24 May 2010

Brit migrants to Canada urged to apply ASAP with skilled migration upheaval on the horizon

Extensive changes to Canadian immigration expected in September 2010

LONDON, 24 May 2010 –  Potential Canadian migrants are being urged to submit their applications for migration within the next few weeks, to avoid being shut out ahead of major immigration changes by the Canadian Government.

The Canadian Government has given itself a deadline of 30 September 2010 to identify changes to the Federal Skilled Worker program.  The changes are being implemented to reduce the number of new applications lodged after that date and enable the immigration system to catch up with the backlog of applications.

The government is expected to slash the number of occupations on the Priority Occupation List - a list of occupations deemed in great demand and eligible for migration without the requirement of a pre-arranged job offer by a Canadian employer.

The Canadian Government had not yet given any indication which of the 38 occupations currently on the list will be removed on or after 30 September, 2010.

Migrants whose occupation are not on the revised list will no longer be eligible to apply  and it may possibly be many years before an opportunity arises again, Canadian Visa Bureau Migration Case Work Manager, Nigel Smith said.

“The new Priority Occupation List will apply to applications yet to be lodged and in all probability to those which have yet to receive Stage 1 approval.  Stage 1 approval is normally granted eight to 12 weeks after lodgement,” Mr Smith said.

The House of Commons Committee has given the Canadian immigration department until 30 September, 2010 to identify their objectives for the new changes and it is expected that the changes may be implemented anytime from that date onwards.

With this in mind, to ensure the department has a full three months to determine approval for Stage 1, migrants are being urged to begin the visa application process with the Canadian Visa Bureau as soon as possible to ensure their case can be ready in time for submission on 30 June.

“Potential migrants should notify us as soon as possible if they are considering proceeding as we will need to allocate sufficient resources to deal with the surge in lodgements that will inevitably result from this announcement,” Mr Smith said.

The Canadian Skilled Migration Program is a points-based system, with points awarded according to age, education, work experience, and language skills. Applicants aged 20 to 50 are awarded maximum age points, a higher age limit than most other countries. The current pass mark for the Skilled Worker Visa is 67 points.

British workers wanting to emigrate to Canada also have a number of advantages including English language points as well as a similar cultural heritage.  Online assessments to determine points and eligibility can be found at the online assessment.

ENDS


About Canadian Visa Bureau

Canadian Visa Bureau is an independent immigration advisory service specialising in visas and immigration for British and Irish nationals looking to live and work in Canada. Based in central London, the company offers a range of services and free online assessments for individuals and families considering a new life abroad. Visit /canada for up-to-date news, information and free online visa assessments.


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