Asian Journal- The Filipino-American Community Newspaper

ON June 26, 2010, the Federal Government made big changes to the Federal Skilled Worker Program. One of the biggest changes is to the Government’s list of eligible occupations. Several of the most popular job categories were taken off the list, plus several new ones were added. Some of the new occupations include: dental hygienist & dental therapists, dentists, and social workers.

Another big change affects the most popular jobs that are still included on this list. There is now a yearly cap of 20,000 applications that will be considered for processing. Furthermore, only 1,000 applications per eligible occupation will be considered for processing yearly. The immigration year will span from June 26, 2010 to June 30, 2011. This means that applicants must get their materials together quickly, as the eligible occupations will quickly reach the maximum threshold.

Although there have been big changes to the Program, it is still the fastest way to immigrate to Canada. Applications under this program are taking 6 to 12 months to process. There are essentially three qualifications.

1. In order to apply, without first arranging for employment in Canada, an Applicant must have one year of full time experience in an occupation that is on the Government’s list. The Government has created a list of 29 eligible jobs.

2. An applicant must also be able to garner at least 67 adaptability points.

3. Finally, an applicant must be able to prove to the Canadian Government that they possess the requisite settlement funds. The amount of settlement funds an applicant must have depends on the size of their family.

For those who either miss the deadline or no longer qualify under the Federal Skilled Worker Program, there are still alternatives. One of the most popular alternatives is called the Alberta Immigrant Nominee Program. A great option within this program exists for those on current American work visas. Essentially foreign workers in the United States of America must have one year experience on an H-1B, H-1B1, H-1C, or E-3 and have a job on the Alberta Government’s occupation list.

A great thing about applying through the Alberta Immigrant Nominee Program is that, unlike the Federal Skilled Worker Program, there is no requirement that an applicant take the IELTS exam (English language testing) and the applicant does not have to have a set amount of settlement funds.

Canada is offering Permanent Residency to those that are approved for the Alberta Immigrant Nominee Program. Canadian Permanent Residents have access to most of the social benefits available to Canadian Citizens, including free health care coverage. Permanent Residents can also live and work anywhere in Canada with minor exceptions, this means that the applicant is not tied to a specific employer. Permanent Residents can also apply for full Canadian Citizenship after three years of living full time in Canada.

Another great element about both the Federal Skilled Worker Program and the Alberta Program is that Permanent Residency is not merely given to the principal applicant. A qualifying spouse and dependent children are also given full Permanent Residency. This means that the applicant’s spouse and their dependent children have the ability to work and study in Canada.