The Canada-Ukraine Authorization for Emergency Travel (CUAET) pathway is being extended to give even more Ukrainians hoping to flee their war-torn country a chance to find a safe place to live in Canada, Immigration Minister Sean Fraser says.
“We remain committed to helping those fleeing Russia’s illegal and unjustifiable invasion of Ukraine,” said Fraser.
“We continue working to provide Ukrainians with a temporary safe haven and the vital settlement services and supports they need to thrive in communities across Canada. Canada will continue to stand with the people of Ukraine, including those who’ve been forced to flee Russia’s senseless invasion.”
After Russian President Vladimir Putin’s forces invaded Ukraine in February last year, Canada opened its arms to Ukrainians by putting in place the CUAET pathway on March 17, 2022.
Within its first year in place, that pathway received 943,730 applications for temporary residence, including 616,429 which have been approved, the latest Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) data reveals.
Under the CUAET, 133,323 people have already arrived in Canada.
Wednesday, the immigration minister announced the CUAET pathway would be extended, meaning:
Ukrainians and their family members will have until July 15 this year to apply overseas for a CUAET visa free of charge;
anyone holding a CUAET visa will have until March 31 next year to travel to Canada under the special measures, and;
CUAET holders who are already here in Canada will have until March 31 next year to extend or adjust their temporary status through these measures, free of charge.
“With this new program, those fleeing Vladimir Putin’s war in Ukraine will be able to stay in Canada for up to three years and are eligible for free open work and study permits,” tweeted Fraser when the program was announced last year.
Canada Giving Ukrainians Temporary Financial Assistance And Waiving Fees
Ottawa upped its immigration application processing capacity in Europe after implementing the CUAET pathway and also sent mobile biometrics kits to Warsaw, Vienna and Bucharest to take the fingerprints and portrait photos of prospective Ukrainian refugees in a bid to ensure proper security precautions were taken with the surge in applications.
The government has also increased its federal settlement programs to include language training, orientation, employment assistance and other supports for Ukrainians as they settle into their new communities.
In addition to settlement services, Ukrainians fleeing to Canada are also offered transitional financial assistance of $3,000 per adult and $1,500 per child.
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“These funds will help Ukrainian nationals and their family members meet their basic needs, such as transportation and longer-term housing, as they arrive in communities across Canada and find a job,” notes IRCC on its website.
“Settlement services will remain available to Ukrainians and their family members after they arrive so that they can fully participate in Canadian communities while they are here. Ukrainians and their family members will also continue to benefit from the one-time transitional financial support, as well as from access to emergency accommodations for up to two weeks, if needed, after they arrive in Canada.”
Dedicated Phone Line Provides Information To Ukrainians
Once the CUAET stops taking applications from overseas in mid-July, Ukrainians wishing to come to Canada from abroad will still be able to apply for a visa or a work or study permit through the IRCC’s existing temporary resident programs but will be subject to fees and standard requirements.
Among the immigration measures announced since the start of the Russia-Ukraine war for Ukrainians are:
a dedicated service channel for Ukraine enquiries that is available for clients both in Canada and abroad at 613-321-4243, with collect calls accepted. In addition, clients can add the keyword “Ukraine2022” to the IRCC Web form with their enquiry and their e-mail is then prioritized;
urgent processing of travel documents, including issuing single-journey travel documents for immediate family members of Canadian citizens and permanent residents who do not have valid passports;
an updated web page to provide current information on measures. This page includes content in Ukrainian for ease of reference;
permission for Ukrainians currently in Canada to extend their stay or stay longer in Canada by prioritizing the renewal of work and study permits, and extending a policy that allows individuals to apply for a work permit from within Canada. This policy allows temporary residents who receive a job offer to remain in Canada and start working while they wait for their work permit application to be processed, and;
the issuance of open work permits to Ukrainian visitors, workers and students who are currently in Canada and cannot go home, so they can stay longer if they wish. Fees are being waived, retroactive to Feb. 22 last year, for certain travel and immigration documents, such as Canadian passports, permanent resident travel documents, proofs of citizenship, visitor visas, and work and study permits.
Statistics Canada has revealed the Canadian population saw a record surge in growth last year, fuelled almost entirely by immigration.
In the year that ended on Jan. 1, 2023, the country’s population boomed, increasing by more than one million people for the first time in Canadian history, to hit just under 39.6 million, reports the statistical and demographic services agency of the federal government.
With that spike in its population, Canada saw a growth rate of 2.7 per cent, a rate not seen since the Baby Boom years, since 1957.
But this time around, the Canadian population boom isn’t due to romantic goings on in the nation’s bedrooms.
The rate of population growth last year was fuelled by record levels of immigration to Canada.
“This previous record population growth rate in 1957 was related to the high number of births during the post-war baby boom and the high immigration of refugees following the Hungarian Revolution of 1956,” reports Statistics Canada.
