Pathways to Permanent Residency
There has probably never been a better time to be a foreign worker in Canada seeking Permanent Residency. Several new pathways to permanent residency have been launched for temporary workers and international graduates from Canadian post-secondary institutions who have the skills and experience that will benefit Canada in our post-pandemic recovery and will accelerate our economy.
Canada needs a growing population to sustain its tax base, aging population and immigration quotas which have been hampered by the pandemic.
On April 14, 2021, Canada’s Immigration Minister, Marco Mendicino, announced new immigration programs that will admit 90,000 individuals to apply for Permanent Residency, during a limited 6-month window. Candidates can submit their applications from May 6, 2021 to November 5, 2021.
The programs, in brief, target temporary workers who have 1 year of work experience in occupations that are deemed ‘essential’. They also target employed international graduates from qualifying Canadian post-secondary institutions. In addition, Canada is also looking to welcome French speaking candidates through these pathways.
The 4 streams are:
- Temporary workers with recent Canadian work experience in health care and other essential occupations.
- International students who have graduated from Canadian institutions.
- French-speaking temporary workers with recent Canadian work experience in healthcare and other essential occupations.
- French-speaking international students who have graduated from Canadian institutions.
Eligibility Criteria
1. Temporary Workers: To be eligible, temporary workers must have at least 1 year of Canadian work experience in a health care profession or another essential occupation. See the below ‘essential’ occupations:
Annexure A: health-care related occupations – 20,000 applicant limit
- Nurses
- Doctors
- Pharmacists
- Counsellors
- Nurse Aides
- Social Workers
- Housekeepers
- Etc.
Annexure B: other essential occupations – 30,000 applicant limit
- Cashiers, clerks, store shelf stockers, retail salesperson
- Industrial, construction and electrical related trades and workers (many occupations)
- Cleaners, customer service representatives
- Landscapers
- Public School Teacher Assistants
- Home Childcare Providers
- General farm workers
- Laborer (various – industry dependent)
- Etc.
Applicants must have CLB 4+ (for English)
2. Graduates: International graduates must have completed an approved Canadian post-secondary program no earlier than January 2017 and received a credential (degree, diploma, certificate) – 40,000 applicants limit
Applicants must have CLB 5+ (for English)
3. French-Speaking Workers: Temporary workers with recent Canadian work experience in healthcare and other essential occupations.
Applicants must have CLB 4+ ( for French)
4. French-Speaking Graduates: Students received a credential (degree, diploma, certificate) from a post-secondary institution (DLI) in Canada since January 2017.
Applicants must have CLB 4+ (for French)
Graduates and workers must also be proficient in one of Canada’s official languages (English and/or French), meet general eligibility requirements, be in Canada and be employed at the time of application to be eligible.
As application caps will fill up, it is important to reach out to an experienced immigration lawyer who can help you navigate these new programs’ documentary and application requirements.
