Author Archives: Ashkan Alemi

IRCC approves 4 new English language tests for Student Direct Stream

Immigration Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has just announced that it will accept language test results from four new tests for Student Direct Stream (SDS) applicants.

IRCC will begin to accept test results from these four new tests effective August 10, 2023.

The newly eligible tests are:

• CELPIP General
• CAEL
• PTE Academic
• TOEFL iBT Test

All test results must demonstrate abilities in speaking, listening, reading, and writing.

CELPIP general tests must show a score that is equivalent to Canadian Language Benchmark of at least 7 in each of the four language speaking abilities

CAEL and Pearson PTE Academic test results must show a minimum score of 60.

Educational Testing Service (ETS) TOEFL iBT Test need a minimum score of 83.

Students must take these tests in-person. Online, remotely proctored tests will not be accepted for applicants in the SDS.

Prior to this change, IELTS General and IELTS Academic were the only tests approved by IRCC for SDS applicants.

IRCC invites 4,800 candidates in latest Express Entry draw

IRCC has invited candidates in the thirteenth Express Entry draw of 2023.

Immigration Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) issued 4,800 invitations to apply (ITAs) to candidates in an all-program draw.

Candidates required a minimum Comprehensive Ranking System score of 488.

This was the first all-program draw since April 26. In an all-program draw, candidates are considered from all three programs managed under the Express Entry application management system:  the Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSWP), the Canadian Experience Class (CEC), or the Federal Skilled Trades Program (FSTP).

This draw follows the most recent draw on May 10 in which 589 candidates received ITAs in a Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) specific draw. In a PNP only draw, candidates are only considered if they are in the Express Entry pool and have also been nominated by a Canadian province.

Ontario, British Columbia, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, and PEI invite PNP candidates

Five Canadian provinces have nominated candidates to apply for nomination under the Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) this week.

The PNP allows all Canadian provinces and territories (except Quebec and Nunavut) to select the economic immigration candidates that they feel are best suited to integrate into the provincial workforce and economically establish within the province.

The program has seen significant success since it began in 1998 and is now the most prominent pathway for admissions of economic immigrants in the Immigration Levels Plan. Canada will admit 117,500 candidates through the PNP each year by the end of 2025.

Five Canadian provinces have nominated candidates to apply for nomination under the Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) this week.

The PNP allows all Canadian provinces and territories (except Quebec and Nunavut) to select the economic immigration candidates that they feel are best suited to integrate into the provincial workforce and economically establish within the province.

The program has seen significant success since it began in 1998 and is now the most prominent pathway for admissions of economic immigrants in the Immigration Levels Plan. Canada will admit 117,500 candidates through the PNP each year by the end of 2025.

Proof of funds – Skilled immigrants (Express Entry)

Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has made an update to the proof of funds required for Express Entry candidates. They updated the table that shows how much money you need to settle in Canada. We update these numbers every year, based on 50% of the low income cut-off totals. To stay eligible, you may need to update your settlement fund numbers in your Express Entry profile. The update must be done no later than April 25, 2023.

Updating your profile doesn’t change the date and time that we received it, so you’ll keep your rank if you’re in a tie-breaker situation.

Proof of funds is how you show us that you have enough money to settle in Canada. If we invite you to apply, you must give written proof that you have this money.

Who needs proof of funds

You need proof of funds to meet the minimum requirements of the

• Federal Skilled Worker Program
• Federal Skilled Trades Program

Who does not need proof of funds

You don’t need to show that you have enough money to support yourself and your family if

• you’re applying under the Canadian Experience Class or
• you’re authorized to work in Canada and you have a valid job offer, even if you apply under the Federal Skilled Worker Program or the Federal Skilled Trades Program

Keep your funds up to date in your profile. The system may find that you’re eligible for more than 1 program. You don’t always know ahead of time which program you’ll be invited under.

How much money you need

The amount of money you need to support your family is based the size of your family.

To calculate the size of your family include

• yourself
• your spouse or common-law partner
• your dependent children and
• your spouse or common-law partner’s dependent children

You must include your spouse or common-law partner and dependent children, even if they’re

• Canadian citizens or permanent residents
• not coming to Canada with you

This table shows the minimum amount you need to immigrate to Canada as of April 25, 2023. If you have more money, you should list the full amount in your profile or application.

Number of family members	Funds required (in Canadian dollars)
1	$13,757
2	$17,127
3	$21,055
4	$25,564
5	$28,994
6	$32,700
7	$36,407
If more than 7 people, for each additional family member	$3,706

What we accept as proof

Your funds must be available to you both when.

