CIMM – Temporary Residents
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International Students
Key messages
- International students provide tremendous social, cultural and economic benefits to their campuses, their communities and to Canada.
International student graduates are ideal candidates for permanent residency given their Canadian credential, work experience and language abilities. - Continuing to improve Canada’s standing as a destination of choice for international students is a priority for the federal Government. We will continue to work with partners involved in the International Student Program to promote Canada as a destination for high quality education, while safeguarding its integrity.
Supplementary messages
Enforcement of International Students
- All international students in Canada must actively pursue their studies and respect the conditions set by their study permits, including limited work authorizations.
- Twice a year, post-secondary learning institutions hosting international students report to IRCC on the enrollment status of their international students.
- International students that have been identified as not pursuing their studies in Canada or abusing the conditions of their study permit may be asked to leave Canada.
Recruitment of International Students
- In 2018, international students in Canada contributed an estimated $21.6B to Canada’s GDP and supported almost 170,000 jobs. This is a significant economic contribution—and one that is felt right across the country.
- Global Affairs Canada markets the international educational opportunities that are available in Canada abroad.
- On IRCC’s part, we have developed the International Student Program to help make Canada an attractive destination for those seeking a high-quality international education experience.
Student Pathways to Permanent Residence
- Most students are eligible to work on- or off-campus while they study without requiring a separate work permit and their spouses or common-law partners are eligible for a work permit.
- Most international graduates are eligible to apply for an open work permit to stay in Canada and work through the Post-Graduation Work Permit Program.
- These opportunities can lead international students to apply to stay permanently, if they meet the requirements set for permanent economic immigration.
- Former international students are also often strong candidates to apply to stay permanently. In fact, in 2018, nearly 58,521 former international students transitioned to permanent residence, more than ever before.
- Former international students are well-placed for success within Express Entry, including their Canadian education credential, possible Canadian work experience, and youth.
- Most Provincial Nominee Programs include streams specifically for international graduates and the Atlantic Immigration Pilot also features a stream for graduates.
Program integrity for students
- Prospective international students who wish to enroll in a program lasting longer than 6 months must first be accepted at a Canadian learning institution that is designated to host foreign students before applying for a study permit.
- By limiting the issuance of study permits to students destined only for institutions that have been designated by their provincial or territorial government, students have some assurance that they are enrolling in a legitimate school that is accountable for meeting provincial learning quality standards.
Supporting facts and figures
- International students contribute over $21B per year to the Canadian economy – greater than exports of auto parts, lumber or aircrafts.
Study
- Canada offers a generous international student program. Worldwide, Canada ranks 4th for education destination of choice.
- In 2019, the Department issued more than 415,000 study permits to international students, including extensions (13% increase over 2018).
This represents a significant increase from 2015, when over 231,000 student permit were issued (80% increase) - In 2019, there were 828,356 international students in Canada studying from primary to post-secondary levels* (in 2015, there were 495, 590 students in Canada).
Work
- Students are attracted to Canada given they can work while studying and following graduation. Most students may work both on and off campus (part-time during their studies, full-time during regular academic breaks).
- The Post-Graduation Work Permit Program offers international students graduating from eligible institutions access to Canada’s labour market for up to 3 years. This work permit allows the international graduate to work for any employer, in any occupation, anywhere in Canada.
In 2019, 237,392 international graduates held a post-graduation work permit – a 127% increase from 2015 (in 2015, 104,295 international graduated held a post-graduation work permits). - This work experience assists those former students who wish to remain in Canada permanently.
Transition to permanent residence
- All pathways to permanent residence are available to former international students should they meet the eligibility criteria for permanent immigration.
- Transition rates are increasing for international graduates –
- The number of former international students becoming permanent residents doubled since 2015 (In 2015, 29,175 former study permit holders became permanent residents). In 2019, 58,521 former study permit holders became permanent residents.
Temporary Foreign Workers
Key Messages
- Temporary foreign workers help address labour market gaps and can be a source of permanent residents. In 2018, almost 56,000 workers transitioned to permanent residence - the highest total ever.
