TR to PR Public Policy for Essential, Non-Health Care Workers Reaches 30,000 Quota

2 months after its release, the TR to PR Public Policy stream for essential, non- health care workers in Canada has closed, after reaching its quota intake of 30,000.

Who qualified for this program?

Applicants who met the following criteria were eligible to apply under this new program for permanent residency from the 6^th May 2021:

1. At least one year of full-time or full-time equivalent work experience in an eligible essential worker or health- care worker within the last 3 years immediately prior to the submission of the application.
2. Be employed in Canada;
3. Meet the definition of a worker and held valid work authorization for the period of qualifying Canadian work experience;
4. Have attained a level of proficiency of at least CLB level 4 in English or French;
5. Reside in Canada with valid temporary resident status (or be eligible to restore their status);
6. Be physically present in Canada at the time the application and approved;
7. Intend to reside in a province or territory other than Quebec.

What’s next for those that submitted an application under this stream?

Immigration, Refugee and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) committed to processing at least 40,000 applications submitted under the TR to PR Public Policy by December 2021. The remainder will be processed in 2022. So far, a little over 74,000 applications have been submitted under one of the 6 streams. 50% of these submitted applicants can expect to wait up to 18 months for their application to be processed.

Applicants caught up in processing delays can now take advantage of the TR to PR public policy open work permit. Successful applicants will receive an open work permit valid until December 2022.

To qualify for an open work permit, candidates must have already successfully applied for permanent residence under the TR to PR pathway. They must also meet the following conditions at the time of applying:

• have valid work authorization in Canada that is set to expire within four months;
• are currently residing in Canada;
• hold temporary resident status, maintained status, or are eligible to restore their status
• continue to meet the language requirements for the TR to PR pathway stream applied under.

What if you didn’t have chance to submit an application?

If you were unable to submit an application under this stream, you still have several options available to apply for permanent residence.

Express Entry

Applicants who have at least 1 year of skilled work experience in Canada can submit a profile to the Express Entry pool under the Canadian Experience Class program. Applicants with Canadian Education can receive up to 30 additional Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) points and 90 CRS points for 1 year of Canadian work experience.

French-speaking recent international graduates from a Canadian institution

This stream is identical to the French-speaking workers in Canada: essential, non-health care. Under the French-speaking stream, applicants must demonstrate at least CLB level 4 in an approved French test. CLB level 5 is equivalent to basic to moderate proficiency.

Unlike the Workers in Canada, the French- speaking stream does not limit the amount of applications they will process. This gives hopeful applicants 3 months to reach the required French level to submit an application under this stream.

Provincial Programs

Most provinces have provincial programs targeting applicants who are currently working in their province. Those with an offer of employment should check provincial programs for PR options.

Will this program open in the future for more applicants?

In an interview the Globe and Mail, Canada’s Immigration Minister, Marco Mendicino has previously expressed willingness to reopen caps. Such a move will depend on the quality of applications received in the first round of processing.