“In 2022, the reason behind Canada’s record-high population growth was somewhat different, since international migration accounted for nearly all growth recorded, about 95.9 per cent of it.”
Among the G7 countries – Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom and the United States – Canada is by far the population growth leader.
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“Canada’s population growth rate of 2.7 per cent in 2022 would put it among the top 20 in the world,” notes Statistics Canada. “Almost all countries with a higher pace of population growth were in Africa.”
The current rate of population growth in Canada would lead to it doubling its population in only 26 years, notes Statistics Canada.
“The increase seen in international migration is related to efforts by the government of Canada to ease labour shortages in key sectors of the economy,” notes the agency. “High job vacancies and labour shortages are occurring in a context where population aging has accelerated in Canada and the unemployment rate remains near its record low.”
In its 2023-2025 Immigration Levels Plan, Ottawa set the immigration target for this year at 465,000 new permanent residents. The country is to welcome 485,000 new permanent residents in 2024 and another 500,000 in 2025.
That’s a total of 1.45 million new permanent residents to Canada over the next three years.
High Immigration Levels Touted By Some As Vital But Poses Challenges For Canada
That’s in line with the recommendations of the Century Initiative, a non-profit organization which wants the country to more than double its population to 100 million by the year 2100.
The organization touts population growth as vital for the country’s economic growth and prosperity.
“Growing our population to 100 million by 2100 would reduce the burden on government revenues to fund healthcare, old age security, and other services. It would also mean more skilled workers, innovation, and dynamism in the Canadian economy,” notes the organization on its website.
In its 2019 report, For A Bigger, Bolder Canada: Long-term Thinking. Starting Now, the Century Initiative proposed vastly increasing immigration to levels then considered to be so high the organization took pains to point out its plan was not “radical”.
Rapid population growth, though, comes with potential downsides as well as opportunities, notes Statistics Canada.
“A rise in the number of permanent and temporary immigrants could also represent additional challenges for some regions of the country related to housing, infrastructure and transportation, and service delivery to the population,” notes Statistics Canada.
During the Quebec provincial election last year, Quebec Premier François Legault and his immigration minister both made it clear the francophone province does not want to see rapid immigration growth.
Quebec Immigration Minister Christine Fréchette has cited the need to ensure adequate settlement services so any newcomers will be able to integrate properly into Quebecois society.
“It is up to Quebec to set its own targets for permanent immigration,” she tweeted.
“The upper limit for Quebec is now 50,000 (new permanent residents) due to our capacity to welcome, provide French-language services and integrate them.”
At the national level, some federal politicians are also expressing concerns about Canada’s record-breaking rate of immigration.
People’s Party of Canada (PPC) leader Maxime Bernier is one of them.
In 2019, prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, Canada welcomed 341,175 new permanent residents, or 28.2 per cent less than the 437,500 such arrivals last year – and Bernier was then already telling Canadians that was too many immigrants to the country.
People’s Party Leader Wants To Slash Immigration To Canada By At Least Two Thirds
“A People’s Party government will substantially lower the total number of immigrants and refugees we accept every year … to between 100,000 and 150,000,” said Bernier at that time.
That is still the PPC position. On its website the political party, which garnered only 4.9 per cent of the popular vote and failed to elect a single member to Parliament in the last federal election, notes it wants an immigration system that puts the emphasis on economic immigration and accepts fewer refugees.
“Our current refugee policy is unsustainable, costly, and it is being abused by false refugees at our borders,” claims the PPC. “This must end. The moral obligation of Canada’s government is to first help those in need among our own population and then to give priority to real refugees.”
Outside of the world of politics, some economists are going so far as to blame Canada’s high level of immigration for the dramatic rise in real estate prices and rents across the country.
Desjardins Group economists Randall Bartlett, Hélène Begin and Marc Desormeaux wrote in a Feb. 9 report that “the heightened level of immigration is supporting demand, pushing up rents and helping to keep a floor on housing market activity.”
The Desjardins Group economists stated Canada would have to boost housing starts by 50 per cent just to meet the demand for housing – and they expressed doubt that could or would happen.
“Using history as a guide, the supply response is likely to be insufficient to prevent an increase in prices and an erosion of affordability,” they reportedly wrote.
Although the arrival of permanent residents through federal Express Entry programs is helping to fuel population growth, the arrival of many temporary residents, including temporary foreign workers and international students, is also driving up the population figures.
“For the year 2022, Canada welcomed (437,500) immigrants and saw a net increase of the number of non-permanent residents estimated at 607,782,” reports Statistics Canada.
“Both of these numbers represent the highest levels on record, reflecting higher immigration targets and a record-breaking year for the processing of immigration applications at Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC).
The March 23 draw saw LAAs issued through three MPNP streams.
