Author: lpen

On August 27, 2024, the Government of British Columbia held new invitation draws under the British Columbia Provincial Nominee Program (BCPNP) and issued invitations to apply to qualified candidates in tech, healthcare, childcare, construction, and veterinary care occupations. In the tech draw, the province invited 69 candidates. The minimum score for candidates invited in this draw was 118 points. BC…

On August 26, 2024, the Alberta Government unveiled a groundbreaking temporary measure to support select applicants with expiring work permits. Under the new policy, eligible Alberta Opportunity Stream and Rural Renewal Stream nominees may receive support for up to 2-year open work permits from Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC). This initiative targets applicants awaiting decisions or recently declined solely…

In a significant move affecting temporary foreign workers, Quebec has announced a six-month suspension of Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) processing for low-wage job offers in Montreal. Starting September 3, 2024, the measure will apply to positions with hourly wages below $27.47, the province's median wage. Premier François Legault and Immigration Minister Christine Fréchette introduced this policy to manage temporary…

Ontario streamlines internal review requests for OINP applicants On August 19, 2024, the Government of Ontario announced changes to the Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program (OINP) regarding the submission of Internal Review requests by individual applicants. Effective August 26, 2024, applicants must use the new Internal Review section available on the OINP e-Filing Portal, aligning with efforts to enhance service delivery.…

On August 16, 2024, Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC) updated the processing times for the Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) applications under various streams. Based on statistics from all processing centres, this update provides a view of the current average LMIA processing times. It is important to note that the processing times have increased for all streams except the…

On August 15, 2024, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) held a new Express Entry draw for French language proficiency candidates. In round #310, IRCC issued 2,000 Invitations to Apply (ITA) to francophone candidates. The cut-off score of this draw was 394 points, six points fewer than the previous draw for this category, held on July 18, 2024. The tie-breaking…

On August 12, 2024, Alberta unveiled a temporary special measure to assist individuals impacted by the recent wildfires. The Alberta Advantage Immigration Program (AAIP) will now accept open work permits issued by Immigration, Citizenship and Immigration Canada (IRCC) for the Alberta Opportunity and Tourism and Hospitality Streams. This initiative aims to help those transitioning from employer-specific permits to open work…

On August 7, 2024, the Government of Alberta revealed plans to implement a new expression of interest system under the Alberta Advantage Immigration Program (AAIP). Scheduled to launch on September 30, 2024, this new system will result in the cancellation of the remaining monthly application acceptance dates for 2024, as the new system will allow for ongoing intake of expressions…

On August 6, 2024, the Quebec Ministry of Immigration (MIFI) published the results of the 69th and 70th invitation rounds in Quebec’s online system, Arrima. On July 25, 2024, MIFI invited 1,560 candidates to apply for a Quebec Selection Certificate under the Quebec Skilled Worker Program, while on August 1, 2024, the province invited 1,490 candidates through Arrima. Candidates invited…

Immigration experts in Alberta are raising concerns over a growing scam targeting temporary foreign workers. Scammers are posing as employers and charging unauthorized fees for Labour Market Impact Assessments (LMIA), which should be free for job seekers. These fraudulent actors promise jobs and demand exorbitant fees ranging from $2,000 to $200,000. Victims often deplete their savings or incur debt, leading…