Nearly 1,000 Skilled Trades and French-Speaking candidates invited by Ontario this month

The province of Ontario has issued 988 invitations to apply for a provincial nomination for permanent residence to Express Entry candidates through its Skilled Trades and French-Speaking Skilled Worker streams so far this month.  

On January 24, the Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program (OINP) issued 889 Notifications of Interest (NOIs) in its first draw of 2019 through its Skilled Trades Stream, which is linked to the federal Express Entry system.

Candidates who received an NOI in this draw had to have Express Entry profiles that were created between January 24, 2018, and January 24, 2019.

The Skilled Trades Stream allows the OINP to search the Express Entry pool for candidates currently living in Ontario who have a minimum of one year full-time work experience, or the equivalent in part-time work, in a skilled trade listed in Minor Group 633 or Major Group 72, 73, or 82 under Canada’s National Occupational Classification (NOC).

While candidates do not need a job offer to apply under either the Skilled Trades and French-Speaking Skilled Worker Streams, candidates must meet all the mandatory federal and provincial requirements specified by the OINP.

Candidates who successfully obtain a provincial nomination under these two Express Entry-aligned streams receive an additional 600 Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) points, effectively guaranteeing an Invitation To Apply (ITA) for Canadian permanent residence through the Express Entry system.

The first step to being identified as a candidate under the Skilled Trades and French-Speaking Skilled Worker Streams is to create an Express Entry profile.

Three French-Speaking Skilled Worker Stream invitation rounds

Three separate invitation rounds have been held so far this month for Ontario’s Express Entry-linked French Speaking Skilled Worker Stream, with 28 NOIs issued in the latest round on January 24.

Additional rounds were held under the French Speaking Skilled Worker Stream on January 17 and 11 with 71 NOIs issued in total.

Francophone candidates must demonstrate French language proficiency equivalent to a Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) level 7 or higher and meet additional requirements, including having sufficient funds to settle in Ontario.

All candidates issued NOIs through the Skilled Trades and French-Speaking Skilled Worker Streams must be eligible for either the Federal Skilled Worker Class or the Canadian Experience Class, and meet other criteria specified by the province.

Ontario has now issued nearly 2,500 NOIs to Express Entry candidates through its three Express Entry-linked provincial nomination streams, including 1,493 invitations that were issued through its Human Capital Priorities Stream on January 14.

All candidates invited under Ontario’s Express Entry Streams must submit a complete application for a provincial nomination within 45 calendar days of obtaining a NOI.

IRCC stands by Parents and Grandparents expression of interest process

Canada’s Parents and Grandparents sponsorship program reopened to expressions of interest on January 28, sparking fierce competition among aspiring sponsors.  

The Interest to Sponsor form for the popular program was due to go live at 12 p.m. Eastern Standard Time, with Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) accepting 27,000 submissions on a first-in, first-served basis.

Completing and submitting the form is the first step in the sponsorship process through IRCC’sParents and Grandparents Program (PGP), which allows eligible Canadian citizens and permanent residents over the age of 18 to sponsor their parents and/or grandparents for immigration to Canada.

The form opened and closed again within minutes, sparking a torrent of comments on IRCC’s social media channels from frustrated users who said they were either unable to access the form or were in the process of completing a form but could not because the intake ended.

Mathieu Genest, press secretary for Canada’s Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship, Ahmed Hussen, told CIC News that more than 100,000 individuals attempted to access the Interest to Sponsor form when it went live.

“Initial analysis indicates that there were no technical issues when the form opened [Monday] and that we have received the maximum number of submissions for 2019,” Genest said in a statement to CIC News.

“We understand that those who were not able to make a submission are disappointed.”

Genest said IRCC did “extensive testing” to ensure the intake system could handle the expected volume. IRCC also took steps to ensure the first-in system “was fair and created safeguards to ensure the system is not abused,” Genest added, pointing to the implementation of anti-bot features to ensure that “submissions received were legitimate.”

Following the removal of duplicate submissions, invitations to apply to the PGP will be issued in the order the Interest to Sponsor forms were received until IRCC reaches its 2019 target of 20,000 complete applications.

