Canadian Initiatives, Rule Changes Lean Into Immigration

As states and provinces across Canada lean into global immigration efforts, initiatives include higher education research and development funding as well as some changes in rules and policies. The country’s investment initiatives and rule changes are intended to maintain a strong immigration system in the present and to develop a solid workforce for the future.

Increased education funding involves a range of institutions. Rule and policy changes affect Manitoba, Saskatchewan and Ontario.

At universities and institutions of higher learning all across the country, significant R&D investments ensure “Canada’s continuance as a leading education destination and research hub,” according to a CanadaVisa report. Toronto’s Ryerson University, McGill University in Montreal and Holland College in Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island have each received significant funding in 2017 for a range of projects. These include:

• Ryerson University with a federal investment of $128.000 targeted for aerospace research at the university, including the creation of a test facility for aerospace vehicles
• McGill University with a total investment of more than $204 million spread across nine projects at the school, including for the improvement of infrastructure for research and training
• Holland College with investment of more than $4 million from federal and provincial governments for upgrading research and training space at the Prince of Wales campus in Charlottetown

Speaking on news of the investments, head of Innovation, Science and Economic Development in Canada, Minister Navdeep Bains says in a press release, “This historic investment by the Government of Canada is a down payment on the government’s vision to position Canada as a global centre for innovation.” Bains continues his statement by making the case that these investments make “Canada a world leader in turning ideas into solutions, science into technologies, skills into middle-class jobs and start-up companies into global successes.”

In terms of rule and policy changes in the country, states and provinces are working to improve the existing immigration system and to build on those aspects that ensure continuous improvement for all parties involved.

In the central Canadian province of Manitoba, for instance, the program designed to help employers in Manitoba find foreign talent to complement their existing workforce, the Manitoba Provincial Nominee Program (MPNP), invited 313 Skilled Workers to Apply for Immigration on March 16 Draw.

MPNP officials actively work to find skilled foreign nationals interested in relocating to Manitoba with their families. Immigrants in the country through MPNP can apply to the government for permanent resident status.

In another province, the Saskatchewan Immigrant Nominee Program (SINP)  has introduced a new application fee of $300 beginning April 1, which include The Express Entry and Occupations In-Demand Immigration Sub-Categories.

• Affected sub-categories include all of these workers:
• Those looking to live and work in the province.
• Those included in the Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) Express Entry Pool.
• Those who meet the sub-category criteria. While the criteria can change at any time, SINP applies the parameters required at the time of application submission.

Officials with the province of Ontario has tweaked the immigration system thereby clarifying the registration and application process for the Human Capital Priorities (HCP) Stream of the Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program (OINP) centering on a new online process that includes deadlines for registration and application.

For immigrants using OINP, clarifications include both of these:

• Notice of Interest (NOI)– an invitation by government officials interested in immigrating to Canada– is valid for six months, the time frame allowed for candidates to enter their profile for the HCP Stream in the online portal.
• After completion of profile registration for the HCP Stream, candidates must submit their completed applications to the HCP Stream within 14 days.

With each of Canada’s investments, rule changes and clarifications, the country continues to open its doors to immigrants from around the world in an effort to make the country stronger and to maintain its global leadership role.