On September 20, the first invitations for transportation occupations were finally sent out since the introduction of the Express Entry category-based selection. The total number of candidates was 1,000, and the minimum score (CRS) for those receiving invitations was 435. This is in stark contrast to the Express Entry full program selection announced a day earlier. The full program sent invitations to a total of 3,200 candidates, with a minimum score of 531 for eligible candidates - a pretty high score, even considering the pause in the announcement. These two different selections help us understand how Express Entry works and the advantages of selecting based on occupation. Given that the intent of the program is to focus on recruiting people who are more directly needed in the Canadian economy rather than immigrant applicants who typically have higher scores, it seems to be working as planned. On the one hand, this has a lot to say to those who are looking to immigrate to Canada, as it points the way for how they should understand and approach the program going forward. The transportation sector, which was the first to be selected, has long been plagued by labor shortages, especially during the coronavirus pandemic, when the rapid development of the shipping industry meant that the supply of workers couldn't keep up with the growth of the market. The Canadian government has been thinking about how to fill these positions, and has been focusing on bringing in workers from abroad to fill these positions, leading to the current revisions to the Canadian immigration program. This can be seen in the words of the Minister of Transportation, Pablo Rodriguez, who said that the government's view is that the transportation sector is an important part of the Canadian economy, that we need to attract more investment in the people who move goods, and that the underlying workforce issues need to be addressed through new immigrants. It is therefore the intention that addressing labor shortages in occupations critical to the Canadian economy, such as truck drivers, pilots, aeromechanical engineers and marine vessel pilots, will be a recipe for promoting economic growth, which has led to the current invitation to the transportation category of category-based selection. As such, Canada has been actively selecting immigrants, and this summer in particular has seen more Express Entry draws than in previous years, in addition to the introduction of category-based selection. Of course, the selection of 4,300 candidates on August 15 from the full pool of candidates and the subsequent lack of permanent residence invitations until September 19, with no specific reason given, has raised some eyebrows, but even taking that into account, the level of Express Entry selections to date has been consistently high. This can be seen as one of the positive effects of the policy, which aims to increase the number of new green cards issued through category-based selection. In addition, category-based selection can be thought of as opening the door for many previously ineligible applicants to try their hand at permanent residency, as they can apply under relatively relaxed conditions if they meet the requirements to be included in a category. There are six categories in total, including French-speakers, and five occupational groups: healthcare, STEM occupations, technical occupations, transportation, and agriculture and agri-food manufacturing. If you fall into one of these categories, you can apply with as little as 6 months of domestic or international work experience in the last 3 years, and the selection score is still relatively low as mentioned above, so I think that speaks to your chances. In order to receive an invitation through category-based selection, you still need to meet the conditions for applying to the Express Entry program, and you still need to create a profile in the application pool. And within that, the selection of candidates is still based on the order of the scores, with the higher scores getting priority. Just fitting the category isn't enough to get you in, so you'll still need to put in the effort to fulfill the other requirements as well. However, for those who have been unable to apply under the regular program, or who have felt stuck applying to the immigration program, I think that fitting into a category first is probably the fastest path to Canadian permanent residency.

The primary reason for introducing Express Entry category-based selection is to fill shortage occupations with skilled newcomers. Canada is currently experiencing an improving economy with a low birthrate, aging population, and low unemployment, so addressing labor market imbalances is a top priority right now. One of the biggest challenges is the high demand for labor in certain occupations and the lack of supply from those who are already working in those occupations, especially those that require high-skilled workers. That's why we decided to create a separate category for those working in the skilled trades and offer permanent residency to applicants in those occupations. To date, we've only had one Express Entry class, and we don't know how many more we'll have depending on the level of labor demand, but it's clear that there's a growing demand from employers and communities, and the Canadian government is responding. A recent announcement by Citizenship and Immigration Canada is representative of this. On September 8, Citizenship and Immigration officially updated the list of skilled trades that are eligible for the Express Entry certificate of qualification, bringing the total number of trades on the list to 101. Skilled trades are eligible for a certificate of qualification, which is an official recognition by a recognized organization that you are skilled in a particular skill. If you earn one, you will receive up to 50 extra points in the Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) on your Express Entry profile. It also has the huge advantage of not requiring a job offer from a Canadian employer for the other extra points. So if you have an Express Entry profile, or if you're an applicant living in Canada, it can be very beneficial to get certified in a technical occupation. Getting certified is also one of the most efficient ways to use your time, as it allows you to be recognized as an expert in your technical field, even if you don't have any previous work experience. In order to get these useful certifications, it's literally all about having the knowledge and skills in the relevant field, and once you've developed those skills, you can take an exam to get certified by one of the Canadian provincial governments. Since certification is handled on a provincial or semi-provincial level, it's a good idea to find an official certification organization in your area and give it a shot. Earning extra points for these certifications can put you in a better position in the Express Entry lottery for skilled trades occupations, so it's worth making it a priority to see if your field of work is on the list that issues certifications. There are 101 occupations on the list, which includes a lot of skilled trades, ranging from supervisory and technical positions in industry and construction to landscape gardening, plumbing, and electricians. It also includes skilled trades in lifestyle industries such as butchers, chefs, bakers, and hairstylists, so if you work in one of those industries, getting a certification may be a way to get you on the path to permanent residency a little faster. Once the category-based selection started, Express Entry opened up more opportunities for people who might have had a harder time immigrating to Canada, and it also created a group of applicants who needed to earn extra points. The current direction of the Canadian government is to recruit more needed workers for the Canadian economy and society, so I don't expect this to change for the foreseeable future. If that's the case, you'll need to think about ways to score more points, and you'll need to be diligent about finding different solutions to do so. Certificates can be understood in the same way, and certificates from officially designated provincial organizations are more beneficial in terms of employment, so it's worth giving them a second look to give you a competitive edge.

