Category: Canada

Canada has announced two new Home Care Worker Immigration Pilots (HCWP), set to launch on March 31, 2025. These programs will provide permanent residence (PR) to home care workers without requiring Canadian work experience. The new system also removes the need for a Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA), making it easier for foreign workers, including Indian nationals, to secure PR in Canada.

If you’re a caregiver looking to immigrate to Canada, this guide will walk you through eligibility criteria, requirements, and how to apply.

Key Highlights of Canada’s Home Care Worker Pilot 2025

✅ No Canadian work experience required – Apply directly for PR.
✅ No Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) required – Faster job approval.
✅ Lower eligibility criteria – Easier language and education requirements.
✅ One-step PR application – Workers can apply for PR immediately.
✅ Work flexibility – Caregivers can work in private homes, health care agencies, and residential care settings.
✅ Second stream for international applicants – To be launched later.

Who Can Apply for the Home Care Worker Pilot?

The initial phase will only accept applications from workers already in Canada. However, international candidates will be eligible at a later date.

Eligibility Criteria

To qualify for the Home Care Worker Pilot 2025, applicants must:

✔ Have a full-time job offer from a Canadian employer (excluding Quebec).
✔ Meet the language requirement – Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) Level 4.
✔ Have a high school diploma or equivalent (No college degree required).
✔ Have at least 6 months of recent, relevant work experience OR completed 6 months of related training.

Who Cannot Apply?

• Applicants outside Canada (until further notice
• Workers applying through recruitment or placement agencies.
• Caregivers applying for part-time or temporary jobs.

Benefits of the Home Care Worker Immigration Pilot

✅ Permanent Residence from Day One – No need for prior Canadian work experience.
✅ Lower Language Requirement – CLB Level 4 makes it accessible to more workers.
✅ No LMIA Required – Employers don’t need LMIA approval, speeding up the process.
✅ Work Flexibility – Home care workers can work in various private and residential care settings.
✅ Pathway for International Applicants – A separate stream will open soon

Step-by-Step Guide to Apply for the Home Care Worker Pilot

Step 1: Get a Job Offer in Canada

🔹 Secure a full-time home care job from an eligible Canadian employer.
🔹 Ensure the employer is not a recruitment or placement agency.

Step 2: Prepare Your Documents

🔹 Valid passport
🔹 Job offer letter from a Canadian employer
🔹 Educational Credential Assessment (ECA) for your high school diploma
🔹 Proof of 6 months of work experience or related training
🔹 Language test results (CLB 4 or NCLC 4 in English/French)
🔹 Police clearance certificate
🔹 Proof of sufficient funds to settle in Canada

Step 3: Submit Your Application Online

🔹 Apply for permanent residence (PR) through the IRCC portal.
🔹 Ensure all documents are accurate and up to date.

Step 4: Attend Biometrics & Medical Exam

🔹 Book an appointment for biometrics and medical examination as per IRCC guidelines.

Step 5: Wait for PR Approval & Travel to Canada

🔹 If approved, receive your PR confirmation and prepare to relocate to Canada.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1️⃣ When does the Home Care Worker Pilot start?

The program starts on March 31, 2025 for workers already in Canada. The international stream will open later.

2️⃣ Do I need Canadian work experience to apply?

No! Unlike previous programs, you can apply for PR directly without prior Canadian experience.

3️⃣ What are the education requirements?

A high school diploma or equivalent is enough – no college degree required.

4️⃣ What is the minimum language requirement?

You need CLB 4 (Canadian Language Benchmark) in English or French.

5️⃣ What if I am outside Canada?

A separate stream for international applicants will launch later. Meanwhile, start preparing your documents (language test, education assessment, etc.).

6️⃣ Can I work anywhere in Canada?

Yes, except Quebec. This pilot applies to all other provinces and territories.

7️⃣ Can I apply through a recruitment agency?

No! Recruitment or placement agencies cannot sponsor workers under this pilot.

8️⃣ How long does the application process take?

IRCC has not confirmed processing times, but removing the LMIA requirement is expected to speed up approvals.

9️⃣ Will the program have a cap on applications?

The Canadian government has not announced a cap, but early applicants will have a better chance of approval.

