Canada is working continuously to clear its immigration applications backlog and prioritize work permits to speed up the integration of the working class.
Canada’s Immigration Minister Sean Fraser reaffirmed his earlier assurance about improving the work permit processing times in a recent meeting with the Standing Committee on Citizenship and Immigration.
The Standing Committee on Citizenship and Immigration is a group of Canadian politicians from major political parties. They are responsible for conducting studies and providing policy recommendations to improve the immigration system of Canada.
Fraser said in the meeting that Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) would reduce the processing times using the $85 million budget. The Covid-19 pandemic worsened applications’ processing times, leading to a huge backlog. As of February 1, IRCC has more than 85,000 pending work permit applications, and Canada intends to clear this at the earliest with this budget plan.
The Immigration Minister announced earlier, stating that Canada plans to normalize the processing times. They are working to bring back the service standards for work permits, study permits, proof of citizenship, and permanent residence card renewals to normal levels by the end of 2022.
The IRCC webpage evidently shows that the current processing times for work permits from several countries are not up to the Canadian processing standards. However, IRCC is still processing a higher number of work permits, and more permits were issued in 2021 compared to 2019.
Where in 2019 the total work permits issued were 405,000, the recent data shows that Canada issued permits to around 420,000 candidates in 2021. These were under two programs namely the International Mobility Program (IMP) and Temporary Foreign Worker Program (TFWP).
The Canadian employers hire foreign nationals through the TFWP to fill labour market shortages in the country. The IMP promotes Canada’s broad economic, social, and cultural interests.
As per the Standard processing time, a work permit submitted outside of Canada takes upto 60 days, except for International Experience Canada (IEC) work permits that take 56 days to process. Work permit extensions can take upto 120 days.
IRCC met these standards more than 87% of the time before the Covid-19 pandemic. Official data for 2020-2021 have not been released yet.
IRCC Assistant Deputy Minister Daniel Mills clarified that the $85 million budget would be used to develop tools such as electronic application systems and online application trackers. However, it might not necessarily improve processing times for permanent resident applications yet. The processing for new spousal sponsorship applications have already returned to the one-year standard as stated by Fraser.
Need for a faster processing of Work permit
There were around 900,000 job openings in Canada in November last year. Immigrants from around the world largely support Canada’s labour market growth.
Employers in some industries are in constant need of foreign talent. Thus, workers in certain sectors get a faster-processed work permit. For example, the Global Talent Stream (GTS) for tech sector workers has a processing standard of 10 business days.
Quebec provides a list of occupations that exempts the employer from advertising needs of the Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) process. Though they still require a LMIA for these positions, they can get it faster and without the need to advertise a job opening.
The province of Quebec offers a list of occupations that exempt the employer from the advertising requirement of the Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) process. Although they still need an LMIA for these positions, they can get one much faster without having to advertise a job opening.
The Canadian government demands a LMIA, a labour market test demonstrating unavailability of the required worker in Canada. It enables an employer to hire foreign nationals. Canada provides fast-tracked LMIA processing for the GTS and Quebec facilitated occupations list.
In 2021, about one-quarter of work permits granted required an LMIA. The remaining 75 per cent did not require an LMIA.
Extension of Work permit
A worker in Canada can apply for an extension of their work permit before it expires. The application allows them to stay in Canada on maintained status until the time IRCC decides on the matter. Their working conditions remain the same as their work permit till the time they stay in Canada and wait for their extension. The maintained status also applies to study permit holders and visitors applying for the extension of their temporary status.
These workers can also apply for permanent residence. They get a Bridging Open Work Permit (BOWP), which allows them to stay in Canada until their application is processed.
