On May 4, 2013, CIC launched the new and improved Federal Skilled Worker Program. The goal of the updated selection criteria is to improve economic outcomes by selecting immigrants who will be able to integrate more quickly and successfully into Canada’s economy.

To prevent application backlogs and lengthy wait times, a maximum of 5,000 new applications will be accepted in 24 eligible occupations, with up to 300 in each occupation. CIC will also consider up to 1,000 additional applications in the PhD eligibility stream. These application caps are valid until April 30, 2014. There is no limit on the number of applications for those with a qualifying offer of arranged employment.

CIC has also designated four organizations to conduct the now-mandatory assessments for applicants with foreign educational credentials. For more information on the Educational Credential Assessment process, view this video.

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