🔟 What jobs are eligible under this program?

✔ Personal Care Workers
✔ Home Health Aides
✔ Elderly Care Workers
✔ Child Care Providers
✔ Disability Support Workers

Final Thoughts: Should You Apply?

YES! If you are a home care worker looking for permanent residence in Canada, this program is a golden opportunity.

Why?
✔ No Canadian work experience needed
✔ No LMIA required
✔ Faster PR approval
✔ Lower eligibility criteria

If you’re eligible, start preparing your documents NOW! Need professional assistance with your PR application? Contact us today for expert guidance!

Immigration Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has launched the Francophone Community Immigration Pilot (FCIP) immigration pathway.

This new immigration pathway was first announced in March of 2024, with further details revealed in December of last year.

Under this program, newcomers with an intermediate level of French ability—and who have an offer of employment in priority occupations sought by a community outside of Quebec—can be nominated and receive Canadian permanent residence (PR).

This article will cover the communities that have been chosen by the federal government to participate in the FCIP and provide a brief overview of candidate eligibility.

Which communities have been selected to participate?

For candidates to receive permanent residence (PR) through the FCIP, they must (in addition to meeting all other eligibility requirements) have an offer of employment for a priority occupation from an employer in one of the chosen communities, that has been designated by the IRCC-authorized economic development agency for that community.

Employers in a participating community can also apply to become a designated employer under the FCIP on IRCC’s website.

Per the government’s new release, IRCC has already begun training with economic development organizations in selected communities. Each community will provide further details on when employers and prospective permanent resident candidates can expect to have a chance to apply.

IRCC has selected the following communities to participate in the FCIP:

Selected community	Province
Acadian Peninsula	New Brunswick
Sudbury	Ontario
Timmins
Superior East Region
St. Pierre Jolys	Manitoba
Kelowna	British Columbia

Four of the above communities (a portion of the Acadian Peninsula, Sudbury, Timmins, and St. Pierre Jolys) are also enrolled in IRCC’s Welcoming Francophone Communities Initiative, a regional immigration program that helps welcome French-speaking newcomers to Canada and integrate and settle them in Francophone and Acadian communities outside of Quebec.

At the time of this announcement, the immigration department has not stated which economic organizations or employers within chosen communities have been approved to participate in the FCIP. Economic development organizations are also required to publish their list of priority occupations by March 31, every year.

More details are expected to follow in the coming weeks.

Candidate eligibility

Eligibility requirements for candidates in the FCIP have been summarized in the table below:

Eligibility criteria	Description
Certificate of recommendation	An applicant must have a valid certificate of recommendation from an economic development organization at the time of making their application.
Genuine offer of employment	An applicant must show that they have a genuine offer of employment from a designated employer that meets specific conditions.
Work experience	An applicant must have work experience that meets specific conditions. This requirement can also be waived for international graduates who meet certain conditions*.
Language proficiency	The applicant must display French language ability equivalent to a Niveaux de compétence linguistique canadiens (NCLC) level 5 in all language abilities.
Education	The applicant must have obtained at least a secondary school level credential.
Intent to reside	The applicant must demonstrate that they intend to reside in the designated community they will work in.
Necessary funds	Applicants must show that they have funds equivalent to one-half of the most recent Low-Income Cut-off (LICO) criteria relevant to their designated community, for one year.

International graduates applying to the FCIP may be exempt from needing to show work experience provided that they meet certain conditions.

Newcomers applying for this program from within Canada must also ensure that they have valid temporary resident status (work permit, study permit, or visitor visa) in the country at the time of their application.

Once candidates have applied for PR through the FCIP, they may also be eligible for a work permit during the processing of their PR application. These work permits can be valid for up to two years. Candidates in the FCIP may be eligible to receive this work permit as long as they have:

• A job offer from the designated employer who initially offered them a job as part of the FCIP;
• A referral letter from their participating community; and
• Meet all other work permit eligibility criteria.

For more information on eligibility criteria and program process, find our previous article on the topic.

Brief background on the FCIP

In December of last year, IRCC announced the FCIP as a new francophone immigration initiative as part of the department‘s wider Francophone Immigration Strategy.

