations under the Canadian Experience Class and Federal Skilled Worker programs.

The last time IRCC sent out invitations to apply for PR under the Canadian Experience Class was September 14, 2021, more than 3 months ago.

The last time IRCC sent out invitations to apply for PR under the Federal Skilled worker program was December 23, 2020 under the “no program specified” category, over 1 year ago.

Why haven’t there been draws?

We are now left with the question of “why is IRCC not inviting skilled workers, even with Canadian work experience?”

Since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, processing times under both categories have been extremely unpredictable, with most applications exceeding the normal 6 month processing time for Express Entry, and increasing to over 12 – 14 months. This is because between December 2020 and September 2021, the number of Express Entry applications in process has nearly doubled from 62,450 to 108,500 according to IRCC themselves.

In September 2021, IRCC released a memo titled “Managing the Federal High Skilled Inventory” to outline a strategy to tackle the backlog of Express Entry application in processing. The memo outlined the reason there have not been Federal Skilled Worker rounds of invitations since December 2020: “travel restrictions”. Because of COVID-19, IRCC has turned their focus to Canadian Experience Class applicants and the creation of the Temporary Resident to Permanent Resident pathway.

The 12 months hiatus IRCC has taken from inviting skilled workers under the Federal Skilled Worker category has not helped the growing backlog. IRCC reported from March 2020 until September 2021, there were over 116,000 Federal Skilled Worker applications awaiting a final decision.

Addressing this extreme backlog is one of IRCC’s top priorities – it makes no sense for them to continue issuing new invitations when there are already over 100,000 applications waiting to be processed.

When Should We Expect Invitations to be Issued?

The IRCC memo went on to explain their plan to issue a round of invitations under the Provincial Nominee Program on September 15, 2021, which they did, and their plan to issue a round of invitations under the Canadian Experience Class on September 16, which they did on September 14. Since this time, there have been no draws under the Canadian Experience class.

At the National Citizenship and Immigration Conference held in Vancouver, BC on October 28-29, 2021, a question was posed to an IRCC representative asking when new draws would be held. IRCC declined to give any type of timeframe whatsoever, leading to speculation at that time (which has proven to be correct) that a new draw would not come until at least the new year in 2022.

As COVD-19 variants, including Omicron, ramp up through the winter months, it is hard to know the effect this will have on Express Entry and specifically if it will be a positive impact for Canadian Experience Class applicants and a negative impact for Federal Skilled Worker hopefuls as it was in 2021.

What can EE Candidates do in the mean time?

With IRCC’s silence on their plans for Express Entry candidates, it is best for anyone who wants to immigrate to Canada through Express Entry prepare for all scenarios. It is of extreme importance, if anyone meets the minimum eligibility for an Express Entry program, they enter a profile into the pool of applicants, no matter their Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score. Let’s not forget less than a year ago IRCC shocked the system and invited 27,000 Canadian Experience Class applicants with a CRS score of 75 or more. IRCC has not indicated this will happen ever again, but keep in mind IRCC gave no notice the first time they drained the Canadian Experience Class pool either. As they say, you can’t win unless you’re in!

The next most important step applicants can take in preparation for Express Entry draws is to ensure all documents are up to date and are not close to expiry. This includes language tests, which must be less than 2 years old and ECA reports, which must be less than 5 years old, at the time of submission, not just when the Invitation to Apply is received. It is also important for the applicant to keep their passport up to date as well.

The Upside

Applicants should keep in mind every day that passes without a round of invitations, the processing of applications that have already been submitted continues on and the backlog gets smaller. The more IRCC digs themselves out of the immense backlog, the sooner a round of invitations can be expected. IRCC has made zero indication the Express Entry program is going to change or be eliminated any time soon. This lull in invites is simply to help combat their internal backlog of applications and their attempt to contribute to the elimination of the COIVD-19 pandemic by stopping the movement of people from their home countries to Canada.

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Tags: Express Entry

Letter of Employment Requirements for Express Entry Applications

Author: Cassandra Fultz Date: 2021/11/22

A Letter of Employment to prove your work experience is a required document for all 3 streams for permanent residence in Canada under Express Entry, including:

Federal Skilled Worker
Canadian Experience Class
Federal Skilled Trades

There are many applications that require an applicant to provide a letter of employment – from economic and family class, to work permits, study permits, visitor visa applications and beyond. However, keep in mind that the requirements for letters of employment are not the same for every type of immigration application.

