Syed Khan – 13 September 2021,

As Canada’s economy picks up again after the pandemic, restaurateurs facing labor shortages are hiring international students and temporary foreign workers to bring down the shortages. The industry association of Restaurants Canada has called upon the Ottawa government to make it easier for establishments to hire immigrants. With the country currently in the middle of a federal election campaign, Restaurants Canada is urging all the political parties to prioritize and resolve this labor shortage.

Restaurants Canada has proposed a National Foodservice Labour Development Strategy, which includes:

• The addition of a foodservice stream into the Temporary Foreign Worker Program to address seasonal and long-term labor shortages
• Redesigning the national occupational classification structure to expand categories of positions that foodservice employers can use the TFWP to help fill, as well as a lower administrative burden on small businesses who use the TFWP.
• Extension of the work visas to 12 months and suspension of fees until 2022
• Supporting the extensions and development of impactful labor pilot programs, such as the Alberta Foodservice Labour Connections and Atlantic Immigration Program.
• Increasing the federal funding to ensure efficient processing of immigration applications, reducing wait times, administrative burdens, and for increasing information-sharing between sponsors

In the statistics of the latest Labour Force Survey data from Statistics Canada, almost 800,000 restaurant workers lost their jobs or had their hours reduced to zero during lockdown last year. A large percent of them have since then found other employment and are no longer available for restaurants to re-hire. Almost 80 percent of restaurateurs are having trouble hiring kitchen staff and 67 percent are having difficulty finding servers and staff to bus tables.

Quotes from the association members:

“Restaurants are key to bringing Canadians back to work, but precarious conditions over the past 18-plus months have created unprecedented hiring challenges. As Canada’s fourth-largest private-sector employer, typically employing 1.2 million people, the hard-hit foodservice industry deserves a plan to recover remaining pandemic job losses and avoid a long-term labor crisis,” says Todd Barclay, president and chief executive officer of the industry association Restaurants Canada.

If you are looking to Study, Work, Visit or Migrate to Canada, talk to I Can Help Immigration Services, Canada’s No.1 Immigration & Visa Company to get the best help you need

Syed Khan – 12 September 2021,

For visitors, travelers, temporary workers and international students going to Canada temporarily, the TRV (Temporary Resident Visa) is the best option unless they are a citizen of a country that is on the visa exemption list.

These TRV’s allow its holder to stay in Canada for six months at a time and can be used for multiple entries. Determining by a case-to-case basis, temporary foreign workers and international students are also admitted for varying periods of time. Holders of TRV’s can also apply for extensions from within Canada.

Important to note:

However, it is important to note that the possession of a valid TRV does not necessarily mean entry into Canada as officials will reject admission to all visitors who, in their opinion, do not intend to leave Canada at the expiry of their visitor status. At the Port of Entry, all visitors/holders of TRV’s must prove to the officer in charge that their visit to Canada is of a temporary nature.

Latest announcement:

In the latest update by the IRCC, certain travelers who submitted their applications before September 7 are being asked to reapply. The IRCC has sent out instructions to people who still wish to travel to Canada to send in a new application via the portal. Applicants need to include the up-to-date information and your previous application number if possible. If the applicants no longer wish to travel to Canada they can request to withdraw the application via the web form. However, there is no guarantee that IRCC will refund applicants.

The government website says the new measure was created “to reflect the easing of border measures effective September 7, 2021.”

Applicants need to reapply if they specifically wish to travel to Canada due to the following reasons:

• to reunite with family members in Canada, including permanent and temporary residents
• for compassionate reasons such as attending a funeral, being present during the final moments of a loved one’s life, and providing care to a critically ill person
• to visit on business
• to assume a position as a diplomat, or to travel as an accompanying immediate family member
• to join a vessel as a marine crew member
• to handle the affairs of a victim of Ukraine International Airlines Flight PS752.

Quote by the IRCC on its website:

“By submitting a new application, your previous visitor visa application will be withdrawn, there is no guarantee of a refund, and you won’t receive a letter to confirm that your application has been withdrawn.”