At the time the immigration department announced the basic eligibility and processes for the FCIP but did not elaborate on which stakeholders would be participating in the program.

Within the FCIP there are three key stakeholders (apart from newcomers themselves):

Stakeholder	Description
Designated communities	Communities outside of Quebec chosen by the Minister of Immigration to participate in this new program
Economic development organizations	Organizations in each community that have been chosen by the Immigration Minister to issue certificates of nomination to eligible newcomers
Designated employers	Employers chosen by the economic development organization to participate in the FCIC by hiring and employing eligible newcomers

Pierre Poilievre has voiced major criticisms of the current government’s immigration policies, suggesting that he might table major reforms if he were to become the next prime minister of Canada.

With Justin Trudeau having announced his resignation on January 6,  Poilievre is a top contender for Canada’s next prime minister after the 2025 election.

In this article, we’ll provide a breakdown of what Poilievre has said about immigration over the years, including on topics such as

• The role that economic immigrants play in providing workers to Canadian businesses;
• The ease of foreign-trained professionals becoming accredited to practice their professions in Canada;
• Alleged abuses of Canada’s Temporary Foreign Worker Program (TFWP) by employers;
• Tying immigration admissions targets to Canada’s housing supply;
• Increasing border security;
• Cracking down on alleged illegitimate asylum claims; and
• The cultural integration of newcomers into Canadian society.

Background

Poilievre was first elected to the House of Commons following the 2004 federal elections.

After holding different parliamentary secretary posts under Prime Minister Stephen Harper, he served as the Minister for Democratic Reform (2013–2015) and was the Minister of Employment and Social Development in 2015.

As Minister of Employment and Social Development, Poilievre was largely aligned with his party’s centrist approach to immigration, emphasizing the need for immigrants to fill labour shortage and contribute to the Canadian economy.

On September 10, 2022, he was voted leader of the Conservative Party of Canada.

On economic immigration

As Minister of Employment and Social Development, Poilievre has generally supported economic immigration to fill Canada’s labour shortages.

In 2015, for example, he announced the funding of projects that would see internationally trained doctors and engineers integrate more quickly in the Canadian job market.

Over the last few years, he has repeatedly talked about streamlining processes and licensing requirements, specifically for in-demand occupations, to help meet labour market needs.

In a press conference in August 2023, Poilievre stated he would focus on housing by speeding up entry for immigrants in the building trades.

He said that a Conservative government would shape its immigration policy around

• the demands of private-sector employers;
• the level of support planned by charities for refugees; and
• family reunification.

Most recently, after the Immigration Levels Plan 2025-27 announcement in October 2024, Poilievre floated the idea of creating a national licensing standard for the healthcare sector.

“Provinces can voluntarily adopt a blue seal so immigrant doctors and nurses can take a test, get qualified and get to work, reducing wait times in hospitals,” he suggested.

On the Temporary Foreign Worker Program

While he has expressed support for economic immigration, Poilievre has called for reforms of the Temporary Foreign Worker Program (TFWP).

In 2015, as Minister of Employment and Social Development, he announced new penalties for employers abusing the TFWP. At the same time, he made a statement about how Canadians deserved first preference when it comes to available jobs.

“The purpose of the Temporary Foreign Worker Program is exactly that – to be temporary. Canadians rightly expect to get first crack at available jobs,” a joint statement by Poilievre and Canada’s then Citizenship and Immigration Minister Chris Alexander, read.

In 2024, he doubled down on this message, saying he would curb the government’s TFWP as well as international student programs.

In a speech on August 29, 2024, he said that, if he were to become prime minister, he would find a way to ensure that the TFWP would be used “exclusively to fill jobs that Canadians cannot or do not fill, like in agricultural sectors, but never to replace Canadians or drive down wages.”

Note: A Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) confirms the need for a foreign worker by showing that no Canadian or permanent resident is available to fill a position. Employers must obtain one before hiring a foreign national through the TFWP.

Poilievre’s comments suggest he believes that the LMIA system is not being used appropriately, and that Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC) has been issuing positive LMIAs even when Canadian citizens and permanent residents are available to do the job.

