How to move to Canada: Immigration website crashes as Donald Trump election victory looks imminent

The Canadian immigration site has broken as people look to leave the USA.

The official website for 'Citizenship and Immigration Canada' has stopped working, apparently because of the sheer number of people looking to leave the country.
Canada's website would usually offer ways of applying either to live in or to become a citizen of the country. But all those people trying to access it actually are able to see is a long loading page and no access to the website.
Moving to live in Canada involves applying to get permanent residency in the country. There are a range of different types of citizenship, most of which require that people come for work or to live with their family.
Donald Trump looks all but assured to be the new president of the United States, leading to huge anxiety among his opponents. Similar pressure to leave the country was seen in the wake of the UK's general election and of the Brexit vote – an issue that the European Union is looking to potentially solve by allowing people to keep their European citizenship.
The country's official Twitter account appeared to reference the US election results in a tweet posted just as it became clear that Mr Trump looked set to move into the White House.

In Canada, immigrants are encouraged to bring their cultural traditions with them and share them with their fellow citizens. pic.twitter.com/MOuStZbSX7

— Canada (@Canada) November 9, 2016

Canada has been active in taking in refugees from a range of countries in recent months. The government has run a campaign to welcome people fleeing the war in Syria.

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Changes Coming To The Canadian Citizenship Act

Courtesy: Scott Bell

The Liberal Government has proposed amendments to the Citizenship Act (the “Act“). The amendments contained in Bill C-6 are largely an attempt to reverse the controversial changes to the Act made by former Prime Minister Stephen Harper and the Conservatives, which remain in effect today.

One of the major Conservative changes to the Act expanded the age group of citizens required to demonstrate a language and knowledge proficiency, which became mandatory for immigrants aged 14 to 64. The length of time immigrants are required to be physically present in Canada before applying for citizenship was also extended to four years (1,460 days) of six years. Additionally, immigrants became obligated to be present in Canada for 183 days per year for at least four of the six years preceding commencing a citizenship application.
Two of the Conservative amendments were particularly unpopular among the Canadian public. One was the requirement that immigrants declare an intention to reside in Canada after obtaining citizenship. The other controversial change was the introduction of a provision which allowed Canadian citizenship to be revoked from dual citizens who were convicted of terrorism, treason, or spying. Revocation also became a possibility for individuals who are members of an armed force or group engaged in armed conflict with Canada.
The Liberals promised to reverse these changes in the campaign leading up to the 2015 election. Following through on that promise, all of the Conservative changes to the Act noted above will be quashed by the proposed Liberal amendments.
Bill C-6 alleviates the citizenship requirements by shrinking the age group required to demonstrate language and knowledge proficiency to those aged 18 to 54. Further, applicants would only need to be physically present in Canada for three of five years before applying for citizenship and the 183 day presence per year requirement would also be abolished.
Immigrants would no longer have to declare an intention to continue to reside in Canada if granted citizenship, and the power to revoke citizenship on the grounds of convictions related to national security and engagement in armed conflict with Canada would be eliminated.
Conversely, the popular Conservative changes to the Act are not altered by the proposed Liberal amendments. Most notably, the provisions added by the Conservatives which reduce processing times by increasing the number of decision makers in citizenship applications will remain part of the Act.
Bill C-6 passed its third reading in the House of Commons and is now in its first reading with the Senate. It is anticipated that the Bill will pass its final requirements and that the Act will see these changes implemented by spring of 2017.

2016 Express Entry Draw #11: 763 Invitations, Lowest CRS Score 484

May 18th - 2016 - Canadian Immigration authorities conducted the 11thround of invitations under Express Entry in 2016 and 34th overall, inviting 763 applicants for permanent residence.  The lowest Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score was 484 a significant decline from the previous draw.  It was the 10th draw in 2016 under the Express Entry System where the lowest CRS score was under 500.

Express Entry is an immigration system implemented by Canadian immigration authorities ("CIC") on January 1, 2015 which manages skilled worker applications under Federal Economic programs. This includes the Federal Skilled Worker Program, the Skilled Trades Program the Canada Experience Class and certain parts of the Provincial Nominee Program.

Stakeholders expect to see future CRS scores well below 500 this year to enable Canadian immigration authorities to meet targeted annual immigration levels for 2016.

Canada's Immigration Website Crashes Just As Donald Trump Wins Super Tuesday (Coincidence?)

Shortly after Donald Trump declared victory on Super Tuesday, the official Canadian immigration website crashed and displayed an error message to users attempting to visit the site. According to Google Trends, the search term "how can I move to Canada" spiked around midnight ET, just as some final results from the Super Tuesday primaries were leaking in. There's no official evidence of causality yet, but the timing of the website crash seems pretty indicative of a lot of scared Americans jokingly or seriously looking to leave the country in the increasingly likely event of a President Trump.

