From Temporary Resident to Permanent Resident – a new pathway to Residency in Canada

For a limited time, certain temporary residents who are currently working in Canada and their families, may qualify to receive permanent residency in Canada under a new program called Temporary Resident to Permanent Resident Pathway.  You are eligible if:

1. You have work experience in Canada in an essential occupation or the health or health services field;

OR

2. You recently graduated from a Canadian post-secondary institution.

The streams in this pathway are divided between a General Stream (for both English- and French-speaking applicants) and French-speaking Stream.  A limited number of applications will be accepted in the General Stream while number of applications in the French-speaking Stream is unlimited.

Health Care Workers in Canada

To be eligible, you must be in Canada, have valid status, plan to live outside of Quebec, meet language requirements, be currently employed, and have eligible work experience.  You may be employed in any job that exists in the National Occupational Classification (“NOC”) website.  You cannot be a volunteer – paid employment is required.  You must also be working with authorization.

You cannot be self-employed.  The only exception to this is that you may be working as a medical doctor in a fee-for service arrangement with a health authority.

You need one year of work experience in the past three years.  Unlike your current employment (which can be any job listed on the NOC website), your experience needs to be in one or more eligible occupations.  Your work experience must include most of the main duties and all the essential duties listed in your NOC as well as the activities listed in the lead statement of your NOC.

Examples of eligible health care occupations are:  Physicians, dentists, optometrists, chiropractors, nurses, pharmacists, dietitians, nutritionists, physiotherapists, occupational therapists, dental hygienists, massage therapists, paramedical occupations, social workers, home support workers, etc.

Essential, Non-health Care Workers in Canada

To be eligible, you must be in Canada, have valid status, plan to live outside of Quebec, meet the language requirements, be currently employed, and have eligible work experience.

You can be employed in any job listed on the NOC website.  You cannot be self-employed (however, there is an exception for certain medical doctors) and you must be working with authorization.  You must be paid for your work and cannot be a volunteer.

You need one year of work experience in the past three years.  Your experience need to be in at least one of the eligible occupations.  Your experience must include most of the main duties and all the essential duties listed in your NOC and the activities listed in the lead statement of your NOC.

There is a long list of eligible essential occupations for example:  Cashiers, sales related occupations, contractors and supervisors in various trades, plumbers, carpenters, bricklayers, roofers, painters, bus drivers, taxi drivers, construction trades helpers and labourers, letter carriers, cleaners, farm workers,  home child care providers, customer services representatives, etc.

Recent International Graduates from a Canadian Institution

To be eligible, you must be in Canada, have valid status, plan to live outside of Quebec, meet the language requirements, be currently employed, and have recently graduated from a designated learning institution in Canada with an eligible credential.

You can be employed in any job on the NOC website.  You must be employed by someone else (see exception for medical doctors above).  You must be paid for your work and you must be working with authorization.

Graduation Requirements

You must have graduated on or after January 1, 2017, from an eligible program at a designated learning institution.  You also must have been authorized to study for the duration of your studies and your school must be a designated learning institution.  Your school must offer post-graduation work permits, however, you do not need to have a post-graduation work permit to apply.

Eligible Programs

You must have graduated with one of the following:

1. A degree (Associate, Bachelor’s, Master’s Doctorate) with a program length of at least 8 months;
2. A degree, diploma, certificate or attestation leading to a job from the list of eligible trade  occupations;
3. A diploma, certificate or attestation for a program that was at least 16 months in length;
4. Two or more diplomas, certificates or attestations where each program was at least 8 months in    length;
5. A diploma of vocational studies or an attestation of vocational specialization where each program    was at least 1,800 hours in length;
6. Two or more diplomas of vocational studies or attestations of vocational specialization where      each program was at least 900 hours in length.  When combining one diploma of vocational studies with one attestation of vocational specialization, the length of the attestation of vocational specialization may be less than 900 hours if the combined length is at least 1,800 hours.

The list of eligible trade occupations mentioned in (b) includes various trades for example:  carpentry, construction, sheet metal workers, ironworkers, welders, plumbers,  motor vehicle body repairers, fishermen/women, chefs, cooks, butchers, bakers, etc.

This program will end November 5th, 2021, or once the intake caps of the applicable streams have been reached, whichever comes first. We are able to provide guidance and assistance to our clients as they navigate all aspects of the requirements of this pathway.  Contact us to see if you qualify and to learn more about the program.