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July Canada Priority List

Saturday, June 25, 2011

Federal Skilled Worker –The list of 29 eligible occupations remains the same for the coming 12 months. However, between July 1, 2011 and June 30, 2012, CIC will only accept a maximum of 10,000 applications for processing under this category of immigration with a cap or limit of 500 applications considered in any one of the eligible occupations. Applicants who have a validated job offer from a Canadian employer will not be affected by the cap limit.


I would like to stress out that applicants must ready their applications as soon as possible. Many applicants had anticipated already of their occupation will be included in the list thus preparing as early as possible. Their documents are all ready and can be submitted this coming july 1.

Just like I said before getting ahead of everyone is your biggest asset in securing your immigrant visa for Canada.

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Canada’s postal service is on strike. Find out how this affects you.

Friday, June 10, 2011

The Canada Post Corporation and the Canadian Union of Postal Workers failed to reach a deal on negotiating a new collective agreement. As a result, the postal workers began a strike effective 11:59 PM EDT Thursday, June 2, 2011.

This will affect you if:


Submitting an application for temporary residence or extending your status

If you are already in Canada and wish to apply for a Study Permit, a Work Permit, an Off-Campus Work Permit or a Post-Graduation Work Permit, or you wish to Extend Your Stay as a Visitor, you are strongly encouraged to submit your application online. Find out how to complete an online application.


Submitting a new application (permanent residence or citizenship) or missing documents

All application forms and guides can be downloaded and most forms will need to be couriered to us.

If you choose to use a courier, please make sure to submit your completed application to the address provided in the application package, ensuring that you include the fee receipt and all the necessary documents.

Ensure you provide an e-mail address when you fill out your application form so that Citizenship and Immigration (CIC) may communicate with you by e-mail.


Your status is about to expire during the strike

If your temporary resident status (e.g., as a worker, student or visitor) is about to expire, you should ensure that your application to extend your status is received by CIC before your status expires as shown on your immigration document. If you do this, your period of authorized stay as a temporary resident will be extended by law until a decision is made and you are notified. In this case, you are considered to have implied status as a temporary resident during that time, as long as you stay in Canada.

Note: “Implied status” only applies if your conditions do not change. For example, if you apply to renew your study permit and the permit expires before you receive an answer, you can continue to study in Canada until you receive a decision. If you hold a work permit, you may continue working under the same conditions as your previous work permit while on implied status if you have applied to extend your stay in Canada as a worker.

As a temporary measure, if your status is about to expire during the postal strike and you cannot use online applications or courier services to extend your status as a temporary resident, CIC will grant you an implied status for the length of the strike. In that case, you will be given a one-month grace period after the strike to submit an application to extend your status without having to restore your status.


You have lost your status

You may apply to restore your status only if you have not been out of status for more than 90 days.

After you apply to restore your status, you may stay in Canada until a decision is made on your application, but you are not allowed to work or study until your status has been restored. There is no guarantee that your application will be approved.

Applications to restore status must be made from within Canada – restoration cannot be granted at ports of entry. If you leave Canada, you will be deemed to be seeking a new entry on your return and will not be eligible for status restoration.


You have already sent your application but it might not have arrived before the strike

If you have submitted an application and you are concerned that it might not be received because of the postal strike, you should keep all of your receipts, which will be an indication that your application is in process. If the application is urgent and it meets CIC’s criteria for urgent processing, you are advised to re-send your application via courier and request a refund on your original payment after the strike is over.

Processing times and application status

Please note that the estimated application processing times in Canada available on the website may be longer than expected given the interruption in mail services. You may be able to view your application status online 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Please be aware that our automated voice response system at the CIC National Call Centre may also be able to provide you with information about the status of your application.

Fee payment

For your application to be considered complete, you must include the correct fee payment. Due to the postal strike, you are encouraged to pay the fees online. This service is available for most immigration and citizenship applications.