Because each immigration pathway has its own requirements for letters of employment, it is important the applicant always checks the application guide/checklist for the requirements of the letter of employment they need.

Letter of Employment for Express Entry

The letter of employment requirements for Express Entry are very specific. It is extremely important that an applicant obtains a proper letter of employment to avoid an application being refused because the officer does not believe the applicant had the required employment experience for their immigration program.

When submitting a letter of employment for any type of PR application through Express Entry, it is imperative all letters include the following information:

Applicant name
Applicant occupation/job title
Applicant’s Duration of employment
Total weekly hours the applicant worked
The pay [any format is acceptable for hourly/monthly/annual/bonuses/commission] and (if applicable) additional benefits
A minimum of 5-8 of the primary job duties the applicant performed in this role

The letter must also be on company letterhead with complete contact details and must be signed by the employer, stating their designation/position.

Below is a template demonstrating how a letter of employment should look and read:

letter of employment - federal skilled worker - canadian experience class - federal skilled trades - express entry

Letter of Employment Unavailable or Incomplete

In most cases, IRCC is adamant on their requirements for a letter of employment. Sometimes, companies are unwilling or unable to provide employees with a letter of employment to IRCC standards. If an applicant is unable to obtain a letter of employment to IRCC standards, then the applicant is required to prove to IRCC two things.

The applicant has done everything they can to obtain a proper letter of employment.

To prove this, the applicant should first send an email to their employer asking for a letter of employment including all of the IRCC’s required information listed above. If the employer sends a letter of employment missing information needed, the applicant then sends a return email in the same email thread letting the employer know the letter of employment they have provided is not to IRCC standard. It is important to outline to the employer what information is missing. The goal is for the employer to state that it is not possible or against their policy to provide the needed information in the letter.

Even when the company states they cannot provide the letter, it is best for the applicant to continue to press the issue to the company that the letter needs all of the above details. If the employer continues to state they cannot provide the letter. The applicant will then use all of this correspondence in their application to prove to IRCC it was not possible to obtain the letter of employment to IRCC standard.

Provide sufficient supplementary evidence to prove whatever information is missing from the letter of employment.

To prove the same information which was not provided in the letter of employment, the applicant needs to first determine what mandatory information is missing and then provide other documentation of this information. Documents that can be used to help prove employment history include:

Pay stubs/ payslips
Signed employment contract
T4 (Canadian)
Notice of Assessments (Canadian)
Other tax records (foreign)
Job posting from the time you were hired
Information listed on the company website

If using alternative documentation to supplement missing information on a letter of employment, it is best to use as many supplementary pieces of evidence as possible. The applicant should highlight on the documents where the officer can see the missing information, making it as clear as possible for IRCC.

It is also important the applicant understand the decision to accept the letter or employment with missing information with added supplementary documents is ultimately up to the discretion of the officer reviewing their application. The officer holds the ability to accept or deny any application that includes a letter with missing mandatory information.

If IRCC is not satisfied that your documentation proves that you meet the work experience requirement for the PR stream you have been invited to apply under, the application will be refused.

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Tags: Express Entry, letter of employment

Guide to Canadian Language Benchmarks and Language Tests for Express Entry

Author: Cassandra Fultz Date: 2021/03/30

If you saw the Canadian Experience Class (CEC) draw on February 13, 2021 then you know that for the first time ever, the lowest CRS score was 75. This means you have no excuse anymore. It’s anyone’s game. Time to submit your Express Entry (EE) profile!

As you put your profile together, you’ll earn points in the Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS). These points turn your qualifications, experience and a few other things into a simple number that make it possible to rank against different candidates, irrespective of their country of origin.

Some of the points are pretty straight forward (single 22yr old = 110 CRS points, every time). But the language portion can be kind of confusing (IELTS 6.5 and CELPIP 8 reading are both CLB 8). It’s not impossible to understand though. We’ve outlined some important points here that will hopefully help you understand how to understand your language test results and how they influence your CRS score.

