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Quebec Skilled Worker Immigration Selection System Update
Mon projet, Québec’s Online Management System is Launched in Anticipation of January 18, 2016 Reopening
The first week of 2016 has been a busy one for the Quebec Skilled Worker Program (QSWP), a Canadian immigration program designed to select newcomers who are likely to become economically established upon arrival in the province of Quebec. Effective December 31, 2015, the government of Quebec has made the criteria for area of training far less onerous than previously. Meanwhile, the Mon projet Québec online application management system was launched on January 5, 2016.
The QSWP allows eligible applicants to immigrate to Canada after receiving a Quebec Selection Certificate / certificat de selection du Québec (CSQ) from the government of Quebec. The next application intake for the QSWP is scheduled to begin on January 18, 2016, and may run until March 31, 2016 at the latest. A maximum of 2,800 applications will be accepted for processing during this intake period, and demand is expected to exceed supply. Consequently, it is likely that the cap will be reached prior to March 31.
Changes to points system: Area of Training and Level of Education
The QSWP is a points-based program. Points are awarded for a candidate’s area of training, work experience, language proficiency, age, prior relationship with Quebec, the human capital factors of the applicant’s spouse or common-law partner (if applicable), and whether or not the applicant has a validated job offer from an employer in Quebec. If an individual satisfies the minimum point requirement for these factors, he or she may then gain additional points for any accompanying dependent children and proof of financial self-sufficiency.
One of the distinctive characteristics of the QSWP, compared with other Canadian immigration programs, is that candidates have the opportunity to be awarded a significant number of points through having earned a diploma, degree or certificate in an area of training that meets Quebec labour market needs. Up to 16 points are available for this factor, but until last week applicants who obtained their diploma, degree or certificate more than five years ago were required to show relevant work experience in the field in order to obtain these points.
However, this is no longer the case. As of December 31, 2015, applicants may receive points under the area of training factor for their diploma, degree or certificate regardless of when it was earned, provided that it was obtained before the application was submitted.
The changes announced on December 31, 2015, can also have an impact on whether a candidate’s degree, diploma or certificate is counted toward his or her point total. The level of education being assessed under the QSWP must have been completed prior to submission in order for points to be awarded.
“While many stakeholders may have been waiting anxiously to see what Quebec’s much-anticipated online system would look like, this news in relation to how points are awarded may have slipped under the radar to some extent,” says Attorney David Cohen.
“Nonetheless, its importance should not be understated. In effect, Quebec is opening its doors to an increased number of potential newcomers. It is the latest welcome development to what was once a convoluted and drawn-out immigration process.”
The government of Quebec has made a number of changes to the QSWP over the past year, including the release of a new area of training list and the removal of the ‘adaptability’ factor/interview from the points-based program, which had the effect of lowering the pass mark required to obtain a CSQ. Taken together with the latest changes to the QSWP selection process, candidates who may not have been eligible during a previous application cycle of the program may now be eligible.
Mon projet Québec
Mon projet Québec is an online immigration application management system used by the Ministère de l’Immigration, de la Diversité et de l’Inclusion (MIDI) in order to process applications under the QSWP. It was launched on January 5, 2016 and, while some teething issues were encountered over the first two days of operation, the system appears to be functioning at an ever-improving level.
Mon projet Québec allows candidates to complete their application for a CSQ, make their payment online, follow the status of their application, make changes to their application, and access personal electronic messaging throughout the process. As of January, 2016, QSWP candidates must use the secure space Mon projet Québec in order to submit an application.
The Mon projet Québec system allows a limited number of users to access the system at any one time. When users access the system, they create a user name and password. An activation link is then sent to the user’s personal email address; this activation link must be activated within 72 hours, otherwise the user must start over.
Candidates have up to 90 days to submit an application from the time they started to complete the application in Mon projet Québec. Once the application has been submitted, candidates will have 30 days to pay government processing fees. If a candidate does not submit within the prescribed time frame, the application will be deleted.
Quebec Skilled Worker: Present and Future
Quebec’s Minister of Immigration recently proposed a bill that, if passed, could result in Quebec implementing an Expression of Interest system similar to the Express Entry system currently used by the government of Canada. The upcoming application intake period may be the last application cycle where Quebec uses a first-come, first-served Skilled Worker Program.
