21 Aug The Canadian Government implemented two new Agri-Food Pilot amendments
The Canadian Government implemented two new Agri-Food Pilot amendments
On August 18, 2023, the Government of Canada implemented two changes to the Agri-Food Pilot (AFP), providing more opportunities for workers and their families to apply for permanent residency. First, family members of all AFP participants can now apply for open work permits. Second, Canada started accepting union reference letters instead of employer reference letters to confirm an applicant’s work experience. The AFP launched as a 3-year pilot in 2020, was extended until May 14, 2025. To qualify for permanent residency, applicants need Canadian work experience in eligible industries and occupations, a full-time, non-seasonal job offer from a Canadian employer in an eligible sector and occupation (outside Quebec), language and educational requirements, and settlement funds (if applicable).
AFP, #Agri_Food_Pilot, #PR
Women immigrants are more likely to pursue higher education than men
In Canada, women who immigrated under economic programs were more likely to graduate from Canadian colleges and universities than men. This could be because immigrant women often face challenges in having their foreign educational credentials recognized in Canada. Interestingly, those with a university education before immigrating were also more likely to obtain college diplomas or university degrees after arriving in Canada. Additionally, immigrants with Canadian postsecondary educational qualifications earned between $47,700 and $67,600, comparable to the median employment income of those without such qualifications.
Statistics_Canada, #edication, #statistics, #economic_immigrants
Canadian tech companies want IRCC to increase H-1B fast-track work permit cap
Canada’s Tech Talent Strategy includes a fast-track work-permit program to attract 10,000 H-1B visa-holding tech workers from the United States to come to Canada. However, the program’s cap of 10,000 permanent residence applications was reached within just 48 hours of its launch, and tech employers are now requesting Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) to expand the program. Although H-1B visas allow skilled foreign workers to work in the US temporarily, visa holders face several immigration-related grievances, including severe restrictions for their spouses and other family members pursuing their own employment and educational opportunities in the US. H-1B visa holders also face hurdles in launching new businesses and are being laid off in droves from leading American multinationals such as Google parent Alphabet, Amazon, and Twitter.
Tech_workers, #H1B_visas, #foreign_workers, #IRCC
IRCC invited 3,345 candidates in the new IEC draws
Over the last two weeks, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) held new draws in the pools of International Experience Canada (IEC). From August 5 to August 18, Canada invited 3,273 young foreigners to apply for an IEC open work permit. As of August 18, 24,896 candidates registered in the pool, awaiting the invitation. In this round, there were 485 ITAs for Australia, 7 ITAs for Austria, 5 ITAs for Belgium, 1 ITA for Chile, 341 ITAs for Costa Rica, 8 ITAs for Croatia, 61 ITAs for the Czech Republic, 21 ITAs for Denmark, 3 ITAs for Estonia, 191 ITAs for France, 167 ITAs for Germany, 20 ITAs for Greece, 12 ITAs for Hong Kong, 206 ITAs for Ireland, 118 ITAs for Italy, 438 ITAs for Japan, 3 ITAs for Latvia, 1 ITA for Lithuania, 1 ITA for Luxembourg, 46 ITA for the Netherlands, 124 ITAs for New Zealand, 11 ITAs for Norway, 32 ITAs for Poland, 52 ITAs for Portugal, 10 ITAs for Slovakia, 1 ITA for Slovenia, 96 ITAs for Spain, 26 ITAs for Sweden, 4 ITAs for Switzerland, 5 ITAs for Taiwan, and 749 ITAs for the United Kingdom. In 2023, Canada issued 108,409 ITAs under the IEC Program.