In the News: FSW Program and Spousal Sponsorship

Your news update of the day:

-          Still a very big issue in the news this week are the unveiled changes to the Federal Skilled Worker Program. Apparently, Jason Kenney & Co. think that twenty-somethings in other countries have it together enough to decide to permanently immigrate somewhere (possibly) halfway across the world for work, leaving behind all their childhood familiar places, friends, and experiences. (The new points system is aimed at getting more 20 and 30-somethings. Over 35-ers who may bring wisdom and experience to their workplace it seems, are not as valued by the government.) I don’t know about you but if you asked the average 20-30 year old Canadian to commit to immigrating to another country for work, I doubt many of them would. And if they did, would they have the job skills in place to succeed abroad? Would they have the wisdom and experience? Read more here: http://canadavisalaw.wordpress.com/2012/08/17/new-federal-skilled-worker-rules-published/

-          Also trending in Alberta news lately: Online romances, marriage and spousal sponsorship. Real love or Immigration fraud? Are there ulterior motives at play in online cross-border romance? If yes, then aren’t there also ulterior motives at play in Canadians-only relationships too? Read more here: http://visalawcanada.blogspot.ca/2012/08/online-romances-raise-questions-motives.html and here: http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/edmonton/story/2012/08/22/edmonton-miltimore-immigration-wife-philippines.html

The Canadian Immigration System: Points System

So, in case you didn’t know this (I was only slightly aware of it before doing some research), Canada’s immigration process (for “economic immigrants”) operates on a POINT SYSTEM.

When submitting your application, you can gain points in six selection factors, or categories. The categories and the weigh assigned to them changes over time as the government tries to prioritize immigrants who meet the needs of the country. In order to be deemed acceptable as an immigration candidate, you must rack up at least 67 POINTS (that’s the minimum passing number). If your score is lower than 67, you will mostly likely not qualify to immigrate to Canada. And even if you get a score of 67 or higher, you may not qualify for immigration. However, the score you receive is still a good indicator of your chances.

The most recent changes to the point system emphasize the importance of the following qualities: YOUTH and LANGUAGE SKILLS.

If you’re thinking of coming to Canada as an economic immigrant, try the points calculator here:

http://www.workpermit.com/canada/points_calculator.htm

http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/immigrate/skilled/assess/index.asp

I tried the calculator using my own information and stats to see if I would qualify to immigrate to Canada given my skills etc. I barely made it in. The threshold is 67 points to pass and I only scored 69. Most of my points came from belonging to the coveted 21-49 age category and for my proficiency in both official languages. My education, on the other hand, counted for next to nothing as I have yet to complete my degree. The contents of my savings account barely met the requirements.

If you are a Canadian, I encourage you to calculate your points and see if you would qualify. I especially recommend this to those who speak disparagingly of immigrants in Canada because it will give you a sense of just how qualified you have to be in order to immigrate to this country.

More resources and information here:

http://www.canadaupdates.com/content/canadian-immigration-points-calculator

http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/immigrate/skilled/apply-factors.asp

http://canadianimmigrant.ca/news-and-views/new-immigration-point-system-for-canada-in-2012

In the News: PEI Provincial Nomination Program Issues

In the news today:

I was on the bus to work, reading my free copy of the Metro and this story caught my eye. I decided to do some more investigating since the Metro only provided a short blurb. Below is what I found so far:

“Chinese citizens pressure P.E.I. for refunds

Chinese citizens who gave money to Prince Edward Island’s troubled immigration-nominee program ay they’re angry they haven’t been refunded, two years after Ottawa rejected their visa applications.

Qiu Chuanbo, 47, said in an interview that he owed close to $91,000 after giving money to the program.”

From The Canadian Press via Metro News

There’s more to the story, provided by the Globe and Mail (story by Michael Tutton):

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/frustrated-chinese-citizens-demand-refunds-from-pei-after-immigration-rejected/article4477291/

Here are some crucial highlights from the article:

-          The program he gave that money to “was intended to attract immigrants who would invest in companies in the province.”

-          “The provincial government… says there is a trust fund to refund some of each applicant’s money.”

-          “Mr. Qiu… said the lack of responses he has received from provincial officials and immigration consultants in Canada has made him distrustful of Canadian officials.”

-          He reportedly sent “$152,500” of which he is awaiting a refund of “$90,975”.

-          “A spokeswoman for federal Immigration Minister Jason Kenney said the department warned P.E.I. in 2008 that there would be lengthy delays for the unusually large number of applicants.”

-          “’P.E.I’s mismanagement of the provincial nominee program affected the integrity of Canada’s immigration system,’ said Alexis Pavlich.”

In my opinion, this is really shameful. I understand that this was in part a business investment, and there are risks in business. However, it is not right that the PEI government essentially granted people nominations in trade for investments from applicants who were rejected later to be rejected by the federal government. Shouldn’t provincial nomination be granted to those who at least stand a good to excellent chance of being accepted? That way, we might not seem like we are stealing from those whose hopes and dreams rest on immigrating to Canada.

