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 IMPORTANT INFORMATION FOR ECONOMIC IMMIGRANTS

OTTAWA, February 26, 2002 -- The Honourable Denis Coderre, Minister of Citizenship and Immigration Canada, today outlined a fair and equitable response to recent comments about proposed changes to the immigration system. The Minister plans to amend the transition regulations to allow more skilled workers to be assessed under the current selection grid until January 1, 2003. He clarified the proposed implementation dates for the new Immigration and Refugee Protection Act, and outlined how certain visa applicants could obtain a refund of their processing fees.

"While I pursue the immigration and refugee elements of the government's security agenda and the regulatory consultations on the new Immigration and Refugee Protection Act," said the Minister, "I want to be fair to visa applicants as we move toward a new system. My approach meets a test of fairness to applicants while giving them notice of the proposed changes. This way, they can make an informed decision about the prospects for their applications."

The Minister outlined his intent that the new Act will come into effect on June 28, 2002. "This target date supports many of the government's objectives in immigration and refugee matters, as well as on border security issues. I will also take the time to carefully consider forthcoming recommendations of my Parliamentary colleagues on the proposed immigrant selection criteria, among other proposed regulations. Then, I'll decide on changes that may well be necessary to the proposed system."

The Minister is proposing that those skilled workers and business immigrants who applied before December 17, 2001, and who have not received a selection decision by June 28, 2002 (the target implementation date for the new Act), will continue to be selected under the current selection criteria until January 1, 2003. The Minister is further proposing that skilled workers and business immigrants who applied before December 17, 2001 who have not received a selection decision prior to January 1, 2003, will be subject to the proposed selection criteria and a proposed transition pass mark of 70 points (reduced from 75).

Application submitted after December 17, 2001, where a selection decision is not reached by June 28, 2002 will be subject to the proposed selection criteria and a pass mark yet to be determined. The proposed pass mark in the pre-published regulations is 80 points. Before a final decision is made on the proposed pass mark, the Minister will consider the forthcoming recommendations of the House of Commons Standing Committee as well as comments received during the recent pre-publication period.

The proposed lower pass mark of 70, as opposed to 75 as originally planned, will further lessen the impact of the transition to the new rules for people who applied before the proposed new rules were first released. The Minister will soon table the last group of proposed regulations for public and parliamentary consultation.

All skilled worker and business immigrant visa applicants have the option of withdrawing their applications and requesting a refund provided their applications have not passed through the preliminary evaluation (paper screening). The refund must be requested through the office where the visa application was submitted.

While balancing fairness to skilled worker and business immigrant applicants, CIC is contributing to the government's security agenda by

• making plans to introduce the Permanent Resident Card on June 28, 2002;
• pursuing the Smart Border Declaration and the 30-point action plan; and
• allocating resources from the 2001 federal budget to key enforcement activities.

 HOW TO ASSESS WHETHER
OR NOT YOU QUALIFY

 
If you are married, either you or your spouse, but not both of you, may be the principal applicant. Once you decide who the principal applicant is, the other spouse will be seen as the dependent. You should be assessing the principal applicant against the nine factors that are set out below. The most important factor is your intended occupation, i.e., the occupation in which you have experience and are qualified, and which you are prepared to follow in Canada. A number of other selection factors, including experience and the education and training factor (ETF), are based upon this occupation.

Your occupation must be listed on the accompanying General Occupations List (see Important Words to Know) unless you have arranged employment. It is important to note that job titles in your country may not correspond to the same position in Canada. All occupations are assessed against Canadian standards for that occupation. Many require licensing and you should provide evidence that your qualifications meet the required standards when you submit your application.

The attached General Occupations List shows the National Occupation Code (NOC) for each occupation. If you would like to review detailed descriptions of these occupations, note the first four digits of the NOC code for the occupation you are interested in and then review it on the Internet site at: http://www.worklogic.com/noc/home.html.

You will find instructions on the following pages on how to estimate your points. This will help you assess your chances of qualifying. If you score fewer than 60 points, your application may not merit further consideration.

Points are based on:

• age;
• education;
• occupation (the one you intend to follow in Canada);
• education/training factor (ETF);
• arranged employment;
• work experience;
• language ability;
• demographic factor (as set by the Canadian government); and
• close relatives in Canada.

