Canada opens new economic immigration streams for skilled refugees
by CM Staff
These new immigration streams provide Canadian employers with the opportunity to access a talent pool of skilled refugees and other displaced people from around the world.
OTTAWA — Through the Economic Mobility Pathways Pilot (EMPP), Canada is tapping into talent that is too often overlooked by creating more opportunities for skilled refugees and other displaced individuals to immigrate and to use their education, training and experience to continue their careers in Canada.
Sean Fraser, Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship, announced on Jun. 12 that Canada has launched two new EMPP streams, fulfilling a commitment made on March 27, 2023. Candidates can also continue to apply through existing regional EMPP economic pathways.
These new immigration streams provide Canadian employers with the opportunity to access a talent pool of skilled refugees and other displaced people from around the world. This access allows Canada to not only increase its economic immigration and fill in-demand jobs, but also to complement its existing humanitarian commitments.
By implementing efficiencies and improvements learned through collaboration with partners during the rollout of the first EMPP streams, newcomers using the EMPP will now be able to move to Canada and start working here more quickly. These new streams also reduce barriers to access since candidates do not need Canadian work experience to apply.
Of the two new streams announced, one is tailored to candidates who have a job offer from a Canadian employer and the second is available to highly-skilled refugees without job offers.
Through the EMPP Federal Skills Job Offer Stream, Canadian employers can hire qualified candidates to fill a wide range of in-demand jobs, including nurse aides, personal support workers, long-term care aides, software engineers, web designers, mechanical and electrical engineers and technicians, logistics and warehouse workers, tourism and hospitality workers, and truck and delivery service drivers.
The EMPP Federal Skills Without a Job Offer Stream recognizes that certain candidates have skills that are in high enough demand that they will find work after they arrive in Canada.
EMPP gives refugees and other displaced people the chance to make the most of their skills to improve not only their lives and those of their families, but also the communities and workplaces that welcome them.
“Helping employers access a new global talent pool is another way we are using our immigration system to address ongoing labour shortages. Finding these skilled workers among people who happen to be displaced abroad and lack a durable solution is a madeinCanada solution that we are promoting globally. Canada will continue to develop and scale up these types of innovative measures that allow us to welcome more vulnerable people, while helping businesses find the skilled workforce they need to grow,” said Sean Fraser, Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship.
