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Syed Khan – February 08, 2022

The IRCC has recently launched an online tool and portal for tracking spousal and child sponsorship immigration applications online on their website. This tool can be accessed by applicants and their representatives.

The introduction of this online tool is aimed to minimize delays of the applications and provide relief to candidates by returning processing times to the service standard of 12 months.

The IRCC is currently dealing with a massive backlog of 54,683 spousal sponsorship applications and 8,848 children and other family class applications that are awaiting a final decision by the IRCC.

The applicant can make changes to their application any time before the IRCC makes a final decision on it.

“We understand that clients want easier access to status updates on their case files. That is why we will also introduce a new Permanent Residence Application Tracker in February 2022 for spouses and dependents, to allow clients to easily access their application information and status online.”

Requirements to become a sponsor:

• Be at least 18 years of age
• Be a Canadian citizen, a person registered in Canada as an Indian under the Canadian Indian Act or a permanent resident,
• Be living in Canada (if you are a Canadian citizen living outside Canada, you must show that you plan to live in Canada when your sponsored relative becomes a permanent resident)
• Be able to prove that you are not receiving social assistance for reasons other than a disability, and;
• Should be able to show that you can provide basic needs for yourself, your spouse or partner, your spouse or partner’s dependent child (if applicable), your dependent child (if you’re sponsoring only your dependent child)

Length of undertaking depending on the type of application:

1. Sponsoring a spouse, common-law partner, or conjugal partner: The length of the undertaking is 3 years from the day the spouse, common-law partner or conjugal partner becomes a permanent resident.
2. Sponsoring a dependent child over 22 years of age: The length of undertaking is 3 years from the day the dependent child (or the dependent child of the spouse, common-law partner, or conjugal partner) over 22 years of age becomes a permanent resident.
3. Sponsoring a dependent child under 22 years of age: The length of undertaking is 10 years from the day the dependent child (or the dependent child of the spouse, common-law partner, or conjugal partner) under 22 years of age becomes a permanent resident, or until the child becomes 22 years old, whichever comes first. The length of undertaking for residents of Quebec is slightly different.

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 – February 04, 2022

Ontario Immigration has announced changes to its Employer Job Offer: In-Demand Skills stream. These changes were announced on the OINP website and now require that immigrants who come to Canada as Truckers (NOC code 7511) have the following:

• a valid and legal Commercial Vehicle Operator’s Registration certificate
• a Carrier Safety Rating of Excellent, Satisfactory, or Satisfactory

This new move has ramped up the security requirements for those moving to Canada as truckers while aiming to protect those who have already immigrated to Canada. The job prospects for Truckers are good and in demand across Canada and in Ontario this occupation is one of the top 10 in demand for this financial sector.

“The amendment aims to protect successful nominees and support public safety on Ontario highways as employers without an acceptable safety rating will be ineligible for approval”

Requirements for the Employer Job Offer: In-Demand Skills Stream:

• Have a valid job offer from an Ontario employer. The job offer must be one of the OINP In-Demand Occupations and must be full-time.
• Possess a minimum language proficiency score of Canadian Language Benchmark level 4 in either English or French or both.
• Must have completed an educational credential equivalent to a Canadian high school diploma or higher.
• Must meet the settlement funds requirement as set by the IRCC.
• Have a cumulative amount of at least 1 year of full-time work experience obtained within the previous 3 years in Ontario and in the same NOC code as the job offer.
• Must prove their intention to reside in the province.

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 – February 03, 2022

The British Columbia immigration, in its latest draw held on 1st February, issued 126 invitations to skilled and experienced tech workers. The BC PNP Tech draws are aimed specifically at high-demand technology workers and feature up to four streams of the British Columbia Provincial Nominee Program.

About the BC PNP Tech draw:

● This draw was first launched in 2017 as a pilot project in response to the fast-

growing demand for talent in BC’s technology sector.

● It was made a permanent program in June 2021.

● The stream targets skilled workers and aims to expand the province’s pool of

skilled workers.

● Invitations are issued on a weekly basis to candidates who qualify and who have

valid job offers in one of the 29 eligible occupations.

● The minimum duration of the job offers when applying for BC PNP Tech must be

full-time for a duration of 365 days or more.

