A number of partner groups will receive financial support from IRCC under the Economic Mobility Pilot Program. Approximately 2000 qualified refugees will be allowed to enter Canada under this program over the next few years in order to address shortages in high-demand industries. Minister Fraser made the announcement today during a meeting with partners.
Employers with immediate recruiting needs are connected to experienced refugees through the EMPP in order to hire them. Funds will be awarded to Talent Beyond Boundaries, TalentLift, and Jumpstart Refugee Talent. Candidate referrals and support options will soon be available to these groups. During the training process, each company will undergo a quality control inspection and undergo training.
“Canada’s economy is facing chronic talent shortages across numerous industries,” says Bassel Ramli, co-founder, and director of Jumpstart Refugee Talent. While this is happening, millions of refugees worldwide look for long-term solutions for their families. Jumpstart is working with IRCC to support businesses in hiring and relocating individuals from affected communities.
To help the EMPP partners, the government has set aside $6.2 million. A total of six projects will receive the funds. As well as assisting employers in finding prospective candidates abroad, the funds will be used to support both candidates and employers during the interview, hiring, and immigration processes.
Deficiency of labor in Canada
The announcement coincides with many job openings and a lack of trained workers in Canada, as well as around the world. The population’s birth rate is low and aging, among other things contributes to the scarcity. As such posts are created, there is an insufficient number of natural-born Canadians to fill them.
As a result of this shortage, Canada set its highest permanent resident targets in its Immigration Levels Plan 2023–2025. It is anticipated that the nation will have admitted over 500,000 new immigrants annually by the end of 2025.
Furthermore, an economic pilot program will allow almost 15,000 immigrants to enter the country. As a result of the economic immigration programs, more than 300,000 of them will be granted permanent residence.
Economic Mobility Pilot Program – Its eligibility
More than 100 talented migrants and their families have been welcomed into Canada through the EMPP since October 2022.
Refugees who arrive through the EMPP are more likely to qualify for permanent residency after a few years.
EMPP’s facilitation measures waive some fees, making demonstrating previous job experience easier, and allowing them to use loans for travel expenses, relocation needs, and start-up costs. Applications are typically processed by IRCC within 6 months.
If a refugee wishes to immigrate under the EMPP, he or she must demonstrate that they are eligible for both the EMPP and the appropriate economic immigration pilot program, including those listed below:
- AIP – (Atlantic Immigration program)
- RNIP – (Rural and Northern Immigration Pilot)
- PNP – (Provincial Nominee Program)
Applicants to the Rural and Northern Immigration Pilot Program and the Atlantic Immigration Program are exempt from some of the standard qualifying standards. However, they must also prove that they worked the same number of hours overall, by, for instance, proving the number of hours requested within the specified period.
Another prerequisite for refugees is a letter of recommendation from one of the partner organizations.
About EMPP
From the time the EMPP was initiated as a research project in 2018, it has gone through two phases. With the right assistance, qualified refugees can meet current economic immigration program requirements. The aim of this stage was to explore a large, untapped pool of qualified applicants who might fill some of Canada’s skills gaps.
During this phase, the IRCC hopes to resettle 500 refugees and their families. With the results of these settlements, IRCC will gain a deeper understanding of how to maximize the potential of skilled refugees as well as broaden the scope of the EMPP.
