Showing posts with label Canada immigration Skilled Workers assessment NOC. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Canada immigration Skilled Workers assessment NOC. Show all posts

Friday, January 31, 2014

APPLICANT DID NOT PERFORM DUTIES IN SKILLED WORKER APPLICATION

The case below follows long standing jurisprudence discussing the meaning of the essential duties for a position in the National Occupational Classification. Applicants routinely push the boundaries of the positions to try to include themselves into the descriptions, it is a pointless exercise like fitting a square peg into a round hole. The Federal Court was clear and concise in its reasons dismissing the judicial review.

Qureshi v. Canada (Minister of Citizenship and Immigration)

Between
Mohammad Shabir Qureshi, Applicant, and
The Minister of Citizenship and Immigration, Respondent
[2013] F.C.J. No. 1395
2013 FC 1285

Docket IMM-11690-12

 Federal Court
Toronto, Ontario

Annis J.


Heard: December 9, 2013.
Judgment: December 23, 2013.
(24 paras.)


REASONS FOR JUDGMENT AND JUDGMENT
ANNIS J.:--
INTRODUCTION
1     This is an application, pursuant to s 72.1 of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act, SC 2001, c 27 [IRPA], for judicial review of a decision of a visa officer ("the Officer") dated May 24, 2012, and received October 5, 2012, refusing the applicant's application for permanent residence in Canada as a federal skilled worker. The applicant asks that the decision be set aside and remitted for reconsideration.
2     For the following reasons, the application is denied.
BACKGROUND
3     The applicant, Mr Mohammad Shabir Qureshi, made an application for permanent residence in Canada from Pakistan under the Federal Skilled Worker Class [FSWC] in 2010 stating that he had at least one year of continuous full-time or equivalent paid work experience in the 10 years prior to his application under NOC 4131 (College and Other Vocational Instructors).
4     NOC 4131 did not contain any essential duties. It described the main duties of College and Other Vocational Instructors as follows:

·       College and other vocational instructors perform some or all of the following duties: 

·       * 
Teach students using a systematic plan of lectures, demonstrations, discussion groups, laboratory work, shop sessions, seminars, case studies, field assignments and independent or group projects 
·       * 
Develop curriculum and prepare teaching materials and outlines for courses 
·       * 
Prepare, administer and mark tests and papers to evaluate students' progress 
·       * 
Advise students on program curricula and career decisions 
·       * 
Provide individualized tutorial/remedial instructions 
·       * 
Supervise independent or group projects, field placements, laboratory work or hands-on training 
·       * 
Supervise teaching assistants 
·       * 
May provide consultation services to government, business and other organizations 
·       * 
May serve on committees concerned with matters such as budgets, curriculum revision and course and diploma requirements. 

·       These instructors specialize in particular fields or areas of study such as visual arts, dental hygiene, welding, engineering technology, policing, computer software, management and early childhood education.

·       [Emphasis in original] 
5     Attached to his application on the Schedule 3, Economic Classes - Federal Skilled Workers form, the applicant indicated for the NOC 4131 requirement that he had more than one year but less than two years of experience. He described the main duties of his experience as follows: "Worked as a Lecturer with Government Post Graduate College, Kohat, Pakistan & taught Political Science to Bachelor of Arts degree students according to University syllabus using lectures, discussion & [sic] seminars."
6     The applicant submitted with his application a Service Certificate from the Government Post Graduate College, Kohat. The Certificate indicated that the applicant was a lecturer in Political Science for the 2007-2008 session and that he was "delivering lectures of Political Science to inter and Degree classes respectively".
7     The Officer's notes on the applicant's application are recorded in the Global Case Management System [GCMS] as follows:

·       Although the NOC Code 4131 corresponds to an occupation specified in the instructions, I am not satisfied that client actually has experience in this occupation: none of the reference letters on file satisfied me that client performed the main duties for this occupation. Subj stated he had 1 yr of experience in NOC4131 on Schedule 3. Work reference letter from post grad college Kohat states that client worked as lecturer, however no other duties provided. I am therefore, not satisfied that he is a college teacher as per the national occupation classification's definition. Application refused. 

·       [Emphasis added] 
8     The letter sent to the applicant denying his application stated the following:

·       Although the NOC code corresponds to the occupations specified in the Instructions, the main duties that you listed do not indicate that you performed all of the essential duties and a substantial number of the main duties, as set out in the occupational descriptions of the NOC. 

·       [Emphasis added] 
ISSUES
9     The issues that arise are the following:

·       a. 
Is the decision of the Officer that the applicant failed to demonstrate that he met the requirements of NOC 4131 for performance of the main duties reasonable? 
·       b. 
Should the applicant have received a fairness letter? 
STANDARD OF REVIEW
10     The respondent submits that factual determinations by an officer and findings of fact are reviewable on a standard of reasonableness. I agree. See, for example, Kniazeva v Canada (Minister of Citizenship and Immigration), 2006 FC 268 at para 15.
ANALYSIS
Issue #1: Is the decision of the Officer that the applicant failed to demonstrate that he met the requirements of NOC 4131 for performance of the main duties reasonable?
11     The applicant raised the issue that the Officer changed the criteria applicable to him midstream and without notice. First, he submitted that the refusal letter applied the wrong test because the Officer stated that he did not perform "all of the essential duties," while the NOC only speaks of indications that "some or all of the main duties" be performed. I find this to be an error of inadvertence in the letter, which misstated the Officer's decision by referring to "essential duties," and not "main duties." Moreover, NOC 4131 does not contain any essential duties.
12     The applicant further argues that the Officer also applied the wrong test for main duties when stating in his refusal letter that the applicant had not indicated that he had performed a "substantial number of the main duties". As described above, the NOC only refers to the requirement that the applicant perform "some or all of the main duties".
13     The Officer appears to rely upon Regulation 80(3)(b) of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Regulations [IRPR], SOR/ 93-22 which states that a skilled worker is considered to have experience if he or she performed at least a substantial number of the main duties of the occupation as set out in the NOC:

·       80. 
(3) For the purposes of subsection (1), a skilled worker is considered to have experience in an occupation, regardless of whether they meet the employment requirements of the occupation as set out in the occupational descriptions of the National Occupational Classification, if they performed 

·       (b) at least a substantial number of the main duties of the occupation as set out in the occupational descriptions of the National Occupational Classification, including all the essential duties. 