A batch of 266 invitations with the lowest score of 612 went to Skilled Workers in Manitoba candidates currently employed in Manitoba in one of the following major group occupations:
72 – Technical trades and transportation officers and controllers
74 – Mail and message distribution, other transport equipment operators and related maintenance workers
75 – Helpers and labourers and other transport drivers, operators and labourers
94 – Machine operators, assemblers and inspectors in processing, manufacturing and printing
95 – Labourers in processing, manufacturing and utilities
Meanwhile, Skilled Workers in Manitoba candidates in all occupations received 200 LAAs, with a minimum score of 672 points.
International Education Stream candidates received 52 LAAs.
The remaining 48 LAAs went to Skilled Workers Overseas candidates through a Strategic Recruitment Initiative, with a minimum score of 708.
Manitoba stated that 82 of the 566 candidates invited had valid Express Entry IDs and job seeker validation codes.
In a separate draw on March 20, Manitoba issued 34 invitations as part of its special immigration measures for Ukraine.
To qualify, candidates must:
Be a citizen of Ukraine;
have a minimum of CLB 4 in each language band;
have established connection to Manitoba (close relative, family-like, community, previous employment or studies in Manitoba);
have a valid language test; and
score at least 60 points according to MPNP assessment criteria.
For detailed requirements of all the streams featured in this draw, please see below.
What Were the Details of the Latest Manitoba Draw?
Stream
Sub-Stream
Letters of Advice to Apply
Score of Lowest Ranked Candidate
1) Skilled Workers in Manitoba
Occupation-specific selection
266
612
All occupations
200
672
2) International Education Stream
52
–
3) Skilled Workers Overseas
Strategic Recruitment Initiative
48
708
4) Special Immigration Measures for Ukraine
34
60
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How Do I Qualify For The Skilled Worker in Manitoba Stream?
The Skilled Worker in Manitoba Stream (SWM) is based on the specific needs of Manitoba employers. SWM selects foreign-trained workers with the required skills and nominates them for Canada permanent residence. The stream prioritizes candidates with a strong attachment to Manitoba, with two pathways to Manitoba immigration.
a) Manitoba Work Experience Pathway
For applicants currently working in Manitoba on temporary work permits, through the Temporary Foreign Worker Program or as international graduates from any province. Candidates do not need to be working in In-Demand Occupations.
b) Employer Direct Recruitment Pathway
For applicants from overseas with job offers from approved Manitoba employers.
How Do I Qualify For The Skilled Worker Overseas Stream?
The Skilled Worker Overseas Stream (SWO) includes both a dedicated Canada Express Entry Pathway and a direct provincial pathway.
It is aimed at international skilled workers with skills and training in Manitoba’s In-Demand Occupations. Priority is given to applicants and spouses with close family connections, plus the language proficiency, training and experience to find jobs quickly.
a) Manitoba Express Entry Pathway
For international candidates eligible under another MPNP stream, who also meet Express Entry criteria and have an active Express Entry profile. Candidates need skills, training and experience in one of Manitoba’s In-Demand Occupations, and a strong family connection to the province.
b) Human Capital Pathway
For international skilled workers with skills, training and experience in one of Manitoba’s In-Demand Occupations. Candidates must demonstrate potential to find employment soon after they arrive in Manitoba.
What Are The Requirements For the International Education Stream?
The International Education Stream (IES) is dedicated to international graduates from Manitoba colleges and universities. Under IES, candidates are no longer required to work for six months in their field before applying for an MPNP nomination. It has three pathways:
1) Career Employment Pathway
Eligibility requirements include:
Completed a one-year or longer course from an eligible post-secondary Manitoba institution within three years of submission of application.
Have a full-time job offer in a Manitoba In-Demand occupation related to the completed degree
Resident of Manitoba
2) Graduate Internship Pathway
Masters and Doctoral degree holders who have completed Mitacs Accelerate or Elevate internships can apply for nomination through internships even without a job offer in the province.
3) Student Entrepreneur Pathway
Eligibility requirements include:
Completed a two-year or longer course from an eligible post-secondary Manitoba institution
Six months business operation experience in Manitoba
Resident of Manitoba since graduation.
No specific minimum personal net worth requirement
Ontario’s new Working for Workers Act will slap the biggest fines in Canada on employers who withhold the passports of their temporary foreign workers.
“Anyone who preys on vulnerable members in our community has no place in our society,” said Ontario Immigration Minister Monte McNaughton.
“If you think you’re going to deny someone’s basic human rights by withholding their passport, we’re going to hit your pocketbook, and you will be behind bars for a long time. We will continue to use every tool in our toolbox to ensure Ontario is a province where hard work pays off and big dreams come true.”
Under the proposed law which has been introduced in the legislature, withholding a foreign national’s passport or work permit could lead to fines ranging from $100,000 to $200,000 for every worker whose rights are violated.
In addition to the per-passport penalties, those found guilty of breaking the proposed law would be liable to either a fine of up to $500,000 or up to a year in prison –or both. Corporations convicted would be liable to fines of up to $1 million.
