The number of people with work and study permits who were granted permanent residency last year has been updated by the IRCC.
According to recently released statistics from Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC), 124,950 temporary residents became permanent residents in 2022.
The statistics reflect persons who previously had a study permit, a work permit under the Temporary Foreign Worker Program (TFWP), or a work permit under the International Mobility Program (IMP) who have now moved into a permanent residence. These initiatives might give prospective permanent residents a benefit should they choose to submit an application.
Data from Statistics Canada suggests that temporary residents have established roots in their communities and are able to integrate into the labour force more easily.
Also, by being in Canada for some time prior to submitting a PR application, individuals may improve their command of either English or French, putting them in a better position to earn than those who speak neither language before or after arriving in Canada.
International Mobility Program (IMP)
In the past year, 97,665 individuals left the IMP and subsequently became permanent residents. Many work licences covered by the IMP are exempt from labour market impact assessments (LMIA).
The IMP covers Post-Graduation Work Permits (PGWPs). According to the data, 52,725 PGWP holders obtained permanent residency status, making up the biggest proportion of IMP participants who did so.
If an international student has finished their programme at a designated educational institution, the PGWP enables them to live and work anywhere in Canada for up to three years (depending on the length of their term of study).
Study Permit Holders
The 2022 data also shows 19,730 new permanent residents last held a study permit.
There are currently approximately 800,000 foreign students studying in Canada. Those who want to move to Canada usually start with a PGWP to get job experience there. Nonetheless, for applicants who match the requirements of an economic class track, it is still possible to move directly from a study permit to PR. This also holds true for people who receive sponsorship through a family class programme or PR through a humanitarian initiative.
Temporary Foreign Worker Program
7,555 individuals changed from the Temporary Foreign Worker Program to Permanent Residence (TFWP). Employers of foreign nationals covered by the TFWP are required to obtain an LMIA from Employment and Social Development Canada. An LMIA is a legal declaration that bringing in foreign labour will either have a positive or no effect on Canada’s labour force.
Programs for economic immigration can ease the transition from TR to PR.
Candidates with Canadian experience are rewarded by many economic immigration programmes. For instance, having job or study experience in Canada may earn a candidate in the Express Entry application management system more points in the Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS).
Regional economic immigration initiatives like the Atlantic Immigration Program (AIP) and the Rural and Northern Immigration Pilot (RNIP) are well-known routes to permanent residency. Additionally, there are initiatives that focus on certain labour shortages, such as caregiver paths.
Lower TR to PR transitions than 2021
The 191,360 temporary residents who converted to permanent residents in 2021 were less in number in 2022. For instance, 10,985 TFWP immigrants joined the 157,695 IMP participants who became permanent residents of Canada. Owners of study permits made up 22,680 of the new permanent residents.
Border closures and travel restrictions during the COVID-19 epidemic made it more challenging for newcomers to enter as permanent residents from outside the country. The IRCC then focused on possible PRs who were already residing in Canada. One step was taken in February 2021 when IRCC staged its biggest Express Entry draw ever with 27,332 candidates in a CEC-only lottery.
For applicants to the Federal Skilled Worker Program and Federal Skilled Trades Program, IRCC halted Express Entry drawings in January 2021. Nevertheless, the government continued to conduct drawings for the Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) and the Canadian Experience Class (CEC) until September 2021. Candidates for the CEC must have lived in Canada for at least one year out of the previous three in addition to having one year of work experience.
The government also introduced an additional pathway that allowed temporary residents to transition to permanent residents. The program had six streams for candidates with experience in high-demand occupations such as healthcare and a pathway for international students. Three of the programs were for English and French speakers while the other three were exclusively for French-speaking temporary residents. The program ran from May until November 2021.
