450,000 fast visas to Canada and other news
450,000 fast visas to Canada, changes in an immigration program, and other important events of the past week.
Bloomberg Billionaires Index was updated. Canada turns out to be a place of start and growth for many of the wealthiest people. Among them are immigrants, for example, Elon Musk, who moved in the 80s and lived in the country for a while.
Living in Canada
In January, rental prices in Canada rose again. The most expensive cities are Vancouver, Toronto, Burnaby, and Victoria, where a one-bedroom apartment costs more than $2,000 CAD a month. But there are also cities like Edmonton, where renting the same apartment costs $1,050 CAD.
The cost of living is one of the important factors in choosing a place to live. In 2022, many Canadians chose to settle in smaller towns. We published the top 25 cities where Canadians moved last year.
Many regions of the country help their residents fight inflation. For example, Alberta began accepting applications for a $600 CAD payment for families with children whose annual income is below $180,000 CAD, as well as retirees and people with disabilities. According to preliminary estimates, 2 million people in the province are eligible for benefits.
Employment and education
Ontario is forecasting a shortage of childhood educators. The deficit will be 8,500 people, while at the moment 14,700 specialists are needed. To attract educators, the region plans to raise wages to $25 or even $30 CAD per hour over the next few years and reduce the tuition cost for educator programs in colleges.
The University of British Columbia offers a huge number of free courses that can be viewed online from anywhere in the world. Courses in Excel, programming, video games, design, business, psychology, sociology, marketing, education, genetics, ecology, writing, and more are all available for free.
Moving to Canada
Alberta decided to change immigration conditions. Some draws under the Alberta Express Entry stream will be held considering factors such as the occupation in demand and family ties to the province. Such candidates will be more likely to receive an invitation.
And Quebec is not as interested in immigrants as other regions. About 69,000 people moved to the province in 2022. This is comparable to figures in other regions, but the population in Quebec is smaller. In addition, the provincial authorities want to preserve the French language. Therefore, this year Quebec doesn't intend to increase immigration despite the labour shortage.
Some candidates are more likely to immigrate to Canada than others. If you don't know at what age it's better to move, how well you need to know English, how many years of work experience you need, what education to get, and how much money you should have, check out our new article. We compiled a profile of a perfect immigration candidate, and also talked about how to increase your chances of moving if you don't meet these criteria.
Canadian authorities are considering drastic measures to reduce the backlog for visitor visas. The Globe and Mail reports that officers won't require tourists to prove they will return home after their visa expires, and won't check the funds for the trip in their accounts. This will help to quickly process 450,000 applications. However, there was no official statement yet.
Immigration draws
On January 17, a draw took place in British Columbia. The province selected 154 people among workers and university graduates. Some of the invitations were received by educators, healthcare professionals, and veterinarians.
On January 18, Canada held an Express Entry draw and invited 5,500 candidates. The passing score decreased slightly but still remains high.
The next day, a round of invitations was held in Prince Edward Island. The region selected 223 people among skilled workers and entrepreneurs.
Alex Pavlenko, founder of the Immigrant.Today emigration portal