The Working for Workers law, which would be the third iteration of this law which has had previous versions in each of the last two years, also includes proposed changes to protect remote workers during mass terminations and expands the number of reasons for which reservists can take military leave.
The act would also force construction sites to have women’s-only washrooms and boost cancer coverage for firefighters.
Human rights activists are supporting the proposed legislation. Megan Walker, the now-retired executive director of the London Abused Women’s Centre, says the proposed legislation will send a strong message to those who exploit migrant workers.
“The government is giving migrant workers back their human right to have control over their own documents including their passports,” said Walker.
There are those, though, who say even more needs to be done to beef up the rights of temporary foreign workers in Ontario.
More Needs To Be Done To Hold Employers Accountable, Says Refugee Centre Director
“While this will hold employers accountable, there is still much more progress to be made,” said Loly Rico, executive director of the FCJ Refugee Centre.
“This is only the beginning. We need to see changes in policies on a federal and provincial level that will protect workers and their rights and break down the barriers to equity amongst all workers in Canada.”
Since November 2021, Ontario created a new unit to ferret out human trafficking and this has already led to criminal charges, occupational health and safety and employment standards prosecutions, orders and other compliance activities.
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York Regional Police chief Jim MacSween says he and his investigators in the force’s human trafficking section are eager to see this new legislation come into effect.
“This legislation … will provide us with another tool to fight labour trafficking and the exploitation of vulnerable people in our community,” said MacSween. “This new law will allow our officers to hold individuals and companies accountable for their actions.”
TFWP Provides A Pathway For Employers To Hire Foreign Nationals To Work In Canada
The Global Talent Stream (GTS), a part of the TFWP, can under normal processing situations lead to the granting of Canadian work permits and the processing of visa applications within two weeks.
Foreign nationals hoping to gain their permanent residency in Canada can seize the opportunities offered by Canada’s currently-tight labour market to immigrate through the country’s many economic immigration programs.
Candidates’ profiles then are ranked against each other according to a points-based system called the Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS). The highest-ranked candidates will be considered for an Invitation to Apply (ITA) for permanent residence. Those receiving an ITA must quickly submit a full application and pay processing fees, within a delay of 90 days.
Through a network of Provincial Nominee Programs (PNP), almost all of Canada’s ten provinces and three territories can also nominate skilled worker candidates for admission to Canada when they have the specific skills required by local economies. Successful candidates who receive a provincial or territorial nomination can then apply for Canadian permanent residence through federal immigration authorities.
Turks and Syrians in Canada hit by the massive earthquake last month can apply for extensions to their study permits, work visas or tourist visas free of charge starting March 29 rather than return to damaged homes.
A 7.8-magnitude earthquake struck Turkey and Syria on Monday, Feb. 6 only to be followed by another, almost as powerful aftershock within about 12 hours.
In the wake of that biggest earthquake to hit the region since 1939, more than 57,300 are now confirmed dead and 14 million people, about 16 per cent of Turkey’s population, have been affected by the natural disaster. The United Nations estimates 1.5 million people have been left homeless.
Ottawa has stepped up to the plate to help Turkish and Syrian nationals in this time of need.
Within weeks of the natural disaster, on Feb. 24, Canada announced $50 million in humanitarian aid.
Since Feb. 8, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has also accepted 16,000 applications from Turks and Syrians, including 750 permanent and 920 temporary resident applications from the areas impacted by the earthquakes.
“Canada is committed to providing relief to those impacted by the devastating earthquakes in Turkey and Syria,” said Immigration Minister Sean Fraser.
“We are already prioritizing the processing of applications from those affected and today we are introducing new measures that make it easier for Turkish and Syrian nationals to extend their stay in Canada and be with their families while continuing to work and study in a safe environment.”
Transport Minister Omar Alghabra says many Canadians have family members who the earthquakes have impacted and the latest steps to help those relatives back in Turkey and Syria should offer comfort to those Canadians.
IRCC Giving Priority To Applications From Earthquake-Devastated Countries
“With these new measures, we hope to ease the hardship they’re currently facing by prioritizing overseas applications and making it easier for them to stay longer in Canada,” said Alghabra.
“We understand the challenges faced by those impacted by this tragedy and remain steadfast in providing support and relief during this difficult time.”
Canada’s response to the disaster has been to invest in a United Nations-led humanitarian system, including support for the UN’s Central Emergency Response Fund and the UN Disaster Assessment and Coordination.
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Ottawa has also deployed a Canadian Disaster Assessment Team (CDAT) to the areas affected by the earthquakes in Turkey. That team has assessed the situation on the ground and provided recommendations for additional Canadian humanitarian support.
Turkish and Syrian nationals trying to escape the devastation in their home countries are further hampered by the relative weakness of their passports.
While the Canadian passport is ranked as the eighth most desirable in the world, allowing Canadians to travel to 186th destinations without needing a visa, the same cannot be said for Turkish and Syrian passport holders.
