Immigration Corner | Applying For Canada’s Municipal Nominee Programme

Dear Ms Powell,

Thank you for your weekly articles. I have learnt so much about the Canadian immigration programmes from you. I’m hearing about a Municipal Nominee Programme (MNP) that is being introduced for persons looking to move to Canada. Is that in place? What are the criteria for applying? I’m interested in Toronto, as that’s where my cousins live. Thanks again for your time.

GG

 Dear GG,

The Liberals announced that they will be implementing a new programme, known as the Municipal Nominee Programme (MNP), that will operate alongside the existing Provincial Nominee Programmes. This new programme has not yet been launched; however, it promises to assist smaller communities to meet their labour shortages and promote settlement in various small communities across Canada.

The aim of immigration is to bolster the Canadian economy and to help the struggling municipalities to grow. This new programme is expected to be similar to the Rural and Northern Immigration Pilot, the Atlantic Immigration Pilot.

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Various studies have shown that Canada has an ageing population; that there is an overall decline in fertility and population growth. Therefore, the federal government is implementing various strategies to encourage immigrants to settle outside of the typical large cities such as Toronto, Ottawa, Winnipeg, Calgary, Edmonton, Vancouver and Halifax.

Immigration Minister Mendicino said this new programme is one that will “draw on local experiences, expertise, capacities to understand where are the labour shortages, where are the economic opportunities, and how that information can help us select individuals who wish to come to Canada to ply their trade to fulfill their opportunity.”

Under this programme, it is expected that the municipalities, excluding the major cities noted above, would have the opportunity to recommend the individuals for permanent resident status based on factors such as job demands/job offer, ties to the municipality, and the federal Government will review the application to ensure that certain minimum requirements are met.

WHAT ARE THE EXPECTED CRITERIA?

It is expected that the federal government will monitor and review the municipalities’ recommendations, alongside the applicants’ background and qualifications. Medical and security checks will be conducted by the federal government. Therefore, applicants can expect that the requirements to qualify will be like other economic programmes.

It is expected that recommendations will be reviewed to ensure they meet certain requirements, such as language proficiency, educational credentials, work experience, among other factors.

LANGUAGE PROFICIENCY

All immigration programmes will require that you proof your language skills by taking an approved language test. You will be required to schedule your test, pay the costs, and provide a report. These tests will assess your reading, listening, speaking and writing ability. The approved English tests are the IELTS: International English Language Testing System (General Training), CELPIP: Canadian English Language Proficiency Index Program (General); and for French, the TEF Canada: Test d’évaluation de français.

EDUCATION EVALUATION 

Individuals who are interested in any economic immigration programme in Canada should ensure that they are able to clearly demonstrate that their educational background is equivalent to those in Canada and that their educational credentials will be accepted by employers, licensing organisations and schools.

An educational credential assessment (ECA) report will be required for all studies completed outside of Canada. This report must be requested from one of the approved organisations. Immigration Refugee and Citizenship Canada, the government department that handles these applications, will only accept reports from approved organisations, such as Comparative Education Service: University of Toronto School of Continuing Studies, International Credential Assessment Service of Canada, World Education Services (Canada), International Qualifications Assessment Service, and International Credential Evaluation Service.

If you are a pharmacist, the requirement is different depending on the requirements of your job. If you will be applying for a licence to practise as a pharmacist, you will need to obtain a report from the Pharmacy Examining Board of Canada. You will need a licence if you will be caring for patients in a hospital pharmacy, long-term care facility or a community pharmacy. If you plan to work within the government, or the pharmaceutical industry, you may use one of the previously mentioned approved organisations to provide you with an ECA.

If you are a specialist physician, general practitioner or family physician, you must request your ECA from the Medical Council of Canada.

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This list is not exhaustive, as the programme is not yet opened. It is anticipated that each municipality will have their own requirements. I encourage individuals who are interested to prepare themselves to be able to apply immediately when it opens, as this programme will have a cap on the number of applications that will be considered.

To find out more about the MNP and other Canadian immigration programmes, connect with us via our website, www.deidrepowell.com.

Deidre S. Powell is a Canadian immigration lawyer with office located in Ottawa, Ontario. Send your questions and comments to info@deidrepowell.com. Connect with her on Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook and Instagram or via www.deidrepowell.com.