From: Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada
News releaseMay 5, 2021—Ottawa--Last month, the Honourable Marco E. L. Mendicino, Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship, announced an innovative pathway to permanent residence for over 90,000 essential workers and international graduates of a Canadian institution who are actively contributing to Canada’s economy.
This special public policy will grant permanent status to temporary workers and international graduates of a Canadian institution who are already in Canada and who possess the skills and experience we need to fight the pandemic and accelerate our economic recovery.
Eligible applicants can submit their applications through IRCC’s online portal starting May 6, 2021, at 12:00 p.m. EDT time. To be eligible, workers must have at least 1 year of Canadian work experience in a health care profession or another pre-approved essential occupation. International graduates must have completed an eligible post-secondary program in Canada within the last 4 years, and no earlier than January 2017.
The portal will remain open until November 5, 2021, or until we have reached the maximum number of applications:

• 20,000 applications for temporary workers in health care
• 30,000 applications for temporary workers in other selected essential occupations
• 40,000 applications for international students who graduated from an eligible Canadian institution

Three additional streams with similar eligibility criteria have also been launched for French-speaking and bilingual candidates, but there is no maximum number of applications.
Under all streams of this temporary pathway, applicants must intend to reside in a province or territory other than Quebec to qualify.
This new pathway to permanent residence recognizes Canada’s need for educated and experienced workers as we work toward our economic recovery. It also acknowledges the extraordinary service of so many essential workers during the pandemic, many of whom are newcomers to our country and have played critical roles as we fight COVID-19.

Who is an immediate family memberAn immediate family member is defined as a

• spouse or common-law partner
• dependent child (yours, your spouse’s or your common-law partner’s)
• dependent child of a dependent child
• parent or step-parent (yours, your spouse’s or your common-law partner’s)
• guardian or tutor

How to unite with your family member in CanadaYou do not need a written authorization from us confirming that you’re exempt from the travel restrictions.
However, to board your flight to Canada, you must

• follow all airline requirements and pass a health check conducted by airline officials to confirm that you don’t have symptoms of COVID-19, including a fever, a cough and difficulty breathing
  • Anyone showing symptoms will not be allowed to board a flight to Canada.
• tell the airline that you’re exempt from the travel restrictions
• make sure you have a valid travel document (visitor visa or electronic travel authorization [eTA], if required) and a passport that is valid to come to Canada
• present proof to show that you’re an immediate family member of a Canadian citizen, person registered under Canada’s Indian Act or Canadian permanent resident
• show that you’re eligible to travel at this time
  • You must be able to provide evidence of one of the following:
    • You’ll stay in Canada for 15 days or more.
    • You’re travelling for a non-discretionary purpose.

Documents to use as proof that you’re an immediate family memberYou must have 2 types of documents:

• one that shows your immediate family member’s status as a Canadian citizen, person registered under Canada’s Indian Act or permanent resident
• one that shows your relationship to that family member

Documents that show the person’s Canadian citizenship, status under Canada’s Indian Act or permanent resident statusThese documents include

• a Canadian passport
• proof of Canadian citizenship, such as a citizenship certificate, citizenship card, or provincial or territorial birth certificate
• secure certificate of Indian status, certificate of Indian status or temporary confirmation of registration document (TCRD)
• a Canadian permanent resident card
• a Canadian permanent resident travel document

Documents that show your relationship to that personExamples of documents include

• a marriage certificate or proof of common-law status (documents showing a shared address)
• a birth certificate
• a Confirmation of Permanent Residence (COPR) for one of the following:
  • the family class (the COPR category under Application Details will be FC)
  • the one-year window of opportunity provision (coded OYW under Special Program)
• other documents that show an immediate family connection, for example
  • correspondence from us showing a spousal sponsorship application in progress
  • documents that show a shared home address

Note: Paper and electronic copies of the documents above are accepted. The documents above are examples only. An officer may request or accept other documents, as needed.

We’re still accepting applications under the Home Child Care Provider Pilot or Home Support Worker Pilots. You may be able to apply for permanent residence through these pilots if you:

• meet the eligibility requirements, and
• have a job offer to work in one of these occupations

Through these pilots, you’ll get an open work permit to come to Canada and work temporarily. This work permit:

• is occupation-restricted (so you have to work in that specific occupation)
• doesn’t need a Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA)
• lets you get the work experience you need to be eligible for permanent residence

If you recently worked as a home child care provider or support worker, your experience may count towards your eligibility for permanent residence.