[Emphasis added]


* * *

·       80. 
(3) Pour l'application du paragraphe (1), le travailleur qualifié, indépendamment du fait qu'il satisfait ou non aux conditions d'accès établies à l'égard d'une profession ou d'un métier figurant dans les description des professions de la Classification nationale des professions, est considéré comme ayant acquis de l'expérience dans la profession ou le métier : 

·       b) s'il a exercé une partie appréciable des fonctions principales de la profession ou du métier figurant dans les descriptions des professions de cette classification, notamment toutes les fonctions essentielles. 


[Nous soulignons]


14     Jurisprudence of this Court has interpreted "some or all of the main duties" of the NOC as a minimum threshold of "some". This has been further interpreted to mean more than one duty, i.e. two main duties. See, for example A'Bed v Canada (Minister of Citizenship and Immigration), 2002 FCT 1027 and the cases cited therein (Chen v Canada (Minister of Citizenship and Immigration), [2000] F.C.J. No. 422 (TD); Bhutto v Canada (Minister of Citizenship and Immigration), [1999] F.C.J. No. 1411 (TD); and Agrawal v Canada (Minister of Citizenship and Immigration), [1999] F.C.J. No. 930)). It does not appear that these cases considered whether the requirement of Regulation 80(3)(b) described above of performing a "substantial number" of the main duties of the occupation should have priority over the NOC requirement of "some or all".
15     However, it is worth noting the relationship between the IRPR and the NOC requirements. NOC descriptions are developed by the Department of Human Resources and Skills Development Canada [HRSDC] pursuant to the IRPR. Section 2 of the IRPR states:

·       "National Occupational Classification" means the National Occupational Classification developed by the Department of Human Resources and Skills Development and Statistics Canada, as amended from time to time. 
* * *

·       "Classification nationale des professions" Le document intitulé Classification nationale des professions élaboré par le ministère des Ressources humaines et du Développement des compétences et Statistique Canada, avec ses modifications successives. 
As a result, while the language of the NOC descriptions provides guidance to officers selecting qualified candidates, the IRPR would normally be thought to take precedence over the descriptions. If the Regulations use the language of "substantial number" while the NOC description uses the language of "some or all," one would think that the Regulations would supersede the NOC description.
16     Sullivan on the Constructions of Statutes, 5th ed (Ottawa: LexisNexis Canada Inc, 2008) at 623-624 has stated:

·       When an authority to make interpretive guidelines is conferred by statute, the resulting directives are not necessarily legislation. In Canada (Minister of Citizenship and Immigration v. Thamorem, for example, the Federal Court of Appeal ruled that directives made under s. 159 of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act, providing that the Chairperson of the Immigration and Refugee Board "may issue guidelines in writing to the members of the Board...to assist members in carrying out their duties," were merely administrative in character and lacked the status of law. In his majority judgment, Evans J.A. pointed out the advantages achieved through reliance on guidelines and other "soft law." 
17     In any case, the applicant raised the issue of the "substantial number" requirement as described in the Officer's refusal letter for the first time at the hearing over the objections of the respondent. Were I not satisfied that the applicant failed in his application to provide information that he had performed two of the main duties listed, I would have adjourned the matter to permit submissions on the point of whether the requirement in the NOC should have priority over that stated in the Regulation. As mentioned, it does not seem to have come up in the previous jurisprudence and it is not clear that given the normal hierarchy in legislative schemes the substantial number requirement in the Regulation should not prevail.
18     However, I agree with the respondent that the only reference contained in the materials before the Officer (the Service Certificate from the Government Post Graduate College, Kohat) identifies that the applicant performed only the one duty of lecturing, and none of the other main duties described in the NOC.
19     Additionally, while not determinative, but contributing to the reasonableness of the decision, I note that the statement at the end of the list of main duties indicates that instructors targeted by the NOC should teach vocational skills "such as visual arts, dental hygiene, welding, engineering technology, policing, computer software, management and early childhood education." The employment information provided by the applicant was that he taught general academic knowledge courses such as political science.
20     I conclude therefore that the decision of the Officer that the applicant failed to demonstrate that he met the requirements of NOC 4131 for performance of some or all of the main duties was reasonable.
Issue #2: Should the Applicant have received a fairness letter?
21     The applicant also argues that he should have received a "fairness letter."
22     I disagree. There is no requirement to issue a fairness letter or otherwise advise an applicant of the deficiencies in his application before rejecting it on the grounds of mere insufficiency of evidence (see Kamchibekov v Canada (Minister of Citizenship and Immigration), 2011 FC 1411). A duty of fairness may require officials to inform applicants of their concerns where a visa officer forms a negative impression of evidence tendered by the applicant (see, for example, Hassani v Canada (Minister of Citizenship and Immigration), 2006 FC 1283, [2007] 3 F.C.R. 501 and Rukmangathan v Canada (Minister of Citizenship and Immigration), 2004 FC 284 at paras 22-23). Those are not the facts herein.
CONCLUSION
23     For the reasons given above, this application for judicial review is denied.
24     There is no question requiring certification.
JUDGMENT
THIS COURT'S JUDGMENT is that this application for judicial review is denied.

ANNIS J.


Wednesday, September 4, 2013

INSUFFICIENT EVIDENCE OF JOB DUTIES RESULTS IN VISA REFUSAL FOR CONSTRUCTION MANAGER

Many applicants do not understand that they must provide evidence of job duties to fit an occupation in the NOC. Others simply copy the duties outlined in the description. Both approaches are incorrect. The correct approach is to thoroughly describe the duties and responsibilities in detail without attempting to fit the job description, which is usually a red flag to visa officers.


