Candidates in Express Entry pool may have the opportunity to be invited to apply for a provincial nomination from Alberta, and other provinces with Express Entry-aligned PNPs.

Selected candidates will be awarded an additional 600 CRS points toward their overall score, which boosts them to the top of the pool to be selected in a subsequent Express Entry draw.

Since COVID-19 became a public health crisis in Canada, only candidates within Alberta are being invited for a nomination.

AINP now requires candidates to meet the following criteria in order to receive a nomination:

• be currently working in Alberta, even if they are working from home;
• have a work permit authorizing them to work in their current job;
• have a job that is full-time, paid, meet the provincial minimum wage, exceed Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) requirements; and they must work in an eligible occupation.

Find out if you are eligible for Express Entry here.

Since March 4, IRCC had been restricting draws to candidates from No-Program Specific. However, on July 8, Express Entry returned No-Program Specific draws for the first time in more than four months.

IRCC has limited most draws to candidates in Provincial Nominee Programs (PNPs) and Canadian Experience Class (CEC), as most of these candidates are in Canada, and the country has obligations to meet annual provincial allocations through PNPs.

Canada is still processing immigration applications for Express Entry despite COVID-19, but processing delays should be expected.

Check your eligibility here today.

A video update from OCSC Global’s ex-clients, Andi Susanto (Left) & Parthiban R (Right). Enjoying their summer at the beach in Toronto, Ontario.

This makes us so happy. Our aim is to help our clients achieve their migration dreams.

Check your eligibility here today.

Canada welcomed 320,000 newcomers in 2018, and 341,000 immigrants in 2019, it is again targeting the admissions of 341,000 immigrants in 2020.

It is aiming to welcome an additional 351,000 in 2021, and another 361,000 in 2022. The plan provides Canada with the scope to welcome up to 390,000 immigrants in 2022.

Canada continues to increase its immigration levels to support its high living standards. The ageing of its society will weaken labour force and economic growth as its fiscal costs in areas such as health care rise. Delivering quality health care to its ageing population will become even more expensive.

Immigration will help to grow the size of Canada’s labour force, giving Canada a steady supply of people to contribute to its economy as workers, consumers, and taxpayers.

The country is poised to welcome some 3.5 million immigrants this decade, compared with 2.8 million between 2010-2019.

Find out if you are eligible for Canada Immigration Program.

VETASSESS is open for business and accepting skills assessment applications for Professional and Trade Occupations.

They also continue to offer Priority Processing and Skills Assessment Support services for professional occupations.

OCSC Global’s staff are working from home at this time and are processing application for skills assessment as usual.

Check your eligibility here.

Increased Federal Processing Fees – Effective 30th April 2020

IRCC has announced increases in the federal Permanent Resident Visa fees, to come into effect on April 30, 2020 (and be increased every 2 years thereafter).  The new federal application fees for provincial nominees are as follows:

• principal applicant: from CAD$550 to CAD$825
• spouse / common-law partner: from CAD$550 to CAD$825
• dependent child: from CAD$150 to CAD$225
• Right of Permanent Residence: from CAD$490 to CAD$500

Not sure if you are eligible? Calculate now

There are 2.17 million people presently in Australia on a temporary visa.

The changes announced in this article will help facilitate this for those who may be stood down or lose work hours as a result of the coronavirus. 

Visitor Visa Holders

• International tourists should return to their home country as quickly as possible

International Students Visa Holders

• Students are encouraged to rely on family support, part-time work & their own savings to sustain themselves in Australia
• Students who have been in Australia for 12 months or longer may be eligible to access their Australian superannuation
• The government will be flexible to International Students meeting their visa conditions due to pandemic
• Able to work up to 40 hours per fortnight
• Students working in major supermarkets, aged care or nursing can work for extended hours to support these critical sectors

Temporary Skilled Visa Holders

• Those who have been stood down, but not laid off, will maintain their visa validity & opportunity to extend their visa as per normal arrangements
• Businesses can reduce the hours of the visa holder without the person being in breach of their visa condition
• Able to access up to $10,000 of their superannuation this financial year
• Those who have been laid off due to coronavirus should leave the country immediately in line with existing visa conditions if they are unable to secure a new sponsor
• If a 4-year visa holder be re-employed after coronavirus pandemic, their time already spent in Australia will count towards their permanent residency skilled work experience requirements

Working Holiday Visa – Critical sectors only

• Some limited flexibility will be provided to
  support the critical sectors of health, aged and disability care, agriculture and food processing, and childcare
• Exempt from the six-month work limitation with the one employer
• Eligible for a further visa to keep working in these critical sectors if their current visa is due to expire in the next six months
• Those who cannot sustain themselves over the next 6 months should leave the country

Temporary Graduate Visa Holders

• Eligible to access their Australian superannuation if needed for support

Read the full announcement on Saturday, 04 April 2020 here.

