The Canadian Immigration System: Provincial Nomination Program (PNP)

Recall that the Topic of the Week is The Canadian Immigration System. So far, I have covered the Point System, and Permanent Residence. (If you have any questions on these, you can still pose them in the comments, on twitter, via email, or on youtube.) Today, I’m going to talk about the Provincial Nominee Program (PNP).

The Provincial Nominee Program is a fairly recent development in Canadian Immigration, and as the story from PEI earlier this week shows there are still some issues that need to be worked out in order to ensure that these programs are administered in a fair and just manner.

As you may be aware, Canada is comprised of ten provinces and three territories. Each of the provinces, aside from Quebec which has a skilled worker program that operates parallel to the federal one, can have a Provincial Nominee Program. However, only certain provinces/territories are currently participating in the Program. (Check here for the most updated list of them: http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/immigrate/provincial/index.asp) These programs help the provinces to attract immigrants who meet their identified needs by meeting their special requirements. Furthermore, the PNPs act as fast-tracking for many immigrants by bringing them to Canada and granting them Permanent Residence (PR) sooner.

A COUPLE OF GENERAL FACTS ABOUT PROVINCIAL NOMINEES:

- They are “economic immigrants” and are identified on the basis of job skills and the ability to contribute to the province/territory’s economy.

- They are nominated for this program by the Province/Territory. This needs they need to apply to the province first.

- As of July 1, 2012 most provincial/territorial nominees in “semi- or low-skilled professions” will have to show language skills in either of the two official languages of Canada.

- Once you have a Provincial Nomination you can apply to the CIC for permanent Residence right away. This is how PNP can act as fast-tracking towards PR.

- If you can’t get into Canada through the regular federal streams (ie you do not obtain at least 67 points in the points system) the Provincial Nominee Program might be an alternate way for you to become a Canadian Permanent Resident. This is because PNP does not judge you based on the same criteria as the CIC. However, you do still have to pass CIC screening to get PR… but if you’re on the threshold of those 67 federal points, PNP might give you that extra boost you need.

- Provincial nominees still need to get a medical and a police check. Canada does not normally accept immigrants with serious medical conditions or criminal records. You may also have to undergo language testing. These checks are done at your own expense, so prepare for those costs.

- The process for PNP is different in every participating province or territory, so make sure you are looking at the right province’s information when applying. You can’t expect to apply in Saskatchewan using Alberta’s PNP procedure.

Sources: www.cic.gc.ca/english/immigrate/provincial/index.asp

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

Topic of the Week: The Canadian Immigration System

After reading the news story about the issues with the Provincial Nominee program in PEI, I decided that the Topic of the Week for August 13-20 will be:

The Canadian Immigration System.

I hope to touch on some of the following:

- What is the “point system”? How does it work?

- Who are Provincial Nominees? How does one become a provincial nominee?

- How do you gain Permanent Residence (PR)? What does PR mean/what privileges, rights and responsibilities does PR entail?

- How do you become a Canadian citizen? What are the citizenship requirements?

- Current Issues with the Canadian Immigration System

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/