Canada Immigration News Podcast Ryan

In this episode, we discuss the highly anticipated Express Entry draw focused on the Canadian Experience Class, Canada's plans to expand visa application services in Mexico, and the latest invitation rounds through the International Experience Canada (IEC) program.



Long-Awaited Canadian Experience Class Express Entry Draw



-On May 31, 2024, IRCC held first CEC-specific Express Entry draw since September 2021
- 3,000 Invitations to Apply issued
- Minimum score requirement of 522 points
- Tie-break rule applied to March 19, 2024 at 18:58:58 UTC
- 224,404 active candidates across all EE pools as of May 29
- 41,955 total ITAs issued through Express Entry in 2024 so far




Canada Opening New Visa Application Centres in Mexico




- 3 additional VACs to open in Mexico City, Monterrey, and Guadalajara by end of May
- Will initially offer biometrics collection services only
- Plans to expand to passport intake and document transmission
- Will bring total to 4 VACs operating across Mexico's 3 largest cities
- Aims to streamline visa application process for Mexican nationals
- Foster stronger travel and people-to-people ties while maintaining screening integrity




Surge of New IEC Invitations Over Past 2 Weeks




- Between May 20 - June 2, IRCC issued 4,615 invitations under IEC program
- As of June 2, over 34,000 candidates in IEC pool awaiting invite
- Invitations issued to candidates from 28 partner countries
- Top invited groups: 1,233 (South Korea), 859 (UK), 394 (France), 378 (Japan), 244 (Germany)
- Smaller draws for countries like Luxembourg (1), Netherlands (1)
- Brings Canada's 2024 total IEC invitations to 83,384 so far

Stay tuned for continued coverage and analysis of the latest Canadian immigration news!

In this episode, we examine Canada's first Provincial Nominee Program-targeted Express Entry draw of 2024, explore the rising immigration numbers through the Start-Up Visa program, discuss IRCC's use of advanced analytics to accelerate family class application processing, and analyze the latest immigration figures under the Parents and Grandparents Program.

First Provincial Nominee Program Express Entry Draw of 2024
- On May 30, IRCC held first PNP-specific Express Entry draw of the year 2,985
- Invitations to Apply issued, minimum score 676
- Tie-break rule applied to Jan 19, 2024 at 18:32:21 UTC
- 224,404 total candidates in Express Entry pool as of draw date
- Canada has issued 38,955 ITAs through regular EE draws so far in 2024

Surge in Start-Up Visa Entrepreneurial Immigration
- Start-Up Visa admissions rose 17.4% in March to 505 new PRs, up 75 from February
- Growth occurred despite overall immigration slowdown
- Suggests up to 5,760 SUV admissions possible by end of 2024, a 294.5% increase over 2023
- Ontario and BC most popular SUV destinations
- Program rebounded strongly post-pandemic with 48.1% increase in 2021

Advanced Analytics for Family Class Application Processing
- IRCC implementing new automated tools to expedite spousal/partner application processing
- Tools use officer-designed rules and machine learning from prior IRCC data
- First tool auto-approves routine sponsorship cases, others reviewed manually
- Second tool identifies routine principal applicant cases for faster processing
- All final decisions still made by human officers, no independent approvals/refusals

Parents and Grandparents Program Immigration
- PGP admissions up 5% in March to 2,005 new PRs, from 1,910 in February
- But overall immigration down 11% in March to 34,785 total
- By Q1 2024, 5,765 new PRs through PGP, down 14.9% from 2023
- Ontario top PGP destination with 2,855 admissions in Q1
- Nova Scotia saw 50% PGP increase in March, New Brunswick down 66.7%

Stay tuned for more in-depth immigration news and analysis from across Canada.

In this episode, we cover new invitations issued by the City of Greater Sudbury under the Rural and Northern Immigration Pilot, analyze the latest data on permanent resident arrivals to Canada, and discuss the Yukon government's temporary pause on certain applications to the Yukon Nominee Program.

Sudbury Holds New Round of RNIP Invitations
- On May 27, 2024, the City of Greater Sudbury invited 6 candidates through the Limited Stream of the Rural and Northern Immigration Pilot (RNIP)
- Minimum score of invited candidates was 155 points
- All had eligible occupations with wages over $20/hour
- In 2024 so far, Sudbury has issued 456 invitations through the RNIP
- City has recommended around 846 individuals total under the pilot since its launch

Canada's Permanent Resident Arrivals Decreasing
- According to new IRCC data, permanent resident arrivals dropped for 2nd straight month in March after peaking in January
- 34,785 newcomers arrived in March, down 11% from 39,090 in February
- Still projects 486,480 new permanent residents by end of 2024, a 3.1% increase over last year
- Aligns with Canada's 2024-2026 Immigration Levels Plan targeting 485,000 in 2024, 500,000 annually in 2025/2026

Yukon PNP Pausing Whitehorse-Based Applications
- Yukon government temporarily pausing acceptance of Whitehorse applications to Yukon Nominee Program
- Aims to streamline processing of existing application backlog
- Will still accept applications for nominees destined for other rural Yukon communities
- High volume of 590 applications received from Jan 1 - May 6, 2024, exceeding Yukon's 430 nomination allocation
- Only 107 nominations had been processed as of May 6th
- Pause allows resources to focus on clearing inventory
- Yukon expects to resume Whitehorse applications in 2025

Stay tuned for more in-depth analysis and updates on immigration news from across Canada.