The period between now and the Christmas holidays is typically a busy time for Citizenship and Immigration Canada, with an overhaul of the immigration system and policies. In particular, 2023 was a year of change, with the arrival of a new immigration minister and the introduction of a new immigration system, so there are a few key things to keep an eye on as we approach the end of the year. These include potential changes to Canada's immigration policy priorities and permanent residency levels, as well as updates to parent and grandparent sponsorship, international student, and work permit programs. First, it's worth noting the new ministerial mandate letter. Prime Minister Trudeau may issue letters of mandate to new ministers in the coming months. Of course, this is not mandatory, so we can't be sure, but the last immigration minister's immigration policy had the same letter of mandate as his or her appointment letter, so this could be pretty significant in terms of judging immigration policy. Mandate letters serve as the prime minister's instructions to his or her ministers on the government's goals for the term, and they will shape the country's immigration policy and provide direction on how the ministry will make policy decisions going forward. In fact, the last mandate letter sent to former Immigration Minister Sean Fraser indicated that the minister wanted to see an aggressive influx of newcomers, with an immigration level plan focused on helping families reunite and Canada's economic growth and post-pandemic recovery. There will also be an announcement of the Immigration Level Plan 2024-2026. In non-election years, Citizenship and Immigration Canada is legally required to publish an immigration level plan by November 1. The immigration level plan outlines targets for the number of permanent resident admissions and then breaks them down by program: economic, family-based, refugee, and humanitarian. The Immigration Level Plan is one of the most important processes for Citizenship and Immigration Canada, as it is based on the Immigration Level Plan that the organization renews or changes its immigration policies. In fact, the 2023-2025 plan states that by the end of 2025, Canada will accept 500,000 new permanent residents per year, 301,250 of which will be through economic immigration and 114,000 through Express Entry. A new plan for the 2024-2026 level, released in November of this year, will give us a better idea of what the changes will be compared to the last baseline. According to Immigration Minister Mark Miller, the immigration level plan will not decrease, so I would expect it to be similar or slightly higher. Breaking down the immigration programs by category can help you understand the year-end roundup. Express Entry has undergone some big changes this year: in May, it introduced six new categories for category-based lotteries, where a candidate's skills or occupation are the primary consideration instead of their Composite Ranking System score (CRS) - a significant departure from the traditional immigration system. According to recent reports, there will be a greater emphasis on applicants with STEM work experience in the future, with 28-31% of Express Entry category-based selection invitations this year expected to go to people in STEM occupations such as software developers and data scientists. Of course, we're also running the traditional Express Entry all-program lottery in parallel, and there's no indication that we'll be reducing that significantly. The Parent and Grandparent Program (PGP) is one of the main topics that comes up every time there is a change in immigration ministers. In 2022, sponsors were only eligible to apply if they were selected through a lottery. In order to clear the massive backlog during the COVID-19 pandemic, the program was only open to those who applied between October 13, 2020 and November 3, 2020. This resulted in 23,100 people receiving invitations in 2022. Under current immigration level projections, the program is expected to accept 28,500 new permanent residents in 2023 under the program, with plans to increase that number to 36,000 by the end of 2025, but based on the September 8 announcement, it will hold a random selection on October 10 for those who applied in 2020, the same as the last selection, sending invitations to a total of 24,000 people, about 4,000 fewer than the targeted number. Beyond that, the rest of the year is likely to see the Department of Immigration busy reviewing and refining the policies it has introduced or is implementing, and it will be interesting to see what the new immigration minister's appointment letter will contain, as it could all depend on the direction it reveals. From everything we've heard so far, it doesn't look like there will be a reduction in immigration numbers, and we can expect to see more stability in category-based selection, more family migration, and more ways to attract more international students. Immigration is likely to be very busy in the run up to Christmas.