While the Turkish passport is still relatively strong, ranking 54th on the Henley Passport Index, and allowing Turks to travel to 111 destinations visa-free, the Syrian passport is one of the weakest in the world. The Syrian passport, ranked 108th in the world, only allows its holders to travel to 30 destinations visa-free.
Canada has struck a deal with the US to stop migrants trying to cross illegally into the country – effectively closing the tap on the steady stream at the Roxham Road crossing in Quebec.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and US President Joe Biden have reportedly come to an agreement to plug a loophole in the Safe Third Country Agreement (STCA) that currently allows migrants to cross illegally into Canada along its 8,900km border with America.
Under the deal, Canada will be obligated to welcome an extra 15,000 refugees from South and Central America who are fleeing persecution and violence over the coming year.
In the eight years that ended in January 2023, Canada welcomed 230,370 refugees, including 47,890 last year alone, the latest Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) data reveals.
In the past eight years, Canada’s annual level of immigration from refugees has more than doubled, jumping 145.6 per cent from 19,495 in 2015.
On social media, Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre was quick to take credit for the plugging of the Roxham Road route into Canada by illegal migrants.
“Trudeau has backed down again and agreed to close Roxham Road, roughly 30 days after I told him to,” tweeted Poilievre. “But he never should have opened it in the first place.
“We never had mass illegal border crossings before him and I won’t let it happen again.”
But agreement between Canada and the United States seems to greatly predate any demands by Poilievre or pressure from the Conservatives.
Trudeau And Biden Talked About Immigration At The Summit Of The Americas In Los Angeles
The deal comes on the heels of talks between Trudeau and the American president at the Summit of the Americas in Los Angeles in June last year. At that time, Canada agreed to accept 4,000 more migrants annually by 2028.
Under the reported agreement reportedly struck between the two leaders, any migrants trying to cross illegally into Canada would be returned to the United States. Once there, they could make a legal claim for asylum in Canada.
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That’s already the spirit of the STCA inked in 2004 but that provision currently only applies to official border crossings. And that leaves migrants who cross at unofficial border crossings, such as Roxham Road, free to stay in Canada while awaiting hearings or decisions on their cases.
Last year, a reported 39,000 migrants crossed into Canada illegally at Roxham Road.
The move to block migrants’ access to Canada at Roxham Road, though, is being decried by at least one human rights organization.
Amnesty International lawyer Julia Sande has called the move to expand the provisions of the STCA unconscionable.
“It’ll just push people to more remote areas, more dangerous crossings,” Sande has reportedly said.
The March 16 draw targeted two categories of candidates.
The first category featured candidates scoring 578 points or above in the Quebec Expression of Interest points system. These candidates were also in one of the following 28 occupations:
2282 User support technicians
2171 Information systems analysts and consultants
2174 Computer programmers and interactive media developers
0213 Computer and information systems managers
2281 Computer network technicians
2147 Computer engineers (except software engineers and designers)
2241 Electrical and electronics engineering technologists and technicians
2173 Software engineers and designers
2175 Web designers and developers
2172 Database analysts and data administrators
5241 Graphic designers and illustrators
5225 Audio and video recording technicians
5223 Graphic arts technicians
4031 Secondary school teachers
4032 Elementary school and kindergarten teachers
3012 Registered nurses and registered psychiatric nurses
3413 Nurse aides, orderlies and patient service associates
3233 Licensed practical nurses
2131 Civil engineers
2141 Industrial and manufacturing engineers
2132 Mechanical engineers
2133 Electrical and electronics engineers
2231 Civil engineering technologists and technicians
2232 Mechanical engineering technologists and technicians
2233 Industrial engineering and manufacturing technologists and technicians
2144 Geological engineers
2143 Mining engineers
4214 Early childhood educators and assistants
Candidates with a job offer outside of the Montreal metropolitan area were targeted in the second category. There was no minimum score for these candidates.
Candidates and their spouse or common-law partner can score up to 1,320 points based on human capital and Quebec labour market factors.
What Are the Requirements for Quebec Expression of Interest?
The Quebec Expression of Interest points system involves points in two categories, with some including points for the spouse of common law partner of the principal candidate.
Human capital factors:
French language ability.
French and English combined.
Age.
Work experience.
Education.
Quebec labour market factors:
Work experience in a field with a labour shortage.
Qualifications in one of Quebec’s areas of training.
The March 21 draws were split into two categories: general and targeted.
In the general draw, which included tech occupations, 202 invitations were issued through five BC PNP streams for skilled workers and international graduates. Minimum scores ranged from 85 to 106 points.
In the targeted draw, a further 34 invitations were issued to skilled workers and international graduates scoring at least 60 points in a draw targeting Early Childhood Educators and Assistants under NOC 42202.
A draw targeted at Healthcare workers saw 17 invitations issued to skilled workers, international graduates and entry-level and semi-skilled workers, also with a minimum score of 60 points.
