Alberta Welcomes H-1B Visa Holders and Their Families

[kaisersose]

Originally Posted by sriramkalyan

I do not agree with it ..

It is not for me or you to agree or disagree with their policies. They have an official list of acceptable job categories and Software engineer is explicitly barred. Here is the URL
http://www.hrsdc.gc.ca/en/workplaces...bouplist.shtml

and here is the relevant job code,

2147 Computer Engineers (Except Software Engineers)

If Alberta did not want Software Engineers, they do not have to have this Special process for H1Bs in US. More that 90% H1Bs work on software engineers.

The 90% is most likely why they banned software engineers.

Here is the link to the program
http://albertacanada.com/immigration/campaigns/h1b.html

[nixone]

I am not even sure if this program has already started or if anybody has already applied through this route. When you go to Albertacanada.com, you will see all the immigration programs they are offering and this H1B route is not even mentioned anywhere. It seems like they are just checking how many H1Bs are going to be interested.

[ndbhatt]

Originally Posted by hazishak

When they are talking about fast-track Alberta Immigrant Nominee Program they don't talk about the time line. Did they mention anywhere how long it takes to process such a case?

Hi Hazishak, here is the response to my pre-assessment application
===
Dear XYZ;

Thank you for submitting these documents. The Alberta Immigrant Nominee Program (AINP) Office will assess your application.

Given a positive pre-assessment, the AINP Office will send you an application package, and an invitation letter to apply for the AINP. Normally, AINP pre-assessments and invitations to apply are taking up to 50 working days to process.

Once you have completed all the necessary AINP/CIC forms, you will send your application package back to the AINP Office, whereby they will process your AINP application. Completed AINP applications can take up to 30 - 60 days to process before a positive nomination certificate is issued.

Once you have received a positive nomination and AINP certificate, the AINP Office will instruct you on how to proceed for the second phase of the process for permanent residence, which is processed by Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC). The second phase of the process with CIC can take 6 - 12 months.

Please visit the following Citizenship and Immigration Canada website for more information on the immigration process once you have received a positive AINP nomination http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/immigra...cial/index.asp

Kindly do not call or email us to check on the status of your application, as this will increase our processing times of applications.

If you should require additional information or assistance, please do not hesitate to contact the Foreign Worker Hotline at 1-780-427-6419 or Toll free from within Alberta 1-877-427-6419 or email us at immigration.info@gov.ab.ca .

Thank you for your interest in moving to Alberta.

Regards,

Gingie

Economic Immigration Specialist
Alberta Employment and Immigration
===
Pre-assessment : 50 days ~ 2 months
AINP nomination certificate : 30 - 60 days ~ 2 months
Process for permanent residence : 6 - 12 months

Happy path for permanent residence should take anywhere between 8 - 16 months.
I think the process time will change depending on the response from H1Bs.

I hope this helps.

Nik

[punjabi77]

Those who are on h1B and havent applied for GC, should definitly try for Canadian PR. Job market in Canada is not that bad but you will find competition as people are ready to work at lower wages than in US.. Only -ve factor is the weather and the taxes. If you move to Alberta, it has less tax than any other province.
I have got my PR and my 485 is filed. I did get a job offer from Canadian company but did not move as i thought i shud give GC some more time and if nothing happens in the next 3 years, then will plan on moving.

I am very confident that Alberta, specifically Calgary and Edmonton, is going to develop a lot bcos of Oil and Gas, but there are other better things in US that kept me from going to Canada.

Getting Citizenship in Canada is much easier, u will get it in 4 years, after living there for consecutive 3 years.

Then u can work freely in US or Canada and enjoy the benefit of Canadian medical too if something adverse happenss..

Also, earlier, only Quebec and one or two more province allowed provincial immigration. But it seems because of shortage of labor, most of the province are allowing it. And not to mention, Alberta would be the best place to settle down.

[ingegarcia]

Not for SW engineers, however similar jobs are available for IT...
0213 - Computer and Information systems Manager
2171 - Information Systems Analysts and Consultants

Originally Posted by kaisersose

Just FYI,

This immigration program offered in Alberta is not available to Software Engineers. Apparently, it would seem a number of SEs have already moved there as they are not facing shortage of employment in that area.

[ingegarcia]

http://www.albertacanada.com/immigra...aigns/h1b.html

Originally Posted by nixone

I am not even sure if this program has already started or if anybody has already applied through this route. When you go to Albertacanada.com, you will see all the immigration programs they are offering and this H1B route is not even mentioned anywhere. It seems like they are just checking how many H1Bs are going to be interested.

[nixone]

Originally Posted by ndbhatt

Pre-assessment : 50 days ~ 2 months
AINP nomination certificate : 30 - 60 days ~ 2 months
Process for permanent residence : 6 - 12 months

Happy path for permanent residence should take anywhere between 8 - 16 months.
I think the process time will change depending on the response from H1Bs.