- The Temporary Foreign Worker Program allows employers to hire workers only after demonstrating through the Labour Market Impact Assessment process that they could find no Canadians or permanent residents for the positions they have available. The International Mobility Program does not require a test of the labour market; the program alternatively assesses the economic, social and cultural benefits the foreign worker will bring to Canada.
Supplementary Messages
Protection for Temporary Workers
- Migrant workers have the same rights to workplace protections under applicable federal, provincial and territorial employment standards and collective agreements as Canadians and permanent residents.
- This Government has invested in robust employer compliance regimes to help ensure workers are paid properly and treated fairly, and has implemented other measures to ensure migrant worker protection. Employment and Social Development Canada conducts employer compliance inspections for the Temporary Foreign Worker Program, and as a delivery partner on behalf of IRCC for workers under the International Mobility Program.
- As of June 2019, a migrant worker with an employer-specific work permit is eligible to apply for an open work permit if they are in an abusive situation, or are at risk of experiencing abuse, related to their current job.
- With an open work permit, the worker will be able to leave abusive situations quickly and work for almost any employer in Canada. The work permit is temporary, but should give workers enough time to find a new employer and apply for a new work permit.
- When a migrant worker comes forward and is issued an open work permit under these regulations, the employer will face a compliance inspection, which can lead to a monetary penalty, a ban on hiring foreign workers and, when warranted, further criminal investigation.
- The employer will only be contacted later as part of an inspection if the worker is approved for this type of work permit.
Supporting Facts And Figures
- Approximately 79,168 initial work permit applications were received by IRCC under the Temporary Foreign Worker Program (Labour Market Impact Assessment-required work permit), excluding applications received at ports of entry, a decrease of 8.8% compared to the number of work permit applications received in 2018.
- Approximately 168,326 initial work permit applications were received under the International Mobility Program (Labour Market Impact Assessment-exempt), excluding applications received at port of entry, represents an increase of 42.1% in the number of initial work permit applications received in 2018 (118,480 applications).
- The total number of work permit applications received by IRCC (excluding port of entry) for both Temporary Foreign Worker Program and International Mobility Program, and for both initial permits and extensions, was approx. 573,755, which is an increase of 23.5% compared to the same period in 2018 (464,648 work permit applications)
- Approximately 475,147initial work permits applications and extensions were approved by IRCC (excluding port of entry), representing an increase of 19% when compared to the same time period in 2018
Background
- The Government of Canada is committed to helping employers address critical labour and talent needs by providing the tools to facilitate the hiring of foreign workers on a temporary basis.
- Depending upon the need, employers can access either the Temporary Foreign Worker Program, which requires a labor market test to first ensure no Canadians or permanent residents are available to do the job; or the International Mobility Program, which emphasizes the broader economic, social or cultural benefits that the temporary foreign worker will bring to Canada by virtue of their employment. This program requires no test of the labor market.
- Work permits are a demand-driven area; there are no set levels or limits on the number of foreign workers admitted to Canada. Temporary foreign workers contribute to all sectors of the economy. In 2018, the Department issued approximately 340,000 work permits to foreign workers, representing an approximate 12% increase over 2017.
- With a view to further supporting business scale-up, job creation and economic growth, the Government recently introduced the Global Skills Strategy. This initiative provides greater predictability and means to access top global talent through faster processing of work permits, new short-term work permit exemptions for high-skilled work, the creation of a Dedicated Service Channel, and the addition of a Global Talent Stream under the Temporary Foreign Worker Program that streamlines and expedites the labour market test for companies seeking unique talent.
Compliance:
- The Government of Canada is committed to the protection of temporary foreign workers in Canada. Employers of temporary foreign workers who hold employer-specific work permits are subject to compliance regimes, meaning they can be inspected to ensure they are paying and treating their foreign workers fairly.
- While the vast majority of employers do treat their workers well, the Government has introduced new initiatives to further protect and reinforce the safety of foreign workers. This includes a new open work permit for vulnerable workers, to ensure that those workers in abusive and dangerous situations can leave and find a new job.
- As of February 1, 2020, more than 300 applications for this new work permit had been approved.
- We continue to work with partners and stakeholders across Canada to safeguard the integrity of the system and to protect Canada’s reputation as a destination for work.
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