Due to issues with COVID-19, there may be processing delays with caregiver permanent residence applications (including any related work permit applications). This includes these programs

• Home Child Care Provider
• Home Support Worker
• Live-in Caregiver
• Caring for Children
• Caring for People with High Medical Needs
• Interim Pathway for Caregivers

As of April 22, 2021, at 11:30 pm ET, Canada is suspending flights from India and Pakistan. Travel restrictions may change with little warning.

As a Hong Kong recent graduate, you may be eligible to apply for an open work permit under a temporary public policy for Hong Kong residents.
The open work permit is valid for up to 3 years.
Who can applyTo be eligible, you must

• hold a valid passport issued by the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) or the United Kingdom to a British National Overseas (BNO)
  • Your work permit is valid for up to 3 years or until your passport expires, whichever comes first.
    • For example, if your passport is valid for 6 months, then you will be issued an open work permit for 6 months.
    • To maximize the duration of the open work permit, make sure your passport is valid for at least 3 years from the date of approval.
    • Tell us how long you want your work permit to be valid.
• have graduated no more than 5 years before you apply for this open work permit, with
  • a degree (for example, bachelor, master or doctorate) from a designated post-secondary learning institution in Canada or abroad, or
  • a diploma for a minimum 2-year program from a designated post-secondary learning institution in Canada or abroad

If you got your education abroadYou don’t need an Educational Credential Assessment (ECA) to apply if you got a degree (for example, bachelor, master or doctorate) outside Canada, but an officer may request one later.
If you got a diploma outside of Canada, you must provide an ECA.
The ECA must be from an organization or a professional body designated by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada. They’ll give you a report that tells you what your education is equal to in Canada.
Processing times and costs vary by organization or professional body.
Once you choose a designated organization or a professional body, they’ll tell you how to submit your documents to get your assessment.
Designated organizationsYou must use one of these designated organizations:

• Comparative Education Service – University of Toronto School of Continuing Studies
  • designated: April 17, 2013
• International Credential Assessment Service of Canada
  • designated: April 17, 2013
• World Education Services
  • designated: April 17, 2013
• International Qualifications Assessment Service
  • designated: August 6, 2015
• International Credential Evaluation Service
  • designated: August 6, 2015

From: Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada
News releaseFebruary 4, 2021—Ottawa -- The ties that bind Canada and Hong Kong run deep. The first Hong Kong residents arrived here over 150 years ago, contributing immensely to Canada’s economic, social and political life. Canada continues to stand shoulder to shoulder with the people of Hong Kong, and is deeply concerned about the new National Security Law and the deteriorating human rights situation there. Against this backdrop, in November 2020, the Honourable Marco E. L. Mendicino, Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship, announced several new initiatives to help more Hong Kong residents come to Canada.
Today, Minister Mendicino announced that Hong Kong residents will be able to apply for new open work permits beginning on February 8, 2021. Valid for up to 3 years, these permits will allow Hong Kong residents to gain valuable employment experience and make significant contributions to Canada. Hong Kong residents must have graduated with a Canadian post-secondary diploma or degree in the last 5 years, or hold an equivalent foreign credential. A post-secondary diploma program must be a minimum of 2 years.
Hong Kong residents currently in Canada temporarily, including visitors, students and workers, can apply online from within Canada. Those applying from abroad remain subject to current travel restrictions and may not be able to come to Canada at this time, unless they have a job offer or meet a travel exemption and comply with all public health requirements. More details will be available on the IRCC website on the launch date.
In addition to open work permits, the Government of Canada continues to implement 2 other pathways to permanent residence for young Hong Kong residents, which will be available later this year. The first will be for Hong Kong residents with at least 1 year of work experience in Canada and who meet the language and education criteria. The second will be for Hong Kong residents who have graduated from a post-secondary institution in Canada; who can then apply directly for permanent residence. More information will be available in due course.

