British Columbia is a province located on the west coast of Canada and is famous for it's uncomparable natural beauty, with the Pacific Ocean and the Rocky Mountains. The BC PNP offers foreign nationals multiple pathways to migrate to the province and become Canadian permanent residents. The programs are designed to attract foreign workers who can fill jobs in sectors with labour shortages and entrepreneurs.

The immigration streams are divided into two main categories:

• British Columbia Skills Immigration - This stream allows foreign nationals who have the required skills and work experience to secure employment in the BC workforce. The programs offered under this stream are:
  • British Columbia Skilled Worker - This program nominates those immigrants who have an offer of empoyment and are likely to make a contribution to the BC workforce. Though applicants are not required to have an Express Entry profile to be eligible, those who do may have their application processed faster.
  • British Columbia Healthcare Professional - The BC Health Authority nominates those immigrants who have an offer of employment from a public health authority in BC and who will make major contributions in the healthcare labour sector. Applicants are not required to have an Express Entry profile to be eligible, however they may benefit from applying through Express Entry profile for faster processing.
  • British Columbia International Graduate - This program nominates immigrants who have completed a post-secondary education in Canada and have an offer of employment. Applicants are not required to have an Express Entry profile to be eligible, however they may benefit from applying through Express Entry profile for faster processing.
  • British Columbia Internation Post-Graduate - This program nominates immigrants who have recently completed a graduate level of education from a designated institution in BC. Applicants are not required to have an Express Entry profile to be eligible, however they may benefit from applying through Express Entry profile for faster processing.
  • British Columbia Entry Level and Semi-Skilled Worker (ELSS) - This program nominates immigrants who can demonstrate work experience in a semi-skilled profession in BC and have an offer of employment from a BC employer. This job offer does not require the support of an LMIA.

• British Columbia Entrepreneur Immigration - This stream allows foreign nationals or foreign companies with a successful track record of owning, managing and investing in a business. It allows foreign individuals with high net worth and companies with high annual revenue numbers to migrate to BC. The programs offered under this stream are:
  • British Columbia Entrepreneur - This program is for experienced business owner-opertors or senior business managers who want to work and live in BC. Successful applicants are required to open a new business or purchase an existing one and be involved in managing the day-to-day operations. On successfully operating the business for 550 days, the entrepreneur may be nominated for a PR.
  • British Columbia Entrepreneur Regional Pilot - This program is for experienced entrepreneurs who are willing to invest in and manage a business in one of the participating communities in BC. The applicants need to be referred by one of the program's participating communities.
  • British Columbia Strategic Projects - This program is for foreign companies who are successful and would like to establish a branch office in BC. On completion of a certain duration successfully operating the office, the foreign staff in the office may be nominated for PR.

If you would like to migrate to Canada then call our office to schedule an appointment and discuss your profile. Our experienced team will find the right program for you to apply.

The Atlantic Immigration Program (AIP) is a federal immigration program and is employer-driven. What this means is that it enables the designated employers to recruit foreign workers and international students who have graduated from a Canadian institution to meet the labour demands of the market.

The AIP is a pathway to obtain permanent residency for applicants who want to live and work in one of Canada's four Atlantic provinces - New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island or Newfoundland and Labrador. The program allows employers to hire qualified candidates in jobs for which they were unable to find suitable local candidates.

In order to apply to the AIP, each candidate must demonstrate their eligibility in the following areas:

