Federal Skilled Worker Backlog Elimination

“Eliminating the bulk of this longstanding backlog of FSWP applications will allow the Department to focus resources on facilitating the arrival of skilled immigrants who apply under the current eligibility criteria and who meet Canada’s current labour market shortages.”

Canada’s Economic Action Plan 2012 proposed to terminate applications and return fees paid by certain Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSWP) applicants who applied prior to February 27, 2008. This proposal was introduced in Parliament under Bill C-38 the Jobs, Growth and Long-term Prosperity Act, which has become law. Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) has terminated Federal Skilled Worker files if applicants: applied before February 27, 2008, and did not have a decision made by an immigration officer based on FSW program selection criteria before March 29, 2012.

CIC expects this will affect around 280,000 people including dependents. CIC will return fees paid to the Department, without interest, for applications that are eliminated under the provisions in Bill C-38.

About the Initiative

The elimination of the FSWP backlog enables Canada to transition to an increasingly fast and flexible economic immigration system. In the future, the Government will explore with provinces, territories and employers approaches to developing a pool of skilled workers who are ready to begin employment in Canada. Legislative change was tabled through the Jobs, Growth and Long-term Prosperity Act, which passed on June 29, 2012. This amendment to the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act has terminated applications for applicants in who applied before February 27, 2008 and did not have a decision based on FSW program selection criteria before March 29, 2012.

CIC has set up a central task force based in Ottawa to handle the fee return process.

Who Will Benefit

This will open the door to “just in time” processing of applications, and to an immigration system that is more nimble and better able to respond to changing labour market needs. This change will benefit employers and provinces.  It will also have an impact on future immigration applicants who will have their applications processed in months instead of years.

Eliminating the bulk of this longstanding backlog of FSWP applications will allow the Department to focus resources on facilitating the arrival of skilled immigrants who apply under the current eligibility criteria and who meet Canada’s current labour market shortages. CIC expects the backlog elimination measure will affect around 280,000 people, including their dependants.

Initiative Update

This proposal was introduced in Parliament under Bill C-38, which has become law. CIC has terminated Federal Skilled Worker files if applicants: applied before February 27, 2008, and did not have a decision made by an immigration officer based on FSW program selection criteria before March 29, 2012.

(Source: actionplan.gc.ca)

 

SUBMIT YOUR RESUMÉ NOW!

AAMAC International Consultancy Firm and Services, Inc.

TO ALL OUR FSWP APPLICANTS FROM LAST YEAR BEFORE AND AFTER THE TEMPORARY FSWP FREEZE, PLEASE RESUBMIT YOUR COMPLETE AND UPDATED RESUMÉ SO WE CAN EVALUATE YOUR QUALIFICATIONS ANEW!

As you are all aware, the FSWP just reopened in May 4, 2013 and there are changes in the list of eligible occupations. Some of the occupations have been removed (such as Registered Nurses) and some were moved to the new Federal Skilled Trades Program (FSTP) (such as welders, electricians, plumbers, etc.).

If your occupation is under the FSTP, we need you to resubmit your complete and updated resumé as well since a year had already gone by since FSWP was temporarily closed in July 2012.

There are also changes in the FSWP 100-point grid scoring system so we need to recalculate your points to determine your qualification and to advise you more accurately on the next steps to…

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Onward, Philippines!

The Philippine election fever has almost subsided. Did your candidates win or lose? Did the election process go smoothly in your designated precincts, in your town, your city, your province? Are you happy with the results?

We are sure that you all have your own experiences and reactions to share regarding the May 13th national elections, but regardless of who won or lost, it is now time for the Filipino people to reunite and help each other bring the country forward to a better tomorrow, not just for ourselves but more importantly for our children, our nephews, our nieces and the young Filipinos of today and the years to come.

As citizens, we have the power to make sure that these elected individuals uphold their public office with the highest respect and regard for the responsibilities that are expected of them. Let us not forget that they were chosen to serve the people and not to serve only themselves and their families and relatives and friends.

Our country’s future depends not just on these elected leaders but on all of us. Let your voice be heard if these public officials stray from their sworn duties. Be concerned and be vigilant as you go on with daily life, here or abroad. We can all do our part in helping Philippines rise in our own individual capacity no matter which part of the globe we work or live in.

Onward, Philippines! Mabuhay ang Pilipino!

A SALUTE TO THE GLOBAL FILIPINO!

 

Elections and Employment

Today is national election day in the Philippines. It is with fervent hope that the Filipino people will make the right choices in voting for people whose priority is to serve the country. We fervently hope that the people who will win in the elections will hold true their promises to the people.

