Canada: Expansion of the Economic Mobility Pathways Pilot and Other Efforts to Support Refugees
December 14, 2022
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At a Glance
- The Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship has announced an expansion of the Economic Mobility Pathways Pilot (EMPP), including a Trusted Partner Model, CAD 6.2 million in funding and an aim to welcome 2,000 skilled refugees over the next few years.
- Through the EMPP, partner organizations such as Talent Beyond Boundaries help skilled refugees located overseas connect with Canadian employers who need to fill critical labour shortages in sectors such as information technology, health care and those that require skilled tradespeople.
The situation
On December 13, 2022, the Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship (IRCC) announced an expansion of the Economic Mobility Pathways Pilot (EMPP), including a Trusted Partner Model, CAD 6.2 million in funding and an aim to welcome 2,000 skilled refugees over the next few years.
Background
The EMPP is a complementary permanent residence pathway, in addition to traditional refugee resettlement. It combines both refugee resettlement and economic immigration.
Through the EMPP, partner organizations such as Talent Beyond Boundaries help skilled refugees located overseas connect with Canadian employers who need to fill critical labour shortages in sectors such as information technology, health care and others that require skilled tradespeople.
A closer look
- Global Task Force on Refugee Labour Mobility.
- Based on the success of the EMPP, in April 2022, Canada helped launch the Global Task Force on Refugee Labour Mobility and will act as the Task Force’s chair for the next two years. In this capacity, Canada will work closely with global partners and stakeholders, as well as refugees with experience and expertise, to lay the foundation for implementing innovative solutions for refugees worldwide.
- Fragomen is one of the eight founding members of the Global Task Force, together with Canada, Australia, the United Nations Refugee Agency, the International Organization for Migration, the International Chamber of Commerce, Talent Beyond Boundaries and RefugePoint.
- Expansion of the EMPP. In line with Canada’s commitment to providing refugees and their families a safe and permanent solution, Canada is rolling out a new and more flexible referral and application process with its trusted partners, including Talent Beyond Boundaries. The government is also investing CAD 6.2 million to support projects by EMPP-partner organizations to identify qualified candidates overseas, to support candidates and employers throughout the interview, hiring and immigration processes, and to provide microloans to new entrants under the program.
Looking ahead
As an international leader in refugee resettlement, over the next few years, Canada is aiming to expand the pilot and welcome 2,000 skilled refugees to fill specific labour shortages in high-demand areas, such as health care, skilled trades and information technology. We will report on related developments.
If your organization is in need of an additional pool of candidates in Canada, please reach out to your Fragomen contact.
This alert is for informational purposes only. If you have any questions, please contact the global immigration professional with whom you work at Fragomen or send an email to [email protected].