• Work Experience - In the last 5 years, the candidate must have at least 1560 hours of paid work experience. This work experience should be at one of the TEER 0,1,2,3,or 4 categories.
• International Graduates - A candidate does not need to meet the work experience criteria if s/he is an international graduate who was a full-time student and took at least 2 years of studies from a DLI in one of the four Atlantic provinces.
• Educational Requirements - A candidate must demonstrate one of these:
  • If s/he has a job offer in TEER 0 or 1 category, then they must have a one-year Canadian post-secondary educational credential or higher, or the equivalent from outside Canada.
  • If s/he has a job offer in TEER 2,3, or 4 category, then they must have a Canadian high school diploma , or the equivalent from outside Canada.
  For all education which was completed outside of Canada, an Educational Credential Assessment (ECA) report is required to be submitted which was done less than 5 years ago.
• Language Requirements - Each candidate must meet the minimum language requirements based on the TEER category which applies to their job offer. This can be either Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) or Niveaux de competence linguistique canadiens (NCLC). The minimum language requirements for job offers in TEER 0,1,2, or 3 category are CLB/ NCLC 5 and for job offers in TEER 4 are CLB/ NCLC 4.
• Settlement Funds - Each candidate must show that they have sufficient money to support themselves and their family members when they arrive in Canada. The amount to be shown depends on the size of the family and it also includes anyone the candidate supports but is not immigrating with them. If the candidate is already living and working in Canada on a valid work permit, then they do not need to show the proof of funds.

If you would like to migrate to Canada then call our office to schedule an appointment and discuss your profile. Our experienced team will find the right program for you to apply.

IRCC announced another Express Entry draw for applicants with French language proficiency, a day after the General category draw was held. The cut-off CRS score took a jump of 22 points.

The CRS score of the lowest-ranked candidate was 410.

If you would like to migrate to Canada then call our office to schedule an appointment and discuss your profile. Our experienced team will find the right program for you to apply.

In an Express Entry draw announced for the General category, 2095 invitations were issued. This draw saw the cut-off CRS score drop by 20 points from the previous draw for the General category, though it is still hovering above the 500 mark.

The CRS score of the lowest-ranked candidate was 529.

If you would like to migrate to Canada then call our office to schedule an appointment and discuss your profile. Our experienced team will find the right program for you to apply.

Alberta is a province which is a part of western Canada and is one of the three prairie provinces. It is famous for it's natural landscapes which includes the majestoc Rocky Mountains and vast prairies. It has a thriving economy which is largely driven by the vast reserves of natural gas. The two popular cities in the province are Calgary and Edmonton, both offering diverse cultral experiences and bustling urban life. Alberta offers a high quality of life amidst it's beautiful natural surroundings.

The Alberta Advantage Immigration Program (AAIP) was introduced to drive the economic immigration in the province by nominating individuals, who possess the necessary skills to address job shortages or intend to open a new business or purchase one in the province, for PR in Alberta. The program mainly supports two streams in the Express Entry pool: skilled workers and entrepreneurs.

Skilled Workers These streams are for foreign skilled workers who currently reside and work in Alberta or intend to do so:

• Tourism and Hospitality Stream - This stream is for qualified foreign workers who live and work in Alberta with a job offer from an Alberta tourism and hospitality employer.
• Alberta Opportunity Stream - This stream is for qualified foreign workers who are employedg in Alberta and have an offer of employment stating that they will be working full-time.
• Alberta Express Stream - This stream allows the province to nominate candidates who demosntrate strong ties to the province and can support economic development and have an active Express Entry profile based on certain selection criteria.
• Alberta Accelerated Tech Pathway - This stream allows qualified candidates who are working in one of the 38 tech occupaitons or have a job offer from a tech industry employer in Alberta

Entrepreneurs These streams are for entrepreneurs who plan to reside in Alberta and either purchase an existing business or open a business within the province:

• Rural Entrepreneur Stream - This stream is for foreign entrepreneurs who would start a business or purchase an exisitng business in a rural Alberta community by submitting an Expression of Interest.
• Farm Stream - This stream is for foreign workers who have experience owning and operating a farm and have the financial resources to operate a farm in Alberta. Candidates are required to submit a detailed plan outlining their plan on how they intend to operate a farm in Alberta.
• Graduate Entrepreneur Stream - This stream is for international graduates from one of Alberta's post-secondary institutions who want to start and operte a business in Alberta. Graduates are ranked based on Expression of Interest and the highest ranked graduates are invited to submit a detailed business plan.
• Foreign Graduate Entrepreneur Stream - This stream is for foreign graduates who have recently graduated from a foreign post-secondary institution and intend to start and operate a business in Alberta.

