PGWP that has expired after September 20, 2021, may be extended

A recent tweet from Immigration Minister Sean Fraser regarding the PGWP extension has brought a sigh of relief to the PGWPs that have expired since September 20, 2021.

Post-Graduation Work Permits (PGWPs) that expired between September 20, 2021, and December 31, 2022, might qualify for a single PGWP extension.

The eligible start date of the previously announced PGWP extension was moved from January 2022 to September 2021 by Immigration Minister Sean Fraser.

Anyone who owns a PGWP that is about to expire will benefit from the new policy. The main aim of the change is to accommodate Canadian Experience Class (CEC) applicants who haven't had the chance to submit an Express Entry application since September 21, 2021. To deal with the backlog of immigration applications, Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) paused draws for these applicants, who are frequently PGWP holders. Plans are on to resume the draws from July 6, 2022.

PGWPs typically only last one time. However, the new policy will enable eligible PGWP holders to apply for a new open work permit with a maximum 18-month validity duration.

Despite the announcement in April, specifics on how to apply are still awaited. International graduates of full-time programs can obtain an open work permit for three years.

The current holders of PGWPs, who are currently witnessing the expiration of their documents, are finding themselves in a risky situation. Without clarity on revised extensions and how to apply for them, they may need to exit Canada till paperwork gets in order.

Each year, tens of thousands of PGWP holders receive permanent residency. With the years of study and work they have put in while studying in Canada, they are presumed to be well integrated into the Canadian labour market. More than 88,000 PGWP owners changed their status to permanent residents in 2021.

According to the government, this policy might help over 50,000 people.

Schedule a Free Work Permit Consultation with the SAAB Immigration.

What number of immigrants coming to Canada in the coming years?

immigrants coming to Canada

The Canada Immigration Levels Plan 2022-2024: An Overview

Between 2022 and 2024, a record number of immigrants coming to Canada. Despite the pandemic, Canada had a record number of permanent residents in 2021, with over 405,000. Canada's increased objective for 2022 is over 432,000 immigrants, with even higher numbers in 2023 and 2024. The figures may appear precise, but they are all based on the Immigration Levels Plan 2022-2024 of the Canadian government.

What are the plans for immigration levels?

The Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) uses the Immigration Levels Plan to estimate the total number of permanent residents Canada will aim to welcome in a particular year. It also specifies the immigration categories that will accept permanent residents.

Since the late 1980s, Canada has invited over 200,000 immigrants annually, increasing to over 300,000 before the pandemic.

By 2021, the goal has risen to nearly 400,000 people per year or around 1.1 percent of the Canadian population.

What is Canada's need for immigrants?

The unemployment rate in Canada is at an all-time low. According to the most recent statistics from Statistics Canada, unemployment is currently at 5.2 percent, the lowest number since data became available in the 1970s. The need for immigrants is on account of Canada's aging population and the birth rate that is insufficient to replace the nine million employees who will reach retirement age by 2030. With an average of 1.5 children per woman, Canada has one of the lowest birth rates in the world.

Immigration is critical to maintaining a healthy economy and vital social services and healthcare for all Canadians, including permanent residents. Canada relies on immigrants to work and pay taxes to support an aging population. According to the government budget for 2022, healthcare spending has increased dramatically in the following years, reaching $56 billion in 2027.

recruitment Immigration is critical to maintaining a healthy economy and vital social services and healthcare for all Canadians, including permanent residents.

How does it act?

IRCC analyses data such as demographics, economic and labour force indicators, integration capability, worldwide situations, and processing capacity to stay up with the ever-changing needs of the labour market and close the workforce gap. The Immigration Levels Plan is built around finding that balance. The ultimate goal is to devise a strategy to strengthen Canada's economy, reunite families, and give humanitarian aid.

How does the IRCC evaluate the numbers?

Economic Immigration will account for 57 percent of Canada's yearly immigration objective during the next three years. Each year, over 240,000 new permanent residents will arrive, with a target of 267,750 skilled employees arriving by 2024.

Almost 25% of new permanent residents will be recruited through family class sponsorship, which includes individuals sponsored by a relative already a permanent resident or citizen of Canada. Each year, around 100,000 people will arrive.

Refugees and humanitarian immigrants will make up the remaining 18 percent of new permanent residents. The plan calls for a population of little under 85,000 people by 2022, with a gradual decline through 2024.

Looking forward

The Immigration Levels Plan is usually issued once a year, but due to a delay caused by the most recent federal election, 2022 will have two plans. IRCC will release the new Immigration Levels Plan for 2023-2025 on November 1st.

CANADA EMPLOYMENT RATE AT AN ALL-TIME HIGH

The latest data on the labour market in Canada released by Statistics Canada show that the Canada employment rate for recent immigrants is at an all-time high! 

Overall, unemployment in Canada declined 0.2 percentage points to 5.3 percent, the lowest level since comparable records began in 1976. Statistics Canada measures the unemployment rate as a percentage of the labour force. Provinces relaxed public health regulations throughout the reference week. 

“With the unemployment rate at such a low level, practically every industry is experiencing labour shortages, including those in the hospitality business that has yet to recover fully,” says Nathan Janzen, Assistant Chief Economist at RBC Economics. 

In March, total employment in Canada increased by 73,000, owing to increases in full-time jobs. Since September 2021, employment growth has surpassed population growth. Since September, when Canada’s employment began to recover from the pandemic, employment has increased by 2.4 percent, compared to 0.8 percent for the population aged 15 and up. 

The slow pace of population increase, along with numerous job vacancies and rapid employment growth, will almost certainly be used to justify allowing foreign workers to enter the country more easily. Opening the door to international talent is one method to mitigate downward labour market pressure.

This year, Canada plans to admit a new record number of permanent immigrants. Canada aims to welcome 431,645 newcomers in 2022, according to the Canada Immigration Plan 2022-2024.