IRCC also updated its website once the intake was closed Monday to say it may open the interest to sponsor form again in 2019 if more potential sponsors are needed.

Genest reminded those hoping to sponsor their parents and/or grandparents that they also may be eligible for Canada’s Super Visa, which is good for 10 years and allows eligible parents and grandparents to stay in Canada for a period of up to two years at a time.

David Cohen, the senior partner at the Campbell Cohen Canadian immigration law firm in Montreal, said the Super Visa option may not satisfy those seeking permanent residence for their parents or grandparents through the PGP, but it can serve as an interim solution for those who are eligible.

“The Super Visa is one way to get your parents or grandparents here to Canada, at least in the short-term,” he said.

Expression of interest process gets panned — and applause

IRCC reached the submissions cap by 12:11  p.m., at which point it announced on its social media channels that the form submission period was over.

Posts to IRCC’s social media channels questioned a tweet from IRCC that was published just after 12 p.m. announcing the form “will be available momentarily. Thank you for your patience.”

IRCC’s tweet, which was subsequently deleted, was followed moments later by the announcement that the Interest to Sponsor submission period was over.

Many frustrated users — some who said they have been trying to sponsor family through the PGP for years — condemned the process as unfair.

“This is not a concert ticket you are selling, this is about uniting families. The whole process is atrocious,” wrote Twitter user Naimul Khan.

Mohammad Keyhani called the expression of interest process “completely unfair and un-Canadian.”

A number tweeted at Prime Minister Justin Trudeau asking him to launch a review of IRCC’s Interest to Sponsor process.

Others, however, said the Interest to Sponsor form worked for them.

Cristina Urzica tweeted that it was her third time trying this year and she managed to submit her Interest to Sponsor form.

“Sorry not everybody got in, but the website worked,” she wrote. “Keep your hopes up! There isn’t a 100 per cent [fair] way.”

First-in replaced controversial randomized approach

IRCC resumed a first-in approach to accepting expressions of interest and issuing invitations to apply to the PGP after facing widespread criticism for its move to a randomized lottery-style approach to invitations last year, which many also said was unfair.

IRCC said the randomized approach would level the playing field and give everyone the opportunity to be selected to sponsor their parents and/or grandparents, but critics said it left family reunification to chance.

When it announced last summer that it would adopt a first-in approach to the PGP in 2019, IRCC said it was a result of “listening to stakeholders and closely examining the PGP.”

IRCC said the changes to the application intake process for 2019 “will streamline access to the program and improve client experience.”

Genest told CIC News that “client service will remain at the centre of all our programs” and said the current Liberal government has quadrupled the intake of applications for the PGP to 20,000 from 5,000 under the previous Conservative government.

“Making sure families can be reunited with their loved ones is a pillar of our immigration policy,” Genest said.

The fallout from the January 28 Interest to Sponsor form opening is likely to continue, however. More than 4,400 people have signed a petition calling for the results of Monday’s intake to be annulled and for another opening to be held later in the year that will ensure all can interested sponsors can access the form.

Super Visa Eligibility Criteria

In order to apply for a Super Visa, a parent or grandparent must:

• Have a signed letter from a child or grandchild who invites them to Canada that includes:
  • a promise of financial support for the duration of their visit
  • the list and number of people in the household of this person
  • a copy of this person’s Canadian citizenship or permanent resident document

• Have medical insurance from a Canadian insurance company that is:
  • valid for at least one year from the date of entry
  • at least $100,000 for minimum coverage
  • have proof that the medical insurance has been paid (quotes aren’t accepted)

They must also:

• be allowed to enter Canada
• take an immigration medical exam

The child or grandchild who invites their parent or grandparent must prove that their household meets the minimum necessary income.

Nova Scotia draws auditors and accountants from Express Entry pool

The Government of Nova Scotia has issued new invitations to apply for a nomination for permanent residence to Express Entry candidates with work experience as financial auditors or accountants.  

