COVID-19 : How Canada is helping people, jobs and businesses during pandemic

The government of Canada is continuing to closely monitor the impacts of COVID-19 and taking actions as required to help protect Canadians and business. All Canadians have been working together to make sure the country is well prepared for a strong and resilient economic transition that will see more global investors choosing Canada in the weeks, months and years ahead.  Canada’s collective response to the crisis has been more effective than any other country in the world, particularly in terms of listening to the health experts, responding quickly, and delivering meaningful and effective government support programs.

In response to economic downturn caused by COVID-19, the federal government has announced broad measures to protect Canadian jobs and facilitate funding to Canadian businesses.

Large Employer Emergency Financing Facility (LEEFF) program will provide bridge financing of at least $60 million to large employers to keep running their business operations.

In addition to LEEFF, government also launches Business Credit Availability Program (BCAP) providing support of more than $10 billion to small and medium sized business under the program. Administered through the Business Development Bank of Canada (BDC) and Export Development Canada (EDC), the program includes loans of up to $60 million per company and guarantees of up to $80 million.

The Government of Canada is taking immediate, significant and decisive action to support Canadians and businesses facing hardship as a result of the global COVID-19 outbreak.

  • Covering 75% of an employee’s wages for up to $847 per week for eligible employers under Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy program.
  • Financial help (up to $500 per week) to workers who lost their job during this pandemic through Canada Emergency Response Benefit (CERB) program.
  • Increasing the Canada Child Benefit (CCB) up to an extra $300 per child for 2019-20.
  • Mortgage Payment Deferral up to 6 months to help ease the financial burden for homeowners facing financial stress.
  • Indigenous Community Support Fund to address immediate needs in First Nations, Inuit and Métis communities.
  • The Canada Emergency Student Benefit (CESB) provides emergency financial relief to students and recent graduates who are unable to work, or unable to find work, due to reasons related to COVID-19. It is also available for those who are working but not making more than $1,000 (before taxes) over the four-week period for which they are applying. This benefit provides $1,250 per month for eligible students or $2,000 per month for eligible students with dependents or disabilities.
  • Defer income tax payments for all businesses until after August 2020.
  • Defer GST/HST payments until June 2020, as well as customs duty payments owing on their imports.
  • Strategic Innovation Fund will support projects for COVID-19 related vaccine and therapy clinical trials.
  • Government of Canada challenged Canadian businesses of all sizes to collaborate with other innovation sectors, including post-secondary and research institutions, to propose bold and ambitious strategies that would transform regional innovation ecosystems and develop job-creating superclusters of innovation, like Silicon Valley. The investment of up to $950 million, which will be matched dollar for dollar by the private sector, is expected to create more than 50,000 jobs over ten years and grow Canada’s GDP.
  • Investment of at least $50 million in funding to support companies supplying essential equipment, products and therapeutics by Next Generation Manufacturing Canada through Canada’s Superclusters.

The Government (federal, provincial and municipal), business communities (global and domestic investors), people and workers (both frontline and background) has all come together and shown tremendous resilience in the face of this terrible pandemic.

COVID-19 affecting Canadian Labour Market can be positive for Canadian Experience Class Candidates

According to Statistics Canada there has been a dramatic decline in economic activity and employment rate in the country due to COVID-19 outbreak with more than one million jobs lost.

However, Canada’s Immigration policies have strengthened the country’s economic standing over the years as 75% of Canada’s population growth comes from immigration, mostly in economic category and about 6 in 10 immigrants bring positive economic impact. Economy can be grown by growth in labour force and second using the labour force productively.

Canada will accept applications for permanent residency and will continue to welcome candidates to submit their Express Entry profiles. Express Entry draws will be held and invitations to apply for permanent residence will be sent despite coronavirus outbreak.

A total of 3,371 candidates were invited to apply for Canadian permanent residence in the Express Entry draw which took place on May 14, 2020. The cut-off CRS score in this draw was 447 which is the lowest score recorded in this year so far since January 2020. Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has now issued a total of 38,200 Invitations to Apply (ITA’s) in 2020 through the Express Entry system.The Canadian Experience Class is for skilled workers who have Canadian work experience and want to become permanent residents. Having obtained work experience in Canada, these individuals have already settled into Canadian society and established important networks in their communities and their careers. Minimum requirements

  • Important Points
  • Self-employment and work experience gained while you were a full-time student (such as a co-op work term) doesn’t count under this program.
  • There is no education requirement for the Canadian Experience Class. However, applicant will be awarded points in their Express Entry pool, if they have earned a Canadian educational or have Educational Credential Assessment (ECA) for a foreign education.
  • Applicants can remain in Canada throughout the application process. However, the Canadian Experience Class is also open to individuals who are no longer in Canada, provided that they submit their application within three years of leaving their job in Canada.
  • The requirements of Canadian Experience Class are based on a pass or fail model. If the minimum requirements are met, the applicant is eligible to enter the Express Entry pool.
  • The applicant is not required to have at least 67 points based on Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada’s (IRCC) immigration selection factors.
  • The applicants must plan to reside outside the province of Quebec. The province of Quebec selects its own skilled workers through a unique immigration system.

