ISSUE HIGHLIGHTS
- SA April 2018 Visit
- Scammers – Buyer beware!
- Job Vacancies
- Immigration Policy Changes
– Quebec Investors
– Alberta Skilled Workers - Economic News
SA APRIL 2018 VISIT
We will be visiting South Africa from Saturday 14 April 2018 – Wednesday 18 April 2018:
JOHANNESBURG – Saturday, 14 April 2018 (10am – 4pm)
JOHANNESBURG – Sunday, 15 April 2018 (8am – 4pm)
JOHANNESBURG – Monday, 16 April 2018 (9am – 2pm)
STELLENBOSCH – Wednesday, 18 April 2018 (10am – 4pm)
Please note that the weekend is FULLY BOOKED. There are limited spaces available on Monday for Johannesburg.
If you were unable to secure a booking for this trip, there is always the option of a Skype/ telephonic meeting which are held weekly when Cobus is in Canada.
For those who are interested in booking a meeting, go to ‘Get an Initial Assessment’ to begin the two step process. All applicants must complete an initial assessment before being invited to book a consultation.
Kindly complete an initial assessment to book your consultation as soon as possible for the remaining South Africa slots as the process does take some time to complete.
SCAMMERS – BUYER BEWARE!
We have received 3 recent complaints from foreign nationals who paid money to a company with a Canadian address and phone number. This company’s employees (the scammers) are from Bulgaria and the United Kingdom. They often use the name of a Authorised Migration Agent to obtain business while the agent themself is not at all or not sufficiently involved with the clients/ files. If you have not spoken to their confirmed Authorized Representative via skype or in person, do not pay any fees over to them. The fact that the company has a Canadian address and phone number does not make them legitimate.
JOBS – EMPLOYER VACANCIES
We have been approached by several employers in many industries and several of our clients have managed to find work with our guidance during the past 2 months.
Please see below for skilled vacancies in Canada.
Note that the positions below are those which applicants have not been found yet – we do not currently have other vacancies not published here.
- Underground Mechanics: We are about to start interviews for an employer in Ontario.
- Veterinarians x4: Veterinary clinics in Alberta
- Automotive Mechanics: We have multiple openings in Vancouver.
- Feedlot workers: for Alberta feedlots are always in demand.
- Cattle farming skills: An employer in Alberta requested a person with cattle farming skills that can also operate and repair farm equipment (tractors etc.).
- Agriculture Parts Specialist
- Applied Precision Agronomist in Saskatchewan
The duties are as follows: Work with Teralytic technologies on cloud based soil sensor pilot project, Work with Sask Canola on Sclerotinia Germination project, Work with Q-protect on DNA petal testing for Sclerotinia risk forecasting, Input yield, soil test, and tissue test data into Trimble cloud based farm data management program, Use Ag Leader SMS software to create prescriptions for seeding rates and dry fertilizer in seeders, Use Ag Leader SMS software to create prescriptions for top dressing and fungicide in sprayers, Use Ag Leader SMS software to log combine yield maps and compare to as applied seeder and sprayer maps to create profit maps, Attend Agronomy updates throughout the summer and winter (at least 8 days per year), Collect Soil Samples from production zones in Fall, Collect Tissue Samples from production zones in Summer, Spend time crop scouting fields for weeds, disease, and insects, Ensure yield monitors in combines are calibrated properly and proper fields are set up on combines and grain carts, Ensure appropriate prescription maps are loaded in the seeders and sprayers and that the maps are being followed, Operate RG 1300 Rogator Sprayer as required. - Cattle worker: required for a farm in Saskatchewan.
- Grain farm manager: with extensive grain farm experience is required.
- Cattle workers & Hog Farm workers: for an employer in the Prairies.
- Cattle Ranch worker: urgently required for an employer in British Columbia for a Ranch located in the beautiful Columbia valley South of Golden B.C.:
This diversified and growing agri-business has interests in beef cattle, forestry, seed production. Our business has a strong focus on technological innovation, creation and application but still operates a largely traditional beef cattle business. We place a strong emphasis on family values as well as work / life balance, and are located in an dream area for outdoor recreationists. The Golden area is popular for outdoor sports such skiing, hiking, fishing, hunting, motorsports, and paragliding. Duties: Successful applicant will be primarily responsible for: Beef cattle herd calving; herd records; feeding; herd health and animal husbandry; field checks; Field operations; Field equipment operation; irrigation systems management (- 3 pivots, – 5 irrigation reel guns and possible addition of drip line system operation); operation of equipment; haying; equipment maintenance and repair; fencing; and land preparation.
Requirements: Experience handling and calving cattle is necessary. Applicant should also have experience operating and maintaining basic farm equipment such as tractors, loaders, cultivation equipment and manure/prill spreaders. Applicant should have a basic understanding of mechanical maintenance and minor repair of farms equipment. Additional experience on industrial equipment such as excavators and bull dozers and/or class 1 qualifications would be considered an asset but not necessary to apply. Applicant should have strong desire for working in the agricultural industry and be willing to share and implement ideas as well as learn new tasks and skills relevant to the business. Good communication skills and a strong dependable work ethic are essential.
Wage or salary is negotiable based upon experience and/or education.
Accommodation and utilities in a modern, well-kept 3-bedroom house are provided.
Additional benefits are negotiable. This position is ideally suited for a farm career minded family but all applicants with the right experience will be considered.
IMMIGRATION POLICY CHANGES
Quebec Investors
Last week the Quebec Government published new regulations related to Quebec’s immigration programs, including the Quebec Immigrant Investor Program. Important changes to the QIIP include the following:
1) Candidates must have net assets of at least $2,000,000;
2) The investment candidates must make has increased to CAD$1,200,000.
