On August 30, 2024, when Canada introduced two new Permanent Residency- PR pathways under the Provincial Nominee Program (PNP). It addressed the labour shortages in Canada’s healthcare and agricultural sectors.
There is still an opportunity for many to work in the in-demand sectors. Getting permanent residency in Canada is now more difficult than ever.
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The two new PR Pathways are mentioned below-
- Agriculture Talent Pathway: These are for 10 occupations.
- Health Talent Pathway: These are for up to 44 healthcare-related occupations.
The new pathways aim to attract skilled workers. They will help to fill critical roles in these industries.
Addressing Labour Shortages in Canada
Canada’s Immigration and Career Training Minister, Jeremy Harrison, focuses on the alignment of Canada’s immigration strategies with current labor demands.
Creating new immigration pathways is important as there are labor shortages across the country. The credential recognition process will help employers in Canada get the workforce needed to grow their businesses.
Canada’s new PR pathways reflect a proactive approach. It supports Canada’s economic and health sector growth. It will be easier for skilled immigrants to settle and work in Canada.
New PNP Agriculture Talent Pathway Eligibility Criteria
The Agriculture Talent Pathway meets the growing demand for labour in Canada’s agriculture industry.
Agriculture is a vital part of Canada’s economy. It exported more than $3.2 billion worth of crop products in 2023.
The pathway is open to skilled workers with experience in agricultural occupations. It aims to fill in-demand roles in the sector.
Eligible candidates must meet certain criteria, including:
- Language Skill: Candidates must have a minimum Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) score of 4. Yet, some employers may need a higher language score.
- Education: A minimum of secondary school education is required.
- Work Experience: Candidates must have one year of full-time work experience in the past three years. They can also have six months of full-time work experience (30+ hours per week). The work experience should be of the employer who provided them with a job approval letter.
- Job Offer: Candidates must have a permanent and full-time job offer in Canada’s agricultural sector. They should also have a valid PNP job approval letter provided by their employer.
The list of all 10 occupations eligible for the agriculture talent pathway.
| NOC | Description |
| 75101 | Material handlers. |
| 84120 | Specialized livestock workers and farm machinery operators. |
| 85100 | Livestock laborers. |
| 85101 | Harvesting laborers. |
| 85103 | Nursery and greenhouse laborers. |
| 94140 | Process control and machine operators, food and beverage processing. |
| 94141 | Industrial butchers and meat cutters, poultry preparers and related workers. |
| 94143 | Testers and graders, food and beverage processing. |
| 94204 | Mechanical assemblers and inspectors. |
| 95106 | Laborers in food and beverage processing. |
Addressing Healthcare Shortages in Canada
Shortage of healthcare facilities is a complex problem and there is no quick fix to it. Canada is responding in a variety of ways.
This includes recruiting internationally trained practitioners, and funding strategies to improve retention. They also plan to increase educational seats to train more future healthcare providers.
Also, Canada’s new PR pathways reflect an approach to support Canada’s health sector growth. It will be easier for skilled immigrants to settle and work in Canada.
Health Talent PR Pathways Eligibility Criteria
The Health Talent Pathway supports Canada’s Health Human Resources (HHR) action plan.
The program streamlines the process for healthcare professionals to be recruited through PNP. It considers all healthcare recruitment under a single stream.
The eligibility requirements for the Health Talent Pathway vary. It is based on whether the candidate has an active Express Entry profile.
Yet, all candidates must meet certain common criteria:
- Licensing Eligibility: Candidates must be eligible for licensing in Canada if applicable to their occupation.
- Education: A post-secondary education related to the job they have been offered is required. This can be a Master’s or Bachelor’s degree. A three-year degree from a university or college, or a two-year diploma from a trade technical school.
- Intent to Reside: Candidates must attest to their intent to live and work in Canada.
Health talent pathway requirement: non-express entry candidates.
Candidates not eligible for Express Entry must have a language score of at least CLB 5 in English or French.
Some employers may need a higher score. Also, they must meet the following work experience requirements:
- In Canada: Applicants must be working full-time in Canada. They must have completed at least six months (780 hours) of work experience with their employer. This experience does not need to be consecutive.
- Outside Canada Applicants: If candidates have not worked full-time for at least six months with their employer. They must have at least one year of work experience in their occupation within the last five years.
