Temporary Resident to Permanent Resident Pathway – Public Policy Permanent Residency Application (Stream A)
On April 14th, 2021 IRCC announced that they were implementing several public policies which will allow essential workers and recent graduates in Canada to apply for permanent residency. The public policies have been created in order to meet Canada’s immigration target and support Canada’s essential workers during this global pandemic. IRCC has announced that they will be accepting 90,000 applications to applicants who meet the eligibility criteria. This new type of PR application is called the Temporary Resident to Permanent Resident Pathway.
What is Stream A?
Stream A is one of the six pathways to permanent residency under the new public policy measures. This stream is targeted towards applicants who are currently in Canada working in healthcare. The program has minimum eligibility requirements one of which requires one year of work experience in a eligible health occupation designated by IRCC.
Am I eligible?
In order to meet the minimum eligibility requirements, you must meet the following criteria
- You have worked for one year in Canada full-time (30 hours per week) or the equivalent in part-time in one or more of the listed health occupations. See chart below.
- You are currently in Canada with valid status or are eligible to restore your status at the time your application is submitted AND at the time a decision is made on your application.
- You are employed in ANY occupation at the time you submit your Public Policy PR application.
- You have taken a language proficiency exam within the last 2 years and scored the equivalent of a CLB 4 or higher.
- You or your family members are not inadmissible to Canada.
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Eligible Occupations for Stream A – Public Policy PR Application |
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| 3011 Nursing co-ordinators and supervisors | 3012 Registered nurses and registered psychiatric nurses | 3111 Specialist physicians |
| 3112 General practitioners and family physicians | 3113 Dentists | 3121 Optometrists |
| 3122 Chiropractors | 3124 Allied primary health practitioners | 3125 Other professional occupations in health diagnosing and treating |
| 3131 Pharmacists | 3132 Dietitians and nutritionists | 3141 Audiologists and speech-language pathologists |
| 3142 Physiotherapists | 3143 Occupational therapists | 3144 Other professional occupations in therapy and assessment |
| 3211 Medical laboratory technologists | 3212 Medical laboratory technicians and pathologists’ assistants | 3214 Respiratory therapists, clinical perfusionists and cardiopulmonary technologists |
| 3215 Medical radiation technologists | 3216 Medical sonographers | 3217 Cardiology technologists and electrophysiological diagnostic technologists, n.e.c. |
| 3219 Other medical technologists and technicians (except dental health) | 3221 Denturists | 3222 Dental hygienists and dental therapists |
| 3223 Dental technologists, technicians and laboratory assistants | 3231 Opticians | 3232 Practitioners of natural healing |
| 3233 Licensed practical nurses | 3234 Paramedical occupations | 3236 Massage therapists |
| 3237 Other technical occupations in therapy and assessment | 3411 Dental assistants | 3413 Nurse aides, orderlies and patient service associates |
| 3414 Other assisting occupations in support of health services | ||
| 4151 Psychologists | 4152 Social workers | 4153 Family, marriage and other related counsellors |
| 4165 Health policy researchers, consultants and program officers | 4212 Social and community service workers | 4412 Home support workers, housekeepers and related occupations |
Is self-employed work experience eligible?
No, self employed work cannot not be used as eligible experience unless medical doctor in a fee-for-service arrangement with a health authority;
What is the processing time for this application?
IRCC has not released any information regarding the processing times however it is estimated that it will be between one to two years.
What is the minimum language score required to apply?
In order to be eligible, you must score the equivalent of a CLB 4 or higher in all four language abilities. The two recognized language tests are CELPIP and IELTS. You must take the General exam.
| Equivalency Chart | Speaking (CLB 4) | Listening (CLB 4) | Writing (CLB 4) | Reading (CLB 4) |
| IELTS General | 4.0 | 4.5 | 4.0 | 3.5 |
| CELPIP General | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 |
Will I be eligible to apply for a work permit while I wait on my Public Policy PR application?
IRCC have not announced any kind of bridging open work permit however more information is expected closer to the opening of the program.
How do I apply for PR under the public policy?
IRCC has stated that the application will be submitted online. We anticipate that the application will more than likely be submitted through your “My CIC” portal. More information will be released closer to the opening of the program.