In this episode, we cover the latest immigration updates from the province of British Columbia, insights into Canada's Temporary Foreign Worker Program, analysis on why immigration is crucial for economic stability, and a look at the upcoming minimum wage increase in BC.

British Columbia Holds New BCPNP Draws Targeting In-Demand Occupations

- On May 28, 2024, British Columbia issued invitations through the BC Provincial Nominee Program (BCPNP)
- General skilled worker draw: 35 candidates invited with minimum 110 score
- Targeted draws held for:
Healthcare (9 invites for 100+ scores)
Early childhood education (11 invites)
Construction (11 invites)
Veterinary care (up to 5 invites)
- Total of 71 invitations issued in this round
- BC has invited 3,247 candidates in 2024 so far

Canada Offers Employer Outreach on Temporary Foreign Worker Program

- Interactive sessions for employers, associations and stakeholders
- Covers inspection process, legal authorities, employer obligations, compliance rates, common non-compliance issues
- Aims to increase comprehension of TFWP requirements
- Ensure employers using temporary foreign workers remain compliant

Immigration Essential for Canada's Long-Term Economic Stability

- Canada facing aging population, declining GDP without steady immigration
- By 2071, over 60% of working-age Canadians would be 65+ if population stays flat
- Immigration needed to maintain living standards, drive productivity and investment
- Educated immigrants/those with Canadian experience can help solve productivity challenges
- Experts: Aligning immigration with labor needs is key for future prosperity

BC Minimum Wage Rising to $17.40 Per Hour on June 1, 2024

- 3.9% increase to match inflation
- Applies to all workers whether paid hourly, salary, commission or incentives
- Employers must ensure earnings meet new $17.40 minimum for hours worked
- Special minimum wages for liquor servers, camp leaders, home support workers, caretakers also increasing

Stay tuned for ongoing coverage and analysis of immigration policies and trends across Canada.

In this episode, we cover three major immigration news updates from Canada:

BCPNP Makes Entrepreneur Immigration Regional Pilot a Permanent Stream
- As of May 27, 2024, the Entrepreneur Immigration Regional Pilot has become a permanent immigration stream under the British Columbia Provincial Nominee Program (BCPNP)
- Part of the StrongerBC initiative to strengthen regional economies
- Allows entrepreneurs to immigrate to establish businesses in rural, interior and coastal areas of British Columbia
- Aims to attract international talent and investment to boost the provincial economy

Statistics Canada Reports Decrease in Overqualified Immigrants
- 2021 census data shows only 26.7% of recent immigrants were overqualified for their jobs, down from 31.1% in 2016 44.4% of immigrants had jobs matching their qualifications, up from 40%
- Suggests higher education increases economic integration as immigrants are more adaptable
- Improvement attributed to job growth in high-skilled fields and changes to immigrant selection favoring qualifications
- However, many highly educated immigrants remain underutilized

Immigration Backlogs and Inventory Update from IRCC
- As of May 27, 2024, there were 2.22 million total applications across PR, TR and citizenship inventories
- 44.4% of applications exceeded service standards
- 45% of temporary residence and 40% of permanent residence applications were backlogged
- 18% of citizenship applications also exceeded service standards Canada Expands

Humanitarian Measures for Gaza
- Application cap for Palestinian extended family members in Gaza increased from 1,000 to 5,000
- Aims to assist more people amid the ongoing humanitarian crisis
- Preparing for potential changes to facilitate safe exit from Gaza
- Working with Israel and Egypt on the situation

Get the latest Canadian immigration news in Episode 17, covering Alberta's Provincial Nominee Program nomination limits and healthcare worker draw, increased funding for early childhood educators in British Columbia, Sudbury's recent Rural and Northern Immigration Pilot invitations, and encouraging trends in newcomer employment rates.

Alberta Announces PNP Nomination Limits and Healthcare Worker Invitations

For 2024, the Alberta Advantage Immigration Program (AAIP) has an allocation of 9,750 nomination certificates, the same as last year. On May 1st, Alberta invited 40 candidates under the Dedicated Healthcare Pathway, with a minimum score requirement of 305 points.

So far in 2024, the province has invited 499 candidates through the AAIP Express Entry streams.

British Columbia Boosts Support for Early Childhood Educators

On May 24th, British Columbia announced additional funding to support early childhood educators (ECEs):
- $45 million for the ECE Education Support Fund, benefiting new students and credential upgrades
- Up to $5,000 per semester for eligible ECE students through the fund
- $11 million for new professional learning opportunities and bursary programs

The funding aims to address workforce needs and is backed by provincial and federal investments under the Canada-BC childcare agreement.

Sudbury's Latest Rural and Northern Immigration Pilot Draw

The City of Greater Sudbury held a new RNIP round on May 16th, considering:
- 19 candidates through the Conventional Stream (min. 100 score)
- 15 candidates through the Limited Stream (min. 170 score)

All applicants had eligible occupations and wages over $20/hour. Sudbury has invited 450 applicants this year and recommended around 840 individuals since the RNIP's launch.

Employment Gap Closing for Newcomers to Canada

Encouraging data shows the employment rate gap between newcomers and Canadian-born workers is narrowing:
- Between 2010-2022, newcomer employment increased by 12.7% vs. 4.2% for Canadian-born
- In December 2021, the smallest gap emerged: 79.6% for newcomers, 85.8% for Canadian-born
- Currently, the rates are 76.3% for newcomers and 85.9% for Canadian-born

Factors contributing to this positive trend include the two-step immigration process, changes to selection criteria, and a strong labor market.

Stay tuned for more news and analysis on immigration programs across Canada!