In Canada, the epidemic has increased the demand for professional nurses and other healthcare workers. Even before the coronavirus blanketed the planet, Canada had a nursing deficit, and as a result, there are a multitude of immigration channels aimed at bringing these healthcare workers to the country.
Nurses are classified into one of two classes by the Canadian government's National Occupation Classification (NOC). NOC 3012, skill level A, is assigned to healthcare professionals and registered psychiatric nurses, while NOC 3233, skill level B, is assigned to licensed practical nurses. These skill sets are significant because they influence the kind of immigration programmes that nurses are eligible for.
Due to the epidemic, Canada encountered fewer immigrants in 2020 than expected. Although, Canada continues to seek immigrants. In fact, from now through the end of 2023, it has upped its immigration ambitions to the greatest level ever—over 1.2 million people. Making it easy for people already within the nation to make their temporary residency permanent is one method to contribute to this number.
Canada's healthcare workers and students have a variety of options to look forward to when it comes to Immigration, of which the most important ones are listed below:
1. Nurses are eligible for Express Entry:
Two of Canada's most popular federal economic immigration programmes are the Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSWP) and the Canadian Experience Class (CEC). It is necessary to have skilled professional experience to be qualified for these programmes.
A minimum of one year of uninterrupted professional experience in an industry with a NOC skill level of 0, A, or B is required for the FSWP. This event can be just about anywhere in the world, but it must have occurred over the last decade. All four language competences (reading, writing, speaking, and listening) require a CLB 7 in English or an NCLC 7 in French. They must also score 67 out of 100 on a six-factor test that evaluates candidates' education, language abilities, and whether or not they have a career in Canada.
Meanwhile, the CEC requires one year of NOC 0, A, or B experience in Canada within the previous three years. All four language competencies must be demonstrated by applicants: CLB or NCLC 7 for NOC 0 or A occupations, and CLB/NCLC 5 for NOC B occupations. While neither implementation involves a job offer, having one can increase one's chances of earning an ITA significantly.
The FSWP and CEC are run by IRCC utilising an Express Entry technology, which is supposed to process 80% of completed applications in six months or less. To evaluate and rank distinct applications, EE uses the Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS). The CRS assigns a score to candidates based on a set of factors similar to those used in the FSWP's six-factor test. On a regular basis, IRCC holds drawings in the Express Entry pool, picking the greatest EE accounts and forwarding them the ITAs.
2. Nominee Programs in the Provinces:
A Provincial Nominee Program is another possibility for nurses who want to immigrate to Canada (PNP). PNPs are immigration programmes that are managed in collaboration between provincial and federal governments. Each Canadian province has its own PNP with several streams, however all PNPs lead to the very same end result: permanent residence in Canada.
Only individuals who are already in the federal Express Entry pool are eligible for some PNPs. Obtaining a recommendation from one of these PNPs adds 600 CRS points to your account, essentially ensuring that you will acquire an ITA.
Many PNPs require some type of link to the province that operates them, such as family living there or previous education or employment experience in the province. Other PNPs are intended to fill skills shortages in the region by accepting talented employees with prior experience in in-demand occupations.
Candidates with an Express Entry profile who have experience in certain target occupations are only eligible for the Labour Market Priorities stream of the Nova Scotia Nominee Program (NSNP). The difficulty with this stream is that you can't apply without first receiving a provincial invitation. This stream, on the other hand, has asked nurses to file for nomination on several occasions. Ontario's Human Capital Priorities Stream is another stream that works this manner, and it frequently encourages nurses to register for nomination.
Canada is a great place to study.
You may be able to immigrate to Canada even though you are not now qualified for any one of the immigration alternatives listed above. You can use your nursing degree to further your career as an international student while staying, learning, and perhaps even working in Canada.
A Canadian education may potentially improve your chances of being able to immigrate to Canada permanently once you graduate. Take into account that Canadian immigration programmes are always changing, so there's no way of knowing whether the eligibility criteria for any of the current programmes will remain the same by the time you graduate. Under the existing system, however, a Canadian diploma can make a huge difference.