Contact us for assessment and more information!

Need help staying in Canada!

The COVID-19 pandemic has led to challenging times in Canada and around the world. Many people are under distress and anxiety. We understand! Can-X is here to help you figure it out, so you can have peace of mind. You could be an international student, worker, or visitor looking to extend your stay in Canada. You may be seeking a pathway to permanent immigration. Or you may be looking to reunite with a loved one. Whatever the reason, contact us to discuss your immigration needs, and we’ll provide our insights and help as much as we can during these difficult times.

We Cares!

Latest BC-Provinicial Nominee Program draw issues 158 invitations

Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on B.C. businesses has been observed to affect the BC Provincial Nominee Program (BC PNP) draw held on May 19, 2020 issuing 158 invitations.

The following occupations were excluded from the draw

0621 – Retail and wholesale trade managers ǀ 0631 – Restaurant and food service managers ǀ 0632 – Accommodation service managers ǀ 0651 – Managers in customer and personal services ǀ 1123 – Professional occupations in advertising, marketing and public relations ǀ 1221 – Administrative officers ǀ 1241 – Administrative assistants ǀ 6211 – Retail sales supervisors ǀ 6313 – Accommodation, travel, tourism and related services supervisors ǀ 6322 – Cooks ǀ 6421 – Retail salespersons ǀ 6512 – Bartenders ǀ 6521 – Travel counsellors ǀ 6523 – Airline ticket and service agents ǀ 6525 – Hotel front desk clerks ǀ 6532 – Outdoor sport and recreational guides ǀ 6562 – Estheticians, electrologists and related occupations ǀ 6611 – Cashiers ǀ 6711 – Food counter attendants, kitchen helpers and related support occupations ǀ 6722 – Operators and attendants in amusement, recreation and sport ǀ 3236 – Massage therapists ǀ 6311 – Food service supervisors ǀ 6321 – Chefs ǀ 6341 – Hairstylists and barbers ǀ 6511 – Maîtres d’hôtel and hosts/hostesses ǀ 6513 – Food and beverage servers ǀ 6522 – Pursers and flight attendants ǀ 6524 – Ground and water transport ticket agents, cargo service representatives and related clerks ǀ 6531 – Tour and travel guides ǀ 6531 – Tour & Travel Guides ǀ 6533 – Casino occupations ǀ 6564 – Other personal service occupations ǀ 6621 – Service station attendants ǀ 6721 – Support occupations in accommodation, travel and facilities set-up services ǀ 6731 – Light duty cleaners

Impact of COVID-19 on BC PNP Clients and Operations:

Office & in-person inquiries are closed but BCPNP will continue to respond to emails and telephone inquiries within 5 business days. Applicants can submit their registration if they meet the eligibility requirements for the category they are applying to. BCPNP will receive and process applications for both Entrepreneur Immigration and Skills Immigration categories.

Due to COVID-19, if your employer has reduced their business hours or they do not currently have the minimum number of employees on payroll:

  • If you have not yet registered, and your employer no longer meets the employer eligibility criteria to support your BC PNP application, you should delay your registration until your supporting employer can meet the employer criteria for the BC PNP.

If you have already applied, and your employer no longer meets the eligibility criteria to support your BC PNP application:

  • Please email BCPNP with any updates to your employment situation. They will take this into consideration when assessing your application.
  • You may withdraw your application by sending BCPNP an email. If processing of your application has not started, you may be eligible for a refund.

Due to COVID-19, your employer had to temporarily close their business and if you have now been laid off:

  • If you have not registered yet, and your current employment does not meet the eligibility criteria of the category you would like to register and apply to, you should ensure you first meet the criteria for that category. You should do this before submitting a registration.
  • If you have registered, but you have not been invited to apply, and your current employment no longer meets the category’s eligibility criteria, you have the option of withdrawing your registration. You can resubmit a registration once you meet the eligibility criteria.
  • If you have received an invitation to apply and your current employment does not meet the category’s eligibility criteria, you have the option of declining the invitation to apply. When the business re-opens and you are working again, you can re-register with updated information and wait for the next draw.
  • If you have already applied, and your employment no longer meets the category’s eligibility criteria, please email BCPNP with any updates to your employment situation. BCPNP will take this into consideration when assessing your application.
  • You may withdraw your application by sending BCPNP an email. If processing of your application has not started, you may be eligible for a refund.