What do you think? Let me know in the comments or on twitter ( @MBlogger2 ).

PS Check out this blog (which also did an entry on the above story) http://visalawcanada.blogspot.ca/

Why is it so Hard to Immigrate to Canada? Part 6

Why is it so hard to immigrate to Canada?

Possibility #6:

It is hard to make sense of all the legal mumbo-jumbo contained in the forms for immigration.

No matter whether you are a citizen or a would-be immigrant, government-issued paperwork can be a nightmare! Just look at the lines for passports or taxes for proof.
Add to this, the fact that there is usually a lot of pressure riding on these forms. The last thing anyone wants to do is fill in the wrong field or forget to enter something on their immigration form, resulting in a waste of money and time. If someone is applying for Canadian citizenship, they most likely have hopes and dreams riding on it, and to lose those hopes and dreams to an improperly filled out form would be… well, awful.

Possible solutions:

Well, there’s always the option of engaging the services of an immigration consultant. I don’t know much about these businesses, but I imagine they are fairly costly and therefore not the best solution for every immigrant. Also, I doubt they guarantee that all of their clients will have their applications accepted.

(not endorsing this guy/this company fyi)

This video reminds me, CIC (currently Jason Kenney and Co.) have a youtube channel with helpful videos on filling out forms and other immigration and citizenship related issues. You can trust the information because it comes straight from the source.
http://www.youtube.com/user/CitImmCanada
They have many playlists in both official languages (French and English)

There’s also the CIC website, which you can find here:
http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/


PS Hello to my readers in Russia! :D How's it going?
      And big ups to whoever added me to stumbleupon! You rock mystery netizen!

ALSO! Follow me on Twitter for real time updates and news stories @MBlogger2

Why is it so Hard to Immigrate to Canada? Part 5

Why is it so hard to move to Canada? Part 5

Possibility #5:

The qualifications and the skills and attributes which the points system emphasizes changes over time.

Canada’s immigration system changes and evolves over time to suit the needs of the country (or the needs of the country according to the priorities of the party in power). Not all that long ago, our system awarded priority to immigrants from western European nations and farmers. Today, as we are faced with a shortage of skilled labor in the oil sands and other industries, our criteria for immigrants is changing.

The most recent changes to the Canadian immigration system emphasize skills and experience in high-demand industries where there are not enough Canadians to fill the jobs, and demonstrated linguistic ability in English or French. Although these criteria have been set out by the government with the aim of creating the maximum economic benefit for Canada, it may exclude or delay the arrival of other viable immigrants. Additionally, the requirements change rather quickly and can occur in the middle of the processing of an individuals application.

Possible solutions:

It’s tough to come up for possible solutions for this one because the issue exists in the realm of government. However, you can always check with the CIC website for up-to-date information on the criteria for immigrants and the emphasis of the points system.

http://www.cic.gc.ca/

You can also participate in the democratic process. Elected officials are answerable to the public in Canada, so if you have concerns about Immigration and Citizenship issues it is your right to voice them. Write to your MP or to the minister of Immigration and Citizenship. Its free to send them mail (address the envelope to their office and do not add postage to the envelope) or you can always email them. Addresses and email addresses are easily found online.

Check This Out: CIC Consultations

http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/department/consultations/index.asp

The above link will lead you to a page on the Federal Government Ministry of Immigration and Citizenship's website. If you have any opinions about immigration in Canada, both good and bad, you should check it out! It's a great opportunity to tell your elected officials what you think about the state of immigration in this country.

(Found the link on this right-wing-ish immigration blog FYI: http://canadianimmigrationreform.blogspot.ca/2012/08/have-you-say-you-have-until-end-of.html althought I'd don't agree with most of the viewpoints on that blog, it has still proved helpful in giving me perspective on the other side of the debate and by providing information like that above.)

Why is it so Hard to Immigrate to Canada? Part 2

Possibility #2:

Professional and/or Academic credentials may not transfer when you move to Canada.
We’ve all heard the stories about successful doctors who come to Canada only to be unable to practice because one of many bodies refuses to recognize their credentials. Or foreign engineers who end up working low-paying, non-engineering jobs in Canada while jumping through hoops to be recognized as accredited.

Possible solutions:

Before you immigrate to Canada, check with the appropriate governing bodies that your credentials will transfer. If not, find out what tests/schooling you might have to take to be recognized.

Losing Your Place in the Immigration Queue

I read this news story a couple of weeks back:
http://www.edmontonjournal.com/news/line+Potential+immigrants+have+lost+their+place+queue+tell+their+stories/6937506/story.html

So, the big question in my mind was if the individuals interviewed in this article were representative of what's really going on, you know?

Do you know anyone who's been waiting for years to come to Canada? Do you know anyone who was moved to the back of this "line" and has to now start the whole process over again? Has this happened to you?

Please share any information and stories in the comments.

PS You can follow me on twitter @MBlogger2 or email me at comingtocanadablog@gmail.com