​From: Transport Canada
News release
January 6, 2021                      Ottawa                        Government of Canada
The COVID-19 pandemic has created a global crisis that is having a significant impact on the air industry and all travellers. The Government of Canada has multiple measures in place to protect the health and safety of Canadians, and to help prevent air travel from being a source of further introduction and spread of COVID-19 and new variants of the virus into Canada.
Today, the Minister of Transport, the Honourable Marc Garneau, issued an Interim Order formalizing new COVID-19 testing requirements for all air travellers coming to Canada, and providing additional guidance to airline operators and the travelling public regarding the new pre-departure testing requirement that was announced on December 31.This Interim Order supports COVID-19 health requirements made by Canada’s Minister of Health under the Quarantine Act.
Effective midnight on January 7, 2021 (00:00 EST or 05:00 UCT), regardless of citizenship, all travellers five years of age or older must provide proof of a negative laboratory test result for COVID-19 to the airline prior to boarding a flight to Canada. The test must be performed using one of two types of COVID-19 tests–either a molecular polymerase chain reaction (PCR) or Loop-mediated Isothermal Amplification (LAMP)–and must be conducted within 72 hours of the traveller’s scheduled departure to Canada.
All travellers coming to Canada must present this information at the time of boarding.  Failure to do so will mean an automatic denial of boarding by the airline operating the flight to Canada. 
Once travellers arrive in Canada, Canada Border Services officers will question and observe them for any indication that they may be ill. These travellers will be referred to Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC) officials for further assessment, screening and questioning. Officers will apply great scrutiny to travellers’ quarantine plans while ensuring that they are admissible to Canada. PHAC works closely with the Royal Canadian Mounted Police and provincial law enforcement agencies to verify the compliance of returning travellers. 

At the outset, there are time-limited flexibilities for travellers departing from some countries in recognition of the need for testing systems to adjust. Travellers departing from Saint Pierre et Miquelon are exempt from the requirement to show proof of a negative COVID-19 test until January 14, and travellers departing from Haiti, until January 21, 2021, but they are strongly encouraged to get a COVID-19 test once they arrive in Canada. Travellers departing from the Caribbean or South Americacan use tests conducted within 96 hours of departure (instead of 72 hours) until January 14, 2021.
Travellers with planned flights to Canada are strongly encouraged to take note of this information, in order to be compliant with the requirements, and to avoid being refused boarding by the airline.
Anyone who receives a negative test result and is authorized to enter Canada must still complete the full, mandatory 14-day quarantine, unless exempted under the Quarantine Act. Travellers are reminded that ongoing vigilance is still required. In addition to completing their full quarantine period, returning travellers must monitor for signs and symptoms of COVID-19 and submit information electronically through ArriveCAN. If symptoms develop, even if mild, or a positive test for COVID-19 is received once in Canada, travellers are advised to contact local public health authorities.
All existing restrictions to travel to Canada from the United States and other countries by foreign nationals remain in place. The Government of Canada continues to enforce and strengthen those measures as needed, and as the global situation evolves.

January 8, 2021—Ottawa--International students bring so much to Canada, contributing over $21 billion annually to our economy and supporting the vitality of our communities. Yet the pandemic has presented myriad challenges for international students. Most notably, for many holders of a post-graduation work permit (PGWP), the pandemic's disruption and uncertainty have jeopardized their chances of obtaining the work experience they need to apply for permanent residence.
As part of the Government of Canada's efforts to support international students through this challenging time, the Honourable Marco E. L. Mendicino, Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship, today announced that former international students who hold or held a PGWP will have the opportunity to apply for an open work permit.
Read more

From: Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada
News releaseDecember 14, 2020—Ottawa--Today, the Honourable Marco E. L. Mendicino, Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship announced changes to make the Rural and Northern Immigration Pilot (RNIP) more flexible for applicants and welcomed the first two practical nurses under the Pilot to Sault St. Marie.
The Rural and Northern Immigration Pilot is a community-driven program that spreads the benefits of economic immigration to smaller communities. It helps these communities to attract the workers they need by creating a path to permanent residence for skilled foreign workers.
Under the changes to the program, candidates will no longer have to obtain eligible work experience over a continuous period of time. Instead, they can demonstrate that they have accumulated the required 1 year of eligible work experience (1,560 hours) in the 3 years preceding their application, even if there were breaks in their employment. The policy applies to all applications received under the Pilot, as well as all future applications going forward.
Altering this requirement ensures that candidates are not penalized for short breaks in their employment history, including temporary work interruptions or layoffs caused by the pandemic.
Individuals must still meet all other existing admissibility and program requirements, including the recommendation process in the participating RNIP community in which they wish to settle.
Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada has also introduced a temporary measure that allows RNIP applicants who are waiting for a decision on their permanent residence application to apply for a work permit without being penalized due to processing delays caused by the pandemic.
These measures come as IRCC announces the first permanent residents accepted under RNIP. Minister Mendicino spoke of how proud he was to welcome Alexander Nangpukin Likilasua and Brilla Mercy Kunjumon, who are working as licensed practical nurses in Sault Ste. Marie, and how grateful he is for their service and dedication to their patients during the pandemic.