Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada has announced a new pathway for permanent residency for 90,000 essential workers and international graduates who are currently in Canada.

The new policy is expected to grant permanent status to temporary workers and graduates who possess the skills and experience the country needs to fight the pandemic and achieve an economic recovery.

Health care and other eligible essential workers who have at least one year of Canadian work experience will be able to apply, as well as international graduates who have completed an eligible Canadian post-secondary program within the last four years. Graduates and workers must have proficiency in one of Canada’s official languages; meet general admissibility requirements; and be present, authorized to work and working in Canada at the time of their application to qualify. They also must be residing in any Canadian province other than Quebec.

This new program is due to open in May 6, and will accept up to 50,000 applications from health care and other essential workers and 40,000 applications from international students who graduated from a Canadian institution.

This new policy will help the government meet its 2021 goal to accept 401,000 new permanent residents in spite of the COVID-19 travel restrictions limiting the number of newcomers landing in the country.