Are you struggling to fill key positions in your Canadian business?   Have you considered hiring a foreign worker?   Not only can this expand your talent pool, but it can also lead to long-term benefits for both you and the worker.    Here are some of the benefits of hiring a foreign worker through an LMIA (Labour Market Impact Assessment) and sponsoring them for permanent residency in Canada:    Access to a wider talent pool:   By hiring foreign workers, you have access to a diverse pool of candidates with a range of skills and experiences. This can help you find the best fit for your business needs.    Lower recruitment costs:   Recruiting locally…

Canada is a diverse and multicultural country that values and celebrates diversity. Women from different cultural and ethnic backgrounds can find support and community in Canadian's diverse communities, and many organizations and initiatives exist to promote equity and inclusion.   Of course, there’s still a lot to achieve and today, we are going to discuss some of the current statistics, facts and trends related to women in Canada in 2023.    Population:   On July 1, 2020, Canada’s population reached 38,048,738, 50% of them being women and girls.   Close to 1 in 4 (23%) women in Canada are immigrants, and Indigenous women and girls make up 5%…

  Canada's Provincial Nominee Programs (PNP) are a popular immigration pathways for skilled workers, students and entrepreneurs to obtain Canadian permanent residency. Each month, different provinces and territories hold draws and issue invitations to eligible candidates who meet their specific program requirements. Today, we'll take a look at the main PNP draws in February 2023.   ALBERTA (AAIP) - Feb 16: 100 invitations to apply for Express Entry candidates with CRS scores of at least 357.   BRITISH COLUMBIA (BCPNP) - Feb 07: 207 invitations to apply through five streams of the BC PNP (general draws) + 38 invitations to apply for targeted candidates in healthcare and childcare. - Feb 14: 83 invitations to apply for targeted candidates…

It's no secret that immigration processes to Canada are extremely competitive. The candidate needs to achieve the highest points possible in categories such as education, work experience and fluency in one or both country's official languages – English and French.  In addition, a factor that weighs heavily on the score is the age of the candidate, who starts to lose points by the age of 30.  For some people, especially for those over 30, immigration may seem like a more difficult process, but what many don't know is that there are other ways, such as the Provincial Nominee Programs (PNPs).  When an applicant…

Can I Immigrate to Canada Via Study Permit? The first answer is NO, but it can turn into a YES. The Canadian Government values International Students, and the latest changes in the NOC 2021 show that. Canada is a popular destination for international students seeking quality education and the possibility of immigration. International students in Canada may apply for Canadian permanent resident status while studying or after completing their studies as long as they meet the requirements of the immigration program, they apply under. Each year, more international students transition to become permanent residents of Canada. The federal government statistics show that over…

Canadian immigration in 2023 is shaping up to be a year of resolving issues and reaching goals. One of the main objectives for the year is the Levels Plan, which aims to welcome 465,000 new permanent residents in 2023, 485,000 in 2024, and 500,000 in 2025. This plan is a way for Canada to address its labour shortage and ensure that the country has the workforce it needs to continue growing. Another effort to meet the labour shortage is the International Experience Canada (IEC) program. In 2023, the IRCC announced 90,000 spots for youth workers from all over the world to…

The OINP, Ontario's provincial program, reopens Tuesday, November 22, 2022. Another Province updated their Provincial Nominee Program. Ontario is reopening its well-known OINP with good news for skilled foreign workers and international students. Focusing on the Province's future economy, the Government of ON updates the Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program. The updates will give more opportunities to foreign workers, international students, in-demand skilled workers, masters graduates and Ph.D. graduates. But more than that, the level and field of education, where it was completed, intentions of settling outside of the Great Toronto and even earnings history are attributes that will add to applications. The system works…

As mentioned in the previous post, the Government of Canada updated the NOC2016 to NOC 2021. After this announcement, the Province of British Columbia has also announced some important updates, especially for skilled immigrants working outside the Metro Vancouver Regional District. The BC PNP update will benefit skilled and experienced workers, students and entrepreneurs outside the Metro Vancouver Regional District. If you fit in one of these categories and have a job offer outside of Metro Vancouver, you might be eligible for some extra points. The goal is to prioritize and support the needs of the entire British Columbia economy. Not only thinking…

Created By Stephanie Ford | Updated By Bruno Guerra On November 16, 2022, the NOC 2016 was replaced by NOC 2021. A 6-category system will represent the training, education, experience and responsibilities (TEER) needed to work in an occupation. In the 4-digit occupation category codes, a 5-digit will take place. What does it mean? The program used to call and divide its categories by NOC Skill Type and/or Levels; now, it will use TEER categories. Skill type 0 are now TEER 0 Skill type A is now TEER 1 Skill type B is now TEER 2 & 3 Skill type C is now TEER 4 Skill type D is…

By Stephanie Ford The Manitoba PNP, or Provincial Nominee Program, offers immigrants looking to move to the province different pathways to permanent residence in Canada. And those who use the PNP as their pathway to PR tend to have a good chance of success. In fact, in 2021 the approval rate for PNP applicants was 98%. Manitoba PNP Streams Manitoba has three PNP streams: - Skilled Worker Stream. - International Education Stream. - Business Investor Stream. Manitoba’s PNP data shows that the province sends the most nominations to applicants in the Skilled Worker streams. In 2021, almost 95% of nominations went to applicants in this category. Skilled Worker Manitoba…