From 1 January 2021, free movement will end and the UK will introduce a points-based immigration system. The new system will treat EU and non-EU citizens equally and transform the way in which all migrants come to the UK to work.

Under a points-based immigration system, points are assigned for specific skills, qualifications, salaries and shortage occupations. Visas are then awarded to those who gain enough points.

Criteria for Skilled workers:

• they have a job
  offer from a Home Office approved sponsor
• the job offer
  is at the required skill level – RQF 3 or above (A Level and equivalent)
• they speak
  English
• occupation on
  the Standard Occupational Classification (SOC) code

In addition to this:

• if they earn
  more than the required minimum salary threshold, they are eligible to make an
  application
• if they earn
  less than the required minimum salary threshold, but no less than £20,480, they
  may still be eligible if they can demonstrate that they have a job offer in a
  specific shortage occupation or a PhD relevant to the job

Anyone coming to work in the UK will need to be paid the higher of the specific salary threshold for their occupation – the ‘going rate’ – and the general salary threshold. However, some applicants will be able to trade characteristics, such as their qualifications, against a lower salary. The general minimum salary threshold will be £25,600. See GOV.UK for further information on the ‘going rate’ for specific occupations and further exemptions.

• 

NSW is now closed to applications for nomination under the Business Innovation and Investment Program (BIIP)

NSW nomination is now closed as we have filled the places provided to us by the Commonwealth Department of Home Affairs. This includes the:

·       Business Innovation and Investment (Provisional) visa (subclass 188) and

·       Business Talent (Permanent) visa (subclass 132)

You cannot submit an application for NSW nomination for the:

·       188A,

·       188B,

·       188C,

·       188E, and;

·       132SBH visas.

We will open to applications for NSW nomination for these visas under the BIIP program in the new financial year commencing 1 July 2020.

Applications that have been received and acknowledged will be processed and are not affected by this closure.

You can still submit an application for NSW nomination for the:

·       188A Extension,

·       188C Extension,

·       888A,

·       888B, and;

·       888C visas.

These visas are not subject to a ceiling.

UK Global Talent Visa

You can apply for a Global Talent visa if you work in a qualifying field and have been endorsed:

• as a recognised leader (exceptional talent)
• as an emerging leader (exceptional promise)
• under the UK Research and Innovation endorsed funder option
• be from outside the European Economic Area (EEA) and Switzerland

Eligibility

To get a Global Talent visa, you need to apply to be endorsed:

• as a leader (exceptional talent)
• as an emerging leader (exceptional promise)
• under the UK Research and Innovation endorsed funder option

Your application will be reviewed by an organisation that’s related to your qualifying field, called an ‘endorsing body’.

Fees

Who you’re applying for	Stage 1 – endorsement application	Stage 2 – visa application
You	£456	£152
You if you’re from Turkey or Macedonia	£456	£97
All dependants	–	£608

How long you can stay

You can apply to stay for between 1 and 5 years. You only have to pay the healthcare surcharge for the amount of time you choose to stay.

You can apply to extend your visa as many times as you like. Each extension can last from 1 to 5 years.

Apply for settlement

Once you’ve been in the UK for:

• 3 years with an exceptional talent visa
• 3 years with an exceptional talent endorsement in science
• 3 years with an endorsement under the UKRI endorsed funder scheme
• 5 years with an exceptional promise endorsement in either arts and culture or digital technology

What you can and cannot do

You can:

• work – for an employer, as a director of a company or be self-employed
• change jobs without telling the Home Office
• do voluntary work
• travel abroad and return to the UK
• bring family members with you

You cannot:

• get public funds
• work as a doctor or dentist in training
• work as a professional sportsperson or sports coach