April 14, 2021—Ottawa—Today, the Honourable Marco E. L. Mendicino, Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship, announced an innovative pathway to permanent residence for over 90,000 essential workers and international graduates who are actively contributing to Canada’s economy.
These special public policies will grant permanent status to temporary workers and international graduates who are already in Canada and who possess the skills and experience we need to fight the pandemic and accelerate our economic recovery.
The focus of this new pathway will be on temporary workers employed in our hospitals and long-term care homes and on the frontlines of other essential sectors, as well as international graduates who are driving the economy of tomorrow.
To be eligible, workers must have at least 1 year of Canadian work experience in a health-care profession or another pre-approved essential occupation. International graduates must have completed an eligible Canadian post-secondary program within the last 4 years, and no earlier than January 2017.
Effective May 6, 2021, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) will begin 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 remain open until November 5, 2021, or until they have reached their limit. Up to 90,000 new permanent residents will be admitted under these 3 streams.
To promote Canada’s official languages, 3 additional streams with no intake caps have also been launched for French-speaking or bilingual candidates. Communities across Canada benefit from French-speaking and bilingual newcomers, and this pathway will contribute to the vitality of these Francophone minority communities.
A detailed explanation of all eligibility requirements is available within the public policies.
As we continue the fight against the pandemic, immigration will remain critical to our economic recovery by addressing labour shortages and adding growth to our workforce.
With an accelerated pathway to permanent residency, these special public policies will encourage essential temporary workers and international graduates to put down roots in Canada and help us retain the talented workers we need, particularly in our health-care system.
Today’s announcement will help us achieve our 2021 Immigration Levels Plan, which will see Canada welcome 401,000 new permanent residents. The skilled newcomers and international graduates welcomed under our plan will help create jobs and drive long-term growth in Canada.
Eligible occupations in Healthcare:
| Occupation | NOC |
|---|---|
| Nursing co-ordinators and supervisors | 3011 |
| Registered nurses and registered psychiatric nurses | 3012 |
| Specialist physicians | 3111 |
| General practitioners and family physicians | 3112 |
| Dentists | 3113 |
| Optometrists | 3121 |
| Chiropractors | 3122 |
| Allied primary health practitioners | 3124 |
| Other professional occupations in health diagnosing and treating | 3125 |
| Pharmacists | 3131 |
| Dietitians and nutritionists | 3132 |
| Audiologists and speech-language pathologists | 3141 |
| Physiotherapists | 3142 |
| Occupational therapists | 3143 |
| Other professional occupations in therapy and assessment | 3144 |
| Medical laboratory technologists | 3211 |
| Medical laboratory technicians and pathologists’ assistants | 3212 |
| Respiratory therapists, clinical perfusionists and cardiopulmonary technologists | 3214 |
| Medical radiation technologists | 3215 |
| Medical sonographers | 3216 |
| Cardiology technologists and electrophysiological diagnostic technologists, n.e.c. | 3217 |
| Other medical technologists and technicians (except dental health) | 3219 |
| Denturists | 3221 |
| Dental hygienists and dental therapists | 3222 |
| Dental technologists, technicians and laboratory assistants | 3223 |
| Opticians | 3231 |
| Practitioners of natural healing | 3232 |
| Licensed practical nurses | 3233 |
| Paramedical occupations | 3234 |
| Massage therapists | 3236 |
| Other technical occupations in therapy and assessment | 3237 |
| Dental assistants | 3411 |
| Nurse aides, orderlies and patient service associates | 3413 |
| Other assisting occupations in support of health services | 3414 |
| Psychologists | 4151 |
| Social workers | 4152 |
| Family, marriage and other related counsellors | 4153 |
| Health policy researchers, consultants and program officers | 4165 |
| Social and community service workers | 4212 |
| Home support workers, housekeepers and related occupations | 4412 |
Essential occupations
| Unit Group | Occupation | NOC Code |
|---|---|---|
| Sales support occupations | Cashiers | 6611 |
| Service station attendants | 6621 | |
| Store shelf stockers, clerks and order fillers | 6622 | |
| Other sales related occupations | 6623 | |
| Industrial, electrical and construction trades | Contractors and supervisors, machining, metal forming, shaping and erecting trades and related occupations | 7201 |
| Contractors and supervisors, electrical trades and telecommunications occupations | 7202 | |
| Contractors and supervisors, pipefitting trades | 7203 | |
| Contractors and supervisors, carpentry trades | 7204 | |
| Contractors and supervisors, other construction trades, installers, repairers and servicers | 7205 | |
| Machinists and machining and tooling inspectors | 7231 | |
| Tool and die makers | 7232 | |
| Sheet metal workers | 7233 | |
| Boilermakers | 7234 | |
| Structural metal and platework fabricators and fitters | 7235 | |
| Ironworkers | 7236 | |
| Welders and related machine operators | 7237 | |
| Electricians (except industrial and power system) | 7241 | |
| Industrial electricians | 7242 | |
| Power system electricians | 7243 | |
| Electrical power line and cable workers | 7244 | |
