published on 5 June 2017 @ 3:27 pm · COMMENT
OINP and EE Changes
Changes to the Express Entry System Effective June 6th 2017
Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) is introducing changes to the Express Entry Comprehensive Ranking System. The changes are as follows:
Additional Points for a Sibling in Canada
• Applicants with a sibling who is living in Canada will now receive an additional 15 points under the Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS). The sibling in Canada must be at least 18 years of age, and must be a Permanent Resident or Canadian Citizen.
Additional Points for French Language Skills
• Applicants who score level 7 or higher on the Niveaux de Compétence Linguistique Canadiens (NCLC) with English Language Test results of Canadian Benchmark Level 4 or lower will receive an additional 15 points
• Applicants with NCLC level 7 scores and English test results of CLB 5 or higher will receive an additional 30 points.
Job Bank Registration is Voluntary
• IRCC is removing the requirement that Express Entry candidates without an offer of arranged employment must register for the Federal Government’s Job Bank system.
Finally, IRCC has announced that where a tie exists among the lowest-ranked candidates in the pool, time and date stamps will be used to rank candidates. The above changes will come into effect June 6th 2017.
Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program Now Accepting Applications under the Employer Job Offer Streams
The Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program (OINP) announced recently that they are now accepting applications for Provincial Nomination under the Foreign Worker with a Job Offer and International Student with a Job Offer program streams. Qualifying applicants must have an offer of employment from an Ontario employer. The employer must meet OINP requirements, including minimum gross annual revenue requirements, and must offer a permanent, full-time skilled position which meets OINP’s salary requirements for the applicable occupation and region. The Foreign Worker Stream targets applicants with at least two years of skilled work experience. The International Student Stream targets recent graduates of Ontario Colleges and Universities.
The OINP also announced changes to application process under these categories. Previously, employers were first required to submit an “employer pre-screen” application to the province, outlining the job offer made to the applicant. If the employer pre-screen was approved, applicants could then apply for a Provincial Nomination under either the Foreign Worker or International Student category. Under the new streamlined process, employers will provide applicants with a signed form confirming the details of the offer of employment. Applicants can then apply directly to the program themselves, including a copy of their signed offer of employment form. While employers are no longer required to provide additional supporting documentation upfront, they may be asked to provide evidence that they meet OINP requirements later in the process.
The OINP employer based program can be a good option for applicants with job offers in Ontario who do not score high enough under the Express Entry Comprehensive Ranking System to receive an Invitation to Apply (ITA) under the Federal PR programs.
Firm News
In early 2017, BartLAW welcomed two new Canadian immigration lawyers to our growing team of legal professionals, Clara Morrissey and Lili Pach
Jacqueline Bart spoke at the AILA Rome District Chapter – EMEA Spring Conference in the session “Referring Business Across International Borders” – May 4, Brussels, Belgium
BartLAW donated $5,000.00 to LIFE (Lawyers’ International Food Enterprise) as part of the organization’s “ROCK FOR LIFE” charitable fundraising event in Toronto – May 11
Jacqueline Bart co-chaired the consular immigration program “Direct from New York: Insights from the Consulate General of Canada” – May 26, New York City, USA
Jacqueline Bart was a member of the conference planning task force and presented the session “Oh Canada! Understanding Immigration Solutions” at WorldWide ERC’s 2017 America’s Mobility Conference – May 18, Atlanta, USA