If you are looking to Study, Work, Visit or Migrate to Canada, talk to I Can Help Immigration Services, Canada’s No.1 Immigration & Visa Company to get the best help you need

Syed Khan – 10 September 2021,

The Canadian job market took a major leap in the month of August as unemployment reached the lowest it has been before the COVID-19 pandemic struck.

In the latest statistical report titled, the Statistics Canada Labour Market Survey, the job market recorded an unemployment rate of 7.1 percent, which was almost 0.4 percentage points less than July, as Canada’s economic recovery continued.

Job vacancies in food services as the lockdown was eased, drove up the number of job vacancies in Canada. There was an approximate total of 815,800 job openings, which is a 22 percent increase from the previous months. The majority of these openings were in service sectors. Among all the provinces, British Columbia and Quebec had the highest job vacancy rates. Manitoba and Nova Scotia had the lowest vacancies available.

The gains were concentrated in full-time work, where 69,000 jobs were added. As the rate of unemployment fell, employment percentages rose with Canada adding 90,200 jobs to move within 99.2 percent of its February 2020 level.

According to the statistics, employment for men in the age group 25 to 54 increased by 24,000 jobs but stayed the same for women of similar ages. Meanwhile, people aged 55 and older saw employment rise by 28,000 jobs, while young people aged 15 to 24 saw employment rise by 22,000 jobs.

If you are looking to Study, Work, Visit or Migrate to Canada, talk to I Can Help Immigration Services, Canada’s No.1 Immigration & Visa Company to get the best help you need

Syed Khan – 10 September 2021,

In the latest announcement, released on 31 August, the Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) said that the temporary COVID-19 policy that allows visitors to get work permits without having to leave the country would be extended until February 28, 2022. The policy is open to any visitor who meets the criteria, including super visa holders, business visitors, and those who entered via a Global Skills Strategy work permit exemption.

Timeline:

1. This policy first came into existence on August 24, 2020, and was limited to only those who arrived in Canada after that date.
2. The first extension was on April 1, 2021. At this time, the IRCC also changed the criteria of the policy to allow visitors with a job offer to apply for an employer-specific work permit, regardless of when they initially entered Canada.
3. IRCC said that in the first 8 months of implimentation of this policy, almost 1,000 people with visitor status applied for a work permit.

In the rules stated as of April 1, 2021, applicants looking to benefit from the policy must have:

• A valid status in Canada as a visitor on the day they apply
• Remained in Canada with valid status
• A valid job offer
• Submit an in-Canada application for an employer-specific work permit which should be supported by a Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) or an LMIA-exempt offer of employment, with the date no later than August 31, 2021.
• Meet all other standard admissibility criteria.

Applicants who meet all the above criteria and hold a valid work permit within the last one year can begin working for their new employer while their work permit application is processed by the IRCC.

Aim of the policy:

The policy has been implemented to help people who are in different situations due to the COVID-19 pandemic, including:

• Employers facing ongoing labor and skills shortages during the pandemic.
• Visitors who have been unable to leave.
• Foreign workers who had to change their status to the visitor because their work permit was expiring and they didn’t have a job offer to be able to apply for a new work permit.

If you are looking to Study, Work, Visit or Migrate to Canada, talk to I Can Help Immigration Services, Canada’s No.1 Immigration & Visa Company to get the best help you need

Syed Khan – 09 September 2021,

Saskatchewan immigration invited 528 candidates to apply through two streams in a new EOI (Expression of Interest) draw.

In the latest draw held on 8 September, called the Saskatchewan Immigrant Nominee Program draw, 212 invitations were sent out to Occupations In-Demand candidates with skills and experience in one of 16 National Occupational Classification (NOC) codes. The minimum score was 66 points which is 4 points lower than the previous draw.

Almost 316 invitations were also sent out to Express Entry candidates with skills and experience in the same NOC codes, with a minimum score of 66 points.