The invitations were issued January 24 through the province’sLabour Market Priorities Stream, which was launched last year.

The Labour Market Priorities Stream allows Nova Scotia’s Office of Immigration to search thefederal Express Entry pool for eligible candidates with work experience in specified occupations.

Express Entry candidates invited in the stream’s first draw of 2019 were required to have at least five years of work experience in National Occupational Classification (NOC) 1111 — Financial Auditors and Accountants. For examples of professions covered under this category, see below.

Those selected in the January 24 draw submitted their Express Entry profiles on or after July 1, 2018, and had an Express Entry ranking score from 400 and 450, among other criteria.

An Express Entry candidate’s ranking score is based on factors that include their age, education, work experience and proficiency in English or French, and a set number of the highest-scoring candidates are invited to apply for Canadian permanent residence through regular invitation rounds.

In order to be considered for immigration through the Labour Market Priorities Stream, and many other Express Entry-aligned provincial nominee streams, candidates must first submit an Express Entry profile.

Whereas Nova Scotia invited candidates with scores potentially as low as 400, the most recent Federal Express Entry draw only invited candidates with scores of 443 or above.

A provincial nomination provides Express Entry candidates with an additional 600 points towards their Express Entry ranking score, effectively assuring an invitation to apply for Canadian permanent residence in a subsequent Express Entry invitation round.

“This draw is potentially good news for some Express Entry candidates with ranking scores below the cut-off in recent Express Entry draws,” said David Cohen, senior partner with the Campbell Cohen Canadian immigration law firm in Montreal. “It’s a good reminder of how provincial nominee streams can help Express Entry candidates with lower scores achieve their goal of permanent residence.”

While Express Entry profiles are valid for up to 12 months, it is worth noting that Nova Scotia only considered those submitted on or after July 1, 2018, in the January 24 draw.

Express Entry candidates selected in the latest Labour Market Priorities draw were also required to have the following:

• a bachelor’s degree OR have completed a program of three or more years at a university, college, trade or technical school, or another institute.
• a Canadian Language Benchmark score of 7 or higher in English or French for speaking, listening, reading and writing.
• letters of reference from employers to demonstrate proof of a minimum of 5 years of work experience in NOC 1111.

Illustrative examples of occupations classified as NOC 1111 include:

accountant accountant-controller accountants supervisor accounting controller analyst-accountant assistant controller audit unit head – taxation auditor – finance auditor-CA (chartered accountant) auditor-chartered accountant (CA) auditors supervisor bank branch accountant bank reserves auditor bankruptcy trustee budget accountant CA (chartered accountant) student certified general accountant (CGA) certified management accountant (CMA) chartered accountant (CA) chartered accountant (CA) student chartered professional accountant, certified general accountant (CPA, CGA) chartered professional accountant, certified management accountant (CPA, CMA) chartered professional accountant, chartered accountant (CPA, CA) chief accountant claims accountant computer audit specialist cost accountant cost accounting supervisor departmental accountant division controller – accounting field auditor – finances financial accountant financial auditor financial control officer general accountant income tax adjuster income tax adviser income tax consultant income tax expert income tax investigator income tax specialist industrial accountant industrial auditor intermediate accountant internal audit project manager internal audit supervisor – finances internal auditor internal auditor – finances internal auditors supervisor – finances machine processing accountant management accountant management accounting chief manufacturing accountant plant accountant plant controller production accountant project accountant property accountant public accountant public accountants chief public accountants supervisor reinsurance analyst sales auditor – finances senior accounting analyst senior cost accountant senior intern auditor tax accountant tax adviser tax analyst tax auditor tax consultant tax evaluator tax examiner tax expert tax specialist taxation rulings officer

Canada unveils new immigration pilot for rural and northern communities

The Government of Canada has unveiled a new five-year economic immigration pilot that will help rural and northern communities in Ontario, Western Canada and Canada’s three territories attract and retain skilled foreign workers.