You may also pay fees at a Canadian financial institution. If you cannot or do not want to pay online, you must get an original receipt of payment form IMM 5401 so that you can pay at a financial institution (such as a bank or Western Union). You must include a copy of this receipt when you apply. Normally, the HPM receipt (IMM 5401) is ordered online or through the CIC Call Centre and mailed to the applicant. However, due to the postal strike, if you want to pay the fees at a Canadian financial institution, you may go to your local CIC office and request the IMM 5401 in person. You may consult the CIC website for information on offices open to the public and their operating hours.

Please note that application fees will not be accepted at local offices.

Incorrect or missing fee payments or incomplete applications may result in additional delays in processing your application.



If you are applying from overseas and you have not already sent your application, you can send it by courier or wait until the end of the postal strike.










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Biometric Scanning for Canada Visa Applicants

Tuesday, June 7, 2011


Federal Immigration Minister Jason Kenney's office has confirmed Canada will soon roll out biometric scanning for travellers seeking visas to Canada, but it won't say which country will be first.

On Friday, the Toronto Star reported the federal government is planning to roll out the first phase of the $200-million electronic fingerprinting program in India because of ongoing concerns about widespread immigration fraud on applications from that country.

But spokeswoman Celyeste Power said the story isn't true and there has been no decision yet on which countries are going to get the biometrics.

"There hasn't actually been a decision yet on which countries are going to be involved in biometrics," she said. "There are countries in discussion right now ... No one's being leaned towards."

Power wouldn't say which countries are being considered for the program, but said the ministry expects to make a decision in early fall, or sometime in 2012.

The government announced in 2008 it was moving to biometrics, which is considered more reliable than the use of subjective photo identification by immigration agents, because it uses digital measurements that can be stored on computers and magnetic strips.

In the 2008 budget, the government said, “Border security remains a priority for Canadians. Criminals are increasingly more sophisticated and well funded, including those who engage in document fraud to illegally move people or goods across borders," according the immigration ministry's website.

"Further to biometric field trials in Canada that were successfully completed in 2007, the government will introduce the use of biometric data, such as fingerprints and live photographs, in its visa-issuing process to accurately verify identity and travel documents of foreign nationals who enter Canada," says the website.


*source yahoo.com

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Construction Related Proffessions and the Canada New Priority Applications

Monday, June 6, 2011



A new endeavor has been launched by Canada Construction Sector Council for recruiting foreign workers in Canada.

The new resource will prove to be of significant help for bringing the aspiring immigrants wanting to work in Canada construction sector and the employers in Canada construction industry.



New source to provide information about labor market in Canada--According to executive director of Canada’s Construction Sector Council (CSC), George Gritziotis, the new toll will provide vital information with regard to the current and future labor market conditions in Canada. It will help in growth of jobs in Canada. Gritziotis added.



Platform for immigrant workers and employers in Canada construction sector-- Aptly named the Construction Employer’s Roadmap, the new effort is aimed to assist Canada employers and all those in federal HR (human resources) programs check foreign credentials of immigrant workers for enabling them realize their full potential in Canada construction sector.

It will prove to be a good platform for potential job seekers and employers in Canada construction industry since it will help connect temporary foreign workers to fulfill the demand in the industry, Gritziotis added.

Demand in Canada construction industry to grow in future—Due to a slow but sustained growth in the Canada construction sector and 25 percent of construction workers set to retire in the next decade, the growth of workers in Canada construction is set to increase, pointed Gritziotis citing latest reports.

Hiring and retaining required number of workforce in construction sector of Canada could be a challenge despite the fact that Canada has an increasing number of skilled immigrants to replace those nearing the retirement age, he asserted.



New guide helpful for employers—The new guide, Construction Employer’s Roadmap, imparts crucial information regarding the significance of immigration advisors and employment agencies. In addition, it also provides knowledge about different immigration schemes of Canada available for foreigners wanting to work in Canada, temporary residents of Canada and Canada permanent residents.

