Immigration Blog about US & Canadian Immigration matters.

Do You Want to Immigrate to Canada in 2019

As you may know, Canada’s education and living conditions attract many foreign nationals to visit, study, and work. Furthermore, the multiculturalism in Canada is one of the essential reasons that drives one's longing to move. After they have experienced the beauty of Canada, they may consider settling down permanently in Canada. While numerous individuals are contemplating moving to Canada, they may be thinking about looking for assistance from an immigration representative to make the immigration process more smoothly. Indeed, here comes the most significant inquiry: is hiring a representative necessary? In this blog, we will discuss the benefits of hiring an immigration representative and how to avoid immigration fraud.

Who are Immigration Representatives

Immigration may be difficult and complicated, especially if you are not family with Canadian immigration law. If you are struggling with your application, you may be able to seek guidance from a representative. An Immigration and citizenship representative’s job duties include but are not limited to:

Immigration and Credentials

Many immigration applications, such as Federal Skilled Worker applications and study permit applications, require applicants to provide their credentials. The credentials refer to the applicant’s education and work experience. If you obtained your credentials outside Canada, the Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada will require you to have your credentials assessed. At this point, you may be wondering the importance of having your credentials assessed. Having your credentials assessed will show employers what you are qualified for. That being said, employers will better determine if you need more training, education or Canadian work experience, and if your credentials are equal to the standards set for Canadian workers. In this blog, you will learn information about credential assessment.

Credentials vs. Qualifications vs. Competencies

Immigration terminologies can be confusing to foreign nationals. The meaning of a credential is not necessarily the equivalent of the meaning of a qualification. As a result, it is important for you the fully understand the following terms.

Immigrating to Canada with Express Entry

What is the Federal Skilled Worker Program? What does it allow me to do? Many questions may surface when thinking about the Federal Skilled Worker Program and what such application entails. Many individuals often have questions regarding the Federal Skilled Worker Program. With this being the case, it is highly recommended that you find an immigration expert who is right for you and who understands your personal needs. Here at Akrami and Associates, we offer a high degree of professional help and advise to our clients through our team of experiential lawyers and associates. This being said, please do not hesitate to contact us to book a consultation at 416-477-2545, regarding your diverse immigration matters.

What is the Federal Skilled Worker Program

The Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSWP) is a program that allows for individuals who are seen as capable of establishing themselves economically in Canada. The Canadian immigration officials initiated this program as a way to promote the establishment of entrepreneurs, business owners, and company developers to encourage blooming economic conditions within Canada. A structured point system is used for this program, which is used to select the top individuals who are seen as individuals who could be successful, economically.

Express Entry programs

Express Entry is one the most common options for an individual to immigrate to Canada. Express Entry, however, can be very confusing to many foreign nationals, because there are many categories under it. There are three major programs: the Federal Skilled Worker Program, Federal Skilled Trades Program, and the Canadian Experience Class. In order to prepare you for your application, it is important for you to recognize and understand the eligibility requirements prior to applying. In this blog, you will learn about the differences between Federal Skilled Worker Program and Canadian Experience Class, so that you may have a better idea of what Express Entry entails.

Minimum requirements

Federal Skilled Worker Program

Knowing the Federal Skilled Worker Program

Express Entry is one of the ways by which you may obtain a permanent residence status in Canada. However, Express Entry is a broad concept in the field of immigration, as there are many programs under it. There are three major programs: the Federal Skilled Worker Program, Federal Skilled Trades Program, and the Canadian Experience Class. Having to figure out the Express Entry or the programs can be a hassle for many foreign nationals. In order to prepare you for your application, it is important for you to recognize and understand the eligibility requirements prior to applying. In this blog, you will learn about the Federal Skilled Worker Program, as well as other important information one should know before applying under this economic immigration program.

Skilled work experience Requirement for the FSW

Individuals can be recruited for positions which qualify as Skill Type 0 (managerial jobs) or Skill Level A (professional jobs) or Skill Level B (technical jobs and skilled trades) on the Canadian National Occupational Classification (NOC) list.