It is projected that these regulations will be implemented in August this year. Until that time, Quebec Immigration will not be accepting any new applications.
Alberta Skilled Workers
The Alberta government is likely to implement new rules starting either 13 April 2018 or Monday 16 April 2018. We expect these changes to be similar to planned changes that were supposed to be implemented on 1 Jan 2018.
Some of the possible and expected changes are as follows:
Self employed Immigrants would no longer be eligible to apply in the Provincial Nominee Program.
Only foreign nationals working on work permits supported by Labour Market Impact Assessments (LMIA), Intra-company transfer work permits and holders of International Experience Class work permits would be eligible to apply for nomination.
All applicants must have a Canadian Language Benchmark score of at least 5 on all four language abilities.
For applicants that apply to the AINP under NOC code 3413 (Nurse aides, orderlies and patient service associates), the AINP will require a minimum language test score of CLB of 7 for each English language abilities.
At the time that your application is postmarked you must have completed at least a Canadian high school diploma or equivalent. To show that you meet this requirement you must have your highest level of foreign education verified through an Educational Credential Assessment (ECA). The AINP only accepts the ECAs accepted by IRCC.
At the time your application is postmarked applicants must have either: a minimum of 12 months full-time work experience in their current occupation in Alberta within the last 18 months; or a minimum of 24 months of full-time work experience in their current occupation in Canada and/or abroad within the last 30 months. This work experience can be a combination of experience gained in Alberta, in Canada (outside Alberta) and/or abroad.
It was also reported that a certain income will be required by the size of the family. The reported or expected levels will be as follows:
- 1 person in the family CAD 24,949
- 2 people in the family CAD 31,061
- 3 people in the family CAD38,185
- 4 people in the family CAD 46,362
- 5 people in the family CAD52,583
- 6 people in the family CAD 59,304
Apparently, the spouse’s income cannot be used to get the required income, although in other provinces both adults in in a family’s income can be used. However Alberta apparently is refusing the spouse’s income to be included in the calculation of the family’s income.
Applicants are not required to provide an ECA if they have a Canadian degree, diploma or certificate from a recognized Canadian post-secondary, technical college or secondary institution, or work experience that qualifies you for the AINP in any trade and you have a valid Alberta Qualification Certificate or trade certificate that is recognized by Alberta Advanced Training and Education.
There is also a list of prohibited occupations for which the AINP will not issue nominations:
0011 Legislators
0422 School Principals and Administrators of Elementary and Secondary Education
0423 Managers in Social, Community and Correctional Services
0432 Fire Chiefs and Senior Firefighting Officers
0651 Escort Agency Managers, Massage Parlour Managers
4031 Secondary School Teachers
4032 Elementary School and Kindergarten Teachers
4154 Professional Occupations in Religion
5121 Authors and Writers
5133 Musicians and Singers
5135 Actors and Comedians
5136 Painters, Sculptors and Other Visual Artists
1227 Court Officers and Justices of the Peace
3223 Dental Laboratory Bench Workers
4214 Early Childhood Educators and Assistants (only those without certification as a Child Development Worker (Level 2) or Child Development Supervisor (Level 3) through Alberta Children’s Services – Child Care Staff Certification Office)*
4216 Other Instructors
4217 Other Religious Occupations
5232 Other Performers, n.e.c.
5244 Artisans and Craftspersons
5251 Athletes
6232 Real Estate Agents and Salespersons
4411 Home Child Care Providers
4412 Home Support Workers, Housekeepers and Related Occupations
4413 Elementary and Secondary School Teacher Assistants
6533 Casino Occupations
6564 Other Personal Service Occupations (astrologers, chat line agent, dating service consultant, fortune teller, psychic consultant, psychic reader)
7513 Taxi and Limousine Drivers and Chauffeurs
8442 Trappers and Hunters
6623 Other Sales Related Occupations
6722 Operators and Attendants in Amusement, Recreation and Sport
6742 Other Service Support Occupations, n.e.c.
8611 Harvesting Labourers
8612 Landscaping and Grounds Maintenance Labourers
8613 Aquaculture and Marine Harvest Labourers
8614 Mine Labourers
ECONOMIC NEWS
https://www.ctvnews.ca/business/canada-s-economic-growth-rate-at-1-7-per-cent-in-fourth-quarter-1.3825666
It was reported in the Globe and Mail of 23 February 2018 that Canada’s unemployment rate is now the lowest it has been in 10 years. The article also explained that 21 % of the country workers are older than 55 which is double from twenty years ago. From July 2016 to December 2017 Canada developed 600 000 jobs.
Despite growth in jobs it was report by the Canadian Federation of Independent Business (https://www.cfib-fcei.ca/en) on 24 Aug 2017 that Canada has 361 000 vacancies.
The Canadian Tooling and Machining Association stated in their 2017 Wage and Business Survey that 20 percent of their skilled workers are older than 54 and will retire in 10 years
The Ontario Skilled Trades Alliance reported that 4% of employers would hire more people if they could find them.
Articles appeared in the National Post and Toronto Sun stated that the Ontario Provincial Debt is at CAD312 billion which makes the Ontario provincial government one of the largest indebted sub-sovereigns in the world. One hundred fourty six countries in the world have GDPs that are less than the Ontario Government total debt. The annual interest payments for Ontario is CAD12 billion which is the 4th largest budget item after healthcare, education and social services. It is simply not sustainable and eventually it will come to a painful end. The Ontario government’s provincial debt is more than the combined debt of Quebec British Columbia and Alberta’s debt combined.
ON A LIGHTER NOTE…
SINCERELY,
THE MATRIXVISA TEAM