If you would like to migrate to Canada then call our office to schedule an appointment and discuss your profile. Our experienced team will find the right program for you to apply.

For many people who dream of migrating to Canada via the Express Entry General category, it is tougher than before given the high cut-off CRS score in recent months. However, there are other options to migrate to Canada for individuals who have a specific set of skills and work experience.

This option is the Provincial Nominee Program (PNP), which is a path each province offers to individuals to migrate to that particular province if they meet their requirements. While the Express Entry is a federal program, PNP is a province-specific program which allows each province to nominate individuals via PNP based on their labour market requirements. Applicants to PNP are required to submit supporting documents to the province to support their application. These programs are categorized as below:

• Alberta Provincial Nominee Program
• Atlantic Immigration Program 2024
• British Columbia Provincial Nominee Program
• Manitoba Provincial Nominee Program
• New Brunswick Provincial Nominee Program
• Newfoundland Provincial Nominee Program
• North West Territories Provincial Nominee Program
• Nova Scotia Nominee Program
• Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program
• Quebec Skilled Worker Program 2024
• Saskatchewan Immigrant Nominee Program
• Yukon Provincial Nominee Program

We are starting a series of blogs to explain the features of each of these programs and their requirements.

If you would like to migrate to Canada then call our office to schedule an appointment and discuss your profile. Our experienced team will find the right program for you to apply.

Many people apply for PR in Canada under the General category and there have been 8 draws so far in the year 2024. All of these draws saw the cut-off CRS score go over 500 with the lowest being 524 and the highest being 549.

This high cut-off score means that candidates need to have a strong education and work profile in addition to excellent IELTS score. Looking at the number of applicants in the Express Entry pool:

CRS Score Range	Number of Candidates
601-1200	1,093
501-600	12,051
451-500	62,073

The above numbers show that there are about 13,000 candidates having CRS score more than 500 and this number may go up as new profiles are added. So in order to get invited to apply many candidates will need to explore other programs through which to get their PR.

If you would like to migrate to Canada then call our office to schedule an appointment and discuss your profile. Our experienced team will find the right program for you to apply.

IRCC annnounced another Express Entry draw, this one was for STEM occupations in which 4500 invitations were issued. The last draw for STEM occupation was held in December 2023 and the cut-off CRS score saw a jump of 10 points. The list of occupations which are included in the STEM category are listed below.

• Architects
• Architecture and Science Managers
• Business Systems Specialists
• Civil Engineers
• Computer and Information System Managers
• Computer Engineers (except software engineers and designers)
• Computer System Developers and Programmers
• Cybersecurity Specialists
• Data Scientists
• Database Analysts and Data Administrators

The CRS score of the lowest-ranked candidate was 491.

If you would like to migrate to Canada then call our office to schedule an appointment and discuss your profile. Our experienced team will find the right program for you to apply.

IRCC announced an Express Entry draw for the General category with 1280 invitations issued. The cut-off CRS score saw a jump of 25 points from the previous General draw held in March.

The CRS score of the lowest-ranked candidate was 549.

If you would like to migrate to Canada then call our office to schedule an appointment and discuss your profile. Our experienced team will find the right program for you to apply.

Capilano University is a public university located in scenic Vancouver, BC. It offers smaller class sizes, attractive scholarships and educational gaps are accepted for PG programs

The academic requirements are:

• For UG programs: 12^th 60% and 6.0 IELTS
• For PG programs: UG 60% and 6.0 IELTS

If you are interested in applying to this university then call our office today.

IRCC has announced the final list of number of study permit (SP) allocation for all the provinces and explained how it arrived at the numbers. Each province will receive a fixed number of study permits which could be issued to international students through their private and public colleges and this number of permits will be based on the population of each province. Some provinces received a top up to the number of study permits based on other criteria.