There are a host of issues in the country that our leaders need to address, and one of these is unemployment and the lack of job opportunities for Filipinos in their own homeland. Latest data from the National Statistics Office shows that about 7 percent of the 40 million labor force are unemployed, while about 20 percent are underemployed. This labor force continues to grow by an average 2 percent (per year). About 800,000 new jobs should be created just to sustain the same level (of employment).

For as long as our professionals and tradesmen do not have the economic freedom that they aspire for themselves and their loved ones, they will always look for opportunities overseas. As sad a reality as it may be, it is a relief to know that there are other countries whose doors are open to immigrants, like Canada. And it is encouraging to know that Canada’s immigration program supports family unity/reunification.

Explore our webpages to find out more about working in and immigrating to Canada. Contact AAMAC and find out how we can assist you.

VOTE WISELY, PHILIPPINES!

http://www.philstar.com/headlines/2013/04/09/928803/philippine-economy-strong-unemployment-remains-challenge-adb

 

Canada’s Family Reunification Program

One of the reasons Canada stands out among the other countries that have opened their doors to immigrants from all over the world is this:

Canada has one of the most generous family reunification programs in the world. The United States, United Kingdom, Australia and New Zealand do not allow grandparents to be sponsored at all or only in very limited circumstances, and they have very restrictive criteria for the sponsorship of parents.

To ensure and expedite reunification among immigrant family members, Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) came up with the following action plan.

CIC will re-open the Parent and Grandparent (PGP) program for new applications on January 2, 2014, by which time the backlog and wait times in the program are expected to have been cut in half.

“The Action Plan for Faster Family Reunification is on track to meet the goals of cutting in half the backlog and wait times in the Parent and Grandparent program,” said Citizenship, Immigration and Multiculturalism Minister Jason Kenney. “It is very important that we continue to make progress and not return to the old broken system with wait times as long as a decade—that would be unfair to families.”

Phase II of the Action Plan for Faster Family Reunification will provide even faster processing times, reduce the backlog further, prevent future backlogs, ensure that families have the financial means to support those they sponsor, and protect the interests of taxpayers.

First – In 2012 and 2013, Canada will admit 50,000 parents and grandparents as permanent residents. This represents the highest level of parents and grandparents admitted in 20 years. In 2014, Canada will maintain high levels of admissions for parents and grandparents.

Second – The Super Visa will become permanent and will continue to provide flexibility for families who access the 10-year multiple-entry visa, allowing visa holders to remain in Canada up to two years at a time. Over 15,000 Super Visas have been issued since the program’s launch in December 2011 with approval rates averaging 86 percent.

Third – New qualifying criteria for permanent residency sponsorship of parents and grandparents will increase the financial responsibility of sponsors to ensure they have the means to support those they sponsor, while limiting the program’s cost to taxpayers and Canada’s strained health and social programs.

Fourth – 5,000 new sponsorship applications will be accepted in the program in 2014. By accepting 5,000 applications in 2014 while maintaining high levels, the government will be able to further reduce the remaining backlog so that families can be reunited more quickly.

“These new criteria ensure sponsored family members are well supported by their sponsors throughout their time in Canada,” said Minister Kenney. “The redesigned Parent and Grandparent program reunites families faster while respecting Canadian taxpayers and the limited resources for health and social programs.”

Source: CIC

 

SUBMIT YOUR RESUMÉ NOW!

TO ALL OUR FSWP APPLICANTS FROM LAST YEAR BEFORE AND AFTER THE TEMPORARY FSWP FREEZE, PLEASE RESUBMIT YOUR COMPLETE AND UPDATED RESUMÉ SO WE CAN EVALUATE YOUR QUALIFICATIONS ANEW!

As you are all aware, the FSWP just reopened in May 4, 2013 and there are changes in the list of eligible occupations. Some of the occupations have been removed (such as Registered Nurses) and some were moved to the new Federal Skilled Trades Program (FSTP) (such as welders, electricians, plumbers, etc.).

If your occupation is under the FSTP, we need you to resubmit your complete and updated resumé as well since a year had already gone by since FSWP was temporarily closed in July 2012.

There are also changes in the FSWP 100-point grid scoring system so we need to recalculate your points to determine your qualification and to advise you more accurately on the next steps to take if your score falls below the passing mark of 67.

Please include proof of your English proficiency results too if you were able to take the IELTS exam during this period.

You may send your resumé directly here on Facebook by personal message, or at aamac.consultancy@yahoo.com. NEW APPLICANTS who have not previously submitted their resumé to us may do the same.

We hope to hear from you all soon and hopefully forge a healthy partnership with you in fulfilling your dream to work and live in the beautiful Canada!

 

FSTP: 43 Included Jobs

Complete list of all jobs included under the FEDERAL SKILLED TRADES PROGRAM (FSTP)

In total, 43 jobs subcategorized under Groups A and B will be eligible to apply under the FSTP. The program will accept and process 3,000 complete applications in the first year (from January 2, 2013 to January 1, 2014).

