Refugee, undocumented health-care workers demand access to permanent resident program

OTTAWA —
Refugees and undocumented health-care workers have demanded they be allowed to apply for a government program that would grant them permanent status in Canada.

The temporary resident to permanent resident pathway program was announced in April as a way to keep skilled essential workers in the country, with a focus on hospital and long-term care workers.

While the government has already received the maximum number of applications for recent university graduates and other essential workers, there have been few applicants accepted to the health-care stream.

The Migrant Workers Alliance for Change says that’s because refugees and undocumented people are barred from applying, and many health-care occupations are excluded.

The program is set to close to applications on Nov. 5, with so far nearly 15,000 spots in the health-care stream still unfilled.

Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 20, 2021.