November 28, 2008 – Minister Issues
Instructions Limiting the Occupations
That Qualify Under the Skilled Worker
Category
The Minister of
Citizenship and Immigration Canada
announced major changes to the Skilled
Worker immigration category on November
28, 2008. The changes are retroactive to
February 27, 2008, and apply to all
applications made on or after that date.
The purpose of the changes is to reduce
the heavy backlog of skilled worker
applications in order to speed up
processing times.
As a result of the changes, Federal
Skilled Worker applications submitted on
or after February 27, 2008 will be
placed into processing immediately upon
receipt if they satisfy the following
criteria:
 |
Applications
that have an offer of
arranged employment; or |
 |
Applications
submitted by foreign
nationals that have already
been living legally in
Canada for one year as a
temporary foreign worker or
international student; or |
|
|
Applications
from skilled workers with at
least one year of full time
experience in one or more of
38 high-demand occupations,
including:
- 0111 Financial
Managers
- 0213 Computer and
Information Systems
Managers
- 0311 Managers in
Health Care
- 0631 Restaurant and
Food Service Managers
- 0632 Accommodation
Service Managers
- 0711 Construction
Managers
- 1111 Financial
Auditors and Accountants
- 2113 Geologists,
Geochemists and
Geophysicists
- 2143 Mining
Engineers
- 2144 Geological
Engineers
- 2145 Petroleum
Engineers
- 3111 Specialist
Physicians
- 3112 General
Practitioners and Family
Physicians
- 3141 Audiologists
and Speech Language
Pathologists
- 3143 Occupational
Therapists
- 3142
Physiotherapists
- 3151 Head Nurses and
Supervisors
- 3152 Registered
Nurses
- 3215 Medical
Radiation Technologists
- 3233 Licensed
Practical Nurses
- 4121 University
Professors
- 4131 College and
Other Vocational
Instructors
- 6241 Chefs
- 6242 Cooks
- 7213 Contractors and
Supervisors, Pipefitting
Trades
- 7215 Contractors and
Supervisors, Carpentry
Trades
- 7217 Contractors and
Supervisors, Heavy
Construction Equipment
Crews
- 7241 Electricians
(Except Industrial and
Power System)
- 7242 Industrial
Electricians
- 7251 Plumbers
- 7252 Steamfitters,
Pipefitters and
Sprinkler System
Installers
- 7265 Welders and
Related Machine
Operators
- 7312 Heavy-Duty
Equipment Mechanics
- 7371 Crane Operators
- 7372 Drillers and
Blasters – Surface
Mining, Quarrying and
Construction
- 8221 Supervisors,
Mining and Quarrying
- 8222 Supervisors,
Oil and Gas Drilling and
Service
- 9212 Supervisors,
Petroleum, Gas and
Chemical Processing and
Utilities
|
New Federal Skilled
Worker applications received after
February 27, 2008 that do not meet the
eligibility criteria outlined above will
not be processed, and the application
fee will be fully refunded.
The purpose of this legislation is to
prevent the backlog from growing, reduce
wait times, and allow CIC to assess new
applications based on Canada’s labour
market needs. With this new plan in
effect, the government is hoping that by
the end of 2009, applicants will receive
a decision within 12 months compared to
up to 6 years under the old system.
The new eligibility criteria applies
only to new Federal Skilled Worker
applicants and will not affect Canada’s
family reunification or refugee
protection goals. Nor does it apply to
applications made before February 27,
2008, which will be processed according
to the rules that were in effect at that
time. |