The community-driven Rural and Northern Pilot builds on theAtlantic Immigration Pilot Program launched in 2017 and will facilitate permanent residence for foreign workers of various skill levels in eligible communities in the following provinces and territories:

• Ontario
• Manitoba
• Saskatchewan
• Alberta
• British Columbia
• Yukon
• Northwest Territories
• Nunavut

Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) says eligible communities can be either a city with a population of 50,000 or less located at least 75 kilometres from the core of a metropolitan area of 100,000 or more, or a city of up to 200,000 people that qualifies as remote.

Like the Atlantic Immigration Pilot (AIPP), the new Rural and Northern Pilot will operate alongside Canada’s Provincial Nominee Program.

The employer-driven AIPP works with businesses in the Atlantic Canada provinces of Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island and Newfoundland and Labrador to hire foreign workers for positions they haven’t been able to fill locally.

In 2018, the AIPP allowed the four participating provinces to endorse up 2,500 foreign workers and international students for permanent residence. IRCC did not specify a quota for the new pilot.

“By creating an immigration pilot aimed at rural and northern communities, we’re looking to ensure that the benefits of immigration are shared across the country,” Canada’s Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship, Ahmed Hussen, said at the launch of the new pilot on January 24.

Bernadette Jordan, Minister of Rural Economic Development Canada, said the pilot’s community-driven approach is essential.

“The Pilot will support the economic development of smaller communities by testing new, community-driven approaches to address their diverse labour market needs.”

Communities have until March 1 to apply

IRCC is currently seeking applications from eligible communities in the identified provinces and territories that would like to participate in the pilot.

IRCC says interested communities must work with a local economic development organization to submit an application that shows they meet the pilot’s eligibility criteria and how immigration will promote local economic development priorities.

Among other criteria, communities selected to participate in the Rural and Northern Pilot will have to demonstrate that they have job opportunities available and will be actively involved in matching immigration candidates to jobs.

IRCC says the local community and economic development organization will be responsible for recruiting and assessing immigration candidates based on local economic needs and job openings, and recommending selected candidates for permanent residence.

Complete applications are due March 1, 2019, and the communities selected to participate in the pilot will be unveiled in the spring. 

Information on the immigration process for foreign workers through the Rural and Northern Immigration Pilot will be announced later in 2019.

Express Entry draw continues record start to 2019, CRS score drops

The Government of Canada held its second Express Entry draw of 2019 on Wednesday, January 23, issuing 3,900 invitations to apply for Canadian permanent residence to candidates with ranking scores as low as 443.  

Canada has now issued 7,800 invitations to candidates in the federal Express Entry systemsince the start of 2019. This is the most Invitations to Apply (ITAs) issued as of January 23 since Express Entry was introduced in 2015 to manage the pool of candidates for Canada’s three Federal High Skilled economic immigration categories —  the  Federal Skilled Worker Class, Federal Skilled Trades Class and Canadian Experience Class.

Candidates for these three categories are ranked based on scores awarded for factors such as age, education, work experience and proficiency in English or French and a set number of the highest-scoring candidates are invited to apply for Canadian permanent residence through regular invitation rounds.

This year’s record start is not unexpected given Canada’s higher admissions targets for 2019 and 2020 for Federal High Skilled economic immigration candidates, the vast majority of whom have their applications for permanent resident status processed through the Express Entry system.

In order to meet these higher targets, it is expected that Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) will have to issue more ITAs over the course of this year than it did in 2018, which saw IRCC issue its most invitations in a single year.

Find out if you are eligible to enter the Express Entry pool

CRS drops six points

The minimum Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score in this latest draw was six points lower than the minimum score in the first draw of 2019, which took place on January 10. Today’s score of 443 was the lowest score yet for a January draw through the Express Entry system.

This decrease can be explained by the fact only two weeks elapsed between these two invitation rounds, while a gap of three weeks separated the January 10 draw and the previous invitation round on December 19.

Less time between draws means fewer candidates have time to enter the Express Entry pool, which can have the effect of lowering the minimum CRS score.

The tie-break rule in the January 23 draw was January 2, 2019, at 03:55:26 UTC. This means that all candidates with a CRS score above 443, as well as those candidates with scores of 443 who entered their profile in the Express Entry pool before the selected date and time, received an ITA in this invitation round.

