Almost 90% of eligible Canadians are vaccinated against the COVID-19, thanks to successful vaccination campaigns. COVID cases have gone down and rates of hospitalisation have reduced considerably. Canada, in fact, has one of the highest rates of vaccination in the world. Keeping these positive changes in mind, the Candian Government suspends vaccination requirements for federal government employees, domestic and outbound travel and federally regulated transportation sectors.
The changes are ineffective at the border since the virus is contagious and the risks of infection may vary by country.
What else to stay abreast of?
The vaccination requirements for crew and passengers of cruise ships remain in effect along with other measures like wearing masks. The Canadian government, however, stayed clear that it could reimpose vaccine mandates depending on the public health situation.
Travellers on all Canadian federal modes of transport had to be vaccinated since October 30, 2021. Unvaccinated travellers, however, had a window of 30 days to provide a negative COVID-19 test report and proceed.
Canada also suspends random COVID-19 testing between 11th June and 30th June 2022 at all airports. This is a step to address congestion. Only unvaccinated travellers will need to go through the testing. From July 1st, however, testing will be done offline.
Canada has always tried to make immigration easier and faster for students, workers, families and spouses. Immigration, after all, has been a major source of boosting the country’s overall economy and bringing in the talent that the country needs for global development.
Thus, you won’t be surprised to know that Canada is working on a fast-track immigration program for international students and temporary foreign workers. That means foreign workers and international students can acquire permanent resident status more quickly.
Detailed Insights Into the Update
According to Minister Sean Fraser, the new program will be a permanent pathway for temporary residents. It almost reminded the country of the TR2PR program, which helped 90,000 international students and essential workers graduate last year.
After Fraser became the immigration minister, it became mandatory for him to expand permanent residence pathways. Currently, he has 120 days to come up with a strategy to achieve the goals dictated by a motion passed in the Canadian House of Commons.
You will get more information about the program by September 8.
Changes in the Express Entry Programs
You may have heard that Canada will again invite CEC and FSWP candidates this July for permanent resident status. But that isn't all.
Gear up for more surprises.
Bill C-19 is almost on track to become law. That is going to give IRCC the right authority to invite Express Entry candidates on the basis of economic goals or education credentials.
IRCC needs to help individuals select the groups of Express Entry candidates that will be involved in these new changes.
Steps to Come to Canada as a Temporary Resident
There are two reasons for people to come to Canada- to study or work. You need to get accepted to a DLI and acquire a study permit if you want to study in Canada. You may also be eligible for a PGWP if you graduate from a full-time program of at least eight months.
Similarly, you need a work permit if you want to work in Canada. The two categories of work permits include- The temporary Foreign Worker Program TFWP and International Mobility Program or IMP.
How to Immigrate through Express Entry?
Before you learn the steps for immigrating through Express Entry, let’s discuss what Express Entry exactly is.
It is an application management system specifically for three Canadian Immigration Programs. The programs include the FSWP, CEC and FSTP. That means you need to be eligible for any one of the programs to get into the Express Entry pool of candidates.
After you get into the pool, you will get a score on the basis of the IRCC’s CRS. The CRS considers factors such as official language facility, study experience, age and other economic factors to give you points. These CRS points determine whether or not you will get the Invitation to Apply for Canadian permanent residence.
The candidates in the Express Entry pool may also get an invitation to apply for provincial nomination through a PNP. You will be awarded 600 CRS points if you respond to the invitation and get nominated. This bonus guarantees that you will get an ITA in the next Express Entry draw.
Things flow smoothly once IRCC receives and approves your response to the ITA. The processing time for responding is six months though the government is trying to fast-track the process. Connect with the team at Onkar Immigration to know about the changes in detail. We provide thorough and stepwise guidance.
Canada is still facing a considerable labour shortage in the health care sector. The government hence is investing in a project to benefit healthcare professionals and the Canadian healthcare system as a whole.
