JAMAICA2CANADA

Dear Mr Brown,

I heard that Canada will be resuming the Express Entry programme this summer. I am wondering when the best time would be to start the process. Should I wait until the summer or start preparing from now?

-SS

Dear SS:

The Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Sean Fraser recently made several announcements regarding Express Entry, Postgraduate Work Permits, visitor status and other changes.

Express Entry

Travel restrictions throughout the pandemic caused delayed processing of overseas applications and a corresponding backlog. As such, invitations to apply under the federal high-skilled streams, including the Canadian experience class, federal skilled worker class and federal skilled trades class, were temporarily placed on hold.

The positive news is that Express Entry draws will resume and that invitations for candidates to apply for permanent residence will begin in July 2022. The majority of new applications should be processed within the six-month standard period. The backlog is slowly being resolved as well. In response to your question, I would recommend you begin your preparations as soon as possible.

International student graduates

There will be a new temporary policy that will give recent international graduates with expiring temporary status an opportunity to stay in Canada longer, to increase their chances of qualifying for permanent residency.

Accordingly, former international students who are in Canada and who have a postgraduation work permit expiring between January and December 2022 will qualify for an additional open work permit of up to 18 months.

Work permits for visitors

A temporary public policy implemented in August 2020 allowed foreign nationals (in Canada as visitors) to be eligible to apply for an employer-specific work permit without having to leave Canada. This temporary public policy has been extended to February 28, 2023.

Permanent resident pathway

New measures were announced for those who applied for permanent residence through the temporary resident to permanent resident pathway last year. The programme was launched to invite a broad range of individuals already working in Canada to apply to stay permanently.

Taking effect this summer, the policy changes announced today include:

• Applicants will no longer be required to remain in Canada while their application is being processed

• Applicants who apply for an open work permit while waiting for their permanent residence application to be finalised will be able to get work permits valid until the end of 2024.

• To support family reunification, immediate family members who are outside Canada and who were included in a principal applicant’s permanent residence application will be eligible for their own open work permit.

Please visit JAMAICA2CANADA.COM for additional information on Canadian Permanent Residence programs, including Express Entry, The Study & Work program, Visas or Appeals, etc.

Antonn Brown, BA, (Hons), LLB, MSc, RCIC, is an immigration counsel and an accredited Canadian education agent of JAMAICA2CANADA.COM—a Canadian immigration & education firm in Kingston. Send questions/comments to documents.jamaica2canada@gmail.com