Mark109

Hi, my wife and I are both in the EE FSW pool and have been for over 12 months (have just reapplied) and both have a CRS of over 400 points. It’s typical that when we applied COVID then hit so the FSW pool hasn’t been drawn from in over a year now.

I have tried applying for many jobs in BC and so has my wife, both of us have not had any luck…..not even an interview. I have engaged with a few recruitment agencies but they all seem keen until they realise I don’t have a work permit.

does anyone know of any recruitment agencies who specialise in foreign workers?

Thanks

christmasoompa

Even if they had, your points score is quite a way off the requirement for FSW draws, it's not been below about 460 for a long time now. Sorry to be blunt, but there's next to no chance of you getting PR via EE unless you can bump your points up somehow.

I would suggest you have a good read of the Job Hunting section of the Wiki. Far better to go direct to employers, ideally in person (but at the very least, pick up the phone) if you want to stand a chance of an employer being prepared to go to the cost/hassle of sponsoring you. Online applications are very unlikely to result in anything unless you have skills really in demand.

What do you both do and does it have to be BC or would you consider other provinces? And just spotted you had a job offer in a previous thread, what happened to that? Any chance the employer would reconsider?

Mark109

Yeah I’m aware the points haven’t been below 460, one can hope with all the other visas dropping their points then maybe the FSW will to (fingers crossed).

I’m a project manager in the construction industry and my wife is a social policy researcher but also has experience in market research.

BC is desired because we have lots of friends in and around the Vancouver area.

christmasoompa

They dropped the points requirement for CEC because they needed to get more applications processed to meet the quota though, because FSW's weren't being processed. My guess is that the FSW points requirement will be even higher once processing starts again, as you've now got so many more people in the pool to choose from under that program. When you say 'over 400', exactly what is your score? And will that score drop due to a birthday this year, or are you well under 30?

What happened to the job offer you had previously?

Mark109

I have 432 and my wife has 437, I just turned 30 and she is 29.

I had a job offer in Jan 2020 which was retracted due to covid. That employer has said they can’t take any chances on hiring a foreign worker when they don’t know what their programme of works looks like due to the pandemic……stupid covid

Mark109

For what it’s worth, my thread is enquiring about recruitment agencies, this means I'm trying to get a job to boost my points for PR or to go over on a work permit then hopefully obtain PR through CEC or PNP. Im not just kicking back hoping the points will drop drastically in the coming months.

Your comments about the FSW points likely to increase could happen, however, this doesn’t align with the Canadian governments strategy to boost economy and build infrastructure across the country by bringing in foreign workforce.

christmasoompa

Stupid covid indeed, it's scuppered so many things.

Have you looked at the IEC visa? It's (usually) an open work permit, so you could work and get the required experience in Canada to get your points score up?

At the moment the IEC process isn't as easy as it once was, but maybe by early next year things might have eased (particularly if you're both double vaccinated). And even if you do still need a job offer to get the IEC, at least you wouldn't need a LMIA, so it's free for the employer and much easier.

christmasoompa

I'm aware of that. I'm asking questions to try and help you find an easier visa route. FWIW, if you get a work permit and Canadian experience, FSW would then also be an option as you'd have the points required.

With tens of thousands of candidates scoring higher than you in the pool now though, chances are slim of the points threshold coming down that low, particularly when things do open up and more people apply. JMO though………….

Mark109

Yeah I looked into this, we were in the pool last year but the pool didn’t open after its first round of invitations. I believe now you need a valid job offer before you can apply. It’s my last chance saloon if I’m honest.

christmasoompa

Ah shame. What a pain you didn't apply for the IEC before Covid hit.

It would be much easier though, yes you do need a job offer now, but you need one of those to get a visa anyway from what you've said. The difference is that for the IEC you just need a job offer - no sponsorship, no LMIA, no PNP paperwork for the employer. So potentially MUCH easier than getting a job offer to go over on a work permit or PNP which will require the employer to go through a lot of paperwork/hassle/cost.

Plus the job requirement could be lifted at any time. Personally, I'd get in the IEC pool as well just in case it is lifted, and then have that as another option.

Siouxie

You can only bring in a foreign work force if there are jobs and a demand for them; there are specific streams (i.e. Provincial Nominee and Provincial pilot projects) to bring in some professions, I'm not sure if yours or your wife's are in demand where the pilot projects are. Determining where you are most likely to find work will be your first step - even if it means moving elsewhere in Canada for a couple of years. Recruitment agencies are unlikely to be of any use or help to you... adding in to say it's illegal to charge you to find you a job - and agencies that encourage you to apply through them to 'get a guarantee of a work permiit and a job' should be avoided!
Unfortunately covid has meant many people are out of work but it's good that you have a profession.

Unfortunately with 430 odd points you wouldn't have got an invite for Express Entry since 2019 unless you were FSW Trades or were Canadian Experence Class.

There are presently 167,244 people in the pool - 45,000 with higher points than you.

What is your NOC code? Do look into pilot projects and Provincial nomination options to determine if any are looking for your professions.. you can find the links to the Provincial sites here: https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration...ees/works.html - for example, the Atlantic Provinces Pilot Project ; https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration...igibility.html or for BC https://www.welcomebc.ca/Immigrate-t...ls-Immigration - some of them would give you a TWP while your PR application is in process, and extra points for nomination (if it was through the EE route).

Fingers crossed!


+1!