Temporary public legislation to make it easier for foreign nationals with a recent diploma from a Canadian post-secondary institution to obtain permanent residency in Canada outside of Quebec.

Provisional public legislation to make it easier for foreign citizens with a recent diploma from a Canadian post-secondary institution to obtain permanent residency in Canada outside of Quebec. As part of its 2021-2023 Immigration Levels Plan, Canada declared a commitment of 401,000 new permanent residents admitted in 2021. In light of the prolonged border closures and difficulties in accepting new permanent residents from other countries, Canada has looked at temporary residents already in the country who may contribute to economic immigration goals. Canada would prosper in the long run from these foreign nationals’ schooling and expertise if they are given permanent residency by receiving a Canadian educational certificate. It is doubtful that Canada will be able to accept the large number of refugees needed to sustain the country’s economic development and development without this public policy. By awarding permanent resident status to recent foreign graduates from Canadian post-secondary institutions who are already working in Canada, the economy would be able to take advantage of their knowledge and experience for the revival of the economy post-pandemic and beyond.

Although applicants for permanent residency have been admitted and approved after the pandemic, there will be a shortage in admissions in 2020 due to global travel limitations and capacity constraints. The 401,000 new admissions announced in the 2021-2023 Immigration Levels Plan for 2021 are critical to ensuring Canada has the workforce it requires to occupy critical roles and stay competitive in recruiting foreign talent. Appointed officers may award permanent resident status to foreign nationals who meet specific criteria based on public policy considerations. These specific criteria include,

The foreign national is required to:

• Have completed a programme of research at one of the “Designated Learning Institutions” in Canada, prior to the date on which the application for permanent residency is submitted and no earlier than January 2017.
• Following the completion of a programme of study at a qualifying university, the candidate has been awarded one of the following certificates-
  a degree (Associate, Bachelor’s, Master’s, or Doctorate) awarded after completion of a programme lasting at least eight months; a degree, diploma, credential, or attestation awarded after successful completion of a programme of any length leading to a professional trade occupation; or any other type of degree or certificate as outlined in the rules and guidelines.
• Have been granted permission to study in Canada during their studies as a result of the Act and Regulations
• By the time the application for permanent residency is received, the candidate must be employed in Canada with a legal permit or licence to practise under the Act and Regulations, and they must not be self-employed unless they are a licenced practitioner working in a fee-for-service contract with a health authority.
• For each of the four language competence fields, have achieved a degree of proficiency of at least benchmark 5 in any official language.

There are many other basic criteria that have to be met as well by the applicant, and if the candidate is applying for a family member or through any other route, and these criteria can be accessed on the official Canadian government website.