FAQ’s Express Entry

Express entry is one of the most attractive programs to try and achieve permanent residence through, as, it indicates in the name, this is a much quicker route to permanent residency than most, assuming you are an individual who receives an invitation to apply. That is the downside of the EE program; individuals who are not top prospects could have to submit an EE profile many years in a row, before they ever have the opportunity to immigrate to Canada. Nonetheless, the express entry program is a very unique program, and should not be overlooked. It provides both an incredible opportunity to a foreign national who wishes to immigrate to Canada, while, at the same time, it ensures highly skilled individuals are the ones with priority to enter Canada first, to help boost the Canadian economy. This is a selective process, but in the end, the better the Canadian economy, the more opportunity the government can to all foreign nationals to truly experience Canadian culture.

Q: If English is my first language, do I have to complete a language test for Express Entry?

A: This may seem strange… but yet, it is mandatory to obtain a language test for Express Entry even if you are a native English speaker. The point of this is to ensure the Canadian government treats all applicants completely equally. This is achieved by assessing all applicants for Express Entry using the same standards, regardless of their native language, ethnicity or nationality. 

What is Federal Skilled Arranged Employment?

If you’re thinking of looking for work in Canada, you’re probably somewhat aware that most ways to apply for a work permit in Canada require you to have a job offer from an interested employer, before you can be granted a work permit. This is because many of the work permits foreign nationals have permission to work in Canada with are closed work permits. The Federal Skilled Arranged Employment program is one which helps Canadian employers hire qualified, skilled foreign nationals to help with their company in Canada. The workers that are hired are working for the employer who applied for an Labor Market Impact Assessment, and brought them to Canada. In other words, individuals working in Canada as the result of Federal skilled arranged employment are working on a closed work permit. So, if you’re a foreign national with skills the Canadian labor market would benefit from and you would like to work in Canada, keep reading to learn more about how the federal skilled arranged employment program works!

The Federal Skilled Worker Program

It is possible to hire a foreign national for a permanent position, and bring them to Canada as permanent residents because of the Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSWP). The Federal Skilled Worker Program is set out to help Canadian employers acquire skilled workers permanently, in areas which Canadian nationals are not filling all the positions which are in demand. Through this program, individuals can be recruited for positions which qualify as Skill Type 0 (managerial occupations) or Skill Level A (professional occupations) or Skill Level B (technical occupations and skilled trades) on the Canadian National Occupational Classification (NOC) list.

Applying For Express Entry under the Available Federal Economic Programs

If you have valuable skills and experience working in Canada or abroad, which would be a valuable addition to the Canadian economy, you may have the chance to apply for express entry, under one of the available federal economic programs. There are specific requirements you must meet for each specific program, though, the 3 different programs available aim to provide foreign nationals the opportunity to apply for high skilled professional and managerial positions, as well as skilled trade positions, so, there is something for almost anyone who is a highly qualified worker. The 3 federal economic programs I speak of are the Canadian experience class, the Federal Skilled Workers Program (FSWP), and the Federal Skilled Trades Program (FSTP). As mentioned, they each have specific requirements to be eligible, though, they are each a very unique opportunity for highly qualified workers, regardless of the field their occupation is in. Keep reading this blog for a breakdown of the federal economic programs available through express entry.

How Does Express Entry Work?

Essentially, applicants create a profile if they are eligible for one of the three federal economic programs, and receive points for their language abilities, education level, previous work experience, whether or not they have a job offer, and several other factors. Using a point based system, otherwise known as a Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) individuals are assessed to determine the value they bring to the Canadian working economy. Depending on these factors, you will be given a score, which represents your worth to Canadian employers. For example, under all programs, having post-secondary education will give you additional points, though; it is not always a requirement.

Arranged Employment for a Federal Skilled Worker Immigrating to Canada

Any Canadian employer that would like to hire a foreign skilled worker through the Express Entry selection system can support the applicant in their permanent residency application through either the Federal Skilled Worker Program or the Federal Skilled Trades Program. Through both of these federal economic immigration programs, there are different eligibility requirements; however, when it comes to arranged employment, they are relatively the same. Therefore, in order to better understand what it required of you if you have arranged employment in Canada, in this article, I will explain the process of obtaining arranged employment in Canada.