• you apply
• we issue you a permanent resident visa (if we approve your application)

You must prove to us that you can legally access the money here when you arrive.

For example, this means

• you can’t use equity on real property as proof of settlement funds
• you can’t borrow this money from another person

You must be able to use this money to pay for your family’s costs of living (even if they aren’t coming with you).

• If your spouse is coming with you, you can count money you have together in a joint account.
• You may be able to count money in an account under your spouse’s name only, but you must prove you have access to the money.

For proof, you must get official letters from any banks or financial institutions where you have an account.

These letters must be printed on the financial institution’s letterhead and include

• the bank or institution’s contact information (address, telephone number and email address)
• your name
• your outstanding debts (such as credit card debts and loans)
• these details for each current banking and investment account you have with them
  • account numbers
  • date each account was opened
  • current account balances
  • average balance for the past 6 months

How much money you should bring

Research how much it costs to live in the place where you plan to settle in Canada.

Bring as much money as you can. This will make moving and finding a home in Canada easier. When you arrive in Canada, you have to tell the border officer if you’re bringing more than CAN$10,000 into Canada. If you don’t tell them, you may be fined, and your funds could be seized. This includes:

• cash
• documents that show property or capital payable to you, such as:
  • stocks
  • bonds
  • debentures
  • treasury bills
• documents that guarantee payment of a set amount of money, which are payable to you, such as:
  • banker’s drafts
  • cheques
  • money orders
  • travellers’ cheques

Canadian Immigration: The Benefits of an Educational Credentials Assessment when applying to the PNP

Since 2022, the Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) has been among Canada’s top immigration pathways. The success of the program is expected to continue, as described in Canada Immigration Levels Plan for 2023-2025.

The PNP allows all provinces or territories except Quebec and Nunavut to nominate international workers for permanent residence. Those selected for immigration to a particular province or territory are chosen based on the applicant’s ability to help address local labor shortages and support economic development by leveraging their education, skills, and work experience.

Apply to PNP outside of Express Entry

There are two ways to apply for PNP. One is the non-Express Entry application process known as base provincial nomination. This process involves applicants deciding where they want to live in Canada and applying for a nomination directly with that province or territory. Applicants who receive a nomination from the province or territory can apply for permanent residence in that region through Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC).

Apply to the PNP through Express Entry

The other option is to apply for PNP through Express Entry. Candidates must be eligible for at least one of the three programs administered under the Express Entry system.

• Canadian Experience Class (CEC)
• Federal Skilled Trades Program (FSTP)
• Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSWP)

Although the minimum entry criteria differ for each of these programs, once a candidate is eligible and creates an Express Entry profile, an invitation to apply will be considered based on their Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score.

Some factors that influence a CRS score cannot be changed. For example, age, which obviously cannot be changed by a candidate, is factored into a CRS score. However, a candidate can influence some areas that are considered in a CRS score, such as education. To provide details about her international education, a candidate may obtain an Educational Credentials Assessment (ECA).

An ECA is a document that IRCC reviews to understand how internationally earned educational credentials, such as degrees and diplomas, compare to Canadian standards. An ECA makes a substantial difference in a candidate’s chances of obtaining permanent residence through Express Entry because it can add points to a candidate’s CRS score. An ECA can be purchased from a provider designated by IRCC, such as World Education Services (WES).

Note: WES is one of five organizations designated by IRCC to provide ECAs in Canada (excluding physicians and pharmacists).

The value of an ECA for the Provincial Nominee Program

When a candidate creates an Express Entry profile, they will also be able to identify the specific provinces and territories they are interested in moving to. Doing so will signal to elected regional governments that a candidate has an interest in obtaining permanent residence in that province or territory.

Provinces and territories that operate a PNP will occasionally review Express Entry profiles and offer nominations for prospective immigrants to that region.

In both cases, a WES ECA will result in a higher CRS score and make an Express Entry candidate more attractive to provinces and territories, thus increasing their chances of getting a PNP nomination.

PNP currents that require an ACE

For some PNP currents, an ECA must be obtained to meet the minimum requirements. For example, if all of a candidate’s academic credentials were obtained in another country, the candidate must obtain an ECA to meet the minimum entry criteria required for an invitation to apply under the Federal Skilled Worker Program.

Note: This condition applies only to candidates who are eligible to be tested for Express Entry through the Federal Skilled Worker Program. If the candidate can also be assessed for Express Entry eligibility through the Canadian Experience Class or Federal Skilled Trades Program, the above condition is void.