Language Tests for Express Entry

Canada has two national languages (English and French). When assessing CRS scores or applying for one of the federal immigration streams for Express Entry, there is no preference of English or French as the Official First Language. All the tests, regardless of language, assess the same four abilities: Speaking, Listening, Reading, and Writing. The tests take multiple hours to complete and in some cases can require multiple sessions (the speaking portion is occasionally booked separately). For people skilled enough to be bilingual, the highest test score is considered to be their First Official Language. Having a score above a CLB/NCLC 5 in the second language can earn an applicant up to 24 additional CRS points.

The tests are all scored according to their own rubrics but those results have been translated by Canada into corresponding Canada Language Benchmark (CLB)/ Niveaux de Compétence Linguistique Canadien (NCLC) scores.

English Language Tests for Express Entry

IELTS
CLB Level	Reading	Writing	Listening	Speaking
10	8.0	7.5	8.5	7.5
9	7.0	7	8	7
8	6.5	6.5	7.5	6.5
7	6.0	6	6	6
6	5	5.5	5.5	5.5
5	4	5	5	5
4	3	4	4.5	4.0

IELTS https://www.ielts.org/

The earliest form of the International English Language Testing System (IELTS) was created in the 60s. It was designed for international students who wanted to study in the United Kingdom. Since then, it’s evolved and been modified to better suit a truly international clientele (meaning: they do their best to avoid regional slang). The results are recognized in many English speaking countries and it is likely to be the easiest test to access outside of Canada. Previously, IELTS was an entirely paper-based test. However, some testing centers are being upgraded to administer the computerized version as well.

There are two versions of the IELTS test, General (IELTS-G) and Academic (IELTS-A). For immigration to Canada, be sure to select the General option.

CELPIP
CLB Level	Reading	Writing	Listening	Speaking
10	10	10	10	10
9	9	9	9	9
8	8	8	8	8
7	7	7	7	7
6	6	6	6	6
5	5	5	5	5
4	4	4	4	4

CELPIP https://www.celpip.ca/

The Canadian English Language Proficiency Index Program (CELPIP) test was tailor-made for the purpose of immigrating to Canada. (This is why the results line up so neatly with the CLB scores) The test was designed by Paragon Testing Enterprises, a subsidiary of University of British Colombia. There are a number of testing centers across Canada, however, at present, there are only a handful of international centers. These can be found in select locations within the USA, UAE, Singapore, Philippines, China, and India.

French Language Tests for Express Entry

TCF Canada Equivalency
NCLC Level	Reading	Writing	Listening	Speaking
10	549-699	16-20	549-699	16-20
9	524-548	14-15	523-548	14-15
8	499-523	12-13	503-522	12-13
7	453-498	10-11	458-502	10-11
6	406-452	7-9	398-457	7-9
5	375-405	6	369-397	6
4	342-374	4-5	331-368	4-5

TCF Canada https://www.france-education-international.fr/tcf-canada

Test de connaissance du français pour le Canada (TCF Canada) is a test that is administered by Centre

International d’Etudies Pedagogiques (CIEP). Created in 1945, CIEP is a branch of the French Ministry of National Education in France. It seeks to promote French language education around the world and ensure that French language teachers are appropriately prepared. A number of French language tests are available through CIEP, however, only the TCF Canada is approved by IRCC for immigration to Canada. As an international company, they have locations all over the world. Check their website to find the location nearest to you.

TEF Canada Equivalency
NCLC Level	Reading	Writing	Listening	Speaking
10	263-300	393-450	316-360	393-450
9	248-262	371-392	298-315	371-392
8	233-247	349-370	280-297	349-370
7	207-232	310-348	249-279	310-348
6	181-206	271-309	217-248	271-309
5	151-180	226-270	181-216	226-270
4	121-150	181-225	245-180	181-225

TEF Canada https://www.lefrancaisdesaffaires.fr/tests-diplomes/test-evaluation-francais-tef/tef-canada/

Created in 1958, Le français des affaires is a long-standing pioneer in professional certification and training in French. Their test for immigration to Canada was developed and approved in 2002. TEF tests written before March 1, 2020 are acceptable for immigration purposes. On or after March 1, 2020, only the TEF Canada test is accepted. Testing centers can be found across the world, but not all locations offer the TEF Canada test. Be sure to check their website to locate the office closest to you that offers the TEF Canada test.