The BC PNP offers interested candidates three ways to apply for PR. Each pathway is

categorized into several different categories candidates can apply in. Choosing the

category depends on your NOC skill level, work experience, type of job, etc.

In 2021, the British Columbia Immigration invited over 10,000 candidates through various BC PNP streams. The Skilled Worker Stream of BC PNP targets skilled and semi-skilled workers in high-demand occupations in the province. It functions on a points-based invite system.

The minimum score to qualify for each stream was 80 points on the grid, with candidates being invited under the Skilled Worker and International Graduate streams. The BC PNP has the following subcategories:

• SI – Skilled Worker stream
• SI – International Graduate stream
• EEBC – Express Entry BC Skilled Worker stream
• EEBC – Express Entry BC International Graduate stream

For this stream, the job offer must be:

• For one of the 29 targeted occupations
• For at least the duration of one full year
• Valid for at least 120 days at the time of application

Occupations targeted under this stream are:

• Civil engineers
• Mechanical engineers
• Electrical and electronics engineers
• Chemical engineers
• Computer engineers (except software engineers and designers)
• Telecommunication carriers’ managers
• Computer and information systems managers
• Managers – publishing, motion pictures, broadcasting and performing arts
• Information systems analysts and consultants
• Database analysts and data administrators
• Software engineers and designers
• Computer programmers and interactive media developers
• Biological technologists and technicians
• Electrical and electronics engineering technologists and technicians
• Electronic service technicians (household and business equipment)
• Industrial instrument technicians and mechanics
• Computer network technicians
• Web designers and developers
• Editors
• Translators, terminologists, and interpreters
• Broadcast technicians
• Audio and video recording technicians
• User support technicians
• Information systems testing technicians
• Authors and writers
• Support occupations in motion pictures, broadcasting, photography and the performing arts
• Other technical and coordinating occupations in motion pictures, broadcasting, and the performing arts
• Graphic designers and illustrators
• Technical sales specialists – wholesale trade

For more information, candidates can visit BC PNP (

https://www.welcomebc.ca/Immigrate-to-B-C/B-C-Provincial-Nominee-Program ) or

contact ICanHelpImmigration Services for a detailed consultation.

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 – February 02, 2022

Alberta Immigration invited 350 Express Entry candidates through the AINP to apply for a provincial nomination. The minimum CRS score required to qualify was 346 points. This draw was held on 18th January, with results becoming known to the public recently.

On 13 January 2022, Alberta also announced its Accelerated Tech Pathway which provides expedited processing to foreign workers who are currently working for or have a job offer with, an Alberta-based tech industry employer in an eligible tech occupation.

Alberta Immigration has fulfilled its Immigration Nomination allocation of 2021 through the Alberta Immigrant Nominee Program. In an announcement made on 20 December 2021, the province said that it had invited a total of 6,250 AINP candidates in 2021, thus completing the number allotted to it by the IRCC.

However, some applications under the Alberta Opportunity Stream and the Alberta Express Entry pool are still left. The province is accepting applications for the same.

Alberta Immigration provides a list of ineligible occupations rather than a list of eligible occupations. Candidates who have work experience in occupations like food service supervisors, transport truck drivers, and cooks are the ones who mostly apply for this stream.

It has also been announced that a large inflow of applications has been received in the occupations mentioned below. This means that the applications for these NOC codes may take longer to process:

S.no	Name of the occupation:	NOC code:
1.	Foodservice supervisors	6311
2.	Transport truck drivers	7511
3.	Retail sales supervisors	6211
4.	Cooks	6322
5.	Administrative assistants	1241
6.	Administrative officers	1221
7.	Industrial butchers and meat cutters, poultry preparers, and related workers	9462
8.	Early childhood educators and assistants	4214
9.	Retail and wholesale trade managers	0621
10.	Restaurant and food service managers	0631

Steps to apply for the stream:

• The candidate should make an Express Entry profile on the website
• They should receive an NOI from Alberta Immigration when they apply via an Express Entry profile.
• The candidate checks their criteria and submits an application.
• Complete applications go into a pool of eligible applications for consideration for processing

The candidate receives a Notification of Interest if they:

• have an active Express Entry profile in the federal Express Entry pool
• have stated an interest in immigrating permanently to Alberta
• are working in an occupation that supports Alberta’s economic development and diversification
• have a minimum Comprehensive Ranking System score of 346

