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That, in the opinion of the House, the government should develop and publicly release within 120 days following the adoption of this motion a comprehensive plan to expand the economic immigration stream to allow workers of all skill levels to meet the full range of labour needs and pathways to permanent residency for temporary foreign workers, including international students, with significant Canadian work experience in sectors with persistent labour shortages, and such plan should incorporate the following elements:

(a) amending eligibility criteria under economic immigration programs to give more weight to significant in-Canada work experience and expand the eligible occupational categories and work experience at various skills levels;

(b) examining evidence and data gathered from recent programs such as Temporary Resident to Permanent Resident Pathway, Atlantic Immigration Program (AIP), Rural and Northern Immigration Program (RNIP), and Agri-Food Pilot, and Provincial Nominee Process (PNP);

(c) incorporating data on labour market and skills shortages to align policy on immigrant-selection with persistent labour gaps;

(d) assessing ways to increase geographic distribution of immigration and encourage immigrant retention in smaller communities, as well as increase Francophone immigration outside Quebec;

(e) identifying mechanisms for ensuring flexibility in immigration-selection tools to react quicker to changes in labour market needs and regional economic priorities; and

(f) specifically considering occupations and essential sectors that are underrepresented in current economic immigration programs, such as health services, caregivers, agriculture, manufacturing, service industry, trades, and transportation.

How will Motion 44 Impact Immigrants?

Motion 44 is for permanent residency for temporary foreign workers in Canada and will expand immigration opportunities for many people. By passing the motion, workers with all skill levels will be able to meet the broad spectrum of labour needs and will be able to obtain permanent residency, including international students, with significant Canadian work experience in sectors with persistent labour shortages.

 Based on the 120-day timeline, Immigration Minister Sean Fraser has until September 8th, 2022, to develop a new program which will provide a pathway to permanent residence for temporary foreign workers, including international students, with significant Canadian work experience. 

On April 14th, 2022, briefing note “Introduction of Public Policy Measures Related to the Temporary Pathway to Permanent Residence Pathway” was sent to Immigration Minister Sean Fraser for signature. The details of this briefing note are not publicly available. This is, however, a sign that work has already started on the program. 

While details are not yet available, the text of M-44 makes it clear that the new program will be looking to target those with Canadian work experience in health services, caregiving, agriculture, manufacturing, the service industry, trades, and transportation. 

At this time, it is unknown what Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada will use as their baseline for “significant Canadian work experience.” If we look at last year’s TR to PR pathway, it required certain applicants to have 1 year of work experience (at least 1,560 hours) in the past 3 years. Recent international graduates were only required to be employed at the time of their application. 

Like last year’s TR to PR pathway, French speakers will be targeted. The TR to PR pathway had separate quotas for applicants who spoke French vs those who spoke English. The English programs filled up well before the French programs, giving French speakers the advantage of having more time to complete their applications. 

Another concern at this stage is where will the quota for this program come from? Will applicants under this program takes spots away from economic programs that use the Express Entry system likes last year’s TR to PR program did? This year’s immigration target for programs that use the Express Entry system is already half of its normal levels. If this new program comes into effect later this year, it could reduce the number of Invitations to Apply issued through Express Entry. 

At this time, no NOC codes have yet been specified. The previous TR to PR pathway targeted health services, caregiving, agriculture, manufacturing, the service industry, trades, and transportation as well. Under that program, the following NOC codes were targeted: 

