The AAIP welcomes 10,000 immigrants per year, every year, Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) carefully determine the total number of Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) candidates that each province can nominate annually.  The Alberta Advantage Immigration Program (AAIP) has significantly increased the PNP allocations from last year. In 2023, the province will issue 9,750 nominations – an astounding increase of over 50% compared to 6,500 nominations issued in 2022.  In an official statement, the province announced it would issue 10,140 nominations in 2024 and 10,849 in 2025. The province is looking for more skilled workers as there are about 100,000 job vacancies to fill. The government data from Canada's most recent census in 2016 show that Alberta rivals British Columbia for a place as the second most popular immigration destination in Canada, after Ontario. Alberta has been a very attractive location for newcomers to Canada over the past few years.  The percentage of recent immigrants in Alberta increased from 6.9% in 2001 to 17.1% in 2016, with recent immigrants who first obtained permanent resident status in Canada in the five years prior to a census. The availability of employment opportunities and excellent level of living in Alberta attract immigrants. A variety of smaller cities and towns throughout the province, including the provincial capital Edmonton and the somewhat larger Calgary, have already seen economic growth over the past few years. Immigration streams offered by Alberta The following are the Common immigration streams offered by Alberta: Alberta Express Entry Stream Accelerated Tech Pathway for Express Entry Alberta Opportunity Stream Religious Workers Eligibility program Rural Renewal Stream Rural Entrepreneur Stream Foreign Graduate Entrepreneur Stream Graduate Entrepreneur Stream Also read,  COLD LAKE CITY WANTS TO RENEW THE ALBERTA RURAL RENEWAL STREAM ALBERTA UPDATED THE AAIP INVENTORY AAIP ANNOUNCED UPDATES TO ALBERTA EXPRESS ENTRY STREAM SELECTIONS ALBERTA ISSUED 6,084 NOMINATIONS IN 2022 About Alberta provincial nominee program  An economic immigration scheme called the Alberta Advantage Immigration Program (AAIP), formerly known as the Alberta Immigrant Nominee Program, selects applicants for Alberta permanent residence.  Applicants must have the necessary skills to fill open positions in Alberta or have plans to buy or start a business there. Also, they must be able to support their families. The Canadian and Albertian governments administer the program. You, your spouse or common-law partner, and any dependant children may apply for permanent residence status if you are nominated through the program. Immigrating to Alberta in 2023 In an effort to draw in more skilled immigrants, Alberta has opened up a number of new pathways and established a priority process since October 2022. While Alberta has added 120,000 new jobs since the start of 2021, the province still has about 74,140 open jobs. In addition, the province predicts a 33,100 worker shortage by 2025 in a wide range of occupations, skill levels, and industries. By employment generation, diversifying the economy, and increasing the workforce in each and every area of the province, immigrants have an essential role in addressing the labor shortages.  In order to facilitate important industries like healthcare, construction, technology, agriculture, and tourism, among others, it is expected that they will offer new skills and experience. The province's growth will be sustained in the coming years due to Alberta's increased immigration intake targets. Want to know more details about “The AAIP to welcome 10,000 immigrants per year” you can contact one of our immigration specialists at  Gunness & Associates. Tel: (416) 604-2669  Email: info@immigrationmatters.info Gunness & Associates has helped thousands of people successfully immigrate to Canada with their families. Our skilled and experienced immigration experts have the expertise to accurately examine your case and advise you on the best method of proceeding to best serve your needs. For honest and straightforward advice, contact the experts at Gunness & Associates. Get a free Assessment  Join our newsletter and get up-to-date immigration news Click here All rights reserved ©2022 Gunness & Associate