Mollajafari v. Canada (Minister of Citizenship and Immigration)

Between

Majid Mollajafari, Applicant, and
The Minister of Citizenship and Immigration, Respondent
[2013] F.C.J. No. 933
2013 FC 906

Docket IMM-6493-12

 Federal Court
Toronto, Ontario

Annis J.


Heard: July 18, 2013.
Judgment: August 27, 2013.
(21 paras.)

 REASONS FOR JUDGMENT AND JUDGMENT
1     [1] ANNIS J.:-- This is an application for judicial review, pursuant to section 72(1) of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act, SC 2001, c 27, of a decision refusing the applicant's application for permanent residence in Canada in the Federal Skilled Worker category.
2     [2] The applicant is requesting an order of certiorari quashing the negative decision and an order of mandamus compelling the respondent to reconsider his application.
Background
3     [1] Mr. Mollajafari was born in Iran in 1977. He attended Islamic Azad University, obtaining a three-year Civil Surveying associate's degree and a B.A. in Civil Engineering in 2007. He then went to work for Eista Bon Consulting Engineers Company as a construction manager. In 2009, he applied to immigrate to Canada in the Skilled Worker category under National Occupation Code [NOC] 0711 Construction Manager. He explains that his application was accepted by the Sydney, Nova Scotia office and the visa officer in Damascus, but he was then refused because he was short two education points (having been credited with only one university credential, not two). He was advised that it would be more practical to apply again than to request judicial review.
4     [2] Accordingly, he applied again in 2010. The Sydney office approved his application again. However, the visa office in Damascus closed before it could reassess the application, and his file was forwarded to Ankara. There, a visa officer accepted both university credentials but rejected the application on June 18, 2012 on the new ground that the applicant had not demonstrated that he had performed the duties of NOC 0711. This time Mr. Mollajafari applied for judicial review.
5     [3] The dispositive portion of the decision letter to Mr. Mollajafari states as follows:

·        You have indicated that you have work experience in (an) occupation(s) with the following NOC (National Occupational Classification) code(s): 0711 - Construction Managers. Although the NOC code(s) correspond(s) to the occupations specified in the Instructions, you have not provided sufficient evidence that you performed the actions described in the lead statement for the occupation, as a set out in the occupational descriptions of the NOC and that you performed all of the essential duties and a substantial number of the main duties, as set out in the occupational descriptions of the NOC. The duties described on your reference letter from Eista Bon Consulting Engineers Company do not match the occupational descriptions of the NOC. As such, I am not satisfied that you are a Construction Manager - 0711
6     [4] The main activities listed in the reference letter of the applicant were described as follows:

·        a. 
Structure design of the residential buildings as such as residential complexes, long towers, apartment and Villa 
·        b. 
Structure design of the official, commercial and educational complexes 
·        c. 
Structure design of the cultural, sport and recreational complexes 
·        d. 
Design of the space structures 
·        e. 
Preparation, control and confirmation of estimation of the consumer materials and cost price of projects 
·        f. 
Management of designing team 
·        g. 
Supervisor of surveying team in preparation of topographical plans of projects at beginning of designing process 
·        h. 
Buildings industrial designing with use from the modern technology 
·        i. 
Management of the supervision team 
·        j. 
Management of constructional projects 
·        k. 
Selection and employment of the technical personnel in the constructional projects 
7     [5] The Computer Assisted Immigration Processing System [CAIPS] notes which form part of the reasons for the decision state that:

·        The job description provided in the reference letter more closely resembles the description of a Construction Engineer (NOC2131). PA was involved in design work, estimation, supervision of surveying teams etc., which more closely resemble NOC2131. Have same concerns with respect to the description provided by PA on Schedule 3 form. Consequently, am not satisfied that PA performed a substantial amount of the duties stated in NOC0711. Therefore, am not satisfied that the ministerial instructions have been met. 
Issues
8     [6] The issue is whether the visa officer came to an unreasonable decision based on the documentation before him.
Standard of review
9     [7] Where jurisprudence has already determined the standard of review applicable to a particular issue, the reviewing court may adopt that standard (Dunsmuir v New Brunswick, 2008 SCC 9 at paragraph 57). As noted in Patel v Canada (MCI), 2011 FC 571, at para 18 and in Kamchibekov v Canada (MCI), 2011 FC 1411, at para 12, it has been established that a visa officer's determination on eligibility under the Federal Skilled Worker class, as a question of mixed fact and law, is reviewable on a standard of reasonableness and should be granted a high degree of deference.
Analysis
10     [8] The applicant argues that the reasons for decision show that the visa officer assessed his documentation against the description of NOC 2131, an employee job, and failed to assess it against NOC 0711, a managerial job (as shown by the "0" designation). He argues that both jobs required an engineering educational credential, so it is obvious that there would be a certain amount of overlap in the duties.
11     [9] He submits that the visa officer was required to assess him in the category he claimed (Hajariwala v Canada (MEI), [1988] F.C.J. No. 1021 (QL) (TD); Hussain v Canada (MCI), [1998] F.C.J. No. 1570 (QL) (TD)).
12     [10] I disagree that the applicant was measured against the civil engineer category. The decision letter stated that "the duties described on your reference letter from Eista Bon Consulting Engineers Company do not match the occupational descriptions of the NOC". This statement is supported by the letter and the comparison with the requirements for a construction engineer in NOC 0711.
13     [11] The lead statement for NOC 0711 as provided in the applicant's materials reads:

·        Construction managers plan, organize, direct, control and evaluate the activities of a construction company or a construction department within a company, under the direction of a general manager or other senior manager. They are employed by residential, commercial and industrial construction companies and by construction departments of companies outside the construction industry. 
14     [12] An applicant is required to have performed the duties in the lead statement and all or more of the main duties of the occupation. Applicants have the onus of providing documentation to demonstrate this. In the present case, the visa officer specifically considered the company reference letter. While he found that the applicant was involved in design work, estimation, supervision of surveying terms, etc., that was more akin to NOC 2131, this was because there was only one clear item relating to construction management from a list of 11 duties carried out by the applicant, that of "management of constructional projects".
15     [13] The respondent argues that the applicant proposes that the key aspect of the lead statement was being a manager rather than an employee, but in fact the key distinction was working for a construction company or a construction department. While his company described him as a "Constructional Projects Manager" and an "engineer", the employer's reference letter sets out a long list of items pertaining to design and provides minimal detail supporting a conclusion that he was involved in managing the physical construction of buildings or was employed on construction job sites.
16     [14] I agree with the respondent that describing the applicant as a "Constructional Projects Manager" carries no weight when the main activities relate to structural design and managing design and surveying teams.
17     [15] I also conclude that common sense dictates that it was entirely reasonable for the visa officer to consider related NOCs when it is apparent from the list of duties provided in his employer's reference letter that the applicant was performing mostly design and surveying functions.
18     [16] Granted, there may be some overlap in the field, but nevertheless the NOC makes no reference to design and surveying functions, which would exclude the large majority of duties of the applicant as described by his employer. They do not fall within the NOC description for a construction manager.
19     [17] The applicant submitted that the Court should take into consideration other evidence from the record, including the applicant's education which showed construction management courses as part of a civil engineering program and the fact that he was on the Board of Directors of a construction company. This evidence however does not demonstrate that the applicant was working as a construction manager.
20     [18] On the basis of the evidence provided by the applicant with a view to demonstrate his work experience as a construction manager, I am satisfied that the visa officer's decision that the applicant did not meet the requirements as a construction manager described in NOC 0711 falls within the possible, acceptable outcomes that are defensible in fact and in law.
21     [19] Accordingly, the application is dismissed.
JUDGMENT
THIS COURT'S JUDGMENT is that the application is dismissed.

ANNIS J.

Saturday, August 24, 2013

APPLICANT JOB DUTIES AT ISSUE IN SKILLED WORKER REFUSAL

A visa officer is bound by procedural fairness but only if the nature of the concerns warrant affording an opportunity to the applicant to respond. In the case below, such threshold was not met. The applicant did not provide enough evidence of its duties and his application failed.

Khowaja v. Canada (Minister of Citizenship and Immigration)

Between
Iqbal Khowaja, Applicant, and
The Minister of Citizenship and Immigration Canada, Respondent
[2013] F.C.J. No. 904
2013 FC 823

Docket IMM-5205-12

 Federal Court
Toronto, Ontario

Strickland J.


Heard: March 21, 2013.
Judgment: July 26, 2013.
(41 paras.)


REASONS FOR JUDGMENT AND JUDGMENT
1     STRICKLAND J.:-- This is an application brought pursuant to subsection 72(1) of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act, SC 2001, c 27 (the IRPA) seeking judicial review of the decision of a visa officer (Officer) of the High Commission of Canada in London, United Kingdom, refusing the Applicant's application for permanent residence in Canada as a member of the federal skilled worker class.
2     The Applicant is a citizen of Pakistan. He applied for permanent residence in Canada under National Occupation Code (NOC) 0213, computer and information systems managers. By letter dated April 25, 2012, the Officer informed the Applicant that he had not indicated that he had performed all the essential duties and a substantial number of the main duties set out in NOC 0213. Therefore, his application was ineligible for processing. This is the judicial review of that decision.
Decision Under Review
3     The decision in this case consists of the above described refusal letter and the reasons for the decision contained in the Global Case Management System Notes (GCMS Notes) made by the Officer. It is well established that GCMS Notes form part of the reasons of a visa officer (Ghirmatsion v Canada (Minister of Citizenship and Immigration) 2011 FC 519, [2011] F.C.J. No. 650 (QL) [Ghirmatsion] at para 8; Taleb v Canada (Minister of Citizenship and Immigration), 2012 FC 384, [2012] F.C.J. No. 650 (QL) [Taleb] at para 25; Rezaeiazar v Canada (Citizenship and Immigration), 2013 FC 761, [2013] F.C.J. No. 804 (QL) [Rezaeiazar] at paras 58-59; Anabtawi v Canada (Citizenship and Immigration), 2012 FC 856, [2012] F.C.J. No. 923 (QL) [Anabtawi] at para 10).
4     The refusal letter is in standard form. The relevant portion reads as follows:

·       Although the NOC code corresponds to the occupations specified in the instructions, the main duties that you listed do not indicate that you performed all of the essential duties and a substantial number of the main duties, as set out in the occupational descriptions of the NOC. I am therefore not satisfied that you are a 0213 - Computer and Information Systems manager. 

·       Since you did not provide satisfactory evidence that you have work experience in any of the listed occupations, you do not meet the requirements of the Ministerial Instruction and your application is not eligible for processing. 
5     The GCMS Notes state, in part:

·       The information submitted to support this application is insufficient to substantiate that client meets the occupational description and/or a substantial number of the main duties of NOC 0213. Client submitted a work reference letter from TRG in Pakistan. The letter describes client as a Project Manager, Data Entry and Data Processing Dept. No explanation is provided as far as the essence of the projects in which client was involved is concerned. No budgetary responsibilities or recruitment of its analysts, engineers, programmers is mentioned, only hiring of supervisors and data entry processing teams, who appear to be employees who are simply recording data in data bases. The job description provided appears to more closely resemble the one of a Data Entry Supervisor as per NOC 1211. In view of all of the concerns mentioned above, I am not satisfied that client completed a period of one year of experience in NOC 0213. Am not satisfied on basis of the information on file that client performed the duties specified in NOC 0213. 
Issues
6     Although the Applicant identified four issues in his submissions, in my view these are captured as follows:

·       1. 
Did the Officer err in assessing the Applicant's work experience? 
·       2. 
Did the Officer deny the Applicant procedural fairness? 
Standard of Review
7     A standard of review analysis need not be conducted in every instance if prior jurisprudence satisfactorily establishes which standard is to apply (Dunsmuir v New Brunswick, 2008 SCC 9, [2008] 1 SCR 190 [Dunsmuir]). Prior case law has held that the standard of review that applies to an officer's assessment of the evidence submitted to support an application for permanent residence under the federal skilled worker class will be reviewed on the reasonableness standard. This standard also applies to the application of the NOC document to the evidence (Bazaid v Canada (Minister of Citizenship and Immigration), 2013 FC 17, [2013] F.C.J. No. 39 (QL) at para 36; Gulati v Canada (Minister of Citizenship and Immigration),2010 FC 451, [2010] F.C.J. No. 771 (QL) at paras 17-18; Taleb v Canada (Minister of Citizenship and Immigration), 2012 FC 384, [2012] F.C.J. No. 400 (QL) at paras 19-20; Kamchibekov v Canada (Minister of Citizenship and Immigration), 2011 FC 1411, [2011] F.C.J. No. 1782 (QL) [Kamchibekov] at para 12).
8     In Anabtawi v Canada (Citizenship and Immigration), 2012 FC 856, [2012] F.C.J. No. 923 at para 29, Justice O'Keefe found that, when considering whether an officer applied the correct legal test for assessing an applicant's work experience, the applicable standard of review was reasonableness, citing Smith v Alliance Pipeline Ltd, 2011 SCC 7, [2011] 1 SCR 160 at para 26 where the Supreme Court of Canada held that the standard of review for questions pertaining to the interpretation of a decision maker's enabling statute or statutes that are closely connected to its function is reasonableness.
9     Adequacy of reasons is no longer a stand-alone basis for quashing a decision, but is subsumed into the analysis of the reasonableness of the decision as a whole. A reviewing court should not substitute its own reasons but may, if necessary, look to the record for the purpose of assessing the reasonableness of the outcome. If the reasons allow the reviewing court to understand why the tribunal made its decision and permit it to determine whether the conclusion is within the range of acceptable outcomes then the Dunsmuir criteria have been met (Newfoundland and Labrador Nurses' Union v Newfoundland & Labrador (Treasury Board), 2011 SCC 62, [2011] SCR 708 [Newfoundland and Labrador Nurses' Union] at para 14).
10     Accordingly, the standard of review for the first issue is reasonableness.
11     Prior case law has held that whether a visa officer should bring any concerns to the attention of an applicant and offer an opportunity to address them is a question of procedural fairness reviewable on a standard of correctness (Kamchibekov, above; Obeta v Canada (Minister of Citizenship and Immigration), 2012 FC 1542, [2012] F.C.J. No. 1624 (QL) at para 14). When examining an issue of procedural fairness the Court must determine whether the process followed by the decision-maker satisfied the level of fairness required in all of the circumstances (Canada (Citizenship and Immigration) v Khosa, 2009 SCC 12, [2009] 1 SCR 339 at para 43). Therefore, the standard of review applicable to the second issue is correctness.
Analysis
12     Sections 75 to 85 of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Regulations, SOR/2002-227 (the IRPA Regulations) address the skilled worker class. Subsection 75(2) prescribes the three requirements that must be met by an applicant to fall within that class. In essence, a skilled worker is a foreign national who has a minimum of one year experience in a listed NOC code within the ten year period preceding his or her application for permanent residence (subsection 75(2)(a)). Further, during that period of employment, has performed the actions described in the lead statement for the occupation as set out in the NOC (subsection 75(2)(b)), and, has performed a substantial number of the main duties of the occupation as set out in the NOC, including all of the essential duties (subsection 75(2)(c)). The relevant legislative provisions are contained in the Annex of this decision.
13     The NOC 0213 lead description states that:

·       Computer and information systems managers plan, organize, direct, control and evaluate the activities of organizations that analyze, design, develop, implement, operate and administer computer and telecommunications software, networks and information systems. They are employed throughout the public and private sectors. 
14     The main duties are described as:

·       Computer and information systems managers perform some or all of the following duties: 

