July 27, 2017 – Canada’s immigration minister has hinted similar programs to the Atlantic Immigration Pilot could be formed elsewhere in the country if it proves a success.
Ahmed Hussen says if the pilot brings real results to Nova Scotia, Newfoundland & Labrador, New Brunswick and Prince Edward Island, the blueprint will be taken elsewhere.
The employer-driven program aims to bring 2,000 new skilled immigrants a year to the region in each of 2017, 2018 and 2019.
“We want to see the fast processing, we want well-integrated [immigrants], we want to see the retention rate going up,” Hussen said. “If that’s the case, we will take those lessons to other parts of Canada that experience similar challenges.”
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The former Somali refugee was speaking at an event hosted by the Association of Atlantic Universities earlier in July.
His speech also focused on retention, both of skilled immigrants and international graduates – a key challenge facing the Atlantic provinces. He highlighted how just 40 per cent of skilled immigrants who arrive in Atlantic Canada choose to stay.
“That is a very low number and we must do better,” Hussen said.
Despite a reported 65 per cent of Atlantic Canada international graduates saying they wanted to stay and work in the region, many say they are forced to leave because of a lack of job opportunities.
Atlantic Canada is at the sharp end of Canada’s problems with aging populations. New immigrants are crucial to improving the demographic and increasing the number of working-age residents.
Provincial politicians have described it as the single biggest issue facing the region.
The Carrot Approach
Retention of immigrants in the more rural provinces is not a new problem for Canada, so if the current lawmakers are going to solve it, they need to think innovatively.
There needs to be considerable joined-up thinking across all levels of government to make it happen.
Provincial policy makers need to create the right conditions and consider a variety of measures for immigrants to remain there.
Some possible policies include:
- Short term provincial tax credits for new residents.
- Offer residential land purchases in outlying areas at below market prices.
- Conditional property tax exemptions.
Given the need to rely on immigration as a tool to meet growing demographic challenges, policy makers in Atlantic Canada and elsewhere must consider the carrot approach.
The immigration tools are in place. They just need to be complemented with input from a much wider range of stakeholders to create the right conditions for immigrants to remain by choice.
This strategy will go a long way to helping ensure the success of Canada’s overall immigration policy objectives.
The Atlantic Immigration Pilot
Early figures suggest the Atlantic Immigration Pilot has made a solid start after it opened on March 6, 2017.
It features immigration streams for high and intermediate skilled workers, plus international graduates.
The program has seen 180 candidates cleared to apply for immigration since it opened. More than 250 skilled workers and international graduates have applied for provincial endorsement.
On the employer side, 600 have expressed an interest in using the program to recruit workers, with 400 so far achieving the required designation.
Once the designation is received, an employer can begin recruiting workers under the pilot’s three categories: the Atlantic Intermediate-Skilled Program, the Atlantic High-Skilled Program and the Atlantic International Graduate Program.
Candidates can apply for permanent residence through the program once they:
- receive a job offer from a designated employer,
- develop a settlement plan with a designated Atlantic service provider organization, and
- are endorsed by an Atlantic provincial government.
While they are in the process of applying, candidates are given expedited processing for temporary work permits. It means they can be in Canada, doing the job while their permanent residence application is being processed.
Atlantic Immigration Pilot: The Programs
- Atlantic High-Skilled Program
- Atlantic Intermediate-Skilled Program
- Atlantic International Graduate Program
The work experience, education, and job offer a candidate needs will depend on whether they are applying as a worker or an international student graduate. The other requirements are the same for both.
Work Experience
Workers
You must have worked for at least one year (1,560 hours total or 30 hours per week) within the last three years. It can be full-time, non-continuous, or part-time, as long as it adds up to 1,560 hours.
The work must be:
- In one occupation (but can be with different employers)
- Paid (volunteering or unpaid internships do not count)
- At skill type/level 0, A, B, or C of the National Occupational Classification (NOC)
- Under the Atlantic High-Skilled Program, workers need one year of experience at skill type/level 0, A, or B.
- Under the Atlantic Intermediate-Skilled Program, workers need one year of experience to be at the skill level C.
- The experience can be gained inside or outside Canada.
International Graduates
Candidates do not need work experience.
Education
Workers
Candidates must have:
- A Canadian secondary (high school) or post-secondary certificate, diploma or degree,
OR
- A foreign degree, diploma, certificate, or trade or apprenticeship education credential. Candidates need an Educational Credential Assessment (ECA) to make sure it is valid and equal to a Canadian credential. The ECA must show your education is equal to a completed Canadian secondary (high school) or post-secondary certificate, diploma or degree. Your ECA must be less than five years old when you apply.
International Graduates
Candidates must have:
- A minimum two-year degree, diploma, certificate, or trade or apprenticeship credential from a recognized publicly-funded institution in an Atlantic province.
- Been a full-time student in Canada for at least two years.
- Graduated in the 12 months prior to the application date.
- Lived in one of the Atlantic provinces for at least 16 months in the last two years before graduation.
- Had a visa or permit to work, study or train in Canada.
A candidate does not qualify if their study or training included:
- English or French second language courses for more than half of the program.
- Distance learning undertaken for more than half of the program.
A candidate cannot apply if their scholarship or fellowship required them to return to their home country after graduation.
Note: Atlantic Immigration Pilot candidates are able to apply for a temporary work permit if the job needs to be filled urgently. If an employer wants a candidate to apply for a temporary work permit first, the candidate will need to commit to applying for permanent residence within 90 days of the temporary application being submitted.
Job Offer
Under the high-skilled, intermediate-skilled and international graduate programs, candidates must have a job offer that is:
- From a designated employer in an Atlantic province.
- Non-seasonal.
- Reviewed by the province.
Job offers for high-skilled workers must:
- Be skill type/level 0, A, or B
- Last at least one year
Job offers for intermediate-skilled workers must:
- Be skill type/level 0, A, B, or C
- Be indeterminate (permanent)
Job offers for international graduates must:
- Be skill type/level 0, A, B, or C
- Last at least one year
A candidate’s job offer does not need to be in the same occupation as past work experience. However, a candidate does need to meet employment requirements for the job, as listed in the NOC.
The employer does not need an LMIA. Each province will communicate a list of employers hiring under the Atlantic Immigration Pilot.
Language
Requirements applicable to all three programs
Candidates must:
- Score at least a level 4 in the Canadian Language Benchmark exam in English or the Niveaux de Compétence Linguistique Canadiens in French.
- Take an approved language test and meet the level for speaking, listening, reading and writing.
Results must be less than two years old on the date of application.
Proof of Funds
Requirements applicable to all three programs
Candidates need to show they have enough money to support themselves and their families after immigration. Amounts depend on the size of the family and includes family members a candidate supports that are not immigrating.
Proof is not required if a candidate is already living and working in Canada with a valid work permit.
Settlement Plan
A candidate must have a needs assessment before immigrating. After the assessment, a candidate will get a plan with information about the community they are moving to and where they can get help after arrival. To find out about the needs assessment, click here.
Endorsement
Employers must complete an Endorsement Application for each candidate able to fill an existing vacancy.
Candidates cannot apply to Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada without an endorsement., which includes details of the job offer and settlement plan.
Interested employers: Kindly contact us here to receive further information.
Interested candidates: Find out whether you qualify to Canada by completing our free on-line evaluation. We will provide you with our evaluation within 1-2 business days.
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