Canada to Launch New Pathway under EMPP for Skilled Refugees & Displaced Individuals

Canada’s Immigration Minister Sean Fraser has announced the launch of a new pathway this summer under the Economic Mobility Pathways Pilot (EMPP) to help employers hire skilled refugees and other displaced individuals.

This new initiative will provide employers with access to a pool of global talent, while giving skilled refugees and displaced individuals the opportunity to live in safety and rebuild their careers in Canada.

The new EMPP pathway promises to give employers more opportunities 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, teachers, tourism and hospitality workers, and truck and delivery service drivers.

Flexible Eligibility Criteria and Shorter Processing Time

The new EMPP pathway will include a more flexible approach to eligibility by allowing applications from other displaced people who lack a durable solution and who are in need of international protection to apply. According to the Immigration Minister, this program will avoid the need for employers to tap into Provincial Nominee Programs (PNP). In most cases, applications will be approved within six months from start to finish.

Positive Response from Employers

The new pathway has already received a positive response from employers throughout Canada. Employers in the long-term care sector, in particular, have welcomed this initiative as they face many recruitment challenges in finding suitable skilled talent. Being able to hire through the Economic Mobility Pathways Pilot has created opportunities for them to gain access to a skilled talent pool abroad that they likely would not have been able to access otherwise.

Canada’s Increasing Immigration Targets

In its 2023-2025 Immigration Levels Plan, Ottawa has set a target of 465,000 new permanent residents for this year, with plans to welcome 485,000 new permanent residents in 2024 and another 500,000 in 2025. This is a total of 1.45 million new permanent residents to Canada over the next three years. The increase seen in international migration is related to efforts by the government of Canada to ease labour shortages in key sectors of the economy.

The Need for Skilled Workers in Canada

At the close of last year, there were 855,890 job vacancies in Canada, with many employers desperate for suitably skilled candidates to fill jobs that are now going begging for lack of workers. Refugees are increasingly being seen as a ready supply of labour for Canada, with many organizations like Talent Beyond Boundaries and TalentLift welcoming the new pathway as a solution for every hiring team in Canada. By sourcing future colleagues from within refugee populations, employers can find competitive skills, adaptability, and creativity. As visas get more seamless, Canada can become the world’s capital for hiring displaced talent.