Trump's Super Tuesday performance is definitely a frightening sign for anti-Trumpers. The business mogul won almost all the Republican contests Tuesday, save Texas, Oklahoma, Minnesota, and Alaska. Trump picked up 237 delegates on Super Tuesday; this gives him 319 total, putting him that much further above second-place Ted Cruz and that much closer to the 1,237 needed to earn the nomination. However, he didn't walk away from Super Tuesday without a couple scars. Texas was a somewhat significant loss for Trump — the Lone Star State was the most delegate-rich up for grabs on Super Tuesday and Cruz ended up with 99 Texas delegates when the precincts finish reporting. The race is far from over, as Trump needs several hundred more delegates to be eligible for the nomination. It might be a little soon to start thinking about a move up north.

Yet, Canada does seem like something of a safe haven for liberal Americans who are balking at the idea of a neo-conservative demagogue holed up in the White House for at least the next four years. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has already made headway in various social justice issues such as racism and feminism during his short time in office (and he's not bad to look at, either). Also, Canada's mercifully short campaigning season seems a lot less exhausting than America's 18-month slog toward the White House that takes politicians away from their jobs and keeps the country enraptured in a media circus for the better part of two years. Combined with the free healthcare, which definitely wouldn't happen under Trump's potential presidency, Canada seems like a snowy liberal paradise.

Canada needs to build on recent immigration reforms

The federal government announced changes to Canada’s immigration system this week. It will make it easier for foreign students in Canada to stay and work after they graduate – these are the kind of immigrants Canada needs. But it also quietly approved changes that allow Atlantic Canadian seafood processors to use temporary foreign workers in seasonal jobs in place of Canadian workers.

The previous government changed the rules of the two main economic immigration channels: the temporary foreign worker (TFW) program and the permanent immigrant system that awards points to prospective immigrants. The changes were substantial and are likely to profoundly change the type of people who migrate to Canada.

Prior to the reforms, TFWs were substitutes for Canadian workers. The previous government’s reforms to Canadian immigration policy had some positive effects. Changes to the TFW program limited the types of workers companies can bring in, made the screening process more rigorous and set an employer-specific cap on TFWs. This removed major irritants under the previous system and its enforcement, particularly regarding the displacement of Canadian workers by TFWs.

The new seasonal exemption allowing for more TFWs in Atlantic Canada rolls back some of the positive reforms. TFWs there will now compete with residents for seasonal jobs.

In the past, permanent immigrants were not substitutes for existing Canadians because the criteria in the points system did not reflect what businesses were looking for.

The previous government’s major change to the permanent immigration system was creation of the express-entry system. The system now rewards candidates who have a Canadian job offer. Those people will be able to migrate to Canada much more rapidly than before. In contrast, it is much harder than it was for applicants without a job offer.

Taken together, changes by the previous government to both the TFW and permanent immigrant programs were designed to better meet current labour-market needs while safeguarding job opportunities for Canadian workers. However, they may have some unintended consequences.

First, it had become more difficult for international students here to become permanent residents under the previous government. One reason is that they will not likely have a job offer from a Canadian employer. Canada’s universities are among the best in the world and foreign graduates are among the best candidates for immigration. They have proven skills, are fluent in one of our official languages and are able to integrate seamlessly into Canadian society. It would be folly not to actively seek them out as permanent immigrants.

Second, beyond Atlantic Canada, TFWs will no longer be seen as competing directly for jobs with Canadian workers, including workers who are willing to move to where the jobs are. However, new permanent immigrants will increasingly compete with existing Canadian residents.

Finally, the new permanent immigration policy prioritizes skills in demand. That preference may decrease the immigration of workers whose skills may be more important in the longer term. The government should address these potential negative consequences as it plans its reforms. Immigration Minister John McCallum recently said he will adjust the express-entry system to facilitate the entry of recent international graduates of Canadian universities into the permanent immigration system. This fixes one of the unintended consequences of the previous government’s reforms.

More consideration should be given to attract immigrants with skills the Canadian economy may need in future, while in less demand today. And the government should continue to promote economic opportunities for Canadian residents seeking employment in their own province or moving to other provinces in search of better opportunities. That could mean policies such as reforming EI to encourage workers to move where the jobs are, or introducing more competition in the airline market to ease travel within Canada.

Canada has historically had an immigration system driven by evidence, not political dogma. The new government should continue with that approach and build on its predecessor’s immigration reforms to help both existing Canadians and businesses that need workers.

