Canada is allowing more than 90,000 temporary residents in Canada to become permanent residents in 2021 through six NEW immigration streams that will launch in May 2021. These new immigration pathways will be created to target three major groups: essential workers, international students, and French speakers. Canada aims to allow 20,000 healthcare workers, 30,000 essential workers, and 40,000 international graduates.
Canada’s immigration minister, Marco Mendicino, announced the new programs on April 14th. He said that the pathways will launch on May 6th and accept applications until November 5th.
“The pandemic has shone a bright light on the incredible contributions of newcomers. These new policies will help those with a temporary status to plan their future in Canada, play a key role in our economic recovery and help us build back better. Our message to them is simple: your status may be temporary, but your contributions are lasting—and we want you to stay.” – The Honourable Marco E. L. Mendicino, P.C., M.P., Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship
Two Essential Worker Pathways
Essential Healthcare Worker Pathway
NOC Occupation
3011 Nursing co-ordinators and supervisors
3012 Registered nurses and registered psychiatric nurses
3111 Specialist physicians
3112 General practitioners and family physicians
3113 Dentists
3121 Optometrists
3122 Chiropractors
3124 Allied primary health practitioners
3125 Other professional occupations in health diagnosing and treating
3131 Pharmacists
3132 Dietitians and nutritionists
3141 Audiologists and speech-language pathologists
3142 Physiotherapists
3143 Occupational therapists
3144 Other professional occupations in therapy and assessment
3211 Medical laboratory technologists
3212 Medical laboratory technicians and pathologists’ assistants
3214 Respiratory therapists, clinical perfusionists and cardiopulmonary technologists
3215 Medical radiation technologists
3216 Medical sonographers
3217 Cardiology technologists and electrophysiological diagnostic technologists, n.e.c.
3219 Other medical technologists and technicians (except dental health)
3221 Denturists
3222 Dental hygienists and dental therapists
3223 Dental technologists, technicians and laboratory assistants
3231 Opticians
3232 Practitioners of natural healing
3233 Licensed practical nurses
3234 Paramedical occupations
3236 Massage therapists
3237 Other technical occupations in therapy and assessment
3411 Dental assistants
3413 Nurse aides, orderlies and patient service associates
3414 Other assisting occupations in support of health services
4151 Psychologists
4152 Social workers
4153 Family, marriage and other related counsellors
4165 Health policy researchers, consultants and program officers
4212 Social and community service workers
4412 Home support workers, housekeepers and related occupations
Essential Worker Pathway
- Major Unit Group
66 – Sales support occupations
NOC Code/Occupation
6611 Cashiers
6621 Service station attendants
6622S tore shelf stockers, clerks and order fillers
6623 Other sales related occupations
72- Industrial, electrical and construction trades
7201 Contractors and supervisors, machining, metal forming, shaping and erecting trades and related occupations
7202 Contractors and supervisors, electrical trades and telecommunications occupations
7203 Contractors and supervisors, pipefitting trades
7204 Contractors and supervisors, carpentry trades
7205 Contractors and supervisors, other construction trades, installers, repairers and servicers
7231 Machinists and machining and tooling inspectors
7232 Tool and die makers
7233 Sheet metal workers
7234 Boilermakers
7235 Structural metal and platework fabricators and fitters
7236 Ironworkers
7237 Welders and related machine operators
7241 Electricians (except industrial and power system)
7242 Industrial electricians
7243 Power system electricians
7244 Electrical power line and cable workers
7245 Telecommunications line and cable workers
7246 Telecommunications installation and repair workers
7247 Cable television service and maintenance technicians
7251 Plumbers
7252 Steamfitters, pipefitters and sprinkler system installers
7253 Gas fitters
7271 Carpenters
7272 Cabinetmakers
7281 Bricklayers
7282 Concrete finishers
7283 Tilesetters
7284 Plasterers, drywall installers and finishers and lathers
7291 Roofers and shinglers
7292 Glaziers
7293 Insulators
7294 Painters and decorators (except interior decorators)
7295 Floor covering installers
74 – Other installers, repairers and servicers and material handlers
7441 Residential and commercial installers and servicers
7442 Waterworks and gas maintenance workers
7444 Pest controllers and fumigators
7445 Other repairers and servicers
7451 Longshore workers
7452 Material handlers
75 – Transport and heavy equipment operation and related maintenance occupations
7511 Transport truck drivers
7512 Bus drivers, subway operators and other transit operators
