News Update 30 July 2018: 82,000 Technical Jobs were created in Toronto During Last Five Years

Toronto is leading in Tech Jobs Creation Followed by Traditional Tech Hub Like San Francisco Bay Area 

Large number of Tech jobs were created between 2012 and 2017 led by Toronto city in both Canada and United States. Faster than traditional tech hubs like San Francisco Bay Area, according to the recent study.

Approximately 82,000 tech jobs were created in Toronto city during the five year period, which is nearly 4,300 tech jobs created more than in San Francisco Bay Area during this period. 

28,900 tech jobs have been added by Toronto city in 2017 alone which is an increase of 13.6% over the previous year; making The city fastest growing tech market in North America for the second year in a row.

According to 2018 Scoring Tech Talent Report produced by CBRE Canada (Part of the Fortune 500 CBRE Group), Toronto placed forth out of the 50 North American cities. 

The Tech Talent scorecard is determined by 13 unique metrics, including tech talent supply, growth, concentration, cost, completed tech degrees, industry outlook for tech job growth and market outlook for both office and apartment rent cost growth.

"Toronto continues to outpace other North American markets, having added more tech jobs in 2017 than the San Francisco Bay Area, Seattle and Washington, D.C. combined," said Paul Morassutti, Executive Managing Director of CBRE Canada.

Again, Toronto placed first in terms of "rain Gain" which is the number of jobs created minus the number of tech degrees granted in a given city between 2012 and 2017. Toronto posted a gain of 55,025 during this period, compared to the San Francisco Bay Area's 46, 529. 

News Update 25 July 2018: Express Entry Draw #95

New Express Entry: Drop CRS Cut-off to 441

Candidate Invited: 3,750 Invitation to apply (ITA)

Minimum CRS Cut-off: 441

Tie breaker rule: 2017 Dec 21 at 12:14:21 UTC or 5:44 IST

The  Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has invited 3,750 candidates who had a minimum Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score of 441 and those who have submitted their Express Entry profiles before 31st December 2017 at 12:14:21 UTC to apply for Canadian permanent residence (PR). 

CRS score is one point lower than the previous round on 11th July 2018 and the same number of Invitation to Apply (ITAs) have been issued in the last three draws, held on 13th June, 25th June 2018 and 11 July 2018.

ITA Issued and CRS Score in Express Entry Draws 2018

This year, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has issued a total 47,200 ITAs and its admission targets for 2018 and 2019 are 74,900 and 81,400 immigrantes respectively.

For 2018, the draw size of 3,750 has become a well-established trend and expected to increase above 3,750 in future. If IRCC continues to large draws or more frequent draws, this may also result in a reduction of cut-off CRS score.

  

News Update 24 July 2018: New Brunswick - Addition of 9 new occupations to The Express Entry Stream Priority

9 New Occupations have been added to the list

Today, New Brunswick added nine more occupations to the list of Express Entry New Brunswick Labour Market Stream. This is a good news for those who were not able to create profiles under NBPNP. 

Below is the list of 19 Occupations including new occupations:

Express Entry candidates with provincial nomination from New Brunswick receive an additional 600 CRS points towards their Express Entry score. 

Candidates must meet at least one of the given below three criterion, in addition to work experience in any one of the occupations as per the list shared above:

1. Candidates are currently employed in New Brunswick or have a job offer from a New Brunswick company that is designated skill type 0, Skill level A and skill level under Canada's NOC
2. Candidates have child, brother, sister, parent, grandparent, uncle or aunt living in New Brunswick who is at least 18 years old and has lived in the province for at least one year as a permanent resident of citizen 
3. Candidate demonstrate French as first language, proven by test TEF

To be considered under this stream, candidate must first submit an Expression of Interest (EOI) to the NBPNP.

The NBPNP will only consider Expression of Interest (EOI) to this category from candidates who meet eligibility criterion for the Federal Skilled Worker Class (FSWC) and score a minimum 67 points out of 100 in the FSWC selection factor. All applicants must also meet the eligibility criteria for Express Entry New Brunswick Labour Market Stream.

News Update 21 July 2018: Prince Edward Island Invite New Express Entry Candidates

Prince Edward Island Draw

The Prince Edward Island (PEI) which is an Atlantic Province of Canada issued Express Entry invitation to apply for a province nomination as well as in Labour Impact and Business Impact category.