The AAIP to welcome 10,000 immigrants per year

The AAIP welcomes 10,000 immigrants per year, every year, Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) carefully determine the total number of Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) candidates that each province can nominate annually.  The Alberta Advantage Immigration Program (AAIP) has significantly increased the PNP allocations from last year. In 2023, the... CLICK HERE TO READ THE FULL ARTICLE »
On March 3, 2023, the Government of Canada opened a new application processing center in the Philippines to accelerate immigration application processing in the Indo-Pacific region. Canada is expanding its capacity to process visa applications worldwide with a newly established center and 37 additional employees.  This new initiative will improve client service and help Canada achieve increasing immigration levels. Canada invests strategically to attract more people from other countries to bolster its international presence. The Immigration Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has established visa offices in over 50 countries. Canada is strategically investing overseas in order to attract more people to the country, whether they are coming to visit, study, work, or immigrate permanently. In more than 50 locations around the world's Canadian embassies, high commissions, and consulates, IRCC offers visa services. The new application processing center is located in the Canadian Embassy in Manila. Growing cross-cultural ties between Canada and the Philippines contribute to the growth of both societies. 960,000 people of Philippine origin live in Canada, according to the census of 2021, and an increasing number of Filipino citizens migrate to the country to visit friends and family, study at Canadian colleges and universities, or immigrate. With diplomatic relations beginning in 1949, Canada and the Philippines will mark their 75th year of strong and friendly bilateral relations in 2024. The Honourable Sean Fraser, Minister of Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship stated: "To assist our economic growth, Canada is expected to welcome a high number of immigrants in the years to come. This will give us a boost in the competition for talent around the world and support important sectors and industries. The official announcement today to open a new center in the Philippines with the help of 37 new employees is yet another example of Canada's efforts to speed up the immigration processing process as we continue to encourage greater diversity among those desiring to visit, study, work, or live in Canada.” The Honourable Mélanie Joly, Minister of Foreign Affairs stated:  "Deep ties among people in Canada and the Indo-Pacific region, and these ties are not only vast but also expanding rapidly. This operations center will support travel, bring in highly skilled workers to Canada, and accommodate the demands of both our present and future economies.” What is the Indo-Pacific Strategy in regard to Canada Immigration? Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada discussed the need to improve ties between Canada and the Indo-Pacific region. In the upcoming years, Canada thinks it will contribute to increasing immigration. Canada has therefore declared the Indo-Pacific strategy in an effort to increase immigration. It seeks to increase the number of immigrants from the Indo-Pacific region. On November 27, 2022, Global Affairs Canada officially introduced the strategy. By 2027, it will attract investments and initiatives reaching approximately 2.3 billion Canadian dollars.  According to information from the Canada Census of 2021, four of the top seven birth countries are: India The Philippines China Pakistan Want to know more details about “Canada opened a new application processing center in the Philippines” you can contact one of our immigration specialists at  Gunness & Associates. Tel: (416) 604-2669  Email: info@immigrationmatters.info Gunness & Associates has helped thousands of people successfully immigrate to Canada with their families. Our skilled and experienced immigration experts have the expertise to accurately examine your case and advise you on the best method of proceeding to best serve your needs. For honest and straightforward advice, contact the experts at Gunness & Associates. Get a free Assessment  Join our newsletter and get up-to-date immigration news Click here All rights reserved ©2022 Gunness & Associate

Canada opened a new application processing center in the Philippines

On March 3, 2023, the Government of Canada opened a new application processing center in the Philippines to accelerate immigration application processing in the Indo-Pacific region. Canada is expanding its capacity to process visa applications worldwide with a newly established center and 37 additional employees.  This new initiative will improve... CLICK HERE TO READ THE FULL ARTICLE »
Canada to introduce one-click citizenship oath to fast-track applications Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) have proposed a new solution to expedite the naturalization process, allowing new citizens to affirm their citizenship oath electronically on a secure webpage instead of in person at a traditional ceremony. This amendment will be open for public consultation for 30 days, ending on March 27, 2023.  After completing this process, it may come into effect by June 2023. Experts argue that making becoming a citizen more accessible by removing the oath requirement will devalue citizenship and render it meaningless.  This has been essential to acquiring Canadian citizenship since 1947; thus, any alterations should be considered cautiously. According to the policy analysis statement published in the Canada Gazette, thousands of people apply for citizenship in Canada each year. Rising citizenship application inventories as a result of increased demand, in-person and paper-based processing, and other factors, including COVID-19 restrictions, have led to processing durations that are far longer than the 12-month standard for published service. Applications for citizenship increased by more than double in the five years between 2016–2017 and 2021–2022, from 113 000 to 243 000. With a target of 500 000 permanent residents by 2025, immigration levels are expected to continue to increase, which will result in rising citizenship application percentages. Benefits of one-click citizenship oath applications As it can help with challenges like long processing times and application inventories, technology has the potential to significantly improve customer service. In modernizing the Citizenship Program and reducing inventories and wait times for better customer service, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (the Department) has introduced digital and online initiatives.  Among the initiatives to modernize the citizenship process are the possibility and processing of electronic citizenship applications (e-applications), the administration of online citizenship tests, the maintenance of an online application tracker, the holding of virtual citizenship ceremonies, and the use of electronic citizenship certificates (e-certificates). Results are beginning to show up: processing times and citizenship application inventories have decreased over the last 12 months. Due to these innovations, temporary funding, and extra hiring, the Department is on track to process a record 300 000 new citizenship applications in the fiscal year 2022–2023, an increase of approximately 34% from the fiscal year 2021–2022. The update of the Citizenship Program still needs to be advanced, though. As of October 2022, there was a backlog of about 358 000 citizenship applications, and applicants had to wait 24 months before taking the oath of Citizenship.  The Oath of Citizenship can now be taken as flexible, including without or in the presence of an authorized person, due to changes made to the Regulations. With more freedom, the Department would be able to implement measures that improve client satisfaction and speed up the processing of citizenship applications while still allowing applicants to meet the Oath of Citizenship requirement. Want to know more details about “Canada to introduce one-click citizenship oath to fast-track applications” you can contact one of our immigration specialists at  Gunness & Associates. Tel: (416) 604-2669  Email: info@immigrationmatters.info Gunness & Associates has helped thousands of people successfully immigrate to Canada with their families. Our skilled and experienced immigration experts have the expertise to accurately examine your case and advise you on the best method of proceeding to best serve your needs. For honest and straightforward advice, contact the experts at Gunness & Associates. Get a free Assessment  Join our newsletter and get up-to-date immigration news Click here All rights reserved ©2022 Gunness & Associate