I hope this helps.

Nik

Nik, would you please help me how you answered the following questions on that one-page form?

15. For what occupation was your US visa issued and for which visa category (H1B, H1-B1, H-1C, E-3)?
Operations Research Analyst and H1B (I do not have a visa, it is the status changed from F-1)

16. How long have you been working in the US under the visa category indicated above?
10 months (I know I need to wait until Oct 08)

17. Is your occupation on the Regional Occupations Under Pressure list for Alberta? �� Yes �� No
Here is the problem. If I say YES the title above is not on the list. If I say NO, my job duties fall under Systems Analyst and it is on the list--job code 2171.

I really want to apply and I want to move to Canada. This is not a backup plan. I want this more than US GC. What should I do? Thanks for your time and help.

[nixone]

Originally Posted by ingegarcia

http://www.albertacanada.com/immigra...aigns/h1b.html

That url has been posted here a few times already and I am aware of that. What I was trying to say is, if you go here: http://www.albertacanada.com/immigration/, you will see various immigration programs offered by Alberta Govt, but H1B route has not been discussed anywhere and no direct link found on that page or at least I did not find one.

[ingegarcia]

My H1b was approved for Senior Software Engineer and I applied to alberta as 2171 - Information Systems Analysts and Consultants

My asssement was approved today and I'll be applying for PNP in a couple of weeks.

Originally Posted by nixone

Nik, would you please help me how you answered the following questions on that one-page form?

15. For what occupation was your US visa issued and for which visa category (H1B, H1-B1, H-1C, E-3)?
Operations Research Analyst and H1B (I do not have a visa, it is the status changed from F-1)

16. How long have you been working in the US under the visa category indicated above?
10 months (I know I need to wait until Oct 08)

17. Is your occupation on the Regional Occupations Under Pressure list for Alberta? �� Yes �� No
Here is the problem. If I say YES the title above is not on the list. If I say NO, my job duties fall under Systems Analyst and it is on the list--job code 2171.

I really want to apply and I want to move to Canada. This is not a backup plan. I want this more than US GC. What should I do? Thanks for your time and help.

[ingegarcia]

My guess is that this program is something that they can shutdown any time... In this case they do have to remove any reference in their website..

Originally Posted by nixone

That url has been posted here a few times already and I am aware of that. What I was trying to say is, if you go here: http://www.albertacanada.com/immigration/, you will see various immigration programs offered by Alberta Govt, but H1B route has not been discussed anywhere and no direct link found on that page or at least I did not find one.

[Chiwere]

Originally Posted by ingegarcia

My H1b was approved for Senior Software Engineer and I applied to alberta as 2171 - Information Systems Analysts and Consultants

My asssement was approved today and I'll be applying for PNP in a couple of weeks.

ingegarcia, How long does it take for the assessment to come through? I just submitted via email today.

[ingegarcia]

Originally Posted by Chiwere

ingegarcia, How long does it take for the assessment to come through? I just submitted via email today.

Mine took a little less than 3 months I guess due to it was one of thwe first ones... however more recent cases are taken around 1 month.....

[nixone]

Originally Posted by ingegarcia

My H1b was approved for Senior Software Engineer and I applied to alberta as 2171 - Information Systems Analysts and Consultants

My asssement was approved today and I'll be applying for PNP in a couple of weeks.

How did you know that it was approved? Did they send you an e-mail or you have already received an application package? What job title did you put on the form, Sr. Software Engineer or Sr. Systems Analyst?

When you will send the actual PNP application, how are you going to prove that your work falls under job code 2171 when your H1B LCA and other documents will show that you are Senior Software Engineer? This is something I need figure out before I send my one page form back to them.

[ingegarcia]

I received an email saying that pre-assessment had been approved and that I would receive a package in a couple of weeks. However this does not seem to happen in all the cases.

In my job title I put senior software engineer since all my documents have it... job description, h1b.. however when they asked for documents they said "Proof of your current employment (and job description) and how it applies to the Regional Occupations Under Pressure List in Alberta "

So I decided to do a small essay.. 1 paragraph stating the similarities of my current position and the chosen NOC description

Originally Posted by nixone

How did you know that it was approved? Did they send you an e-mail or you have already received an application package? What job title did you put on the form, Sr. Software Engineer or Sr. Systems Analyst?

When you will send the actual PNP application, how are you going to prove that your work falls under job code 2171 when your H1B LCA and other documents will show that you are Senior Software Engineer? This is something I need figure out before I send my one page form back to them.

[Chiwere]

Originally Posted by ingegarcia

Mine took a little less than 3 months I guess due to it was one of thwe first ones... however more recent cases are taken around 1 month.....

Thanks, I just received an email from an "Economic Immigration Specialist" asking me to fax/email copies of Passport/H1B etc.
Whatever happens from here they are at least responsive and courteous.