What is Arranged Employment

According to Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC), arranged employment is defined as having a valid job offer from a Canadian employer in either a National Occupational Classification (NOC) code 0, A or B job for a continuous period of a year or more. Keep in mind, in some cases, the valid job offer must be reviewed and approved by Employment and Social Development Canada/Service Canada prior to the foreign national becoming employed.

FAQ – Federal Skilled Workers

In this article, I will address detailed questions and answers for foreign nationals who would like to apply under the Federal Skilled Worker Program. The Federal Skilled Worker Program was intended for skilled foreign workers to be chosen for permanent residency in Canada based on their education, work experience, knowledge of English or French, and other qualifying factors. The foreign national must have strong qualifications in order to be selected for permanent residency as they are specifically selected from a pool of candidates. In order to discover more information about the Federal Skilled Worker Program, please continue reading this article or refer to our article on “Federal Skilled Worker Jobs that Lead to Permanent Residence.” The intention of this article is meant to clarify any questions or information you would like to know with regards to the Federal Skilled Worker Program.

Q: How do I qualify under the Federal Skilled Worker category?

A: In order to qualify and be eligible to apply under the Federal Skilled Worker category in Canadian Immigration, the skilled foreign worker must have the following requirements met:

Human Capital Priorities (HCP) Stream Introduced in Ontario

In Canada, Ontario is the most populated province and it continues to be a very popular destination for new immigrants looking to settle in Canada. Luckily, Ontario has an immigrant nomination program that helps skilled foreign nationals who have work experience obtain permanent residency in Canada, specifically Ontario, and thus contribute to the Canadian economy. It is important to note that the Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) is quite helpful to any Express Entry candidate as it provides them with the most points out of all Express Entry factors. For instance, a successful candidate may be able to obtain up to 600 additional points from the PNP program. As a result, they may be able to receive an invitation to apply at the next available draw for the Express Entry pool. Additionally, candidates under the Express Entry pool, who have work experience in Information and Communications Technology (ICT) occupations, are now prioritized by the Ontario province under this new initiative that was introduced on June 26, 2017. In this article, I will address the new Stream and how it affects the Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program (OINP) and Express Entry altogether.

Information and Communications Technology (ICT) Workers

In order to qualify under this Stream of Human Capital Priorities (HCP), a part of the Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program (OINP), candidates must be eligible as ICT workers under Express Entry. As of June 26, Ontario has specifically targeted these types of workers for their province. The province of Ontario is searching for candidates under Express Entry with experience in specific ICT occupations and as a result the candidates are eligible to receive a Notification of Interest (NOI), which was previously called an invitation to apply for provincial nomination. Thankfully, this is even the case if they had scored less than 400 points under the Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS).

What Kind of Jobs Lead to Permanent Residence

Would you like to know whether your career or current job can lead you to permanent residency in Canada? Is it your dream to work in a career that you love but also live in a country of your dreams, such as Canada? With the Federal Skilled Worker Program, you may be able to do so. In this article, I will outline the requirements you need in order to be eligible under this specific program, as well as detail the specific jobs/careers that Canada is currently looking for.

Eligibility for the Federal Skilled Worker Program

In order for you to apply under this specific economic immigration program, there are some minimum requirements that you must have. The minimum requirements are:

Hiring Temporary Foreign Worker to Canada

Would like to hire a Temporary Foreign Worker in your company but don’t know which route to take? There are many things that employers must determine before attempting to hire a temporary foreign worker. One of those things is the wage you will be paying this temporary foreign worker. For the purposes of this blog I will be talking about the low-wage positions. Let’s take a look at how the wages are determined for low paying jobs.

What to Consider when Hiring Temporary Foreign Worker to Canada

If you wish to hire a temporary foreign worker in your company, you must first determine whether you have a need for a foreign worker or not. Firstly, you have to determine whether or not this position can be taken on by a Canadian citizen or permanent resident. There are many ways of doing this as previously explained in the blogs section of our websites. If and when you establish that you have not found anyone in Canada that would carry out the position you are hiring for after doing extensive research, you may be allowed to hire a temporary foreign worker. This has to be determined by applying for a Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) through the Employment and Social Development Canada and Service Canada. However, determination of labour shortage may not allow you to bring your foreign worker into Canada. You must apply for a work permit given that you receive a positive labour market impact assessment.