A further set of ‘less than 5’ targeted invitations went to skilled workers and international graduates under NOCs 31103 and 32104 for veterinarians and animal health technologists and veterinary technicians respectively, with a minimum score of 60. The number of invitations was listed as ‘less than 5’ to protect the identity of those who were invited.
Latest B.C. Immigration Draws
General Draw
Date
Category
Minimum Score
Invitations Issued
Description
21-03-23
Skilled Worker
101
202
General draw (includes tech occupations)
Skilled Worker – EEBC
101
International Graduate
106
International Graduate – EEBC
106
Entry Level and Semi-Skilled
85
Targeted Draw
Date
Category
Minimum Score
Invitations Issued
Description
21-03-23
Skilled Worker, International Graduate
60
34
Targeted draw: Childcare: Early childhood educators (NOC 42202)
Skilled Worker, International Graduate, Entry Level and Semi-Skilled
60
17
Targeted draw: Healthcare
Skilled Worker, International Graduate
60
<5
Targeted draw: Other priority occupations (NOCs 31103, 32104)
The latest data from Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) reveals immigration spiked by 43.4 per cent year over year to hit a record for the number of new permanent residents to arrive in January as 2023 got off to a strong start.
During the first month of this year, Canada welcomed 50,885 new permanent residents, up from both the 35,450 newcomers for the comparable month last year and also more than double the number of new permanent residents in December 2022.
As last year drew to a close, Canada saw 23,440 new permanent residents, or less than 46.1 per cent of the number in January, 2023.
With the exception of 2020, the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic when governments put in place restricted international travel and Canada implemented stringent public health measures, immigration for the month of January has steadily increased almost every year.
In January 2015, 12,915 foreign nationals got their permanent residency in Canada. Since then, immigration to Canada has almost quadrupled, rising to almost 394 per cent of the level of immigration for that month eight years earlier.
During that period, total immigration to Canada has grown to record levels, hitting 437,500 new permanent residents last year, a growth of slightly more than 60.9 per cent.
In its 2023-2025 Immigration Levels Plan, Ottawa set the immigration target for this year at 465,000 new permanent residents. The country is to welcome 485,000 new permanent residents in 2024 and another 500,000 in 2025.
That’s a total of 1.45 million new permanent residents to Canada over the next three years.
Last year, Ontario was the most popular destination for new permanent residents with Canada’s most populous province welcoming 184,725 new permanent residents in 2022. That was 42.3 per cent of the total number of new permanent residents to Canada that year.
Quebec Had The Second-Highest Number Of New Permanent Residents Last Year
Those programs helped 93,795 new permanent residents arrive in Ontario last year. Another 46,610 new permanent residents arrived in Ontario through family sponsorships and 39,765 came through Canada’s refugee programs.
Next door, the francophone province of Quebec welcomed the second-highest number of immigrants last year with 68,685 new permanent residents arriving in La Belle Province in 2022.
In 2022, British Columbia welcomed 61,215 new permanent residents, or 14 per cent of the total number of immigrants to Canada.
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Going east, immigration to Alberta, the westernmost Prairie province, boomed last year, rising by 25.5 per cent to hit a record-breaking 49,460 new permanent residents.
Saskatchewan saw a 97.6-per cent growth in immigration last year with the number of new permanent residents rising to a record-breaking 21,635.
Next door, Manitoba also saw impressive growth in immigration last year with the number of new permanent residents rising almost 30.6 per cent to hit 21,645.
New Brunswick Immigration Almost Doubled In 2022 Due In Part To The AIP
In Atlantic Canada, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island and Newfoundland and Labrador, aided by the Atlantic Immigration Program (AIP), all saw increases in their immigration levels.
New Brunswick almost doubled its level of immigration, jumping from 5,310 new permanent residents in 2021 to 10,205 last year. Nova Scotians welcomed 12,650 new permanent residents, an increase of 38.2 per cent over the previous year, and Prince Edward Island set a new provincial immigration record in 2022 as the number of new permanent residents nudged up to 2,665. Newfoundland and Labrador saw a 69.8 per cent surge in immigration as the province welcomed a record-breaking 3,490 new permanent residents last year.
In the territories in Canada’s far north, immigration levels remained low last year.
The relatively-young territory of Nunavut only received 45 new permanent residents. In the Northwest Territories, immigration slumped 20.3 per cent to 235 new permanent residents. And the Yukon showed a similar trend. In that westernmost territory, immigration was off by 23.5 per cent last year, down to 455, but that came on the heels of the Yukon’s record-breaking performance of 595 new permanent residents set in 2021.
The latest data from Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) reveals recruitment of internationally-trained nurses bounced back to pre-pandemic levels last year as Canada welcomed 1,836 new permanent residents coming to the country to work as registered and psychiatric nurses.
The figure is on par with the 1,840 in 2019, the last full year before COVID-19 arrived in the country.
