Today, Randy Boissonnault, Minister of Tourism and Associate Minister of Finance, and Sean Fraser, Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship (IRCC), announced a new initiative to address the labor shortfall that will take effect in January 2023.
Canada will extend work visa eligibility for spouses, common-law partners, and dependents who are of working age and are temporary employees of all skill levels beginning in January 2023.
Fraser claims that extending family work permits, this news will assist firms in filling their labor shortages. Over 200,000 international employees will thus be able to find employment in Canada as a result.
What has changed?
Previously, the principal candidate had to be employed in a high-skill occupation, such as one falling under TEER 0, 1, or 3. The spouses could then apply for a work permit. However, by keeping families together, today’s new announcement will benefit the working class on an emotional, physical, and financial level.
Work permit holders can now apply for spousal open work permits for their spouses if they are employed at any skill level (TEER 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, or 5). Additionally, people can apply for a job that is open.
Children are deemed to be dependents if they:
are under the age of 22, and
not be married or in a common-law relationship.
Children that are 22 or older who are dependents are considered to be overage dependent children if they:
having been financially dependent on their parents since before they turned 22, and
unable to support themselves financially due to a physical or mental ailment
There are 3 phases to the new 2-year temporary remedy.
Beginning in January 2023, wives and children who are of working age will be able to work in Canada. All skill levels of workers use a staged approach. Families of workers in healthcare, trades, and hospitality would be covered by the policy. It is a fantastic opportunity for both employers filling their labor needs and foreign migrants looking for work in Canada.
The three phases
Phase 1 enables family members of workers entering Canada to apply for an open work permit through the International Mobility Program or the high-wage stream of the Temporary Foreign Worker Program.
Phase 2 will include family members of workers from the Temporary Foreign Worker Program’s low-wage stream after talks.
In order to determine if extending the policy to the families of agricultural workers is operationally feasible, phase three will involve dialogue with agricultural partners and stakeholders.
The Canadian government is making no excuses for failing to address the national labor shortfall. Immigration will be essential in assisting the economy for this reason, according to IRCC. Additionally, the government will put new policies into place to help firms meet their staffing requirements across all skill levels.
Source: IRCC
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