The QSWP may be an enticing option for individuals who wish to make an application to immigrate to Canada without having to be invited to apply, as well as individuals who are in the Express Entry pool and wish to increase their chances of successfully immigrating to Canada. According to the governments of Quebec and Canada, candidates can apply under the QSWP and submit an Express Entry profile, as long as they withdraw one when either a CSQ or Invitation to Apply (ITA) is issued.
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Next Steps If No EE Invitation to Apply is Received Within a Year
Twelve months after the initial launch of Canada’s Express Entry immigration selection system, candidates who were quick to create an Express Entry profile last year are being advised on how they may realize their Canadian immigration goals during 2016.
Many candidates in the Express Entry pool are becoming more proactive in their pursuit of Canadian permanent resident status. For some, this entails a renewed effort to increase their Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score, while others are focusing more on immigration options outside the Express Entry system; indeed, both strategies may be pursued simultaneously.
A candidate for immigration to Canada under Express Entry can only stay in the Express Entry pool for one year from the date he or she was accepted into it. The profile will be deleted after one year, though a new one may be created. In any event, candidates in the Express Entry pool, as well as those considering entering the pool in 2016, may have cause for optimism due to some recent comments from CIC.
CRS point requirement expected to decrease in 2016
As covered in the previous edition of CIC News, a CIC Policy Analyst made some important announcements regarding the short- and medium-term future of Express Entry at a webinar hosted by CIC on December 16, 2015:
“The number of invitations issued per round is expected to increase as the pre-Express Entry inventory of applications is finalised. In turn, it is expected that the minimum score of those that are invited to apply will drop,” she stated, adding that “we expect that in the new year when our rounds start growing — to meet our new levels plan — that the score will reduce.”
These on-the-record comments have galvanized some candidates who, in spite of not having yet received an Invitation to Apply (ITA) for Canadian permanent residence, remain confident that they may receive an ITA. As such, it is expected that many candidates will create new profiles over the opening months of 2016. Indeed, the first Express Entry draw of 2016 has already taken place, with 1,463 candidates receiving ITAs on January 6.
Creating a new Express Entry profile
Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) advises candidates who anticipate having to create a new profile to ‘save screen shots of (or print out) your profile to make it easier to re-enter your data. Do not create a new profile until your existing one expires. You can create a new profile at any time once yours expires.’
Candidates in this situation should note that they will have 60 days to fill out and validate the information in their profile. If they still meet minimum entry criteria, a new Express Entry profile number and Job Seeker Validation Code will be provided.
These numbers should be used to update the Job Match account in the Job Bank, if applicable. This step is necessary for candidates without a qualifying job offer or a nomination from a province or territory.
Once a profile is created, candidates can try to improve their core human capital factors by improving their language test results, by completing an additional year of work experience, and/or by completing a higher level of education. Certain candidates may also benefit from their spouse or common-law partner’s core human capital factors being considered, if applicable. In addition, candidates can initiate or improve a successful strategy to connect with Canadian recruiters and employers.
Candidates who decide not to create a new Express Entry profile are advised to remove any references that they are a candidate for Express Entry from any private job board websites, if they used any.
Canadian immigration options outside the Express Entry system
Candidates in the Express Entry pool, as well as other individuals interested in immigrating to Canada, should note that Express Entry is an application management system for only a handful of immigration programs. At the same time, there are other programs — the Provincial Nominee Programs — that have immigration streams that operate outside the Express Entry system. Many individuals are expected to make a successful application to one of these programs in 2016.
For example, the Saskatchewan Immigrant Nominee Program (SINP) International Skilled Workers – Occupations In-Demand sub-category, which exists outside Express Entry, was one of many sub-categories that reopened for applications this week. Within a few hours, however, the application cap had been reached. Many, if not all, of those who managed to submit an application had done prior research and preparation, allowing them to be ready to make an application when the program reopened.
In addition, there have been many positive developments with respect to the Quebec Skilled Worker Program (QSWP) over recent days, weeks and months. To read more about this on CIC News.
The QSWP and SINP are only two of many non-Express Entry Canadian immigration options.
From transition to new opportunities
“We don’t know the extent to which the scores may decrease or how the system may change in the future, or when. However, most of the recent signals are positive, and candidates who have not yet received an Invitation to Apply should take heart,” says Attorney David Cohen.
