The Rural Community Immigration Pilot (RCIP) is a federal government pilot program which provides pathway to PR and is employer-driven. Its main goal is to enable rural communities fill in the labour shortages by enabling foreign workers to move and work in these communities. Foreign workers who want to apply through this program must demonstrate a job offer from a designated employer in the rural community in addition to education, work experience, language proficiency, and funds requirements.

This week two more rural communities in Canada have released the list of sectors in which foreign workers are required under the RCIP - Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario and Brandon, Manitoba.

The priority sectors listed by Salut Ste. Marie are:

• Health
• Education, law and social, community and government services
• Sales and service
• Trades and transport
• Manufacturing and utilities

The community has been assigned 300 spots for RCIP in 2025.

The priority sectors listed by Brandon are:

• Health sector
• Trade & Transport
• Manufacturing & Utilities
• Natural & Applied Science
• Education, Law & Social, Community & government Services

The community has been assigned 180 spots for RCIP in 2025.

British Columbia announced major changes to its Provincial Nominee Program by closing various streams, pausing draws, and setting a target to accept 1100 new applications in 2025. Also these new applications will be geared towards frontline healthcare workers and entrepreneurs who can benefit the provinces economy.

Another change, which impacts International Post Graduates (IPG), is that the province will stop processing IPG applications received between September 1, 2024 and January 7, 2025 and put them on a waitlist.

The Health Authority stream will only focus on frontline healthcare workers which was previously open for all health-realted occupations.

For the Education draws, focus will be on only Early Childhood Educators.

Entrepreneurs who plan to start a business or purchase an existing business, providing economic benefit, in the province will continue to receive Invitation to Apply for PR.

In the Express Entry draw announced yesterday, for applicants nominated by provinces and territories under the Provincial Nominee Program (PNP). This PNP draw saw a jump of 28 points from the previous draw held last month on the 17th.

The CRS score of the lowest-ranked candidate was 764.

If you would like to migrate to Canada then call our office for a free consultation and follow our blog to get the latest updates on foreign education and immigration.

According to a report published by the Univesity College of Estate Management (UCEM), UK is facing a shortage of about 200,000 green skill workers specifically in the construction and building environment sectors. This poses a serious challenge to UK to fill these gaps since its Net Zero 2050 target is legally binding, with UK being the first major economy to make this target legally binding. This challenge is an opportunity for foreign professionals to come in and fill these labour gaps

Green skills are the knowledge, abilities, and attitudes required to work towards a sustainable and resource-efficient society and adapt to climate change and environmental regulations. It requires professionals who are experts in areas like renewable energy, sustainable agriculture, waste management, and green building design.

Some specific jobs which are seeing a major skills shortage are:

• Carbon Footprinting & Auditing
• Retrofitting & Green Construction
• Digital Design Tools
• Sustainability Literacy & ESG Compliance
• Waste Management
• Energy Efficiency Technologies
• Innovative Building Technologies
• Heat Pump Engineers

Several visa routes are available for skilled professionals with experience in these jobs to move to the UK with the most relevant being:

• Skilled Worker Visa - foreign professionals with confirmed job offers may apply for this visa. With lower salary thresholds and a 5 year PR pathway, it is an ideal choice.
• Global Talent Visa - this visa is ideal for foreign professionals who do not have a job offer but are recognized leaders or industry experts in green technology and are endorsed by a UK body such as UKRI or Tech Nation. This visa offers a fast-track to PR in as little as 3 years.

Foreign professionals should get Green Certified by completing courses in ESG, green construction technologies, or environmental management and target green skill jobs which are facing ashortage to maximize their chances of securing a visa.

New Brunswick announced that it will no longer process applications for PR through its Atlantic Immigration Program (AIP). The AIP is an immigration pathway for skilled foreign workers and international graduates to work and settle in one of Canadas Atlantic provinces: New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador, Nova Scotia, and Prince Edward Island. Under this program only employers who have been designated by the province can submit en endorsement application to their province for job offers extended to foreign workers they want to hire.

New Brunswick hit the cap of 1250 applications on April 4, 2025 about 5 months earlier than last year. This is an effect of federal governments policy to reduce immigration which led to 50% reduction of provincial immigration allocations.

New Zealand has updated it's labour shortage list for 2025 and opened the doors for skilled professionals in ICT, Engineering, Health, and Telecommunication sectors to live and work in the country.