For information on which tests are acceptable for immigration to Quebec, please see https://www.immigration-quebec.gouv.qc.ca/en/immigrate-settle/temporary-workers/stay-quebec/application-csq/workers-peq/language-requirements.html

How long are language test results valid for Express Entry applications?

For application for Permanent Residence, test results are only good for 2 years. For Canadian citizenship applications, language test results used previously for your immigration or citizenship application do not expire.

Keep in mind that your Express Entry profile is valid for 12 months, so you should be sure that your results will be valid for the length of the profile’s potential time in the pool. (Although, with any luck you’ll be issued an invitation to apply [ITA] long before the profile expires.) If your results are likely to expire soon, it’s advised that you re-take the test and update your profile with the new results.

When it comes to your results, unfortunately, you can only use the results from one test. You cannot combine the best results from different categories from different attempts at the test.

When you’re instructing the center to deliver your results, be sure to have them sent directly to you. A copy of your results get sent with your completed application. Keep the originals in a safe place, as IRCC may ask for them later.

Which language test for Express Entry is easier?

Honestly, it’s hard to say. All the tests assess the same criteria and Canada has adjusted the scores so that the results are comparable across the different assessments. Individual test takers may find one test easier than another, but that comes down to the individual and can’t reliably be predicted. The best advice we can give is to study as much as you can and do your best on your test day.

Is there a benefit to being assessed in both languages?

Actually, yes, there is! If you have a passable fluency in French or English, it’s definitely worth having it formally assessed. Beyond the bonus CRS points, being able to demonstrate that you’re bilingual may make your profile more attractive in a number of ways. Two Provincial Nomination Programs (PNPs) outside of Quebec target French speakers. As of this writing, both New Brunswick and Ontario PNPs have streams that prioritize applicants who are bilingual. If you receive a provincial nomination, your EE profile gets a game-changing 600 points added to it! After that, you’re all but certain to get an ITA.

Ontario’s Express Entry French-Speaking Skilled Worker stream targets high-skilled workers who have achieved a minimum of NCLC 7 in French and a minimum CLB 6 in English. In most other ways, the program aligns with the Federal Skilled Worker program or the Canadian Experience Class program (applicants decide which criteria they are assessed against). You can learn all about the specifics of the program at: https://www.ontario.ca/page/ontarios-express-entry-french-speaking-skilled-worker-stream

The New Brunswick Strategic Initiative Stream targets “French-speaking workers with the skills, education and work experience to contribute to New Brunswick’s economy, and who are ready to live and work in New Brunswick permanently.” NCLC 5 or higher is required for this program, with no stated minimum CLB score. Eligibility criteria are set in such a way as to make it possible for the most number of people to qualify. If you’re considering calling New Brunswick home, have a look at their website and see if you meet the other eligibility criteria: https://www.welcomenb.ca/content/dam/wel-bien/pdf/strategic_initiative_guide-e.pdf

But let’s say you’ve got your heart set on living in British Colombia and they don’t have a French-speaker stream. Is there still a benefit for you to take that second test? Again, yes! In those cases, in addition to the extra CRS points, being able to demonstrate a proficiency in French will certainly make you a more appealing applicant when applying for jobs. If you can get your prospective employer to support your PR application with an LMIA supported job offer, you there’s a chance you could earn upwards of 50 additional points for your CRS application.

It’s only to your benefit to have even your middling abilities formally assessed and included in your profile.

What about people with a disability? Is there any accommodation available for an Express Entry language test?

If a physical or mental disability is preventing you from completing a section of the test, IRCC has a tool on their website that can help you determine what score to put in the missing field. You’ll need to include a letter explaining why one of the scores was not assessed in your results. To find the tool and a template for the letter to include with the results, see: https://www.cic.gc.ca/english/immigrate/skilled/language-tool.asp

It is also possible to be granted accommodations by the test administrators when taking the language test. Common reasons for accommodations include dyslexia, hearing impairment, visual impairment, and others.