The summer of 2023 has been a big one for Express Entry in Canada. The new system has been rolled out as promised, and with a few selections under our belts, we are well on our way to changing the face of the Canadian immigration system. Of course, we're still in the early stages of the new system, so it's impossible to make accurate predictions, but over the past few weeks, we've seen some developments that can help us understand how Express Entry selections will look for the rest of the year. Let's take a look at how Express Entry will look for the rest of 2023. Perhaps the biggest change this year is the introduction of category-based selection, where candidates with specific occupations or skills are selected, as opposed to the traditional nominee system. Previously, Express Entry had only been linked to provincial nominees, including the CEC, FSWP, and FSTP. However, since last year, the government has announced that it will introduce nominees for occupations that require workers to stabilize Canada's labor market and advance the economy, and we are finally seeing the introduction of six new categories of skills and occupations. To help revitalize French-speaking communities, we are now allowing French-speaking individuals with skills in six occupations - health care; science, technology, engineering, or STEM; trades such as carpentry and plumbing; transportation; and agriculture and agri-food manufacturing - to receive an invitation within those categories through Express Entry. This is designed to increase the number of newcomers with work experience in high-demand sectors of the Canadian economy and to revitalize French-speaking minority communities outside of Quebec. While it's still early days, an analysis of recent selections suggests a mix of different types of selections. A Globe and Mail report, which also predicted the percentage of category-based selections this year, found that between 28% and 31% of Citizenship and Immigration Canada's Express Entry invitations will be issued to applicants in the STEM occupation category. The report predicted that immigration would give 11 to 15 percent of all Express Entry invitations to French-speaking applicants, 9 to 12 percent to applicants in healthcare occupations, 3 to 4 percent to people in technical occupations, and 1 percent to applicants in agriculture, agri-food occupations, and transportation. STEAM occupations are currently expected to receive the most invitations, which is part of a number of initiatives to actively attract new technical talent. It looks like they'll be running a mix of category-based and general selections in this way, and since 3,500 candidates were invited through three separate all-program draws even after the actual category-based draws began, it seems even more obvious that all programs will be running in combination. The scores will also be interesting to watch. So far this year, the CRS has ranged from a high of 791 in the PNP-only draw on February 15 to a low of 375 when 3,800 Francophone candidates received invitations on July 12. Since category-based selection began, there has been a difference in CRS scores between the overall program draw and category-based selection: the highest score for category-based selection so far is 486, which is 19 points lower than the lowest overall program score of 505 after the first category-based selection draw on June 28. It's true that category-based selection benefits applicants who have the right job or skill set because they can be selected with a significantly lower score. However, since USCIS says it will still rank candidates and issue invitations to those with the highest scores, having a high CRS score can be interpreted as having a better head start in more than one type of lottery. Either way, it's true that a high score will help you get a green card invitation. Immigration says it will accept more newcomers under the 2023-2025 Immigration Level Plan. It is targeting 109,020 people through Express Entry in 2024 and 114,000 in 2025. The 2023 target is 82,880, but with 73,448 Express Entry candidates already invited this year, the Department of Immigration is on track. Perhaps more Express Entry candidates will receive invitations this year than planned to help meet the 2024 goal. This is because, given that those receiving invitations now have a six-month processing time for their applications, invitations need to be planned for now in order to meet the 2024 target. Therefore, if current selection patterns continue, the remainder of 2023 is likely to be a more even mix of draw types.

In an Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) survey, Canada was ranked as the most attractive country for immigrant founders and entrepreneurs among 24 OECD countries, including the United States, France, and the United Kingdom. The OECD report shows that there is a growing global interest in attracting foreign entrepreneurs to create jobs through business innovation and to spur foreign investment and economic development, and Canada stands out as a leader. Canada is a hotbed for foreign entrepreneurs because it has taken a number of steps to create a favorable environment for new and innovative companies to thrive, including developing an entrepreneurial ecosystem, promoting research and innovation, and making it easier for prospective entrepreneurs to access funding and human capital. One of the reasons for this environment is the ease of obtaining permanent residency. Canada, along with Australia, is one of the first countries to offer permanent residency to startup visa applicants from day one, making it a great choice for entrepreneurs. This has made it a very attractive place for immigrant entrepreneurs to settle, with favorable conditions for doing business. In addition, Canada offers a number of pathways to work permits and permanent residency for migrant entrepreneurs. Immigration programs for entrepreneurs include the federal Start-Up Visa program, the Quebec Entrepreneur Program, and provincial entrepreneur programs. The federal Start-Up Visa program encourages immigrant entrepreneurs to grow their companies in Canada. Applicants who qualify for the program can connect with the Canadian private sector to get the funding and expertise they need to create and run their companies. The Start-Up Visa program, as the name suggests, tends to focus on creative ideas for starting a business. This is because the program itself aims to attract innovative foreign entrepreneurs who will drive economic growth and create new jobs in Canada, so eligibility is less about what you already have in place, such as capital, and more about what you can do. In a nutshell, you need to have a qualifying business, have a letter of support from a designated organization, a language grade of CLB 5 or higher, and sufficient settlement funds based on the size of your family. A business entity is a venture based on an innovative idea, and up to five equity holders may apply for permanent residence. The applicant's shareholding must be at least 10% of the total shareholding, and the applicant and the designated organization must jointly hold at least 50% of the voting rights of the corporation's total shares. As one of the requirements, the letters of support from the designated entities must come from venture capital funds, angel investor groups, and business incubator organizations that are eligible to participate in the Canadian Immigration's designated startup visa program. Through them, the applicant must secure funding for the startup, which requires a minimum investment of $20,000 CAD through venture capital and a minimum of $75,000 CAD through angel investment. In addition, the applicant does not need to secure investment from a business incubator, but must be accepted into the Canadian Business Incubator Program. On the other hand, as a startup, applicants don't have to invest any of their own money, and the big advantage is that if the Canadian startup doesn't succeed, they'll still have permanent residency status. The startup visa program is relatively flexible. While there is a settlement fee requirement, there is no specific threshold for capitalization, as the main goal is to attract entrepreneurs with innovative ideas, so the program is relatively free from investment and capitalization constraints. There are also no residency restrictions, and immigrant entrepreneurs can even apply for a work permit to enter the country first if they have a valid reason. Other options include the Quebec Entrepreneur Program, which is designed to help qualified business owners and managers obtain permanent residency in Canada if they can effectively create or acquire an agricultural, commercial, or industrial business in Quebec, and various entrepreneurial programs run by provincial governments. Most provinces welcome the immigration of qualified businesses and entrepreneurs because they are positive about entrepreneurs creating jobs and contributing to the economic vitality of Canada through start-ups. If you have the passion, ideas, and entrepreneurial flair, there are many avenues open to you to establish yourself as an entrepreneur in Canada with support.

