From Far & Wide Immigration Inc.

Canada's Express Entry system received a significant update with the introduction of category-based selection. This new approach aims to enhance the immigration process by providing more tailored pathways for skilled workers to become permanent residents. Express Entry is Canada's flagship program for managing the intake of skilled workers who wish to immigrate and become permanent residents . It operates through a comprehensive ranking system, where eligible candidates are awarded points based on factors such as age, education, language proficiency, and work experience. These points are used to determine an individual's Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score, which ultimately influences their chances of receiving an Invitation to Apply (ITA) for permanent residency. Under the new category-based selection system, candidates in the Express Entry pool are grouped into different categories based on their skills and attributes. These categories are designed to align with Ca...

The federal government along with Canadian provinces and territories are updating their minimum wage per hour in regular intervals. Usually, the increase reflects the annual inflation rate. Time to have a look at the minimum wage across Canada! The following table shows the current minimum wage across Canada and its respective effective date: Province / Territory Current Minimum Wage Effective Date Federal $ 18.15 April 1, 2026 Alberta $ 15.00 October 1, 2018 British Columbia $ 18.25 June 1, 2026 Manitoba $ 16.40 October 1, 2026 New Brunswick $ 15.90 April 1, 2026 Newfoundland and Labrador $ 16.35 April 1, 2026 Northwest Territories $ 17.20 September 1, 2026 Nova Scotia $ 17.00 October 1, 2026 Nunavut $ 20.17 September 1, 2026 Ontario $ 17.95 October 1, 2026 Prince Edward Island $ 17.30 October 1, 2026 Quebec $ 16.60 May 1, 2026 Saskatchewan $ 15.70 October 1, 2026 Yukon $ 18.51 April 1, 2026 Federal Minimum Wage The federal minimum wage is...

A permanent resident is someone who has been given permanent resident status by immigrating to Canada. This includes refugees who are resettled from overseas through the Government-Assisted Refugee Program or the Private Sponsorship of Refugees Program. A permanent resident is not a Canadian citizen. Permanent residents are citizens of other countries. A person in Canada temporarily, like a student or foreign worker, is not a permanent resident. Permanent resident (PR) status does not expire. Even if you haven’t lived in Canada for many years, you could still be a PR!  What permanent residents can do As a permanent resident, you have the right to: get most social benefits that Canadian citizens receive, including health care coverage, live, work or study anywhere in Canada, apply for Canadian citizenship, protection under Canadian law and the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms. Permanent residents must pay taxes and respect all Canadian laws at the federal, provincial and muni...

International Experience Canada (IEC) is a reciprocal program that gives youth the opportunity to travel and work in Canada for up to 3 years. Young adults aged 18 to 35 can participate in the program under the following categories: Working Holiday ( open work permit ) Young Professional (employer-specific "closed" work permit for jobs contributing to professional development) International co-op (employer-specific work permit for student internship terms) Who Can Apply Citizens of partner countries may be able to apply to one or more of these three categories. Citizens of other countries may still be able to apply to the IEC program through a Recognized Organization  (RO).  The number of participations and length of work permit depend on the applicant's country of citizenship. While some countries allow repeat participations in the same or a different category, others are limited to one participation. The length of work permit under the IEC program can vary from 6 mont...

Immigration minister Marc Miller has announced new restrictions for open work permits (OWP) in order to address labour shortages in Canada. Family members of foreign workers and international students in Canada are only eligible to apply for their own work permits in specific situations. Time to look at these options in more detail! Terminology Foreign nationals, who are neither citizens nor permanent residents of Canada, require a valid work permit to legally work in Canada. There are generally two options to obtain a work permit: the Temporary Foreign Worker Program (TFWP), wherein the Canadian employer applies for a Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) in order to hire a foreign worker, and the International Mobility Program (IMP), which covers various exemptions that let employers hire a foreign worker without an LMIA. LMIA-based work permits and most LMIA-exempt work permits are employer specific. This means that the foreign national can only work for the employer named on thei...

Citizenship is the culmination of an immigration journey and a major highlight for those who made it to the finish line. Did you know that Canada's passport ranked 8th most powerful in the world? As of 2022, Canadian passport holders can visit 185 countries visa-free. Eligibility In order to apply for Canadian citizenship, you need to become a permanent resident (PR) first. After living in Canada for at least 3 years (1,095 days to be exact) within the past 5 years, you can submit your citizenship application. Typically, you will also need to have filed your taxes, pass a citizenship and prove your language skills in English or French. Canada allows multiple citizenship but it will depend on your home country's policies if you're able to keep your citizenship and become a dual citizen. Application Process As Canada is modernizing its immigration system, applications for adults can now be submitted online. If you want to apply with a minor, you can only apply on paper at the...

NOC 2021 With the implementation of the new NOC 2021, the federal and provincial governments are updating the requirements for their immigration programs. British Columbia (BC) used this opportunity to revise their Provincial Nominee Program's (PNP) Skills Immigration in order to strengthen the integrity of the program while protecting the safety of British Columbians. Applications received before November 16, 2022 will continue to be processed using NOC 2016. All registrations and applications submitted on or after November 16, 2022 will now use NOC 2021. The general eligibility criteria were updated to reflect the new Training, Experience, Education and Responsibilities (TEER) categories of the NOC 2021 rather than the Skill levels of the previous NOC 2016. If those eligibility criteria are met, a candidate can register for the BC PNP Skills Immigration and receive a score based on human capital factors. A registration is considered an expression of interest to be considered for ...