macmike41

Two or three years ago weren't there 2,000 or so cases brought back into the melting pot that initiated the backlog build up - can't remember what it was all about but I think it was something to do with a points increase wasn't it?

Andrew Miller

It was 130,000 pre-2002 cases put on hold by court until case was settled and those cases should be finalized by end of 2008 accordingly to terms of settlement. But 130,000 cases didn't cause the crazy growth of backlog from about 400,000 in 2001 to current size of 1 - 1.5 million. They were already part of the pre-2002 backlog. It was lowering pass mark, purely for political reasons, from quite good and balanced 75 points down to 67 points in September 2003.

Please remember - those 130,000 settlement cases were submitted before 2002. So far not a single applicant who applied after 2001 and was suing government for 75 points pass mark has won his/her case in court. In all such cases (starting with discussed here Dragan case) courts upheld retroactivity of IRPA for all applications received on and after January 1st, 2002.

ferdous1117

Would appreciate any advice on how to proceed for arranged employment.

With regards,

Ferdous

Andrew Miller

Find the job in Canada that can qualify as Arranged Employment.

Tableland

I agree. I also think they should raise the threshold to 75 points again, or even put it up by a full 10 and make the pass mark 77. This would thin out the line considerably, ease the waiting times for those with the higher points, and push more people with the specific jobs that can be arranged from overseas into securing jobs in Canada first. They could even allow a low quota of people with, say, 77 points and the skills and experience in jobs in heavy demand to go on PNP without job offers.

macmike41

Aren't the majority of people who have over 75 pts usually the highly qualified ones with great education but in occupations that require them to retrain when they get here, so what would be gained by getting them here sooner by upping the points to 75. They can't actually be productive for best part of a year and would most prob give up during that time anyway. You have to ask the question - why were the points lowered in the first place, could it have been for the above reason? ie applicants have the points but not a wide enough job variety and enough staying the course = no business expansion. Sorry Andrew I can't accept the political approach, it may look that way but it's really politicians taking advantage of a situation with wrong solution.

Canada, just like any other country, needs a wide variety of workers and putting up the points to over say 72 would, in my humble opinion, cause a dearth of good workers. And how would the call be made on the low quota of those with 77 (67?)points for jobs in high demand? is this not done now under the PN programme. And in this time of the big backlog of applicants what happens – the PNP is introduced into Ontario, why is it needed if there is such a backlog? Like I say it’s the wide variety that’s needed so keep the existing system but just up the points by to 72 not 75.

Not sure what you mean by the last sentence.

bazzz

Not in our case. We've both got high points scores (82 or 92) but have carried on working in a similar line of work to in the UK; albeit with substantial pay cuts.

macmike41

Great to hear you are doing well bazzz but a potential cut in salary must be a concern to newcomers, especially if they have to go through a retrain period.

I don’t know what your background or line of work is but I was thinking medical, legal, financial etc. The prospect of no income during retraining then a lower income thereafter must be daunting, frustrating and a lot of pressure on a single income family.

I realize a wide range of people have to sit exams or retrain and are equally important to an expanding economy, more important in certain location. But my original point was that if the points go up too high, over 75, then unless you have high points, usually gained through higher education qualifications, you won’t even get to the door – Canada needs, on an ongoing basis, a wide range of skills and high points won’t help that need one iota.

cheeky_monkey

i think this is a very valid point..under the old system i wouldnt qualify even though i have a degree, professional qualifications and i am an experienced contracts manager with over 20 years construction experience with some major companies...i could attain less points than someone who has got a masters degree in say history and has an a level in french...(ive only got an o level)...where is the logic in that?

mclauchlan35

Wouldn't the CIC or CHC whatever its called! have to return application fee's for changing the rules half way through application period, at least for those who had enough under the old system, and not enough under a new one?

daft batty

I didnt have enough points when it was 75, and only just have enough now. If I were single it would be borderline, and yet there is a Canadawide need for x-ray techs who would have the same education points. I know Andrew always says to get a job here before you move but its not so easy. Its complicated and expensive to register as an MRT in Ontario and you would need to do this before you applied for a job. Not one of the many hospitals I applied to would even consider appointing someone who wasnt already entitled to work in Canada. So all in all, a new system is needed that actually adresses the employment needs of the country. The points system patently isnt working

does that make sense?? rambling again i know

Craftybanshee

I know what you mean. Their immigration system doesn't make sense in some ways, and in my opinion is so full of beaurocratic red tape that they've got themselves all tangled up in it and don't know how to sort the mess out!

In the meantime good people who have excellent skills to offer Canada get left by the wayside because of the ridiculously long wait. I don't blame some who get fed up with the ridiculous wait and emigrate elsewhere instead. One day it will come back and bite the Canadian economy in the butt and the government will only have themselves to blame! Where else makes people wait for up to 5 years to know if they can get in or not? What a stupid system :curse: People are not going to put their lives on hold for that long and the Canadian government are arrogant to think this.

I'm still a bit sore we didn't get there but my husband has been offered a new role at work - leading a new division. His company were waiting to see if we were staying here or not. Now we are. We also other other plans on the boil

Tableland

I don't think so. You can achieve this many points by having fluency in English and French, and a good education. I don't see how any of these factors make one less employable. Raise the points threshold and watch the queue disappear. The only ones left would be those I have described above, and those who were no longer eligible could be accommodated in a regional visa scheme perhaps.

My last sentence states that those with really high points and skills in a specific job in great demand (who clearly surpass CIC's criteria and are therefore highly employable), could be issued with regional (PNP) visas without job offers.

cheeky_monkey

they dont alot points with reference to your experience...you can get full points for having 4 years experience handing out leaflets on the street

bhupendra22

These are only rumors spreading by some lawyers/Consultants so that more people can rush to them and lawyers can get thousends of dollars just for filling simple application form.

I know this because almost 1.5 years back a very popular consultant called and asked me $2500 to file for sw federal application. and I remember at that time he stated this thing to me that points can be increased at any time, nothing happen since then and I filed my application my self and got PR withing 1 year 4 months from buffalo.