News Updates

British Columbia reduces minimum scores in recent provincial draw

Apr-6-2018 - The British Columbia Provincial Nominee Program invited 326 skilled workers and graduates to apply for a provincial nomination in the latest draw that took place on April 4.   In this round of invitations, the British Columbia Provincial Nominee Program (BC PNP) issued invitations to candidates through its Skills Immigration and Express Entry categories.  Across all categories, candidates in this draw were invited at lower scores than the previous non-tech draw conducted on March... read more

Quebec announces Express Entry-style economic immigration intake system

Mar-28-2018 - The Government of Quebec unveiled plans today for a new Expression of Interest system modelled on the federal Express Entry system. The new Expression of Interest (Déclaration d’intérêt) system will manage candidate profiles for the Quebec Skilled Worker Program (QSWP). Quebec’s Immigration Ministry, the Ministère de l’Immigration, et de la Diversité et de l’Inclusion (MIDI), has made no secret of its intention to create its own version of Express Entry following the introduction of... read more

Can I work in Canada without a Work Permit?

Mar-20-2018 - A number of situations may occur when an individual can perform work in Canada without needing to secure a Temporary Work Permit. An individual who is eligible to work without a work permit may still require a Temporary Resident Visa to enter Canada on a temporary basis. The following scenarios have been identified as instances where foreign nationals may perform work in Canada without a work permit: Business Visitors Foreign Representatives and their Family Members Military Personnel... read more

IRCC invites 3,000 candidates in new Express Entry draw

Feb-7-2018 - Canadian immigration authorities have conducted the largest Express Entry draw since introducing a new format, with 3,000 candidates issued Invitations to Apply (ITAs) for permanent residence under all programs. The lowest Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score was 442, two points lower than the previous draw. The draw was the 3rd round of invitations under Express Entry in 2018 and 83rd overall. Under the new format, immigration authorities can now set an exact number of invitations to... read more

Express Entry-linked PNPs off to a strong start in 2018

Feb-3-2018 - January was a busy month for Canada’s Provincial Nominee Programs, notably those aligned with the federal Express Entry system. The two Express Entry draws conducted by the Government of Canada in January were complemented by the opening of five Express Entry-linked Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) streams over the course of the month. Express Entry candidates with a provincial nomination get an additional 600 points toward their Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score, putting an... read more

Ontario PNP Accepting New Applications, Increased Quotas

Jan-19-2018 - The province of Ontario has announced significant updates regarding its popular Provincial Nominee Program (PNP), the Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program (OINP). The province is now accepting applications for all PNP streams and has announced increased program quotas for 2018 from 6,000 applications to 6,600 applications. Finally, the province has resumed the issuance of Notifications of Interest (NOIs), so applicants with profiles in the Express Entry system should pay close attention to see if... read more

Saskatchewan Express Entry Stream Open

Jan-10-2018 - The popular Saskatchewan Express Entry stream of the Saskatchewan Immigrant Nominee Program (SINP) is now open to new applications! This stream only opens periodically and accepts a limited number of applications at each intake. Once the threshold is reached, the program will close again. The Saskatchewan Express Entry stream is only available to candidates who are already in the federal Express Entry pool. To be eligible, you must also have experience in one of the occupations that has... read more

Canada, Ontario announce new immigration agreement

Nov-24-2017 - The governments of Canada and Ontario have announced a new agreement designed to enhance their efforts to recruit skilled immigrants and get them the training they need to meet the province’s occupational requirements in their professions. The Canada-Ontario Immigration Agreement (COIA) includes up to $91 million in funding for bridge training programs over the next three years to help newcomers bring their skills into line with Ontario’s professional standards. The agreement was... read more

November 23 Manitoba draw invites 272 skilled workers to immigrate

Nov-24-2017 - A total of 272 skilled workers were invited through the Manitoba Provincial Nominee Program (MPNP) in a draw that took place on November 23. In this draw, workers were invited through the Skilled Workers in Manitoba and Skilled Worker Overseas streams. The province invited a total of 250 candidates in the Skilled Worker in Manitoba stream to apply, with the lowest ranked candidate invited at a score of 567. In addition, 22 skilled workers were invited through the Skilled Worker Overseas... read more

Canada to admit 340,000 immigrants a year by 2020

Nov-1-2017 - OTTAWA - The federal government sought Wednesday to introduce more stability into Canada's immigration system by introducing a plan that sets out a gradual rise in admissions over the next three years. By 2020, Canada will see an increase of 13 per cent in overall immigration numbers, with the vast majority coming under economic programs designed to address skills shortages and gaps in the labour market as the population ages and the birth rate declines. At 340,000 people, the... read more