The Impact of Processing Delays on Canadian Businesses

Canada is facing a growing skilled labor crunch and industries are struggling to find qualified workers. The increased processing times of immigration pathways is a problem that is closing doors to new growth and leaving employers open to risk.

According to a survey conducted by The Canadian Employee Relocation Council (CERC), “Unless addressed, increasing processing times are likely to have a negative impact on business operations within the next year.”

A total of 26 organizations that rely on access to international talent to meet talent needs and fill skills gaps were surveyed. Participating organizations were from technology, manufacturing, government /health care/ education, natural resources, and construction/engineering services. 44 % of participating organizations report using economic immigration programs to access temporary residence workers.

Primarily, 74% of participating companies used Express Entry and CUSMA professional pathways to hire foreign nationals while 67% used PNP immigration pathways. All participating organizations agreed to the importance of international talent to their businesses, while 70% strongly agreed to their contributions.

In the survey, as an impact of processing impediments 83 % of organizations stated that canceled and or delayed projects are the most common consequence of the delays, almost two-thirds expect the delays to result in lost revenues and 30% stated they had to face penalties for not meeting contractual obligations. The unprecedented labor shortage is forcing organizations to hire ill-suited candidates, resulting in foregone opportunities that impede businesses’ ability to compete.

This lack of skilled labor and halt in the international mobility of temporary foreign workers is increasing the labor market gap, businesses are facing a labor shortage and the demand for skills across many sectors is on the rise. The survey sheds light on global talent access via immigration and international mobility programs, the top three skills accessed are 93% of skilled workers, 85 % executive management, and 67 % engineering staff. Nonetheless, the demand for non-degreed professionals and technical staff is growing, though the lack of education makes it difficult to access their talent.

The survey also highlighted that apart from ongoing challenges faced by IRCC, the continued closure of Consulates, High Commissions and VAC abroad has had a great impact as temporary foreign workers cannot complete biometrics in their home country.

With a dearth of new talent pools and retiring workforce, Canada should take actions to expedite processing of applications. The survey questioned respondents if they would pay an additional fee for expedited processing of applications and 89% of respondents said they would be willing to pay between 10% and 25% above current processing fees for expedited processing as for Skilled labor shortage has become the most pressing need of their organizations.

Ontario’s is re-opening and expanding its in-demand skills stream

Ontario is re-opening and expanding one of its Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) streams (in-demand skills stream). The in-demand skills stream is currently closed but will re-open on July 6, 2020. As of July 06, job offer from 13 additional positions located outside of the Greater Toronto Area (GTA) will be accepted under the program. The purpose of the stream is to enhance responsiveness to program priorities and address labour shortages in specific in-demand occupations (e.g. agriculture, construction, trucking, and other low-to-semi-skilled NOC C or D occupations). This stream is open to foreign workers in and outside of Canada.

Program Requirements

Job Offer

Candidate must have a full-time and permanent job offer (i.e. a minimum of 1,560 hours in a year and no end date of the position). The job offer must be in an eligible occupation inside or outside of the GTA.

Eligible Occupation(s): The job offer must fall under following National Occupation Classification (NOC) skill level C or D codes:

  1. NOC 3413 – nurse aides, orderlies, and patient service associates
  2. NOC 4412 – home support workers and related occupations, excluding housekeepers
  3. NOC 7441 – residential and commercial installers and servicers
  4. NOC 7511 – transport truck drivers
  5. NOC 7521 – heavy equipment operators (except crane)
  6. NOC 7611 – construction trades helpers and labourers
  7. NOC 8431 – general farm workers
  8. NOC 8432 – nursery and greenhouse workers
  9. NOC 8611 – harvesting labourers
  10. NOC 9462 – industrial butchers and meat cutters, poultry preparers and related workers

Expanded occupations: As of July 6, a job offers under the following  13 NOC codes (also levels C or D) will be valid for this stream:

  1. NOC 9411 – machine operators, mineral and metal processing
  2. NOC 9416 – metalworking and forging machine operators
  3. NOC 9417 – machining tool operators
  4. NOC 9418 – other metal products machine operators
  5. NOC 9421 – chemical plant machine operators
  6. NOC 9422 – plastics processing machine operators
  7. NOC 9437 – woodworking machine operators
  8. NOC 9446 – industrial sewing machine operators
  9. NOC 9461 – process control and machine operators, food, beverage and associated products processing
  10. NOC 9523 – electronics assemblers, fabricators, inspectors, and testers
  11. NOC 9526 – mechanical assemblers and inspectors
  12. NOC 9536 – industrial painters, coaters, and metal finishing process operators
  13. NOC 9537 – other products assemblers, finishers, and inspectors

Wage/Salary

The wage/salary of the job offer must be equal or higher than the median wage level, for that occupation, in the specific region of Ontario where the worker is/will be working.

Work experience

Candidate must have at least 9 months of cumulative paid full-time work experience (or the equivalent in part-time work) in Ontario, in the same in-demand occupation (same NOC code) as the job offer. The candidate must have gained this work experience within the three years prior to submitting the application while legally living and working in Ontario.

