TORONTO – Skilled workers from across the world and especially from the refugee community can now play a part in the Canadian workforce as the country has announced two new Economic Mobility Pathways Pilot (EMPP) streams, fulfilling an earlier commitment.
Sean Fraser, Minister of Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship, announced on Monday that the country has launched new EMPP streams to provide Canadian employers with the opportunity to access a talent pool of skilled refugees and other displaced people from across the world.
Though candidates can also continue to apply through existing regional EMPP economic pathways, the fresh streams would allow the refugees to better start their careers, and that too not from scratch.
The Canadian authorities say that by implementing efficiencies and improvements learned through collaboration with partners during the rollout of the first EMPP streams, newcomers using the EMPP will now be able to move to the country and start working more quickly.
An interesting aspect of the new streams is that they also reduce barriers to access since candidates do not need Canadian work experience to apply; of the two new streams announced, one is tailored to candidates who have a job offer from a Canadian employer and the second is available to highly-skilled refugees without job offers.
‘Talent Beyond Boundaries hosts a talent catalog with over 65,000 skilled refugees who want to move for work, and a growing network of partners around the world who are adding to that number daily. The new federal pathway for EMPP will have a transformative impact on labour shortages across Canada, in key sectors like health care, tourism and hospitality, and construction, as well as on the lives of displaced people. Congratulations to the Government of Canada for continuing its international leadership in refugee labour mobility,’ Sean Fraser said.
According to an official press release, through the EMPP Federal Skills Job Offer Stream, Canadian employers can hire qualified candidates to fill a wide range of in-demand jobs, including nurse aides, personal support workers, long-term care aides, software engineers, web designers, mechanical and electrical engineers and technicians, logistics and warehouse workers, tourism and hospitality workers, and truck and delivery service drivers.
On the other hand, the EMPP Federal Skills Without a Job Offer Stream recognizes that certain candidates have skills that are in high enough demand that they will find work after they arrive in Canada.
It merits mentioning that eligibility to apply for the EMPP under the new economic streams is based on a candidate’s work experience, education and language skills.
Moreover, to apply for the EMPP through the job offer stream, candidates must meet minimum requirements for language, past work experience and education; however, they do not need to show proof of an education credential assessment or proof of settlement funds.
On the other hand, to apply for the EMPP through the EMPP Federal Skills Without a Job Offer Stream (no job offer stream), candidates must meet higher requirements for language, past work experience and education because they will need to find work after they arrive in Canada. They also need to show proof of an education credential assessment and have a certain amount of funds available to show that they are able to establish themselves in Canada.
The streams are a welcome step against the backdrop of the fact that they give refugees and other displaced people the chance to make the most of their skills to improve not only their lives and those of their families but also the communities and workplaces that welcome them.