Province/ Territory	SP Allocations	Projected SP approved
Alberta	40,894	24,537
British Columbia	83,000	49,800
Manitoba	18,652	9,140
New Brunswick	14,651	5,567
Newfoundland and Labrador	3,153	1,419
Northwest Territories	333	200
Nova Scotia	20,378	7,744
Nunavut	333	200
Ontario	235,000	141,000
Prince Edward Island	2,312	1,202
Quebec	117,917	43,629
Saskatchewan	15,054	7,226
Yukon	417	250
Total	552,095	291,914

With Australia, Canada and UK announcing new rules regarding the number of study permits to be issued, spouse and work visas among others, all these impact international students. We have seen an increased number of queries from students who are now not sure which course to apply for and which country to go for higher education..

Our personalized approach to guiding each student after reviewing their background and understanding what they want to achieve professionally is helping our students find their ideal course. If you are not sure which course is right for you, then contact our office and schedule an interview with our counsellors to find your ideal course.

In another Express Entry draw announced for the French language proficiency on the heels of the General draw yesterday, a total of 1500 invitations were issued. The CRS score for this draw went up considerably by 52 points compared to the last draw for the same category.

The CRS score of the lowest-ranked candidate was 388.

If you would like to migrate to Canada then call our office to schedule an appointment and discuss your profile. Our experienced team will find the right program for you to apply.

Canada announced another General round of Express Entry for this month with 1980 invitations issued. This round saw the CRS score go down by just 1 point from the previous General round.

The CRS score of the lowest-ranked candidate was 524.

If you would like to migrate to Canada then call our office to schedule an appointment and discuss your profile. Our experienced team will find the right program for you to apply.

Early this year, in January IRCC had announced some changes which affected the international students. One such announcement was that the partners and spouses of international students are eligible for SOWP only if their sponsor is enrolled in a Masters or Doctoral program at a university or polytechnic institution effective March 19, 2024.

This means that partners and spouses of international students enrolled in undergraduate programs will not be eligible to apply for SOWP. There is an exception to this rule in that spouses of international students who are enrolled in one of the following undergraduate programs at a university can apply for the SOWP:

• Bachelor of Law or Juris Doctor
• Bachelor of Science in Nursing
• Bachelor of Educattion
• Bachelor of Engineering
• Doctor of Dental Surgery
• Doctor of Medicine
• Doctor of Optometry
• Doctor of Veterinary Medicine
• Pharmacy

Partners or spouses who are eligible for SOWP must submit documents proving their relationship to their sponsor along with one document which proves their sponsor is enrolled in one of the degree programs.

United Kingdom has anounced some updates to it's visa regulations which impact international students, skilled workers, and health & care givers.

The new visa rules stipulate that postgradue research students will not be able to bring dependents to the UK, exclusion for this rule are those pursuing Master of Research and Doctorate programs. The new rule also restricts caregivers from bringing dependants

From April 4, 2024 the skilled workers will need to secure a job with a minimm salary of £ 38,700 which is a 48% increase over the previous salary requirement of £ 26,200

These changes will require international students to carefully consider whether UK is a good choice for them, specially those considering programs which offer lower paid jobs post graduation.

To understand how the new rules impact your higher education and professional plans, contact our office and we will be glad to schedule a call to discuss the best options.

In a first for the year 2024, Canada announced a draw for the Transport Occupations with invitations sent to 975 applicants.

The CRS score of the lowest-ranked candidate was 430.

If you would like to migrate to Canada then call our office to schedule an appointment and discuss your profile. Our experienced team will find the right program for you to apply.

Canada announced a draw for the General category this month with invitations sent to 2850 applicants. The CRS score went down by 9 points from the previous General draw held on February 28.

The CRS score of the lowest-ranked candidate was 525.

If you would like to migrate to Canada then call our office to schedule an appointment and discuss your profile. Our experienced team will find the right program for you to apply.

In line with the requirements announced by IRCC earlier this year, British Columbia will be issuing Provincial Attestation Letters effective March 4, 2024 to eligible post-secondary institutions. The province allows for 83,000 undergraduate study permit applications in 2024.