In an ideal world, everyone who applies to immigrate to Canada would have a flawless case, but in the real world, we often encounter unforeseen issues along the way. Mistakes such as missing documents or computer errors can cause delays that extend the processing of your application well beyond the posted timeframe, which can be an exhausting and emotionally draining experience for those waiting. If you're experiencing difficulties with your immigration application, there is a judicial remedy that allows you to actively expedite your application instead of just waiting. It's called a petition for mandamus in Korean and a writ of mandamus in the original English. It's a request for a court to order a government agency, including immigration, to make a decision within a specified period of time. However, this legal remedy doesn't work in all cases of delay, as it must be sufficiently proven that the delay was unreasonable and that you suffered harm. In fact, two recent Canadian federal court cases involved the same request for a delay in processing an immigration application and received different outcomes. In one, where the court ordered a remedy, the applicant and his family's application for permanent residency, filed in 2016, had not yet been processed. The family submitted their application through Express Entry and was nominated by the provincial government under the PNP in 2017. They updated their profile with Citizenship and Immigration Canada shortly thereafter to continue their application, but were never notified of the outcome of the processing, and had been asking Citizenship and Immigration Canada for expedited processing on several occasions since 2018. When they did not receive a response or outcome, they sought legal relief, and the court found that the delay of over six years without any notice was unreasonable. The court found that the family's power of attorney petition was sufficient, and if the processing was going to be delayed for an extended period of time, USCIS should have shown good cause. Therefore, the court required USCIS to complete the processing of the family's application within 90 days of its decision and ordered them to pay $1,000 as compensation for the delay without good cause or explanation. There was one other similar case, but this time the outcome was different. A study abroad applicant filed a petition for a writ of mandate, but it was denied. The applicant in this case received his bachelor's and master's degrees from a Chinese university and was accepted into a doctoral program at the University of British Columbia. In 2021, he submitted an application for a study permit. However, a delay in the decision prompted him to file a petition for a writ of mandate with the court. The court's decision was that the applicant could not prove that he suffered serious hardship due to the delay because he was able to start the program remotely from China. Furthermore, he did not meet the requirements for a finding that he was deprived of the opportunity to study, so the writ of mandate in question could not be accepted. What this line of cases suggests is that a petition for a writ of mandamus is an extraordinary remedy that is available only if certain conditions are met, including a showing of prejudice from administrative delay and that the circumstances of the delay are unreasonable. As exemplified by case law, the conditions and requirements for a writ of mandamus petition to be valid can be difficult to achieve, and the courts will only step in where there is serious inconvenience to the applicant and no other adequate remedy is available. Therefore, if your immigration application is seriously delayed, a writ of mandamus may be one way to resolve it, but it should be viewed as a last resort that is not generally available. There are a number of steps you can take before petitioning for a writ of mandamus when your immigration case is delayed. If you are experiencing a backlog in your processing, we recommend trying these first. The first thing to do is to make sure that your documents, programs, etc. are up to date and current. The estimated wait times for immigration processing are listed on the Citizenship and Immigration Canada website and can be viewed individually, so you should check your status first. You can also ask questions online on the Citizenship and Immigration Canada website or call customer service. If you feel that the response is inadequate or lacking, you can also ask your local Member of Parliament to provide a status update. You can also request Access to Information and Privacy (ATIP) online from within the webpage, which will give you more information, including the current status of your documents. If all of these efforts do not result in a clear and unexplained delay in processing your immigration case, you can hire an attorney to submit a formal request through USCIS's web form. You can include an explanation of how the delay has seriously affected you and what you've been trying to do to get your case processed. If that doesn't work, the next step is to petition for a writ of mandate. USCIS is currently trying to make immigration processing faster and more accurate, and through computerization, they are trying to communicate processing times more accurately. However, there are still times when it takes unreasonably longer than the expected processing time, which may be a normal processing delay, but if it's more than that, it's a good idea to try some of the steps mentioned. If you've exhausted all of them and nothing is working, that's when you might want to consider a petition for writ of mandamus.