Express Entry candidates with scores beneath today’s cut-off score can take steps to increase their scores and improve their ranking.

A provincial nomination through Canada’s Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) is one increasingly popular option for Express Entry candidates looking to better their scores.

The PNP allows participating Canadian provinces and territories to nominate an allotted number of economic immigration candidates for permanent residence each year, including Express Entry candidates.

A provincial nomination through an Express Entry-linked PNP stream results in an additional 600 CRS points, which effectively assures an invitation to apply for Canadian permanent residence.

Express Entry PNP streams in Ontario, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, British Columbia and Prince Edward Island have been active this month.

Canada’s Parents and Grandparents Program Starting on 28th January 2019: Are you ready?

Canada will reopen its Parents and Grandparents sponsorship program next Monday to expressions of interest and invitations to apply to the program will be issued on a first-in, first-served basis.  

This means the quicker you can get your complete Interest to Sponsor form submitted, the better your chances may be of getting an invitation to apply to sponsor your parents and grandparents for permanent residence in Canada through the Parents and Grandparents Program (PGP).

IRCC says the Interest to Sponsor form should only take about 10 minutes to complete if you have all the necessary information and documents ready to go.

With this in mind, here’s a primer on how the expression of interest process works and the information that’s required so you can hit the ground running when the form goes live.

What? When? Where?

The first step in the sponsorship process is completing an Interest to Sponsor form. This is not an application to the PGP, but instead lets Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) know that you would like to sponsor your parents and grandparents for permanent residence in Canada.

The Interest to Sponsor form will be made available at 12 p.m. Eastern Standard Time next Monday, January 28, on IRCC’s website and will remain available until a set number of completed forms are received.

Invitations to apply to the PGP will then be issued to eligible potential sponsors in the order Interest to Sponsor forms were received until IRCC’s 2019 cap of 20,000 complete applications is met.

Who is eligible?

Anyone who is a Canadian citizen or permanent resident of Canada and who is over the age of 18 can sponsor their parents and grandparents.

All interested sponsors will have to confirm that they have the required income for the number of family members they’ll be supporting financially. For more on this, see the Minimum Necessary Income Requirement section below.

What constitutes a complete Interest to Sponsor form?

A complete Interest to Sponsor form requires the following information:

• The interested sponsor’s family name and given name(s) exactly as it is written on the proof of status in Canada document they will have to submit along with the Interest to Sponsor form.
• Interested sponsor’s date of birth.
• The country or territory where the interested sponsor was born.
• The interested sponsor’s primary residential address (where they live)
  • The interested sponsor must live in Canada.
  • All fields must be completed and the complete address provided.
  • Street number, street name, apartment or unit number (if applicable) must be provided along with P.O. Box (if applicable), province or territory, and postal code.
  • For the street number and address, include the street type (street, boulevard, avenue, etc.). IRCC provides the following format as an example: 123 John St. or 123 John Ave. or 123 John Pl.
• The interested sponsor’s email address.
• The number of family members in the interested sponsor’s family unit.
• The total number of persons to be sponsored, including their dependents (spouse, partner and children)
• Names of the parents and grandparents who would be sponsored.
• Date of birth of the parents and grandparents who would be sponsored.
• The interested sponsor’s proof of status in Canada document number.
• The interested sponsor’s electronic signature (they must type in their name).

You cannot adjust your information once the Interest to Sponsor form has been submitted.

If IRCC invites you to apply, you can provide your updated information in your application. You will need to provide a letter explaining any changes along with proof of the changes.

Proof of Status in Canada

The proof of status in Canada requirement has been added to the Interest to Sponsor process for 2019.

Along with the proof of status document number listed above, interested sponsors will have to upload an electronic (digital) copy of their proof of status document. IRCC says that requiring all potential sponsors to submit this document will help them “detect duplication and possible fraud within the system.”

IRCC will accept expired status in Canada documents for the purposes of the Interest to Sponsor form. The same document must be used if the interested sponsor is invited to submit a complete application.

