Immigration

What you need to know about Canada’s new immigration programs

Published

3 years ago

April 18, 2021

Descriptions and eligibility criteria for 6 limited-time Canadian immigration programs. (Pixabay photo)

Canada is opening up immigration pathways to essential workers, international students, and French speakers who are living in the country.

Starting May 6, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) will open the door to 90,000 essential workers and international student graduates on temporary status in Canada. There will also be three programs that will accept an unlimited number of eligible French speakers.

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The new programs apply to eligible temporary residents who want to immigrate to any Canadian province or territory other than Quebec. This is because the new programs were introduced by the Canadian federal government, which does not have the power to make immigration policy in Quebec.

The new programs will only be open for a limited amount of time until November 5 or until the intake caps are reached. There are 40 eligible healthcare occupations, plus an additional 95 eligible occupations other essential workers across a range of industries such as construction, agriculture, and sales.https://c0202f0b6b5e3c0ca2898f567e51b7b2.safeframe.googlesyndication.com/safeframe/1-0-38/html/container.html

Applicants may also include their family members on their applications, regardless of whether they are in Canada or not. Everyone named on the application must be admissible to Canada, meaning they have to meet general criminality and medical criteria.

Here are some of the general eligibility criteria for each of the six new programs:

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International student graduates

Canada will accept up to 40,000 recent international student graduates as permanent residents.

To be eligible, you need to have graduated from a post-secondary Designated Learning Institution (DLI) after January 2017, and before you submit your application. You also have to be working in Canada at the time of your application. Self-employed work is not eligible.https://c0202f0b6b5e3c0ca2898f567e51b7b2.safeframe.googlesyndication.com/safeframe/1-0-38/html/container.html

Your diploma or degree may have been completed at a DLI in Quebec, however, you have to be applying to live in any other province.

Generally speaking, programs must be no less than eight months in duration. For a Diploma of Vocational Studies (DVS) or an Attestation of Vocational Specialization (AVS), each program of study must be at least 900 hours in length and the combined program of study must be at least 1,800 hours.

The minimum language requirement is a Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) 5 in English or French in all proficiencies.

Essential workers in healthcare

This year, IRCC will admit up to 20,000 new permanent residents through this temporary stream for healthcare workers in Canada. In many economic-class immigration programs, it is important to have skilled work experience in order to be eligible. This is not the case for this program, you just need to have one year of Canadian work experience in an eligible occupation.

There are 40 eligible occupations for this program, which include nurses, physicians, and pharmacists. There are also some social work-related occupations under this category such as social workers, social and community service workers, as well as home support workers. Veterinarians and veterinarian technicians are not eligible for this pathway.

You need to have at least one year of eligible full-time work experience within the three years leading up to your application date. The government criteria say that you have to be employed in any occupation at the time of your application.

You cannot be self-employed unless you are a medical doctor in a fee-for-service with a health authority.

The minimum language requirement is a Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) 4 in English or French in all proficiencies.

Finally, you have to be destined for any Canadian province or territory other than Quebec.

Essential workers in other occupations

Under this temporary program, Canada will welcome 30,000 new permanent residents with work experience in essential occupations across all National Occupational Classification (NOC) skill levels. There are 95 eligible occupations, which include retail salespersons, general farm workers, and construction trades labourers, among others.

You need at least one year of eligible full-time work experience within the three years prior to your application. At the time of your application, you have to be employed, but the government language says it can be “in any occupation.” Self-employed work is not eligible.

The minimum language requirement is a Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) 4 in English or French in all proficiencies.

You also have to be destined for any Canadian province or territory other than Quebec.

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French-speaking international student graduates

This new stream is for recent French-speaking international student graduates who are living in Canada. You cannot be intending to move to Quebec, but you can still be eligible for the program with a Quebec-based education.

To be eligible, you need to be working in Canada at the time of your application. You also need to have already graduated from a Canadian Designated Learning Institution (DLI) at the post-secondary level after January 2017.