Express Entry Language Test Usage

The CLB score is used on the EE profile twice. First in the language category, then, if it’s above a CLB 7, it can earn you more points under the Skills Transferability Factors which can help you earn up to 100 extra points.

The CLB score also comes into play when applying for different Federal and Provincial programs. For some programs it contributes to an over-all score (similar to the CRS) and for others programs it’s a minimum that needs to be met.

For many people, their language score is the fastest way to improve their overall CRS score. Getting a degree or additional experience can take years. However, improving your language score can be achieved with several weeks of studying alone or with the help of classes or a tutor and then retaking the test.

Hopefully this has helped you to better understand how your language score can help you get an invitation to apply (ITA).

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https://www.canada.ca/content/dam/ircc/migration/ircc/english/pdf/pub/language-benchmarks.pdf

https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/corporate/publications-manuals/operational-bulletins-manuals/standard-requirements/language-requirements/test-equivalency-charts.html

https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/immigrate-canada/express-entry/documents/language-requirements/language-testing.html

Tags: clb, Express Entry

How To Retire In Canada From The US Or Abroad

Author: Cassandra Fultz Date: 2020/11/03

You did it! You made it to retirement! After all the years of hard work, dedication, and saving, the time has finally come. Deciding where to spend your time during your retirement is not a decision to be taken lightly. Canada can be seen as a new adventure for many Americans during their retirement. Here are some ways retired Americans can spend their days in the true north.

Temporary Residents (Visitors)

U.S. citizens are able to cross in and out of Canada with only a passport. Americans can stay in Canada for 6 months at a time once they enter, unless CBSA (Canadian border officers) advise otherwise. While inside Canada, Americans can purchase or lease property, open accounts for household bills, have private insurance accepted by Canadian doctors and do certain types of volunteer work in the community. Some provinces, such as Ontario, even allow visitors to Canada to obtain a provincial photo ID card to use as photo ID accepted in Canada. Some banks also offer options for Americans.

In the past few years, Canada has seen a trend of “reverse snowbirds,” or Americans who spend half of their time in Canada and the other half back home in the US.

As visitors, Americans are not allowed to work, and are only allowed to take an educational course less than 6 months long which would finish by the time they were supposed to leave Canada as directed by CBSA.

If you are an American visiting Canada and you want to stay longer than the usual 6 months, then you do not need to return to the US and then re-enter Canada. Instead, you can apply to extend your status as a visitor from within Canada. As long as you submit your application before your status expires, then you continue to have legal status known as implied status.

Get Sponsored For Permanent Residence

Canada’s immigration system is geared toward younger individuals making a new life in Canada, and then contributing their tax dollars for the majority of their lives. If an American retiree has a child or grandchild that has used many of the other immigration streams widely available to them to make a permanent home in Canada, the child or grandchild is able to sponsor their parent or grandparent for permanent residence in Canada.

The requirements for the child or grandchild are simple. They must:

Be at least 18 years old
Live in Canada
Be a Canadian citizen or permanent resident
Be able to prove they meet the minimum financial and other requirements to be a sponsor

First, sponsors have to prove that they meet the above requirements. Then, the individuals being sponsored, have to prove that they are the relatives of the sponsor and are admissible to Canada (do not have medical problems which would constitute excessive burden on the healthcare system, and do not have criminal convictions). The applications take approximately two years to process once they are submitted. Just remember, the sponsor will be financially responsible for their parent or grandparent for the next 20 years if they sponsor them to Canada.

The parental and grandparental sponsorship lottery is now closed for 2020. However, it will reopen in 2021 with a cap of 30,000 applications, up from 10,000 in 2020.

Come out of retirement!

Coming out of retirement is just as big of a decision as going into retirement, but if the retiree makes the choice to go back into the work force, then the economic immigration streams are now open to them.

Start-up Visa for Business Owners

There are Canadian investors from designated organizations who want to invest their money in startups in Canada with foreign ownership. These investors must meet a minimum investment requirement to invest in the foreign business. Once the Canadian investor has found a foreign business they would like to invest in, they must have a commitment certificate and a letter of support for the foreign business. Once the Canadian investor does their portion of the application process, the foreign business owner can apply to become a permanent resident. The foreign business owner must send their application before the commitment certificate expires and include it in their application along with the letter of support. The great news is, once the permanent residence application is in process, the foreign business owner can apply for a temporary work permit in Canada.