Adaptability Factors that increase chances of a candidate receiving an NOI:

• Has an Alberta job offer and/or work experience
• Is a graduate of a Canadian post-secondary institution
• Has had a parent, child, brother, and/or sister who is a permanent resident living in Alberta, or a Canadian citizen living in Alberta

Factors that decrease candidate’s likelihood of receiving an NOI:

• Candidate’s Express Entry profile expires in 5 months or less
• Candidate works in an occupation on the list of high-wage and low-wage occupations in the province of Alberta set out on the online Government of Canada Refusal to Process a Labor Market Impact Assessment list on the Alberta Opportunity Stream Ineligible Occupations list
• The candidate has a high volume of submissions across all AINP streams

Express Entry has three Federal High Skilled programs under it:

• Canadian Experience Class
• Federal Skilled Worker Program
• Federal Skilled Trades Program

For more information, candidates can visit AINP ( https://www.alberta.ca/ainp.aspx ) or contact ICanHelpImmigration Services for a detailed consultation

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 – February 01, 2022

In January, Canada issued more than 4,500 invites to candidates to apply for permanent residence through the country’s Provincial Nominee Programs.

Provincial Nominee Programs (PNP’s) are programs that Canadian provinces participate in and invite candidates with relevant skills and work experience with the intention of supporting the regional labor market challenges. This program, launched in 1998, is the second most popular and effective way to immigrate to Canada as a skilled worker.

Nearly every province and territory in Canada operates the PNP and welcomes skilled workers from all over the world to help strengthen their economies. Provinces and territories can also recruit candidates from the Express Entry pool through the Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) to meet local labor market needs. Usually, PNP-linked Express Entry draws are held every two weeks by every province.

Canada has continued to accept applications, issue invites, and process applications for these PNP streams throughout the coronavirus pandemic and the consequent travel restrictions. It is projected that in 2022, over 80,000 immigrants are expected to become permanent residents of Canada through the PNP.

Given below is the list of provinces and territories that participate in the program:

• Alberta
• British Columbia
• Manitoba
• New Brunswick
• Newfoundland and Labrador
• Northwest Territories
• Nova Scotia
• Ontario
• Prince Edward Island
• Saskatchewan
• Yukon

The criteria vary according to each province and territory and can change without notice. The province of Quebec does not have a provincial nominee program. Instead, they have other programs that are designed specifically for their market labor needs.

PNP draw held by the federal government and IRCC:

The number of draws held:	Total candidates invited in January:
2	1,428

PNP draw held by provinces:

1. Alberta

The number of draws held:	Total candidates invited in January:
2	400

2. Manitoba

The number of draws held:	Total candidates invited in January:
2	758

3. Ontario

The number of draws held:	Total candidates invited in January:
3	2,618

4. British Columbia

The number of draws held:	Total candidates invited in January:
3	714

5. Saskatchewan

The number of draws held:	Total candidates invited in January:
2	155

6. Prince Edward Island

The number of draws held:	Total candidates invited in January:
1	122

The applicants are ranked in the pool using the CRS, a points-based system. The candidates who scored the maximum CRS points are then invited to apply for permanent residence. If more than one candidate has the lowest score, the cut-off is based on the date and time they submitted their Express Entry profiles.

Each invitation round has a set of instructions that are posted online at the time of the round and which are used by the IRCC to invite candidates from the Express Entry pool. The instructions include:

• The date and time of the invitation round
• The number of candidates to get an ITA
• The list of immigration program(s) included in the round

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 – January 31, 2022

Manitoba PNP, in its 27th January draw, issued 315 Letters of Advice to Apply (LAA’s), to skilled workers and international graduates. The LAA’s were issued through three MPNP streams. The summary of the draw is given below:

Name of MPNP stream:	The number of LAA’s issued:	The minimum score required to qualify:
Skilled Workers stream	212	609
International Education Stream	40	N/A
Skilled Workers Overseas via a Strategic Recruitment Initiative	63	703

About the streams:

The Skilled Worker in Manitoba Stream

It is based on the specific requirements of hiring Manitoba employers. This stream targets the selection of foreign-trained workers having 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 that fit in with Manitoba’s In-Demand Occupations. Applicants and spouses with close family connections, google language proficiency, training, and experience to find jobs quickly, all of the above points 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 focuses on 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

Syed Khan – January 30, 2022

In a conference call on January 31, the Minister responded to questions about immigration priorities and the upcoming Immigration Levels Plan 2022 – 2024.

