Work permit holders in Canada: Temporary foreign workers in Canada are now able to enroll in longer-term training and educational programs without worrying about obtaining a study permit.
The temporary policy, which will last for three years, was announced by Immigration Minister Sean Fraser on Tuesday in an effort to improve the job prospects and chances of permanent residency for foreign workers.
Up until now, temporary foreign employees were only permitted to enroll in programs lasting six months or less while simultaneously working, and they had to apply for separate study permission for programs lasting longer.
According to Fraser, temporary foreign workers are vital to the Canadian economy and many of them have goals that go far beyond the employment that initially drew them here.
With this policy in place, we intend to give foreign nationals the tools they need to develop their abilities and realize their aspirations while also supplying a potential future talent pool for our labour market. It is also important to know about the requirements of Canada LMIA Work Permit.
The minister of immigration expects that by lowering obstacles to skill development, Canada will further widen its doors to medical professionals with training from abroad and strengthen our healthcare system.
We also strengthen our communities, construct new houses, and give construction workers a road to becoming tradespeople, according to Fraser. This immigration policy addresses a serious labour shortage and benefits workers, employers, and our economy.
For people who want to advance their education and acquire more training, including those who need to upskill or validate their international credentials through certain programs, the requirement for a study permit to enroll in longer programs has evidently been a hurdle.
With this new policy, there are no time limits on the length of the program and foreign workers are free to enroll in full- or part-time studies as long as their work permits are still in effect or until the policy’s expiration.
On June 27, 2023, the legislation will be in effect for people who have a current work permit or who are awaiting word on an extension.
Students cannot receive Express Entry Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) points or qualify for the Canadian Experience Class (CEC) if they have Canadian job experience obtained while enrolled in full-time studies.
However, this short-term public policy may enable more foreign people to improve their chances of being invited to submit an Express Entry application for permanent residence.
Candidates may be able to improve their CRS score by earning a higher education level or by accumulating relevant job experience while enrolled in part-time coursework.
By honing their French or English abilities or obtaining experience in higher-skilled jobs as a result of improved skills obtained through studies, additional studies may also assist candidates increase their CRS points.
The additional assistance for temporary foreign workers comes as immigration experts want more routes for temporary foreign workers to get permanent status.
Additional Routes to Permanent Residency for Work permit holders in Canada
If there are any professions for which there is a genuine need and we have come to rely on temporary foreign employees.
They should be a part of a long-term system, According to Canadian Manufacturing, Naomi Alboim, a senior policy fellow at Toronto Metropolitan University and a former deputy minister of immigration, said as much.
The demographics of the Canadian workforce ultimately dictate that we must work overseas.
According to information from Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC), 465,350 foreign nationals obtained work permits last year through the International Mobility Program (IMP).
The IMP is anticipated to end the year with an even bigger figure based on the first four months of this year, as there were 249,060 such foreign employees enrolled in the program by the end of April.
If the current pattern holds, the IMP, a program that enables Canadian firms to hire foreign workers with a Canada work permit without requiring a Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA), will end the year with 747,180 international workers arriving in Canada.
The Temporary Foreign Worker Program (TFWP) employed 135,760 foreign nationals in Canada as of 2022; however, this number may have already been surpassed by the end of April 2023, when 72,030 of these workers had already arrived in Canada.
By the end of this year, 216,090 temporary foreign workers would have gone through that program if the pace keeps up.
Together, the IMP and TFWP contributed to the arrival of 601,110 temporary foreign workers in Canada in 2017.
Once a foreign national has gained work experience in Canada, he or she may apply for permanent residence under the federal Canada Experience Class Program (CEC) of the Express Entry system or, if the foreign national is in Quebec, under the Quebec Experience Class Program (PEQ).
Summary:
- TFWs can study without permit.
- Six-month visa rule removed.
- Enhances workforce, covers shortages.
- Legal workers study full-time.
- No Express Entry benefit.
Check out our Web Story at Work permit holders in Canada can now study longer
