New: Permanent Residence for International Graduates Working in Essential Occupations

More good news from IRCC.

There is a new pathway for international graduates for those that work in essential occupations. 

The foreign national must:

  1. Have accumulated at least one (1) year of full-time work experience, or the equivalent in part-time experience (1,560 hours), in Canada, in an eligible occupation listed in Annex A or Annex B in the three (3) years preceding the date when the application for permanent residence is received. The one year of work experience must be obtained in one or more of the eligible occupations as follows:

    • Stream A: the one year of work experience must have been acquired in one or more occupations listed in Annex A. Experience cannot be combined with Annex B occupations.
    • Stream B: the one year of work experience must have been acquired in one or more occupations listed in Annex B, or a combination of occupations in Annexes A and B.

  2. Be employed in Canada in any occupation at the time that the application for permanent residence is received;

  3. The employment described in both a) and b) must meet the definition of work under subsection 73(2) of the Regulations, must have been authorized pursuant to the Act and Regulations and must not have been self-employed, unless working as a medical doctor in a fee-for-service arrangement with a health authority;

  4. Have attained a level of proficiency of at least benchmark 4 in either official language for each of the four language skill areas, as set out in the Canadian Language Benchmarks or the Niveaux de compétence linguistique canadiens. This must be demonstrated by the results of an evaluation by an organization or institution designated by the Minister for the purpose of evaluating language proficiency under subsection 74(3) of the Regulations; and the evaluation must be less than two (2) years old when the permanent residence application is received;

  5. Reside in Canada with valid temporary resident status (or be eligible to restore their status) and be physically present in Canada at the time the application for permanent residence is received and when the application is approved;

  6. Intend to reside in a province or territory other than Quebec;

  7. Have submitted an application for permanent residence using the forms provided by the Department for this public policy and which must include at the time of application all proof necessary to satisfy an officer that the applicant meets the conditions (eligibility requirements) of this public policy, except for evidence required to demonstrate physical presence in Canada at the time of application approval;

  8. Have submitted their application for permanent residence under this public policy using electronic means (apply online). Foreign nationals who, because of a disability are unable to meet the requirement to make an application, submit any document or provide a signature or information using electronic means may submit this application by any other means that is made available or specified by the Minister for that purpose; and

  9. The foreign national is not inadmissible under the Act and Regulations.