Canadian Immigration News- Latest Updates

Canadian Immigration News- Latest Updates

On Wednesday, May 23, The Government of Canada held a new Express Entry draw, issuing 3,500 invitations to apply for permanent residence. The Comprehensive Ranking System cut-off score for this draw was 440. Today’s draw is the tenth of 2018 and the fourth in a row to issue 3,500 ITAs, bringing the 2018 ITA total to 31,500.

Today’s score is a new low for 2018, surpassing the previous low of 441 that was established in the invitation round on April 25 and repeated on May 9.

The tie-break date and time for this latest invitation round was December 30, 2017. This means that all candidates with a CRS score above 440, as well as those candidates with scores of 440 who submitted their profile before this time, received an Invitation to Apply (ITA) in this invitation round.

The Government of Canada’s target for 2018 is 74,900 admissions through the three economic immigration classes administered by the Express Entry system — the Federal Skilled Worker Class, the Federal Skilled Trades Class and the Canadian Experience Class. For 2019, the target for these three classes is set at 81,400.

• The Atlantic province of Prince Edward Island issued 78 invitations to apply for a provincial nomination in a draw that took place May 17. Of that total, 22 invitations went to Express Entry candidates through PEI’s Express Entry Stream.

Express Entry candidates who wish to be considered under PEI’s Express Entry Stream must create a profile through the province’s Expression of Interest (EOI) system, which was introduced in February. Profiles are reviewed and assigned points based on six selection factors: age, language, education, work experience, employment, and adaptability up to a maximum of 100 points.

• Ontario has issued new invitations to apply for a provincial nomination to 75 Express Entry candidates through its Skilled Trades and French-Speaking Skilled Worker streams, who submitted their Express Entry profiles between January 1, 2018, and May 17, 2018. The latest invitation rounds were held May 16 and 17 and are the seventh that Ontario has held through the two streams since the end of March.

There is no minimum Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score requirement for either stream and Express Entry candidates who are nominated by Ontario receive an additional 600 points toward their CRS score. The OINP says it will continue issuing NOIs to candidates in the federal Express Entry pool who qualify for one of Ontario’s Express Entry streams “on a regular basis.”

• Manitoba’s renewed Business Investor Stream has opened to new expressions of interest. The Manitoba Provincial Nominee Program (MPNP) announced the stream’s opening on May 18.

The Business Investor Stream (BIS) allows Manitoba to recruit and nominate qualified business investors and entrepreneurs who have the intent and ability to start or purchase a business in Manitoba. Manitoba’s previous business stream, the MPNP-B, was replaced by the BIS as part of a broader renewal and restructuring of Manitoba’s immigrant nominee program.

The revamped BIS has two pathways for interested foreign investors: The Entrepreneur Pathway and The Farm Investor Pathway. The Entrepreneur Pathway allows Manitoba to recruit and nominate qualified business professionals from overseas who have the intention and financial capacity to move to the province and establish or purchase a business, or create a partnership with an existing business in Manitoba. The Farm Investor Pathway replaces the old Farm Strategic Recruitment Initiative and allows foreign investors with farm business experience and sufficient capital to establish and operate a farm in the province.

• British Columbia has issued 186 invitations to candidates in its Skills Immigration and Express Entry categories in an invitation round held on May 16. Of that total, an undisclosed number of candidates in the Express Entry BC: Skilled Worker and Express Entry BC: International Graduate sub-categories with a minimum score of 92 under British Columbia’s Skills Immigration Registration System received invitations.

Candidates who are invited under these Express Entry sub-categories and whose application for provincial nomination is approved receive 600 additional points under the Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS).