April 17, 2012

CIC Intends to Speed up Skilled Workers’ Transition from Temporary to Permanent Residence

Citizenship and Immigration Canada intends to reduce the work experience requirement for eligible temporary foreign workers applying to stay permanently. This will make it easier for skilled tradespersons working in Canada to transition to permanent residence.

Currently, applicants under the temporary foreign worker stream of the Canadian Experience Class (CEC) must have 24 months of full-time work experience within the last 36 months. Under the proposed regulatory changes, the requirement would be reduced to 12 months of experience.

International students and temporary foreign workers with highly skilled Canadian work experience can apply for permanent residence through the Canadian Experience Class program. The CEC was designed to support the economic success of immigrants by selecting those who are most likely to succeed in Canada’s labour market.