In the ensuing two years, immigration by internationally-trained nurses fell dramatically and remained low. In 2020, the first year of the pandemic, only 745 registered and psychiatric nurses became new permanent residents of Canada, a drop of 59.5 per cent.
Things didn’t improve much in 2021. Although the number of registered and psychiatric nurses that became permanent residents did rise to 866, that was still 52.9 per cent off the pre-pandemic level.
With the precipitous drop in foreign-trained nurses arriving in Canada and the surge in demand for healthcare services in the country due to mutations of the coronavirus throughout the pandemic, the strain on health authorities became palpable.
A search for nursing jobs in Canada on March 21 turned up 12,373 listings for jobs.
Both the federal government and at least some of the provinces have upped their game and taken measures to improve their recruitment of nurses.
Ottawa injected $1.5 million into the National Newcomer Navigation Network, a pan-Canadian network that supports professionals in the settlement, healthcare and social services sectors who help newcomers to Canada. Those funds were to eliminate barriers to working in Canada faced by internationally-educated healthcare professionals and help them get jobs here.
The IRCC also opened the door for nurse aides and orderlies from around the world to immigrate to Canada through the Federal Skilled Worker (FSW) program of the Express Entry system, paving the way for healthcare workers to come to the country.
That change to the FSW came into effect on Nov. 16 last year when the IRCC added 16 new jobs to its list of eligible occupations under that worker immigration program.
That increased the number of eligible occupations under the FSW on the same day the National Occupational Classification (NOC) 2021 came into effect at the IRCC to 370.
The move to include nurse aides and orderlies in the list of eligible occupations under the FSW came in the wake of a call by the Canadian Nurses Association (CNA) to prioritize human resources in the healthcare sector and help address nursing shortages across the country.
Patients Facing Longer Wait Times Across Canada Due To Nursing Shortage
“We are seeing patients in Canada facing longer and longer wait times for medical and surgical procedures, while also facing increasing challenges to access the care they need,” said Sylvain Brousseau, president of CAN, in July last year.
“Just over these past few weeks, we have witnessed many stories of emergency departments shutting down or reducing their hours of operation in many parts of the country. The reason for this crisis is very clear: Canada is facing a severe health workforce crisis and nursing shortages.”
The nurses’ association went so far as to state the sustainability of Canada’s healthcare system could not be maintained without further investment in the healthcare workforce.
Ottawa took that message to heart.
“We are using all of the tools at our disposal to tackle labour shortages, particularly in key sectors like healthcare, construction, and transportation,” said Immigration Minister Sean Fraser last year.
“These changes will support Canadians in need of these services and they will support employers by providing them with a more robust workforce who we can depend on to drive our economy forward into a prosperous future. I’m thrilled to announce expanded pathways to permanent residence in Canada for these in-demand workers.”
Nursing Jobs Pay Relatively Well In Canada, Up To $117,000 Annually
Data from the federal job-hunting website, Job Bank, pegs the median annual wage for a registered or psychiatric nurse in the country at $78,000 based on a standard, 37.5-hour work week.
Quebec has the dubious distinction of having the lowest of the low median wages for registered and psychiatric nurses (NOC 31301) at $47,287 annually based on a standard work week. At the other end of the wage scale, Job Bank data reveals the territories of the Northwest Territories and Nunavut both offer the highest of the high median wages, $117,000 per year based on a standard work week.
Provincial governments in Canada are trying to outdo one another to make it as easy and welcoming as possible for internationally-trained nurses to work in their respective healthcare systems.
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In January, British Columbia decided to give internationally-trained nurses a $3,700 break by nixing application and assessment fees.
“There are talented and skilled nurses with the right experience who want to practise in B.C. and support high-quality care but they are kept on the sidelines by an expensive and complicated registration process,” said Premier David Eby.
“Whether a nurse was trained in or out of the province, we are ready to welcome those who are ready to care for British Columbians.”
In its bid to attract more nurses to British Columbia, that province is also offering financial support and a faster, more efficient assessment pathway.
Nurses who have not been working in their fields for a while are also being spared the $300 application fee and being offered more than $4,000 in financial support for their assessments and travel costs to help them re-enter the workforce. British Columbia is also offering $10,000 in bursaries for any additional education required for nurses who want to return to practice.
Ontario Premier Tells College Of Nurses To Speed Up Credential Recognition Process
“By removing the barriers for more nurses to join our healthcare workforce, we are ensuring that people throughout the province have greater access to the health services they need when they need them,” said British Columbia Health Minister Adrian Dix.
“Our government will continue to take action to recruit and train more healthcare workers to meet the healthcare needs of British Columbians. In creating more accessible careers for nurses in B.C., we are delivering on our commitment to build a sustainable health system for many years to come.”
In Canada’s most populous province, Ontario, Premier Doug Ford told the College of Nurses of Ontario (CNO) in June last year to find ways to recognize the educational credentials of internationally-trained nurses more quickly.
