Regular invitation rounds through Ontario’s Express Entry-linked French Speaking Skilled Worker Stream continue this month, with 13 invitations to apply for a provincial nomination for permanent residence issued on December 13.   The invitations followed 45 that were issued December 6 and bring the month-to-date total to 58 invitations through the French-Speaking Skilled Worker Stream in December. It’s been an active 2018 for the stream, which has now issued 1,609 invitations or Notifications Of Interest (NOIs) over the course of the year through near weekly draws. November alone saw the Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program (OINP) issue NOIs through it on five occasions. The vast majority of NOIs issued in 2018 have come through Ontario’s three…

If the thought of studying a Bachelor’s degree abroad makes your eyes sparkle, then you should definitively pursue your dream; take a deep breath, and go for it! But if you still have some doubts, don’t worry! Everyone does. Going abroad for your studies is a huge step and probably one of the most important life-changing decisions you’ll make. If you still need some convincing, or a bit of emotional support, here are seven decisive reasons that will clear your mind. 1. See the world, travel to great countries One of the main reasons for you to study abroad is the possibility of seeing the world. You will have the opportunity…

IRCC now only 124 invitations away from new Express Entry invitation record. The Government of Canada moved another step closer to surpassing the record for invitations issued in a single year through the Express Entry economic immigration system with a new draw held Wednesday.  The 3,900 invitations to apply for Canadian permanent residence (ITAs) issued today puts the total number issued in 2018 at 85,900 — just 123 shy of last year’s record-setting ITA total of 86,023. The minimum score in today’s draw was 445, the same as the previous draw on November 28. Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) typically holds an Express Entry invitation round every two weeks, which…

Bump in 2018 invitations reflects rising prominence of Canada’s Provincial Nominee Program. Invitations issued to Express Entry candidates with a provincial nomination for permanent residence are up this year, according to new data from the Government of Canada.   Of the 62,500 Express Entry candidates invited to apply for Canadian permanent residence between January and September, 12 per cent — or roughly 7,500 — had a provincial nomination. During this same period in 2017, Invitations to Apply (ITAs) issued to Express Entry candidates nominated by a Canadian province or territory stood at just over nine per cent of all invitations issued. Canada’s Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) works to spread the benefits of…

Canada joined more than 160 United Nations member states in adopting a new negotiated agreement on international migration Monday.  The non-binding United Nations Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration sets out 23 objectives for improving international cooperation on all forms of migration, from refugees to skilled workers. While underscoring the need to address the “adverse drivers and structural factors” that lead migrants to leave their country of origin, the objectives call for enhancing the “availability and flexibility of pathways for regular migration,” investing in skills development and facilitating the “mutual recognition of skills, qualifications and competences,” among other goals. The document states that its purpose is to optimize the “positive…

The Government has opened a gateway for foreigners with basic farm or hospitality skills to move permanently to Australia on a work visa. New regional migration agreements for the Northern Territory and south-west Victoria will lower the criteria for skills, language and income for migrant workers. And they will provide a pathway to permanent residency to these workers that previously did not exist. However the Government is demanding migrants commit to living in these regions for at least three years before a permanent residency pathway is available. To know more, Contact First Notch Immigration Consultancy Services Pvt. Ltd. For more details visit: www.firstnotchimmigration.com Call Us: +91-9319574401, 011-41327530. Visit Our Office For…

Canada’s unemployment rate reached a record low in November, according to Statistics Canada’s monthly Labour Force Survey.   The unemployment rate, which Statistics Canada defines as the number of unemployed people as a percentage of the labour force, dropped to 5.6 per cent last month — a number that hasn’t been reached since comparable data became available in 1976. Nearly 19 million people were employed in Canada in November, an increase of 0.5 per cent over the previous month. Unemployment Rate Employment up in six provinces Six provinces saw employment increase in November, with Quebec and Alberta posting the highest gains. In Quebec, the number of employed grew by 26,000 in November, which Statistics Canada…

Saskatchewan has now issued 4,080 invitations through its new Expression of Interest system since July Saskatchewan has issued 743 new invitations to candidates in its Occupation In-Demand and Express Entry immigration sub-categories in draws held December 6.   The bulk of these invitations — 532 — went to candidates in Occupation In-Demand candidates. The remaining 211 invitations went to candidates in the Saskatchewan Immigrant Nominee Program’s Express Entry sub-category, which is linked to the federal Express Entry system and allows Saskatchewan to nominate eligible candidates for permanent residence. Express Entry candidates who receive a provincial nomination are awarded an additional 600 points toward their Express Entry ranking score, which effectively assures an invitation from the Government of…

The British government is preparing to suspend a special visa program that allows wealthy investors to fast-track their settlement in the country, part of a new drive to crack down on money laundering. The Tier 1 visas will be suspended from midnight on Dec. 7 until the Home Office introduces tighter restrictions to tackle corruption and organized crime. “We will not tolerate people who do not play by the rules and seek to abuse the system,” Immigration Minister Caroline Nokes said in a statement on Thursday. To know more, contact First Notch Immigration Consultancy Services Pvt. Ltd. For more details visit: www.firstnotchimmigration.com Call Us: +91-9319574401, 011-41327530. Visit Our Office For Counselling:…

December 5 draw issues total of 530 invitations to apply for a provincial nomination The province of Manitoba has issued 530 new invitations to apply for a provincial nomination to immigration candidates in its Skilled Workers in Manitoba and Skilled Worker Overseas streams.   A total of 317 invitations were issued under the Skilled Workers Overseas Streamin the December 5 draw and another 213 invitations went to Skilled Workers in Manitoba candidates. Both streams are part of the Manitoba Provincial Nominee Program (MPNP), which allows the province to nominate a set number of economic immigration candidates for permanent residence each year. The December 5 draw included an unspecified number of invitations to candidates in the federal Express…