Group A – 17 jobs with a moderate labour market need, with sub-caps of 100 applications each

01 Contractors and supervisors, electrical trades and telecommunications occupations
02 Contractors and supervisors, carpentry trades
03 Contractors and supervisors, other construction trades, installers, repairers and servicers
04 Carpenters
05 Contractors and supervisors, mechanic trades
06 Contractors and supervisors, heavy equipment operator crews
07 Supervisors, logging and forestry
08 Supervisors, mining and quarrying
09 Contractors and supervisors, oil and gas drilling services
10 Logging machinery operators
11 Agricultural service contractors, farm supervisors and specialized livestock workers
12 Supervisors, mineral and metal processing
13 Supervisors, petroleum, gas and chemical processing and utilities
14 Supervisors, plastic and rubber products manufacturing
15 Central control and process operators, mineral and metal processing
16 Power engineers and power systems operators
17 Water and waste treatment plant operators

Group B – 26 in-demand jobs with no sub-caps

01 Machinists and machining and tooling inspectors
02 Sheet metal workers
03 Structural metal and plate work fabricators and fitters
04 Ironworkers
05 Welders and related machine operators
06 Electricians (except industrial and power system)
07 Industrial electricians
08 Power system electricians
09 Electrical power line and cable workers
10 Telecommunications line and cable workers
11 Telecommunications installation and repair workers
12 Plumbers
13 Steamfitters, pipefitters and sprinkler system installers
14 Gas fitters
15 Construction millwrights and industrial mechanics
16 Heavy-duty equipment mechanics
17 Refrigeration and air conditioning mechanics
18 Railway carmen/women
19 Aircraft mechanics and aircraft inspectors
20 Elevator constructors and mechanics
21 Crane operators
22 Drillers and blasters – surface, mining, quarrying and construction
23 Water well drillers
24 Underground production and development miners
25 Oil and gas well drillers, servicers, testers and related workers
26 Petroleum, gas and chemical process operators

 

FSWP: 24 Eligible Occupations

Refresher: What are the 24 ELIGIBLE OCCUPATIONS under the Federal Skilled Workers Program (FSWP)? Here’s the complete list.

01 Engineering managers
02 Financial and investment analysts
03 Geoscientists and oceanographers
04 Civil engineers
05 Mechanical engineers
06 Chemical engineers
07 Mining engineers
08 Geological engineers
09 Petroleum engineers
10 Aerospace engineers
11 Computer engineers (except software engineers/designers)
12 Land surveyors
13 Computer programmers and interactive media developers
14 Industrial instrument technicians and mechanics
15 Inspectors in public and environmental health and occupational health and safety
16 Audiologists and speech-language pathologists
17 Physiotherapists
18 Occupational Therapists
19 Medical laboratory technologists
20 Medical laboratory technicians and pathologists’ assistants
21 Respiratory therapists, clinical perfusionists and cardiopulmonary technologists
22 Medical radiation technologists
23 Medical sonographers
24 Cardiology technicians and electrophysiological diagnostic technologists

The 24 eligible occupations stream will have an overall cap of 5,000 new applications and sub-caps of 300 applications in each occupation.

 

English Proficiency Requirement

One of the requirements under the Federal Skilled Workers Program (FSWP) that has not changed with the program’s recent reopening is English proficiency.

MINIMUM LANGUAGE THRESHOLD

All prospective applicants to the FSWP should first determine whether they meet the new minimum language threshold: Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) 7 or Niveaux de compétence linguistique canadiens (NCLC) 7 in all four skills (listening, speaking, reading, and writing).

To prove language proficiency, a prospective applicant must take a third-party language test from an organization designated by the Minister and submit their test report along with their application to CIC.

Language test results are valid for immigration purposes for two years from the date that they were issued by the designated organization.

Designated language testing organizations include the following:
(1) Canadian English Language Proficiency Index Program (CELPIP),
(2) International English Language Testing System (IELTS), and
(3) Test d’évaluation de français (TEF).

Third-party language tests are scored differently by each of the three organizations. Here are the scores on each of the tests that correspond to Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) 7 or Niveaux de compétence linguistique canadiens (NCLC) 7 or higher:

Canadian English Language Proficiency Index Program (CELPIP)
An FSWP applicant must score at least 4L on the CELPIP-General test in each of the four skills to meet the minimum language threshold.
A score of 4L on the CELPIP-General test corresponds to CLB 7. A score of 4H corresponds to CLB 8, and a score of 5 or higher corresponds to CLB 9 or higher.

International English Language Testing System (IELTS)
IELTS is the most commonly chosen language testing organization among Filipino applicants. Check <a href="http://https://aamacconsultancy.wordpress.com/2012/06/14/you-can-sit-for-5/g”>here for a complete list of IELTS-designated testing centers in the Philippines and other countries.