Professionals on the Long-Term Skill Shortage List (LTSSL) are favoured and eligible to qualify for Straight to Residence Visa with minimal waiting times. The following occupations are on the list:

• Information & Communication Technology
  • Cybersecurity Specialists
  • Software Developers
  • Web Programmers
  • Systems Analysts
  • ICT Business and System Analysts
• Engineering & Trades
  • Civil, Structural and Electrical Engineers
  • Construction Project Managers
  • Diesel Motor Mechanics
  • Quantitative Surveyors
• Health & Medical Services
  • General Practitioners
  • Nurses & Psychiatrists
  • Sonographers & Physiotherapists
  • Radiologists & Medical Lab Technicians
• Telecommunications
  • Network Administrators
  • Telecommunication Engineers

The IRCC made some major changes to the Express Entry categories this year which included removing the Transport category and creating the Education category. In another update, IRCC added additional occupations to the Healthcare category. Now Pharmacists, Social Workers, and Dental Hygienists are eligible to apply and get selected to apply for PR under the category-based immigration. The new occupations which have been added in 2025 are listed below:

Job title	NOC Code
Animal Health Technologists	32104
Cardiology Technologists	32123
Dental Hygienists and Therapists	32111
Other Medical Technologists and Technicians	32129
Pharmacists	31120
Pharmacy Technicians	32124
Social and Community Service Workers	42201
Social Workers	41300

To be eligible for this category, applicants need to demonstrate at least six months of full-time or an equivalent of part-time and continuous work experience in the last three years.

The Canadian government has announced that it will increase the number of applications it will accept for the Parents and Grandparents Program (PGP) for 2025. The government will process 25,000 sponsorship applications in 2025. Some applications will be from the pool of applications submitted in 2024 and others from 2025. This comes as a change to the earlier decision to process a maximum of 15,000 applications all from the 2024 pool.

The Home Care Worker Pilot (HCWP) - Child Care has reached the maximum limit of online applications on the very day that it opened (March 31, 2025). The program was only open for applicants who are in Canada, and will reopen again next year and is set to run for 5 years. The government has not yet announced when it will start accepting applications from applicants who are outside Canada.

The Saskatchewan Immigrant Nominee Program (SINP) has reopened its intake for Job Approval Form (JAF) starting March 27, 2025. The PNP had stopped accepting JAF on February 18, 2025. So now employers in Saskatchewan may submit new JAF to the SINP to hire eligible foreign workers.

JAF is a form which an employer in the province submits to SINP to support hiring of the foreign worker, which leads to Job Approval Letter, which is used by the foreign workers to be eligible for job offer based PR under SINP.

The province has announced that 75% of its provincial immigration will be for candidates who are already in the province and will approve foreign workers in the following 3 sectors:

• Health
• Agriculture
• Skilled Trades

SINP has also announced that effective March 27, 2025 it is closing the following streams:

• Entrepreneur Category
• International Graduate Entrepreneur Category
• Farm Owner/ Operator Category

New Zealand is giving an opportunity for skilled professionals to live, work and get a PR in the country by expanding its Green List, which is a streamlined immigration pathway to PR. It allows some applicants to apply for PR immediately once they have a job offer and others to work for 2 years in the country before they are eligible to apply for PR.

The following are the high demand sectors and occupations for 2025:

• Healthcare - Registered Nurse, General Practitioners, Midwife, Aged/ Disabled Caregiver
• Engineering - Civil Engineer, Electrical Engineer, Structural Engineer
• Construction - Plumber, Electrician, Carpenter, Diesel Mechanic
• IT & Tech - Software Engineer, Cybersecurity Specialist, Network Administrator, Data Analyst
• Education - Early Childhood Teacher, Secondary School Teacher
• Agriculture - Farm Manager, Agricultural Scientist, Veterinarian

Interested skilled professionals should use the Accredited Employer Work Visa (AEWV) scheme which allows pre-approved employers to hire foreign workers and fast-track their visa. It is a temporary visa which allows foreign workers to work for an accredited employer for up to 5 years.