44 eligible occupations for non-express entry in the health talent pathway.
| NOC | Description |
| 30010 | Managers in health care |
| 31100 | Specialists in clinical and laboratory medicine |
| 31101 | Specialists in surgery |
| 31102 | General practitioners and family physicians |
| 31103 | Veterinarians |
| 31110 | Dentists |
| 31111 | Optometrists |
| 31112 | Audiologists and speech-language pathologists |
| 31120 | Pharmacists |
| 31121 | Dietitians and nutritionists |
| 31200 | Psychologists |
| 31201 | Chiropractors |
| 31202 | Physiotherapists |
| 31203 | Occupational therapists |
| 31204 | Kinesiologists and other professional occupations in therapy and assessment |
| 31209 | Other professional occupations in health diagnosing and treating |
| 31300 | Nursing coordinators and supervisors |
| 31301 | Registered nurses and registered psychiatric nurses |
| 31302 | Nurse practitioners |
| 31303 | Physician assistants, midwives and allied health professionals |
| 32100 | Opticians |
| 32101 | Licensed practical nurses |
| 32102 | Paramedical occupations |
| 32103 | Respiratory therapists, clinical perfusionists and cardiopulmonary technologists |
| 32104 | Animal health technologists and veterinary technicians |
| 32109 | Other technical occupations in therapy and assessment |
| 32110 | Denturists |
| 32111 | Dental hygienists and dental therapists |
| 32112 | Dental technologists and technicians |
| 32120 | Medical laboratory technologists |
| 32121 | Medical radiation technologists |
| 32122 | Medical sonographers |
| 32123 | Cardiology technologists and electrophysiological diagnostic technologists n.e.c |
| 32124 | Pharmacy technicians |
| 32129 | Other medical technologists and technicians |
| 32200 | Traditional Chinese medicine practitioners and acupuncturists |
| 32201 | Massage therapists |
| 32209 | Other practitioners of natural healing |
| 33100 | Dental assistants and dental laboratory assistants |
| 33101 | Medical laboratory assistants and related technical occupations |
| 33102 | Nurse aides, orderlies and patient service associates |
| 33103 | Pharmacy technical assistants and pharmacy assistants |
| 33109 | Other assisting occupations in support of health services |
| 44101 | Home support workers, caregivers and related occupations. |
Health talent pathway requirements: Express entry candidates.
Candidates with active profiles in the Express Entry must meet additional criteria, including:
- Express Entry Profile: A valid Express Entry Profile Number and Job Seeker Code.
- Language Proficiency: A CLB score of 7 or higher in English or French.
- Work Experience: Candidates must have at least one year of skilled work experience. It must be related to their occupation within the past five years.
43 Eligible occupations for express entry in the health talent pathway.
| NOC | Description |
| 30010 | Managers in health care |
| 31100 | Specialists in clinical and laboratory medicine |
| 31101 | Specialists in surgery |
| 31102 | General practitioners and family physicians |
| 31103 | Veterinarians |
| 31110 | Dentists |
| 31111 | Optometrists |
| 31112 | Audiologists and speech-language pathologists |
| 31120 | Pharmacists |
| 31121 | Dietitians and nutritionists |
| 31200 | Psychologists |
| 31201 | Chiropractors |
| 31202 | Physiotherapists |
| 31203 | Occupational therapists |
| 31204 | Kinesiologists and other professional occupations in therapy and assessment |
| 31209 | Other professional occupations in health diagnosing and treating |
| 31300 | Nursing coordinators and supervisors |
| 31301 | Registered nurses and registered psychiatric nurses |
| 31302 | Nurse practitioners |
| 31303 | Physician assistants, midwives and allied health professionals |
| 32100 | Opticians |
| 32101 | Licensed practical nurses |
| 32102 | Paramedical occupations |
| 32103 | Respiratory therapists, clinical perfusionists and cardiopulmonary technologists |
| 32104 | Animal health technologists and veterinary technicians |
| 32109 | Other technical occupations in therapy and assessment |
| 32110 | Denturists |
| 32111 | Dental hygienists and dental therapists |
| 32112 | Dental technologists and technicians |
| 32120 | Medical laboratory technologists |
| 32121 | Medical radiation technologists |
| 32122 | Medical sonographers |
| 32123 | Cardiology technologists and electrophysiological diagnostic technologists |
| 32124 | Pharmacy technicians |
| 32129 | Other medical technologists and technicians |
| 32200 | Traditional Chinese medicine practitioners and acupuncturists |
| 32201 | Massage therapists |
| 32209 | Other practitioners of natural healing |
| 33100 | Dental assistants and dental laboratory assistants |
| 33101 | Medical laboratory assistants and related technical occupations |
| 33102 | Nurse aides, orderlies and patient service associates |
| 33103 | Pharmacy technical assistants and pharmacy assistants |
| 33109 | Other assisting occupations in support of health services |
Canada’s Ongoing Efforts to attract Skilled Talent
With the new PNP pathways, Canada continues to strengthen its appeal to skilled immigrants. They simplify the immigration process for essential sectors such as health care and agriculture.
These pathways align with Canada’s ongoing efforts to meet labour demands. It supports economic growth and the development of vital industries.
Canada’s focus is on immigration pathways and credential recognition. It will help attract skilled talent to fill in-demand jobs. These will benefit both newcomers and employers.
Skilled professionals in agriculture and health care now have a clearer path to establish their careers in Canada. It contributes to Canada’s growing economy and enhances the quality of life for its residents.
