Canada announces new pathway to permanent residency for international graduates

The Government of Canada announced this week an accelerated pathway to permanent residency for more than 90,000 essential workers and international graduates.

The new 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 needed to help fight the COVID-19 pandemic and accelerate Canada’s economic recovery.

To be eligible, international graduates must have completed an eligible Canadian post-secondary program within the last four years, and no earlier than January 2017. Temporary workers must have at least one year of Canadian work experience in a health-care profession or other essential occupation.

“The pandemic has shone a bright light on the incredible contributions of newcomers,” said Marco Mendicino, Canada’s Immigration Minister. “These new policies will help those with a temporary status to plan their future in Canada, play a key role in our economic recovery and help us build back better.

“Our message to them is simple: your status may be temporary, but your contributions are lasting – and we want you to stay.”

Effective May 6, 2021, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) will begin accepting application under three streams:

40,000 applications for international students who graduated from a Canadian institution

20,000 applications for temporary workers in health care

30,000 applications for temporary workers in other select essential occupations

The streams will remain open until November 5, 2021, or until they have reached their limit.

A detailed explanation of all eligibility requirements is available on the public policies page of the IRCC website.

This week’s announcement will help Canada achieve its 2021 Immigration Levels Plan, which will see Canada welcome 401,000 new permanent residents, helping to create jobs and drive long-term growth in Canada.