In one of our earlier blogs this month, we had shared the announcement of the Home Care Worker Immigration Pilot (HCWP) program which aims to grant PR to 2750 home care workers. More details have been released for this pilot which now has two programs:

• HCWP : Child Care
• HCWP : Home Support

Each of these programs will support two streams:

• Workers in Canada
• Workers applying from abroad

The Workers in Canada stream will start accepting applications from March 31, 2025. Details for applications from workers from abraod will be released later. Applicants to the HCWP must have 6 months of continuous and relevant full-time experience in the past 3 years or have 6 months relevant educational qualification. The work experience must be in one of the eligible NOC occupations listed below:

• HCWP - Child Care
  • NOC 44100 - Home Child Care Providers
  • NOC 42202 - Early Childhood Educators and Assistants
• HCWP - Home Support
  • NOC 44101 - Home Support Workers, Caregivers and related occupations
  • NOC 33102 - Nurse Aides, Orderlies and Patient Service Associates

Foreign workers who do not meet the work experience criteria may apply based on relevant professional training of at least 6 months, completed in the past 2 years. This training may be completed either in or outside Canada, be geared towards one of the NOC occupations mentioned above, be at post-secondary level, be a full-time program conducted in a classroom.

With an aim at reducing immigration fraud, wherein people seek to purchase Labour Market Impact Assessments (LMIA) and secure job offers illegally, IRCC has annouced a change in the CRS for all current and future candidates. This illegal practice was carried out because of the extra points which were awarded to the applicants who had a "job offer", thus improving their chances of being invited to apply for PR.

Effective March 25, 2025 all applicants who have a qualifying job offer will no longer be awarded extra points for that factor. However, it is still advisable to include the details of any job offers one may have in their profile because of the PNP, where provinces or territories can consider that offer for eligibilty to certain programs they offer.

Like every other country in the world facing a labour shortage, Singapore too has changed its work visa policies to improve its workforce and meet the shortages in the country. The majjor changes announced are:

• Eliminate employment duration limit for work permit holders starting July 1, 2025. Previously the maximum employment time limit was set between 14 and 26 years depending on work sector, skill, and country of origin of the worker. Now the worker can continue to work for the employer as long as they comply with eligibility and service requirements.
• Raise retirement age to 63 years from what was 60 years previously.
• Increase number of origin countries from where workers may apply for the work permit. Starting June 1, 2025 employers may recruit workers from countries like Bhutan, Cambodia, and Laos.
• Standardizing S Pass salary threshold across all sectors to S$3300 up from the current S$3150 except for the financial sector where the threshold is set at S$3800.
• Standardize S Pass levy which has to be paid by the employers hiring S Pass employees to S$650.
• New M-SEP approvals allows employers to retain approved M-SEP employees for a period of 3 years, up from the previous 2 years starting May 1, 2025.
• Introduction of new Enterprise Workforce Transformation package with a budget of S$400 million for businesses to help them transform their workforce and redesign their jobs.

With the entire world facing skilled labour shortage, Australia being no different, has announced the Regional Work Visa Program. The program aims to attract top talent by offering streamlined services and pathways to immigration and reducing overcrowding in urban centres. The program is open for:

• Skilled professionals with experience in one of the skilled migration list.
• International graduates from regional Australian universities.
• Temporary Visa holders who want to attain PR through various pathways.
• Workers with experience in the high-demand occupations list.

The high-demand occupations list for regional areas in 2025 includes:

• Healthcare: Registered Nurses, Aged Care Workers, Physiotherapists
• Construction & Engineering: Civil Engineers, Electricians, Carpenters
• Education: Secondary school teachers, Childcare educators
• Agriculture & Farming: Crop farmers, Machinery operators, Horticulturists
• IT & Technology: Software developers, Cybersecurity analysts
• Hospitality & Tourism: Chefs, Hotel Managers, Waitstaff

Additionally, most regional visas allow dependent family members to be included in the visa application and be able to move to Australia making this an attractive option for skilled professionals to move to Australia.

There is some good news for international students who are graduates of Bachelors program from a college, they will be eligible for a Post-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP).

International students who applied for their study permit after November 1, 2024, a new field of study requirement came into effect. The new requirement mandated graduates from a college to have graduated from a program which was linked to labour market shortage in order to be eligible for PGWP. As of March 2025, international students who graduate Bachelors from a college do not have to meet this requirement to be eligible for a PGWP. International students who graduate Bachelors program from a university are exempt from this field of study requirement.

Another Express Entry draw for category-based was announced for applicants with French language proficiency, the second for this month. A total of 7500 invitations were issued and the cut-off CRS score saw a drop of 31 points compared to the previous draw.

