New Pathway to Permanent Residence for 90K Workers and Graduates
Posted on 17/04/2021
In addition to the francophone temporary workers program which we just recently highlighted in our blog here, IRCC will also open up a similar temporary policy for obtaining permanent resident status for the following people:
- Temporary workers already in Canada working in healthcare
- Temporary workers already in Canada working in other essential occupations (see below)
- International graduates who have recently graduated from a Canadian school
The eligible occupations for temporary workers are identical to those for francophone workers listed in our previous blog and eligible candidates must have been working in Canada in one or more of those occupations for at least 1 year in the last 3 years. The program will:
- Start on May 6, 2021 and
- End on November 5, 2021.
Please note that as far as language skills, those can be in English and/or French. Your English language skills must be at least a Canadian Language Benchmark level of 4. This is equivalent to the following accepted English language tests:
| CELPIP Equivalent Scores | ||||
| CLB Level | Reading | Writing | Listening | Speaking |
| 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 |
| IELTS Equivalent Scores | ||||
| 4 | 3.5 | 4.0 | 4.5 | 4.0 |
There will be one major difference with the francophone program, however. These programs will have caps and once a stream’s cap is reached it will be closed to further applicants, even if that is before the official closing date of November 5, 2021.
The caps are as follows:
- 20,000 applications for temporary workers in healthcare
- 30,000 applications for temporary workers in essential occupations
- 40,000 applications for international students who have graduated from a Canadian institution
The fees will be those for any applicant for permanent residence as is the case for the francophone workers program.
The eligibility requirements for temporary workers in Canada will be the same as those announced for francophone temporary workers that we recently covered in our blog.
However, international graduates will have the following eligibility requirements:
- International graduates have to have completed an eligible post-secondary program at a recognized Canadian institution within the last 4 years and no earlier than January 2017.
- The program of study must have been at one of the following Designated Learning Institutions in Canada:
- A college, university, or trade/technical school
- A private post-secondary school in Quebec (operating under the same rules as the public institutions listed directly above)
- A Canadian private institution authorized to operate under provincial law and for a degree also authorized by law (not all programs of study may be authorized under provincial law – please make sure your program of study is authorized)
- The international gradate must have been granted one of the following credentials:
- An Associate’s, Bachelor’s, Master’s, or Doctorate Degree for completion of a program of study of at least 8 months in length.
- A Degree, Diploma, Certificate, or Attestation leading to an occupation in a skilled trade listed in the Healthcare section of occupations found here in our previous blog on francophone workers.
- You can combine 2 of these degrees, diplomas, certificates, or attestations (the ones leading to occupations in skilled trades) as long as the combined length is 16 months. In this case 1 of the 2 can be less than 8 months in length.
- If you only have 1 degree, diploma, certificate, or attestation leading to a skilled occupation then the program of study must be at least 8 months.
- The international graduate must have studied under a valid study permit.
- The international graduate must currently be working in Canada under a valid work permit and not be self-employed unless working under a fee-for-service arrangement as a Medical Doctor.
- Have attained a Canadian Languages Benchmark level of 5 in either official language (English and/or French). Here is a table showing equivalent language test scores needed:
| CELPIP Equivalent Scores | ||||
| CLB Level | Reading | Writing | Listening | Speaking |
| 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 |
| IELTS Equivalent Scores | ||||
| 5 | 4.0 | 5.0 | 5.0 | 5.0 |
| TEF Canada | ||||
| 5 | 151 – 180 | 226 – 270 | 181 – 216 | 226 – 270 |
| TCF Canada | ||||
| 5 | 375 – 405 | 6 | 369 – 397 | 6 |
- As with the other applicant classes, international graduates have to be residing in Canada under valid temporary status (or be eligible to restore their status in Canada) and be physically present in Canada when:
- The application is received, AND
- The application is approved
- As with the other applicant classes, international graduates have to apply online.
- As with the other applicant classes, international graduates have to NOT BE inadmissible.
Conditions for accompanying family members in Canada or abroad are the same as for francophone workers that we covered in our previous blog. (see link just below).
Fees are the same as for the other types of applicants – that is standard permanent residence processing fees and Right of Permanent Residence fees.
As we pointed out in our blog on the francophone program found here, the intention is to meet Canada’s goal of over 400,000 permanent residents using the supply of temporary workers already in Canada who are currently contributing to the economy and especially the healthcare sector during the COVID pandemic.
As the Minister of Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Marco Mendocino explained:
The pandemic has shone a bright light on the incredible contributions of newcomers. These new policies will help those with a temporary status to plan their future in Canada, play a key role in our economic recovery and help us build back better. Our message to them is simple: your status may be temporary, but your contributions are lasting—and we want you to stay.
Posted in News Tips and tagged essential workers, Healthcare workers, International graduates