Note: Over the course of 2024, the federal government announced several initiatives to scale back the TFWP. These include

• The suspension of processing of LMIAs for the low-wage stream of the TFWP in CMAs with unemployment rates of 6% or higher (implemented September 26, 2024); and
• An increase in wage requirements for the high-wage stream of the TFWP (November 8, 2024).

On immigration targets

In an August 2023 press conference, Poilievre stated that Canada’s immigration system was broken.

He announced that a Conservative government would base its immigration policy on factors such as the needs of employers. At the time, he side-stepped questions about cutting immigration targets.

In 2024, Poilievre began floating the idea of tying immigration levels to homebuilding.

“We need to make a link between the number of homes built and the number of people we invite as new Canadians,” he said during a press conference in Winnipeg, Manitoba, on January 12, 2024.

In the months that followed he also stated that the immigration numbers would be much lower if he were to become prime minister.

In August 2024, he said he would cut population growth as prime minister.

He reiterated that a future Conservative government would look at tying the country’s population growth rate to a level that’s below the number of new homes being built. He also said they would consider factors such as access to healthcare and jobs when considering immigration targets.

“If you want an idea of how I would run the immigration system overall, it’s the way it was run for 30 years prior to Trudeau being Prime Minister,” he said.

On October 24, the federal government released the Immigration Levels Plan 2025-27, cutting immigration targets. The government said they intend these cuts to immigration levels to result in a negative population growth of 0.2 in both 2025 and 2026, before returning to a population growth of 0.8 in 2027.

Poilievre called this policy change a “massive admission of failure” by Trudeau and questioned whether the current government, if re-elected, would be able to cut the numbers as per the plan.

Despite the fact that targets have already been slashed, Poilievre reiterated his opinion that Canada has to “slow down the numbers” in a long form interview with Jordan Peterson, recorded in December 2024, alluding to more cuts.

“There’s no doubt about it. We have to end the fraud of the international student and the Temporary Foreign Worker programs,” said Poilievre. “We have to get back to the best system in the world, which we had for 150 years,” he said, without elaborating on any numbers.

On border security

Poilievre has often been vocal about illegal border crossings.

For example, in 2023, he advocated for the closing of Roxham Road to discourage irregular crossings.

Irregular crossing is an issue he has been increasingly vocal about after Trump won the US election.

On November 28, 2024, he questioned Marc Miller on what would happen if the people in Canada illegally decided to immigrate south of the border, thus “provoking a massive retaliatory response” from the US.

He has also called for increased security measures such as patrols and technology to cut down on illegal drug trafficking, as well as the tightening of visa rules, in a press conference in December.

Poilievre has also voiced some skepticism over refugee claims, and suggested a cap on the number of asylum seekers.

“I love real refugees,” Poilievre said. “Our country was built in large part by real refugees who were genuinely fleeing danger, like my wife. But I have no time for people who lie to come into our country, and that is the problem we have to cut off.”

Poilievre’s wife, Anaida Poilievre, came to Canada as a refugee from Venezuela.

On values and integration

After being voted Conservative party leader, Poilievre made outreach efforts to new Canadians and immigrants, by attending cultural events. He has also talked about how Conservative values aligned with immigrant values.

In the recent interview with Jordan Peterson, he suggested newcomers should “leave their problems at the door” when immigrating, hinting at more cultural integration being required.

“We’re not interested in the world’s ethno-cultural conflicts. We welcome the people who come from places that have been afflicted by war, as long as they leave the war behind,” he said.

If you choose to use a professional immigration representative, you should ensure that your representative is legally authorized to act in that capacity.

Even in the face of strict rules and fines for offenders, newcomers to Canada are often targeted by immigration scams from fraudulent consultants and representatives.

The rate of incidence is high enough that Immigration Refugees and Citizenship Canada even devotes an entire month (March) every year to fraud prevention.

Newcomers who employ a licensed immigration representative can take steps to verify the authenticity of their credentials. This article will cover the definition of an immigration representative, before detailing procedures that you can take to confirm the authenticity of their immigration lawyer or consultant.

Consult with an experienced immigration representative

What is an immigration representative?

