January 2016 was a busy month in the Canadian immigration industry. Here is a summary of some important developments that took place under the family class and under the federal Express Entry as well as the provincial nominee skilled worker streams.
Parent and Grandparent Sponsorship Program
On January 4, 2016, Citizenship and Immigration Canada began receiving 10,000 sponsorship applications for parents and grandparents (PGP) of Canadian citizens and permanent residents. However the 2016 intake threshold was quickly reached and this program has been capped.
For further information about bringing close family to Canada readers are invited to read here.
Express Entry Immigration
Through January 27, 2016, CIC conducted 3 draws issuing 4,449 invitations to apply (ITA) for permanent residence.
- Draw #1: 1463 Invitations to Apply, Lowest CRS Score 461
- Draw #2: 1518 Invitations to Apply, Lowest CRS Score 453
- Draw #3: 1468 Invitations to Apply, Lowest CRS Score 457
What This Means for Candidates
It is expected that the majority of Invitations to Apply (ITA’s) under Canada’s Express Entry System in 2016 will require a CRS score of less than 500 points. As a result, many applicants can expect to obtain permanent admission to Canada without a job offer or nomination under a provincial immigration program.
Alberta Immigrant Nominee Program (AINP)
After a pause on new applications, the Alberta Immigrant Nominee Program (AINP) is now accepting new applications under all streams and categories.
During the temporary pause on application intake, the AINP was able to reduce its inventory of pending applications by almost half, with fewer than 5,000 applications still remaining to be processed.
The province has advised stakeholders that it reserves the right to stop accepting new applications in the future if the program becomes oversubscribed. Individuals with pending applications who had previously applied to the AINP before the pause are not required to reapply and their existing application will remain in the queue for continued assessment.
For further information about AINP, readers are invited to read here.
BC PNP : Skills Immigration stream
The BC government is now accepting new applications under this program in the Health Care Professionals and Northeast Pilot Project categories.
For further information about BC PNP, readers are invited to read here.
Saskatchewan PNP
The Application Intake Threshold for the International Skilled Worker – Occupations In-Demand Sub-Category and the Saskatchewan Express Entry Sub-Category is currently closed however we expect it to open at regular intervals throughout 2016.
The SINP is still accepting applications under the International Skilled Worker Category – Employment Offer Sub-Category.
For further information about Saskatchewan PNP, readers are invited to read here.
Quebec Skilled Worker Program
On February 16, 2016, the Quebec government will begin accepting 2800 online applications under its skilled worker program. Originally scheduled for January, Quebec has faced numerous obstacles with its new online application system resulting in an extension of the program launch date until February 16, 2016. Individuals intending to submit an application must have created an online profile prior to January 26, 2016.
For further information about the current Quebec skilled worker online application threshold, readers are invited to read here.
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.