The program you graduated from also has to meet eligibility criteria. Generally, they have to be more than eight months in duration. For a Diploma of Vocational Studies (DVS) or an Attestation of Vocational Specialization (AVS), each program of study needs to be at least 900 hours in length and the combined program of study must be at least 1,800 hours.

You also need to have a minimum Niveaux de compétence linguistique canadien (NCLC) of 5 in all French language skill areas

French-speaking essential workers in healthcare

This pathway will allow for an unlimited number of French-speaking healthcare workers in Canada to become permanent residents. It is not for French speakers who want to immigrate to Quebec.

In order to be eligible, you need at least one year of full-time work experience in Canada completed within three years of your application. Your work experience must be in one of 40 eligible healthcare and social work occupations.

The government criteria say that you have to be employed in any occupation at the time of your application. You cannot be self-employed unless you are a medical doctor in a fee-for-service with a health authority.

You also need to have a minimum Niveaux de compétence linguistique canadien (NCLC) of 4 in all French language skill areas.

French-speaking essential workers in other occupations

An unlimited number of French speakers with work experience in one of 95 eligible occupations may become permanent residents through this stream. Eligible candidates must be intending to move to any Canadian province other than Quebec.

You must have completed the full-time work criteria within one year of applying. At the time of your application, you have to have a job, but the government says you can be “employed in any occupation.” Self-employed work is not eligible.

You also need to have a minimum Niveaux de compétence linguistique canadien (NCLC) of 4 in all French language skill areas.

List of eligible healthcare occupations

Here is the list of eligible healthcare occupations sorted by National Occupational Classification (NOC):

3011 Nursing co-ordinators and supervisors
3012 Registered nurses and registered psychiatric nurses
3111 Specialist physicians
3112 General practitioners and family physicians
3113 Dentists
3121 Optometrists
3122 Chiropractors
3124 Allied primary health practitioners
3125 Other professional occupations in health diagnosing and treating
3131 Pharmacists
3132 Dietitians and nutritionists
3141 Audiologists and speech-language pathologists
3142 Physiotherapists
3143 Occupational therapists
3144 Other professional occupations in therapy and assessment
3211 Medical laboratory technologists
3212 Medical laboratory technicians and pathologists’ assistants
3214 Respiratory therapists, clinical perfusionists and cardiopulmonary technologists
3215 Medical radiation technologists
3216 Medical sonographers
3217 Cardiology technologists and electrophysiological diagnostic technologists, n.e.c.
3219 Other medical technologists and technicians (except dental health)
3221 Denturists
3222 Dental hygienists and dental therapists
3223 Dental technologists, technicians and laboratory assistants
3231 Opticians
3232 Practitioners of natural healing
3233 Licensed practical nurses
3234 Paramedical occupations
3236 Massage therapists
3237 Other technical occupations in therapy and assessment
3411 Dental assistants
3413 Nurse aides, orderlies and patient service associates
3414 Other assisting occupations in support of health services
4151 Psychologists
4152 Social workers
4153 Family, marriage and other related counsellors
4165 Health policy researchers, consultants and program officers
4212 Social and community service workers
4412 Home support workers, housekeepers and related occupations

List of eligible essential occupations

IRCC sorted these other essential occupations into units and sub-units. They are listed by National Occupational Classification (NOC) code.