Canada to introduce one-click citizenship oath to fast-track applications

Canada to introduce one-click citizenship oath to fast-track applications Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) have proposed a new solution to expedite the naturalization process, allowing new citizens to affirm their citizenship oath electronically on a secure webpage instead of in person at a traditional ceremony. This amendment will be... CLICK HERE TO READ THE FULL ARTICLE »
Lululemon to hire foreign workers without LMIA on February 28, 2023, the Government of Canada recognized lululemon as a significant investment project in British Columbia. The company will benefit from a facilitative immigration measure under the Canada-British Columbia Immigration Agreement and hire foreign workers for various high-skilled occupations without applying for a labor market impact assessment (LMIA).  The Temporary Workers Annex of the Agreement grants British Columbia the authority to specify noteworthy investment enterprises that can be exempted from undergoing an LMIA process. Employment and Social Development Canada and Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada then assess the project to determine if it meets the criteria. By introducing global talent to lululemon, British Columbia's workforce will benefit from sharing knowledge and leveraging international opportunities and generate a significant employment boost over the next few years. Canada-British Columbia Immigration Agreement Purposes and Objectives: The main goal of this Annex is to allow Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC), British Columbia, and Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) to better collaborate in order to ensure that the International Mobility Program (IMP) and Temporary Foreign Worker Program (TFWP) operate in the national interest while supporting provincial priorities and that, where suitable, employers gives priority to Canadians for available positions. More specifically, the objectives of this Annex are to: Outline how Canada and British Columbia will support the TFWP and the IMP, including their roles and responsibilities; Provide British Columbia a way to recommend LMIA exemptions in line with this Annex or any of its Appendix, and recommend occupations qualified for priority LMIA processing in accordance with section 8.0 of this Annex; and Following shared values on the protection of foreign workers may increase federal-provincial collaboration in the administration of the TFWP and the IMP. Want to know more details about “Lululemon to hire foreign workers without LMIA” you can contact one of our immigration specialists at  Gunness & Associates. Tel: (416) 604-2669  Email: info@immigrationmatters.info Gunness & Associates has helped thousands of people successfully immigrate to Canada with their families. Our skilled and experienced immigration experts have the expertise to accurately examine your case and advise you on the best method of proceeding to best serve your needs. For honest and straightforward advice, contact the experts at Gunness & Associates. Get a free Assessment  Join our newsletter and get up-to-date immigration news Click here All rights reserved ©2022 Gunness & Associate

Lululemon to hire foreign workers without LMIA

Lululemon to hire foreign workers without LMIA on February 28, 2023, the Government of Canada recognized lululemon as a significant investment project in British Columbia. The company will benefit from a facilitative immigration measure under the Canada-British Columbia Immigration Agreement and hire foreign workers for various high-skilled occupations without applying... CLICK HERE TO READ THE FULL ARTICLE »
Alberta updated the AAIP inventory

Alberta updated the AAIP inventory

Alberta updated the AAIP inventory on February 14, 2023, Alberta published the update considering the Alberta Advantage Immigration Program (AAIP) inventory. According to the new update, there were around 1,310 Alberta Opportunity Stream applications and 430 Expressions of Interest in the Alberta Express Entry pool.    Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship... CLICK HERE TO READ THE FULL ARTICLE »
British Columbia invited up to 237 candidates in the new BC PNP Skills Immigration draw on February 14, 2023, British Columbia issued new invitations in the Skilled Worker – International Graduate categories of the British Columbia Provincial Nominee Program (BCPNP). In the Tech-targeted draw, BC issued 183 invitations with a minimum score of 83 points.  In the Childcare-targeted draw for early childhood educators (NOC 42202), the province invited 29 candidates who scored 55 points. In the Healthcare-targeted draw, the province issued 20 invitations. Additionally, fewer than 5 invitations have been issued for other priority occupations (NOCs 31103, 32104).  The province invited up to 237 candidates with a score of 55-83 points. Including this draw, in 2023, British Columbia has already issued 1,604 invitations. BC PNP Skills Immigration invitations details  British Columbia skills immigration invitations details in the new BC PNP draw that was held on February 14, 2023, can be found in the table below: Date Number of  Invitations Stream Minimum Score Description February 14, 2023 183 Skilled Worker, International Graduate (includes EEBC option) 83 Tech-Targeted Draw February 14, 2023 29 Skilled Worker, International Graduate (includes EEBC option) 55 Targeted draw: Childcare: Early childhood educators and assistants (NOC 42202) February 14, 2023 20 Skilled Worker, International Graduate (includes EEBC option) 55 Healthcare-targeted draw February 14, 2023

British Columbia invited up to 237 candidates in the new BC PNP Skills Immigration

British Columbia invited up to 237 candidates in the new BC PNP Skills Immigration draw on February 14, 2023, British Columbia issued new invitations in the Skilled Worker – International Graduate categories of the British Columbia Provincial Nominee Program (BCPNP). In the Tech-targeted draw, BC issued 183 invitations with a... CLICK HERE TO READ THE FULL ARTICLE »