The Family Business Worker stream of the NSNP allows employers to hire family members or close relatives as international skilled workers. For this, it is mandatory that the foreign workers are skilled. They should be eligible to fill the positions that the Nova Scotia employers are finding it difficult to cater with the local Canadians (permanent residents or Canadian citizens). To be eligible for this stream, applicants must have an assured, permanent employment offer from a Nova Scotia employer. This employer should either be a family member or he can also be related closely, running a successful business in the province of Nova Scotia.

An applicant should be a relative of the business owner. He/she can be the business owner’s children, siblings, niece or nephew, aunt or uncle or even grandchild.

In order to qualify and apply under this category, the applicants must:

• Have lawful status in the country which he is residing.
• Willing to migrate and settle down forever in Nova Scotia.
• Have enough supports for the purpose of settlement.
• Have a job offer which is permanent and full-time in nature from a Nova Scotia employer, which of course must belong to a family member or relative.
• Be qualified with work experience, trained with skills which are transferable. He must have the relevant license or accreditation which is needed for the job.
• Have the relevant academic background, language skills, work experience, appropriate age and so on for the particular stream.

It is noteworthy that priority is given to applicants where in it could be proved by the family employer that they could cater to more supports to provide for the former and the accompanying dependents with their settlement needs.

At the same time, with such a program in place, it would be easier for those planning to immigrate to have better options post immigration. This way, the immigrant would already have a job in prior which caters to his immediate needs. So, he would be financially secure to support self and family. Above all, it is always better to immigrate with known contacts abroad which would definitely make the process for settlement easier for the migrant and his family. For more information, contact an Immigration and Visa Consultant!

In order to able to be eligible for this stream, applicants must possess a written declaration from a family member or a close relative who lives in Manitoba. Besides, the applicants must also meet the following criteria:

• The minimum age limit of the applicant must be 21 and maximum being 49.
• The applicant must possess at least 1 year of post-secondary degree. Else he/she should have a training program, thereafter obtained a diploma/degree/ certificate.
• The applicant must possess 2 years of minimum work experience over the recent 5 years.
• The applicant must possess proficiency in language skills so that he/she could be employed in Manitoba.

Apart, applicants are also needed to demonstrate the following in order to be able apply for the Manitoba Provincial Nominee Program Family Support which falls under the Priority Assessment Stream:

• An applicant must have a close relative or family member who is well settled and a resident of the province of Manitoba. Also, the relative must be able/willing support the applicant’s settlement in Manitoba.
• The applicant must fulfill the minimum prerequisites, such as age, work experience, education, and language skills.
• The applicant can convince the MPNP about his/her intention, as well as ability to settle in the province through-
  His/her connection to the province, such as the relative’s settlement assistance.
  Any license or certificate that supports his/her training/work experience in the occupation that he/she intending to take up in Manitoba.
  Minimum funds he/she has to support settlement in Manitoba.

For more information on the Manitoba Provincial Nominee Program, contact an Immigration and visa consultant!

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Denmark offers permanent residence programs for foreign nationals who would want to live and work in Denmark. In order to qualify under the Danish Green Card, the applicant has to earn a minimum of 100 points. The criteria for eligibility includes age, work experience, language skills, adaptability as well as educational qualifications. If qualified and scored the above points, an applicant can obtain a permanent residence for a period of three years. More so, the immigrant is permitted to bring his family along.

However, the criteria for eligibility tend to vary based on the country of the applicant. If the applicant is a Nordic citizen, then the immigrant would be free to reside, study as well as work in Denmark. For a citizen of a nation belonging to the European Union or if he is a Swiss national, his admission would be subject to the rules as brought out by the EU regarding the freedom of movement. He might even have to follow certain specific rules.

On the other hand, if the immigrant has already obtained a residence permit for Denmark on grounds of asylum or family reunification basis or on humanitarian grounds, in such cases, the immigrant need not require a work permit to be employed in Denmark.

As mentioned above, an applicant must score atleast 100 points on the various eligibility criteria. With this, he must have complete health insurance which covers the immigrant as well as his family till he is covered by the Danish National Health Insurance.

While applying, it is mandatory the applicant to have enough resources to support himself during the first year of residence in the nation. He must prove this with relevant documentation. This could include recent bank statements in the applicant’s name stating the currency and date of issue.