Minister of Immigration, Sean Fraser, has said that there is no expected date for resuming the Express Entry draws for federal economic programs, as the IRCC currently grapples with an enormous immigration application processing backlog.

The minister has admitted that substantial work needed to be done to reduce the enormous application backlog before Federal Skilled Worker and Canadian Experience Class candidates can be invited.

Economic immigrants have a number of programs aimed at them, including the PNP, Global Talent Stream, and the Atlantic Immigration Program.

Work would also be done to reduce processing times for the Global Talent Stream and Study Permits and to clear the current backlog.

“I know that processing delays have been incredibly frustrating for many individuals. Helping clients come to Canada quickly, with predictable processing times and efficient communication with IRCC, remains a top priority for me.”

The Minister also stated that the IRCC was working on ways for the citizenship applicant to self-administer the oath by signing an attestation to shorten processing times, in addition to the virtual ceremonies where almost 5000 candidates take the oath every week.

The IRCC is also working on expediting the processing of applications by increasing the use of the online portal. By mid-2022, every permanent residence application would be directed towards the online portal while maintaining traditional paper-based application methods.

The Minister said that final decisions regarding the 147,000 permanent residence applications would be made in the first four months of 2021 and candidates would hear from the IRCC in relation to their application soon.

In February, the IRCC will also launch a Permanent Residence Application Tracker to allow spousal and dependent family reunification applicants to track the process of their applications. Currently, spousal reunification applications are being processed in 12 months. This application tracker is expected to be launched for other pathways and programs in the future.

He also stated that extra resources would be deployed to process visitor visas applications to boost the tourism industry.

“We are the best in the world at welcoming large numbers of economic migrants to fill jobs in our communities. But we need to do more. We need to be the best we can be. We need to continue to grow immigration levels.”

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 – January 29, 2022

The Canadian passport ranks as among the most powerful passports in the world according to the latest ranking released in the Henley Passport Index.

The Henley Passport Index is the original, authoritative ranking of all the world’s passports according to the number of destinations their holders can access without a prior visa. The index, which gives a ranking of the top 111 countries, is based on exclusive data from the International Air Transport Association (IATA) and enhanced by Henley & Partners’ research team.

U.K.-based Henley and Partners’ has announced their annual passport rankings for 2022 on January 14, and Canada ranks at 25th tied with Australia, Greece, Malta, and the Czech Republic allowing citizens to visit 184 countries without the need of a visa.

Canada scored 185 and moved up one spot from its 2021 spot on the global ranking.

Japan and Singapore were tied for the top rank, allowing their citizens to visit 192 countries visa-free. South Korea and Germany, both ranked third, allowing citizens able to visit 190 countries visa-free.

The U.S passport ranked one spot above Canada’s along with Norway, New Zealand, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom with a score of 186.

If you are the holder of a Canadian passport, you can travel visa-free to 185 countries and to another 48 countries that only require a visa upon arrival.

Access to travel without a visa is indicative of the freedom of citizens of the country. Before traveling to Canada, holders of visa-exempt passports are required to obtain an Electronic Travel Authorization. It costs $7 CAD and can be obtained online.

Dual citizenship is also extremely common in Canada with almost one in 20 Canadians holding more than one passport. Foreign nationals from 49 countries can become Canadian citizens while also retaining their citizenship in their home countries. However, there is no official recognition of dual citizenship by the Canadian government.

A Canadian passport holder with dual citizenship can also visit the country they hold the passport of without getting a visa. This reduces visa processing fees and other expenses too. Dual citizens, however, will not be exempt from legal obligations to obey all laws with regards to military service, providing for the public education system, and paying taxes.

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 – January 28, 2022

 Ontario Immigration issued 1,032 NOI’s through the provincial Express Entry Skilled Trades Stream in its latest draw. In the draw held on January 27, Ontario Immigration invited candidates who had submitted their Express Entry profiles 12 months prior to the date of the draw. The Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) points ranged between 381 – 461.