The following document types will be accepted as proof of status in Canada:

• permanent resident card (both sides)
• record of landing (IMM 1000) (only if the interested sponsor didn’t get a PR Card)
• Confirmation of Permanent Residence (IMM 5292 or IMM 5688)
• Canadian Citizenship Certificate or card (both sides)
• Canadian birth certificate
  • If the interested sponsor was born in Quebec, IRCC will only accept a birth certificate from the Directeur de l’État civil.
• Canadian passport (pages showing passport number, date of issue and expiration, photo, name, surname, place and date of birth)

IRCC advises interested sponsors to prepare their electronic proof of status in Canada document ahead of time and save it where it’s easy to find on their computer or mobile device.

Note that the maximum file size that can be uploaded is 2.5 MB. If the document exceeds this size, it won’t be possible to upload the document and submit the Interest to Sponsor form.

Only one file can be uploaded with the Interest to Sponsor form. If you are required to provide both sides of your proof of status in Canada document, they must both appear on a single document. IRCC advises that the easiest way to do this is to include both images in a Microsoft Word document.

The document must be saved as one of the following file formats:

• PDF (Portable Document)
• JPG, TIFF, or PNG (image)
• DOC or DOCX (Microsoft Word document)

When naming the file, be sure to leave out accents, numbers, spaces, hyphens and the following characters: / & , . – : \ ( ) * # ; @

Minimum Necessary Income Requirement

The Interest to Sponsor form also requires potential sponsors to confirm that they meet the Minimum Necessary Income requirements for supporting their parents and grandparents.

While there is no requirement to prove they have the required income at the Interest to Sponsor stage, potential sponsors who are invited to apply and their co-signers (if applicable) will have to provide Notices of Assessment from the Canada Revenue Agency for each of the three taxation years immediately preceding the date of their application.

To confirm that they meet the Minimum Necessary Income requirement, interested sponsors will have to determine their family size, which includes all the people they’ll be financially responsible for once they become a sponsor.

Family size includes:

• the interested sponsor;
• their spouse or common-law partner;
• their dependent children;
• their spouse’s or partner’s dependent children;
• any other person the interested sponsor may have sponsored in the past, for whom they’re still financially responsible;
• the parents and grandparents they want to sponsor and their dependents (spouse or partner and dependent children);
• any dependent children who won’t come to Canada with their parents or grandparents;
• their parent or grandparent’s spouse or partner, even if they won’t come to Canada;
• their parent or grandparents’ separated spouse.

The following table applies to residents of all provinces except Quebec.
Sponsors who live in Quebec will have their income assessed by the Quebec ministry in charge of immigration based on the province’s income requirements.

After submitting the Interest to Sponsor form

Once your Interest to Sponsor form has been submitted successfully, you’ll receive an email from IRCC confirming that they have received your Interest to Sponsor form. This email will contain a confirmation number.

IRCC encourages you to record the confirmation number and keep it handy. You’ll need this number later to check if you’ve been invited to apply.

IRCC says interested sponsors who submit the form and receive a confirmation number will have their Interest to Sponsor form retained for consideration in 2020 if they do not receive an invitation to apply to the PGP this year.

Canada’s goal of 1 million new permanent residents turning heads worldwide

Canada’s goal of admitting more than a million new permanent residents by the end of 2021 is gaining new attention internationally.  

Recent reports by the BBC, CNN and others have highlighted how the three-year target is setting Canada apart on the global stage. As CNN reported, “Canada’s friendly stance towards new residents comes as many other Western nations, including the United States, are adopting more restrictive immigration policies.”

A New York Times opinion piece took it further, arguing the U.S. should be following Canada’s example and increasing immigration for the sake of its “economic health.”

This rationale lies at the heart of Canada’s drive to raise its immigration levels. In his department’s annual report to Parliament last fall, Canada’s Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship, Ahmed Hussen, said, “growing immigration levels, particularly in the Economic Class, will help us sustain our labour force, support economic growth and spur innovation.”