The process to apply is as follows:

• Create and submit the EOI profile
• Enter in the EOI candidate pool
• The Immigration selects the candidates who pass requirements
• Invitations to Apply are then issued via regular draws
• Candidates submit full applications within 60 days
• SINP officials assess applications and make decisions

Requirements for the Occupation in Demand Sub-Category are as follows:

• Score at least 60 points on the SINP points assessment grid
• Having a language score of at least Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) 4. Employers and regulatory bodies may ask for higher
• Have completed one year of post-secondary education, training or apprenticeship comparable to the Canadian education system. You must have earned a diploma, certificate, or degree
• Degrees and diplomas obtained outside Canada subject to an Educational Credential Assessment
• At least one year of work experience in the past 10 years in your field of education or training occupation, and in an eligible occupation in NOC A, B, 0.
• Obtain the appropriate licensure in Saskatchewan if your field so requires, as the authorities will not process an application without the licensure.
• Have proof of settlement funds and a settlement plan.
• Pay a non-refundable $300 application fee online.

Requirements for the Express Entry Sub-Category are as follows:

• Have a profile in the Express Entry Pool, with profile number and job seeker validation code
• Score a minimum of 60 points on the SINP points assessment grid
• Provide valid language test results from a designated testing agency matching those in the Express Entry profile
• Have completed one year of post-secondary education, training or apprenticeship comparable to the Canadian education system. You must have earned a diploma, certificate or degree.
• Degrees and diplomas obtained outside Canada subject to an Educational Credential Assessment
• Have at least one of the following experience requirements in your field of education or training occupation: One year of work experience in the past 10 years in a skilled profession (non-trades) OR Two years of work experience in a skilled trade in the past five years OR One year of work experience in Canada in the past three years (trades and non-trades)
• Have work experience in a high-skilled, eligible occupation in NOC A, B, 0.
• Obtain the appropriate licensure in Saskatchewan where your profession is regulated, or a skilled trade. For skilled trades, a certificate is required from the Saskatchewan Apprenticeship and Trade Certification Commission.
• Have proof of settlement funds and a settlement plan.
• Pay a non-refundable $300 application fee online.

If you are looking to Study, Work, Visit or Migrate to Canada, talk to I Can Help Immigration Services, Canada’s No.1 Immigration & Visa Company to get the best help you need

Syed Khan – 08 August 2021,

The British Columbia immigration issued 34 invitations to skilled workers and international graduates in its latest draw. Candidates were invited through four streams at the September 7 draw with a minimum score of 80 for all the streams.

The four featured streams are:

1. SI – Skilled Worker
2. SI – International Graduate
3. EEBC – Skilled Worker
4. EEBC – International Graduate

BC PNP Tech program is now a permanent immigration stream after it was launched in 2021. These draws are aimed at technology workers to include them in the province’s thriving technology industry with some big names of the tech world basing themselves in Canada’s westernmost province.

Requirements for the BC PNP Tech are as follows:

• Job offer must be for one of the 29 targeted occupations
• Job offer must be for at least one-year duration
• Job offer must be valid for at least 120 days at the time of application

This draw has a list of 29 target occupations with relaxed duration requirements. They are listed down below along with their NOC Code:

2131 – Civil engineers

2132 – Mechanical engineers

2133 – Electrical and electronics engineers

2134 – Chemical engineers

2147 – Computer engineers (except software engineers and designers)

2171 – Information systems analysts and consultants

2172 – Database analysts and data administrators

2173 – Software engineers and designers

2174 – Computer programmers and interactive media developers

2175 – Web designers and developers

2221 – Biological technologists and technicians

0131 – Telecommunication carriers’ managers

0213 – Computer and information systems managers

0512 – Managers – publishing, motion pictures, broadcasting and performing arts

2282 – User support technicians

2283 – Information systems testing technicians

5121 – Authors and writers

5122 – Editors

5125 – Translators, terminologists and interpreters

5224 – Broadcast technicians

5225 – Audio and video recording technicians

2241 – Electrical and electronics engineering technologists and technicians

2242 – Electronic service technicians (household and business equipment)