Incase of applying for a residence permit for the accompanying family, it is important to document evidence that the immigrant is able to support his family members. This proof should either be in the name of the immigrant or his spouse/partner’s name.

Last but not least, it is one of the important conditions that the immigrant does not receive any form of public assistance as mentioned in the Active Social Policy Act during his residence in Denmark.

People with reading habits always look for holidays or weekends so that they can pick their favorite books lying on their shelves for days untouched. But due to time constraints, they are unable to read to their heart’s content and so have to pursue their interest or hobby during weekends. My journey of reading books other than my regular text books which I had to read to clear my exams began with this famous magazine called ‘Reader’s Digest’.

Being poor in my language skills, my teachers always used to insist on reading but I hardly used to pay any attention to their suggestion. Then one day, one of my uncles suggested me to read this magazine called ‘Reader’s Digest’ which is not a very thick book like that Harry Potter but a very medium-sized magazine. An article in that magazine really inspired me a lot in my personal life as many published stories of that magazine were based on real life heroes who struggled in their lives and emerged as winners.

I still cannot call myself an ardent reader but definitely through this magazine I have really entered into the world of reading. I personally feel that the system of Indian education is structured in a very poor way which fails to produce minds of logic and reason. There is very less scope of true learning and education because of its rigid structure of exams and tests.

This puts undue stress on the minds of the students who only worry to perform well in their exams which in turn encourages them to ‘Rote Learning’. This also leaves them with no time to explore the world of books which can open up their minds to a large extent.

Anyway, let me not get into that because there is a lot to discuss and criticize about our education system. I firmly believe that reading is an integral part of education and every student must be encouraged to read some books other than their course books. This is not just to improve their language skills as my teachers used to suggest but for the development of our minds as well.

If you are not in to the habit of reading and every time you visit your nearby library, you end up not issuing any book. This is because those thick books make you sleepy? Do not worry! Your dream to become an ardent reader can be fulfilled if you maintain a slow but steady pace with yourself. To begin, you can just start by reading some simple and not so thick books which would be of your interest. Then you can move on to some other books which you were earlier hesitant to pick owing to their plot and language style. If you remain patient and slowly but consistently devote some time of your daily life for reading, you will surely be in the category of regular readers.

So, next time when your friends or colleagues must be discussing some popular book by some famous writer, do not feel neglected. If you also wish to see yourself engrossed in a book oblivious of the world around you, all you need to do is take the first step towards it and then a whole new horizon will open up in front of you. Good Luck!

During his recent visit to Australia, the Minister for Overseas Indian Affairs, Vayalar Ravi’s had many concerns that were worth discussing with the Australian authorities. With the new Skilled Occupations List of Australia taking its effect on July 1, many Indians who have gone there to pursue courses may be asked to return back to their home country. This, of course, is a matter of concern for Indian students who have already invested a lot of their money, as well as for the Indian government. The minister met Australian Foreign Minister, Immigration and Citizenship Minister and Trade Minister, whom he requested that Indian students who have already in the country should be affected by the new list of occupations.

Australia has revised the earlier Skilled Occupations List and with that the number of occupations has been cut down from 400 to only 181 for vocational courses and jobs. It is speculated that about fifteen thousand Indian students are likely to be affected by the list and they would be forced to withdraw and return to India. The Indian minister has urged the Australian government not to be harsh on these students and allow them to complete their courses and gain permanent residency. He also asked the Australian ministers to allow the Indian students a minimum period of two-and-a-half-year, so that the latter can find employment in the country, in order to acquire Australian permanent residency.

However, the Australian ministers did not promise anything in this regard. Still, the Indian minister is hopeful that the Oz authorities will look into the matter and take needful actions! In the meantime, The Joint Secretary for the Ministry of Overseas Indian Affairs confirmed that the new Skill Occupations List is not going to hamper sixty percent of the Indian students in Australia, while thirty percent will be provided with a transition time limit of two-and-a-half-year to look for some engagement. The remaining ten percent, which constitutes Indian students who did not have vocational or language skills; and entered the country on student visas only to get employed and then PR, is likely to face problem. Regarding the latter, the Indian ministry has analyzed that it is entirely the Australia’s fault to issue these Indians with student visas, knowing that they did not possess any of the skills. But, the Australian authority has defended themselves saying that those were student visas, but as per the new list of occupations, they would not be provided with the permanent residence status in Australia.