The CRS score of the lowest-ranked candidate was 379.

If you would like to migrate to Canada then call our office for a free consultation and follow our blog to get the latest updates on foreign education and immigration.

Canada announced the Express Entry draw for Provincial Nominee candidates, the second for this month with 536 invitations issued. The cut-off CRS score jumped up by 69 points from the previous draw.

The CRS score of the lowest-ranked candidate was 736.

If you would like to migrate to Canada then call our office for a free consultation and follow our blog to get the latest updates on foreign education and immigration.

Canada has a law concerning granting citizenship based on first-generation limit (FGL) by descent. Under this FGL law, children who are born outside Canada, to Canadian parents who gained citizenship by descent, do not inherit Canadian citizenship.

In December 2023, the Ontario Superior Court of Justice ruled the law as unconstitutional and discriminating. The federal government, in May 2024, introduced Bill C-71 which exempted those Canadian parents who were living in Canada for three years, before the birth or adoption of their child outside of Canada. The bill has not become a law yet and the new deadline has been set for April 25, 2025 for the federal government to amend the law.

Canada has announced a new Home Care Worker Immigration Pilot (HCWP) program and aims to grant PR to 2750 home care workers. Of the total 2750 visas, 150 are reserved for home care workers who are currently in the country but out of status.

The HCWP consists of 2 streams: one for workers in Canada and one for foreign workers applying from abroad. IRCC has announced that it will start accepting applications starting March 31 from workers in the country and it has not yet specified the date for when it will start accepting applications from foreign workers yet.

The eligibility requirement for foreign workers is at least six months of recent and relevant work experience OR an educational qualification, related to home care, of at least six months. Language proficiency required is CLB 4 in English or NCLC level 4 in French. Additionally, foreign applicants must have a full-time job offer from either a private household OR a company that provides full-time home care workers.

Follow our blog to learn more about additional requirements as they become available.

After pausing the Parents and Grandparents programme (PGP), in January this year, which allows Canada's citizens and permanent residents to sponsor their parents and grandparents for PR in Canada. The IRCC announced that it will accept up to 10,000 applications under the PGP this year and the plan is to randomly draw from the pool of applications from 2020 instead of accepting new applications.

The following occupations have been added to the IRCC new Education category:

Job Title	NOC Code	TEER Level
Elementary and Secondary school teacher assistants	43100	3
Instructors of persons with disabilities	42203	2
Early childhood educators and assistants	42202	2
Elementary school and kindergarten teachers	41221	1
Secondary school teachers	41220	1

The Times Higher Education (THE) 2025 World Universities Ranking report was released and a total of 33 Canadian universities made the list. The top 10 universities in Canada which made the list are:

1. University of Toronto

2. University of British Columbia

3. McGill University

4. McMaster University

5. University of Alberta

6. Universite de Montreal

7. University of Waterloo

8. University of Ottawa

9. University of Calgary

10. Western University

If you are interested in pursuing your higher education abroad then contact our office today and get your free consultation.

In the category-based Express Entry draw announced yesterday, 4500 invitations were sent out to applicants with French language proficiency. The cut-off CRS score dropped by 18 points compared to the previous French language draw announced last month.

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

If you would like to migrate to Canada then call our office for a free consultation and follow our blog to get the latest updates on foreign education and immigration.

The Honorable Minister of Immigration, Mr. Marc Miller annouced a new education category in the category-based draws to meet the demands of Canada's long-term labour shortages. Under this category, occupations such as teachers, child care educators and instructors of persons with disabilities will be invited.

In the Express Entry draw announced for Provincial Nominee Program candidates, 725 invitations were issued. The cut-off CRS score was the lowest of all the PNP draws announced in the past few months.

The CRS score of the lowest-ranked candidate was 667.

If you would like to migrate to Canada then call our office for a free consultation and follow our blog to get the latest updates on foreign education and immigration.

