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Canada offers many permanent and temporary resident visa options to employers and workers, even during the coronavirus pandemic. Following the signing of a new Executive Order by\u00a0President Donald Trump yesterday<\/a>, an estimated 525,000 individuals will not be able to move to the U.S. as permanent or temporary residents for the rest of 2020.<\/p>\n Trump\u2019s new immigration ban is meant to be a temporary measure to protect U.S. workers during the recession caused by the coronavirus pandemic.<\/p>\n However, this temporary measure will create significant uncertainty for employers in the U.S. as well as those who were planning on working in America.<\/p>\n Canada\u2019s immigration system is also going through a period of uncertainty in the sense that the country currently has travel restrictions and\u00a0special immigration measures<\/a>\u00a0in place which it is constantly modifying as the pandemic unfolds.<\/p>\n Despite the uncertainty in Canada, however, employers and workers can be certain that Canada will process new applications submitted during the pandemic and will facilitate the entry of new permanent and temporary residents as long as eligibility criteria are met.<\/p>\n Currently, some new permanent residents are exempt from Canada\u2019s travel restrictions. The country is also issuing new permanent residence invitations to successful immigration applicants.<\/p>\n Meanwhile, temporary foreign workers are largely exempt from Canada\u2019s coronavirus travel restrictions and remain able to enter Canada, including from the U.S.<\/p>\n In a\u00a0television interview today,<\/a>\u00a0Canada\u2019s immigration minister Marco Mendicino stressed that Canada believes immigration will help to strengthen its economy after the pandemic.<\/p>\n https:\/\/twitter.com\/marcomendicino\/status\/1275594647520362496<\/p>\n Until the end of 2020, the U.S. will not issue new green cards (or permanent resident status) to immigration applicants outside of the country.<\/p>\n Moreover, it is also suspending various employment-based visas until the end of the year.<\/p>\n These include the following visas:<\/p>\n While Canada and the U.S. are both federal countries, Canadian provinces have more immigration authority than U.S. states.<\/p>\n Upon Canada\u2019s founding in 1867, the Constitution outlined immigration as a matter of shared federal and provincial jurisdiction, with the federal government having the final say.<\/p>\n In practice, this means that both the federal government and 12 out of Canada\u2019s 13 provinces and territories operate their own selection programs for economic class immigrants.<\/p>\n Today, Canada offers\u00a0over 80<\/a>\u00a0economic class immigration pathways to skilled workers in the U.S. and around the world.<\/p>\n The most prominent pathway is the federal\u00a0Express Entry<\/a>\u00a0system. Interested candidates can submit their profile for free on the federal government\u2019s website. The federal government then scores them based on the likes of their age, education, English and\/or French skills, work experience, among other factors.<\/p>\n Every two weeks, including during the COVID-19 pandemic, the federal government holds Express Entry draws in which it invites the highest-scoring immigration candidates to apply for permanent residence. After submitting their permanent residence application, successful candidates can expect to get their application processed within 6 months.<\/p>\n The second most prominent permanent residence pathway is the\u00a0Provincial Nominee Program (PNP).<\/a>\u00a0Nearly every province and territory operates the PNP to welcome skilled workers that meet their local labour market needs. Candidates can submit their applications directly to the province they are interested in. They can also submit an Express Entry profile to give provinces the opportunity to review their credentials and contact them directly about immigrating to their jurisdiction.<\/p>\n Quebec<\/a>\u00a0is the third major option. It operates various programs similar to those offered by the federal government and other provinces. Speaking French is key to successfully immigrating to Quebec.<\/p>\n Both the PNP and Quebec\u2019s immigration system continue to operate during the pandemic. PNP draws occur on a weekly basis.<\/p>\n Canada\u2019s temporary resident options for employers and workers are as diverse as the country\u2019s permanent resident choices.<\/p>\n Whether you are looking for highly specialized worker options, entertainment and film options, or to conduct an intra-company transfer, there are various choices that are available to you in Canada.<\/p>\n Each option has its own eligibility criteria, but there are generally two major pathways available.<\/p>\n The first major pathway is through the Temporary Foreign Worker Program (TFWP). The TFWP exists to help employers in Canada hire workers when Canadians are not available to do the job. It requires a labour market test called the\u00a0Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA).<\/a>\u00a0Employers need to demonstrate to the Canadian government through the LMIA that hiring a foreign worker will not hurt Canadian workers.<\/p>\n The second, and larger pathway is called the\u00a0International Mobility Program (IMP).<\/a>\u00a0It exists to promote Canada\u2019s broader economic and social goals, and many skilled worker choices are available since they are in Canada\u2019s economic interests. For example, many skilled workers are able to work in Canada without an LMIA due to free trade agreements that Canada has with the likes of the U.S., and many other industrialized countries. LMIAs are not required under IMP streams and hence, it is much easier for employers and workers to pursue IMP options.<\/p>\n Processing times vary per option, but they can be very quick. Canada\u2019s\u00a0Global Talent Stream<\/a>\u00a0does not require an LMIA and allows employers in Canada to hire tech workers within 10 days.<\/p>\n Under Canada\u2019s current travel laws, temporary workers may continue to enter the country so long as the purpose of their travel is non-optional. For instance, entering Canada to pursue an existing job opportunity falls within the definition of non-optional travel.<\/p>\n
\n<\/em><\/p>\nAbout Trump\u2019s new Executive Order<\/strong><\/h3>\n
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Canadian immigration alternatives<\/strong><\/h3>\n
Temporary resident options for employers and workers<\/strong><\/h3>\n