2243 – Industrial instrument technicians and mechanics

2281 – Computer network technicians

5227 – Support occupations in motion pictures, broadcasting, photography and the performing arts

5226 – Other technical and coordinating occupations in motion pictures, broadcasting, and the performing arts

5241 – Graphic designers and illustrators

6221 – Technical sales specialists – wholesale trade

If you are looking to Study, Work, Visit or Migrate to Canada, talk to I Can Help Immigration Services, Canada’s No.1 Immigration & Visa Company to get the best help you need

Syed Khan – 07 September 2021,

Twelve Alberta mayors have written a public letter calling for Health Minister Tyler Shandro to bring in provincewide COVID-19 vaccine passport rules. Edmonton Mayor Don Iveson, Beaumont Mayor John Stewart, St. Albert Mayor Cathy Heron, Parkland County Mayor Rod Shaigec, Spruce Grove Mayor Stuart Houston, Stony Plain Mayor William Choy, Devon Mayor Ray Ralph and Morinville Mayor Barry Turner, Sturgeon County Mayor Alanna Hnatiw, Strathcona County Mayor Rod Frank, Leduc County Mayor Tanni Doblanko, and City of Leduc Mayor Robert Young in a public letter sent Tuesday, urged the government to bring in the passport.

They state in the letter that these passports are the best way to compel more people to get vaccinated, end the pandemic and fully reopen the economy.

Quotes from the letter addressed to the Health Ministry:

“I think the general public is very, very, almost overwhelmingly in favor of a [vaccine] passport, I think that a passport mechanism provides a much more strong and relevant incentive than $100 payments to people who have held out so far.” said Edmonton Mayor Don Iveson

Other provinces like Ontario, B.C., Quebec, and Manitoba have implemented such passports, thus allowing only vaccinated people to access non-essential services such as bars, restaurants and sporting events.

However, the mayors are pushing for a passport regulation to curb a resurgence of COVID-19 cases that are now threatening to overwhelm the health system. Patients are being transferred and non-elective surgeries are being canceled across the province to deal with the influx that filled intensive care to 95 percent capacity late last week.

Alberta Health Services said ICUs are now at 87 percent capacity.

Alberta recorded more than 1,200 new cases per day over the last weekend.

Measures taken:

On Friday, Mr. Kenney had announced that $100 will be given to anyone who gets their first or second COVID vaccine from now until mid-October. This lead to a 13 percent increase as reported by the AHS.

The provincewide mask mandate was also reintroduced for indoor public spaces and workplaces with school boards to decide their own plans on masking.

If you are looking to Study, Work, Visit or Migrate to Canada, talk to I Can Help Immigration Services, Canada’s No.1 Immigration & Visa Company to get the best help you need

Syed Khan – 06 September 2021,

The Canadian federal government is easing international travel restrictions this week, as starting from Tuesday, fully vaccinated foreign tourists are now being allowed to enter Canada for non-essential purposes.

These international travelers who meet entry conditions will not have to quarantine for 14 days upon their arrival in Canada. However, in the statement by the Greater Toronto Airport Authority, international travelers arriving at Pearson should prepare for the process to take up to three hours or more due to COVID-19 screening measures.

International travelers from many countries had been barred from entering the country since the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic until Canada started relaxing the norms last month.

List of Vaccines accepted:

●        Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine

●        Moderna COVID-19 vaccine

●        AstraZeneca/COVISHIELD COVID-19 vaccine

●        Janssen (Johnson & Johnson) COVID-19 vaccine – single dose

List of Vaccines NOT accepted:

•         Bharat Biotech (Covaxin, BBV152 A, B, C)

•         Sinovac (CoronaVac, PiCoVacc)

•         Vector Institute (EpiVacCorona)

•         Cansino (Convidecia, Ad5-nCoV)

•         Gamalaya (Sputnik V, Gam-Covid-Vac)

•         Sinopharm (BBIBP-CorV, Sinopharm-Wuhan)

Fully vaccinated tourists from India and Morocco can fly to Canada as long as they make a stopover in a third country like Dubai or Abu Dhabi to undergo an RT-PCR test.