Self-Employed Individuals

Self-employed individuals who work in athletic or cultural activities who will contribute to the enrichment of Canada’s culture or athletic scene can apply to become a permanent resident in Canada. While the definition of the program might sound vague and simple, there are strict requirements to prove the self-employed person’s true ability to provide entertainment for Canadians.

The applicant must be truly self-employed and have their abilities be recognized by the world, such as a professional athlete, actor, social media influencer, dancer, artist, or writer. The applicant must have a minimum of 2 years of experience in their field but will also be assessed on experience over the minimum two years, as well as their education, age, English or French language abilities, and their ability to adapt to life in Canada. The applicant will also have to pass medical examinations and police checks.

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Canada welcomes Americans with open arms. Contact us to see which is the best way for you to retire in Canada.

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Tags: Express Entry, sponsorship, usa, Visitor Status

Service Canada Reopening To PR Applicants For Biometrics

Author: Cassandra Fultz Date: 2020/09/15

Amazing news for PR applicants – As of September 15, 2020, Service Canada centres are gradually resuming biometrics collection services for PR applicants who have received a biometric instruction letter.

How To Give Biometrics

You can ONLY give Biometrics at Service Canada if you are a PR applicant AND
You have received a biometric instruction letter (telling you to provide biometrics) AND
An Officer calls you to schedule an appointment for you to give your biometrics at Service Canada

You cannot provide your biometrics inside Canada until an officer calls you to schedule an appointment.

Do not go to the port of entry (Canadian border) to provide biometrics
Do not call the Service Canada call centre
Biometrics collection centres outside Canada are also opening gradually – check the VAC nearest you to see if they are open if you are outside Canada

How Soon Can You Give Biometrics?

Service Canada is calling people to give biometrics based on two factors:

How long ago they applied for PR
Where they live

Those who have been waiting the longest will be contacted first. Applicants who live in a highly populated area such as greater Toronto or Vancouver will take longer to receive an appointment based on how many applicants need to give biometrics.

What Happens When Service Canada Calls?

When Service Canada calls you, you will have to provide them with the following information:

Your IRCC application number (located on your biometrics instruction letter)
Preferred appointment location
Preferred appointment time based on availability.

If you applied for PR using an immigration consultant or lawyer, and their phone number is listed with IRCC as the phone number on file for the application, Service Canada will call your consultant or lawyer rather than calling you directly. You can update or change the phone number on file with IRCC by submitting a Case Specific Enquiry webform.

Who Has To Give Biometrics?

Inside Canada, only applicants for PR are currently required to give biometrics. Applicants for temporary residence such as a work or study permit are still exempt from giving biometrics.

Deadlines to provide biometrics have been extended indefinitely – regardless of the deadline on a biometrics instruction letter, no application for PR will be refused due to the applicant’s inability to provide biometrics by that deadline regardless of whether it is 30 or 90 days.

Who Cannot Give Biometrics?

The following individuals will not be allowed to give biometrics:

symptoms of COVID-19, including a fever, a cough or difficulty breathing
had contact with a confirmed case of COVID-19 in the past 14 days
been instructed by local public health authorities to self-isolate due to travel or contact history

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Tags: covid-19, Express Entry, PR, sponsorship

Lowest Express Entry Score in 16 months: 440 for CEC!! Don’t Wait, Act Now!

Author: Anthony Doherty Date: 2020/05/28

On May 28th, 2020, we saw the lowest CRS score regarding Invitations to Apply (ITA) since January 30th, 2019 via the Express Entry system. Immigration, Refugee and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) issued 3515 ITAs only for applicants who are eligible under the Canadian Experience Class (CEC). The CRS points of the lowest candidate invited was 440! Yes, I will say it again, 440!

This comes as great news to many applicants who have been disheartened by the ever-increasing CRS score over the last 20 months.

Why are the CRS Points Continuing to Drop?

