Finally, Citizenship and Immigration Canada made an official announcement about Federal Skilled Worker Program - the list of education assessment agencies and the new priority occupations.
Back in August 2012, it was announced that the new Federal Skilled Worker Program won't be limited to particular occupations, that it will be open to applicants in NOCs 0, A and B.
But apparently Minister Kenney changed his mind, because his
current publication about the current Federal Skilled Worker program has the
following highlights:
The new Federal Skilled Worker
program the will start accepting new applications this coming May 4, 2013.
The List of Priority Occupations and Organizations Designated to Conduct Educational Credential Assessments for Federal Skilled Worker Program is now available in the Citizenship and Immigration Canada website.
The List of Priority Occupations and Organizations Designated to Conduct Educational Credential Assessments for Federal Skilled Worker Program is now available in the Citizenship and Immigration Canada website.
The news release from Citizenship
and Immigration Canada was posted at CIC website a few minutes
ago.
To summarize, the following are the major changes and important elements that will have an effect on the application process of the new Federal Skilled Worker Program:
To summarize, the following are the major changes and important elements that will have an effect on the application process of the new Federal Skilled Worker Program:
- A new eligible occupations list, with a total of 24 occupations;
- An overall cap of 5,000 new applications for all eligible occupations will be imposed, including a sub-cap of 300 new applications for each eligible occupation;
- Four organizations have been designated to conduct educational credential assessments (mandatory for applicants submitting foreign educational credentials); and
- Applicants must show proof that they meet the minimum threshold of Canadian Language Benchmark 7 in all four language skill areas: speaking, reading, writing and oral comprehension.
Those included in the 24 Priority Occupations may now start
with the credentials assessment.
24
Priority Occupations
- 0211 Engineering managers
- 1112 Financial and investment analysts
- 2113 Geoscientists and oceanographers
- 2131 Civil engineers
- 2132 Mechanical engineers
- 2134 Chemical engineers
- 2143 Mining engineers
- 2144 Geological engineers
- 2145 Petroleum engineers
- 2146 Aerospace engineers
- 2147 Computer engineers (except software engineers/designers)
- 2154 Land surveyors
- 2174 Computer programmers and interactive media developers
- 2243 Industrial instrument technicians and mechanics
- 2263 Inspectors in public and environmental health and occupational health and safety
- 3141 Audiologists and speech-language pathologists
- 3142 Physiotherapists
- 3143 Occupational Therapists
- 3211 Medical laboratory technologists
- 3212 Medical laboratory technicians and pathologists' assistants
- 3214 Respiratory therapists, clinical perfusionists and cardiopulmonary technologists
- 3215 Medical radiation technologists
- 3216 Medical sonographers
- 3217 Cardiology technicians and electrophysiological diagnostic technologists, n.e.c. (not elsewhere classified)
Prior to
this official announcement, the Immigration Minister stated via twitter message
that the list of designated organizations to the
assessment will be released mid of February 2013. He also stated
before that the new Federal Skilled Worker program will be open to NOCs 0, A
and B and will not be limited to particular occupations. Then again,
things change and with very irregular immigration regulations and with a
Minister that constantly changes his mind, all we can do is be updated and get
ready.
If you are serious about your plan to live and work in Canada, you too should get ready. There's a risk and cost considerations, of course but that is true for all Visa applications. The best that you can do is to try and minimize your risk and increase your chances for success.
If you are serious about your plan to live and work in Canada, you too should get ready. There's a risk and cost considerations, of course but that is true for all Visa applications. The best that you can do is to try and minimize your risk and increase your chances for success.
We have to
learn from these changes.
As you
will notice the list of eligible occupations and sub cap per occupation is
further reduced from the last time the Federal Skilled Worker application was
open to accept applicants.
Meaning
only those who are serious with their applications and has completed their
requirements ahead of time can apply for the program and get a permanent Residents
Visa for Canada.
For us who
wants to get a Visa for Canada, we do not have the option to question the rules
they are or will be implementing; we can only adjust to meet their expectations
so that we will be successful in our individual applications.
Gone is
the time, when everyone is just using one application program to get a PR Visa
for Canada.
Applicants now need to consider
other programs like:
The provincial Nominee programs
Student Visa
Live in Caregiver program for Canada
Canadian Experience Class
Arranged employment offer
As your
consultant, we wish to help you achieve your dream of living and working in
Canada. Which is why, we are inviting
you to visit our office so that we can discuss your plan.
We
understand that this came as a shock to you, because we were also affected in
the same way.
Some of
you have already been preparing for a long time and may feel that your chances
had disappeared because your occupation is not in the list.
This is
not the case, we can still apply. You still have the chance. Your efforts will
only be put to waste if you decide to give up on your dreams right now.
Please visit us in the office so that we can discuss with you your current options.
