Canadian Permanent Residence without high school qualification

[limhockkiong]

I found out a potential pathway by way of his work experience as a cook. In case there might be others who would find this thread useful, I found:

1. Alberta's AOS offers pathways to residency by way of the Alberta Advantage Immigration Program, which assesses the work experience of applicants.
2. Applicants does not need to provide an Education Credential Assessment (ECA) if they have a valid Alberta Qualification Certificate or a trade certificate recognized by Alberta Apprenticeship and Industry Training (AIT).
3. To obtain a trade certificate, he needs to sit for a Red Seal exam for cooks recognized by the AIT.

Info at: https://www.alberta.ca/aaip-alberta-opportunity-stream-eligibility#jumplinks-4

One paragraph on the website did say the following:
"The AAIP reserves the right to request an ECA from any candidate and/or to seek an internal educational assessment from the International Qualification Assessment Service (IQAS) or Advanced Education to confirm a candidate meets the minimum Canadian high school equivalent requirement."

So, I am not sure if this pathway to Canadian residency is 100% guaranteed. I learned that because he works as a cook outside of Canada, he would have to complete and pass the Red Seal Examination for cooks physically in Canada (he can fly in to Canada as a tourist, sign up and sit for the exam physically in Canada) in order to get a trade certificate.

But before he applies for the AOS, he needs to have a temporary foreign worker permit (TWFP), and that can be by way of a LMIA. He then works for a minimum of 1 year under the LMIA based work permit before he can apply for the AOS.

I dropped a question at the Alberta Advantage Immigration Program (AAIP) website if it is true that my cousin would not require an ECA and that passing the Red Seal exam to obtain a trade certificate (i.e. not completing high school is not a show stopper) still enables him to qualify for the AOS. Let's see what they respond, if they respond.

Is anyone familiar with the process I described loosely above?

 

[Naturgrl]

I found out a potential pathway by way of his work experience as a cook. In case there might be others who would find this thread useful, I found:

1. Alberta's AOS offers pathways to residency by way of the Alberta Advantage Immigration Program, which assesses the work experience of applicants.
2. Applicants does not need to provide an Education Credential Assessment (ECA) if they have a valid Alberta Qualification Certificate or a trade certificate recognized by Alberta Apprenticeship and Industry Training (AIT).
3. To obtain a trade certificate, he needs to sit for a Red Seal exam for cooks recognized by the AIT.

Info at: https://www.alberta.ca/aaip-alberta-opportunity-stream-eligibility#jumplinks-4

One paragraph on the website did say the following:
"The AAIP reserves the right to request an ECA from any candidate and/or to seek an internal educational assessment from the International Qualification Assessment Service (IQAS) or Advanced Education to confirm a candidate meets the minimum Canadian high school equivalent requirement."

So, I am not sure if this pathway to Canadian residency is 100% guaranteed. I learned that because he works as a cook outside of Canada, he would have to complete and pass the Red Seal Examination for cooks physically in Canada (he can fly in to Canada as a tourist, sign up and sit for the exam physically in Canada) in order to get a trade certificate.

But before he applies for the AOS, he needs to have a temporary foreign worker permit (TWFP), and that can be by way of a LMIA. He then works for a minimum of 1 year under the LMIA based work permit before he can apply for the AOS.

I dropped a question at the Alberta Advantage Immigration Program (AAIP) website if it is true that my cousin would not require an ECA and that passing the Red Seal exam to obtain a trade certificate (i.e. not completing high school is not a show stopper) still enables him to qualify for the AOS. Let's see what they respond, if they respond.

Is anyone familiar with the process I described loosely above?

Have you even read the Red Seal requirements. Apprenticeship and on the job training is years. Then he needs a LMIA and approved closed work permit. Even after a year, PR is not guaranteed. For AOS, employer must be eligible and give job offer to support nomination. Still needs high school.

 

[scylla]

I found out a potential pathway by way of his work experience as a cook. In case there might be others who would find this thread useful, I found:

1. Alberta's AOS offers pathways to residency by way of the Alberta Advantage Immigration Program, which assesses the work experience of applicants.
2. Applicants does not need to provide an Education Credential Assessment (ECA) if they have a valid Alberta Qualification Certificate or a trade certificate recognized by Alberta Apprenticeship and Industry Training (AIT).
3. To obtain a trade certificate, he needs to sit for a Red Seal exam for cooks recognized by the AIT.

