In August 2024, Canada’s federal government included its plans to introduce a permanent residence pathway for workers in TEER 4 and 5 roles. The details were sparse at the time, but it seemed as though the planned pathway would operate similarly to the Canadian Experience Class.
Unfortunately, it seems that planned pathway is no longer part of the federal government’s plans for economic immigration.
Background
Workers in TEER 4 and 5 roles typically rely on provincial nominations to immigrate to Canada.
The federal government’s plan to introduce a direct pathway to permanent residence for workers in these lower-skilled roles was announced in August 2024. The initial release from Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has now been pulled from the website, and no mention of the program has been made in the forward regulatory plans, which provide details about upcoming planned changes to Canada’s federal immigration system.
It's also worth remembering that the government slashed Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) targets for 2025-2027 by 50%. This means that, today, it’s harder than ever for workers currently in Canada in a TEER 4 or 5 role to transition to permanent residence.
What’s Happened Here?
In this case, it’s more a matter of what hasn’t happened. While the government announced this last year, it has quietly been removed from any of the government documents detailing what’s coming in Canadian immigration.
Why?
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Well, we aren’t sure. The government hasn’t made any announcements regarding the program and what happened to it.
But there are some guesses.
The Globe and Mail released an opinion piece highlighting that lower-skilled workers tend to fit into lower-wage positions, which may be contrary to the purposes of Canada’s economic immigration system. There is also growing discussion in Canada about low-wage roles and how to make these more attractive to Canadian workers, especially in a climate of quite high unemployment in Canada.
Permanent Residence Options for TEER 4 and 5 Workers
To be frank, options are quite limited. Workers currently in TEER 4 and 5 occupations who aren’t qualified for category-based draws can consider the following:
Learning French to qualify for a Francophone Community Immigration Pilot. We’ve partnered with Focus Frame French to bring you a discount of up to $50/month on classes run by native French speakers. Just use the code M2C at checkout.
Move to regional areas that are attracting PNP nominations (just be certain that you’re eligible), or regional areas covered by the Rural Community Immigration Pilot.
Continue on as a temporary resident using LMIA-supported work permits, or temporary work permits that are LMIA-exempt.
Apply through the family class if you are (legitimately) married to or common-law with a Canadian permanent resident or citizen.
We’ll keep you posted on any updates from the federal government about this pathway.
Rebecca and Steph
The Moving2Canada team