If you are not able to get required documents (transcripts, language test, personal net worth verification report, etc.) before the deadlines:

  • Before you register for Skills Immigration, BCPNP expect that you already have gathered or have easy access to all required documentation. If this is not the case, .
  • wait to register as you will have 30 days to apply should you be invited.
  • If you have already applied, and BC PNP staff have requested information or documents that you are not able to get, please email BCPNP will take this into consideration when assessing your application.
  • If you are experiencing a delay in applying to the Entrepreneur Immigration stream, please email BCPNP describing your specific circumstances. BCPNP will take this into consideration when assessing your application.

Please visit BCPNP’s COVID-19 Operational Updates page for up-to-date information. 

Contact us for consultation and assistance!

Need help staying in Canada!

The COVID-19 pandemic has led to challenging times in Canada and around the world. Many people are under distress and anxiety. We understand! Can-X is here to help you figure it out, so you can have peace of mind. You could be an international student, worker, or visitor looking to extend your stay in Canada. You may be seeking a pathway to permanent immigration. Or you may be looking to reunite with a loved one. Whatever the reason, contact us to discuss your immigration needs, and we’ll provide our insights and help as much as we can during these difficult times.

We Cares!

Expedited processing now allows temporary foreign workers to start their work in 10 days

COVID-19 outbreak has impacted the employment landscape and Canadian economy significantly. Many TFWs with employer specific work permit have lost jobs while in agriculture, agri-food and healthcare sectors employers are facing labour shortage. Thus, in response to Canada’s labour market needs Immigration Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has temporarily changed the policy which will allow temporary foreign workers (TFW’s), who already have a job offer in Canada, to start working in 10 days while their application is being processed during this pandemic.

According to the new policy if the temporary workers have job offer, they can submit a request to IRCC to have authorization of work. Their request will be reviewed in 10 days and if approved they will be notified through email. They can start working at their new job. This shall reduce the time required for a temporary worker to start new job from 10 weeks to 10 days.

Eligibility Criteria 

Role of Employers

However, employers still must obtain positive LMIA from Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC) and get the foreign worker’s name added to it. For employer-specific LMIA-exempt situations, employers still need to submit an offer of employment through Employer Portal.

How to apply?

Workers must first apply for a work permit from inside Canada with new employer online or paper-based. After applying IRCC will ask applicants to fill out the web form, which will facilitate communication between applicants and the Canadian immigration department. IRCC will then send an email in 10 business days confirming the applicant can start working for their new employer while their application is under processing.

Contact us for consultation and assistance.

Latest Express Entry (EE) Draw Issues 529 ITA’s to PNP candidates

A total of 529 candidates who had already received an additional 600 points with a provincial nomination were invited to apply for Canadian permanent residence in the Express Entry draw which took place on May 13, 2020. The cut-off score of 718 is 26 points more than the cut-off score in the last PNP specific Express Entry draw, which was 692.

Since March 18, 2020, the Government of Canada has held eight Express Entry draws and invited provincial nominees and Canadian Experience Class candidates only, which shows the first quarter of the year 2020 has been great for Express Entry besides COVID-19 pandemic. Canada remains on pace to achieve its Express Entry target of 85,800 ITAs in 2020, with 34,829 ITAs so far, compared with 31,250 at this time in 2019.

Express Entry is the application process for skilled workers in Canada or Overseas who want to settle in Canada permanently. Interested Candidates are required to submit an online application to express their interest by creating Express Entry (EE) profile and, providing information about their skills, work experience, language ability, education and some other details. After submitting the profile, candidates get a score to determine their place in the pool using the point-based system called Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS). The CRS system considers skills, work experience, language ability, education and other factors (e.g. having a sibling in Canada, Canadian education or a valid job offer in Canada, etc.) to award points. Highest ranking candidates from Express Entry pool are regularly invited to apply for Canadian Permanent Residence. Express Entry manages applications for permanent residence under these federal economic immigration programs:

The Provincial Nominee Class (PNC) allows provincial and territorial governments to choose immigrants according to the economic needs of the province or territory. Nine Canadian provinces and two territories have provincial nominee programs which:

  • establish its own standards and processes by which it chooses its nominees,
  • try to nominate those candidates who would be most likely to settle effectively into the economic and social life of the region.

PNC has two (2) steps:

  1. First apply to the province or territory where you want to live and be nominated
  2. After a province or territory nominates you, you must apply to IRCC for permanent residence. An IRCC officer will then assess your application based on Canadian immigration rules.

Each participating province and territory have at least one immigration stream that is connected to the Express Entry system and allows it to nominate Express Entry candidates for permanent residence in that province or territory. Express Entry candidates who are nominated by a province or territory receive an additional 600 points toward their CRS score, moving them to the front of the line for an invitation to apply for Canadian permanent residence.

Contact us for consultation and assessment.