 
SELF ASSESSMENT WORKSHEET:
HOW TO ESTIMATE YOUR POINTS

This section helps you determine your chances of qualifying for permanent residence in Canada. It explains the 9 factors on which points are based and details how you can estimate the number of points you would earn for each factor. It also provides a self-assessment worksheet you can use to tally your results. If you score fewer than 60 points based on these 9 factors, your application may not merit further consideration. Based on this self-assessment, you can decide if this is an appropriate time for you to apply. It is important that you make a careful assessment because you must pay certain fees and some of these fees (for example, the Cost Recovery fee) are non-refundable, even if your application is refused. Read the explanation for each factor, then fill in your score on the work sheet.

 
Factor 1: Age
(maximum 10 points)

Points are given for your age at the time your application is received.

Calculating age points

 

Age	Total Points
16	0
17	2
18	4
19	6
20	8
21-44	10
45	8
46	6
47	4
48	2
49 and over	0

SCORE

 
Factor 2: Education
(maximum 16 points)

 

You have not completed secondary school.	0
You have completed secondary school but in a program that does not lead to entrance to university, or does not include trade or occupational certification.	5
Secondary school completed in a program that may lead to entrance to university.	10
Secondary school completed in a program that includes trade or occupational certification.	10
Post-secondary program completed (for example, college, trade school or apprenticeship), which required, as a condition of admission, secondary schooling at a level that does not ordinarily allow for entrance to a university (the program must have included at least one year of full-time classroom study).	10
Post-secondary program completed (for example, college, trade school or apprenticeship), which required, as a condition of admission, secondary schooling at a level that allows for entrance to a university (the program must have included at least one year of full-time classroom study).	13
University degree in a program that requires at least three years of full-time study.	15
Second or third-level university degree (for example, Master's, Ph.D.).	16

SCORE

 
Factor 3: Occupation
(maximum 10 points)

You must obtain at least one point under Factor 3 to be considered. If you do not score at least one point, you must have "arranged employment".

 

Review the enclosed General Occupations List. If your intended occupation is on the list, then give yourself the appropriate points. If you cannot find your occupation, check whether there is another occupation for which you are qualified and experienced.	As listed
If there is no occupation listed for which you are qualified.	0
If you have arranged employment and your ETF is 15 or more.	10

SCORE

 
Factor 4: Education/Training Factor
(maximum 18 points)

Education/Training Factor (ETF) refers to the length of training, education, and/or apprenticeship required to work in your occupation in Canada.

 

If your occupation is listed in the General Occupations List, give yourself the number of points listed under the column marked "ETF" for that occupation. If your occupation is not on the General Occupations List, but you have "arranged employment" validated by a Human Resources Canada Centre, the ETF points will be shown on the notification of arranged employment.

As listed

SCORE

 
Factor 5: Arranged employment
(10 points)

"Arranged employment" is a guaranteed job offer from a Canadian employer that has been validated by a Human Resources Canada Centre certifying that no suitably qualified Canadian or permanent resident is available to fill the position.

 

If you have arranged employment. (If you have arranged employment and the ETF [Factor 4] is 15 or more, you may also give yourself 10 points under Factor 3.)	10
If you are a member of the clergy and have a letter from a congregation in Canada offering you a permanent salaried position.	10
If you have a Family Business Job Offer from a close family member in Canada, which has already been approved by their local Canada Immigration Centre, give yourself 10 points.	10

SCORE

 
Factor 6: Work experience
(maximum 8 points)

You must have the equivalent of at least one year's experience in your occupation to score points in this factor. If you do not, your application will be refused and you must either wait until you gain the required experience or have arranged a job validated by a Human Resources Canada Centre, which states that the prospective employer in Canada does not require you to have a year of experience.

The number of points depends on:

• the number of years you have worked in your intended occupation after completion of formal training;
• the number of points you scored for ETF (Factor 4). You will find the point value of your ETF listed beside your occupation in the enclosed General Occupations List.

Calculate the number of points you would receive for experience. Find the point value that corresponds to your ETF (Factor 4), and read across to the number of years of experience you have in your occupation. This number is your score.