There are several reasons why the CRS score has continued to drop during the global pandemic. As many of the education assessment credential organizations have either temporarily closed or are operating at a reduced capacity, potential candidates who would normally have a CRS score between 450 – 475, are unable to have their credentials evaluated, therefore they are unable to create an express entry profile and enter into the pool

Furthermore, as the majority of CELPIP and IELTS test centers are temporary closed, this also means that candidates who would expect a high CRS score cannot take a language proficiency exam, therefore they cannot create an Express Entry profile and enter into the pool.

Another important reason why the CRS points have dropped significantly is that IRCC have temporarily paused issuing ITAs under the Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSW).

What Does This Mean For Me?

During the last two years, many applicants who are eligible for the Canadian Experience Class but did not have enough CRS points to receive an invitation, have since left Canada as their status had come to an end. Many of these people have CRS scores ranging from 430-450, and DID NOT submit a profile and/or renew their profile as they thought it was a lost cause.

You do not need to be physically present in Canada or working in Canada to apply under the Canadian Experience Class if you are eligible. Furthermore, if your one year of Canadian work experience in a skilled occupation was within the last THREE years, YOU ARE STILL ELIGIBLE TO APPLY UNDER THE CEC, as long as you meet the other eligibility criteria under the program.

So this means, that if you had at least 1 year of qualifying Canadian experience within the last three years AND you took your language proficiency exam within the last two years, but you did not have enough points to receive an ITA and have since left Canada, there has never been a better opportunity to receive an Invitation to apply for permanent residence by submitting an Express Entry Profile.

What Do I Do Next?

If you think that you’re one of these people, we highly recommend that you submit an Express Entry profile immediately because as soon as the language test centers reopen, ECA organizations resume normal service standards AND IRCC resume issuing ITAs under the FSW program, the CRS points will inevitably increase again.

The Time to Act is Now!

Please contact us to schedule a consultation to assess whether you are eligible and have remained eligible under the Canadian Experience Class.

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Tags: Canadian Experience Class, Express Entry, Express Entry Draw

What is the change to the IME for Express Entry?

Who is impacted by the change?

Do I need a medical exam if I have a profile in the Express Entry pool?

Why are family members who are not coming to Canada required to have a medical exam?

What is an up-front immigration medical examination (IME)?

Measures To Support Canada’s Economic Growth And Address The Labour Market Shortage.

Why Have ITAs Stopped Being Issued?

What does this mean?

What is FHS (Federal High Skilled)?

IRCC Internal Memo Re: Federal Skilled Worker and CEC Draws in 2022

Do I need an ECA?

I have a Canadian qualification; do I still need an ECA?

Does all my education get assessed?

Where do I get my credentials assessed?

How long is the ECA report valid for?

Does getting an ECA mean I can practice in a regulated profession?

Can I re-submit my ECA if I’m applying for Express Entry again?

How much does it cost to have my education assessed, and how long does it take?

Need help with your application? We’re here for you. Contact us today.

Why Is IRCC Not Issuing ITAs for Express Entry?

Why haven’t there been draws?

Addressing this extreme backlog is one of IRCC’s top priorities – it makes no sense for them to continue issuing new invitations when there are already over 100,000 applications waiting to be processed.

When Should We Expect Invitations to be Issued?

What can EE Candidates do in the mean time?

The Upside

Letter of Employment for Express Entry

Letter of Employment Unavailable or Incomplete

The applicant has done everything they can to obtain a proper letter of employment.

Provide sufficient supplementary evidence to prove whatever information is missing from the letter of employment.

Language Tests for Express Entry

English Language Tests for Express Entry

How long are language test results valid for Express Entry applications?

Which language test for Express Entry is easier?

Is there a benefit to being assessed in both languages?

What about people with a disability? Is there any accommodation available for an Express Entry language test?

Express Entry Language Test Usage

Temporary Residents (Visitors)

Get Sponsored For Permanent Residence

Come out of retirement!

Start-up Visa for Business Owners

Self-Employed Individuals

How To Give Biometrics

How Soon Can You Give Biometrics?

What Happens When Service Canada Calls?

Who Has To Give Biometrics?

Who Cannot Give Biometrics?

Why are the CRS Points Continuing to Drop?

What Does This Mean For Me?

What Do I Do Next?

The Time to Act is Now!

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