ON TOP of the 24 job categories under the Federal Skilled Occupancy (FSO) program, the Canadian Embassy on March 6 released 38 job categories under the Nova Scotia Provincial Nominee Program (NSPNP), Pinoy Care Visa Center Inc. president and chief executive officer Prisca Niña Mabatid said last Wednesday.
The Canadian Embassy also announced they will prioritize and speed up processing of applications already in progress of Filipinos affected by super typhoon Yolanda.
According to the embassy’s website, Canada’s Citizenship and Immigration Minister Chris Alexander announced last November that “effective immediately, Canada will be prioritizing the processing of applications already in progress on request from Filipinos who are significantly and personally affected by Typhoon Haiyan.”
“In support of these measures, Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) has set up special email addresses and a dedicated phone line to respond to requests from applicants and their families,” the advisory said.
Faster notice
Mabatid said at least 100 clients of Pinoy Care already got the second notice from the Canadian Embassy in less than six months. She noted that it normally takes at least four months for the medical checkup notice to arrive from the day of submission, but with the new advisory, many got the notices immediately. Average visa processing for Canada is from six months to one year.
“2014 really presents a lot of opportunities for Filipinos wanting to migrate to Canada,” said Mabatid.
She said those who are not qualified for the FSO program can take advantage of the NSPNP, whose requirements are not as stringent. She said among the qualifications are two years work experience, IELTS score of five and a bachelor’s degree.
Nova Scotia is a small Canadian province located in the northeast Maritimes region of the country. Its capital city, Halifax, is known as a major center for culture and the
arts as well as for its high standard of living.
Among the top occupations under the NSPNP are in the field of health/medical-related services, engineering and construction sectors.
But for Filipinos who want to work and live abroad but fall short of Canada’s requirements, Mabatid suggest the best alternative is New Zealand.
Mabatid said that in New Zealand, you enter first as a student before you become an immigrant. But for the one year schooling there, which is equivalent to a bachelor’s degree, you will be given the opportunity to work while studying, she said.
After a year of study, the NZ government will issue an open job visa that allows a person to stay a year more to look for a job. It is then up to the employer to petition the employee for an immigrant visa. Student-visa processing to NZ only takes a month. NZ immigration visa processing takes two or three years.
Mabatid said that aside from promoting Canada, her team will also aggressively promote New Zealand as the next best destination for immigrants. She said both countries offer almost the same benefits from education to health care.
Difference
“The only difference is the process of entry and the requirements involved. But these two countries are inviting more immigrants to come,” she said.
While more Filipinos are eager to go abroad in search of greener pastures, Mabatid warns they should be cautious when choosing a visa consultancy firm to deal with.
“They should stay away from consultancy firms offering immigrant with employment visa, as this is illegal,” said Mabatid, adding that her visa consultancy firm only assists applicants in preparing all the documentation needed for visa processing.
“We do not promise our clients anything. We don’t guarantee them visa and work as it is only the embassy’s sole discretion to approve their application or not.”
Aside from Pinoy Care, Mabatid also owns A-Max Philippines International Promotion Inc. a POEA-licensed recruitment agency whose concentration is for Middle East countries.