Major unit groups

Sales and support occupations

6611 Cashiers
6621 Service station attendants
6622 Store shelf stockers, clerks and order fillers
6623 Other sales related occupations

Industrial, electrical and construction trades

7201 Contractors and supervisor, machining, metal forming, shaping and erecting trades and related occupations
7202 Contractors and supervisors, electrical trades and telecommunications occupations
7203 Contractors and supervisors, pipefitting trades
7204 Contractors and supervisors, carpentry trades
7205 Contractors and supervisors, other construction trades, installers, repairers and servicers
7231 Machinists and machining and tooling inspectors
7232 Tool and die makers
7233 Sheet metal workers
7234 Boilermakers
7235 Structural metal and platework fabricators and fitters
7236 Ironworkers
7237 Welders and related machine operators
7241 Electricians (except industrial and power system)
7242 Industrial electricians
7243 Power system electricians
7244 Electrical power line and cable workers
7245 Telecommunications line and cable workers
7246 Telecommunications installation and repair workers
7247 Cable television service and maintenance technicians
7251 Plumbers
7252 Steamfitters, pipefitters and sprinkler system installers
7253 Gas fitters
7271 Carpenters
7272 Cabinetmakers
7281 Bricklayers
7282 Concrete finishers
7283 Tilesetters
7284 Plasterers, drywall installers and finishers and lathers
7291 Roofers and shinglers
7292 Glaziers
7293 Insulators
7294 Painters and decorators (except interior decorators)
7295 Floor covering installers

Other installers, repairers and servicers and material handlers

7441 Residential and commercial installers and servicers
7442 Waterworks and gas maintenance workers
7444 Pest controllers and fumigators
7445 Other repairers and servicers
7451 Longshore workers
7452 Material handlers

Transport and heavy equipment operation and related maintenance occupations

7511 Transport truck drivers
7512 Bus drivers, subway operators and other transit operators
7513 Taxi and limousine drivers and chauffeurs
7514 Delivery and courier service drivers
7521 Heavy equipment operators (except crane)
7522 Public works maintenance equipment operators and related workers
7531 Railway yard and truck maintenance workers
7532 Water transport deck and engine room crew
7533 Boat and cable ferry operators and related occupations
7534 Air transport ramp attendants
7535 Other automotive mechanical installers and servicers

Trades helpers, construction labourers and related occupations

7611 Construction trades helpers and labourers
7612 Other trades helpers and labourers
7621 Public works and maintenance labourers
7622 Railway and motor transport labourers

Harvesting, landscaping and natural resources labourers

8611 Harvesting labourers
8612 Landscaping and grounds maintenance labourers
8613 Aquaculture and marine harvest labourers
8614 Mine labourers
8615 Oil and gas drilling, servicing and related labourers
8616 Logging and forestry labourers

Minor unit groups

Mail and message distribution occupations

1511 Mail, postal and related workers
1512 Letter carriers
1513 Couriers, messengers and door-to-door distributors

Retail salesperson

6421 Retail salespersons

Cleaners

6731 Light duty cleaners
6732 Specialized cleaners
6733 Janitors, caretakers and building superintendents

Agriculture and horticulture workers

8431 General farm workers
8432 Nursery and greenhouse workers

Other workers in fishing and trapping and hunting occupations

8441 Fishing vessel deckhands
8442 Trappers and hunters

Machine operators and related workers in food, beverage and associated products processing

9461 Process control and machine operators, food and beverage processing
9462 Industrial butchers and meat cutters, poultry preparers and related workers
9463 Fish and seafood plant workers
9465 Testers and graders, food and beverage processing

Specific 4-digit unit groups

0821 Managers in agriculture
0822 Managers in horticulture
4031 French and French immersion secondary school teachers (language of instruction must be French)
4032 French and French immersion elementary school and kindergarten teachers (language of instruction must be French)
4411 Home child care providers
4413 Elementary and secondary school teacher assistants
6331 Retail butchers
6523 Airline ticket and service agents
6524 Ground and water transport ticket agents, cargo service representatives and related clerks
6541 Security guards and related security service occupations
6551 Customer services representatives – financial institutions
6552 Other customer and information services representatives
8252 Agricultural service contractors, farm supervisors and specialized livestock workers
8255 Contractors and supervisors, landscaping, grounds maintenance and horticulture services
9617 Labourers in food and beverage processing
9618 Labourers in fish and seafood processing

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