9765 45 Ave NW Edmonton, AB – T6E 5V8

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Alberta PNP

NEWS

“British Columbia & Alberta PNP: Latest Invitations Explained!”

British Columbia and Alberta have issued invitations to apply to candidates for provincial nomination, and Alberta has published processing times updates for its immigration programs. Discover if You Are Eligible for Canadian Immigration Invitations from British Columbia In two drawings held on November 13, the British Columbia Provincial Nominee Program (BC PNP) sent out at least 25 invitations to apply (ITAs) for provincial nomination. The BC PNP issued ten ITAs in total after conducting a general draw across many streams: Stream Minimum Score Skilled Worker 143 Skilled Worker – Express Entry British Columbia (EEBC) option 143 International Graduate 143 International Graduate – EEBC 143 Entry-Level & Semi-Skilled 121 Additionally, the BC PNP granted no fewer than 15 ITAs through a category-based draw that included the International Graduate and Skilled Worker streams, including the EEBC option: Category Number of ITAs issued Minimum Score Childcare 5 102 Construction 4 105 Healthcare 5 113 Veterinary care <5 80 Applicants may apply directly to the BC PNP under the base PNP or use the Express Entry BC (EEBC) option to link their PNP application to their Express Entry profile. Following a provincial nomination and invitation to apply to the federal government, EEBC provides the IRCC with the benefit of expedited processing timeframes for the application for permanent residence. Candidates must be eligible for one of the three Express Entry-managed programs in order to have an eligible Express Entry profile and be eligible for EEBC. The Entry-Level & Semi-Skilled stream does not have an EEBC option available. Invitations from Alberta From October 15 to November 7, the Alberta Advantage Immigration Program (AAIP) conducted four draws: Draw Type Date of Draw Number of invitations Minimum score Alberta Opportunity Stream November 7 187 50 Dedicated Health Care Pathway – non-Express Entry November 4 33 44 Dedicated Health Care Pathway – Express Entry November 4 65 51 Tourism and Hospitality Stream October 15 302 70 Discover if You Are Eligible for Canadian Immigration Eligibility for these draws was as follows: Draw Eligibility criteria Alberta Opportunity Stream -CLB 5 or higher-Valid work permit-12+ months work experience-Full-time Alberta job offer-Job offer in an in-demand trade Dedicated Health Care PathwayDedicated Health Care Pathway – non-Express Entry -CLB 5 or higher-Full-time Alberta job offer-Legally authorized to practice regulated occupation Dedicated Health Care Pathway – non-Express Enty -Expiry date for Express Entry profile of April 4 2025 or later-Full-time Alberta job offer-CLB 5 or higher-Legally authorized to practice regulated occupation Tourism and Hospitality Stream -CLB 4 or higher-Valid LMIA-based work permit-Full-time Alberta job offer-6+ months Alberta work experience Processing time updates for Alberta On November 7, the Alberta Advantage Immigration Program (AAIP) updated its processing times. Stream Applications to be processed 2024 nominations issued 2024 nomination allocation 2024 nomination spaces remaining Alberta Opportunity Stream 1,401 5,065 5,264 199 Rural Renewal Stream 1,407 1,757 1,830 73 Tourism and Hospitality Stream 129 399 600 201 Dedicated Healthcare Pathway 19 79 110 31 Accelerated Tech Pathway (EE) 510 976 970 0 Dedicated Healthcare Pathway (EE) 17 471 670 199 Law Enforcement Pathway (EE) <10 12 20 8 Priority sector draws and other initiatives (EE) <10 165 164 0 Family connection and occupation in demand (EE) 0 107 106 0 Entrepreneur Streams 20 8 16 8 Total of all streams 3,507 9,039 9,750 711 Discover if You Are Eligible for Canadian Immigration Processing updates for temporary measure for applicants with work permits expiring in 2024: Stream Applications in queue Support letters issued Alberta Oportunity Stream 552 260 Rural Renewal Stream 295 31 Temporary public policy regarding PNP candidates’ open work permitsWith the assistance of their PNP program, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) implemented a temporary public policy on August 11 that allowed some PNP candidates to apply for open work permits. Thus far, this temporary public policy has been implemented in Yukon, Manitoba, and Alberta. The IRCC has the right to cancel the policy at any moment, although it is scheduled to stay in force until December 31, 2024. Concerning the Provincial Nominee Initiative Provinces and territories can propose foreign nationals for permanent residency under the Provincial Nominee Program (PNP). A candidate can anticipate being invited to submit an application for permanent residence to the federal government following a nomination from a province. With the exception of Quebec and Nunavut, every province and territory has a PNP. Since Quebec has more authority over immigration than other Canadian provinces and territories, it oversees its own immigration policies, including economic immigration initiatives like the Regular Skilled Worker Program (QSWP) and Quebec Experience Program (PEQ), which are not under the purview of the PNP. Discover if You Are Eligible for Canadian Immigration

