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Immigration Update

Generous and Exceptional New Permanent Residence Programs for Essential Workers and International Graduates, Including Essential Workers in National Occupation Classification (NOC) C or D Occupations 

On April 14th 2021, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada announced extremely generous and unprecedented new permanent residence programs for essential workers and international graduates in Canada. IRCC will begin accepting applications under the following three (3) program streams on May 6th 2021:

  1. Temporary workers in health care;
  2. Temporary workers in other selected “essential occupations”; and
  3. International students who graduated from a Canadian institution

To qualify under the temporary worker streams, applicants must have at least one year of work experience in Canada, in an eligible occupation. To qualify for the international student stream, applicants must have completed an eligible program of study at a Canadian post-secondary institution within the last four (4) years. Applicants must be currently residing in Canada and either have valid temporary resident status or be eligible for restoration of status.

Each program has a limited quota of applications they will accept, so applicants who meet the criteria should apply as soon as possible once the programs open on May 6th.  IRCC will accept applications under these categories until November 5th 2021 or until the quotas are met. Three additional programs with no intake cap have been launched for bilingual applicants.

Given the broad scope of occupations included, these new programs provide an excellent opportunity for temporary workers in Canada to obtain permanent resident status. The inclusion of National Occupation Classification (NOC) C and D occupations provides a pathway to permanent residence for workers who are excluded from the Canadian Experience Class category. These programs also provide an opportunity to obtain permanent resident status for temporary workers in Canada who may not score high enough under the Express Entry system to be selected, due to factors such as age, level of education or language proficiency.

The eligible occupations for the temporary worker streams are as follows:

Temporary Workers in Health Care:

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

 

Temporary Workers in other Essential Occupations:

6611       Cashiers

6621       Service station attendants

6622       Store shelf stockers, clerks and order fillers

6623       Other sales related occupations

7201       Contractors and supervisors, 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

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

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 track 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

7611       Construction trades helpers and labourers

7612       Other trades helpers and labourers

7621       Public works and maintenance labourers

7622       Railway and motor transport 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

1511       Mail, postal and related workers

1512       Letter carriers

1513       Couriers, messengers and door-to-door distributors

6421       Retail salespersons

6731       Light duty cleaners

6732       Specialized cleaners

6733       Janitors, caretakers and building superintendents

8431       General farm workers

8432       Nursery and greenhouse workers

8441       Fishing vessel deckhands

8442       Trappers and hunters

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

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

The application process, however, will involve the usual complex screening and verification requirements based on regular immigration law, policy and case law, in addition to the new policy requirements for this program.  Employers and employees are encouraged to take advantage of this exceptional opportunity as it has been created as a result of the pandemic. Normally, our government would not introduce facilitative options of this nature, based on the past experience over the course of the last 29 years in our immigration practice at BARTLAW LLP.  This immigration measure is extremely special.

Express Entry Update

On April 14th 2021, Immigration Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) issued a new round of invitations to apply for permanent residence under the Express Entry system.

The April 14th draw invited candidates who qualify for selection under the Provincial Nominee Class. The minimum score selected was 753, and 266 candidates were invited to apply. To qualify for selection under the Provincial Nominee Class, candidates must have received a nomination certificate from a Canadian province or territory. Canadian provinces and territories have their own unique set of immigration programs through which applicants can apply for permanent residence. Candidates who receive a provincial or territorial nomination can be awarded 600 additional points under the federal Express Entry system.