The parliamentary secretary to Sean Fraser pledged about $1.5 million in funding for healthcare workers in Canada. The funds can promote information sharing and collaboration in the health sector. Also, internationally educated health care professionals can get their credentials recognized faster.
Background Information related to this Update
Canada works with CHEO or Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario to build on the success of the N4 or National Newcomer Navigation Network. It was launched in 2019 to provide support to newcomers who are willing to navigate the Canadian healthcare system.
The latest investment of $1.5 million will make it faster for internationally trained healthcare professionals to work in Canada.
It isn't restricted to that. The new investment enables N4 to serve as a platform for newcomers to find information on credential recognition and foreign qualification in all territories and provinces outside Quebec.
Alex Munter, CEO and President of CHEO, said, “Newcomers are an integral part of our communities. Their full inclusion in our health-care workforce will help us address staffing shortages, while also incorporating richly diverse voices of lived experience and better supporting other newcomers.”
Where does the funding come from?
The funding of $1.5 million comes from a stream within the IRCC’s settlement program. The program invests in projects that support future settlement programing. As per public records by CIC news, IRCC allocated $1.02 billion in settlement services within 2022-2023.
Express Entry Programs for Health Care Workers
Express Entry entails an online system that manages immigration applications for the federal government. It ranks eligible candidates based on their age, skilled work experience, education and official language proficiency. The candidates with the highest scores get to apply for permanent residence in bi-weekly Express Entry draws.
Draws for FSWP and CEC have been paused due to the pandemic. But, Minister Fraser announced that it would resume in early July.
PNP for Health Care Workers
IRCC has the final say when it comes to choosing who can immigrate to Canada. However, the provinces can nominate eligible candidates through the PNP or Provincial Nominee Programs. Some PNPs cater specifically to health care professionals. Others, on the contrary, have more general work experience requirements. These requirements may end up holding back immigration nomination draws.
At times, PNPs draw candidates from the Express Entry system to invite them for a provincial nomination. They get 600 CRS points to their Express Entry score if the candidates are nominated. The award lets the candidate apply for permanent residence.
Some PNP pathways for healthcare professionals:
The Labour Market Priorities Stream of Nova Scotia occasionally holds draws that invite health care professionals to apply for provincial nomination.
IEN program caters to foreign nurses who can speak French or English.
Saskatchewan brought forth an International Health Worker EOI pool for health care professionals.
British Columbia includes a Health Care Profesional category under Skills, Immigration and Express Entry pathways.
Ontario also invites health care professionals to apply via Human Capital Priorities Stream.
Our team at Onkar Immigration is here to help you match with the best PNP for a smooth Canadian immigration journey. So, consult with the professionals to clear all confusion.
Quebec
There is a completely separate immigration system in Quebec. Programs such as Express Entry isn't available here.
You will, however, find the Quebec Experience Program and Regular Skilled Worker Program here. Healthcare professionals may be eligible for any one of these immigration programs. In both cases, you need to show your proficiency in French.
Caregiver pilot programs
There’s good news for caregivers as well. You may also be able to apply for permanent residence via the Home Child Care Provider Pilot or Home Support Worker Pilot. You need to have a job offer to work in either of these two eligible occupations and meet the eligibility criteria. You need to comply with the work experience requirements of NOC codes 4411 or 4412.
You can also become eligible for permanent residence. For that, you must show a full-time work experience of at least 24 months in the 36 months before applying. You also need to show post-secondary education credentials and the Canadian Language Benchmark score.
Canada is one of the most sought-after destinations for tourists, immigrants, students and foreign workers. The wide slew of Canadian immigration laws makes it 10X easier for individuals to fulfill their Canadian dreams. But, things cannot be as simple as it sounds.
So, what’s the catch?
Well, a criminal record may restrict you from entering Canada. Even common convictions or minor charges from years ago can make you inadmissible to Canada.