By Stephanie Ford The Saskatchewan Immigrant Nominee Program (or SINP) creates a permanent residence pathway for immigrants who can fill job shortages or wish to buy or start a business in Saskatchewan – the land of the living skies. Saskatchewan PNP Streams Saskatchewan’s PNP has four programs: · International Skilled Worker · Worker with Saskatchewan Work Experience · Entrepreneur · Farm Owner and Operator These programs highlight Saskatchewan’s economic priorities – business immigration, skilled immigration, and agricultural immigration. Each stream has multiple various categories that provide individuals with relevant skills and experience a pathway to become Canadian permanent residents. SINP: International Skilled Worker Program The SINP International Skilled Worker Program helps Saskatchewan to…

By Stephanie Ford British Columbia (BC) is an incredible place to live. It offers easy access to nature, amazing food, wine, beers, culture, art, and more. Unsurprisingly, more than 100,000 people moved to BC in 2021 - more than any other year since 1961. Just over 67,000 of those who moved to BC came from abroad – and many of those who moved from abroad would have relied on the BC Provincial Nominee Program (or BC PNP) to become Canadian permanent residents.   Current BC PNP Programs BC’s current provincial nominee programs fall under the following categories: Skills Immigration - Skilled worker - BC PNP Tech - Health Authority - Entry…

By Stephanie Ford   A Spotlight on Alberta’s Provincial Nominee Program Earlier this year, Alberta announced changes to its provincial nominee program. Now called the Alberta Advantage Immigration Program (AAIP), the economic immigration program is focused on filling job shortages in Alberta and providing pathways for business owners. Read on to discover what you need to know about the Alberta Advantage Immigration Program: Alberta Advantage Immigration Program: Major Changes The Alberta Advantage Immigration Program streams look significantly different to those offered under the AINP. But the reality is that most program eligibility is still the same, they just have a different name. For instance: Its…

The Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Disability Inclusion, Carla Qualtrough, has announced improvements to the Temporary Foreign Worker (TFW) Program to address Labour shortage in Canada. These changes are part of the initiative called Temporary Foreign Worker (TFW) Program Workforce Solutions Road Map, an effort to continue meeting the labour market needs as well as improving worker protections and building workforce for the long term in Canada. Five key changes were announced today, three are effective immediately and two will be in force as of April 30th: What has been implemented today: Limit to the number of low-wage seasonal positions has been waived…

By Stephanie Ford  In March 2022, British Columbia's Ministry of Municipal Affairs announced changes to the BC Provincial Nominee Program (BC PNP) Skills Immigration Stream. These changes are in response to the critical need or more healthcare workers and early childhood educators (ECE) in the province. Here's what you need to know about these changes to the BCPNP. Overview of the BC PNP Program Under the BC PNP, applicants who currently live in the province may be invited to apply for the provincial nominee program based on their individual attributes. Essentially, applicants are invited based on what skills and experience they can bring…

By Stephanie Ford Foreign workers have played a vital role in the Canadian job market for decades – and the role immigrants play in advancing the Canadian economy is only growing more important. Over the past years, the growth in the number of jobs available in Canada has been outpacing the number of working age Canadians available to fill those roles. The pandemic has exacerbated this issue, since the typical flow of temporary workers slowed to a trickle with the increased border restrictions. As a result, there were 896,000 job vacancies in December 2021. This figure is 87.9% higher than the number…

By Stephanie Ford The region known as Atlantic Canada is comprised of New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, and Newfoundland and Labrador. These four provinces have a distinctly vibrant coastal vibe, boasting beautiful white sand beaches, scenic coastal drives, and an undeniably laidback attitude, even in the cities. Want to Immigrate to Atlantic Canada? Yes, you CAN DO it! Newfoundland and Labrador lie to the north of the other three Atlantic provinces, with Quebec to its west. New Brunswick is bordered by Quebec and the US state of Maine to the west, with Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island clustered around…

Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has just released the 2022-2024 Immigration Levels Plan, aiming to admit 431,645 new immigrants in 2022, 447,055 in 2023 and 451,000 in 2024. These figures represent an increase of around 20,000 new permanent residents than the figures established last year. In 2021, IRCC had set for 2022 and 2023 the admission of 411,000 and 421,000 permanent residents, respectively. The highest number of admissions (56%) will come through the economic category, which includes Express Entry programs, provincial programs and public policies such as temporary to permanent resident pathways, economic pilots such as caregivers and agri-food pilots, and…

    Canada is a popular destination for international students looking to further their studies. In fact, in the three years before the pandemic, Canada welcomed more than half a million international students annually (Source: Statista). Students choose Canada because it's a safe and non-discriminatory country that offers high-quality education and opportunities for individuals from around the world. So, for international students who want to study in Canada, all that's left is to figure out how to finance their studies.   5 Ways to Finance Studies in Canada as an International Student  Author: Stephanie Ford at Obiter Marketing.  Study in Canada on a Scholarship for International…

Moving to another country for better job prospects or higher education might seem exciting but at the same time can be overwhelming. Being a layperson unfamiliar with the immigration processes, its rules and regulations, diving head-on into the unknown can be nerve-wracking. Therefore in such situations, enlisting the services of an immigration consultant will ease some of that stress and make the process easier. These consultants are aware of all the norms and regulations, and they will go out of their way to help improve the chances of your application’s approval.