Starting in September 2023, a three-year Recognized Employer Pilot (REP) will be implemented. This is a temporary program that will allow employers who have been approved for three or more LMIAs for the same position in the last five years to quickly and easily obtain a longer valid LMIA. Those who qualify will be known as Recognized Employers, and only those with this level of credibility will be able to take advantage of the program. It will also not be available to all occupations, but only those that have been designated as labour shortages in Canada. Let's take a look at some of the details of the program and which occupations employers and workers will be able to take advantage of in the future. The Registered Employer Pilot, or REP, is a three-year temporary program. The idea is to help employers who are struggling to find and hire workers in shortage occupations quickly, as well as to reduce the administrative burden of approving LMIAs in those occupations and minimize the approval timeframe. As a result, employers who meet the requirements of the REP will have better access to labor in the future. In particular, while the existing LMIA is valid for two years for low-wage employment, those who meet the conditions of the Authorized Employer Pilot Program will be granted up to 36 months, and the application process will be streamlined to save a lot of hassle. In addition, since April of this year, LMIA applications have gone online, with an online portal that allows employers to apply for a waiver if they are unable to complete the LMIA application process. However, there are a limited number of shortage occupations that qualify for the program, which can be found on the USCIS website. The occupations have been divided into two groups based on their effective dates: the first group, which is effective immediately in September 2023, focuses on agricultural and livestock workers, primarily those who work on farms. After a pilot program for these workers, the second group, effective January 2024, includes healthcare and technical occupations, as well as a variety of other occupations, including chefs and food service workers. And while occupational categories are important, there are a few conditions you must meet to become an authorized employer: First, you must have been approved for at least three LMIAs in the last five years for positions in labor shortage occupations. Second, you must not have a history of violating any of your obligations, including employer compliance, while in the Temporary Foreign Worker Program (TFWP). Finally, you must agree to abide by the conditions and obligations of your LMIA approval in the Temporary Foreign Worker Program (TFWP). If you meet all of these conditions, you are eligible to become an authorized employer. However, even if you meet all the conditions, you will not be eligible if First, if you have ever been denied LMIA approval; second, if you have ever been found in violation of employer compliance; third, if there is a credible allegation that you have endangered the health and safety of temporary foreign workers; fourth, if you failed to meet the requirements at the time of your audit; or fifth, if the occupations in the field you are applying for no longer meet the LMIA. If any of these apply to you, you will not be able to benefit from the Authorized Employer Pilot Program. The new pilot program will make it easier and faster to get LMIA approval in shortage occupations, which will help a wide range of people find employment and stabilize the labour market, especially since much sought-after occupations such as dental and dental technician assistants, food service supervisors, cooks, butchers, food and beverage servers and counter staff, and kitchen helpers will be eligible for the program starting in January 2024. This is a huge boost to the Canadian economy and will have a positive impact on both individuals and those looking to move to Canada in the long term. We encourage employers and job seekers alike to check their eligibility to ensure they don't miss out on the benefits.

On July 26, Marc Miller, a member of Parliament from Quebec, was sworn in as the new Immigration Minister of Canada, succeeding former Immigration Minister Sean Fraser. Many people are wondering how the new Immigration Minister will affect the existing immigration programs. In this column, we'll try to get to know the new Immigration Minister, Marc Miller, and what we can expect from him as he moves forward with immigration policy. Current Immigration Minister Mark Miller, who has a long-standing relationship with Canadian Prime Minister Trudeau, was a lawyer before entering politics, as was former Minister Sean Fraser, which means he has a good understanding of immigration law and its practical application. As a member of the House of Commons, he has demonstrated that he cares about the public's well-being by working to secure federal funding for affordable housing and public transit in Montreal, as well as expanding childcare benefits for middle-class families. He has also demonstrated a pro-indigenous streak by speaking in an aboriginal language in a speech to the Canadian House of Commons, which leads us to believe that he will continue to implement immigration policy in a manner that is friendly to the public and minorities. Once an immigration minister is appointed, the prime minister lays out the goals of immigration policy that he or she wants the minister to achieve. In fact, in December 2021, Prime Minister Trudeau presented former Prime Minister Sean Fraser with an immigration policy that included raising immigration level targets, improving the application process for newcomers, reforming Express Entry and strengthening the means of immigration for family reunification, and promoting immigration to French-speaking Canada. Presumably, a similar list of policies will be presented to the new immigration minister. But before that happens, we think it's worthwhile to pick the brains of current and potential immigrants about what they would like to see improved, so let's take a look at where we think the new immigration minister should take Canada's immigration program in the future. Previous immigration ministers have made changes to make Canada's immigration program more effective, but it still needs to focus on bringing more qualified people to Canada as newcomers faster. An aging population and a declining birthrate threaten to undermine Canada's stability. Moreover, the past experience of multiple immigration program disruptions and delays means that we must focus even more on running an effective immigration program in the future. This must be accompanied by improvements to the technology that delivers our programs. Already, we have awarded IT contracts to several technology companies to improve our systems and streamline application processing, and we have awarded an initial $85.4 million contract for a new client platform to provide a more user-friendly interface for applicants to access our programs and services. The technology is expected to be implemented as early as the fall of 2023, and with its introduction will come significant reforms to existing immigration programs. It is also hoped that it will serve as a means to facilitate more two-way communication with immigration authorities. We also hope that technology improvements will allow USCIS to process documents faster. Currently, the processing time for citizenship and permanent resident cards is 19 months and 95 days, respectively. In addition, the hassle of preparing permanent residence renewal documents is also not easy. These obstacles have a negative impact on international exchange and free economic activity, so it is important to shorten the processing time for existing citizens and permanent residents. In addition, further efforts are needed to ensure the smooth operation of the recently introduced new Express Entry program. To date, the categories invited through category-based selection are healthcare, STEM, French-speakers, and trades, but there is a skew toward certain categories. Canada needs talent in all of these categories, but the number of categories is still limited, so we need to make the program work better. It's still early days and we don't know how it will work out, but it seems like there needs to be a good balance of criteria between each category. The arrival of a new minister also brings new expectations, and while we can't jump to any conclusions because we're just getting started, we hope that the new immigration program will be reformed with a balanced perspective. One that offers hope to a wider range of people, and one that is more beneficial to the Canadian economy and society.