Well, the outcomes of the new Skilled Occupations List are yet to witness, but earlier this year many overseas students had been affected by the Australian government’s order to shut down many privately-run educational institutions that do not meet the standards set by the country’s federal and state governments. The Indian High Commission in Australia had already alerted Indian students intending to pursue courses in Australia about the existence of many institutions that do not fulfill its governments’ standards.

Immigration is a life changing decision which has to be taken at the right time for the right country. But before deciding upon this major decision, there are many factors that must be considered. Being such a major step in your life, you would not want it be your biggest mishap. Here are the five most important aspects without considering which you cannot move further:

Language Skills

It is important to know the local language of the particular country or place where you intend to immigrate. Without a common form of communication, it would be difficult to adjust and settle down in the new country. More so, you would not be permitted without a visa. So, having proficient language skills is of key importance.

Finances

Having a substantial amount of finances is very important. Your savings would help during your initial days in the new country. Till the time you get a job to support yourself and family, your financial resources would be the key for you and your family. More so, you have to prove that you have a specified amount of money before you are actually considered as being eligible. So, make sure that you have ample funds before you decide to immigrate.

Cost of Living

Big cities are often more expensive compared to the small towns. Based on what you can afford, make a thorough analysis of each city and state in the country of your choice. Get to know about various factors that would affect and contribute to your comfortable living.

Education

If you are moving with your family, education is one key factor that you would be looking for. You would want to enroll your children in a good school. Look out for all the child care services and the ones that would apply for the immigrants. More so, the child needs to be prepared to be enrolled into a similar grade when he joins school at the new place. Your child might need to have extra credits depending on the system of education being followed in the new country.

Job Opportunities

In order to settle down, employment opportunities are a must. It is important to get a job to support self and family. Get information on the kind of jobs available in your specific profession. Find out about the skills required and whether you match the same or not. Also, the amount of wages that are provided for the same is also important. It is always better to find a job in prior before you actually move into the new country.

However, there are many other aspects involved such as the qualifying criteria for the visa, your level of adaptability in the new country, medical facilities and other social services and so on.

This might seem very confusing and highly tedious. For this purpose, it is best to contact a registered Immigration and Visa Consultant who deals with your country of choice. He would be able to guide you appropriately in such issues that matter. Such a consultant is always updated with the latest in this regard. So contact one today!

All applications under the Federal Skilled Worker category for Canada are assessed against the Point Based System. Under this system, the applicant must score a minimum pass mark out of 100 to be eligible for the next step. There are six factors based on which an applicant is selected. These are:

• Academic Qualifications – A maximum of 25 points are allotted to an applicant. The applicant is assessed for his qualifications which he has claimed to have on the application form. More so, it should match the current skill requirement for a full time employment. Here, degrees or diplomas from recognized universities would only be counted. However, if the candidate has acquired the qualification via a distance education program, he has to prove his skills for a full time job equivalent. Along with this, the total academic years also count.
• Language Skills – English and French are two primary languages spoken in Canada. So, an applicant has to demonstrate his skills in listening, speaking, reading as well as writing in either of the two languages. A maximum of 24 points are awarded under this categories. To prove the same for English, he has to undergo an IELTS exam and present the report for the same.
• Work Experience – The applicant should have a minimum of a year of work experience in the last ten years prior to submitting his application. He should have worked in a profession that is present in the list of occupations brought out by the Canadian government. A total of 21 points are awarded to the candidate under this criterion. Also, the job duties of the applicant should match with the NOC definitions.
• Age – The age of the applicant as on the date of filing the application would be considered. A maximum of ten points are allotted for this criterion. Those below the age of 22 years are considered to be dependents. Those who are above 22 years of age would be considered as dependents if they are students on a full time basis. Proof of age such as those of birth certificates, passport and other academic certificates should be supported with the application.
• Employment Offer in Canada – If the applicant has an employment from a Canadian employer, he can claim additional points for the same. An applicant can score a maximum of 10 points in this category. This would be applicable if:
  • An employer from Canada has agreed to employ the applicant. This is for an unspecified period where in the applicant is considered as a Federal Skilled Worker.
  • The applicant has been granted an Arranged Employment Opinion in his favor from the HRSDC that is catered by the employer.
  • The applicant clears all the criteria for Canadian licensing and other regulatory standards that are related to his job profile.
• Adaptability Factor includes the level of education of the applicant’s spouse, prior education and work in Canada, arranged employment and relatives in the country. An applicant can score a maximum of 10 points under this category.

