Representative image of Canada construction workeres by Unsplash/Maarten-van-den-Heuvel
With an aim to help Canadian employers address critical labor shortages, innovative immigration measures, such as creating pathways for out-of-status migrants are being continuously delivered by the Government of Canada, a news release said.
“This initiative is a testament to our government’s commitment to finding innovative solutions to support Canada’s workforce and strengthen our economy,” Fraser said in a news release.
A permanent residence pilot program for 500 out-of-status workers in the construction industry in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA) was launched in 2019, by the Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC), in partnership with the Canadian Labour Congress (CLC).
An announcement regarding IRCC’s extension and expansion of the pilot program, doubling its scope to 1,000 out-of-status construction workers in the GTA was made today jointly by Peter Fonseca, Member of Parliament for Mississauga East-Cooksville, and Julie Dzerowicz, Member of Parliament for Davenport, on behalf of the Sean Fraser, Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship.
Acknowledging the critical role that construction workers play in building and growing our cities, this program offers them and their families a path to permanent residency so that they can stay long-term.
Being one of a number of new measures implemented to address labor shortages in Canada, this program ensures that we bring and retain the workers we need to grow the economy and build our communities.
Besides promoting greater stability in the construction industry and ensuring that skilled workers in Canada continue to address critical housing development needs this initiative will help bring a larger number of workers out of the underground economy, benefiting Canada’s world-renowned programs and services (like the Canada Child Benefit, Old Age Security and Employment Insurance).
Eligible individuals can apply for permanent residence until January 2, 2024, and can include their spouses, partners, and dependent children in their application. Potential applicants will continue to submit their names to the CLC, which will determine their eligibility before referring them to IRCC.
The advice from consultations with academics, non-governmental organizations, provinces, and territories would be taken into account by the Government of Canada while exploring new and innovative ways to regularize the status of undocumented workers in Canada.
“The Canadian Labour Congress (CLC) is pleased to continue assisting another 500 out-of-status construction workers and their immediate families in finding a pathway to permanent residence that will end the insecure nature of their employment and immigration status in 2023. The out-of-status construction workers contribute greatly to the economy and society and continue to fill labor shortages. Bea Bruske said.
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