To celebrate the 60th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Korea and Canada, the two countries agreed to make their youth exchange programs more active. The most prominent policy was the expansion of the Canadian Working Holiday, and more details were recently announced by the Korean Ministry of Foreign Affairs. In this column, we will discuss the details of the new Korean-Canadian youth exchange program, Working Holiday, based on the Ministry of Foreign Affairs announcement. First of all, the requirements of Working Holiday, which was previously implemented for Koreans, were that young adults between the ages of 18 and 30 could obtain a working holiday visa to live and work in Canada for one year. The number of people who can take advantage of Working Holiday is limited by each country, and Korea has been able to take advantage of the program for 4,000 people each year. Although this is not a small number, it is true that it was limited compared to countries such as Australia, which does not have a limit. However, this revision has greatly increased the benefits for Koreans in several ways. First, the program's cap has been tripled to 12,000, opening the door for a large number of applicants to live and work in Canada each year. With the previous cap of 4,000, there were only around 12,000 applicants, so we can be optimistic that the majority of applicants will be selected and able to access the program. Second, there are more programs available. Originally, Working Holiday was one of the programs under the International Experience Canada (IEC) program. IEC is made up of three sub-programs: Working Holiday as we know it, Young Professionals, and International Co-op. In Korea, only the Working Holiday was available, but the other two programs are now available. While there are no other application requirements beyond the basic age limit, the biggest difference between Working Holiday and the other two programs is the presence of a job offer. While you can apply for Working Holiday without a job offer, Next Generation Professionals and International Internships require a job offer. Third, the age limit has been expanded. Originally, Koreans could apply between the ages of 18 and 30. While other countries already had working holiday programs available up to the age of 35, Korea had a relatively low age limit of 30, and with this revision, applicants of an older age will be able to take advantage of the Canada Youth Exchange Program. Fourth, the length of stay has been extended. Previously, working students could only live in Canada for one year, but with the revisions, they can now live in Canada for up to two years at a time for one program. Previously, when you could only live for one year, it was practically impossible to get a year of work experience through a working holiday. If you completed a year of work experience in Canada, you would be eligible to apply for an immigration program such as Express Entry, but due to practical constraints, you would have to get a work permit again in a different way. Now that the constraints have been removed, you have more options after completing a year of work experience. Fifth, the program is now extendable. I mentioned earlier that the length of the program has been extended, and on top of that, you can now extend it one additional time. This means that you can stay in Canada for an additional two years on top of the two years you already have, for a total of four years. However, you can only extend the same program once, so for example, if you were on Working Holiday, you can extend Working Holiday, and if you were on the Next Generation Professionals program, you can extend Next Generation Professionals. We don't know if it will be possible to cross-over between the Working Holiday and Next Generation Professionals programs, so we can't say for sure. Unless we hear more, we don't expect it to be possible to cross-over to other programs at this time. We will provide more details as we learn more. The new working holiday program will be implemented from 2024. The ultimate goal of the changes is to facilitate the exchange of young people between Korea and Canada and to increase economic and cultural experiences. I have high hopes that young people in Korea will be able to develop themselves through more experiences and be more proactive in finding positive answers to their career aspirations.