Info at: https://www.alberta.ca/aaip-alberta-opportunity-stream-eligibility#jumplinks-4

One paragraph on the website did say the following:
"The AAIP reserves the right to request an ECA from any candidate and/or to seek an internal educational assessment from the International Qualification Assessment Service (IQAS) or Advanced Education to confirm a candidate meets the minimum Canadian high school equivalent requirement."

So, I am not sure if this pathway to Canadian residency is 100% guaranteed. I learned that because he works as a cook outside of Canada, he would have to complete and pass the Red Seal Examination for cooks physically in Canada (he can fly in to Canada as a tourist, sign up and sit for the exam physically in Canada) in order to get a trade certificate.

But before he applies for the AOS, he needs to have a temporary foreign worker permit (TWFP), and that can be by way of a LMIA. He then works for a minimum of 1 year under the LMIA based work permit before he can apply for the AOS.

I dropped a question at the Alberta Advantage Immigration Program (AAIP) website if it is true that my cousin would not require an ECA and that passing the Red Seal exam to obtain a trade certificate (i.e. not completing high school is not a show stopper) still enables him to qualify for the AOS. Let's see what they respond, if they respond.

Is anyone familiar with the process I described loosely above?

How will he overcome this?

Education requirements
All applicants except Post-Graduation Work Permit holders

As of January 1, 2021, at the time your application is submitted, you must have completed a minimum of high school education equivalent to Canadian standards.

He doesn't need to provide ECA, but he must still have a minimum of a high school education. He'll need to list his education in his application. And you definitely don't want to go down the path of lying in an application to IRCC.

 

[limhockkiong]

No, I have not.

I did make a call to the AIT earlier and the lady on the phone said he can take the Red Seal exam if he is ready and it is a 4 hour exam that is 100% theory based. She did not mention of "apprenticeship and on the job training" in Canada maybe because I described my cousin's background to her, i.e. he has worked as a cook for many years but outside of Canada, no high school completion, no papers or credentials etc. She said these are not showstoppers as long as he can pass the exam.

I guess I could have been more clearer in my phone call and ask "Does he need apprenticeship in Canada or take any formal education also in Canada in preparation for the Red Seal, or can he just prepare on his own at his own pace or even just wing it, if he so desires to?" I might just make another phone call tomorrow and hoping more thoughts from the forum will raise relevant considerations I have not thought about.

Thanks @Naturgrl !

 

[Naturgrl]

No, I have not.

I did make a call to the AIT earlier and the lady on the phone said he can take the Red Seal exam if he is ready and it is a 4 hour exam that is 100% theory based. She did not mention of "apprenticeship and on the job training" in Canada maybe because I described my cousin's background to her, i.e. he has worked as a cook for many years but outside of Canada, no high school completion, no papers or credentials etc. She said these are not showstoppers as long as he can pass the exam.

I guess I could have been more clearer in my phone call and ask "Does he need apprenticeship in Canada or take any formal education also in Canada in preparation for the Red Seal, or can he just prepare on his own at his own pace or even just wing it, if he so desires to?" I might just make another phone call tomorrow and hoping more thoughts from the forum will raise relevant considerations I have not thought about.

Thanks @Naturgrl !

Your cousin still needs a job with LMIA and be approved for a closed work permit. Employer needs to be eligible for AOS and willing to support nomination. Cousin needs high school ECA for AINP AOS. Even after all this, PR is not guaranteed and province may select people with degrees/diplomas in the same NOC.

 

[limhockkiong]

How will he overcome this?

Education requirements
All applicants except Post-Graduation Work Permit holders

As of January 1, 2021, at the time your application is submitted, you must have completed a minimum of high school education equivalent to Canadian standards.

He doesn't need to provide ECA, but he must still have a minimum of a high school education. He'll need to list his education in his application. And you definitely don't want to go down the path of lying in an application to IRCC.

Yes, very good question. I was reading this last paragraph again and it does sound like "even though an ECA is not required if you have obtained a trade certificate recognized by the AIT, we assume you have already completed high school and as such, we might randomly request some applicants to submit an ECA even though it's not officially required, just to random or spot check to ensure a high school completion is truly in place...".

Hopefully someone from the AAIP will respond to my question and clarify about the high school requirement, but I feel 95% certain, the high school requirement is implicit. Hoping for a miracle in the 5%. Thanks @scylla

 

[foodie69]

Red Seal culinary
https://letmegooglethat.com/?q=red+sral+cooking

 

[limhockkiong]

Your cousin still needs a job with LMIA and be approved for a closed work permit. Employer needs to be eligible for AOS and willing to support nomination. Cousin needs high school ECA for AINP AOS. Even after all this, PR is not guaranteed and province may select people with degrees/diplomas in the same NOC.

