Author: Mercedes Sanchez

On November 29, 2023, Ontario released an update on the processing times for the Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program (OINP). Currently, the PhD Graduate Stream and Masters Graduate Stream have processing times of 30-60 days and 60-90 days, respectively. The Express Entry Human Capital Priorities Stream has a processing time of 70-100 days. Additionally, Express Entry Skilled Trades Stream, Express Entry…

Immigration Minister Marc Miller says Canada is on track to meet a six per cent francophone immigration target by next year, despite nearly two decades of government efforts to meet the previous 4.4 per cent target. The new goal is to increase francophone immigration outside Quebec to six per cent in 2023, seven per cent in 2025 and eight per…

Ontario plans to increase the minimum wage for early childhood educators (ECE) to $23.86 per hour in 2023, which is up from the previously planned $20. This increase is meant to tackle staff shortages and is part of the childcare workforce strategy disclosed by Education Minister Stephen Lecce in November. Ontario's starting wages for ECEs are expected to be among…

On November 21, 2023, 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 healthcare, childcare, construction, and tech occupations. In the Tech draw, the province invited 93 candidates. The minimum score for candidates invited in this draw was 94 points. BC issued 27…

This new measure aims to provide a safe and legal means for eligible individuals from these countries to come to Canada. The pathway is designed for those who are at risk of human rights abuses or who are facing exceptional humanitarian situations. Furthermore, the initiative allows individuals to submit their applications for permanent residency from within Canada. Thus, Canada is…

Beginning November 16, 2023, the British Columbia Provincial Nominee Program (BC PNP) will prioritize 25 construction jobs in support of the Homes for People plan. This plan will address the province's housing and infrastructure needs for the next five years. Specifically, workers in selected construction roles with provincial trade qualifications will receive targeted invitations to apply, ensuring that they make…

he development of a five-billion-dollar electric vehicle (EV) battery plant in Windsor, Ontario, has received recent attention, with reports that it will employ 2,500 people by 2025. This aligns with Canada's commitment to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050, underscoring the importance of green technology to the government and the public. Earlier this year, the release of Budget 2023 highlighted the…

The Ontario Government aims to modify the Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program (OINP) to enhance the eligibility criteria for international students. The suggested legislation concentrates on revising requirements for individuals in one-year college graduate certificate programs, that are available across the province in numbers exceeding 900. This provides a much better opportunity for permanent residency for international students who formerly considered…

On November 7, 2023, 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, the current average LMIA processing times have increased only for the Seasonal Agricultural Worker Program and High-wage and Low-wage Streams. Global Talent Stream - 9 business days Agricultural…

On November 6, 2023, Immigration Minister Marc Miller commemorated the 11th National Francophone Immigration Week by highlighting the contributions of Francophone immigrants to the cultural, demographic, and economic landscape of Canada. The government has set new admission goals for French-speaking immigrants outside of Quebec, aiming for 6% in 2024, 7% in 2025, and 8% in 2026, as part of Canada's…