Fares to travel to Canada with a transit halt in a third country like Dubai are now cheaper compared to prices last month. If the tourist was to travel to Canada before the 1st and return in mid-October, the return fare on offer on the Mumbai-Toronto route would be very costly compared to the better economical options available only three-four weeks down the line.

If you are looking to Study, Work, Visit or Migrate to Canada, talk to I Can Help Immigration Services, Canada’s No.1 Immigration & Visa Company to get the best help you need

Syed Khan – 5 September 2021,

Under a deal to get Canadians and Canada’s allies in Afghanistan out of the war-torn country, almost 5,000 Afghan refugees evacuated by the United States will be welcomed by Canada instead. Canada has evacuated 3,700 people from Afghanistan till now. This follows the Aug 29 announcement by Global Affairs Canada that it was a signatory and part of the joint statement on Afghanistan evacuation travel assurances put out by countries worldwide.

In the press release and statements made by the Canadian government and the IRCC (Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada) on September 1, it was announced that the refugees will be accepted as part of Canada’s program for 20,000 refugees, which include persecuted Afghan minorities, women human rights advocates, LGBTI individuals, and journalists.

This program will help to reduce the current crisis of the global refugee and resettlement system, increasing international efforts to support Afghan refugees and accelerating efforts to welcome more refugees to safety in Canada.

The refugee program is being run in partnership with the Manmeet Singh Bhullar Foundation to resettle hundreds of persecuted Afghan Sikhs and Hindus.

Through this program, Canada aims to focus on vulnerable groups that are already welcomed to Canada through existing resettlement streams, while also welcoming government-supported and privately-sponsored refugees, along with those sponsored by families already in Canada.

Quotes by officials: “Canadians are deeply concerned by the deteriorating situation in Afghanistan, people around the world know they can count on Canada to support them in times of need, and Canada will be there for vulnerable Afghans,” said Defence Minister Harjit Sajjan.

However, this program is not without its fair share of hurdles as political observers have time and again questioned the Taliban’s commitment to letting Afghans and others leave the country peacefully.

If you are looking to Study, Work, Visit or Migrate to Canada, talk to I Can Help Immigration Services, Canada’s No.1 Immigration & Visa Company to get the best help you need

Syed Khan – 4 September 2021,

Manitoba Provincial Nominee Program, in its September 2 draw, issued 602 Letters of Advice to Apply, including overseas candidates. The LAAs were issued through three MPNP streams with Skilled Workers receiving 463 LAA’s and International Education Stream applicants receiving 55 LAA’s. 84 LAA’s were also issued to Skilled Workers Overseas candidates via a Strategic Recruitment Initiative, with a minimum score of 698. This was the 125th MPNP conducted.

About the streams:

The Skilled Worker in Manitoba Stream

It is based on the specific requirements of Manitoba employers. This stream focuses on the selection of foreign-trained workers with the required skills and nominates them for Canada PR. The stream has two pathways to Manitoba immigration.

a) Manitoba Work Experience Pathway

b) Employer Direct Recruitment Pathway

The Skilled Worker Overseas Stream

It is a stream aimed at international SW’s with skills in Manitoba’s In-Demand Occupations. Applicants and spouses with close family connections, google language proficiency, training, and experience to find jobs quickly, all give the candidate a priority. It includes both a Canada Express Entry Pathway and a direct provincial pathway.

a) Manitoba Express Entry Pathway

b) Human Capital Pathway

The International Education Stream

This is aimed at international graduates from Manitoba colleges and universities. Under the stream, applicants are no longer required to work for six months in their field before applying for an MPNP nomination.

a) Career Employment Pathway

b) Graduate Internship Pathway

c) Student Entrepreneur Pathway

If you are looking to Study, Work, Visit or Migrate to Canada, talk to I Can Help Immigration Services, Canada’s No.1 Immigration & Visa Company to get the best help you need