"Employer needs to be eligible for AOS..." ? As in, by way of the occupation (or eligible NOC) my cousin will work as with the employer?

 

[limhockkiong]

Red Seal culinary
https://letmegooglethat.com/?q=red+sral+cooking

Not hard, just have not and will obviously do. Thanks for showing me a cool medium of expressing sarcasm.

 

[scylla]

"Employer needs to be eligible for AOS..." ? As in, by way of the occupation (or eligible NOC) my cousin will work as with the employer?

The employer themselves must meet the AOS eligibility requirements.

I don't understand your example. This isn't about eligible NOCs. It's about the employer meeting specific requirements.

 

[scylla]

Hopefully someone from the AAIP will respond to my question and clarify about the high school requirement, but I feel 95% certain, the high school requirement is implicit. Hoping for a miracle in the 5%. Thanks @scylla

I would recommend you hire an immigration lawyer to assist you with this question.

It's very rare to see people here without at least a high school education. I think it's extremely unlikely someone is going to answer who didn't have a high school education and applied through AAIP. But you can certainly wait at see.

 

[limhockkiong]

The employer themselves must meet the AOS eligibility requirements.

I don't understand your example. This isn't about eligible NOCs. It's about the employer meeting specific requirements.

Thanks will do a little more read up on this.

 

[canuck78]

"Employer needs to be eligible for AOS..." ? As in, by way of the occupation (or eligible NOC) my cousin will work as with the employer?

Thanks will do a little more read up on this.

Your cousin could do a high school equivalency course like a GED.

 

[limhockkiong]

So, this is what I have found so far:

Source: Federal Skilled Trades Program (Express Entry) - https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/immigrate-canada/express-entry/eligibility/skilled-trades.html

There are a number of requirements that need to be met such as skilled trades work experience, job offer, proof of funds, language and qualification certification. And under these requirements are the individual minimum requirements. However, I am interested in finding out whether not possessing a high school diploma or equivalent is a complete showstopper.

On this page, under Education it says: "There is no education requirement for the Federal Skilled Trades Program."
However, a high school completion, diploma or degree can earn you more points. In other words, it is not required but the applicant cannot earn points from education. So, he might likely not make it without the other points.

Source: Apprenticeship and Industry Training (AIT), Alberta - https://tradesecrets.alberta.ca/trades-in-alberta/profiles/018/
As a cook, he can pursue the Trades Qualifier program to obtain a trade certificate as a cook. There are requirements including passing the theory exam (Red Seal exam) but no high school completion is required to apply for the exam and for the trade certificate. I confirmed this in a telephone call with AIT Alberta. A high school completion is only required by AIT if he wants to go via the Apprenticeship program.

So it seems like it is not impossible for him to immigrate without ever having a high school completion, it's just that his human capital is limited and therefore, he will not carry much CRS points to qualify for the Federal Skilled Trades Program Express Entry.

 

[scylla]

So, this is what I have found so far:

Source: Federal Skilled Trades Program (Express Entry) - https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/immigrate-canada/express-entry/eligibility/skilled-trades.html

There are a number of requirements that need to be met such as skilled trades work experience, job offer, proof of funds, language and qualification certification. And under these requirements are the individual minimum requirements. However, I am interested in finding out whether not possessing a high school diploma or equivalent is a complete showstopper.

On this page, under Education it says: "There is no education requirement for the Federal Skilled Trades Program."
However, a high school completion, diploma or degree can earn you more points. In other words, it is not required but the applicant cannot earn points from education. So, he might likely not make it without the other points.

Source: Apprenticeship and Industry Training (AIT), Alberta - https://tradesecrets.alberta.ca/trades-in-alberta/profiles/018/
As a cook, he can pursue the Trades Qualifier program to obtain a trade certificate as a cook. There are requirements including passing the theory exam (Red Seal exam) but no high school completion is required to apply for the exam and for the trade certificate. I confirmed this in a telephone call with AIT Alberta. A high school completion is only required by AIT if he wants to go via the Apprenticeship program.

So it seems like it is not impossible for him to immigrate without ever having a high school completion, it's just that his human capital is limited and therefore, he will not carry much CRS points to qualify for the Federal Skilled Trades Program Express Entry.

Have you calculated his CRS to determine if he has a chance of being selected? The draws for this stream are infrequent. There was only one this year and the one prior to that was in 2020.