Common Convictions that Make you Inadmissible to Canada
The common offences include:
Drug offences
Driving offences that involved drugs or alcohol
Assault
Reckless driving
Frauds like using bad credit cards or bad cheques
In Canada, different crimes have different levels of severity. For instance, they consider crimes with a maximum prison sentence of fewer than 10 years non-serious. The crimes, however, would fall under serious criminality if the maximum prison of an offence is 10 years or more.
How to Overcome Inadmissibility to Canada Due to Criminal Offences?
Don’t panic if you have a criminal history. There are ways to overcome inadmissibility to Canada due to criminal history. Here’s how:
Temporary Resident Permits
A TRP is a temporary option for anyone planning to enter Canada. Follow the steps below:
Explain why you want to come to Canada to the border officials.
The authority will then consider if your visit to Canada is safe for Canadian society or not.
They consider the number of offences you committed, the duration of time since the offence and more aspects related to criminal history.
Criminal Rehabilitation
The option mentioned above is temporary. This one is a permanent solution. You are eligible for this option if it has been five years since you have completed your sentence.
The fees differ depending on the nature of the crime. The Canadian Government translates the foreign crime to the Canadian equivalent to figure out the charge.
If your crime was non-serious, you might be rendered rehabilitated after 10 years of completing the sentence. This is beneficial if you have only one non-serious conviction on your record. In the case of multiple convictions, apply for criminal rehabilitation. A legal opinion letter comes in handy when meeting border officials.
Legal opinion letter
You can combine this letter with any of the options mentioned above. It helps Canadian border officials determine why you should be allowed to enter Canada. This is especially helpful if you have a pending charge without conviction.
It is always suggested to make the right preparations beforehand to avoid complications at the border. Connect with the team at Onkar Immigration if you want help immigrating to Canada with a criminal history. We will guide you thoroughly.
The Canadian government has always prioritized family reunifications. The recent changes in the super visa program also intend to bring families closer for a longer time. The new changes in the super visa program let parents and grandparents visit you in Canada easily and stay for a longer period of time.
What are the new changes in Super Visa Program?
The Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship, Sean Fraser, revealed the improvements in this super visa program. The changes will come into effect from 4th July 2022.
Here’s what the new changes are about:
Super visa holders stay for a longer time
Parents and grandparents can stay for five years longer in Canada through this improved super visa program.
Super visa holders can get medical insurance
The new changes in this program will allow the Minister of IRCC to provide medical insurance coverage to the super visa candidates. For now, super visa applicants can receive the essential medical coverage only from the Canadian insurance providers,
Canadian citizens and permanent residents can reunite with their parents and grandparents through this super visa program. Initially, the reunification lasted for two years. But, this new improvement added 5 years more.
Three Major Changes as Proposed in Bill C-242
Seeback, a member of the Conservative Party, sits on the Standing Committee under Immigration and Citizenship. He proposed three changes to the super visa program.
Parents and grandparents can stay for five consecutive years without renewing their visas.
The super visa candidates can purchase medical insurance from other countries besides Canada. According to Seeback, this step would help families save thousands of dollars in insurance.
The Canadian government is expected to reduce the low-income cut-off for Canadians planning to host their families.
Seeback said, “The view of bringing a parent or a grandparent to stay with you is an economic burden is wrong. What I actually found… is that when a parent or grandparent comes, it enhances the economic well-being of that family… It can be that they’re providing some reduction of daycare costs because the parent or grandparent is there to help with the family.”
Some Background Details on Super Visa
The super visa program began in 2011. It lets Canadian citizens and permanent residents host their parents and grandparents in Canada for extended periods of time. You must meet certain minimum income requirements to qualify for this program. And your parents and grandparents need to get through a medical exam and present proof of private health insurance.
Previously, your parents and grandparents could stay up to two years at a time. The new announcement is the result of the discussion of the Parliament’s citizenship and immigration committee on private member’s bill C-242. The latter was introduced in February and sponsored by MP Kyle Seeback.
Onkar Immigration is always a step ahead when it comes to keeping track of changes in immigration norms and laws. Whether you have queries regarding the super visa or you want guidance to get through the program, we are here at your disposal. Connect with us today.
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