Ottawa has decided to prolong its Economic Mobility Pathways Pilot program, which was set to conclude, due to a strong response from employers, particularly from universities concerned about its expiration. This initiative, launched in 2018 to facilitate permanent residency for skilled refugees, will now remain active until the year's end, as officials believe it addresses critical labor shortages in various sectors.
Since its inception in 2019, approximately 970 skilled refugees have been welcomed into Canada through this program, which specifically targets the needs of Canadian employers for skilled labor. The announcement of the extension was met with approval from the business community, especially after universities pleaded with Immigration Minister Lena Diab for the program's continuation following reports of its upcoming lapse.
Carleton University in Ottawa has exemplified the program's impact by hiring a refugee from Sudan with a background in artificial intelligence research. This individual, who possesses a PhD in wireless communications, is currently awaiting necessary biometric checks to begin her role in Canada.
Norah Vollmer, who oversees faculty affairs at Carleton, expressed satisfaction with the program's extension and advocated for its establishment as a permanent fixture, along with improved application processing times for refugees in the job pipeline. The IRCC's statement on the extension highlighted the program's effectiveness in filling crucial job openings, particularly in healthcare and construction, with a noteworthy portion of accepted refugees already employed in these fields.
Despite the positive developments, concerns were raised regarding the cap of 950 refugee applications for this year, which Dana Wagner from TalentLift considered insufficient. She emphasized the need for swift action to transition to a permanent program with predictable processing timelines that align with the labor demands in Canada.
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