Quebec and British Columbia issue invitations for provincial immigration

Two provinces issue ITAs in general draws. (File Photo: Yi Liu/Unsplash)

Quebec and British Columbia have issued invitations to apply to candidates through provincial immigration programs this week.

Most Canadian provinces and territories (with the exception of Quebec and Nunavut) operate their own Provincial Nomination Programs (PNPs). Through these programs, interested candidates may be invited to apply for a provincial nomination. Although provincial nomination is not in itself the same as a permanent residence, it can act as the first step towards gaining permanent residence from Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC).

Quebec’s immigration programs are administered by the province and are distinct from Canada’s immigration programs. Quebec is the only province that has control over all economic class immigrants.

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The PNP accounts for over 80,000 PR admissions per year. It began in 1998 and the steady increase in the number of PNP admissions in Canada each year is because the federal and provincial governments consider it an effective tool to promote the economic development of the country outside of the provinces and urban centres with already high immigrant populations.

Provincial immigration results October 8-October 14

Quebec

Quebec invited 1,195 skilled workers to apply for permanent selection on September 29.

There were no specific NOC’s or locations targeted in this draw. Candidates had to have profiles in the Arrima Expression of Interest system with scores of at least 597 points. This is a lower score than the last general draw that took place on September 15, when the score was 620.

This is the twelfth draw Quebec has held in 2022 and the third draw in the month of September. This is unusual as Quebec typically only holds draws once a month. Quebec does not release draw results until one to two weeks after draws occur.

The invitations were issued by the Ministère de l’Immigration, de la Francisation et de l’Intégration (MIFI) to immigration candidates applying under the Quebec Regular Skilled Worker Program (QSWP).

Those who are invited to apply for permanent selection by Quebec have a maximum of 60 days to submit their application and pay processing fees. Quebec aims to process complete applications within six months, starting on the date all the required information has been received. This includes all forms and documents.

British Columbia

More than 364 candidates were invited to apply for provincial nomination in British Columbia on October 12.

The province invited 320 candidates in a general draw. The invitations were issued to candidates in the Skilled Worker and International Graduates categories and included Express Entry candidates.

Candidates in the general draw had minimum SIRS scores of 78 for Entry Level and Semi-Skilled candidates. SIRS acts much like the Express Entry Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) but is only used for British Columbia’s PNP.

The province also held rounds of invitations for candidates working in the following occupations.

• 25 early childhood educators and assistants (NOC 4214) with scores of at least 60 points; and
• 19 Healthcare workers from the Skilled Worker, International Graduate, Entry Level and Semi-Skilled (includes EEBC option) with scores of at least 60 points
• Healthcare assistants from the Entry Level and Semi-Skilled category with minimum scores of 60 and;
• Other priority occupations with minimum scores of 60

This will be the final draw for the BC PNP for a month as British Columbia recently announced that it will be pausing draws between October 12 and November 16 due to the transition from NOC 2016 to NOC 2021, an updated method of assessing a candidate’s skill level in economic immigration programs.

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