NEWS

Immigration fuels Alberta’s record-breaking population growth

Alberta has been seeing population growth that breaks records. The province of Alberta has experienced exponential increase in both interprovincial and international immigration, according to recent data from the government’s Office of Statistics and Information. The population of the province increased by 204,677, or 4.41%, between April 2023 and April 24. This represents the largest year-over-year growth rate in 2023–24 among all Canadian provinces. For the entire country of Canada, the yearly growth rate during the same period was 3.20%. Discover if You Are Eligible for Canadian Immigration It shows a significant increase from the 3.67% growth rate Alberta experienced between 2022-23 and is also the highest year-over-year growth the province has experienced as of April 1 since 1981. Much of Alberta’s population growth comes from international migration. In the first quarter of 2024 alone, international migration added 32,893 net new residents to Alberta. This includes both permanent, and temporary residents (those holding work or study permits or asylum claimants). Alberta is also seeing strong net gains from interprovincial migration—people moving from other Canadian provinces such as Ontario, BC, Saskatchewan, Nova Scotia, and Manitoba. According to Statistics Canada, from July 1, 2022, to July 1, 2023, Alberta saw the highest net gains from people moving between provinces, surpassing British Columbia. All four major cities in Alberta grew significantly: Calgary gained 26,662 residents, Edmonton added 16,082, Lethbridge increased by 1,651, and Red Deer grew by 1,277 people. In contrast, every major metropolitan area in Ontario saw a net loss from interprovincial migration during the 12 months leading up to July 1, 2023. Why are so many newcomers choosing Alberta over other Canadian provinces? As Statistics Canada points out, this influx is “in-line with the analysis from the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation’s 2024 Housing Market Outlook” which indicates that more affordable home prices and a stronger economic outlook make the prairie provinces attractive to job seekers and home buyers – especially when compared to British Columbia and Ontario. Relatively affordable housing While the province has seen an increase in property prices in recent years, it is still seen as a more affordable option, especially when compared to cities in Ontario and B.C. According to the Canadian Real Estate Association (CREA), in the second quarter of 2024, the median price for a single detached home in Calgary was $710,000, while townhouses cost $454,000, and apartments $330,000. In Edmonton (the second largest census metropolitan area in Alberta), the median price for a detached home was $485,000, townhouses were $294,500, and apartments were $188,000. Additionally, Alberta does not have land transfer tax, making it a more affordable option for out-of-province homebuyers. In comparison to Toronto (Ontario), the median sale price for a detached home was $1,300,000 in the second quarter of 2024. Semi-detached units were going for $1,041,000 while condominium apartments were going for $640,000. Economic growth and changing job landscape Alberta’s real gross domestic product (GDP) is expected to rise 3.3% in 2024, up 0.4 percentage points from Budget 2024. According to the Business Council of Alberta’s report “Who’s Hiring in Alberta?” which uses publicly available job postings from 2018-23, Alberta’s labour market is no longer closely attached to the price of oil and gas, as was the case in previous years. While demand for energy workers has “stabilized,” there has been increase in demand for trades and healthcare occupations which has “far outpaced population growth.” The report also notes growth in job postings requiring a collage diploma or apprenticeship training. Tech skills such as business intelligence or data analysis may also be important to employers in the province. Meanwhile, postings for categories of engineering occupations fell more than 60%. The province introduced a distinct PNP stream for tourism and hospitality earlier this year, a sign of growing demand in that industry. The government has also directed its Express Entry lotteries toward healthcare professionals. If a candidate has a job offer in one of the province’s qualified health care occupations, they may be eligible for permanent residence in Alberta under the Alberta Advantage Immigration Program (AAIP) Dedicated Healthcare Pathway. Discover if You Are Eligible for Canadian Immigration

