International students, foreign workers and asylum seekers who are already in Canada may soon get more permanent residence options as Canada is currently facing economic challenges brought in part due to to lower immigration levels caused by the Coronavirus pandemic.

The decline in Canada's immigration levels has slowed population, labour force and economic growth. According to Government data from August, Permanent Resident numbers are down 60% year over year.

TRAVELLERS ENTERING CANADA BY AIR

As of November 21, 2020, if you're flying to Canada as your final destination, you must use ArriveCAN to submit your:

• travel and contact information
• quarantine plan
• COVID-19 symptom self-assessments

If you are a Canadian citizen or Permanent Resident over the age of 18, you will soon be able to sponsor your parents or grandparents to immigrate to Canada.

Immigration, Refugee and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) will post the interest to sponsor form on its website for 3 weeks between October 13, at 12 PM EDT and November 3, 2020 until 12 PM EDT. Keep in mind, these are not applications for the PGP itself, but rather, an opportunity for sponsors to express their interest in sponsoring their family members for Canadian immigration.

Canadian citizens and Permanent Residents can sponsor a spouse, common-law partner, or conjugal partner to obtain permanent residence.

The Canadian citizen or Permanent resident (the sponsor) and the foreign national (person being sponsored) must be approved by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) for the person being sponsored to obtain permanent residence.

The sponsor and the person being sponsored must prove to IRCC that the relationship falls under one of these categories:

Ontario's Masters Graduate stream gives international students, who have graduated with a master's degree from an eligible university in Ontario, the opportunity to immigrate permanently to Ontario without the requirement of a job offer.

Service Canada Centres are gradually resuming biometrics collection services for Permanent Residents who have received a Biometric instruction letter.

Calls are being based on when the application was submitted and the region where the applicant lives. When the Service Canada officer calls, the following information will need to be provided:

The Canadian government has updated employer compliance rules by enabling employers to hire foreign workers without a SIN card as long as they are in the process of getting one.

Though workers must apply for their SIN card within three days of starting employment, they do not have to get their number to start working. They do, however, have to give their SIN number to their employer within three days of receipt.

Due to COVID-19, a number of international students were unable to take courses in person at their respective universities. As a result, the Canadian government is allowing international students who have to study on-line due to COVID-19 closures, to not be penalized when applying for a Post-Graduate Work Permit.

Initially, on-line studies only counted towards a PGWP after students were approved for a Study Permit. Now, as long as the program starts in 2020, the time international students put into their courses before getting their study permit is counted.

Candidates with job offers in the below occupations were invited to apply for a provincial nomination:

- Telecommunication carriers managers - 0131
- Computer and information systems managers - 0213
- Managers - publishing, motion pictures, broadcasting and performing arts - 0512
- Civil engineers - 2131
- Mechanical Engineers - 2132
- Electrical and electronics engineers - 2133
- Chemical engineers - 2134

Visitors who are currently in Canada and have a valid job offer will be able to apply for an employer-specific work permit and, if approved, receive the permit without having to leave the country. This temporary public policy was put in effect on August 24, 2020.

On August 19, 2020, the Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program (OINP) will accept applications between 9:00 a.m. EST and 5:00 p.m. EST to the Employer Job Offer: International Student stream.

To register, applicants are able to access the OINP e-filing portal directly from the Employer Job Offer: International Student Stream link on the OINP website. Those who successfully register have 14 days to submit completed applications.

WHAT IS THE OINP EMPLOYER JOB OFFER: INTERNATIONAL STUDENT STREAM?

The Employer Job Offer: International Student Stream is an immigration stream under the Ontario Immigrant Nominee program. Students with a job offer in a skilled occupation at Type Skill O or A or B of the National Occupation Classification (NOC), have a chance to apply to permanent live and work in Ontario. This stream is open to international students in and outside of Canada.

Post-graduation work permits are exempt from Labour Market Impact Assessments. With a post-graduation work permit, graduates can:

• work full time
• work part time
• be self-employed

Starting in January 2021, UK is implementing a Canadian style points based immigration system. Foreign Nationals will not only require an employment contract, but will also need to qualify under the new points system.

Individuals will be assessed based on their specific skills, qualifications, salaries or professions. Visas will only be issued to those who have obtained the 70 points required to apply for a visa. The first 50 points are awarded for a candidate's English skills and for receiving a job offer in their field of training from an approved sponsor.

On July 22, Canada invited 557 Express Entry candidates to apply for permanent residence.

Candidates who received a nomination from a Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) were invited in the latest draw. The Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score was 687. So far in 2020, this is the lowest CRS requirement for a PNP-specific draw.

Due to regulatory changes introduced by the Ontario government, this popular permanent residence program for individuals in semi-skilled occupations will now include 13 new manufacturing related National Occupational Classifications for employment positions located outside the Greater Toronto Area.

To be eligible, candidates must obtain a full time, permanent job offer and must be in an eligible occupation outside the Greater Toronto Area. The 13 additional occupations are:

The International Education Strategy (IES), Building on Success, was launched with the conjunction of Global Affairs Canada, Employment and Social Development Canada and Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada.

In 2019, more than 642,000 international students studied in Canada. International students who have Canadian education qualifications and in-demand labour skills, and are proficient in either English or French, are often ideal candidates for Permanent Residency.

The Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program (OINP) issued 758 invitations to candidates who may be eligible for the Express Entry Skilled Trades Stream. This is the largest number of candidates invited through this stream in a single draw since January 18, 2018.

The Express Entry Skilled Trades Stream of the OINP allows skilled trades workers with work experience in an eligible trade to settle permanently in Ontario through the Federal Express Entry immigration system.

The Post-Graduation Work Permit Program (PGWPP) allows students who have graduated from eligible Canadian designated learning institutions (DLIs) to obtain an open work permit to gain valuable Canadian work experience. This experience can help graduates qualify for permanent residence in Canada through the Canadian Experience Class.

Students who have completed their program of study are allowed to work while waiting for a decision on their application provided they meet all of the following criteria:

341 Express Entry candidates who had provincial nominations were invited to apply for Permanent Residence in today's (June 10) draw.

This draw featured a minimum Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score of 743. Due to #COVID-19 travel restrictions which were put in place on March 18, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC), has adopted a policy of targeting PNP and Canadian Experience Class candidates.

THE CANADIAN BORDER SERVICES AGENCY (CBSA) ANNOUNCES CHANGES TO TRAVEL RESTRICTIONS FOR IMMEDIATE FAMILY MEMBERS OF CANADIAN CITIZENS AND PERMANENT RESIDENTS

The Canada Border Services Agency is announcing that as of June 8, 2020 23:59 EDT, foreign nationals who are immediate family members of Canadian citizens and permanent residents, and who do not have COVID-19 or exhibit any signs or symptoms of COVID-19, or who do not have reason to believe they have COVID-19, will be exempt from the prohibition on entry to Canada if entering to be with an immediate family member for a period of at least 15 days.