New Zealand offers an AEWV (Accredited Employer Work Visa) which allows skilled workers to live and work in New Zealand for an accredited employer. It offers pathway to long term employment and sometimes, residency. The country has announced some major changes:

• No Median Wage requirement - Accredited employers will only need to meet the minimum wage of NZ $23.50 per hour from April 1, 2025.
• Lower Work Experience requirement - Candidates now need to demonstrate only 2 years of relevant work experience, down from previous 3 years.
• Longer duration visas for low skilled occupations - Workers in the ANZSCO level 4 and 5 occupations will be eligible for a 3 years visa.
• Increased Income Threshold with dependent children - Candidates with dependent children will have demonstrate an income of at least NZ $55,844 annually.
• Incorporation of New Skills - Several new jobs will be incorporated into the high-skilled occupations allowing skilled candidates to apply for better jobs.
• Work rights for interim visas - AEWV candidates who are waiting for a decision will be allowed to work so that there is no gap in their employment record and also that time will count towards their continuous stay requirement.

US President Donald Trump announced the scrapping of the 35 year old EB-5 visa for investors and in lieu offer a Gold Card visa for $5 million with a pathway to US citizenship. So basically, the price of acquiring legal US permanent residency has gone up from about $1 million to $5 million. The proposed Gold Card offers a pathway to US citizenship and removes the job creation requirement unlike the EB-5. This new program once applied will replace the EB-5 investor program.

Europe is facing labour shortages in fields such as technology, engineering and healthcare, and to meet the demands it has announced some major reforms to the EU Blue Card program to make it easier for skilled professionals to live and work in Europe. The reforms announced are:

• Lower Salary Requirements - Many EU countries have reduced the salary requirement to qualify for the Blue Card
• Short Employment Contract - Candidates need a minimum of just six months of job contract instead of one year to qualify.
• Work experience eligibility - Candidates who do not have a university degree but have at least three years of relevant work experience may now apply.
• More mobility across EU - Candidates who hold the EU Blue Card may move to another participating EU country after 12 months of employment.
• Flexible to change jobs - It is easier for candidates to change employers in countries such as Sweden without applying for a new visa.

These reforms are intended to attract top global talent to Europe.

IRCC announced another Express Entry draw yesterday, the first this year for French language proficiency with 6500 invitations issued.

The CRS score of the lowest-ranked candidate was 428.

If you would like to migrate to Canada then call our office for a free consultation and follow our blog to get the latest updates on foreign education and immigration.

The latest labour market report released for 2025 by Australia lists the in-demand jobs and various visa options for skilled individuals looking to migrate to the country. A study of the report indicates some industries which have a high demand for skilled migrant workers which include Health care, education, food services, utilities services, and real estate services.

Australia publishes an Occupation Shortage List (OSL) which lists jobs requiring skilled migrants:

• Engineering - Civil, Electrical, Mechanical, Mining
• Healthcare - Registered Nurses, Old age care
• Education - Early childhood teachers, Secondary school teachers, VET
• Skilled Trades - Electricians, Plumbers, Construction workers
• Hospitality - Chefs, Hotel managers, Event planners

This is exciting news for skilled professionals with the right skills looking to migrate to Australia.

In the latest round of Express Entry draw announced by IRCC yesterday, 646 invitations were sent out to applicants of Provincial Nominee Program. The PNP program allows provinces to award 600 points and nominate applicants who can contribute towards the local economy and settle in that province.

The CRS score of the lowest-ranked candidate was 750.

If you would like to migrate to Canada then call our office for a free consultation and follow our blog to get the latest updates on foreign education and immigration.

IRCC announced tough immigration rules which were implemented on January 31,2025 which allows border and immigration officers more powers to revoke electronic travel authorizations and temporary resident visas. The officers can cancel these documents for individuals who become inadmissible due to submission of false information, having a criminal record or changes in personal circumstances. The move comes with a view to strengthen the countrys border security and protect the integrity of the immigration system.

The UK - India Young Professionals provides an opportunity for Indian citizens to live, study and work in the UK for up to 2 years. A total of 3,000 spots are open and the application process for the ballot opens on February 18 at 2:30 pm IST and ends on February 20 at 2:30 pm IST. Candidates will be selected from the applicant pool at random and invited to apply for the visa.

The application to the ballot is free at gov.uk and individuals aged 18 to 30 can apply. To be eligible applicants must be at least 18 years of age, demonstrate proof of funds of £ 2,530 and not have any dependent children under 18. The selected candidates will receive an email within 2 weeks of the ballot closing and will have 90 days to complete the online visa application.

New Zealand will announce significant changes to its Active Investor Plus Visa program, a move which comes after low number of applications received in the past 2 years. The changes include new simple investment options and removal of English language requirements.