How many applications will IRCC be accepting?
Under Stream A of the Essential worker English language category IRCC will be accepting 20,000 applications.
When will the program open?
The program is scheduled to open on May 6th, 2021.
Will this program be permanent? When will it close?
No, this public policy is only being introduced in light of the pandemic in an effort to ensure that all essential workers can continue to work in Canada and apply for permanent residency. The program will remain open until November 5th, 2021 OR until they have received 20,000 applications, whichever comes first.
Can I include my spouse or common-law partner and dependent children in my application?
Yes, you can include your spouse, common-law partner and dependent children whether they are currently in Canada with you or are overseas. Please note that they must meet certain eligibility criteria in order to be included in your application.
Is this part of Express Entry? Do I need CRS points to apply?
No, this public policy is completely separate from Express Entry and is not based on a points system. Unlike Express Entry, as soon as you meet the minimum eligibility requirement you can submit your application for permanent residency rather than having to wait for an invitation to apply.
Do I need Settlement funds to apply under the public policy PR stream?
No, there is no requirement to have settlement funds to be eligible to apply.
Do I need education to apply under this stream?
Although there is no requirement to provide education documents or apply for an Education Credential Evaluation (ECA) to apply for permanent residency, if but not all of the listed occupations require education and licensing in order to work in the medical sector.
Can I use different periods of employment to make up the one year of full-time work experience in order to apply for the Public Policy Permanent residency?
Yes – in order to meet the eligibility criteria, you must have one year of full-time work experience in Canada within the 3 years from when you submit your application in one or more of the eligible medical occupations.
Example 1: Mary has been employed as a registered nurse (NOC 3012) in St. Michaels hospital, Toronto for 12 months. During this time, she worked 30 plus hours per week and all of her work experience has taken place within the last 3 years from the date she intends to submit her application. Mary’s work experience meets the minimum eligibility criteria.
Example 2: Sean has was employed as a dental assistant ( NOC 3411 ) in Vancouver from December 2018 until July 2019 (7 months) at 30 plus hours per week. He was then hired as a Dental hygienist with a different Canadian employer from November 2019 until April 2020 (6 months). Sean has 6 months of full-time work experience an eligible occupation and another 7 months of full-time work experience in a different occupation which is also eligible. In total he has 13 months of work experience in eligible occupation therefore, Sean’s work experience meets the minimum eligibility criteria.
(Note: It is not a requirement to be employed in the eligible occupation you are applying under however it is a requirement that you are currently employed in any occupation.)
I am working in one of the eligible occupations, however I do not yet have one year of experience in Canada, what can I do?
There may be other options for you to apply such as having completed a diploma, degree or certificate in Canada after January 2017 OR if you have any work experience in any of the eligible occupations under stream B. Please contact us to find other options.
My occupation is not one of the eligible occupations under streams A or B and I do not have Canadian education, what are my options?
Remember, there are lots of other options to apply for permanent residency and furthermore, now there are 90,000 applicants who will no longer be applying under the regular stream which hopefully make it easier to apply through another immigration category. Please contact us to find out which options are available to you.
What are the fees for this application?
First, we will assess that you meet the minimum eligibility requirement in order to apply. Once we have determined that you are eligible to apply, we will charge a professional fee of $2500 to $3500+HST based on your circumstances to prepare and submit your application. We will counsel you through the entire process and provide updates as to the progress of your application while you rest in the knowledge that your application is given the utmost priority by experienced professionals. Please note that there is an additional $500+HST for accompanying family member include in the application. The professional fee does not include government fees which need to be paid separately.
How much will DFI charge to review my Public Policy PR application?
We will charge a professional fee of $695 to review your Public Policy PR application. Your application will be thoroughly reviewed by one of our licensed Canadian Immigration Consultants. They will assess your application to ensure that you meet the minimum eligibility requirements and have the necessary supporting documents. They will also ensure that your supporting document meet the mandatory requirements and that your application is complete. After the consultant has reviewed your application you will then meet (online) and they will advise you on any required changes and answer any questions or concerns you have before you submit. You will be able to submit your application with the peace of mind that it has been reviewed by a professional.
Please note that there is an added fee of $150 per accompanying family member listed on your application for review of your public policy PR application.