It gives much needed knowledge regarding assessment of work-experience in other nations, making offers of jobs, development of orientation schemes and retaining workforce.

The new tool has been provided funding by Canada immigration department-CIC(Citizenship and Immigration Canada). Canada immigration minister Jason Kenney expressed pride of the government in supporting the efforts of Canada’s Construction Sector Council while admitting the importance of immigration in supporting the required workforce in Canada.



*source: www.canadaupdates.com

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Economist Makes Case In Canada Immigration Application

Wednesday, June 1, 2011

Some economists in Canada are saying that Canada should welcome another 100,000 immigrants a year.

York University's Tony Fang and the University of Toronto's Peter Dungan and Morley Gunderson say that raising immigration numbers in Canada will increase gross domestic product, lead to increased investment in the Canadian property market, and lead to increased spending which will boost Government tax revenues.

Canada already welcomes 250,000 immigrants a year, more immigrants per capita than any other Country in the world.

Canada's political climate is already largely pro-immigration. In contrast to European Countries, Canada's major political parties support more immigration.

Canada has a number of skilled immigration routes such as the Provincial Nominee Program and the Federal Skilled Worker program, and a number business immigration schemes. Canada also has a number of family based immigration schemes.

Let us all hope that the New Priority List this coming month will be in favor to us so you could start preparing for your Canada Visa Application Process.

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Canada Visa Application One Month to Go!

If you wish to emigrate to Canada under the Canada Skilled worker immigration category you only have about one month left before the new occupation list comes into place. If you have at least one year experience in one of the 24 occupations that are still on the list you should apply as soon as possible. There is no guarantee that your occupation will still be an eligible occupation for the Canada skilled worker category when the new list is announced.

The list below is relevant for skilled worker applications made on or after 26 June 2010. Over a twelve month period a maximum of 20,000 Federal Skilled Worker applications can be considered for processing. There is also a cap of one thousand applications per occupation.

If you have an offer of arranged employment you can also apply under the skilled worker category. However, you will need to have obtained a positive Arranged Employment Opinion from Human Resources and Social Development Canada (HRSDC). Generally, this means that you will need to show that there are insufficient people locally in Canada who can do the job. There is no limit on the number of skilled worker applications that can be made for those who have arranged employment.

If you do not have arranged employment you will need to come under one of the occupations below (excluding any occupations where the cap has been reached).



  • 0631 Restaurant and Food Service Managers (Cap reached)
  • 0811 Primary Production Managers (Except Agriculture)
  • 1122 Professional Occupations in Business Services to Management (Cap reached)
  • 1233 Insurance Adjusters and Claims Examiners
  • 2121 Biologists and Related Scientists
  • 2151 Architects
  • 3111 Specialist Physicians
  • 3112 General Practitioners and Family Physicians
  • 3113 Dentists (Cap reached)
  • 3131 Pharmacists (Cap reached)
  • 3142 Physiotherapists
  • 3152 Registered Nurses (Cap reached)
  • 3215 Medical Radiation Technologists
  • 3222 Dental Hygienists & Dental Therapists
  • 3233 Licensed Practical Nurses
  • 4151 Psychologists
  • 4152 Social Workers
  • 6241 Chefs
  • 6242 Cooks
  • 7215 Contractors and Supervisors, Carpentry Trades
  • 7216 Contractors and Supervisors, Mechanic Trades
  • 7241 Electricians (Except Industrial & Power System)
  • 7242 Industrial Electricians
  • 7251 Plumbers
  • 7265 Welders & Related Machine Operators
  • 7312 Heavy-Duty Equipment Mechanics
  • 7371 Crane Operators
  • 7372 Drillers & Blasters - Surface Mining, Quarrying & Construction
  • 8222 Supervisors, Oil and Gas Drilling and Service
If you think you are qualified in any of these priority occupations we at CIC will gladly assisst you in your Canada Immigration Visa application.

Follow this Canada Visa News and Blog to update you of the current trends in Canada Visa Applications.

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