Changes to the Federal Skilled Trades Program
From May 1, 2014 to the beginning of 2015, the quota for this program increases to 5,000 applications. The list of eligible occupations consists of 90 professions at level "B" according to the Canadian NOC classification. Each occupation has a separate quota of 100 applications per year.
Changes to the Canadian Experience Class
Although this program is considered new, it was introduced several years ago. The Canadian Experience Class became the first program in a series of federal government innovations. It is aimed exclusively at individuals who have worked in Canada for at least one year in an occupation of a certain level or higher.
The Canadian Experience Class was announced as the main program for skilled professionals, and it received a great deal of attention from the Ministry of Citizenship and Immigration. Currently, it seems that it has not lived up to expectations and has faded into the background. Nevertheless, the program continues to operate for now.
For the period from May 1, 2014 to January 1, 2015, the quota for it is 8,000 applications. At the same time, for all occupations at level "B" of the NOC classification, a quota of 200 applications per occupation is introduced.
For six occupations previously included in the eligible list, the acceptance of applications for this period has been stopped. These are occupations such as administrative officers (NOC 1221), administrative assistants (NOC 1241), accounting technicians/bookkeepers (NOC 1311), cooks (NOC 6322), food service supervisors (NOC 6311), and retail sales supervisors (NOC 6211).
New list of in-demand occupations
Senior managers – financial, communications and other business services (NOC 0013)
Senior managers – trade, broadcasting and other services, n.e.c. (NOC 0015)
Financial managers (NOC 0111)
Human resources managers (NOC 0112)
Purchasing managers (NOC 0113)
Insurance, real estate and financial brokerage managers (NOC 0121)
Managers in health care (NOC 0311)
Construction managers (NOC 0711)
Home building and renovation managers (NOC 0712)
Managers in natural resources production and fishing (NOC 0811)
Manufacturing managers (NOC 0911)
Financial auditors and accountants (NOC 1111)
Financial and investment analysts (NOC 1112)
Securities agents, investment dealers and brokers (NOC 1113)
Other financial officers (NOC 1114)
Professional occupations in advertising, marketing and public relations (NOC 1123)
Supervisors, finance and insurance office workers (NOC 1212)
Property administrators (NOC 1224)
Geoscientists and oceanographers (NOC 2113)
Civil engineers (NOC 2131)
Mechanical engineers (NOC 2132)
Electrical and electronics engineers (NOC 2133)
Petroleum engineers (NOC 2145)
Information systems analysts and consultants (NOC 2171)
Database analysts and data administrators (NOC 2172)
Software engineers and designers (NOC 2173)
Computer programmers and interactive media developers (NOC 2174)
Mechanical engineering technologists and technicians (NOC 2232)
Construction estimators (NOC 2234)
Electrical and electronics engineering technologists and technicians (NOC 2241)
Industrial instrument technicians and mechanics (NOC 2243)
Inspectors in public and environmental health and occupational health and safety (NOC 2263)
Computer network technicians (NOC 2281)
Nursing co-ordinators and supervisors (NOC 3011)
Registered nurses and registered psychiatric nurses (NOC 3012)
Specialist physicians (NOC 3111)
General practitioners and family physicians (NOC 3112)
Dietitians and nutritionists (NOC 3132)
Audiologists and speech-language pathologists (NOC 3141)
Physiotherapists (NOC 3142)
Occupational therapists (NOC 3143)
Respiratory therapists, clinical perfusionists and cardiopulmonary technologists (NOC 3214)
Medical radiation technologists (NOC 3215)
Medical sonographers (NOC 3216)
Licensed practical nurses (NOC 3233)
Paramedical occupations (NOC 3234)
University professors and lecturers (NOC 4011)
Psychologists (NOC 4151)
Early childhood educators and assistants (NOC 4214)
Translators, terminologists and interpreters (NOC 5125)
Conclusion
Clearly, we cannot yet speak of a full opening of immigration to Canada. The announced innovations are only a half-measure made ahead of the launch of the entirely new Express Entry immigration system on January 1, 2015.
In particular, regarding the FSWP program, due to small quotas for each occupation (a maximum of 1,000 applications, without the right to increase it using unused quotas from other occupations) and a relatively low overall quota (a maximum of 25,000), not many people can count on obtaining an immigration visa.
The Ministry of Citizenship and Immigration does not particularly try to paint a rosy picture, calling a spade a spade: thanks to the measures taken, the queue of applications awaiting processing under the Federal Skilled Worker Program has been drastically reduced in recent years, which is why it has become possible to accept more new applications.
Nevertheless, despite the limitations of the announced changes, it is a big step forward, because compared to the previous period, there is finally a real opportunity for a sufficiently large number of specialists to immigrate to Canada, and quickly at that.
Those who have already passed the language test, had their diploma evaluated by Canadian evaluation organizations, and prepared a package of documents are in a particularly advantageous situation. Since quotas for specialties are limited, and for popular professions one should expect a large flow of applicants, the speed of filing an immigration application will be one of the most important factors.
As for those who do not manage to submit their application this year, they should prepare for immigration through the new Express Entry system starting January 1, 2015.
Elena RYABININA,
«Russian Toronto».