7513 Taxi and limousine drivers and chauffeurs
7514 Delivery and courier service drivers
7521 Heavy equipment operators (except crane)
7522 Public works maintenance equipment operators and related workers
7531 Railway yard and track maintenance workers
7532 Water transport deck and engine room crew
7533 Boat and cable ferry operators and related occupations
7534 Air transport ramp attendants
7535 Other automotive mechanical installers and servicers
76 – Trades helpers, construction labourers and related occupations
7611 Construction trades helpers and labourers
7612 Other trades helpers and labourers
7621 Public works and maintenance labourers
7622 Railway and motor transport labourers
86 – Harvesting, landscaping and natural resources labourers
8611 Harvesting labourers
8612 Landscaping and grounds maintenance labourers
8613 Aquaculture and marine harvest labourers
8614 Mine labourers
8615 Oil and gas drilling, servicing and related labourers
8616 Logging and forestry labourers
Minor Unit Group
NOC Code/Occupation
151 – Mail and message distribution occupations
1511 Mail, postal and related workers
1512 Letter carriers
1513 Couriers, messengers and door-to-door distributors
642 – Retail salesperson
6421 Retail salespersons
673 – Cleaners
6731Light duty cleaners
6732 Specialized cleaners
6733 Janitors, caretakers and building superintendents
843 – Agriculture and horticulture workers
8431 General farm workers
8432 Nursery and greenhouse workers
844 – Other workers in fishing and trapping and hunting occupations
8441 Fishing vessel deckhands
8442 Trappers and hunters
946 – Machine operators and related workers in food, beverage and associated products processing
9461 Process control and machine operators, food and beverage processing
9462 Industrial butchers and meat cutters, poultry preparers and related workers
9463 Fish and seafood plant workers
9465 Testers and graders, food and beverage processing
NOC/CodeOccupation
0821 Managers in agriculture
0822 Managers in horticulture
4031 French and French Immersion Secondary school teachers (language of instruction must be French
4032 French and French Immersion Elementary school and kindergarten teachers (language of instruction must be French)
4411 Home child care providers
4413 Elementary and secondary school teacher assistants
6331 Retail butchers
6523 Airline ticket and service agents
6524 Ground and water transport ticket agents, cargo service representatives and related clerks
6541 Security guards and related security service occupations
6551 Customer services representatives – financial institutions
6552 Other customer and information services representatives
8252 Agricultural service contractors, farm supervisors and specialized livestock workers
8255 Contractors and supervisors, landscaping, grounds maintenance and horticulture services
9617 Labourers in food and beverage processing
9618 Labourers in fish and seafood processing
The international student must:
Have completed, prior to the date on which the application for permanent residence is received and no earlier than January 2017, a program of study at one of the following “Designated Learning Institutions” in Canada.
Have been granted a degree, diploma, certificate or attestation on completion of a program that leads to a skilled trade.
Have been authorized pursuant to the Act and Regulations to study throughout their education in Canada;
Be employed in Canada with a valid permit or authorization to work pursuant to the Act and Regulations at the time the application for permanent residence is received and must not be self-employed.
Have attained a level of proficiency of at least benchmark 5 in either official language for each of the four language skill areas.
Reside in Canada with valid temporary resident status (or be eligible to restore their status) and be physically present in Canada at the time the application for permanent residence is received and when the application is approved;
Intend to reside in a province or territory other than Quebec;
Have submitted an application for permanent residence using the forms provided by the Department for this public policy.
Have submitted their application for permanent residence under this public policy using electronic means.
The foreign national is not inadmissible under the Act and Regulations.
Three New French-Speaking Pathways
To promote Canada’s two official languages, thre new streams will be launched for French-speaking and bilingual candidates. Francophone communities are not growing at the rate Canada would like, so they are creating these paths to allow more french-speaking newcomers become Permanent Residents.
These six new pathways to permanent residency in Canada will encourage essential workers and international students to “put down roots” in Canada. They intend for these 90,000 people to build up the healthcare system and overall job market in Canada.