75 invitations were issued to candidates in Express Entry  and Labour Impact  categories and 50 invitations were issued trough the Business Impact category in the latest draw held on 19th July. 

PEI office of immigration did not provide a breakdown of how many Express Entry candidates were invited. There is no information about the type of the candidates such as whether they are already working in PEI.

135 points were the minimum threshold for Business Impact Category. Based on a unique points grids that are linked to its Expression of Interest (EOI) based immigration system, Points have been awarded to the candidates in its various immigration categories.

Interested candidates submit an Expression of Interest (EOI) Profile. candidates are awarded a score based on answer submitted during the creation of their EOI profile and entered into the respective category's pool.

The highest scoring candidates with a connection to PEI are invited to submit an application for provincial nomination from the province's provincial nominee program. PNP PEI.

In addition, candidates in Canada's federal Express Entry Pool who are nominated by PEI receive an additional 600 Comprehensive Ranking system (CRS) Points.

News Update 12 July 2018: 462,000 Job Vacancies Across Canada in the First Quarter of 2018

Increase in Jobs in Canada: Quebec Tops the List

The new data from Statistics Canada shows that job vacancies have increased across most provinces, industrial sectors and occupational groups in Canada, as compared to the first quarter of 2017. 

462,000 job vacancies have been created across Canada in the first quarter of 2018, with Quebec province leading the list YOY followed by British Columbia. Jobs in Quebec have increased by 37% in Q1 2018 as compared to Q1 2017, which means there is in an increase of approx. 25,000 jobs.

Sixth Consecutive Quarter with a Year-over-Year Increase in the Number of Job Vacancies

Statistics Canada says this was the seventh consecutive quarter to show a year-over-year increase in the number of job vacancies in Quebec, with vacancies in the manufacturing and accommodation and food services industrial sectors increasing the most. Montreal was the economic region in Quebec that posted the greatest increase in job vacancies (+8,700) during the quarter.

Quebec and British Columbia Have the Largest Increase in Job Vacancies

Quebec’s Liberal government has estimated that more than one million jobs will need to be filled by 2024, and says immigration has a major part to play in filling this gap.

Job vacancies also increased in B.C, Ontario, Alberta and Manitoba. B.C. shows 36% increase over 2017. Statistics Canada says job vacancies in B.C. increased in 19 of 20 industrial sectors in the province, with vacancies concentrated in the province’s Lower Mainland-Southwest economic region, which includes Vancouver. Sales and service occupations, trades and equipment operators posted the largest increase in vacancies over the first quarter of 2017.

Likewise, Job vacancies in Ontario increased by 9,800 in the first quarter of 2018. More than 40% (4,200) of those vacancies were in the transportation and warehousing industrial sector and another 2,400 were in the health care and social assistance sector.

Job Vacancies Increase in 9 of the 10 Largest Industrial Sector

Healthcare and social assistance sector saw job vacancies increase by 11,000 over the first quarter of 2017, an increase of 27.3% over 2017.

Job Vacancies are up in 9 of the 10 Broad Occupational Category

Broad occupation categories, Statistics Canada reported an increase of 9,030 job vacancies in the Business, Finance and Administration category and 8,080 job vacancies in the Natural and Applied Sciences category in the first quarter of 2018 compared to the previous year.

News Update 11 July 2018: Express Entry Draw #94

New Express Entry Maintains CRS Cut-Off at 442

Candidates Invited: 3,750 Invitation to Apply (ITA)

Minimum CRS Cut-off: 442

Tie Breaker Rule: 2018 June 26 at 13:18:55 UTC or 6:48 IST

The  Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has invited 3,750 candidates who had a minimum Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score of 442 and those who have submitted their Express Entry profiles before 26th June 2018 at 13:18:55 UTC to apply for Canadian permanent residence (PR). 

CRS score is the same as the previous round on 25th June 2018 and the same number of Invitation to Apply (ITAs) have been issued in the last two draws, held on 13th June and 25th June 2018.

ITAs issued and CRS Score in Express Entry Draws 2018

It appears, if draws will happen more often, it is possible that the score may drop. The lowest CRS score on record is 413 points in a draw in May 2017.

First half of 2018 has already finished and a total of 7500 ITA's have been issued in the month of June, which is nearly double the total number of ITA's issued in June 2017 which was 3409 ITA's.