The Government of Canada has invited 3,900 individuals to apply for permanent residence. The minimum score for Express Entry has also been reduced by five points from 445 to 440 in the most recent draw. The Express Entry has lowered the score level to 440 five times in 2018.
Ontario is also announcing new invitations with 439 invitations sent through the Skilled Trades Stream last week.
All applicants must also pass the CIC Medical Exam before being considered.
Canada’s immigration friendliness has led to a political change in Quebec. The province, primarily French-speaking, voted in Francois Legault who has promised to reduce the number of immigrants, as per the annual quota, from 50,000 to 40,000 per year. He will also require these individuals to take a language proficiency test. The test will ensure that all applicants are able to speak French and will additionally meet “Quebec values.” The test will be administered in three years, and if the immigrant fails the test, he or she will face expulsion.
His anti-immigration message did not deter voters, many of whom feel like their culture is being “erased” by the 50,000 immigrants allowed to enter the province each year. Legault won the election by a landslide winning 74 of 125 seats.
Quebec is home to 8 million people.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau claims that he is willing to take the issue up to the courts if it is pushed by Quebec officials. Trudeau claims that an immigrant is granted citizenship or residency on the federal level, not by province.
Labor shortages are a major reason for immigration in Canada with many businesses looking outside of Canada to fill their ranks.
Quebec has long been trying to preserve their cultural identity with politicians from the 1960s often centering their campaigns on immigration. The nationalist movement is said to mimic that of the movement in Europe and the United States.
Trudeau suggests that he will work with Quebec’s new government to come to an agreement on a number of issues. There are a lot of conversations and “disagreements” that need to be had. There are numerous issues he plans on discussing, with immigration being just one of many. Trudeau is confident that the two sides will be able to come to an agreement and will do so in a constructive way.
In a twist, Canada’s immigration officials have deemed the United States a “safe” country for asylum seekers despite the Trump Administration cracking down on illegal aliens.