Canadian Immigration Express Entry Pool Draw

The ninth draw from the Express Entry pool was performed by Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) on May 22, 2015. A total of 1,361 invitations to apply for Canadian permanent residence were issued to candidates with 755 or more  Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) points. 

While the four draws before this most recent draw selected a portion of candidates who did not have a qualifying job offer from a Canadian employer or an enhanced provincial nomination, this ninth draw selected only candidates with a job offer or nomination. Receving a qualifying job offer supported by a positive Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) or an enhanced provincial nomination results in the candidate being awarded 600 points under the Comprehensive Ranking System and receiving a subsequent Invitation to Apply for permanent residence. A positive LMIA is required in order for a candidate to be deemed to have a qualifying job offer from a Canadian employer.
Express Entry
Eligible candidates may submit a profile into the Express Entry pool, where they are ranked according to the CRS. The government of Canada selects the top-ranked candidates on a priority basis when it performs one of its frequent draws from the pool. Candidates who are issued an invitation to apply for permanent residence then have 60 days to submit a complete e-application, from which point the government of Canada aims to process the application within six months. A number of early applicants have had their applications processed in under half that time.
 For Free assessment visit: www.globalmigrationservices.com

Canadian Immigration: Express Entry January 2015

In January 2015, Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) will launch a new electronic system called Express Entry to manage applications for permanent residence in certain economic programs. Canada needs high levels of immigration to meet current and future labour market needs, which will ensure our economic growth and long-term prosperity.

Express Entry will allow us to actively recruit, assess and select skilled immigrants under the following federal economic immigration programs:

• the Federal Skilled Worker Program,
• the Federal Skilled Trades Program, and
• the Canadian Experience Class.

Provinces and territories will also be able to recruit candidates from the Express Entry system for a portion of the Provincial Nominee Programs to meet local labour market needs. Under this new system, employers will also have a key role in selecting economic immigrants. Employers will access candidates through Canada's new and improved Job Bank and through provinces and territories where applicable.

The Express Entry system involves two steps:

Step 1) Potential candidates complete an online Express Entry profile

Potential candidates will complete an online Express Entry profile where they will provide information about their skills, work experience, language ability, education, and other details. Those who meet the criteria of one of the federal economic immigration programs subject to Express Entry will be placed in a pool of candidates.

Candidates will be ranked against others in the pool. Only the highest-ranked candidates (those deemed to have the best chances for economic success), and those with qualifying offers of arranged employment or provincial/territorial nominations, will be invited to apply for permanent residence.

If a candidate does not already have a valid job offer from a Canadian employer or a provincial/territorial nomination, he or she must register with the Government of Canada's Job Bank which will connect him or her with eligible Canadian employers.

Where applicable, employers will be required to obtain a Labour Market Impact Assessment from Employment and Social Development Canada. There will be no fee for Labour Market Impact Assessments for permanent residence applications under the Express Entry system. 

Completing an online Express Entry profile does not guarantee that a candidate will receive an Invitation to Apply for permanent residence.

Step 2) Citizenship and Immigration Canada will invite certain candidates to apply for permanent residence and process their electronic applications within six months.

Candidates will receive an Invitation to Apply for permanent residence if they rank among the top in the pool, based on their skills and experience. Candidates who have a valid job offer from a Canadian employer (subject to the Labour Market Impact Assessment process in place at that time) or have been nominated by a province or territory will be given high scores in the ranking system.

Candidates will have 60 days to submit an electronic application for permanent residence through one of the following programs:

• Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSWP);
• Federal Skilled Trades Program (FSTP);
• Canadian Experience Class (CEC); or,
• A portion of the Provincial Nominee Program (PNP)

Citizenship and Immigration Canada will process the majority of complete applications (i.e. applications including all the necessary supporting documents) within six months or less.

Candidates in the Express Entry pool who do not receive an Invitation to Apply for permanent residence after 12 months may resubmit their profile and re-enter the pool if they still meet the criteria. This provision will prevent backlogs and ensure quick processing times.

Express Entry will result in faster and more efficient service to potential skilled immigrants. It will also allow the Government of Canada to be more flexible and responsive to Canada's changing economic conditions and priorities.

This webpage will be updated on an ongoing basis.

Gearing up for the launch of Express Entry

Minister Alexander meets with key employers on Canada’s economic immigration system

July 14, 2014 —Toronto — Canada’s Citizenship and Immigration Minister Chris Alexander met with stakeholders and business leaders today about the January 2015 launch of Express Entry: a faster and more effective way for Canada to welcome skilled economic immigrants.