NEWS

AAIP eligibility change in response to Alberta wildfires

For a limited time, Alberta has suspended the work experience prerequisite for some candidates under the Alberta Advantage Immigration Program (AAIP). In order to help workers whose current job is impacted by the wildfires find new employment as soon as possible, the Alberta Opportunity and Tourism and Hospitality Streams of the AAIP have temporarily waived the requirement for specific work experience. The Alberta government reports that open work permits from Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) will be accepted by the AAIP for workers in the wildfire-affected Streams who are looking for work. Discover if You Are Eligible for Canadian Immigration It is anticipated that the eligibility changes will take effect on July 19, 2024, and end on November 30, 2024. This is a stopgap meant to help people who might lose their jobs as a result of the fires, which happened in an area that is home to many of Alberta’s hotels and resorts. Requirements for work experience Candidates in the tourism and hospitality stream were required, outside of the measure, to have completed seventy-odd hours of work experience in six consecutive months with their current employment. Candidates for the Alberta Opportunity Stream need: a minimum of 18 months’ worth of full-time job experience in their present field in Alberta, or a minimum of 24 months of full-time experience working in their present field in Canada or overseas within the previous 30 months, or both. The experience may have been obtained in Alberta as well as in Canada (outside of Alberta) or overseas. Holders of Post-Graduation Work Permits must have completed at least six months of full-time work experience in Alberta during the previous eighteen months in their present line of work. The lack of explicit work experience requirements for the Rural Renewal and Express Entry pathways will not disadvantage applicants who wish to use them. Additional assistance for individuals impacted by wildfires The modifications are the latest in a string of unique actions taken by the IRCC to assist individuals who are directly impacted by the wildfires. The Alberta government made the following announcement on July 26: Apply for a free replacement of lost, damaged, or destroyed citizenship, immigration, or travel documents (passports included). Extend or reinstate their status as a temporary resident; if you are unable to continue working for your current job, switch from an employer-specific work permit to an open work permit. The lack of explicit work experience requirements for the Rural Renewal and Express Entry pathways will not disadvantage applicants who wish to use them. Additional assistance for individuals impacted by wildfires The modifications are the latest in a string of unique actions taken by the IRCC to assist individuals who are directly impacted by the wildfires. The Alberta government made the following announcement on July 26: Apply for a free replacement of lost, damaged, or destroyed citizenship, immigration, or travel documents (passports included). Extend or reinstate their status as a temporary resident; if you are unable to continue working for your current job, switch from an employer-specific work permit to an open work permit. Applicants will have one year to prove they meet the criteria outlined by the AAIP including finding a new, eligible position if left unemployed by the fires. The Alberta government notes that all other criteria for each stream will still apply, and it will continue monitoring the situation for further updates. Impact of wildfires on Alberta’s economy This summer has seen over 100 wildfires burning across Alberta in the last month. As of now, the fires have claimed 358 of the 1,113 total structures in Jasper, with the evacuation notice only lifted on August 17, 2024. The fires have already disrupted the local economy, particularly the hospitality industry in Jasper, which attracts thousands of tourists and temporary workers every year. With plans to more than double the size of the tourism economy by 2025, the Alberta government’s response to the wildfires aims to support both the businesses and workers at the heart of the hospitality sector. Discover if You Are Eligible for Canadian Immigration

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