Stories From The Shadows

Australia Thursday announced a plan to reform its immigration system in order to expand pathways to permanent residency for temporary skilled workers in the country. By the end of the year, qualified professionals who have obtained a short-term visa will have a pathway to apply for permanent residency, Home Affairs Minister Clare O’Neil said in a statement, “Our migration success story is rooted in permanency and citizenship. Giving people the chance to get established in their community, educate their kids, and become Australian,” she said. Under this measure, Temporary Skill Shortage (TSS) short stream visa holders will be able to apply for permanent residency in the Oceania country, which currently has a capped permanent program. Australia also raised the minimum wage for skilled migrant workers. Starting July 1, the Temporary Skilled Migration Income Threshold (TSMIT) will increase from AU$ 53,000 ($35,000) to AU$ 70,000 ($46,000). These measures are a response of the Labor governm...

Manitoba Provincial Nominee Program (MPNP) has conducted a new invitation round under its Expression of Interest (EOI) system. The latest Manitoba PNP draw held on August 24, 2023, saw invitations being issued to 623 candidates under all three MPNP streams i.e., Skilled Workers in Manitoba, International Education Stream, and Skilled Worker Overseas. Invited candidates also required CRS scores ranging from 612 and 724 to be eligible to receive an ITA. Expression of Interest Draw #190 Date Number of invitations Minimum CRS points Category August 24, 2023 256 Occupation-specific selection 612 Skilled Workers Manitoba 250 All occupations 646 63 - International Education Stream 54 724 Skilled Workers Overseas Of the 623 invitations issued in this draw, 178 were issued to candidates who declared a valid Express Entry profile number and job seeker validation code. The August 24th draw is a continuation of Manitoba Provincial Nominee Program (MPNP) conducting invitation rounds with higher ITA...

Are you dreaming of making Western Australia your new home and pursuing your career goals Down Under? Well, you're in luck! The 2023-2024 Skilled Migration State Nomination Program has just opened its doors to eligible applicants in Western Australia, and it comes bearing some exciting changes compared to the previous year. These changes are designed to make it even more accessible for skilled migrants like you to find employment in the beautiful state of Western Australia. So, let's dive into the details of what's new: 1. Equal Opportunities for Everyone First and foremost, the program now extends equal invitations to both interstate and overseas candidates. This means that wherever you're currently located, you have an equal shot at becoming a part of the Western Australian community. 2. Priority for Critical Occupations If your occupation is deemed critical in Western Australia, you're in luck! The program now prioritizes invitations for candidates with such cruc...

Canadian markets surged in CBRE’s latest list of top tech markets, which ranks cities based on their depth, vitality, and attractiveness to companies seeking tech talent and to tech workers seeking employment. Markets that moved up the most were Calgary, which moved up seven spots to 21st, the Waterloo Region of Canada (+6 to 18th), St. Louis (+6 to 32nd), Madison (+5 to 25th) and Quebec City (+4 to 35th) were the markets showing the greatest growth in tech jobs, according to a new report, “Scoring Tech Talent, 2023,” by CBRE. Otherwise, the top five markets are identical to a year ago, San Francisco Bay Area, Seattle, New York Metro, Washington, D.C., and Toronto. New York moved up to No. 3 and Toronto moved down to No. 5. Falling the most were Columbus (-6 spots to 37th), Minneapolis/St. Paul (-5 to 26th) and, sliding four spots, were Pittsburgh (30th), Edmonton (39th), and Cleveland (46th). The scorecard uses 13 metrics to measure each market’s depth, each weighted by its relative i...

  Canada, known for its picturesque landscapes, diverse culture, and high quality of life, has been a popular destination for immigrants from around the world. If you're considering relocating to Canada, one of the first steps in the immigration process is to determine your eligibility and assess your chances of gaining permanent residency. The Canadian Points Calculator , officially known as the Express Entry system , plays a pivotal role in this process. In this comprehensive guide, we will delve into the intricacies of the Canadian Points Calculator and how it affects your immigration prospects in 2023. Understanding the Express Entry System The Express Entry system is Canada's flagship immigration management program, introduced in January 2015. It is designed to streamline the immigration process for skilled workers and provide a quicker pathway to permanent residency. Through Express Entry, candidates are ranked based on a point system known as the Comprehensive Rankin...

Finding a job in your field in Canada can be challenging. As a newcomer to Canada, it is important to utilize tools and resources to make finding your dream job as easy as possible. Discover if You Are Eligible for Canadian Immigration The government of Canada website offers a Job Bank that lists employment opportunities across Canada. Within the Job Bank, there is a career planning page that helps plan your transition from school to work, listing the highest paying jobs in Canada based on education level. This article will outline some of these jobs and provide the steps to take to find a job in Canada. Highest Paying Jobs for Diploma Holders Canadian universities offer wide-ranging diploma courses in various fields. These courses provide students with essential knowledge in a field of interest that are usually for a shorter duration than a bachelors or master’s degree. Generally, a high school education is required to apply for a diploma. Some of the prominent fields diploma fields i...

If you’ve ever dreamed of living and working remotely in Canada, now’s your chance: The Canadian government just announced a new immigration program for digital nomads.  Under current Canadian immigration rules, digital nomads working for a foreign employer can stay in the country under visitor status for up to six months.  As part of the new program, which started earlier this month, digital nomads can also apply for a temporary work permit and stay in Canada for an additional three years if they land a job with a Canadian employer.  “It’s an incredible opportunity for people who want to test-drive Canada and if they decide they want to commit once their time is up, we’re quite happy to have them,” Canada’s immigration minister Sean Fraser tells CNBC Make It.  The main motivation behind Canada pitching itself as a destination for digital nomads is the labor shortage it faces in “key tech occupations,” Fraser adds.  Canada's Population in US According to Randsta...

Express Entry is the fastest and most popular way to land a permanent residency in Canada. The government of Canada uses an online system called Express Entry which processes and organizes the applications for skilled workers to immigrate and enter Canada for permanent residence. There are three federal economic programs: 1. Canadian Experience Class (CEC) for skilled workers who have Canadian work experience work experience must have been gained in the 3 years before you apply 2. Federal Skilled Trades (FST) for skilled workers who are qualified in a skilled trade must have a valid job offer or a certificate of qualification 3. Federal Skilled Worker (FSW) for skilled workers with foreign work experience must meet criteria for education and other factors Step 1: Find out if You’re Eligible There are 2 ways to find out if you’re eligible for a program that is part of Express Entry: answer a few questions to see if you meet the minimum requirements read the detailed requirements for eac...

Australian employment handily beat expectations for a second straight month in June, while the jobless rate stayed near 50-year lows in a sign the labour market remained drum-tight, adding to the risk of further interest rate hikes. Figures from the Australian Bureau of Statistics showed net employment rose by 32,600 in June from May, when it had surged by a startlingly strong 76,600. Market forecasts had been for an increase of 15,000. The jobless rate held at a downwardly revised 3.5%, when analysts had expected 3.6%, leaving it just above the 3.4% trough from October last year. The Australian dollar rose 0.9% to $0.6830, reversing a four-session losing streak, while three-year bond futures fell 12 ticks to 96.1. Markets moved to priced in a 42% probability that the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) would resume hiking rates in August, compared with 35% before the jobs data. The projected peak for rates also rose to 4.42%, from 4.35%. The labour market has been defying expectations for...