These draws were started by Ontario Immigration to address labor shortages in the technology sector of the province.

Steps of the application process:

• The candidate creates a profile on the IRCC website.
• The candidate checks and submits their profile into the stream of their choosing.
• Candidates selected from the Express Entry Human Capital Priorities Stream pool receive a Notification of Interest from the IRCC.
• From the date of receiving an NOI, the candidate has 45 calendar days to complete their application.
• The candidate has to apply through the OINP e-Filing Portal, it takes about three hours to complete the application. Candidates can save the application and return to complete it later.
• While submitting, the candidate needs to check the supporting documents and pay an application fee of $1,500 to apply.
• All supporting documents must be scanned and uploaded to the online application. Refer to the document checklist for Ontario’s Express Entry Human Capital Stream for a list of mandatory documents.
• If a supporting document is not in English or French, the candidate must provide a copy of the original document and a notarized translation of the document.

The Express Entry Tech Draws target the occupations mentioned below:

1. 0213 – Computer and information systems managers
2. 2147 – Computer engineers
3. 2172 – Database analysts and data administrators
4. 2173 – Software engineers and designers
5. 2174 – A computer programmer and interactive media developers
6. 2175 – Web designers and developers

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 – January 27, 2022

Ontario Immigration has announced that it has fulfilled its 2021 immigration nomination allocation through the PNP and successfully issued invites to applicants under the OINP. During the first part of 2021, the allocated number was 8,600 but Ontario has successfully managed to reach 9,000 through an in-year reallocation.

Ontario’s ITAs and NOIs for the year 2021:

Name of the Stream	Invitations to Apply/Notifications of Interest that were issued
Employer Job Offer: Foreign Worker Stream	2,866
Employer Job Offer: International Student Stream	2,290
Employer Job Offer: In-Demand Skills Stream	238
Master’s Graduate Stream	1,834
Ph.D. Graduate Stream	204

The province of Ontario has one of the highest rates in all provinces and territories of bringing in economic immigrants. Ontario Immigration also offers candidates faster processing options like the Global Talent Stream of the Temporary Foreign Worker Program which processes applications in under 2 weeks. The Skilled Worker Program has significantly increased the number of immigrants as more than 3,555 migrants became permanent residents under it till now in 2021. From January to October, 165 new permanent residents settled in Ontario under Start-Up and Self-Employed business programs.

Ontario Immigration, in its recent proposal, is seeking to double the skilled immigrants that settle in the province while bettering working conditions for them. This move is seen as a desperate move in order to fill the gaping labor shortage and boost the skilled workforce.

The Ontario government is also looking to amend some rules set by the law governing regulatory bodies. It is proposing to remove requirements like Canadian work experience, extensive language tests, etc. in order to ease the process of getting licensed in non-health-related occupations.

If this proposal is passed, Ontario would write history as being the first province in Canada that eliminates the requirement for Canadian work experience in regulated occupations and for introducing revolutionary policies like the right-to-disconnect policy. It is also proposing to ban non-compete agreements.

Last year, Ontario had also called for the provincial nomination allocation to be doubled from next year, from the current 9,000. This means that currently, Ontario can only nominate about 9,000 people every year for PR despite being one of the most popular destinations for immigrants to settle in. This new program is one of the many steps taken by Ontario to increase immigration and attract newcomers to the province.

The province has also announced a new two-year immigration program that aims to attract $20 million investments from 100 international entrepreneurs. This program is aimed to help struggling businesses and create jobs in sectors like tourism and technology. It is set to be launched under the existing Entrepreneur Stream of the Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program. After successfully operating their business for 18 to 20 months, these applicants will be nominated automatically for permanent residence by Ontario Immigration.

In October 2021, Ontario proposed a new provincial law that removes the requirement of foreign-trained professionals like lawyers, accountants, architects, engineers, electricians, and plumbers to get Canadian work experience and licensing in order to practice their professions in Ontario. Under this new proposed law, the number of language tests for foreign professionals to obtain professional licensing will also be reduced and applications under this program will be sped up in order to help these working professionals settle in Canada quickly.

For more information, candidates can visit OINP ( https://www.ontario.ca/page/ontario-immigrant-nominee-program-oinp ) or

contact ICanHelpImmigration Services for a detailed consultation.

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