NOC Code	Occupation Title
3011	Nursing co-ordinators and supervisors
3012	Registered nurses and registered psychiatric nurses
3111	Specialist physicians
3112	General practitioners and family physicians
3113	Dentists
3121	Optometrists
3122	Chiropractors
3124	Allied primary health practitioners
3125	Other professional occupations in health diagnosing and treating
3131	Pharmacists
3132	Dietitians and nutritionists
3141	Audiologists and speech-language pathologists
3142	Physiotherapists
3143	Occupational therapists
3144	Other professional occupations in therapy and assessment
3211	Medical laboratory technologists
3212	Medical laboratory technicians and pathologists’ assistants
3214	Respiratory therapists, clinical perfusionists and cardiopulmonary technologists
3215	Medical radiation technologists
3216	Medical sonographers
3217	Cardiology technologists and electrophysiological diagnostic technologists, n.e.c.
3219	Other medical technologists and technicians (except dental health)
3221	Denturists
3222	Dental hygienists and dental therapists
3223	Dental technologists, technicians and laboratory assistants
3231	Opticians
3232	Practitioners of natural healing
3233	Licensed practical nurses
3234	Paramedical occupations
3236	Massage therapists
3237	Other technical occupations in therapy and assessment
3411	Dental assistants
3413	Nurse aides, orderlies and patient service associates
3414	Other assisting occupations in support of health services
4151	Psychologists
4152	Social workers
4153	Family, marriage and other related counsellors
4165	Health policy researchers, consultants and program officers
4212	Social and community service workers
4412	Home support workers, housekeepers and related occupations
6611	Cashiers
6621	Service station attendants
6622	Store shelf stockers, clerks and order fillers
6623	Other sales related occupations
7201	Contractors and supervisors, machining, metal forming, shaping and erecting trades and related occupations
7202	Contractors and supervisors, electrical trades and telecommunications occupations
7203	Contractors and supervisors, pipefitting trades
7204	Contractors and supervisors, carpentry trades
7205	Contractors and supervisors, other construction trades, installers, repairers and servicers
7231	Machinists and machining and tooling inspectors
7232	Tool and die makers
7233	Sheet metal workers
7234	Boilermakers
7235	Structural metal and platework fabricators and fitters
7236	Ironworkers
7237	Welders and related machine operators
7241	Electricians (except industrial and power system)
7242	Industrial electricians
7243	Power system electricians
7244	Electrical power line and cable workers
7245	Telecommunications line and cable workers
7246	Telecommunications installation and repair workers
7247	Cable television service and maintenance technicians
7251	Plumbers
7252	Steamfitters, pipefitters and sprinkler system installers
7253	Gas fitters
7271	Carpenters
7272	Cabinetmakers
7281	Bricklayers
7282	Concrete finishers
7283	Tilesetters
7284	Plasterers, drywall installers and finishers and lathers
7291	Roofers and shinglers
7292	Glaziers
7293	Insulators
7294	Painters and decorators (except interior decorators)
7295	Floor covering installers
7441	Residential and commercial installers and servicers
7442	Waterworks and gas maintenance workers
7444	Pest controllers and fumigators
7445	Other repairers and servicers
7451	Longshore workers
7452	Material handlers
7511	Transport truck drivers
7512	Bus drivers, subway operators and other transit operators
7513	Taxi and limousine drivers and chauffeurs
7514	Delivery and courier service drivers
7521	Heavy equipment operators (except crane)
7522	Public works maintenance equipment operators and related workers
7531	Railway yard and track maintenance workers
7532	Water transport deck and engine room crew
7533	Boat and cable ferry operators and related occupations
7534	Air transport ramp attendants
7535	Other automotive mechanical installers and servicers
7611	Construction trades helpers and labourers
7612	Other trades helpers and labourers
7621	Public works and maintenance labourers
7622	Railway and motor transport labourers
8611	Harvesting labourers
8612	Landscaping and grounds maintenance labourers
8613	Aquaculture and marine harvest labourers
8614	Mine labourers
8615	Oil and gas drilling, servicing and related labourers
8616	Logging and forestry labourers
1511	Mail, postal and related workers
1512	Letter carriers
1513	Couriers, messengers and door-to-door distributors
6421	Retail salespersons
6731	Light duty cleaners
6732	Specialized cleaners
6733	Janitors, caretakers and building superintendents
8431	General farm workers
8432	Nursery and greenhouse workers
8441	Fishing vessel deckhands
8442	Trappers and hunters
9461	Process control and machine operators, food and beverage processing
9462	Industrial butchers and meat cutters, poultry preparers and related workers
9463	Fish and seafood plant workers
9465	Testers and graders, food and beverage processing
821	Managers in agriculture
822	Managers in horticulture
4031	French and French immersion secondary school teachers (language of instruction must be French)
4032	French and French immersion elementary school and kindergarten teachers (language of instruction must be French)
4411	Home child care providers
4413	Elementary and secondary school teacher assistants
6331	Retail butchers
6523	Airline ticket and service agents
6524	Ground and water transport ticket agents, cargo service representatives and related clerks
6541	Security guards and related security service occupations
6551	Customer services representatives – financial institutions
6552	Other customer and information services representatives
8252	Agricultural service contractors, farm supervisors and specialized livestock workers
8255	Contractors and supervisors, landscaping, grounds maintenance and horticulture services
9617	Labourers in food and beverage processing
9618	Labourers in fish and seafood processing