Eligibility:

The pathway is open to family members of victims who were:

• Canadian citizens
• Permanent residents
• Approved to work or study in Canada at the time of the incident

Application Period:

• Opens: October 28, 2024
• Closes: October 27, 2025

This one-year window provides ample time for eligible family members to prepare and submit their applications.

Expanded Eligibility Criteria

This new pathway is particularly significant as it includes family members who were not eligible under previous public policies. The government has worked closely with the Association of Families of Flight PS752 Victims to ensure that this initiative addresses the needs of those most affected.

How to Apply

Detailed application instructions are available on the Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) website. Applicants should carefully review the eligibility criteria and required documentation before submitting their applications.

The introduction of this pathway reaffirms Canada’s commitment to:

• Compassion and support for those affected by the tragedy
• Family reunification
• Transparency and accountability in addressing the aftermath of Flight PS752

Our Firm’s Assistance

As an immigration law firm, we understand the complexities and emotional challenges involved in such applications. Our experienced team is ready to assist eligible family members throughout the application process, ensuring that all requirements are met, and applications are submitted accurately and on time.

We offer:

• Initial consultations to determine eligibility
• Guidance on document preparation
• Assistance with application submission
• Ongoing support throughout the process

If you believe you or someone you know may be eligible for this pathway, we encourage you to reach out to our office for professional guidance and support. Our team is committed to helping families navigate this process with care and expertise.

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The Canadian government has announced the following targets for new permanent residents:

• 2025: 395,000
• 2026: 380,000
• 2027: 365,000

This represents a notable decrease from the previous plan, which aimed to welcome 500,000 new permanent residents annually by 2025. 

Several factors are perceived to have contributed to this policy shift:

1: Housing Market Pressures

The rapid influx of newcomers in recent years has put significant strain on Canada’s housing market. Many cities, especially major metropolitan areas, have experienced skyrocketing housing prices and rental rates. This has made it challenging for both newcomers and long-time residents to find affordable housing.

2: Economic Considerations

While immigration has long been a driver of economic growth in Canada, the government is now seeking to balance labor market needs with sustainable growth. This includes ensuring that the influx of new workers aligns with job availability and economic conditions.

Despite the overall reduction in numbers, the new plan maintains a strong focus on economic immigration:

• By 2027, 62% of total admissions will be allocated to economic programs.
• There will be a continued emphasis on attracting skilled workers in critical sectors such as healthcare, technology, and skilled trades.
• The Express Entry system will likely become more competitive, with a potential increase in the Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score required for an invitation to apply.

Alongside the changes to permanent residency targets, the government has also introduced new policies for temporary residents:

• Caps on international students and temporary foreign workers to manage the growth of the temporary resident population.
• A goal to reduce the share of temporary residents to 5% of the total population by 2026.
• Potential changes to work permit and study permits to align with these new targets.

For those considering immigrating to Canada, these changes will have several implications:

• Increased Competition
• Greater Emphasis on Skills

What This Means for Our Clients

As immigration law firm, we understand that these changes may cause concern and uncertainty for many potential immigrants. However, it’s important to emphasize that Canada remains committed to immigration as a key driver of economic growth and cultural diversity. The country continues to welcome hundreds of thousands of new permanent residents each year.

We recommend that clients:

• Start the application process as early as possible to account for potential delays.
• Ensure all documentation is complete, accurate, and up-to-date.
• Consider multiple immigration pathways, including provincial nominee programs and other specialized streams.
• Stay informed about program-specific changes and adjust strategies accordingly.
• Invest in improving language skills and obtaining additional qualifications to enhance competitiveness.
• Be prepared for a potentially longer wait time and have a backup plan.

Our Commitment to You

Our firm is dedicated to helping clients navigate these new policies and find the best path to Canadian permanent residency. We will continue to:

• Monitor policy developments closely and provide timely updates.
• Offer personalized advice tailored to each client’s unique situation.
• Explore all available options to maximize chances of success.
• Provide support throughout the entire immigration process, from initial assessment to landing in Canada.

To book a consultation, call 778-798-3707.

The post Canada’s New Permanent Residency Targets for 2025-2027: What You Need to Know appeared first on Immigration Lawyer in Canada | Gurna Law Corporation.

Regarding draw sizes and types, last month’s results were similar to those of March, suggesting possible trends for 2024. Continue reading to find out about the present status of the Express Entry applicant pool, the April drawings, and how these things may affect your prospects of being granted immigration.

The Express Entry pool’s current status 

Which draws took place in April? 

Four Express Entry draws were held in April, same as in March: two general draws and two category-based selections.

The CRS cut-offs for the general draws were 549 and 524 on April 10th and 23rd, respectively. On April 11 and 24, individuals with experience in STEM-related fields and fluency in French were invited to apply for category-based selections, which focus on candidates with particular job experience or language skills.

In general draws, overall Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) scores are still higher than in prior years. There have been three to five draws every month so far this year, with a roughly equal distribution of general and category-based draws overall.

Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) will issue 110,770 invitations to apply (ITAs) for permanent residency (PR) through the Express Entry system this year, in accordance with the immigration levels plan. 35,970 of these ITAs had been issued as of April.

The Express Entry pool

There are 214,697 candidate profiles in the Express Entry pool as of April 23rd, 2024—a rise of 2753 profiles from March. All score brackets saw increases at a relatively equal rate, keeping distributions about at the same volume as the prior month.

Below is a full table with score distributions and the total number of participants in the pool.

To help comprehend the distribution, these scores have also been displayed as a bar graph. As we can see, the 351-400 CRS limit remains the most populated score range (with the greatest number of applicants)

What percentile is your score in the pool?

