Immigration Pathway for Canada: TEER 4 and 5 Workers

The Canadian immigration authority, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC), has proposed a change to the Immigration and refugee protection regulations which is taken care of by the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act (IRPA). 

Forward Regulatory Plan 2024-26- Immigration pathway for TEER 4 and 5 Workers

One of the important aspects of the IRPA is the Forward Regulatory Plan which provides information on the regulatory initiatives IRCC intends to introduce in the next two years.

Recently IRCC has proposed changes to the IRPA which aims to create a permanent economic immigration class for workers who have experience and training at the Training, Education, Experience, and Responsibilities (TEER) levels 4 and 5.

The new immigration pathway is designed exclusively for TEER 4 and 5 occupations which consists of essential and low skilled workers who primarily work in the healthcare, hospitality and manufacturing sectors.

This new immigration route intends to improve the diversity and experience profile of permanent residents by giving foreign workers with experience in these roles an opportunity to get a PR visa. It seeks to recognise their contribution and address the challenges they face in securing a PR visa.

The new pathway will be part of the Forward Regulatory Plan 2024-26. The changes intend to modify the economic immigration system by giving permanent residency to immigration applicants who have a wider range of skills and experience.  This amendment seeks to recognise the contribution of immigrants who have gained significant Canadian work experience but find it challenging to acquire permanent residency in Canada.

The new pathway will resemble the Canadian Experience Class (CEC) which focuses on those with one year of full-time experience in Canada.

Benefits of the new immigration pathway

The new pathway seeks to have a streamlined approach that will promote faster implementation and meet the demands of the labor market in Canada. IRCC seeks to make these changes by fall 2024.

It aims to meet the continuous labor shortages in industries that depend on TEER 4 and 5 workers. The immigration pathway will help employers retain skilled and experienced workers for their industries. This will reduce turnover significantly and promote stability in their workforce.

It reiterates their contribution and recognises the vital role they play and offers them a realistic option to migrate to Canada.

Other benefits of this new pathway will be continuity in essential services and promotion of economic diversification by attracting and retaining individuals with a wide range of talent.

This new immigration pathway which proposes a permanent economic class for TEER 4 and 5 workers reiterates Canada’s determination to develop an immigration system which is inclusive and responsive to the demands of crucial industries in Canada.

The proposal to implement this pathway by autumn 2024 has elevated expectations from applicants and industries that will benefit.

The Forward Regulatory Plan 2024-26 with the proposed immigration pathway is a step towards making immigration to Canada inclusive and flexible.