Candidates in the Express Entry pool for immigration to Canada with 440 or more Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) points have been invited to apply for Canadian permanent residence in the July 12 Express Entry draw. A total of 3,202 candidates were invited this time around.   The CRS cut-off threshold has decreased by nine points since the previous draw, which took place on June 28.

Federal and provincial political leaders in Canada meeting in Newfoundland have said that the Atlantic Immigration Pilot Program (AIPP) is working. More than 200 candidates have been endorsed to apply for Canadian permanent residence since the program opened to receive applications in March.   In addition, more than 400 employers in the region have attained designated status, allowing them to recruit through the AIPP.   These figures came out following a meeting in Steady Brook, Newfoundland, in which officials also discussed new initiatives to drive tourism i...

On the morning of July 5, the Canadian province of Nova Scotia reopened a popular category of its Nova Scotia Demand: Express Entry immigration stream. Through this stream, eligible candidates in the Express Entry pool may apply for a provincial nomination through the Nova Scotia Nominee Program (NSNP), one of Canada’s Provincial Nominee Programs (PNPs).     However, the intake period that began on July 5 closed within hours, showing the popularity of the this NSNP stream. As the most recent intake period indicates, the intake for this stream is capable of being re...

A range of candidates in the Express Entry pool who have work experience in one of many Information and Communications Technology (ICT) occupations were prioritized by the province of Ontario under a new initiative that began on June 26. Now, Ontario has clarified which candidates have been targeted for selection by the province.   Under this initiative, Ontario searched the Express Entry pool specifically for ICT workers under the Express Entry-aligned Human Capital Priorities (HCP) stream, part of the Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program (OINP).   Candidates wi...

A total of 3,409 candidates for immigration to Canada have received an Invitation to Apply (ITA) in the latest Express Entry draw, which took place on June 28, 2017. Candidates in the Express Entry pool with a Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score of 449 or higher are now in a position to submit an application for permanent residence to Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC).   This is the first draw to occur since recent improvements to the CRS, which came into effect on June 6, introduced additional points for candidates with a sibling in Canada. Candi...

Candidates in the Express Entry pool for immigration to Canada with work experience in the Information and Communications Technology Sector (ICT) are being prioritized for immigration by the province of Ontario, under a new strategy implemented for the week beginning June 26.   The update to the Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program (OINP) concerns the Human Capital Priorities (HCP) Stream, which is aligned with the federal Express Entry immigration selection system.   Whereas until this point Ontario searched the Express Entry pool and issued Notifications of Int...

Levels of immigration to Canada will not dip below 300,000 new arrivals per year, Canada’s Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship, Ahmed Hussen, has confirmed. The period of July 2015 to July 2016 saw a historic high of 320,932 new arrivals to Canada. The target for 2017 has been set at 300,000, a figure Hussen called “the baseline for admissions going forward.”   “Although we don’t know what next year’s levels will be, I can tell you they will not be below 300,000,” he said, adding that, “Notably the 2017 300,000 landings plan increased the share of economic...

Recent months have seen a consistent trend of Express Entry draws occurring every two weeks on Wednesday morning. Following the previous draw on May 31, 2017, candidates in the Express Entry pool may have expected a further draw on the morning of June 14. As of the time of writing, no such draw has occurred — but candidates may be encouraged by the explanation from Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) as to why the next draw may occur later than candidates may have expected.   On June 6, 2017, IRCC introduced further improvements to the Comprehensive Rank...

Manitoba, Saskatchewan, British Columbia (BC), and Alberta have all seen significant activity in their Provincial Nominee Programs (PNPs) in recent weeks, as more than 2,500 individuals have either submitted an application for a provincial nomination certificate, or have been invited to do so.   The past month has seen the following PNP events take place.   After two months of inactivity in its Skilled Worker categories, the Manitoba Provincial Nominee Program (MPNP) recently issued more than 600 Letters of Advice to Apply (LAA) for provincial nomination to in...

The Global Talent Stream (GTS), a fast-track stream of the Temporary Foreign Worker Program (TFWP), has launched as of June 12, establishing a two-week standard for the processing of work permit applications for highly skilled occupations. The two categories of the GTS target high-growth companies, and workers in identified in-demand occupations.   As part of Canada’s Global Skills Strategy, the Global Talent Stream enables prioritized processing of applications for work permits in high-demand occupations requiring the specialized talent of global workers. The governmen...