Mohanad Moetaz - 07 May, 2021
The six new limited-time immigration pathways for temporary residents launched on May 6, 2021 at 12 p.m. EST.
Candidates who wish to begin their application can do so by accessing the online portal. If you want to see how many people have applied so far, you can do so through this link.
Learn more about Canada's new PR streams
Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) published the application guide for the new limited-time programs. This guide can help you better prepare for applying. It includes the required documents as well as details about the application process.
There is also a dedicated webpage for the new pathways. If you wish to check if you are eligible, you can do so here.
Candidates who wish to become permanent residents through one of these immigration pathways are encouraged to begin the process as fast as possible. The streams are expected to fill up fast.
Up to 90,000 new permanent residents will be accepted through three of the new streams. However, there are up to 1.5 million temporary workers and international students in Canada.
There is no intake cap for the other three immigration streams, that target French-speaking workers and students.
What are the new limited-time immigration pathways?
Here is a list of the new pathways with their respective intake caps.
These streams will remain open until November 5, 2021, or until the intake cap is achieved, whichever comes first.
Why did IRCC introduce these immigration pathways?
Canada's immigration levels were affected because of the COVID-19 pandemic. After the travel restrictions were put in place, IRCC began focusing on candidates that are likely to be already in the country, including Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) and Canadian Experience Class (CEC) candidates.
Despite this, Canada set for itself ambitious immigration targets for 2021, looking to welcome 401,000 new permanent residents in 2021.
Canada is committed to reaching these targets. This is illustrated with the historic Express Entry draw in February 2021 that issued invitations to over 27,000 immigration candidates, with a Comprehensive Ranking Score (CRS) of just 75.
Canada's commitment is further illustrated with the introduction of these immigration pathways, that allow for temporary residents in Canada to become permanent residents.