“We’re in need of more nurses, as many as we can get,” said Ford. “We’re throwing everything and the kitchen sink at this.”
Not to be outdone, Quebec Immigration Minister Jean Boulet reached out to nurses in Haiti, vowing to give their applications for temporary and permanent residence priority processing, and wooing them with the promise of paid upgrading courses.
“Haiti will be added to the list of high-priority countries,” tweeted Boulet. “Quebec needs these skills to address its labour shortages.”
With that announcement, Haitian nurses joined those from other French-speaking countries, including Algeria, Cameroon, Morocco, Tunisia, and Mauritius to be eligible for Quebec’s special pathway to immigration and educational credential recognition for up to 1,000 nurses.
“This project will speed up the international recruitment and credential accreditation of these nurses who will then be able to more quickly help meet the needs of our social services and healthcare system,” said Boulet in French last year.
“All the necessary steps will be taken to accompany these applicants starting from their home countries and even before they arrive in Quebec to accelerate their integration into the labour force. It’s a winning formula for Quebec and for these qualified immigrants who want to add their skills to our healthcare network.”
Nurses Qualify Through Many Economic Immigration Programs
Foreign nationals with the qualifications to work in Canada as nurses can use their expertise to seek out jobs here and gain their permanent residency through the many economic immigration programs at the federal and provincial levels, including through the Express Entry system, one of the Provincial Nominee Programs (PNP) or the Skilled Worker program in Quebec.
Through the Express Entry system, nurses can often qualify for the FSW, provided their Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) profile scores highly enough.
Nurses can also qualify to come to Canada through the Skilled Worker program in Quebec if they score 50 points or more on the province’s selection grid.
Registered nurses who hold a university degree in nursing, registered psychiatric nurses who hold a bachelor’s or post-grad degree in psychiatric nursing, and licensed practical nurses, or registered practical nurses in Ontario, with post-secondary diplomas in nursing, are all welcome in Canada.
The first step for a nurse eyeing Canada as a destination for immigration is to have his or her academic credentials evaluated to see if they are up to Canadian standards.
The Canadian government recognizes five organizations for the assessment of foreign educational credentials:
World Education Services (WES);
International Credential Assessment Service of Canada (ICAS);
Comparative Education Service (CES);
International Qualifications Assessment Service (IQAS), and;
International Credential Evaluation Service (ICES).
Once the educational and background checks have been completed, the next step is for the prospective immigrant to have those nursing credentials recognized in Canada by the National Nursing Assessment Service (NNAS), a step that costs US$650.
The second step in the process for the foreign national looking to immigrate to Canada as a nurse is to create a profile on the NNAS application page.
That requires:
the submission of two pieces of identity that must be notarized, copies of original documents that have been signed, dated and stamped;
a completed nursing education form that can be downloaded from the website filled out, and signed before being sent to the school where the nurse was educated for that school’s officials to complete and then send directly to NNAS along with academic records or transcripts, course curriculum and course descriptions and syllabi;
submission of the nursing registration form which is to be sent to the nursing licensing authority where the nurse is currently registered in his or her home country;
the nursing practice/employment form which must be signed and sent to all employers the nurse has had over the past five years for them to complete and send to NNAS, and;
the prospective applicant for immigration’s IELTS language testing results, which must be sent directly to NNAS from an approved language-testing organization or company.
Nurses Must Submit Applications To The Appropriate Provincial Associations
After that has been done and the documents have been received by NNAS, the nurse can submit his or her application and pick the nursing group and provincial association to which he or she wishes to apply.
These include:
British Columbia College of Nursing Professionals and Midwives;
College of Registered Nurses of Alberta;
College of Licensed Practical Nurses of Alberta;
College of Registered Psychiatric Nurses of Alberta;
Saskatchewan Registered Nurses Association;
Saskatchewan Association of Licensed Practical Nurses;
Registered Psychiatric Nurses Association of Saskatchewan;
College of Registered Nurses of Manitoba;
College of Licensed Practical Nurses of Manitoba;
College of Registered Psychiatric Nurses of Manitoba;
College of Nurses of Ontario;
Ordre des infirmières et infirmiers du Québec;
Ordre des infirmières et infirmiers auxiliaires du Québec;
Nurses Association of New Brunswick;
Association of New Brunswick Licensed Practical Nurses;
Nova Scotia College of Nursing;
College of Registered Nurses of Prince Edward Island;
College of Licensed Practical Nurses of Prince Edward Island;
College of Registered Nurses of Newfoundland and Labrador;
College of Licensed Practical Nurses of Newfoundland and Labrador;
Registered Nurses Association of the Northwest Territories and Nunavut;
Government of Northwest Territories, Registrar, Professional Licensing, Health and Social Services;
Registered Nurses Association of the Northwest Territories and Nunavut;
Government of Nunavut, Department of Health;
Yukon Registered Nurses Association, and;
Government of Yukon, Yukon Department of Community Services.
