Upfront medical examination

Upfront medical examination no longer required before submitting an Express Entry application

Posted on Posted in Immigration Canada

As of October 1st, you no longer need to get an upfront medical examination before you submit your application for permanent residence through Express Entry. An immigrant medical exam (IME) from a panel physician is a requirement for permanent residence. If you have never completed an IME, you may now upload a blank document in the upload field […]

IRCC invites candidates in first ever category

IRCC invites candidates in first ever category-based Express Entry draw for agriculture and agri-food occupations

Posted on Posted in Immigration Canada

Immigration Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has issued 600 invitations to apply (ITAs) in the first ever category-based Express Entry draw for agriculture and agri-food occupations. Candidates required a minimum Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score of 354. IRCC says focusing on candidates with experience in the agriculture and agri-food sector—including agricultural service contractors, farm supervisors, and retail and wholesale butchers—will help the […]

eligible work experience for immigration

What counts as eligible work experience for immigration through Express Entry?

Posted on Posted in Immigration Canada

The definition of eligible work experience in the context of Express Entry depends on exactly which program an immigration candidate is applying under. In other words, what is considered eligible skilled work experience varies depending on whether a particular candidate is applying to the Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSWP), the Canadian Experience Class (CEC) or the Federal Skilled Trades Program (FSTP). The following […]

IRCC application backlog

IRCC application backlog slowly shrinking despite higher number of applications

Posted on Posted in Immigration Canada

The most recent data from Immigration Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) shows a backlog of 802,600 applications out of a total 2,274,600 as of July 31. Compared to the last update on May 31, the numbers indicate that the backlog is shrinking. In May, there were 820,000 applications considered backlogged out of 2,248,000. This is notable because the […]

New Selection Categories

New Selection Categories for Express Entry Candidates

Posted on Posted in Immigration Canada

Canada’s Immigration Minister, Sean Fraser, has announced the launch of category-based selection draws for Express Entry candidates. Immigration Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) will be focusing on Express Entry candidates who have a strong French language proficiency or work experience in the following fields: healthcare science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) professions trades, such as carpenters, plumbers and contractors […]

proposed Trusted Institutions Framework

Canada breaks record by welcoming over 550,000 new international students in 2022

Posted on Posted in Immigration Canada, International Student Admissions

New data from Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) shows Canada welcomed a record 551,405 international students from 184 countries, in 2022. In addition, as of December 31st, 2022, there are 807,750 international students holding valid study permits, another all-time high number. The number of study permits issued has considerably increased in recent years. In 2021, a […]