We may get the percentile of a score to the entire pool by taking the upper bound of each score range. We may have a better understanding of how scores relate to one another and what proportion of the pool has a score below that by using the percentile. A higher percentile score can nevertheless give some indication of one’s potential immigration possibilities during the year, even though it may not ensure an ITA.

Find the complete breakdown of score percentiles below:

What effects does the makeup of the Express Entry applicant pool have on draw sizes and score cut-offs?

With the numerous factors that the IRCC takes into account before conducting each draw (such as category-based selections, which respond to demographic and labor market needs in Canada and place less emphasis on CRS scores), predicting future CRS score cut-offs and draw sizes can be extremely challenging, if not impossible.

Nevertheless, we can better grasp the patterns that could affect draw sizes and cut-off scores if we comprehend the distribution of these scores as well as the size of the pool as a whole (particularly when considering annual immigration levels). This is due to the fact that, in addition to perhaps taking the distribution of CRS scores into account when deciding on the next cut-off score, all draw sizes eventually need to work toward fulfilling the department’s goals as stated in the immigration levels plan.

The post The state of the Express Entry pool: April 2024 appeared first on Immigration Lawyer in Canada | Gurna Law Corporation.

Who is eligible for the next round of the PGP?

The IRCC has announced that it plans to extend invitations to candidates from the PGP’s 2020 intake. Accordingly, those who will be invited in the next round will have sent in their profiles in 2020. For the fourth year running, the PGP will only take into account profiles that were uploaded in 2020.

Candidates will be randomly recruited via the PGP method (via a lottery mechanism). Sponsors who indicate interest in sponsoring will receive these invitations via the email address they provide on the form. It is recommended that sponsors begin monitoring their emails on May 21st. Invitations will be sent out within approximately two weeks of this date..

How can one apply for permanent residence under the PGP?

To receive permanent residence (PR) through the PGP, applicants must:

• Verify that they fulfill all applicable qualifying requirements, such as being able to sponsor, being a resident of Canada, agreeing to a commitment, having the required minimum income, etc.;
• Fill out the IRCC’s interest in sponsoring form online. Applicants must not have received an invitation to apply (ITA) in 2021, 2022, or 2023 in order to be eligible for the 2024 round;
• (Upon the PGP lottery’s reopening), look for an invitation via the email address entered on the interest to sponsor form. This invitation will be sent out on the day of the reopening and for the next two weeks after the lottery resumes.)
• Sponsors have a deadline to submit their application via the Permanent Residence Portal (if using an authorized representative) or the Representative Residence Portal (if using an ITA) within the invitation email after receiving an ITA.

About the PGP

Parents or grandparents who meet the eligibility requirements can sponsor their parents or grandparents for permanent residence in Canada through the PGP. The effort is a component of the IRCC’s family reunion program, which is a major component of the department’s purpose. Grandparents and parents who enter Canada via the program are granted permanent residence upon arrival.

In addition to other requirements, sponsors are required to sign a pledge promising to support their parents and grandparents for 20 years while they are in Canada. Quebec-based sponsors submitting an application will be required to sign a 10-year commitment.

The PGP only accepts applications and sends out invitations once a year, using a lottery to choose candidates.

What if you are not selected?

The IRCC operates the Super-Visa pathway, just like the PGP. Through this pathway, parents and grandparents of Canadian citizens and permanent residents can be sponsored to visit the country on an extended visiting visa, which grants family members a visa to enter the country rather than PR under the PGP. Those who are accepted into the program are allowed to remain in Canada for a maximum of five years, with two additional years of residence permitted. After their status expires, applicants may reapply for their super-visa.

Sponsors can apply for the Super Visa program year-round, unlike the PGP, which is only offered by the IRCC. All completed Super Visa applications will be processed by IRCC within 112 days of receipt. The department processed 67% of applications to this criteria between 2022 and 2023.

To learn more about the Canada Immigration Services, visit our dedicated webpage here.

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Among other modifications to its foreign student program, IRCC announced the launch of its LOA verification system. These adjustments are meant to enhance overall program integrity and safeguard international students studying in Canada.

All Canadian designated learning institutions (DLIs) are required by the new verification system to manually verify each Letter of Authority (LOA) they receive from IRCC via the department’s web portal within ten calendar days.

Note: International students have to provide Letters of Authority (LOAs) to bolster their application for a student visa in Canada.

The IRCC hopes to safeguard foreign students in a number of ways with this verification method, one of which is to ensure that they are using time, money, and other resources effectively in their pursuit of a study permit in Canada. The system will return the foreign student applicant’s student visa application to them after canceling it;

• If a DLI doesn’t verify their LOA inside the IRCC’s allotted 10-calendar-day period 
• If a LOA that this system processes is determined to be bogus or invalid

Has IRCC’s system been successful?

In the first four months of its implementation, between December 1, 2023, and April 1, 2024, the IRCC’s LOA verification system has, “identified almost 9,000 LOAs that [either did not] match any [letter] issued by a DLI or that the DLI had already canceled before the foreign national applied for a study permit.” – According to data released by the organization in a news release on April 29

Stated differently, thousands of international students have presumably already been shielded by the IRCC’s new system from possibly squandering time and money by pursuing a study visa based on an erroneous LOA.

The IRCC reports that this new approach has so far “been a success,” notwithstanding the lack of information or forecasts regarding the department’s expectations for the performance of its LOA verification system going forward.

Other ways Canada is protecting international students

Although the IRCC has so far regarded its LOA verification mechanism as successful, there are other ways overseas students can safeguard themselves and avoid falling victim to fraud.

• Restricting the quantity of foreign study permits to be granted in the upcoming two years
• Raising the foreign students’ cost of living requirement
• Modifying its well-liked Post-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP) program in a number of ways
• Modifying the requirements for obtaining an Open Work Permit (OWP)
• Creating and Putting into Practice a Framework for Trusted Institutions

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