Canada's Expression of Interest System

At the Annual Conference of the Canadian Network of National Association of Regulators, the Immigration Minister, Jason Kenney,  talked about the new Federal Skilled Worker program, among other immigration concerns.

You can read the Speaking notes for The Honourable Jason Kenney, P.C., M.P. Minister of Citizenship, Immigration and Multiculturalism here.

 The new FSW program will be using the Expression of Interest System.

Following the publications will give you an idea that it might be implemented either late 2013 or by 2014. This is somewhat similar to the immigration system used by Australia and New Zealand, where they prioritize highly qualified applicants.

But of course, it would still be best if you will be able to file your application immediately once the program opens. 

Here is a portion of Mr. Kennys speech on the subject:

The system will allow us to more actively match the best qualified applicants with employers and the jobs that are available, rather than just taking those who are first in line and dropping them into the general labour market to sink or swim, in which case too many are struggling to keep their head above waters in the current system. 
  
 So our new system – it will eventually be called the Expression of Interest System for Skilled Workers – would essentially be a pool of applicants who are pre-qualified.

They’ve done a mandatory third-party assessed language test, which is a relative new feature of our system, if you can believe it.

They’ll have done the educational assessment. They will, based on the new points grid, be typically younger with higher levels of language proficiency. And they will be going into this pool of pre-qualified applicants.

We are working with employers, sectors and provinces to figure out how to give employers limited access to that pool of applicants – of course, respecting people’s privacy rights – so that they can identify people who are ready and willing to come to Canada, and who are pre-qualified. They will offer them jobs after they’ve done their due diligence and are satisfied that they can work at their skill level. And then we will bring those people into Canada within a matter of months."

One Country that Implements Expression of Interest System is New Zealand. The priority are the applicants who get higher points or scores.

If you are an Interested applicant you mus maximize your points.

If you are married, I strongly suggest that you and your spouse both take the IELTS examination. It may mean additional cost, but it will definitely be to your advantage. 

Always Remember that you must always be prepare. This type of application can be Implemented by the end of the year or next year. Scenarios in 2014 is you can apply by:

1. Via the priority list of occupations and 
2.  Via the Expression of Interest system 

Both options may still have overall Caps or Quota's to allow the Citizenship and Immigration Canada better control to the number of applications that they are capable of processing. 

Those who can not file under the priority list will still be processed although to be conservative about it, its a great possibility that only those in Job Categories O-Managerial, B- Skilled and Trade and  A-Professional occupations can apply.

As a recap, to be qualified an applicants first task is to make himself eligible to apply by completing his full application package (Documents, forms and other special requirements, have his valuable documents certified/authenticated, then file his application as soon as possible.  Since the regulations always require complete documents at the beginning of all visa applications in Canada, prior planning is necessary to increase great chances of success.

The current FSW program now is a result of this transition from the current processing system to one where Canada hopes to implement to get the best Candidates for the program.