News of the week: COVID return, housing crisis, 10,000 immigration invitation

The most important events of the week of August 14-20.

COVID-19 is returning to Canada. After a long lull and declining cases of illness, the virus has become active again. But doctors believe that so far only the elderly and immunocompromised people are at risk.

The Canadian government is still unable to find a compromise with Meta, which has blocked the display of Canadian news on Facebook and Instagram because of a law requiring the company to pay Canadian media for content. Canadian authorities argue that Meta's actions deprive Canadians of vital news, such as emergencies and wildfires. Meta, on the other hand, says it is unacceptable to pay for content that news media put on its platforms themselves.

In Canada, it is now possible to obtain a mandatory social insurance number (SIN) online. Newcomers will no longer have to go to special offices and wait in line, and the service will be much faster.

Housing remains a problem

The Bank of Canada may raise its key interest rate again. Economists speculate that the country's inflation rate rose to 3.3% in July, more than expected. The increase could come as early as September. The growth of the key rate entails an increase in interest on loans, mortgages, and deposits. The rate now stands at 5%, a record high for the last 22 years.

Minister of Housing, Infrastructure and Communities Sean Fraser, who was recently transferred to this position from Minister of Immigration, shared his views on the real estate situation in Canada. According to him, the government has been neglecting the housing issue for a long time, leading to the fact that even employed professionals can hardly afford to pay rent or buy a home. Now the authorities are working on a plan on how to speed up the construction of housing for different segments of the population.

The average price of real estate across Canada exceeded CAD 668,500. This is 6.3% higher than last year, but the market is improving — the number of offers is returning to normal, demand is increasing as the population gets used to higher interest rates, and price growth is slowing.

Immigration draws

Last week, Canada again delighted candidates with a large number of permanent residency selections. Cumulatively, more than 10,400 invitations were sent in the draws.

On August 15, the country invited 4,300 applicants under federal immigration programs who were registered in the Express Entry system and scored 496 points. That's a high score, but it was even higher in previous selections.

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On the same day, British Columbia selected 158 people with in-demand occupations. These include technicians, educators, healthcare professionals, and veterinarians.

Several rounds of invitations took place in Ontario. The region held two selections under the Human Capital Priorities stream, designed for in-demand skilled workers, this time for health and tech professionals. From August 11 to 16, 2,084 invitations were issued, and another 751 ones on August 16. Another three drawings took place on the 15th for medical, technical, and trades professions. The province selected 1,506 foreign workers, 583 international students, and 256 candidates with in-demand skills.

On August 16, Saskatchewan for the first time held a draw only for candidates who reside in certain countries and have a specific occupation. The region selected a total of 642 candidates from India, Ireland, Poland, Czechia, Germany, Lithuania, Slovakia, and Ukraine.

On August 17, Prince Edward Island issued 142 invitations to professionals with various skills, university graduates, and entrepreneurs.

In-demand occupations in Canada

Even from the past selections, it is clear that Canada is very interested in IT workers. Does this mean it is easy for specialists with such professions to move? There are indeed a large number of immigration programs open to them, but you need to know the nuances. We talked about them in a separate article.

There is also a high need for healthcare professionals. Since the beginning of the pandemic, the number of empty jobs in this area has more than doubled, and the situation is now close to a crisis.

You can learn a profession in demand in Canada in just 1-2 years by studying at a Canadian college. Seneca College, located in Toronto, is a top-ranked college and one of the leaders in higher education, yet offers affordable tuition. This college is definitely worth a look if you are considering applying to Canada.