In-demand specialists can enter Canada through both federal and provincial immigration programs
For this very reason, Canada offers a wide selection of immigration programs aimed at specialists of various skill levels. The most popular are the Federal Express Entry program and the Quebec Skilled Workers Program.
The Express Entry selection system provides that all immigration applications, regardless of the chosen program, are placed into a common pool (Express Entry Pool). Then Canadian employers select from it the specialists they need and invite them for employment. Only after this is the candidate allowed to submit documents for the immigration process.
In addition to selection by direct invitations from Canadian employers, there is also a selection based on a ranking of applicants compiled by immigration officials. Candidates who fall into the top part of the ranking can receive an invitation from the Ministry of Citizenship and Immigration to apply under the relevant immigration program. The number of such applicants is determined by the quota allocated for the economic stream, minus the number of applications that were selected by employers and which received absolute priority over all other applicants.
According to the updated requirements, the list of in-demand occupations under the Express Entry program is tied not to the diploma (the role of which, by the way, does not diminish as a result), but to the type of activity (more precisely, to the candidate's work experience). To give an idea of which specialists Canada needs today, here is a short list of in-demand professions currently relevant for the English-speaking part of the country: production managers, construction managers, human resources managers, financial managers, accountants, financiers, banking staff, economists, engineers, IT specialists, procurement and logistics specialists, translators, chefs, etc.
In addition to federal programs, some Canadian provinces have their own immigration programs aimed at attracting qualified specialists to that province. As a rule, the condition for qualifying under these programs is a job offer issued to the potential immigrant by a local employer. The job offer must be certified by the Ministry of Labour and Social Development of Canada (ESDC).
It is worth noting that not every company can issue a job offer, as they must meet certain requirements, including a minimum number of specialists already employed there. It should also be taken into account that Canada protects its labor market from foreign workers, and a job offer is given only if there is a genuine shortage of local specialists. Therefore, the process of obtaining a job offer certified by the Ministry of Labour is far from simple.
For example, under the Quebec Immigration Program, renewed as of November 2015, the new list of in-demand specialties includes professionals in information science, computer technology, systems engineers, geneticists, accountants, translators, civil engineers, economists, nurses, zoologists, geologists, and others. As experts from the Canadian Consulting Center note, a large number of in-demand specialties included in this list do not require language tests at the time of submitting documents to the Quebec Ministry of Immigration.
In conclusion, it should be noted that immigration programs that allow our compatriots to obtain permanent residence in Canada change quite often, and amendments are periodically introduced. Therefore, when you decide to apply for immigration, it is best to consult with specialists. They will not only familiarize you with all currently available programs and candidate requirements, but also help you choose the immigration option to Canada that suits you best.