On May 6, Canada launched six brand-new immigration pathways focused on essential workers and international graduates with prior experience in Canada, including three pathways for French-speaking candidates.
Beginning this May and until November 5, 2021, essential health workers, essential workers in other fields, and international graduates can apply for permanent residency through these temporary pathways. These pathways were designed to help retain individuals with Canadian experience in industries with a high demand for skilled workers.
The New Pathways
For essential workers in the health industry, part of the eligibility requirements for the new pathway is at least one (1) full year of work experience in at least one of 40 occupations in the healthcare and social work industries.
Up to 20,000 healthcare workers can receive permanent residency through this stream.
A similar pathway for healthcare workers with French fluency is also available.
Meanwhile, essential workers in other industries, such as retail, agriculture, construction, and more, can also apply for permanent residency through one of the new pathways. In order to be eligible, they must have a full year of work experience within three years of their application date within at least one of 95 potential occupations.
While Canadian experience is not specifically highlighted, workers with temporary resident visas who have been essential throughout the pandemic are the clear targets of this new pathway. Canada hopes to recruit at least 30,000. A counterpart pathway targeting French-speaking essential workers was also created.
For international graduates in particular, eligibility requirements highlight the need for Canadian experience. International graduates who wish to apply for this new temporary pathway to permanent residency are required to:
- Graduate from a post-secondary Designated Learning Institution (DLI) in Canada after January 2017, in a program that must be no less than 8 months long.
- Be employed in Canada at the time of application. Self-employment does not count.
Canada hopes to welcome 40,000 international graduates through this pathway. A pathway for French-speaking international graduates with similar experience is also available.
Why Is Canadian Experience Important?
Canada emphasizes the importance of potential immigrants gaining Canadian experience through these new pathways. Canadian experience has always been a key factor in immigration, with more pathways and options open to candidates who have been able to pursue education and career opportunities, and who have been able to create ties to and experience life in Canada.
Many popular immigration pathways often point towards ensuring aspiring migrants are able to obtain that experience in Canada prior to applying for permanent residency. Apart from these temporary pathways, the Study to Permanent Residency pathway has been a popular choice for many aspiring immigrants.
Studying in Canada allows applicants to gain experience and education that ensures they are up to Canada’s standard. Students who have graduated from post-secondary DLIs are then afforded many opportunities to pursue a career with the Post-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP), an open work permit that allows them to remain in Canada to seek employment for two to three years.
Employers are also more likely to hire individuals with Canadian education, as it shows they meet the country’s standard. While foreign workers are highly welcome, they are required to go through an assessment to prove that their education is on par with that of Canada’s.
Canadian experience is highly valuable to aspiring immigrants. Many doors and opportunities can open up with experience gained from living and working in Canada.
If you’re interested in learning more about how to gain experience in Canada, we’d like to invite you to register for one of our private online discussions. Register to an orientation for free here.
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