An FSWP applicant must score at least 6.0 on the IELTS General Training test in each of the four skills to meet the minimum language threshold of CLB 7.

French

Test d’évaluation de français (TEF)
An FSWP applicant must score at least 206 in reading, 248 in listening, and 309 in both speaking and writing on the TEF to meet the minimum language threshold of NCLC 7.

If you have not yet taken the English proficiency exam and have not taken the necessary steps and preparation to take the exam, the time to do that is NOW!

 

Educational Credential Assessment

One of the major changes in the recently re-opened Federal Skilled Workers Program (FSWP) is the introduction of the educational credential assessment (ECA) for applicants who obtained their education outside Canada.

The ECA process will determine if the applicant’s foreign educational credential is authentic and equivalent to a completed credential in Canada.

Four (4) organizations have been designated by the Canadian Minister to provide ECA reports for immigration purposes under the FSWP. One of these 4 organizations is the World Education Services (WES).

An ECA report issued by any of these 4 designated organizations will be valid for immigration purposes for 5 years from the date that it was issued.

To better understand educational credentials assessment in relation to the FSWP, World Education Services came up with this very informative and useful FAQs.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Processing and Delivery

• How long does the credential assessment process take?
All processing times begin upon receipt and approval of all required academic documents and payment in full.

The standard processing time is seven (7) business days. However, if additional research, correspondence or verification is required, the evaluation will take longer. We recommend that you start the process as early as possible and submit all documents as specified in order to meet application deadlines.

• How can I expedite processing of my assessment with WES?
Processing time is seven business days upon receipt and approval of all required documents and payment in full. WES will notify you by email when all of your documents have been accepted. You will then have the option to have your evaluation completed in three days

• Will WES send my report directly to CIC?
No. You are responsible for sending your assessment report directly to CIC. For submission instructions, visit the CIC website.

Document Requirements

• What documents do I need for a credential assessment?
Before submitting academic documents to WES, carefully review and follow the detailed document requirements for your country of education. Adherence to the requirements is important and necessary to help ensure that your credentials will be accepted by the Canadian government, universities, employers and licensing bodies.

• What if my documents are not in English or French?
If your documents are not in English or French, you must submit precise word-for-word English or French translations. Translations prepared by the school or university that you attended or by authorized translators in your home country are acceptable. If you need to identify a professional translation service, you may contact COSTI Languages Bureau. All arrangements must be made directly with COSTI or any other certified translation service of your choice.

Please submit clear and legible photocopies of word-for-word English or French translations along with your foreign language documents. Please do not send original translation documents as they cannot be returned.

• How do I submit my documents to WES?
It is extremely important to carefully review thedocument requirements and follow what and how to submit your documents. Failure to adhere to these requirements could delay your credential assessment. Delivery of documents by email or fax is not available. In order to ensure authenticity, academic documents must be sent to WES directly as instructed for your country of education.

Your Report

• Can I use my FSWP credential assessment for other purposes?
Your FSWP credential assessment is for immigration purposes. For education, licensing or employment candidates should always check with the organization to find out what type of credential evaluation is required. You may need to upgrade your report at a later time.

• How long will WES retain my documents?
At the request of CIC, your records will be purged after 10 years. However, WES can store your records indefinitely if you provide written or electronic authorization.

• I previously received a WES report and would like to apply for the FSWP. What should I do?
If you have a WES evaluation report completed after May 1, 2007, you do not need to submit a new application. You can order a duplicate of the existing report to submit to CIC.
General Questions

• I am currently enrolled in a degree program. Can I apply for the FSWP credential assessment?
No. A completed degree or diploma is required for the FSWP application.

• Which application should I use to apply for a credential assessment?
For FSWP purposes, you must use the FSWP online application. This ensures that your evaluation is prepared according to the requirements of CIC and the FSW program. For other purposes, use the standard application.

• Am I eligible to apply for immigration under the FSWP?
WES cannot answer questions regarding immigration and/or eligibility for FSWP. To find out if you meet the criteria, please visit the CIC website.

• If I have two degrees, which one should I have assessed?
WES will assess all degrees that you indicate on your application.

WES cannot answer questions regarding immigration and/or eligibility for FSWP. To find out if you meet the FSWP criteria, please visit the CIC website.

Note to applicants who have previously applied: If you have multiple degrees but prefer that WES only evaluate one of them, please indicate this in writing and submit your request to http://www.wes.org/ca/contact.

• How can I track my documents?
It is important to allow 24-48 hours for WES to review your documents after you have received notice from a courier service that the documents have arrived at WES. WES must review your documents before your status is updated. For up-to-date information on the status of your documents visit your account.

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