Honourable Marco E. L. Mendicino, Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship, has announced an unprecedented pathway to permanent residence for more than 90,000 essential workers and international graduates who are contributing actively to the economy of Canada.
These distinct public policies will offer permanent status to temporary workers and international graduates that are already in Canada and possess the skills and experience Canada needs to combat the pandemic and catalyse the country’s economic recovery.
The new pathway will focus on temporary workers employed Canadian hospitals, long-term care homes, frontlines of other essential sectors, and international graduates that are driving the future economy.
Eligible workers must possess a minimum of 1 year Canadian work experience in a health-care or another pre-approved essential job. International graduates must have finished an eligible post-secondary program in Canada within the last 4 years, not earlier than January 2017.
With effect from May 6, 2021, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) will start accepting applications under the following 3 streams:
■ 20,000 applications for temporary workers in health care
■ 30,000 applications for temporary workers in other selected essential occupations
■ 40,000 applications for international students who graduated from a Canadian institution
The streams will be opened till November 5, 2021, or until their limits have been reached. Around 90,000 new permanent residents will be offered residency under these 3 streams.
In a bid to promote Canada’s official languages, 3 more streams with no intake caps have been launched for French-speaking or bilingual candidates. Communities all over Canada gaint from French-speaking and bilingual newcomers, as such, this pathway will contribute to the buoyancy of these Francophone minority communities.