Language

The candidate must be able to understand, read, write and speak either English or French at a Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) level 4 or higher.

Education

The candidate must have a Canadian secondary school (high school) diploma or credential, or its equivalent in another country. The candidate need to get an Educational Credential Assessment (ECA) for overseas education from one of the following organizations, designated by IRCC:

Contact us for consultation and assessment.

BC-Provinicial Nominee Program issues 279 invitations in latest draw

BC government held its Provincial Nomination Program (PNP) draw on June 02, 2020 issuing 279 invitations including 38 entrepreneur candidates and another 241 Skilled Worker and International Graduate candidates.

The cut-off score for subcategories 

Skills Immigration Skilled Worker 105 | International Graduate 105 | Entry Level and Semi-Skilled 81

Express Entry BC Skilled Worker 105 | International Graduate 105

Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on B.C. businesses has been observed to affect the BC Provincial Nominee Program (BC PNP) draw. The COVID-19 outbreak has had an impact on the provincial economy in an unprecedented way. Some sectors have been affected more significantly than others. In consideration of the above, the BC Provincial Nominee Program (BC PNP) has issued Invitations to Apply, however 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 Care!

 

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!

Canada launches agri-food immigration pilot program

IRCC has started accepting permanent residency (PR) applications under the Agri-Food Immigration Pilot program. The 3-year economic immigration pilot program is for temporary foreign workers (TFW) who are already in Canada and working in the meat processing, mushroom, greenhouse production and livestock-raising industries. The pilot is intended to address the labour needs of Canadian employers in these fields. Applications are being accepted from May 14, 2023 by IRCC for up to 2,750 principal applicants plus their family members annually under the pilot.

Program Requirements

Work Experience

  1. The applicant must have at least one year (1,560 hours), full-time, non-seasonal work experience in Canada, under a valid work permit within the last three years.
  2. The work experience must have been authorized on a work permit issued on the basis of a Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) with a duration of a least 12 months.
  3. The occupation and/or work experience must fall under one or more eligible combinations of the National Occupational Classification (NOC) and North American Industry Classification System (NAICS).

List of the eligible industry (NAICS) and occupation (NOC) combinations accepted under the Agri-Food Immigration Pilot for both work experience and job offer 

NAICS – 1114 Greenhouse, nursery and floriculture production

    • NOC – 8252 Agricultural service contractors, farm supervisors and specialized livestock workers
    • NOC – 8431 General farm workers
    • NOC – 8611 Harvesting labourers

NAICS – 1121 Cattle ranching and farming

    • NOC – 8252 Agricultural service contractors, farm supervisors and specialized livestock workers
    • NOC – 8431 General farm workers

NAICS – 1122 Hog and pig farming

    • NOC – 8252 Agricultural service contractors, farm supervisors and specialized livestock workers
    • NOC – 8431 General farm workers

NAICS – 1123 Poultry and egg production

    • NOC – 8252 Agricultural service contractors, farm supervisors and specialized livestock workers
    • NOC – 8431 General farm workers

NAICS – 1124 Sheep and goat farming

    • NOC – 8252 Agricultural service contractors, farm supervisors and specialized livestock workers
    • NOC – 8431 General farm workers

NAICS – 1129 Other animal production

    • NOC – 8252 Agricultural service contractors, farm supervisors and specialized livestock workers
    • NOC – 8431 General farm workers

NAICS – 3116 Meat product manufacturing

    • NOC – 6331 Butchers, meat cutters and fishmongers – retail and wholesale
    • NOC – 8252 Agricultural service contractors, farm supervisors and specialized livestock workers
    • NOC – 9462 Industrial butchers and meat cutters, poultry preparers and related workers
    • NOC – 9617 Labourers in food and beverage processing

Job Offer

  • The job offer must be from an employer whose primary business activities are in an eligible industry (NAICS) and for an eligible occupation (NOC)
  • The job offer must be full time, non-seasonal and for indeterminate period (no end date)
  • The wage must be at or above the prevailing wage (median) for the occupation in the province where the job is located
  • The applicant must submit an “Offer of Employment to a Foreign National – Agri-Food Immigration pilot” with the application

Temporary resident status

The applicant is required to maintain his/her temporary resident status during the processing of the application for permanent residence.

Education

  • The applicant must have a high-school diploma, post-secondary certificate or degree that is valid and equal to a Canadian equivalent, or
  • For overseas education, the applicant is required to provide an Education Credential Assessment (ECA) to show that the studies are equal to a Canadian secondary or post-secondary certificate, diploma or degree, or
  • The ECA report must be less than five years old on the date the IRCC receives the PR application

Language

The applicant must meet the minimum language requirements in the Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) or the Niveaux de competence linguistique canadiens (NCLC) for listening, speaking, reading and writing at level 4 (or above) across all language abilities.

The Agri-Food Immigration Pilot will test a new, industry-specific approach to help address the labour needs of the Canadian agri-food sector, particularly in meat processing and mushroom production. While immigration in the agricultural sector is largely based on seasonal workers, this pilot aims to enhance the benefits of economic immigration to the agri-food sector by testing a new pathway to permanent residence.

Contact us for consultation and assistance.