An immigration representative is an individual who assists you (a newcomer) with your immigration case. These individuals perform tasks such as

• Providing advice on best practices and next steps in your immigration journey;
• Completing forms on your behalf;
• Communicating with IRCC and other immigration officials on your behalf; and
• Representing you in official immigration hearings.

If you use an immigration representative, you must declare this on your immigration application, using the appropriate form.

Who can be an immigration representative?

Representatives can be paid or unpaid. Under Canadian law, any person (for example, a friend or family member) can legally act as your immigration representative, provided that they do not receive any compensation in exchange.

Paid immigration representatives, on the other hand, must be legally authorized under Canadian law to act in that capacity. Paid representatives must be authorized by the relevant regulatory body.

You must always declare your use of a representative, paid or unpaid.

Using an unauthorized paid representative, or failing to declare your use of a representative, can lead to a refusal of your immigration application.

Only the following professionals can legally act as paid representatives in Canada:

• Lawyers and paralegals licensed by a provincial or territorial law society;
• Citizenship and immigration consultants licensed by the College of Immigration and Citizenship Consultants; and
• Notaries licensed by the Chambre des notaries du Québec.

The remainder of the article will focus on how to verify the credentials of the above professionals. If the paid representative you are considering hiring is not a member in good standing of the relevant regulatory body, you should not to use their services.

How to verify the authenticity of your representative

The source you should refer to in order to check registration will depend on whether your paid representative is

• A lawyer or paralegal;
• A citizenship or immigration consultant; or
• A notary.

Immigration lawyers and paralegals

You can navigate to IRCC’s webpage to see a full list of law societies for every province and territory.

From here, select the relevant legal society from the links in the list presented. This will take you to that legal society’s directory page, where you can check the representative’s registration.

You will be prompted to enter information about your immigration lawyer or paralegal to confirm their registration, such as

• their name;
• their law society registration number;
• their current status with the law society;
• their designation (lawyer or paralegal); and
• the city they operate in.

If your representative is authorized by their regional law society, you should be able to see them listed and to verify that they are currently a member in good standing. Due to the fact that Law Society websites are structured differently and provide somewhat differing information, the following table outlines some key areas to pay attention to on each Law Society webpage:

Law society	Key areas
Law Society of Alberta	– Current citations; – Discipline history; – Current restrictions.
Law Society of British Columbia	– Current status (should say “practicing”); – Current practicing restrictions; – Discipline history since 1983.
Law Society of Manitoba	– Firm; – Status (should say “practicing”).
Law Society of New Brunswick	– Status (should say “practicing”); – Insurance status (should say “insured”).
Law Society of Newfoundland and Labrador	– Practicing status (should say “practicing”); – Roll (should show registration number).
Law Society of the Northwest Territories	– Roll number; – Membership type; – Membership status.
Nova Scotia Barristers’ Society	– Member type (should say “practicing lawyer”); – Member #.
Law Society of Nunavut	– Practicing status (should say “Regular-Active Membership”)
Law Society of Ontario	– License type (lawyer or paralegal); – Law Society Number.
Law Society of Prince Edward Island	– Membership status (should say “practicing”)
Law Society of Yukon	– Membership status (should say “resident lawyer”, “non-resident lawyer”, or “certificate of permission to act”; – Discipline history in Yukon; – Certificate expiry date (if applicable).

If your representative’s credentials or registration do not show up after a search, or if you require further information, you can also call the law society directly to inquire further.

Citizenship and immigration consultants

Citizenship and immigration consultants in Canada must be registered with the College of Citizenship and Immigration Consultants.

The college runs its own directory page, where you can check the credentials of Regulated Canadian Immigration Consultants (RCIC) and Regulated International Student Immigration Advisors (RISIAs).

Simply enter the relevant information of your consultant in the fields to check their registration and standing with the college. If your consultant is found, the webpage will display their name, college ID, profile, company, license type, and whether they are entitled to practice.

Only RCICs and RISIAs with an “active” status and who are marked “Yes” under the entitled to practice column may legally provide paid immigration advice or services.

Licences provided by the college range from “Class L1” to “Class L6”. A breakdown of each licence, and what it entitles an immigration consultant to do can be found on the college’s website.