| Telecommunications line and cable workers | 7245 | |
| Telecommunications installation and repair workers | 7246 | |
| Cable television service and maintenance technicians | 7247 | |
| Plumbers | 7251 | |
| Steamfitters, pipefitters and sprinkler system installers | 7252 | |
| Gas fitters | 7253 | |
| Carpenters | 7271 | |
| Cabinetmakers | 7272 | |
| Bricklayers | 7281 | |
| Concrete finishers | 7282 | |
| Tilesetters | 7283 | |
| Plasterers, drywall installers and finishers and lathers | 7284 | |
| Roofers and shinglers | 7291 | |
| Glaziers | 7292 | |
| Insulators | 7293 | |
| Painters and decorators (except interior decorators) | 7294 | |
| Floor covering installers | 7295 | |
| Other installers, repairers and servicers and material handlers | Residential and commercial installers and servicers | 7441 |
| Waterworks and gas maintenance workers | 7442 | |
| Pest controllers and fumigators | 7444 | |
| Other repairers and servicers | 7445 | |
| Longshore workers | 7451 | |
| Material handlers | 7452 | |
| Transport and heavy equipment operation and related maintenance occupations | Transport truck drivers | 7511 |
| Bus drivers, subway operators and other transit operators | 7512 | |
| Taxi and limousine drivers and chauffeurs | 7513 | |
| Delivery and courier service drivers | 7514 | |
| Heavy equipment operators (except crane) | 7521 | |
| Public works maintenance equipment operators and related workers | 7522 | |
| Railway yard and track maintenance workers | 7531 | |
| Water transport deck and engine room crew | 7532 | |
| Boat and cable ferry operators and related occupations | 7533 | |
| Air transport ramp attendants | 7534 | |
| Other automotive mechanical installers and servicers | 7535 | |
| Trades helpers, construction labourers and related occupations | Construction trades helpers and labourers | 7611 |
| Other trades helpers and labourers | 7612 | |
| Public works and maintenance labourers | 7621 | |
| Railway and motor transport labourers | 7622 | |
| Harvesting, landscaping and natural resources labourers | Harvesting labourers | 8611 |
| Landscaping and grounds maintenance labourers | 8612 | |
| Aquaculture and marine harvest labourers | 8613 | |
| Mine labourers | 8614 | |
| Oil and gas drilling, servicing and related labourers | 8615 | |
| Logging and forestry labourers | 8616 | |
| Mail and message distribution occupations | Mail, postal and related workers | 1511 |
| Letter carriers | 1512 | |
| Couriers, messengers and door-to-door distributors | 1513 | |
| Retail salesperson | Retail salespersons | 6421 |
| Cleaners | Light duty cleaners | 6731 |
| Specialized cleaners | 6732 | |
| Janitors, caretakers and building superintendents | 6733 | |
| Agriculture and horticulture workers | General farm workers | 8431 |
| Nursery and greenhouse workers | 8432 | |
| Other workers in fishing and trapping and hunting occupations | Fishing vessel deckhands | 8441 |
| Trappers and hunters | 8442 | |
| Machine operators and related workers in food, beverage and associated products processing | Process control and machine operators, food and beverage processing | 9461 |
| Industrial butchers and meat cutters, poultry preparers and related workers | 9462 | |
| Fish and seafood plant workers | 9463 | |
| Testers and graders, food and beverage processing | 9465 | |
| Other groups | Managers in agriculture | 821 |
| Managers in horticulture | 822 | |
| French and French Immersion Secondary school teachers (language of instruction must be French | 4031 | |
| French and French Immersion Elementary school and kindergarten teachers (language of instruction must be French) | 4032 | |
| Home child care providers | 4411 | |
| Elementary and secondary school teacher assistants | 4413 | |
| Retail butchers | 6331 | |
| Airline ticket and service agents | 6523 | |
| Ground and water transport ticket agents, cargo service representatives and related clerks | 6524 | |
| Security guards and related security service occupations | 6541 | |
| Customer services representatives – financial institutions | 6551 | |
| Other customer and information services representatives | 6552 | |
| Agricultural service contractors, farm supervisors and specialized livestock workers | 8252 | |
| Contractors and supervisors, landscaping, grounds maintenance and horticulture services | 8255 | |
| Labourers in food and beverage processing | 9617 | |
| Labourers in fish and seafood processing | 9618 |
Workers will need to have at least one year of Canadian work experience in an eligible occupation, be currently employed in Canada, and intend to reside outside the province of Quebec. As well, workers must demonstrate English- or French-language proficiency equal to or higher than Canadian Language Benchmark of Level 4 (CLB 4), a lower threshold than most other economic Canadian immigration programs. Notably, French-language speakers will be eligible to apply through their own distinct pathways — identical in every way, but exempt from the quotas.
International graduates from Canadian post-secondary schools will be able to apply through a new pathway that will accept 40,000 applicants. To be eligible, international students must have graduated from a Canadian university or college within the four years prior to applying (not having graduated before January, 2017). Applicants must be currently employed in Canada and intend to reside outside the province of Quebec.
International students will need to demonstrate English- or French-language proficiency equal to or higher than Canadian Language Benchmark of Level 5 (CLB 5). Notably, French-language speakers will be eligible to apply through their own distinct pathway — identical in every way, but exempt from the quota.
Source: IRCC, Moving 2 Canada.
