Headline Politics
Ottawa Announces Plan to Grant Permanent Status to Essential Workers
At a virtual press conference, federal Immigration Minister Marco Mendicino announces a new plan to grant permanent residency for up to 90,000 temporary essential workers and international graduates who are already in Canada. He is joined by his parliamentary secretary Peter Schiefke and four health-care professionals, three of whom immigrated to Canada. The focus of the new pathway will be on temporary workers employed in hospitals, long-term care homes, and other essential sectors as Canada continues its fight against the COVID-19 pandemic. Eligible workers and graduates will be able to apply for permanent status through three streams between May 6 and November 5, 2021. Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) will take up to 20,000 applications for temporary workers in health care, 30,000 applications for temporary workers in the essential job category, and 40,000 applications for international students who have graduated from a Canadian institution. (April 14, 2021)
