alcat2010

Hi all,

The last time I typed on this was probably july 2012?.. The time when we (my wife and I) were minutes from sending away our Fed skilled worker app to cic.. only for them to close the door!!

So, whats been happening in the time we have 'been away' from the scene?
(We have been kept busy over the months with our two young kids, buying and fixing up a new house)

We made a decision to shut off from the whole immigration rollercoaster until 'further notice'... so I havent even kept an eye on the cic website..

Is there any rumours / concrete updates on the federal skilled worker programme?

Is this route in to canada still the 'best' way in to canada for us?
(wife - nurse - 34
me - firefighter - 32
2 kids.. )

Hope to hear any replies !

christmasoompa

Best thing to do is just have a quick look at the CIC website, or a search of the forum. There have been several changes, so it's rather hard for one of us to just sum it all up for you!

Brief overview of the FSW changes though - program opening on 4th May, possibly no longer an eligible occupations list, credentials must now be assessed, new points score system.

Former Lancastrian

http://www.canadavisa.com/news/entry...en-in-may.html

lydiaparr

Hiya. We are in exactly the same boat. I am a nurse and we were just about to send our application in.
I think it would be v difficult to go over as a nurse from what I understand now. Especially for me as I am paediatric trained.

Really not sure what mine and hubby's options are now. My husband is a software engineer so we are considering him going out looking for a job in the next few months.

Just not the way I wanted to do it, security wise. We have 3 kids so liked to security of Pr.

Anyway no advice. Just wanted to let you know we are in the same boat.
Good luck.xx

christmasoompa

You can still go with PR. If anything, the FSW program has got an awful lot easier for most people as there is no longer a list of eligible occupations in demand. So you could apply with your husband is the principal applicant, assuming he meets the points score etc.

Of course, working as a nurse over there and getting your qualifications recognised, is another matter altogether!

Good luck.

lydiaparr

Thankyou so much christmasoompa.
Could I just ask. Does he have to have a job offer first before applying.?
if so how does that work.?
Is the employer expected to wait for the federal skilled worker application to come through or can you go on twp and still have a application in.

Also, if we can apply in May. What things should we be doing now to help our application.?
Sorry to ask but I haven't got my head around the new immigration rules yet. X

christmasoompa

No, no job offer required. Just check that whoever is going to be the principal applicant meets the requirements (points score, proof of funds, etc).

To apply in May (and you will need to have your application there on 4th May imo, I think that if there is no longer an occupation in demand list the quota will fill instantly!), you'd need all the usual i.e. IELTS result, police check etc. Just download the application pack so you can see what is required, and start filling in the forms etc.

Good luck.

lydiaparr

Just wanted to thank you christmasoompa. You have made my day.
I will let hubby know and we will get cracking with it again.xx

scribe123

The only thing that springs to mind here - and I'm not complaining if it allows me to apply - is that with the exception of having qualifications assessed, the application process is back to where it was years ago when they built up a massive backlog and it took around 5 years to get PR

...... or am I missing something here?

Also, has anything concrete been released about the assessment of qualifications?

I've been looking and all I can find is something akin to 'watch this space'. I'm assuming qualifications will have to be assessed in advance (who knows how long that will take) and proof sent with the application, therefore it's still unknown if it will be possible to apply on the 4th May.

Cheers

christmasoompa

The one thing you are missing, and that will be very different to how it was a few years ago with a massive backlog, is that there will be a very small quota for applications.

lydiaparr

So what you are saying is that,even if you send your application to arrive on May 4th, it will be a lottery as to weather it gets into the quota.

christmasoompa

Nobody knows yet. We don't know how big the quota will be, although we do know it will be smaller than in past years, and we don't know if people will be able to apply on May 4th anyway (the program opens then, but as part of the new criteria is credential assessment, that may not be announced until much nearer the time, meaning nobody is reading to apply on May 4th anyway!).

Basically, it's a wait and see answer.

scribe123

Thanks Christmasoompa, there's nothing like certainty to make a process easy

Dave n Ailsa

It looks to me like they are doing some weeding out BEFORE thousands apply, which makes sense. If you can't get your qualifications varified then there's no point applying.

At least that's what I'm reading from all this.

alcat2010

So in short....

Absolutely nothing has changed then??!!!

The whole process of emigrating is still : time consuming, costly, smoke and mirrors, rumours, lack of information from cic, confusion from cic, obstacles, uncertainty, hoop jumping...

Ive said this before in the past, but WHY do Canada seem to make it so difficult for people (who they "supposedley" need for their skills shortages..)

Australia is starting to seem more and more appealing....