We've explained many times before that Canada's immigration program is designed to fill Canada's workforce needs. The Government of Canada and Citizenship and Immigration Canada are committed to Canada's economic development and labor market stability, and we want to make sure we have the right people in our workforce to become permanent residents, so we're making changes to our immigration program to make it easier for people to get approved for immigration if they're in a job that Canada needs. The introduction of Express Entry category-based selection is something that we're doing, but it's a concept that's already pretty familiar in provincial immigration programs. Take the BC PNP, for example. It's called Targeted Draw, which means that applicants in certain occupations are targeted and invitations are sent out frequently to applicants with lower scores. There are 29 British Columbia-designated occupations that fall under this program, including Early Childhood Teaching, Healthcare, and IT. Early Childhood Teaching and Healthcare in particular are relatively easier, with a cut-off score of 60, compared to the general cut-off score of 106. Early childhood teaching is a particularly challenging field. There are many schools in Canada that already have early childhood education programs, and it doesn't take long to complete your studies (one to two years), and graduation leads to a certificate, so many people choose it. It's also not difficult to find a job after graduation, so it's highly desirable. It's even easier if you're already certified as an early childhood teacher. As long as you have residency status and an address in Canada for at least six months, all you need to do is convert your Saskatchewan certificate to a British Columbia Early Childhood Teacher Certificate. Then, once you get a job and complete one year of work experience, you will be eligible to apply for permanent residency through the BC PNP. With so many people choosing to immigrate as early childhood teachers for a variety of reasons, let's take a look at some real-life immigration success stories to see how they were able to prepare and build their points. There are three examples: A, a woman in her mid-20s who came to Canada on a working holiday; B, a woman in her 30s who came as a study abroad mom and became a permanent resident; and finally, a man in his 40s who was able to make up for his lack of points with regional points. First, we have A, who came to Canada on a working holiday and decided to immigrate to Canada based on her experience. She graduated from a four-year university in South Korea and had a completely different career path. Since she was still young and had time on her hands, she decided to pursue an early childhood education program, completed her studies, and then applied for a job through LMIA. After completing the one-year requirement, she received 15 points for her degree, an additional 5 points for graduating from a British Columbia school, 24 points for her employment and work experience, and 61 points for her English language and hourly wage. This was just over the cutoff, as 60 points is usually the latest published cutoff, but it could have been a bit more difficult if she hadn't attended a local school. Ms. B had three years of experience as an early childhood teacher in South Korea and graduated from a four-year university. Ms. B had three years of experience as an early childhood teacher in South Korea and graduated from a four-year university. She chose to come to Canada for her child's education, but after considering her child's education and future, she decided to pursue permanent residency. She transferred her early childhood teaching certificate to Saskatchewan and was hired as an LMIA to work as a local early childhood teacher. After completing one year of work experience, she had four years of total work experience and scored 36 points, and with her hourly wage, English grades, and bachelor's degree, she scored a total of 66 points and was granted permanent residency. Mr. C was an older man compared to the previous two applicants, and while his decision to come to Canada at such a late age was challenging, his choice of location - Victoria rather than Vancouver - proved to be a godsend. He was applying with one year of work experience after earning his early childhood assistant certification in Canada, and with a score of 54 minus the regional points, he would not have been able to reach the approved score for permanent residency if he had not received the regional points awarded to areas outside of Vancouver. Luckily, she received an additional 25 points for living and working in Victoria, giving her a score of 79, which was enough to get her permanent residency. As you can see, there are different starting points and different processes, with appropriate steps to follow. As a result, even if you're aiming for the same permanent residency, your situation and the ways you can prepare for it will be different. If you don't have enough points right away, there are many ways to make up for it, such as using local points like Mr. C above, or getting extra points for graduating from a local school like Mr. A above. Furthermore, as Canada's immigration system increasingly focuses on the right jobs and skills, it's even more important for early childhood teachers to think about how to get a better path to permanent residency.

The world is experiencing rapid development of advanced technologies such as AI, big data, and mobile technology. In this situation, any country needs more specialized manpower and technology in the field to develop a competitive industrial structure. In particular, science and technology is a field that directly leads to the development of high-value-added products. which directly leads to the development of high value-added products. Canada, for example, has is making large-scale capital investments and attracting more highly skilled workers to develop its science and technology industries. and attracting more skilled workers. Canada is therefore a great place to work if you're a professional in what is often referred to as STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math). Canada already has a number of immigration programs to choose from to attract global STEM talent through a number of pathways, but recently, we've made a concerted effort to attract more talent from these fields. to attract talent from these fields. Most notably, we recently implemented Express Entry category-based selection. Category-based selection is the practice of categorizing Express Entry applicants by specific categories of Express Entry applicants and prioritize those with the highest permanent residency scores in those categories. Canada's labor shortage and economic development. Categories are defined by Citizenship and Immigration Canada and are subject to change through consultation, but the sectors announced at launch include healthcare, STEM, skilled trades, transportation, and agriculture and agri-food. Healthcare was prioritized first, followed by STEM and STEM, and then French-speakers. Although I'm sure we'll be selecting the sectors that haven't been selected yet, Healthcare and STEM are two of the most in-demand sectors in Canada and we're eager to bring on professionals in these sectors. urgent need for professionals. For candidates in STEM fields, Citizenship and Immigration Canada announced on July 5 an Express The cut-off for permanent residency was 486 on the Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS). System (CRS) was 486 points, which is significantly higher than the regular Express Entry selection prior to the introduction of category-based selection. People in these occupations' work experience, education, and language skills were at the top of the Express Entry application pool, and we limited the total number of invitations to 500. scores were most likely due to the fact that they were at the top of the Express Entry application pool and the 500-person limit. This category-centered approach to selection will provide more permanent residency opportunities for STEM workers. programs that we already have in place, including the Global Talent Stream. Global Talent Stream (GTS). For those working in IT This is a work permit issuance method for foreign nationals that provides work permit processing as an attribute for professionals in science and technology. The program is divided into two categories, A and B. Category A is for foreign nationals working in IT, and Category B is for professionals working in science and technology. Category A is for high-growth companies that can demonstrate a need to hire unique specialized talent from abroad. To take advantage of this, employers must be introduced to GTS through a designated partner. through a designated partner. Category B is for employers looking to hire skilled workers in designated occupations and in areas where there is an insufficient labor supply. Most of the occupations that qualify are science, technology, engineering, and math occupations, so STEM workers are eligible for Category B. In addition, the province of Quebec, which has an independent provincial immigration program, has also facilitated the issuance of work permits for STEM workers. for STEM workers, as well as a new program to facilitate Canadian work permits for H1-B visa holders from the United States. H1-B visa holders in the U.S., and introducing a new program to make it easier for them to obtain a Canadian work permit. work permit to move to Canada. What the Canadian government hopes to do with this It seems so obvious. It has a very simple and straightforward objective: it wants skilled workers to contribute to Canada's scientific and economic development. simple and straightforward objective. In other words, if you're looking to move to Canada and you're currently working in science, technology, engineering, and math fields, this is great news. You'll be able to work faster and in more ways, and even permanent residency may be easier than you think. This means that it's time to change the way we think about to move to Canada. If you're in a STEM field, the barriers to moving to Canada barriers to immigration can be quite low.