The Active Investor Plus Visa program required investors to make a $15 million investment under various types of investments, each with its own multiplier. For example, direct investments carry a 3x multiplier, which means that for each $1 invested $3 is counted towards the invested amount. Similarly, managed funds have a 2x multiplier, and listed equities and philanthropic donations have a 1x multiplier. Applicants are also required to demonstrate IELTS level 5 proficiency of English and stay in the country for 117 days during the course of the 4 year investment period.

The new rules allow for two simple investment options: a $5 million in direct investments or managed funds and $10 million for low-risk investments. Also the English language requirement has been removed.

These changes are supposed to make the program easy and accessible to investors and attract investments in to the country.

IRCC announced another draw yesterday for candidates with Canadian work experience and sent out 4000 invitations. The cut-off CRS score saw another drop for the CEC draws announced this year

The CRS score of the lowest-ranked candidate was 521.

If you would like to migrate to Canada then call our office for a free consultation and follow our blog to get the latest updates on foreign education and immigration.

In an Express Entry draw announced yesterday for candidates nominated by the provinces and territories for PR, 455 invitations were issued. The goal of the PNP program is to nominate those individuals who can contribute to the economy of the province with their skills and business ventures.

The CRS score of the lowest-ranked candidate was 802.

If you would like to migrate to Canada then call our office for a free consultation and follow our blog to get the latest updates on foreign education and immigration.

IRCC announced the launch of the Rural Community Immigration Pilot program, which aims to fill the labour gaps in #163specific rural communities, and released the list of participating communities in this program.

Pictou County, Nova Scotia

North Bay, Ontario

Sudbury, Ontario

Timmins, Ontario

Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario

Thunder Bay, Ontario

Steinbach, Manitoba

Altona/ Rhineland, Manitoba

Brandon, Manitoba

Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan

Claresholm, Alberta

West Kootenay, British Columbia

North Okanagan Shuswap, British Columbia

Peace Liard, British Columbia

Each of the participating communities will be represented by a local economic development organization which will identify the local labour shortages, nominate trusted employers and recommend eligible candidates to IRCC for PR. The eligibility criteria for candidates is:

• Candidates must demonstrate work experience in the job they are seeking, this may be waived for international graduates who meet certain requirements.
• Candidates must hold an emplyment offer from one of the trusted employers nominated by the local economic development organization.
• Candidates must demonstrate appropriate CLB levels which are in line with the NOC code of their job.
• Candidates must have at least a Canadian equivalent of secondary school level.
• Candidates must show that they have sufficient funds for 1 year.
• Candidates must show an intention to reside and work in the designated rural community.
• Candidates must have a valid certificate of recommendation from the rural economic development organization.

Candidates who are already in Canada can also apply for this program provided they have a valid temporary resident status.

IRCC has announced that on March 1, 2025 it will open new immigration pilot programs for home care workers under the name Home Care Worker Immigration Pilots. These programs will replace all the expired PR pathways for caregivers. Eligible candidates under the new pilot programs will be able to receive permanent residence on arrival to the country.

To be eligible to apply under these programs, candidates must meet the following criteria:

• Demonstrate language ability of at least CLB level 4.
• Hold equivalent of a Canadian high school diploma.
• Hold relevant work experience, the work experience required for previous expired programs was at least 6 months.
• Hold an offer of full-time employment for a home care job.

We will publish further information about these programs as it becomes available close to the launch date.

UK has long been a popular destination for international job seekers due to its strong economy, diverse job market, and global business connections. With thriving industries across various sectors , there are numerous opportunities for skilled professionals. The country offers competetive salaries, career growth, and a high standard of living. It has a multicultural environment which fosters inclusivity, making it easier for expats to adapt. If you are a skilled professional looking to work in the UK in 2025, then read on to find the types of work visas available in 2025.

There are two main categories of work visas:

• Skilled Worker Visas - This visa is for those who seek a long-term employment in high-demand jobs or those who have sponsorship from an eligible UK employer. Within this category, there are visas which are geared towards addressing specific labour shortages and getting top talent into the country:
  • Skilled Worker Visa - This visa is for professionals with job offers in eligible skilled occupations from eligible UK employers. It can lead to Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR) which essentially means permanent residency in the UK after 5 years.
  • Health and Care Worker Visa - This visa is for doctors, nurses, and social care workers and offers fast processing times and reduced visa fees.
  • Global Talent Visa - This visa is for highly talented and renowned individuals in fields such as science, technology, enginering, arts and academics and does not require a job offer.
  • Innovator Founder Visa - This visa is for entrepreneurs with innovative business concept and want to implement it in the country, though it requires an endorsement from an approved body.
  • Scale-Up Visa - This visa is for higly skilled individuals who have sponsorship from a fast-growing UK business and are key for the growth of that business. It provides a pathway to apply for ILR after 6 months.
• Temporary Worker Visas - This visa is for those who seek a short-term job in specific sectors or jobs which are temporary. There are several of these visas as well:
  • Seasonal Worker Visa - for applicants to work in agriculture sector up to 6 months.
  • Charity Worker Visa - for applicants to work in a UK carity as a volunteer worker.
  • Creative Worker visa - for artists, performers, and entertainers with 12 months validity which is extendable.
  • Youth Mobility Scheme Visa - for young applicants in the age group 18-30 from eligible countries to work up to 2 years.
  • International Agreement Visa - for diplomats or employees of foreign governments.

Australia with a view to attract top talent and fill the job requirements in the contry has come out with the in-demand jobs list for skilled workers which will drive their immigration in 2025. This list is known as the Core Skills Occupation List (CSOL) which is updated annually, and allows skilled professionals to secure sponsorpship and apply for temporary work visas via the Skills In Demand (SID) visa. Below is the list of high-demand occupations for 2025 broken down by the fields of work:

• Healtchare
  • Registered Nurses
  • General Practitioners
  • Medical Specialists
  • Midwives
  • Allied Health Professionals
• Engineering
  • Civil Engineers
  • Mechanical Engineers
  • Electrical Engineers
  • Mining Engineers
  • Engineering Technology
• Technology
  • Business Analysts
  • Systems Analysts
  • Software Engineers
  • Cyber Security Engineers
  • Data Scientists
• Education
  • Early Childhood Educators
  • Primary and Secondary Educators
  • Vocational Educators
• Skilled Trades
  • Electricians
  • Plumbers
  • Carpenters
  • Metal Fitters and Machinists
  • Bricklayers
• Other
  • Finance
  • Legal Services
  • Hospitality

Professionals with their job appearing in the list above are eligible for sponsorship from Australian employers and apply for the work visa.

Sweden is fast emerging as one of the top choices for professionals to live and work in. To support such professionals by making the application process simple, the country has made some significant changes to its Blue Card work visa process starting this year.

So what is the EU Blue Card? It is a work and residence permit for highly skilled professionals from non-EU countries to move to any of the EU countries with the possibility to work in different EU countries based on certain requirements. In the case of Sweden, a professional who has worked there for at least 18 months can move to another EU country in a new job.

The changes announced by the Swedish government to this program are:

• Reduced employment contract duration - The length of the work contract has been reduced to 6 months which was previously 12 months.
• Lower salary requirement - The salary requirement has been reduced to 1.25 times the average gross annual salary in the country which was previously 1.5 times.
• Reduced eligibility criteria - Now professionals who lack formal academic qualifications, however have considerable work experience in their field can apply.
• Ease of changing job - Profesionals who are working in Sweden on an EU Blue Card can now easily change jobs without having to apply for a new one by simply informing the Swedish Migration Agency.
• Mobility within EU - Professionals with an EU Blue Card who are working in other EU countries, can now apply for a Swedish EU Blue Card if they had the card for at least 12 months.

Canada announced another Express Entry draw, the second this month for Canadian Experience Class candidates. Invitations were issued to 4000 applicants and the CRS score dropped by 15 points compared to the last CEC draw.

The CRS score of the lowest-ranked candidate was 527.

If you would like to migrate to Canada then call our office for a free consultation and follow our blog to get the latest updates on foreign education and immigration.

The Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program (OINP) has announced a new Regional Economic Development through Immigration (REDI) pilot program to address the labour shortages in the province. The program which will run from January 2 to December 31, 2025 aims to attract about 800 highly skilled immigrants to four rural areas in Ontario:

• Lanark
• Leeds and Grenville
• Sarnia-Lambton
• Thunder Bay

OINP will process applications to this pilot program through one of it's three Employer Job Offer streams, with each of the above regions being allocated 200 additional nominations. For all the streams, the applicants must intend to live and work in Ontario, and be licensed or authorized to practice their occupation (for regulated occupations). Applicants must also have a job offer from an employer in Ontario. The thre streams and their eligibility requirements are:

• Foreign Worker Stream - Applicants must have a full-time and permanent job offer in a TEER 0,1,2 or 3 occupation with a wage equal to or greater than the median wage for that occupation in Ontario. The employer must be based in Ontario and the position the applicant is filling must be critical for the employer's business. If the job requires an authorization from a regulatory authority then the applicant must hold the valid licence or if the job does not require authorization then the applicant must have at least 2 years of work experience in the same occupation as the NOC code of the job.
• International Student Stream - Applicants must have a full-time and permannet job offer in a TEER 0,1,2 or 3 occupation with a wage equal to or greater than the low wage level for the occupation. The employer must be based in Ontario and the position the applicant is filling must be critical for the employer's business. The applicant must have a college or university education and have applied for nomination within 2 years of completing their education.
• In-Demand Skills - Applicants must have a full-time and permanent job offer for an eligible occupation based in Ontario. The job pay must be equal to or greater than the median wage for that occupation in Ontario and the position must be critical to the employer's business. Applicant must have 9 months of work experience with a high school diploma and demonstrate language proficiency of CLB 4 or higher. Applicants in this stream with foreign education must provide an Education Credential Assessment to support their application.

TEER stands for Training, Education, Experience and Responsibility. It is a categorization system used in Canada to describe the requirements for an occupation. The categories are used in the National Occupational Classification (NOC) and are:

• TEER 0 : Management jobs
• TEER 1 : Jobs which require university degree
• TEER 2 : Jobs which require a college diploma or apprenticeship training of 2 years or more
• TEER 3 : Jobs which require a college diploma or apprenticeship training of less than 2 years
• TEER 4 : Jobs which require a high school diploma or several weeks of on-the-job training
• TEER 5 : Jobs which require a short-term demonstration of work and no formal education

Canada first announced restrictions on work permits for family members of international students and foreign workers in September 2024. Folowing up on that, effective January 21, 2025 the family open work permits for international students will be restricted to the spouses and common-law partners of students of:

• Masters program that are 16 months or longer
• Doctoral programs
• Select professional programs

Similarly for foreign workers, the family OWP will be limited to spouses or common-law partners of:

• TEER 0 occupations
• TEER 1 occupations
• TEER 2 or 3 occupations in:
  • Natural and Applied Sciences
  • Construction
  • Healthcare
  • Natural Resouces
  • Education
  • Sports
  • Military Sectors

The foreign worker must have at least 16 months of validity on their work permit for their spouses to be eligible to apply for the family OWP.

Australia has always been one of the top study destinations for international students looking for a world class education and a safe and multi-cultural society to live in. Every international student who aspires to live and study in Australia has to apply for a study visa and these are the kinds of visas which are available:

• Student Visa (subclass 500) - This visa allows the applicant to study in an eligible course of study in Australia, while being able to travel in and out of the country. Students under this visa are allowed to work for 48 hours per fortnight while their course is in session. The validity of this visa is up to 5 years in line with the enrolment and students must hold Overseas Student Health Coverage (OSHC).
• Student Guardian Visa (subclass 590) - This visa allows the applicant to come to Australia to provide care and support for a student visa holder who is under 18 years of age or older with some exceptional circumstances. The applicant for this visa must be the student's parent, custodian, or relative who is 21 years or older and demostrate that they have sufficient funds to support themselves and the student during their stay in the country. The validity of the visa depends on the student's stay and their age.
• Training Visa (subclass 407) - This visa allows the applicant to come to Australia to complete a workplace-based training or a professional development training program which will improve their skills in their current occupation. To be eligible for this visa, the applicant must be sponsored, nominated or invited, and the visa is valid up to 2 years.

If you want to study abroad, then call our office and speak to our counsellors to find out which course and country is best for you.

A second Express Entry draw was announced yesterday, a day after the first draw of the year, saw 1350 invitations go out to applicants in the Canadian Experience Class.

The CRS score of the lowest-ranked candidate was 542.

If you would like to migrate to Canada then call our office for a free consultation and follow our blog to get the latest updates on foreign education and immigration.

In the first Express Entry result announced yesterday for the new year, the draw saw invitations sent out to 471 Provincial Nominee Program applicants.

The CRS score of the lowest-ranked candidate was 793.

If you would like to migrate to Canada then call our office for a free consultation and follow our blog to get the latest updates on foreign education and immigration.