Canada has created six new immigration programs as pathways to permanent residency for essential workers, international student graduates and French speakers.

The new immigration programs were announced by immigration minister, Marco Mendicino on April 14. According to him, the initiatives will make it easier for 90,000 immigrants to become permanent residents of Canada. 

“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,” Mendicino said. 

The new pathways will launch on May 6th and be open till November 5th or when the 90,000 slots are filled. The current goal is to open the door to 20,000 healthcare workers, 30,000 essential workers, and 40,000 international graduates.

The remaining three streams are for French speakers and there’s no limit to the numbers allowed. French is one of Canada’s official languages and the government is trying to boost the growth of the Francophone communities so these new immigration programs are aimed at that demographic. Seems like there’s no better time than now to brush up on your language skills. 

Canada has a goal to welcome 401,000 immigrants into its population this year. The Coronavirus pandemic and resulting travel restrictions have impacted the number of successful relocations but the Canadian government seems firm in its resolve to reach that goal. Apart from the new initiatives, Canada has more than 100 immigration programs which offer a variety of options and opportunities for prospective immigrants to choose from.

If you’d like to evaluate your Canadian immigration options, you can complete our free online assessment here.