On May 31, Canada's immigration minister announced the addition of category-based selection to Express Entry. We actually saw the new program in action with three fast-track invitations between June 28 and July 6. We saw the new immigration program in action on June 28, with the first round of selection for applicants with healthcare applicants with a cutoff of 476 points, the second was for STEM occupations with 500 applicants with a cutoff of 486 points. 500 with a cutoff of 486, and on July 6, we sent invitations to 1,500 healthcare applicants again with a cutoff of 463. Compared to the previous cutoff of 486, the healthcare sector, excluding STEM, had a slightly lower cutoff. You can see that the cutoff was slightly lower for healthcare, excluding STEM, compared to the previous cutoff of 486. 4,000 applicants, we invited only 700 applicants through regular Express Entry, and the score jumped to 511, as opposed to 4,000 after the first Healthcare category selection, with only 700 invited through regular Express Entry. While it's still too early to tell, it's clear that the category-based selection process is giving those who have met the It's clear that those who meet the criteria are definitely in a better position to be selected. Also, the immigration level If the total number of immigrants is adjusted based on the premise of following the plan, it is likely that having the right qualifications for a particular occupation will increase the will increase the chances of immigration success. However, this does not mean that the immigration selection trend has been finalized. and we're going to be trying a lot of different things for a while to get it right, and I think that's going to give us a better understanding of how the program works. we'll be able to understand more about how the program works, so for now, it's best to take a more informed approach to see what categories you can apply for. The new Express Entry category-based selection is a way for immigration to match applicants to categories based on their French language skills and occupations. based on their French language skills and occupation. There are six categories in total except for French language proficiency, the other five are based on occupational classifications. The occupational categories are, healthcare, STEM (science technology engineering and math), skilled trades such as carpentry and plumbing, transportation, and agriculture and agribusiness. agribusiness, and transportation. These are all occupations that are currently in short supply in Canada. These are all areas that are currently in short supply in Canada and are determined by immigration based on economic and regional needs. Transportation. Healthcare and STEM are areas where we've already done recruitment and are relatively familiar to Koreans. but transportation jobs are still relatively unknown. But transportation is an integral part of the Canadian economy in the Canadian economy, and it's a job that is highly valued. According to Employment and According to Employment and Social Development Canada, the number of industries facing labor shortages is expected to double between 2019 and 2021. And with a declining birthrate and a growing retirement population, Canada is faced with the prospect of importing more workers from abroad. from abroad as a solution to the problem, and we held a public consultation to determine how to focus on bringing much-needed talent to Canada. The public consultation process, which gathered input from a wide range of stakeholders and the public, provided concrete answers. We got a concrete answer: about 16% of the categories mentioned at the time were trade, transportation and equipment operation and related The transportation sector is currently facing an urgent need to address its workforce supply and demand. the transportation sector is currently facing an urgent labor shortage. During the Express Entry category-based selection, only a few qualifications are required to be in the transportation category. You must meet the eligibility criteria for one of the three primary Express Entry pathways: skilled worker (FSW), experienced worker (CEC), and skilled trades (FST). However, the work experience requirement is relatively easy, requiring a minimum of six months of work experience in the last three years. You only need to have at least six months of work experience to qualify. Meanwhile, the Canadian government has defined scope of the transportation industry consists of 10 occupations, including: aircraft assemblers and aircraft Assembly inspectors, haulage truck drivers, rail traffic controllers and marine traffic controllers, and water transportation engineer officers, water transportation deck officers, air traffic controllers and related occupations, airline pilots and flight engineers, and flight instructors, aircraft mechanics and aircraft inspectors, railroad drivers, and transportation managers. It's hard to tell from the Express Entry selection results so far, but if category-based selection becomes more established category-based selection becomes more prevalent, your choice of occupation could make or break your immigration success in the future. To immigrate to Canada, First and foremost, it's probably best to have a good understanding of the occupational categories that Canada has a need for. Otherwise, you'll have a harder time getting in. Otherwise, you can apply for Express Entry with 600 points through the PNP, a provincial nominee program run by the provincial government. Another option is to try to increase your chances of success through the PNP, a provincial nominee program. It's important to note that provincial governments are increasingly favoring immigrants based on their current occupation. will help you in the long run. Perhaps one of them is the aforementioned transportation industry occupy. Looking at favorable occupations first, now immigrating to Canada would be a pretty significant attempt to accelerate your success.