The Government of Canada, in partnership with provincial and territorial governments, has hosted a number of information sessions on Express Entry with employers across the country in recent months.

The Express Entry electronic application management system will apply to four existing economic programs: the Federal Skilled Worker Program, Federal Skilled Trades Program, Canadian Experience Class, and a portion of the Provincial Nominee Program. Through Express Entry, foreign nationals who meet the criteria for one of the federal immigration programs will be placed into a pool, from which employers will be able to consider candidates who meet their needs when they cannot find a Canadian or permanent resident for the job. The Government of Canada’s new and improved Job Bank will help facilitate matches between Canadian employers and Express Entry candidates.

Express Entry candidates who receive a qualifying job offer from a Canadian employer or nomination under the Provincial Nominee Program will be invited to apply for permanent residence soon after – a key distinction between the Express Entry system and the Temporary Foreign Worker Program, which is only used to fill temporary labour and skill shortages. Job offers will be subject to Employment and Social Development Canada’s Labour Market Impact Assessment in place at that time.

For more information on Express Entry, please see www.canada.ca/ExpressEntry.

Quick facts

·         Canada’s Economic Action Plan 2014 will invest an initial $14 million over two years, followed by $4.7 million per year ongoing to ensure the successful implementation of Express Entry.

·         Express Entry will transform Canada’s immigration system into one that is faster and more responsive to economic and labour market needs.

·         Express Entry will allow Citizenship and Immigration Canada to select the candidates who are most likely to succeed economically in Canada, rather than passively process all applicants in a queue.

·         Express Entry candidates who are invited to apply for permanent residence can expect faster processing times of six months or less.

Quote

“Our government is reforming Canada’s economic immigration system to make it faster, fairer and more flexible to ensure that Canada's labour market needs are met. Express Entry will connect candidates for permanent residence with employers who have been unable to find skilled Canadians or permanent residents for the job, and bring them here quickly. Our government is working closely with provincial and territorial partners, as well as employers to ensure that January’s launch of Express Entry is a success.”

Chris Alexander, Canada’s Citizenship and Immigration Minister

Offering "Express Entry" to Qualified Economic Immigrants

Actively Recruiting Talented Newcomers For the Benefit of Canada’s Economy

April 8, 2014 — Ottawa — Canada’s Citizenship and Immigration Minister Chris Alexander today announced that Canada’s active recruitment model for economic immigration will officially be called “Express Entry.” Set to launch in January 2015, “Express Entry” is a major step forward in the transformation of Canada’s immigration system into one that is fast, flexible and focused on meeting Canada’s economic and labour needs.

“Express Entry” will allow for greater flexibility and better responsiveness to deal with regional labour shortages, and help fill open jobs for which there are no available Canadian workers. “Express Entry” candidates who receive a valid job offer or nomination under the Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) will be quickly invited to apply for permanent residency – a key distinction between “Express Entry” and the Temporary Foreign Worker Program, which is only used to fill temporary labour and skill shortages.

Formerly referred to as “Expression of Interest”, “Express Entry” will be open to skilled immigrants and allow the government to select the best candidates who are most likely to succeed in Canada, rather than those who happen to be first in line. It will also prevent backlogs and allow Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) to better coordinate application volume with the annual immigration levels plan.

Qualified applicants can expect faster processing times of six months or less when invited to come to Canada in four key economic streams: the Federal Skilled Worker Program, Federal Skilled Trades Program, Canadian Experience Class, and a portion of the PNP.

With “Express Entry,” employers will have a key role in selecting economic immigrants and providing advice to the Government of Canada. To this end, Alexander also announced that over the course of spring 2014, CIC will work with provincial and territorial governments to hold a series of cross-Canada information sessions to provide employers with more information about this exciting new system.

Quick facts

·         Canada’s Economic Action Plan 2014 will invest $14 million over two years and $4.7 million per year ongoing to ensuring the successful implementation of Express Entry.

·         With Express Entry, Canada will be able to select the best candidates who are most likely to achieve success in Canada, rather than the first person in line.

·         The Government of Canada’s new and improved Job Bank will help facilitate matches between Canadian employers and Express Entry candidates.

·         Having a valid job offer or provincial/territorial nomination will guarantee Express Entry candidates an invitation to apply for permanent residence.

Quote

“Express Entry promises to be a game-changer for Canadian immigration and Canada’s economy. It will revolutionize the way we attract skilled immigrants, and get them working here faster. Our government is actively engaged with our provincial and territorial partners, and with employers, to make January’s launch of Express Entry a success.”

Chris Alexander, Canada’s Citizenship and Immigration Minister

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