Engineers are in high demand across Canada’s workforce. As the country’s immigration policies focus on meeting economic needs, professionals in this field have a wide array of pathways to permanent residency. Whether you’re looking to directly apply for permanent residency or build eligibility through work experience, you can successfully immigrate to Canada with multiple immigration options.
Canada has been a top choice for international students seeking quality education and a potential path to permanent residency (PR). However, policy changes have created obstacles for many, leaving them unsure of their future. With new immigration regulations tightening the pathway to PR, international students can overcome these stricter rules to find their place in Canada’s evolving system.
Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC) announced a policy shift on August 26th. It stated that it will allow Canada to reduce temporary foreign workers in certain regions. The department will pause Labor Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) processing for Low-Wage TFWP employers in areas with 6%+ unemployment rates. This move aims to reduce reliance on foreign workers in areas with higher unemployment, addressing domestic employment concerns.
Starting this fall, international students will experience a shift in Canada’s work-hour limits. The new Canadian Rules on Work Hours allow students to work up to 24 hours per week off-campus, an increase from the current 20-hour cap. Announced by Immigration Minister Marc Miller in April, this change seeks to balance allowing students to work and ensuring their academic success. While the exact implementation date remains unconfirmed, the adjustment is anticipated to take effect this month. Until then, international students are limited to 20 hours per week off-campus during active academic periods.
As of May 21st, the Parents and Grandparents Program (PGP) has reopened, offering a pathway for Canadian citizens and permanent residents to reunite with their loved ones. However, this year continues a pattern established over the past four years: Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) will only select applicants from the 2020 pool. This means that potential sponsors in subsequent years have yet to have the opportunity to join the PGP candidate pool to sponsor their parents or grandparents for Canadian permanent residence (PR).
For those unable to sponsor their loved ones through the PGP, the Super Visa offers an alternative route to bring family members to Canada. While different from the PGP, the Super Visa serves a similar purpose by enabling family reunification.
As of August 28, Canada has ceased allowing visitors on temporary visas to apply for work permits while within the country. This significant policy shift marks the end of a measure introduced in August 2020, originally designed to help visitors stranded in Canada due to COVID-19-related border closures.
As of September 26, Canada has implemented a policy to cease processing Labour Market Impact Assessments (LMIAs) under the Low-Wage stream of the Temporary Foreign Worker Program (TFWP) in specific census metropolitan areas (CMAs). The new policy targets areas with an unemployment rate of 6% or higher, making certain cities in Canada face a stop on Low-Wage LMIA applications.