What is Federal Skilled Worker (FSW)

The Federal Skilled Worker program assists foreign workers to immigrate to Canada for Permanent Residency based on their work experience, education, knowledge of English/French and other skills. Since January 1, 2015 foreign workers that are interested in the Federal Skilled Worker Program need to apply through the Express Entry System. If you have submitted an application under the FSW prior to January 1, 2015 then you application will be reviewed under the previous system. Once you complete your Express Entry Profile, Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) will send you an Invitation to Apply (ITA) based on the information you have provided.

Who can apply for Federal Skilled Worker Program?

To be able to apply under the Federal Skilled Worker Program the first step is having a job offer with an employer in Canada. Without job offer you cannot apply under this category. Also, you need show that you have sufficient money to support yourself and family members even if they are not coming with you. The amount of money you need to show depends on your size of family, CIC updates this every year. Please refer to CIC website and look up the latest financial requirements. If you have Arranged Employment in Canada and currently working or authorized to work in Canada then you do not need to show funds.

Federal Skilled Worker Point System

Canada uses a point based system to assess skilled workers. The point system was designed to improve consistency and fairness by reducing discretion and the potential for discrimination in selecting immigrants. Under the point system immigration officers assign points up to a fixed maximum in each several categories. The minister has the authority to set the passing mark. Therefore, the minister can make changes to the passing mark based on changes in the Canadian economic and social landscape.

The point system changes affect the weight and number of points in the selection factor:

Federal Skilled Worker Requirements:

Foreign nationals who apply for permanent residence as skilled workers are expected to meet a number of eligibility criteria including the education, skills, work experience, language ability and other qualifications needed to contribute to the Canadian labour market.

A person applying as a skilled worker is called the principal applicant and in addition to meeting the eligibility criteria must not be inadmissible. The principal applicant may include family members in the application for permanent residence as long as the visa officer is satisfied that the family members are in fact family members and they are not inadmissible in Canada.

There are 3 options you must know to keep in touch with employers including: job bank, private sector job boards and provincial nominee program.

    1. Canada’s Job Bank

Documents needed for LMIA Application:

• Business license or documentation showing proof of employers’ involvement in the business
• Union consultations done before applying to hire the foreign worker(s)
• Drafted and signed an employment contract
• Documentation of recruitment efforts to hire a Canadians and permanent residents before offering this job to a temporary worker and have proof of required advertisement
• Proof that the work place is safe
• Proof of health insurance coverage for temporary foreign worker paid by employer
• Proof that employer will accommodate foreign worker with affordable housing
• Receipt of payment for round trip by employer
• Need proof that the temporary foreign worker will leave Canada once your work permit expires
• May need to provide proof of education of foreign worker
• Proof that the wage rate meets the minimum requirement set by provincial legislation
• Proof that there is a shortage of Canadian citizens and permanent residents in that job area
• Registration of foreign worker under the appropriate provincial Workers’ Safety and compensation Board

There may be other documents needed. If you are looking at filing a Labour Market Impact Assessment, contact us today! At Akrami & Associates, There is Always a Way!

As of January 1, 2015 there is no longer a list of qualifying occupations. There used to be a list of fifty qualifying occupations of which you must work full time continuously full time for one year, but with the new start of Express Entry that is no longer the case.

The Federal Skilled Worker program does still exist but now you must apply under the Express Entry. You will require to have worked continuously for a total of 1,560 hours (30 hours per week) full time or part time to the same total of 1,560 hours (either 2 jobs at 30 hours a week, or 15 hours a week over 2 years (24 months)) The job would have to be in the same skill level, and be at the skill level of 0, A, or B according to the National Occupational Classification.

For starters, what is Express Entry?

In 2015 the Canadian government has started a new and improved immigration program. This program will allow “Express Entry” to immigrants that meet the requirements to fill open jobs that there are no available Canadians for.

Are you required to hire an immigration representative for Express Entry?

You are NOT required to hire an immigration representative for this application process. However, hiring a representative for the Express Entry will allow you to ensure that all of the requirements are met and that the application is filled out properly and efficiently. Our immigration representatives are here to help you in any way that we can, while working towards making the process less overwhelming.