Notaries

Notaries must be authorized by the Chambre des notaries du Québec.

To check whether your notary is licensed, visit the Chambre des notaries du Québec directory page.

From here you can input the relevant information in the fields provided and search for your notary.

Within Canada, the professional designation of notary is specific to Quebec.

Declaring your use of a representative

If you are using the services of an immigration representative (whether paid or unpaid) you must declare this to IRCC.

You can declare your representative using the “use of a representative form,” available on IRCC’s website. Your representative can fill out this form for you, but you must ensure that all information is accurate and validate the form with your signature.

If you have not applied yet, you must include the use of a representative form with your complete application.

If you have decided to use an immigration representative after applying, you must complete the above form and send it to IRCC electronically using the online web form.

If you would like to cancel the use of a representative, this must also be declared to IRCC by filling out the relevant fields of the “use of a representative form” and submitting it through the department’s web form.

Benefits of using a professional representative

It’s important to understand that using a representative does not guarantee any advantage in the processing of your application. If you submit the exact same application with or without a representative, there will be no priority given to one over the other, and your application will not be processed any faster.

Representatives do not have any special influence over the decision-making process, nor do they possess any “superpowers” to speed up approvals.

That said, there are many other reasons you may wish to use a representative. An experienced professional representative can save you time and help you avoid pitfalls in navigating the complex and often confusing Canadian immigration system. A licensed representative can assist you in strengthening your application, ensuring that all necessary documentation is included, correctly filled out, and well-organized. Their expertise can significantly reduce the risk of errors or mistakes that could lead to delays or even refusal of your application.

Additionally, working with a representative can save you time and effort by handling tasks that might otherwise be tedious or overwhelming, such as tracking deadlines, preparing required forms, and communicating with immigration authorities. The support of a qualified and experienced immigration representative can reduce stress and help ensure your application is as strong as possible, increasing your chances of success.

Currently, it’s possible for temporary foreign workers on closed work permits to start a new job before being issued a new work permit, due to a temporary public policy introduced during the Covid-19 era.

Prior to the introduction of this temporary public policy, workers on closed work permits would need to wait for their new work permit application to be approved before changing employers — meaning that it could take many months for them to change jobs.

In 2020, the federal government introduced a temporary policy allowing foreign workers in Canada to start work for a new employer even before getting a new work permit approved.

Who is eligible?

In order to be eligible, a foreign national must:

• Be in Canada with valid temporary resident status (this includes a maintained status);
• Have held a valid work permit, or have been authorized to work without a work permit when their application for a new work permit or work permit renewal was submitted;
• Have submitted a work application or be renewing an application for an employer-specific work permit (for which a decision has not yet been made);
• Intend to work for the new employer as specified on the job offer;
• Have applied for the public policy exemption, as identified by the department (details on the process below); and
• Have requested the exemption to be applicable until a decision is made on their work permit application.

If I’m eligible, what exemptions apply to me?

Foreign nationals who are eligible will be exempted from certain Immigration and Refugee Protection Regulations:

• The condition to not work unless authorized (by Part 9 or 11 of the Regulations);
• Following the conditions on their work permit regarding the type of work, employer, and times and periods of work they’re permitted to engage in, or prohibited from doing, in Canada;
• The requirement to be authorized to work in Canada by a work permit or the Regulations; and
• Providing biometrics for a new work permit application or work permit renewal, if their local Service Canada office isn’t collecting them due to COVID-19.

This temporary public policy mainly benefits foreign nationals who:

• Are on maintained status (previously called implied status) who are bound to the conditions imposed on their expired work permit, prohibiting them from moving to a new occupation or employer;
• Hold a valid work permit that limits them to an employer (closed work permit); or
• Are work-permit exempt but require a work permit for a new occupation or employer.

How do I apply?

A foreign national must submit their application for an employer-specific work permit from inside Canada (IMM 5710).

When filling out the “your enquiry” section of the IRCC web form, applicants need to copy specific text that applies to their situation. Full samples of the message for work permit holders changing jobs or employers, or work permit-exempt workers.

Once you’ve submitted the application

Officers will review the public policy consideration.

