The Canadian Federal Skilled Worker Programme (FSWP) has been on hold since December 2020. The Canadian Experience Class has also been without invitations since September 2021. After a long period of silence from the Canadian Immigration Department, there are now indications that both programmes will finally be resumed around July 2022. Besides these announcements, Minister Sean Fraser has also mentioned that holders of a Post-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP) can obtain an extension of up to 18 months of their work permit.
A summary of the most important announcements
- Express Entry invitations for the Federal Skilled Worker Program, the Canadian Experience Class and the Federal Skilled Trades Program will resume as of July 2022;
- The vast majority of new Express Entry applications will be processed within six months. In comparison, according to the IRCC, the current Express Entry processing time ranges from 7 months to more than 20 months;
- Post-Graduation Work Permit holders whose visas expire between January and December 2022 will be eligible for an additional open work permit of up to 18 months starting in the summer of 2022;
- Applicants will not be required to reside in Canada for the entire period the visa application is being processed;
- Applicants who also apply for an open work permit while waiting for the permanent visa application to be processed will be eligible for work permits valid until the end of 2024;
- To support family reunification, immediate family members of a main applicant for a permanent visa who are outside Canada will be eligible for their own open work permit.
The announcements are good news for anyone who has been waiting a long time for clarity on obtaining permanent residency in Canada. Do you have any questions? Then get in touch with us.
Do you want to know if you can qualify for a visa to Canada in one of the above visa categories? Fill out our free visa check.