My eBook, How To Immigrate To Canada For Skilled Workers: The Authoritative Guide To Federal And Provincial Opportunities is available now on Amazon and other online retailers. Get your copy of the essential guide to Skilled Worker class applications today!

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Also available is my new eBook, "How To Immigrate To Canada In The Family Class: The Authoritative Guide Including Québec And Super Visa Opportunities". Get it at Amazon or the other e-retailers noted above.

Tuesday, December 18, 2012

Christmas in Canada

Environment Canada's Winter temperature outlook for 2012 does not make me happy
The Weather Channel's Winter temperature outlook for 2012 is the one I'm banking on
This year will mark my second Christmas in Canada. It is truly is hard to believe how quickly time flies. As I imagined, it seems long ago that my hopes and prayers centred around whether My Love and I would be reunited in Canada; whether our immigration application would be successful. That that prayer was answered is certainly enough for me for many Christmases to come.

This year is a mild one and southern Ontario will most likely have a green Christmas. There have really only been a couple of days that were even seasonally cold. I have been looking forward to a cold Winter this year, but Fall, which ends Friday, has not given me a lot of hope. A cold Winter means more time on the ice for me - I don't like to skate when it's 6-7, like it is now: there's too many fresh skaters filling the sheet. Falling is bad enough without taking someone down with you!

Hopefully with the end of Fall, normal temperatures will kick in and I'll get in all the skating I can handle.

Look for the Mind to take our usual Holiday sabbatical, as we travel to see family and generally stay away from the computer. Know that I am grateful for each and everyone of my readers, and especially those who have purchased one of my books in the last year. May you and yours have a Happy Christmas and a wonderful New Year ahead!

Monday, December 10, 2012

New Federal Skilled Trades Stream to Begin Accepting Applications on January 2, 2013


Mississauga, December 10, 2012 — To address Canada’s growing demand for skilled tradespersons, a new Federal Skilled Trades Program is being launched on January 2, 2013, Citizenship, Immigration and Multiculturalism Minister Jason Kenney announced today.

“The new Skilled Trades Stream will help address serious labour shortages in some regions of the country, and support economic growth,” Minister Kenney said. “For too long, Canada’s immigration system has not been open to these in-demand skilled workers. These changes are long overdue and will help us move to a fast and flexible immigration system that works for Canada’s economy.”

The program criteria are built around four requirements that ensure applicants will have the right skills and experience needed to succeed here in Canada. In order to qualify, applicants will need to:


  • have an offer of employment in Canada or a certificate of qualification from a province or territory to ensure that applicants are “job ready” upon arrival;
  • meet a basic language requirement;
  • have a minimum of two years of work experience as a skilled tradesperson, to ensure that the applicant has recent and relevant practice as a qualified journeyman; and
  • have the skills and experience that match those set out in the National Occupational Classification (NOC B) system, showing that they have performed the essential duties of the occupation.

In order to manage intake, avoid backlogs and ensure fast processing times, Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) will accept up to a maximum of 3,000 applications in the first year of the Federal Skilled Trades Program.

Minister Kenney was joined at today’s announcement by Michael Atkinson, President of the Canadian Construction Association. “The introduction of a dedicated and streamlined program for skilled trades addresses many of the shortcomings from the current Federal Skilled Worker Program,” said Michael Atkinson. “The new program ensures greater consideration is given to the needs of industry when processing eligible immigration applications.”

“Ensuring Canada’s immigration system works for small employers in need of skilled trades’ people has been a concern for some time,” said Dan Kelly, President and CEO of the Canadian Federation of Independent Business. “With the shortage of qualified labour in many parts of Canada growing once again, the launch of the Skilled Trades immigration stream is very welcome news.”

Eligible occupations will include electricians, welders, heavy-duty equipment mechanics, and pipefitters, among others. CIC is currently working with the provinces, territories and federal government partners on the list of skilled trades’ occupations that are experiencing acute labour shortages and which will qualify under the program. This list will be announced prior to the program opening on January 2, 2013.

The Federal Skilled Trades Program will complement other avenues already in place for skilled tradespersons to immigrate to Canada, such as the Canadian Experience Class and Provincial Nominee Programs.

“As promised in Economic Action Plan 2012, we are creating a new immigration stream to facilitate entry of skilled tradespersons,” added Minister Kenney. “The Federal Skilled Trades Program will help transform Canada’s immigration system into a fast and flexible system focused on jobs, growth and long-term prosperity.”

Need help to insure your application covers all the bases? Get my e-book, "How to Immigrate to Canada for Skilled Workers - The Authoritative Guide To Federal And Provincial Opportunities" today! See the "How to Immigrate Books" page of this site for more details. 

Monday, December 03, 2012

The Globe and Mail - Study finds Canadian immigrants at a growing disadvantage


A major international study ranks Canada among the world’s leaders in immigrant integration, but there are signs that advantage is on the wane.

Canada sits near the top of most categories in the study, which measures integration of immigrants in the 34 wealthy countries of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. The report will be released in Paris on Monday. It compares outcomes for immigrants and their children looking at factors such as income, health, education and civic engagement.

Read the article here