Canada Fast-Tracks Work Permits For Nigeria, Others

Canada is expanding its use of automation technologies to process work permit extensions and Post-Graduation Work Permit (PGWPs) more efficiently.

According to a statement by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) last month, new automated tools will be used to help process work permit extensions and PGWP applications according to their complexity, which will help enable quicker decisions for some applicants.

“Automated tools are part of IRCC’s commitment to using technology responsibly to build a stronger immigration system for the benefit of all of our clients,” the statement said.

It said the country’s tools are reviewed routinely to make sure they work as intended and that the results are consistent with applications that receive a full human review.

“Only an IRCC officer can refuse an application; the automated tools do not refuse or recommend refusing applications,” it added.

A work permit is a legal document that officially authorises a person to seek work, get employed, and earn an income in a foreign country, legally.

Canada’s aging population and lower birth rate has been shrinking its labour force, forcing it to intensify its efforts to attract large, young and vibrant immigrants by offering immigration-friendly policies.

According to a recent job vacancy data by Statistics Canada, there were 153,000 vacant positions in health care and social assistance in April 2023, the highest level across all employment sectors.

Last year, the Canadian federal government unveiled an aggressive plan to take in 500,000 immigrants a year by 2025, with almost 1.5 million new immigrants coming to the country over the next three years.

The country landed 437,120 Permanent Residents in 2022, a nearly eight percent increase from the total number of PRs in 2021, according to IRCC.

For Nigeria, it grew by 41.9 percent to 22,130 last year from 15,595 in the previous year.