March 27, 2023

Canada continues to be a global leader in refugee resettlement and labour mobility. By welcoming skilled refugees and other displaced individuals to Canada, the government is helping communities and businesses address labour shortages. Continued improvements to the immigration system will help make it more responsive to Canada’s economic needs and humanitarian commitments.

During a keynote speech to business and sector leaders, NGOs and civil society organizations in Toronto, the Honourable Sean Fraser, Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship, announced that Canada will launch a new economic pathway under the Economic Mobility Pathways Pilot (EMPP) to help employers hire skilled refugees and other displaced individuals.

The EMPP pairs skilled refugees and other qualified displaced individuals with Canadian employers who need to overcome labour shortages in key occupations. This allows Canada to welcome vulnerable people, while giving Canadian employers access to an untapped talent pool from which they can attract and retain employees with the skills they need to help grow our economy.

The Government of Canada is expanding the EMPP by creating a new federal pathway. The new pathway, which will complement existing EMPP pathways, will open this summer.

The new federal pathway will give employers more opportunities to fill a wide range of in­-demand jobs, including nurse aides, personal support workers, long-term care aides, software engineers, web designers, mechanical and electrical engineers and technicians, teachers, tourism and hospitality workers, and truck and delivery service drivers. The EMPP gives employers another avenue to address their labour market needs, while offering EMPP candidates an opportunity to restart their careers and their lives in safety with their families here in Canada.

In addition, the EMPP will now include a more flexible approach to eligibility by allowing other displaced people who lack a durable solution and are in need of international protection to apply.

As these individuals rebuild their lives and careers, they help fill gaps in our labour force, contribute to local economies, and enrich our communities. More information on the new federal pathway, including eligibility criteria, will be available on the EMPP webpage in the coming weeks.

March 17, 2023

Employers are facing unprecedented challenges in finding and retaining the workers they need during this period of economic recovery and growth.

Sean Fraser, Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship, has announced that international graduates with a recently expired or expiring post-graduation work permit (PGWP) will quality for an additional or extended work permit to stay longer and gain additional work experience for up to 18 months. The PGWP Program allows international graduates to obtain an open work permit to gain valuable Canadian work experience.

Starting April 6, 2023, these measures will allow PGWP holders who wish to stay longer to opt in to a facilitative process to extend their work permit and will allow Canada to retain high-skilled talent.

Foreign nationals whose PGWP has already expired in 2023 and those who were eligible for the 2022 PGWP facilitative measure will also have the opportunity to apply for an additional 18-month work permit. Those with expired work permits will be able to restore their status, even if they are beyond the 90-day restoration period, and will receive an interim work authorization while awaiting processing of their new work permit application.

Talented and skilled international graduates play a vital role in addressing Canada’s labour shortage, and those nearing the end of their PGWP are already well integrated into Canada’s labour market. The additional work permit will allow eligible applicants to continue contributing to the Canadian economy while gaining valuable work experience and preparing for the opportunity to apply for permanent residence.

March 17, 2023

 

Every woman and girl in Canada should have the opportunity to reach their full potential and overcome the unique barriers that can sometimes stand in their way. These barriers can be particularly significant for racialized newcomer women. That’s why the Government of Canada is helping racialized newcomer women find jobs by providing the support and services they need to succeed.

Marie-France Lalonde, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship, announced today that the YWCA of Metro Vancouver will receive up to $1.1 million over two years, under the Racialized Newcomer Women Pilot, to support the Tech Connect program for newcomer women. Tech Connect helps prepare racialized newcomer women in the Greater Vancouver Area who are internationally-trained professionals with IT backgrounds. It connects them with professional networks and training that will help them to understand the unique workplace culture in Canada’s IT sector and to find jobs related to their skills, education and experience more quickly and easily.

The Racialized Newcomer Women Pilot was designed to support the labour market access and advancement of racialized newcomer women through work placements, mentorship and women-only employment counselling. Extending funding to programs like Tech Connect demonstrates that the Government of Canada remains committed to supporting racialized newcomer women to find meaningful work in Canada and progress in their careers.

The YWCA of Metro Vancouver is among the many settlement programs that received funding under the Racialized Newcomer Women Pilot, and the Government of Canada is expected to announce funding for many more organizations across the country in the coming months.

March 4, 2023

Given the importance of the Indo-Pacific region and its impact on Canadians, a comprehensive and inclusive strategy is crucial to guide Canada’s actions. To this end, Canada is investing in fostering ties between Canadians and the region as part of its Indo-Pacific Strategy.

Today, Rechie Valdez, Member of Parliament for Mississauga—Streetsville, announced on behalf of the Honourable Sean Fraser, Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship, the opening of a new application processing centre in Manila, Philippines. This initiative supports Canada’s Indo-Pacific Strategy and helps boost immigration application processing within Canada’s centralized network, as well as abroad.

The new centre is located within Canada’s Embassy in Manila and will be supported by 37 new employees. The added capacity is part of Canada’s ongoing efforts to accommodate the high volume of visa applications from around the world, and will support ongoing efforts to also improve client service and help achieve Canada’s planned increases to immigration levels in the years to come.

By expanding its presence overseas, Canada is making strategic investments, with the goal of bringing more people to Canada—whether to visit, study, work or immigrate permanently.