Fall and the Christmas holiday season are traditionally busy seasons for Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) and the Canadian immigration system in general.
While Canada’s immigration system has many moving components, there are a few crucial things to keep an eye on as the year comes to a conclusion.
These include prospective modifications to Canada’s immigration policy priorities and permanent residence levels, as well as updates to the programs for parents and grandparents, international students, and work permits.
Continued Focus on Express Entry
The Express Entry system in Canada has aided in the selection of talented employees for permanent residency. Expect the government to continue to prioritize this program in 2023. To evaluate immigration eligibility, this points-based system prioritizes variables such as age, education, work experience, and language fluency. Continuous draws from the Express Entry pool are probable, with individuals with strong Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) scores being invited to apply for permanent residency.
Also, this year, there have been significant modifications to Express Entry. IRCC added six new categories for category-based selection drawings in May. Instead of a high comprehensive ranking system (CRS) score, a specific candidate attribute is the primary priority in these draws. One category is for people with strong French language skills, while the other five are for people who have worked in one of these industries:
- Healthcare
- Science, research and technology, engineering, and mathematics professions
- Trades, such as carpenters, plumbers, and contractors
- Transport
- Agriculture and agri-food
Enhanced Provincial Nominee Programs (PNPs)
Provincial Nominee Programs (PNP) have attained popularity in recent years as provinces strive to attract immigrants with specialized skills and experiences that are relevant to their local labour markets. Further changes to these programs, such as increased nomination quotas and faster application processes, are expected in 2023. This will increase the number of options for candidates to get provincial nominations and, as a result, Canadian permanent residency.
Arrangements for International Students
Minister Miller states Canada is on track to welcome 900,000 overseas students this year. IRCC and Global Affairs Canada are actively reviewing Canada’s international student program (ISP) to assist them.
More information about the Trusted Institutions Framework, a planned two-tier mechanism for study permit issuance to strengthen the integrity of the ISP, will be released as the year proceeds.
According to ICEF reports, Designated Learning Institutions (DLIs) that meet the IRCC criteria for a Trusted Institution may benefit from speedier study permit processing for admitted international students.
Furthermore, the IRCC policy allowing certain students to work full-time (with no cap on the amount of hours worked) is slated to expire on December 31. The IRCC has stated that it will assess the policy and determine future actions.
Reuniting Families
Family reunion is a cornerstone of Canadian immigration policy. The government is likely to continue its efforts to reunite families by shortening processing times, extending sponsorship programs, and increasing the number of eligible family class visas. As a result, more Canadian citizens and permanent residents will be able to bring their loved ones to Canada.
The IRCC encourages Canadian citizens and permanent residents’ parents and grandparents to apply for family class sponsorship every year.
In 2022, sponsors could only apply if they were picked through a lottery. To assist in clearing a substantial backlog of applications collected during the COVID-19 pandemic, IRCC only considered sponsors who applied between October 13, 2020, and November 3, 2020.
On September 8, IRCC launched the PGP 2023 process. Beginning October 10, IRCC will mail invitations to apply to 24,200 potential sponsors who have expressed interest, with the goal of collecting up to 15,000 complete applications. The IRCC will only invite those who have shown an interest.
Transformation to the Digital Field
The Canadian immigration system is rapidly becoming more computerized and user-friendly. The government is expected to invest in technical innovations that will make it easier for candidates to submit paperwork, track their applications, and receive updates. This digital transition will improve candidates’ overall immigration experience and shorten processing times.
IRCC unveiled a new Tech Talent Strategy on June 27 in order to recruit more newcomers to tech employment.
This year, IRCC plans to introduce an Innovation Stream under the International Mobility Program to assist Canadian firms in hiring foreign workers without a Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA).
Under the Innovation Stream, IRCC will award employer-specific work permits for up to five years to employees who have job offers from a company that the government has selected as contributing to Canada’s economic goals. It is one-of-a-kind in that it will also grant open work permits to workers in high-demand occupations.
Final Words
With the passing of time, Canada will remain dedicated to its open and inclusive immigration policy. The government will continue to fine-tune its immigration policy in order to attract individuals who can contribute to its economy and improve its social fabric.
To learn more about your possibilities in Canada, book your initial consultation today, and our RCIC will help you discover new pathways and opportunities.
