The Canadian government says that Canada needs to encourage immigration because the native population is aging. This means that, while some other countries are cutting immigration, Canada continues to welcome international migrants. Canada continues to grant permanent resident visas to 250,000 people each year. It has recently re-opened the Federal Skilled Worker Program, its main skilled worker immigration program. It also issues nearly 200,000 temporary work permits each year.
Canada has a great deal to offer to immigrants beyond a relatively welcoming immigration regime. Canada's economy is the 11th largest in the world and it survived the global economic crisis of 2007-2010 relatively unscathed. The average yearly salary in December 2012 was around CAN$47,200 (US$46,706, GB£30,385)
Among the most popular Canadian work and immigration programs are
The Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSWP)
The FSWP is Canada's main skilled immigration program. About 55,000 people annually receive Canadian permanent resident visas under this program. The program was suspended in July 2012 by Jason Kenney and re-opened on May 4th 2013.
To qualify, you must score 67 points out of 100 awarded for
- Language ability
- Age
- Education
- Work experience
- Having an offer of employment in Canada
- Adaptability
In addition, you will have to meet one of the following criteria
- You have at least one year of continuous work experience in one of 24 eligible occupations on the eligible occupations list. From now on, 5,000 FSWP permanent resident visas will be awarded to people with experience of one of these occupations
- You have a 'qualifying offer of arranged employment' in Canada
- You have a PhD and can therefore apply through the 'PhD stream'
You must also prove that you speak English and/or French to a minimum standard and, where you are relying on a foreign educational qualification you must have that qualification assessed by a licenced Canadian credential assessment organisation.
Temporary Foreign Worker Program (TFWP)
The TFWP allows Canadian employers to employ foreign workers on temporary contracts. A Canadian employer who wants to employ an international worker must often first obtain a Labour Market Opinion (LMO) which will show that the hiring of an international worker by the employer will have either a neutral or a positive effect on the Canadian jobs market. Employers may be able to employ some workers (particularly those from the USA) without an LMO.
Where an LMO is required, after the employer has received a neutral or positive LMO, he may offer the job to an international worker. The international worker will then, having been offered a job, apply to Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) for a work permit. This will allow the worker to work in Canada for the period of their work contract. TFWP work permits will last for a maximum of four years. Many though, last for only one or two years.
The TFWP worker will then have to apply to CIC for a Canadian entry visa.
TFWP workers can apply for permanent residence
After being in Canada for some time, TFWP workers may be able to apply for permanent resident visas, perhaps through the Canadian Experience Class (CEC) program. Anyone with 12 months experience of working in Canada within the last three years is able to apply for a permanent resident visa. CIC says that 9,353 people obtained Canadian permanent resident visas under CEC in 2012.
CIC figures show that the number of TFWP work permits issued annually has risen sharply. There are currently around 300,000 TFWP workers in Canada, three times more than in 2002. More than 192,000 TFWP workers entered Canada in 2011 alone. In 2011, 29,000 workers who had entered Canada as TFWP work permit holders received permanent resident visas.
After two cases of suspected abuse of the TFWP, Canadian immigration minister Jason Kenney announced a series of reforms to the program. These changes have made it slightly harder to get a TFWP work permit.
TFWP workers must now be paid the 'prevailing wage' for the job (there had been freedom to pay up to 15% less than the market rate) and the Accelerated Labour Market Opinion (ALMO) which allowed employers to receive an LMO in a few weeks has been suspended. However, the TFWP program has not been suspended and it remains a popular choice among those wishing to work in Canada.
Global Visa Support offers a variety of programs in Canada. Please visit our Canadian page for more information: http://www.globalvisasupport.com/canada.html
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