The Provincial Attestation Letter is a verification letter that will be sent from the province to the designated learning institution and then the institution will send it to the international student. The student will submit the attestation letter with their study permit application. The letter ensures that the student has been accounted for within the province's allocation target.

Canada announced another draw for the French language proficiency category this month with invitations sent to 2500 applicants. The CRS score saw a significant drop from the previous draw for French language of 29 points.

The CRS score of the lowest-ranked candidate was 336.

If you would like to migrate to Canada then call our office to schedule an appointment and discuss your profile. Our experienced team will find the right program for you to apply.

In a draw announced for the General category, the second for this month, invitations were sent to 1470 applicants. There was no significant difference in the CRS score from the previous General draw, it dropped by only 1 point.

The CRS score of the lowest-ranked candidate was 534.

If you would like to migrate to Canada then call our office to schedule an appointment and discuss your profile. Our experienced team will find the right program for you to apply.

In another category-based draw, Canada issued 150 invitations to applicants under the Agriculture and agri-food occupations.

The CRS score of the lowest-ranked candidate was 437.

If you would like to migrate to Canada then call our office to schedule an appointment and discuss your profile. Our experienced team will find the right program for you to apply.

Canada announced another category-based Express Entry draw for the Healthcare Occupations with 3500 invitations issued.

The CRS score of the lowest-ranked candidate was 422.

If you would like to migrate to Canada then call our office to schedule an appointment and discuss your profile. Our experienced team will find the right program for you to apply.

Canada announced another Express Entry draw for the General category which saw a total of 1490 invitations issued. The cut-off CRS score dropped to the lowest of all draws for the General category this year.

The CRS score of the lowest-ranked candidate was 535.

If you would like to migrate to Canada then call our office to schedule an appointment and discuss your profile. Our experienced team will find the right program for you to apply.

In the first Express Entry draw for the French language proficiency in 2024, Canada sent out 7000 invitations.

The CRS score of the lowest-ranked candidate was 365.

If you would like to migrate to Canada then call our office to schedule an appointment and discuss your profile. Our experienced team will find the right program for you to apply.

In another draw announced iin the General round type, a total of 730 invitations were issued. This draw saw the CRS cut-off score drop by 2 points from the previous General draw.

The CRS score of the lowest-ranked candidate was 541.

If you would like to migrate to Canada then call our office to schedule an appointment and discuss your profile. Our experienced team will find the right program for you to apply.

With an intent to protect international students from malicious entities and provide them with an enriching educational experience, the Canadian government has announced measures to limit the number of international students into the country in 2024. Canada has decided to set an intake cap on international student study permits issued and for 2024 the cap is expected to allow approximately 360,000 approved study permits. This is a considerable decrease of 35% from 2023, and to ensure fairness individual territorial and provincial caps have been established.

In addition to this, the eligibility criteria for the PGWP will be changed to align with developing a sustainable path for international students.

• Starting September 1, 2024, international students who begin a study program at a private college that has been licenced to deliver the curriculum of an associated public college will no longer be elligible for the Post Graduate Work Permit.
• Also graduates of Masters program will be elligible to apply for a 3 year work permit with an aim to provide them with an opportunity to gain work experience and potentially transition to permanent residence.

In coming weeks open work permit will only be available for spouses of international students enrolled in Masters and Doctoral programs. The spouses of international students in other levels of study will no longer be available.

Canada announced the next Express Entry draw in General round type with 1040 invitations issued. The CRS cut-off score went down by 3 points from the previous General draw held this year.

The CRS score of the lowest-ranked candidate was 543.

If you would like to migrate to Canada then call our office to schedule an appointment and discuss your profile. Our experienced team will find the right program for you to apply.

Canada announced the first Express Entry draw for 2024 and it was a General draw with 1510 invitations issued. This draw saw the CRS cut-off score jump up by 4 points from the previous General draw.

The CRS score of the lowest-ranked candidate was 546.

If you would like to migrate to Canada then call our office to schedule an appointment and discuss your profile. Our experienced team will find the right program for you to apply.