In all the above, there are certain terms and conditions that apply at all circumstances. More so, they are subject to change with prior information. So, it is best to consult an Immigration and Visa Expert who deals with Canadian Immigration. He would be able to guide appropriately on the same.

On 10th March 2010, the government of Canada announced certain amends to be brought about in the criteria for excepted language skills. These changes would be applicable for all those applying under the Federal Skilled Worker and the Canadian Experience class. This was announced by Jason Kenney, the Minister for Immigration and Multiculturalism.

Clarifying the above, Kenney said that the language skills criterion has not changed as such. The only change is that from now on, the applicants have to submit the proof of their language skills while submitting their application itself. So, the applicant has to now submit his proficiency either in English or French since these are the two official languages for Canada. This amend has been brought about to ensure faster processing of the applications.

Earlier, the applicants were permitted to either submit a written statement or a test conducted by a third party that is independent from the Citizenship and Immigration Canada. The written statement was meant for those who had English or French as their first language. But this was not being limited to the above. Those not having the above as their first language were also due advantage of the same. These written statements did not prove the candidate’s proficiency in the practical use of the language. So, they had to provide with other forms of evidence which obviously lead to a processing delay.

With this, all the applicants would be given a single chance to prove their proficiency in the same. However, they are still free to submit a written statement.

On the other hand, submitting test results for the language skills would ensure quick and genuine processing of the application. With this, these tests would also let the applicants know of their standing in the same. After getting their test results, they would be in a better position to decide on whether to apply for immigration or not. Incase of written statements, the applicants would not know how much they have scored till their application has not been assessed by the relevant authority.

However, it is recommended to present with the test results straight away to avoid any forms of delay.

It has to be realized that for any immigrant, the language skills are the key indicators to his success rate in the job market. The better his language skills, the more likely are his chances of landing with a good job.

When it comes to the applicants of the Canadian Experience Class, it is mandatory for them to meet the requisites for the same. For the Federal Skilled Workers, a maximum of twenty four points are awarded for this criterion.

The Skilled Regional Sponsored Visa Program allows individuals with skills to enter the New South Wales New as per the occupational requirements of the regional areas in the state. This visa category that falls under the subclass 475/487, requires sponsorship from the state government or a Regional Certifying Body in order to help an individual to enter and work in the NSW.

Like any other visa category, the Skilled Regional Migration Visa also requires applicants to meet a number of criteria. Here are a few of them:

• An applicant should not be above forty-five years of age.
• An applicant should have a certain level of English language skills.
• An applicant must gain at least 100points on the DIAC skills test.
• An applicant must intend to live and work in regional New South Wales.

New South Wales accepts applications for sponsorship under the Skilled Regional Sponsored Migration category for regions- Southern Inland Region, Northern Inland Region, Riverina, Orana and Murray. The Regional Certifying Bodies in NSW are entitled to accept the applications for skilled occupations. But, before applying for this visa, one needs to verify if he/she has the qualifications that are recognized in Australia, as well as the listed occupations available in the regions.

In order to apply for sponsorship from any of the above mentioned regions, all one needs to do is to fill up the NSW From R and send it to the regional office, along with a copy of the skills assessment with application fee!

Jason Kenney, Immigration Minister Canada has recently criticized the fact that people with poor language skills easily gain Canadian Citizenship. Though it is mandatory to have proficiency in Canadian languages including French and English, Kenney says that the language requirements are not enforced in a strict manner, which leads to immigrants with poor language skills.

He recently held a meeting with certain citizens residing for more than 15 years and found that none of them were able to converse in either of the official languages. Now the minister is planning to revamp the Immigration process in order to increase the priority given to the official languages of Canada.

The amendments would also ease out the procedure with which foreign credentials are accepted and will assist the applicants applying for Canadian Immigration in a major way.

It is advised to take a language course before planning to migrate to Canada. It will not only provide you with an added advantage in your application process but would help you cope with an altogether new world of Canada. In addition, you can hire the services of an Immigration and Visa advisor to know more.