Calculation of experience

 

ETF Points	Experience
	1 Year	2 Years	3 Years	4 Years or more
1 to 2	2	2	2	2
5 to 7	2	4	4	4
15	2	4	6	6
17 to 18	2	4	6	8

SCORE

 
Factor 7: Language ability in English and French
(maximum 15 points)

If you are fluent in both of Canada's official languages (English and French), give yourself 15 points. If you are not fluent in both official languages, estimate your credits. Award the credits that best reflect your ability to read, write, and speak English and/or French. Use the following definitions:

 

Skill/Level	Speak	Read	Write
Fluently	The applicant speaks and understands oral communication with approximately the same ease as that of an articulate native speaker.	The applicant reads and understands texts of a general or job specifc nature, including technical instructions.	The applicant writes proficiently in any context.
Well	The applicant is able to comprehend and to communicate effectively on a range of general topics.	The applicant is able tocomprehend almost all documents of a general non-abstract nature.	The applicant is able to write a basic report or summary relevant to their education, work, or social situation.
With difficulty	The applicant is able to communicate only in a very limited way.	The applicant is able to read and comprehend only short, familiar, or memorized text.	The applicant is able to write only a few learned words or sentences of a familiar nature.
Not at all	The applicant is unable to understand and respond appropriately to spoken communication.	The applicant shows no understanding of the written word.	The applicant is unable to express any message in writing.

Calculation of language credits

 

First Language	Read	Write	Speak
Fluently	3	3	3
Well	2	2	2
With difficulty	0	0	0
Not at all	0	0	0
Second Language	Read	Write	Speak
Fluently	2	2	2
Well	1	1	1
With difficulty	0	0	0
Not at all	0	0	0

SCORE

Add your credits: Total of read + write + speak = ______ (total credits)

Calculate your points as follows:

For a total of 0 or 1 credit you score 0 points
For a total of 2 to 5 credits you score 2 points
For a total of 6 to 15 credits you score the same number of points as credits

 
Factor 8: Demographic factor

 

This is a number set by the Government of Canada. Award yourself 8 points.

8

SCORE

8

 
Factor 9: Close relative in Canada
(maximum 5 bonus points)

 

Give yourself 5 points if you, the principal applicant, have a brother, sister, mother, father, grandparent, aunt, uncle, niece or nephew who is a permanent resident or Canadian citizen living in Canada.

SCORE

 
SELF-ASSESSMENT WORKSHEET:
YOUR ASSESSMENT

Use this worksheet to calculate your total point score. You must have at least 70 points to qualify. If there is a difference between the points you give yourself and the points the visa officer awards you, the visa officer's assessment will prevail.

 

Factor		Maximum Points	Your Score
1	Age	10
2	Education	16
3	Occupation (you need at least 1 point or arranged employment)	10
4	Education/Training Factor (training/education/apprenticeship)	18
5	Arranged employment	10
6	Work experience (you need a minimum of 2 points or arranged employment)	8
7	Language ability	15
8	Demographic factor	8	8
9	Relative in Canada (bonus)	5
Total		100

Note: A visa officer will award points for personal suitability, up to a maximum of 10, at interview. Personal suitability has to do with the degree to which a person and his/her family are deemed able to settle successfully in Canada. It refers to a person's adaptability, motivation, initiative, and resourcefulness. With the additional points for personal suitability awarded to you by the visa officer, you will normally be required to have at least 70 points in total in order to pass to the interview stage. Remember, however, that unless you have at least 60 points on the first 9 factors, your application may not merit further consideration and you may therefore not be called for an interview.

FUNDS REQUIRED TO
SETTLE IN CANADA

 
All independent applicants must also prove that they have enough money to support themselves and their dependents for at least six months after they arrive in Canada. The Government of Canada provides no financial support to new independent immigrants. You should research the cost of living in the region of Canada where you intend to live. You should take with you as much money as possible to make your initial establishment easier. You will be required to show proof of your funds. As a guide, an independent applicant is usually expected to have at least $10,000 Canadian dollars plus $2,000 Canadian dollars for each dependent. Some visa offices, particularly those where exchange controls exist, may require proof that these settlement funds have been transferred to Canada before visas are issued.

Best of luck

( For more information visit Canada Government Immigration site )