Under Canada’s latest three-year immigration levels plan, total immigration is expected to reach 350,000 new permanent residents in the year 2021. This represents an immigration level of nearly one per cent of Canada’s population, which the Conference Board of Canada says must be reached by 2030 to ensure modest population and economic growth.

Nearly 60 per cent of all new permanent residents expected this year are slated to arrive through economic immigration programs. Of these, four programs — the three Federal High Skilled programs managed by Canada’s Express Entry system and the Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) — are expected to account for nearly 75 per cent of all economic admissions.

Among Canada’s economic immigration programs, the three Express Entry-managed programs —  the Federal Skilled Worker Class, Federal Skilled Trades Class and Canadian Experience Class — have the highest target of 2019 at 81,400 new admissions.

Introduced in 2015, Canada’s Express Entry system is tailored to favour immigration candidates who are young, highly educated, proficient in English or French and have skilled work experience. These are considered the ingredients for achieving success in Canada and maximizing a newcomer’s contribution to the Canadian economy.

Government figures for January to October 2018 show software engineers and designers, information systems analysts and consultants, and computer programmers and interactive media developers leading the list of professionals invited to apply for Canadian permanent residence through Express Entry in 2018.

NOC	Top 10 Invited Occupations	2018 ITAs (as of Oct. 2018)	% of ITAs
2173	Software Engineers and designers	3,918	7%
2171	Information systems analysts and consultants	3,523	6%
2174	Computer Programmers and Interactive Media Developers	2,301	4%
1111	Financial auditor and accountants	1,581	3%
1241	Administrative assistants	1,455	3%
1123	Professional Occupations in Advertising, Marketing, and Public Relations	1,375	2%
1112	Financial and Investment Analysts	1,283	2%
4011	University professors and lecturers	1,265	2%
1122	Professional occupations in business management consulting	1,223	2%
0124	Advertising, marketing and public relations managers	1,138	2%

One of the reasons the Government of Canada introduced the Express Entry system was to expedite the processing of permanent resident applications for skilled workers. Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) says it is achieving its goal of a six-month processing time in 80 per cent of cases.

Canada’s PNP is also slated to continue its impressive growth. The program works to spread the benefits of immigration among participating provinces and territories by allowing them to nominate economic immigration candidates for permanent residence.

The PNP has evolved from 233 new permanent resident admissions in 1996 to a target of 55,000 in 2018. Its 2019 target is 61,000, which will grow to 67,800 in 2020 and 71,300 in 2021.

Here’s how Canada’s PNP nomination allocation for 2018 was distributed across participating provinces and territories. Note that Quebec does not participate in the PNP so has no allocation.

This map shows the nomination allocation per province for 2018, as opposed to admissions. Admissions include nominees and accompanying family members who arrive as permanent residents.

Family reunification and refugees

Canada’s three-year plan also calls for increases under its family and refugee and protected person immigration programs, which combined account for around 40 per cent of Canada’s overall immigration targets over the next three years.

The federal government calls family reunification a “central pillar of Canada’s immigration program” that “contributes to the economic, social and cultural prosperity of all Canadians.”

Family sponsorship programs for spouses/common-law partners and children as well as parents and grandparents have a target of 88,500 in 2019 and 91,000 in both 2020 and 2021.

One of the draws of obtaining Canadian permanent residence is the ability to potentially sponsor additional family members for permanent residence in the future.

Canada will also maintain its commitments to refugees and vulnerable persons, despite an influx of asylum seekers in the last two years that has strained the government’s resources.

In its annual report, IRCC noted the unprecedented levels of global displacement in 2017 and said its three-year plan will “accommodate more refugees looking to start new lives.”

To this end, Canada has set an overall admissions target for refugees and protected person of 46,450 for 2019, which will grow to 51,700 in 2021.

“While many Western nations are moving to reduce immigration, Canada is going in the opposite direction,” said David Cohen, senior partner at the Campbell Cohen Canadian immigration law firm in Montreal.

“This is good news for both Canadians and anyone who is hoping to make Canada their home because this country’s future depends on immigration.”