Staying up-to-date with immigration news and changes in policies that affect candidates applying for immigration, is an essential milestone in Target immigration services. Let’s have a recap of some decisions for 2023 and our expectations for 2024:
Express Entry New stream “Category-Based Selection”
As per our expectations for 2023, the express entry has already started to tailor its rounds of invitations by opening a new stream the “Category-based Selection” which is used to select the eligible applicants that fulfill their economic and strategic needs.
Category-based selection rounds are conducted regularly within the Express Entry system. By opening this stream, Canada has invited these categories:
- The applicants who have French language proficiency
- The candidates who have recent work experience in any of the following five industries: Healthcare; Science, Engineering, Technology, and Mathematics (STEM); Trades, Transport, and Agri-Food/Agriculture.
Canadian Study Visa Updates
Many international students dream of studying in Canada due to its high-quality education system, multicultural environment, and post-graduate opportunities.
However, starting from Jan 1, 2024, Canada has updated the required proof of funds amount for international students; as they have to show that they have at least $20,635 to cover living expenses, plus tuition for the first year.
It has become increasingly crucial for international learners to have enough money for their studies in Canada because of the rising cost of living, which is driven by factors such as inflation and increased housing and food costs.
Canada and the IELTS One-Skill Retake Exam
The Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) is a tool for describing, measuring, and recognizing the language skills of immigrants who plan to live and work in Canada. Express Entry candidates frequently work for a Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) score of 9 or above, which is equivalent to an IELTS score of 8 for listening and 7 for other skills.
Although the IELTS retakes are now available to improve scores, Canada still doesn’t accept the one-skill retake. This means you need to get the required score from the first attempt.
The Coming Year Prospects in the Canadian Immigration World!
The Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has begun initiating a variety of changes that will affect all newcomers to Canada in 2024. Based on the Immigration Levels Plan for 2024-2026, Canada aims to accept a total of 485,000 permanent residents in 2024.
Additionally, We are hoping that the IELTS one skill retake gets approved sometime during 2024 with the new highly anticipated immigration reforms.
To stay up-to-date on the latest information and rounds on category-based selection and other immigration policies and changes in Canada, check our official social media pages periodically, and don’t hesitate to contact us!
