published on 30 January 2026 @ 2:27 pm · COMMENT

Canada Pauses Economic Mobility Pathways Pilot for Skilled Refugees

Canada has unexpectedly paused new applications to the Economic Mobility Pathways Pilot (EMPP), a federal program that allows skilled refugees and displaced individuals to immigrate based on their skills and connect with Canadian employers facing labour shortages. The pause, which took effect at the end of December 2025, was communicated to partner organizations just days before Christmas, leaving skilled refugees with job offers and employers with pending applications in limbo.

The EMPP, launched in 2018, provides an alternative to traditional refugee resettlement by admitting candidates such as engineers, nurses, skilled trades workers, and technical professionals—including to smaller or remote communities that struggle to attract talent. From 2019 to March 2025, 970 skilled refugees and their family members were admitted through the program, well short of the original goal of 2,000. Rising demand contributed to long processing times and a growing application backlog, which IRCC cited as the reason for the pause.

IRCC has stated that while new EMPP applications are temporarily suspended, all existing applications will continue to be processed under the federal economic immigration allocations in the 2026–2028 Immigration Levels Plan. The pause is intended to prevent the backlog from growing further while the department develops a “sustainable and effective permanent program” for skilled refugee immigration.

At this time, no date has been announced for when the EMPP will reopen, and employers and applicants must wait for further guidance. The decision underscores the growing constraints on Canada’s economic immigration pilots, even as attracting global talent remains a government priority.

filed under: IMMIGRATIONPERMANENT RESIDENCE