They may reject it if it doesn’t include:

• A request for assessment; or
• Sufficient information to confirm the receipt of an employer-specific work permit application.

Those who have submitted the application by web form can expect an email in roughly 10-15 days. Applying by paper may take more time to receive this email.

The email will let applicants know if they are authorized to work while their work permit application is being processed.

NOTE: If the work permit application is incomplete, the processing officer will give the applicant 30 days to provide additional information. They will also provide a public policy assessment decision (either positive or negative) as a reply to the IRCC Webform email and add a case note on their decision.

Why was this temporary public policy introduced?

This policy was launched during the pandemic to:

• help temporary foreign workers who are in Canada start new jobs quicker while waiting on their work permit applications being processed; and
• ensure their work permit applications are finalized so they are better protected under employer compliance regulations.

This policy is in effect as of January, 14 2025. As with all temporary public policies, it can be revoked at any time without notice.

Immigration Minister Marc Miller and Employment Minister Randy Boissonnault have announced changes to Canada’s Temporary Foreign Worker Program (TFWP).

This is a developing story. Other announcements were made during this press conference. CIC News will provide update as more information becomes available.

Schedule a Free Work Permit Consultation with the Cohen Immigration Law Firm

During the pandemic, Canada unleashed a series of temporary measures to help ease labour market conditions. Now, however, Canada has begun to undo these temporary measures.

“We are now in a different economic picture. With the gap between unemployment and job vacancies closing, a tightening labour market… some of these measures are no longer needed” said Minister Boissonault.

The TFWP was designed to issue work permits to foreign nationals who can help fill labour market gaps in Canada. Businesses in Canada that wish to hire foreign nationals through the TFWP must support their application with a Labor Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) that demonstrates there were no qualified Canadians or permanent residents to fill the role.

During the pandemic, to help ease labour market conditions, Canada temporarily increased the validity period of an LMIA to 12 months. As of May 1st, 2024, the validity period of an LMIA will now return to 6 months. Note, employers part of the Recognized Employer Pilot program will not be impacted by this change.

Low-wage workers that applied through the TFWP must comprise no more than 20% of a Canadian business’ workforce. In 2022, as a temporary measure and only for certain sectors, Canada increased that cap to 30%. As of May 1st 2024, only the construction and health care sectors will be allowed to have up to 30% of their workforce on low-wage TFWP work permits.

These changes come as Canada is attempting to strengthen the integrity of its immigration system, which plays a central role in Canada’s economy. Canada has recently announced a cap on study permits and changes to its Post-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP) program in response to a rapid and unsustainable increase in international students.

“Recently Canada’s temporary resident volume has increased significantly now reaching up to 2.5 million, or 6.2% of our population in 2023… We are targeting a decrease in our temporary resident population to 5% over the next 3 years,” said Immigration Minister Marc Miller. “We want every new family and resident to be set up for success and be able to access the services they need. Our ultimate goal is to ensure a well-managed, sustainable immigration system based on needs.”

Express Entry-managed programs are among the most popular options for skilled newcomers who want to immigrate to Canada.

This is because Immigration Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has a published service standard of six months for Express Entry applications making it, as the name implies, one of the fastest ways to become a permanent resident of Canada.

Receiving an invitation to apply (ITA) for permanent resident status through Express Entry is heavily dependent on a candidate’s Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score. The higher a candidate scores, the more likely it is that they will receive an ITA.

A CRS score is based on a combination of human capital factors such as age, work experience, occupation, language ability and education.

Recent Express Entry draws, especially general draws, have seen minimum CRS scores above 500. However in the current make-up of candidates in the Express Entry pool (as of February 28), there are 18,106 candidates with scores above 500.

For context, the same data shows there 211, 487 Express Entry candidates in the pool. Put another way, less than one-tenth of Express Entry candidates have high enough CRS scores to be considered for a general Express Entry draw so far in 2024.

This may lead those who have a CRS score less than 500 to wonder if it’s still worth entering the Express Entry application pool or if they are better off pursuing a different pathway to Canadian immigration.

Recent Express Entry draws

The minimum CRS score required to receive an ITA changes in each Express Entry draw and can be influenced by the type of draw (general, program-specific, or category-based).