·       * 
Plan, organize, direct, control and evaluate the operations of information systems and electronic data processing (EDP) departments and companies; 
·       * 
Develop and implement policies and procedures for electronic data processing and computer systems development and operation; 
·       * 
Meet with clients to discuss system requirements, specifications, costs and timelines; 
·       * 
Assemble and manage teams of information systems personnel to design, develop, implement, operate and administer computer and telecommunications software, networks and information systems; 
·       * 
Control the budget and expenditures of the department, company or project; 
·       * 
Recruit and supervise computer analysts, engineers, programmers, technicians and other personnel and oversee their professional development and training. 
15     Although not clearly articulated, the Applicant appears to submit that the Officer applied an incorrect test when applying the requirements of NOC 0213 to the evidence provided by the Applicant. Specifically, that the refusal letter states that the Applicant had not indicated that he had performed "all of the essential duties and a substantial number of the main duties", yet that could not be the correct test as the NOC 0213 does not include any essential duties. It contains only a lead statement and the main duties of the position.
16     The refusal letter is to be considered in the context of the GCMS Notes which, as indicated earlier, form a part of the Officer's reasons. The GCMS Notes state that the information submitted by the Applicant was insufficient to substantiate that he met the occupational description and/or a substantial number of the main duties of NOC 0213. Further, that the letter provided by The Resource Group (the TRG letter), the Applicants' employer, provided no explanation "as far as the essence of the projects in which the client [Applicant] was involved is concerned." The GCMS Notes conclude that, on the basis of the information provided, the Officer was not satisfied that the Applicant performed the duties specified in NOC 0213.
17     The GCMS Notes establish that the Officer applied the correct NOC requirements, being whether the Applicant fulfilled the occupational description (the lead statement) and a substantial number of the listed main duties.
18     The Applicant argues that the Officer erred by stating that he had failed to provide information as to the "essence of" the projects he worked on and therefore imported a new and inapplicable element to the federal skilled worker criteria. As noted above, I do not agree. The Officer was simply explaining that, by failing to describe the nature of the projects, the Applicant failed to provide sufficient information to permit the Officer to determine the "pith and substance" of the position that the Applicant held and whether or not he met the lead description.
19     The Applicant submits that the use of the word "substantial" in subsection 75(2)(c), that is, in the performance of a substantial number of the NOC main duties, leads to uncertainty as the NOC requires the performance of "some or all" of the main duties. The result being that the Decision is unreasonable. The Applicant relies on A'Bed v Canada (Minister of Citizenship and Immigration), [2002] F.C.J. No. 1347 (QL) [A'Bed] in support of that position.
20     I agree that A'bed, above is relevant in that it concluded that the words"some or all" take precedence over and supersede the more general language concerning a "substantial number" of the main duties, and, that "some" means more than one. Subsequently it has been held that it is an error for a visa officer to require an applicant to have performed a majority of the main duties when the relevant NOC description merely demands experience in some or all of them (Dahyalal v Canada (Minister of Citizenship and Immigration),2007 FC 666, [2007] F.C.J. No. 898 (QL) [Dahyalal] at para 4). I do not agree that the wording of subsection 75(2)(c) and the NOC is alone sufficient to render the Decision unreasonable. The jurisprudence has satisfactorily interpreted the application of those provisions.
21     The issue is whether the Officer reasonably applied the NOC requirements to the Applicant's evidence. As Justice Phelan states in Rodrigues v Canada (Minister of Citizenship and Immigration), 2009 FC 111, [2009] F.C.J. No. 114 at para 10, "The real function of the visa officer is to determine what is the pith and substance of the work performed by an applicant." The onus is on the Applicant to ensure that sufficient information is adduced (Ismaili v Canada (Minister of Citizenship and Immigration), 2012 FC 351, [2012] F.C.J. No. 381 (QL) at para 18; Mihura Torres v Canada (Minister of Citizenship and Immigration), 2011 FC 818, [2011] F.C.J. No. 1022 (QL) at para 37.
22     In that regard, the Applicant has filed an affidavit dated July 18, 2012 in support of this judicial review. Paragraph 13 of that Affidavit states that,"I need to explain in some detail what is meant by the TRG reference letter in respect to the duties to which they have referred." Paragraphs 14 to 24 and paragraph 39 then address this. These explanations are not contained in the record that was before the Officer.
23     The scope of the evidence admissible on an application for judicial review is restricted to the material that was before the decision maker. Additional evidence may only be submitted on issues of procedural fairness and jurisdiction (Tabanag v Canada (Minister of Citizenship and Immigration), 2011 FC 1293, [2011] F.C.J. No. 1575 (QL) [Tabanag]) at para 14. At para 15 ofTabanag, Justice Mosley states the following:

·       [15] The impugned evidence is not admissible in this proceeding to bolster the applicant's claim that he met the requirements of the NOC classification when he submitted his skilled worker application. In particular, the applicant may not rely on the assertions in the affidavits regarding his employment duties or the practice of employers in Manila to be shy of certifying such duties. The affidavit evidence is admissible solely for the limited purpose of supporting his argument that the manner in which his application was assessed was unfair. 
24     In this case the Applicant has referenced and relied heavily on his Affidavit to support his written submissions. However, I agree with the Respondent that paragraphs 13 to 24 and paragraph 39 are inadmissible as they do not speak to an issue of procedural fairness, but are intended to bolster the Applicant's claim of his compliance with the NOC. I also note that paragraphs 40 to 50 are comprised primarily of argument.
25     The Applicant also submits that the Officer did not assess, or reasonably assess, the duties he performed as against the NOC.
26     The TRG letter states that the Applicant was employed as a Project Manager in the Data Entry and Data Processing Department, from September, 2006 until February, 2009. It describes his responsibilities as the following:

·       * 
Project management of data entry and data processing projects at various locations; 
·       * 
Plan, direct and organize data entry and data processing projects; 
·       * 
Prepare policies and procedures for data entry and data processing projects; 
·       * 
Oversee and evaluate the data entry projects, assess the needs of clients and assure the fulfillment of the requirements; 
·       * 
Monitor the productivity of the team; 
·       * 
Meet with clients to discuss their needs on data entry projects and monitor the progress of the teams; 
·       * 
Work with information technology teams to discuss the hardware requirements of data entry projects and resolve issues; 
·       * 
Prepare invoices for projects in collaboration with the finance department; 
·       * 
Oversee the training of the team for data entry projects; 
·       * 
Recruit supervisors and data entry and processing teams in collaboration with the recruitment department; 
·       * 
Manage rotation of shifts; 
·       * 
Verify the quality of data provided by the teams. 
27     The GCMS Notes establish that the Officer referred to the TRG letter. The letter was the only evidence offered to substantiate that the Applicant met the occupational description, including the lead statement, contained in NOC 0213. In the absence of any further information, including any that could be derived from the main duties description, as to the actual nature of the position held by the Applicant and, given the Applicant's title at TRG, it was not unreasonable for the Officer to find that this did not substantiate that his position was one of a computer and information systems manager as described in the NOC 0213 lead statement which is a requirement of subsection 75(2)(b).
28     The description of the Applicant's responsibilities contained in the TRC letter place these, almost exclusively, in the context of data processing projects. This does not assist the Applicant in establishing that his position is one of a computer and information systems manager who plans, organizes, directs, controls and evaluates the activities of organizations that analyze, design, develop, implement, operate and administer computer and telecommunications software, networks and information systems.
29     The GCMS Notes also state that while the TRG letter describes the Applicant as a project manager, data entry and data processing department, no explanation is provided as to the essence of the projects in which he was involved. As noted above, by failing to describe the nature of those projects, the Applicant failed to provide sufficient information to the Officer to permit him to determine whether the position held by the Applicant met the lead description.
30     The Officer also noted that the TRG letter did not mention budgetary responsibilities or recruitment of IT analysts, engineers, or programmers. Instead, it referred only to the hiring of supervisors and data entry processing teams who appear to be employees and who are simply recording data in data bases. The Officer then stated that the job description provided appears to more closely resemble that of a Data Entry Supervisor as per NOC 1211. In view of this, the Officer was not satisfied that the Applicant had performed the duties specified in NOC 0213.
31     Given that the main responsibilities of the Applicant as set out in the TRG letter are limited to their performance in relation to data processing projects, absent an explanation of the nature of those projects, the Officer reasonably found that the Applicant had not met the onus of establishing that he had performed a substantial number of the required NOC 0213 main duties.
32     The Applicant argues that he was denied procedural farness because the Officer did not bring this concern to his attention. This issue was addressed by Justice Mosley in Hassani v Canada (Minister of Citizenship and Immigration), 2006 FC 1283, [2006] F.C.J. No. 1597 (QL) [Hassani] at para 24:

·       [24] Having reviewed the factual context of the cases cited above, it is clear that where a concern arises directly from the requirements of the legislation or related regulations, a visa officer will not be under a duty to provide an opportunity for the applicant to address his or her concerns. Where however the issue is not one that arises in this context, such a duty may arise. This is often the case where the credibility, accuracy or genuine nature of information submitted by the applicant in support of their application is the basis of the visa officer's concern, as was the case in Rukmangathan, and in John and Cornea cited by the Court in Rukmangathan, above. 
33     Here, the Applicant's credibility was not at issue and the Officer's concerns arose directly from the requirements of the IRPA and the IRPA Regulations. Specifically, whether the information submitted by the Applicant was sufficient to establish compliance with the legislative and regulatory requirements. Accordingly, the Officer was not under a duty to raise his concerns with the Applicant and the Applicant was not denied procedural fairness (Shah v Canada (Minister of Citizenship and Immigration), 2011 FC 697, [2011] F.C.J. No. 896 (QL) at paras 30-32; Gulati v Canada (Minister of Citizenship and Immigration), 2010 FC 451, [2010] F.C.J. No. 771 (QL) at para 43; Hosseini v Canada (Citizenship and Immigration), 2013 FC 766, [2013] F.C.J. No. 814 (QL) at para 38; Hassani, above).
34     The Applicant also submits that the reasons provided by the Officer in the Decision are inadequate.
35     The reference to the performance of the essential duties contained in the refusal letter was in error as NOC 0213 does not identify any essential duties. The letter also makes no reference to the determination found in the GCMS Notes that the submitted information was insufficient to establish that the Applicant met the occupational description. It also appears to suggest his application was directed occupations in addition to NOC 0213 when that was not the case.
36     It must be recalled that visa officers review and respond to thousands of similar applications. It is simply not feasible to expect detailed reasons to be issued in response to each application that is declined for processing. And as indicated earlier, officers utilize standard form letters with their reasons often supplemented in the GMCS Notes (Rezaeiazar, Ghirmatsion, Taleb, Anabtawi, all above).
37     Further, considerable deference is given to the decision of a visa officer assessing an application in the federal skilled worker class (Chen v Canada (Minister of Citizenship and Immigration), 2011 FC 1279, [2011] F.C.J. No. 1279 (QL) at para 7).
38     While the reasons are brief and to some degree inaccurate it must also be recalled that the decision under review in this case is an eligibility determination by a visa officer which falls on the lower end of the procedural fairness scale. As Justice Pinard states in Kamchibekov, above at para 23:

·       [23] Moreover, it has been confirmed by the Federal Court of Appeal in Minister of Citizenship and Immigration v. Patel, 2002 FCA 55 at para 10, that the content of the duty of fairness owed by a visa officer is at the lower end of the spectrum (see also Nodijeh at para 3; Dash v. Minister of Citizenship and Immigration, 2010 FC 1255 at para 27 [Dash]; Fargoodarzi v. Minister of Citizenship and Immigration, 2008 FC 90 at para 12 [Fargoodarzi]). Specifically, in the context of the decision of a visa officer on an application for permanent residence, the duty of fairness is quite low and easily met, "due to an absence of a legal right to permanent residence, the fact that the burden is on the applicant to establish [his] eligibility, the less serious the impact on the applicant that the decision typically has, compared with the removal of a benefit and the public interest in containing administrative costs" (Fargoodarzi at para 12). The applicant is not entitled to anything more than the visa officer mentioning the evidence on which his decision was based (Dash at para 29). 
39     Further, as to the sufficiency of reasons, in Dash v (Minister of Citizenship and Immigration), 2010 FC 1255, [2010] F.C.J. No. 1565 (QL), CAIPS Notes (the older version of the present GCMS notes) were relied upon for the purpose of supplementing the reasons in a refusal letter:

·       [27] I must disagree with the Applicant who finds these reasons to be inadequate. It is settled law that visa applicants are owed a degree of procedural fairness which falls at the low end of the spectrum (Pan v. Canada(Minister of Citizenship and Immigration), 2010 FC 838 at para. 26, Chiau v. Canada (Minister of Citizenship and Immigration), [2001] 2 F.C. 297, [2000] F.C.J. No. 2043 (QL) (C.A.) at para. 41). CAIPS notes have been held to constitute sufficient reasons if they provide detail sufficient enough to allow the applicant to know why their application was rejected (Bhandal v. Canada (Minister of Citizenship and Immigration), 2006 FC 427, 147 A.C.W.S. (3d) 474 at para. 18). 
40     The Applicant provided insufficient evidence as to the details of the data processing projects that he worked on (i.e. the "essence" projects) and, based on the details that were provided, it was unclear whether his job description really matched either the lead description or the main duties listed in NOC 0213. Thus, while the duties listed in the TGR letter appear to coincide with some of the NOC main duties, in the absence of clarity on the nature of the data processing projects and the Applicant's position as a data processing manager, the Officer reasonably concluded that there was insufficient information to confirm that the Applicant was a computer and information systems manger.
41     The reasons contained in the refusal letter are far from perfect and better use of the form letter certainly could and should have been made. However, ultimately, it does state that because the Applicant did not provide satisfactory evidence that he had the required work experience his application was not eligible for processing. The Applicant thus knew why his application was denied (Kamchibekov, above, at paras 19-24) and nothing further was required. There was no breach of procedural fairness and the Officer's decision was reasonable.
JUDGMENT
THIS COURT'S JUDGMENT is that the application for judicial review is dismissed. No question of general importance for certification has been proposed and none arises.
STRICKLAND J.
* * * * *
ANNEX
The following provisions of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act, SC- 2001, c 27 are applicable in these proceedings:

·       Application

·       87.3 (1) This section applies to applications for visas or other documents made under subsection 11(1), other than those made by persons referred to in subsection 99(2), to sponsorship applications made by persons referred to in subsection 13(1), to applications for permanent resident status under subsection 21(1) or temporary resident status under subsection 22(1) made by foreign nationals in Canada, to applications for work or study permits and to requests under subsection 25(1) made by foreign nationals outside Canada. 

·       Attainment of immigration goals 

·       (2) 
The processing of applications and requests is to be conducted in a manner that, in the opinion of the Minister, will best support the attainment of the immigration goals established by the Government of Canada. 

·       Instructions 

·       (3) 
For the purposes of subsection (2), the Minister may give instructions with respect to the processing of applications and requests, including instructions 

·       (a) establishing categories of applications or requests to which the instructions apply; 

·       (a.1) establishing conditions, by category or otherwise, that must be met before or during the processing of an application or request; 

·       (b) establishing an order, by category or otherwise, for the processing of applications or requests; 

·       (c) setting the number of applications or requests, by category or otherwise, to be processed in any year; and 

·       (d) providing for the disposition of applications and requests, including those made subsequent to the first application or request. 

·       [...] 
* * *

·       Application

·       87.3 (1) Le présent article s'applique aux demandes de visa et autres documents visées au paragraphe 11(1) -- sauf à celle faite par la personne visée au paragraphe 99(2) --, aux demandes de parrainage faites par une personne visée au paragraphe 13(1), aux demandes de statut de résident permanent visées au paragraphe 21(1) ou de résident temporaire visées au paragraphe 22(1) faites par un étranger se trouvant au Canada, aux demandes de permis de travail ou d'études ainsi qu'aux demandes prévues au paragraphe 25(1) faites par un étranger se trouvant hors du Canada. 

·       Atteinte des objectifs d'immigration 

·       (2) 
Le traitement des demandes se fait de la manière qui, selon le ministre, est la plus susceptible d'aider l'atteinte des objectifs fixés pour l'immigration par le gouvernement fédéral. 

·       Instructions 

·       (3) 
Pour l'application du paragraphe (2), le ministre peut donner des instructions sur le traitement des demandes, notamment des instructions : 

·       a) prévoyant les groupes de demandes à l'égard desquels s'appliquent les instructions; 

·       a.1) prévoyant des conditions, notamment par groupe, à remplir en vue du traitement des demandes ou lors de celui-ci; 

·       b) prévoyant l'ordre de traitement des demandes, notamment par groupe; 

·       c) précisant le nombre de demandes à traiter par an, notamment par groupe; 

·       d) régissant la disposition des demandes dont celles faites de nouveau. 

·       [...] 
The following provisions of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Regulations, SOR/2002-227 are applicable in these proceedings:

·       Class

·       75. (1) For the purposes of subsection 12(2) of the Act, the federal skilled worker class is hereby prescribed as a class of persons who are skilled workers and who may become permanent residents on the basis of their ability to become economically established in Canada and who intend to reside in a province other than the Province of Quebec. 

·       Skilled workers

·       (2) 
A foreign national is a skilled worker if 

·       (a) within the 10 years preceding the date of their application for a permanent resident visa, they have at least one year of continuous full-time employment experience, as described in subsection 80(7), or the equivalent in continuous part-time employment in one or more occupations, other than a restricted occupation, that are listed in Skill Type 0 Management Occupations or Skill Level A or B of the National Occupational Classification matrix; 

·       (b) during that period of employment they performed the actions described in the lead statement for the occupation as set out in the occupational descriptions of the National Occupational Classification; and 

·       (c) during that period of employment they performed a substantial number of the main duties of the occupation as set out in the occupational descriptions of the National Occupational Classification, including all of the essential duties. 

·       [...] 
* * *

·       Catégorie

·       75. (1) Pour l'application du paragraphe 12(2) de la Loi, la catégorie des travailleurs qualifiés (fédéral) est une catégorie réglementaire de personnes qui peuvent devenir résidents permanents du fait de leur capacité à réussir leur établissement économique au Canada, qui sont des travailleurs qualifiés et qui cherchent à s'établir dans une province autre que le Québec. 

·       Qualité

·       (2) 
Est un travailleur qualifié l'étranger qui satisfait aux exigences suivantes : 

·       a) il a accumulé au moins une année continue d'expérience de travail à temps plein au sens du paragraphe 80(7), ou l'équivalent s'il travaille à temps partiel de façon continue, au cours des dix années qui ont précédé la date de présentation de la demande de visa de résident permanent, dans au moins une des professions appartenant aux genre de compétence 0 Gestion ou niveaux de compétences A ou B de la matrice de la Classification nationale des professions -- exception faite des professions d'accès limité; 

·       b) pendant cette période d'emploi, il a accompli l'ensemble des tâches figurant dans l'énoncé principal établi pour la profession dans les descriptions des professions de cette classification; 

·       c) pendant cette période d'emploi, il a exercé une partie appréciable des fonctions principales de la profession figurant dans les descriptions des professions de cette classification, notamment toutes les fonctions essentielles. 


·       [...] 
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