The Canadian Government has boldly made the decision to cap the number of visa applications for the Skilled Worker Visa at an annual figure of 20,000 in an attempt to further reduce the backlog of outstanding applications.

Immigration Minister Jason Kenney has further instructed that all skilled immigration applicants will need to submit a proof of proficiency in one of Canada’s official languages by a third party language testing facility such as the International English Language Testing System (IELTS) or the Test D’évaluation de Français (TEF).This language requirement will also apply to those applicants who wish to migrate to Canada through the Canadian Experience Class Visas.

Other changes that have been introduced include the number of occupations eligible for the Skilled Worker Visa Program. Due to an oversupply in the job market, some occupations have been replaced by other much needed professions. According to the Associated Press, these occupations are to include Social Workers; Psychologists; Dental Hygienists and Therapists; Pharmacists; Dentists; Architects; Biologists and related scientists; Insurance Adjusters and Claims Examiners, Primary Industry Production Managers (except those in agriculture) and professions in business services and management.

To further complement the changes, applicants must have at least one year of continuous full-time employment or equivalent paid work experience in one of the aforementioned occupations in order to qualify. These changes will also place a limit the number of applications made under each occupation which means that all applications will be processed on a first-come-first-served basis.

The changes (introduced on Friday June 25, 2010) are projected to hold until June 30, 2011. These changes hope to further increase the speed at which applications get processed by the Canadian

Government. If looking to migrate to Canada, it is recommended at this time to begin the application process as soon as possible in order to take advantage of these changes.

If you are interested in Immigration to Canada, contact Visa House for information and advice on which visa is best suited to you. You can also try our visa eligibility assessment to see

if you are eligible to apply for a visa to Canada.