“Candidates in the pool are visible, so to speak, to the Canadian provinces that are looking to welcome newcomers through the Provincial Nominee Programs. People are also realizing that a candidate in the pool has far more leverage when discussing a possible job opportunity with a Canadian employer than a candidate who is not in the pool.
“Moreover, it might well be the case that some candidates have been so focused on Express Entry that they haven’t fully grasped that there are many paths to Canada. Some lateral thinking may be required in order to fulfil one’s Canadian immigration dreams. To this end, candidates should note that Canada has a highly decentralized immigration system in which the provinces are also able to select newcomers, and many of these programs operate outside the Express Entry system.”
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Read more at http://www.cicnews.com/2016/01/express-entry-candidates-steps-invitation-apply-received-year-016977.html#j7f2PGLckwPjzePT.99
Investment in Spanish Real Estate for European Residency
Time to invest in Spanish Real Estate for European Residency
In late 2013, the Spanish Parliament released the Entrepreneurs’ Act (Law 14/2013), which, among other measures, includes a historic amendment to the Spanish immigration law. Spain has just introduced a new investor visa regime, which grants a residency permit to non-EU nationals who make a substantial investor within the country. Spain thus follows the Anglo-Saxon tradition of providing residency or citizenship in exchange for investment, as it happens in the UK, US, Canada and Australia. In August 2015, a number of amendments were introduced to the new Spanish Law to make it even more attractive.
The new investor visa in Spain applies to non-EU nationals having invested at least € 500,000 in real estate, € 2 million in government debt or € 1 million in shares of Spanish companies. Unlike other countries, the Spanish visa also applies to the investor’s entire family, i.e. espouse and children of all ages, as long as they depend on the parents. The holder is not required to actually live in Spain and does not become a tax resident.
The visa is valid for the entire Schengen Area of 26 European countries, thereby enabling full mobility of the visa holder across a vast region, ranging from Lisbon to Athens, from Marbella to Stockholm. This represents a clear advantage against other jurisdictions such as Cyprus or the UK, which also offer investor visas but are not members of the Schengen Area.
As the following data show, Spain has recorded one of the worst declines in housing prices across the EU during the global financial crisis. However, in 2014, property prices started to pick up again in Spain, showing that now is the best time to invest in Spanish real estate.
Foreign capital is coming back to a country that offers safety, stability, clean environment, mild climate, as well as affordable and diverse properties, from big cities to ski resorts and coastal villages. For instance, an investment of € 500,000 provides access to relatively sizable properties when compared with other European and Middle Eastern cities, as shown below.
Change in average housing prices (2007-2012)
Source: EU Statistics Office (Eurostat)
Size of apartment that € 500,000 can afford in each city
Source: Knight Frank, Tasinsa.
In addition to real estate, foreigners who acquire or establish a business in Spain are also eligible for a residency permit. In principle, they should invest at least € 1 million in capital, but contributions can be in kind (e.g. stock, technology, fixed assets, etc.) and investments of lower value can also be considered if a business plan is provided.
For investors with lower purchasing power, the rules of the traditional Immigration Law (Law 4/2000) are still valid. They provide residency for foreign families with sufficient regular income and having invested in a property in Spain, regardless of value. However, unlike the new Law 14/2013, the “old law” requires residency holders to live in Spain more than 183 days per year. Therefore, this regime is ideal for families interested in actually residing and schooling their children in Spain. In fact, Spanish permanent residency or citizenship are only available in the case of effective residency.
Finally, the tiny country of Andorra, in the north of Spain, also offers a new residency package since 2012. The program combines well with the Spanish investor visa to obtain Schengen civil residency along with tax residency in a low-tax jurisdiction.
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About the Author
Jacinto Soler-Matutes holds a Ph.D. in International Economics with a major on emerging markets. He has been advisor to Spanish companies and institutions on relations with the emerging economies.
Dr. Soler-Matutes is also an Associate Professor at the School of Asian Studies of University Pompeu Fabra (UPF) in Barcelona.
St. Lucia announces Citizenship by Investment Program Update
On October 7, 2015, St-Lucia Government officially launched its Citizenship by Investment Program. The country’s newly-established Citizenship by Investment Unit will be accepting applications starting January 1, 2016. Applicants will require a net worth of US$ 3,000,000 to qualify and the program is limited to 500 applications per year.
Please Contact Us for more information on this program.