CRS scores have shown some wide variation throughout Express Entry draws in 2024. As of March 12, there have been ten Express Entry draws.

Six of the draws were general, meaning candidates were considered from all Express Entry programs and categories. Scores for the general draws ranged from 525 to 541.

The remaining four draws this year were for candidates who were eligible through category-based selection.

CRS scores for these draws have typically been lower than general draws, ranging from 336 to 437, depending on the category. Category-based selection draws were introduced in May 2023 as a means for IRCC to target Express Entry candidates who possess specific in-demand attributes. Five of the six categories are occupation-based for:

• Healthcare occupations
• Science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) professions
• Trades occupations, such as carpenters, plumbers, and contractors
• Transport occupations
• Agriculture and agri-food occupations

The remaining category is for Express Entry candidates with strong French language proficiency.

Candidates in this category saw the lowest score of the year so far (336) in a February 29 draw for 2,500 candidates. Another draw in the same category on February 1 was comparable at 7,000 ITAs issued to those with a CRS of 365.

What this means is that candidates with a CRS score that is too low for a general draw may still have a chance at getting an Express Entry ITA if they are eligible for category-based selection. Last year IRCC invited more than 16,000 Express Entry candidates in category-based draws.

What is Express Entry?

Express Entry is an application management system that oversees the Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSWP), the Federal Skilled Trades Program (FSTP) or the Canadian Experience Class (CEC).

Those interested in applying for one of these programs must first self-evaluate if they meet the eligibility criteria for their desired program.

If so, the candidate will then need to complete and upload their Express Entry profile to obtain their Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score. Once they get a CRS score, they must wait for an ITA from IRCC.

How to improve your score

Express Entry candidates with lower scores can work on improving it while they wait for an ITA. Any update to human capital factors can be updated in their profile.

Language skills

Statistics Canada has recently published a study on the economic outcomes of skilled newcomers based on their language abilities. It found that more than any one factor, language was the biggest predictor of successful economic integration. For example, it said that immigrants who had obtained a level 10 (CLB or NCLC) reading ability earned 25% more than their counterparts with a level 7 ability.

The maximum CRS score a candidate without an accompanying spouse can get for language ability is 136 (34 points for each of the four evaluated language abilities: reading, writing, listening and speaking).

Eligible tests include:

• CELPIP General Test
• IELTS General Training
• Pearson Test of English (PTE) Core
• TEF Canada: Test devaluation de Francis

Education

IRCC also gives points for increased levels of education. Candidates without an accompanying spouse who obtain a post-secondary degree of one year will receive a score of 90 for education while those who have a post-secondary degree of three years or more get 120 points.

This means that, depending on an individual’s circumstances, going back to school may be a good option for increasing an overall CRS score.

Age

Candidates who are considering applying to an Express Entry program are advised to do so sooner rather than later because younger candidates receive more points than those who wait until their 30s or 40s.

Those who enter the pool between the ages of 20 and 29 (without an accompanying spouse) will get 110 points. After a candidate turns 30, this goes down to 95 points and continues to decrease each year until 40, when the maximum points for age goes down to 50.

Provincial Nomination

Express Entry candidates who also receive a provincial nomination automatically get an additional 600 CRS points, which almost guarantees an ITA in an upcoming draw.

Those already in the Express Entry pool can apply for a nomination directly to the province in which they wish to reside or wait for the provincial government to issue an Expression of Interest (EOI) in a Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) draw before applying. EOIs for nomination are similar to an ITA for Express Entry.

Through the PNP, provinces nominate the candidates who are viewed as the most likely to successfully integrate into the provincial workforce and contribute to the local economy by filling urgent job vacancies.

Each province has multiple streams that target in-demand attributes within the province. For example, provinces may target candidates with specific occupations, international graduates, entrepreneurs and some even have PNP streams for candidates who are willing to work in rural areas or on farms.

Express Entry candidates should note that the PNP is a separate immigration program and they will be required to submit a separate application and fee to the nominating province.

A nomination is not the same as getting PR but it signals to IRCC that an individual is potentially a strong candidate, which is an advantage on a PR application.