Record of Work Permit Issued by Canada

In 2022, the number of work permits that became valid reached a new record of 608,420 in Canada. 

This represents an increase of almost 200,000 permits compared to the previous year, when only 414,000 permits were granted.

 The work permits were distributed through the two main paths available for obtaining a work permit in Canada – the International Mobility Program (IMP) and the Temporary Foreign Worker Program (TFWP).

In 2022, the majority of individuals holding work permits who entered Canada (77%) did so through the International Mobility Program (IMP). Specifically, a total of 472,070 work permits were granted under the IMP during that year.

In contrast, the remaining 25% of work permits (136,350) were granted to workers through the Temporary Foreign Worker Program (TFWP).

Both the International Mobility Program (IMP) and the TFWP have experienced increases in the number of work permits that have become valid each year. For instance, in 2019, there were only 303,545 effective work permits under the IMP. Following a slight decrease in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the number of IMP permits rebounded to 310,660 in 2021. This represents an increase of more than 55%, since 2019!

In 2019, the TFWP allowed 98,030 work permits to become effective. The number of effective permits decreased in 2020, similar to IMP work permits, but rebounded to 103,340 in 2021. Therefore, there has been a 39% increase in the number of work permits that have become effective under the TFWP since 2019. 

What are the TFWP and the IMP?

Both the TFWP and IMP provide work permits for temporary foreign workers to live and work in Canada, but they have important distinctions. The TFWP enables Canadian employers to grant work permits to TFWs as a response to genuine labor shortages. The most significant contrast between TFWP and IMP is the necessity of obtaining a Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA), which is a government assessment of the impact of hiring a foreign national on the Canadian job market. To issue a work permit under TFWP, an LMIA is required. Work permits provided under TFWP are generally employer-specific/LMIA-based, unlike the open work permits issued under IMP.

In contrast, the purpose of the IMP is to promote Canada’s broad economic, social, and cultural objectives. When issuing work permits under the IMP, there is usually consideration for reciprocity between the applicant’s country and Canada or the significant cultural or economic benefits that come with hiring a TFW. The IMP includes programs like Global Talent Stream, International Experience Canada, and Significant Benefit work permit program, among others. 

Unlike the TFWP, the Canadian government does not use an LMIA system when issuing work permits under the IMP since its scope is broader. Applicants under the IMP usually receive open work permits, which allow them to work in most industries and for most employers. In contrast, the employer-specific permits issued under the TFWP are generally tied to working with a particular employer in a specific industry.

What IMP streams were the most permits to come into effect?

In 2022, the majority of effective permits under the IMP were issued to medical residents and fellows, as well as post-graduate employment applicants, making up 36% of the total permits collectively. Charitable or religious workers accounted for 29% of effective permits, while spouses of skilled workers received 5%, post-doctoral PhD fellows and award recipients received 4%, intra-company transfers received 2%, and the International Experience Canada (IEC) program accounted for 2% of effective permits. The remaining 8% were classified as “Other IMP participants,” which encompasses all other applicants who received an IMP work permit but did not fall under the specific program streams.

It’s worth noting that there have been some significant policy changes, such as the reduced requirements for physicians who want to apply for immigration and improved accreditation measures for foreign-trained medical professionals. This change aims to address the massive labor shortages in healthcare and social assistance across Canada, which is why medical residents and fellows are prevalent among IMP permit holders.

Additionally, Canada has allowed the spouses of some skilled workers to apply for open work permits to help tackle the current labor shortages. IRCC has also announced an increase in the program intake for the IEC for the same reason.

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