Dear Designated and Job Vacancy Assessment Approved Employers, Provincial Nominees, and Atlantic Immigration Pilot Program Endorsees, Applicants, Post-Secondary, and Community Partners;
As the COVID-19 pandemic evolves, the Office of Immigration and Multiculturalism (OIM), Department of Immigration, Population Growth and Skills is staying up-to-date on the latest developments and our team continues to work with employers and nominees/endorsees/applicants to address individual situations as they arise.
Further to our previous correspondence, we advise that travel restrictions and exemptions affecting temporary foreign workers (migrant workers), which includes provincial nominees and endorsees, have now been implemented by the Government of Canada. This means migrant workers are exempt from travel restrictions, and may travel to Canada by air or land. However, employers must be cognizant of a number of conditions (please see Federal Immigration Updates section below).
As this situation is evolving quickly, please visit the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador COVID-19 website for related updates on provincial programs and services.
Provincial immigration-related updates will continue to be posted in the News and Updates section of the OIM website.
Federal immigration-related updates will continue to be posted on the Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) COVID-19 page.
Our office has compiled a series of links related to provincial and federal updates on immigration. Below you will find categorize provincial and federal immigration updates:
Provincial Immigration-Related Updates:
MCP Coverage:
On March 31, 2020, Premier Dwight Ball announced MCP coverage has been extended for residents, including temporary workers and international students, until June 30, 2020. Full details of the extension, including information on MCP contacts for further questions, is available here.
Provincial Immigration Processing Updates:
OIM continues to accept Newfoundland and Labrador Provincial Nominee Program (NLPNP) applications through the online application portal.
OIM no longer accepts NLPNP paper applications. OIM will contact individual applicants who submitted paper applications before March 10, 2020, to provide next steps in the application process. For more information on the transition to the electronic system, please visit the OIM page on NLPNP transition to electronic applications.
OIM no longer accepts Atlantic Immigration Pilot Program (AIP) paper applications. Employers are asked to scan and send AIP applications by email to immigration@gov.nl.ca. Employees who are in the process of providing documentation to employers as part of an AIP application should do so electronically.
If you are a designated employer, your designation will remain valid until further notice. Designated employers can contact their assigned Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada officer with the Federal Dedicated Service Channel. For provincial enquiries, please email immigration@gov.nl.ca.
OIM continues to process Job Vacancy Assessment (JVA) applications.
Workers and employers are required to inform OIM of any changes in their status, including reduction in working hours, temporary layoffs, or other changes in employment. The OIM team will work with employers and nominees and endorsees to address challenges as they arise.
Provincially-funded Settlement and Integration Programs and Projects
OIM has extended all annual agreements past the March 31, 2020, timeline to accommodate community partners that have been unable to complete their project deliverables, and to provide organizations with an opportunity to adjust to new delivery methods, including online and via phone.
Newcomers and employers with questions regarding settlement and integration services are encouraged to contact the Association for New Canadians or the COMPAS Francophone settlement service via phone or e-mail.
Federal Immigration Processing Updates:
Visitors, International Workers, Students Travel Update:
Migrant workers and international students are exempt from travel restrictions, and can enter Canada by air or land. If travelling by air, workers need to pass a health check conducted by the airlines before being allowed to board the flight. Anyone who shows symptoms of COVID-19 will not be allowed to enter Canada by air. When arriving in Canada, workers will be assessed prior to leaving the port of entry. It is important that workers confirm that their employer continues to be operational, and that they have a plan to self-isolate upon arrival, before travelling to Canada. Workers should not proceed to Canada at this time if their employer is no longer offering them a job. Workers whose employment offer still stands and who enter Canada must isolate for 14 days, even if they have no symptoms. This is mandatory. Employers are responsible for ensuring that workers that come to the province self-isolate for 14 days. The federal government has circulated information to employers hiring migrant workers at this time, which is attached in this notice. We encourage you to follow the latest federal COVID-19-related immigration updates and how it is affecting the flow of temporary residents into Canada by visiting the federal website.
International Workers Traveling to Canada
Temporary foreign workers are now able to enter Canada if they show no symptoms.
The travel restriction exemptions that were announced are now in place. If a migrant worker is exempt, they can now travel to Canada. There is still a requirement that travel not be optional or non-discretionary.
If travelling by air, individuals will need to pass a health check before being allowed to board the flight. Anyone who shows symptoms of COVID-19 will not be allowed to enter Canada by air.
When the individual arrives in Canada, their health will be assessed before they leave the port of entry. They must self-isolate for 14 days even if they have no symptoms. This is mandatory.
Only people who provide essential services and truck drivers who regularly cross the border to maintain the flow of goods are exempt from the isolation requirements.
Temporary residents who are currently in Canada are able to apply to extend their status online if they need to extend their status. A temporary resident who has applied to extend their status is allowed to remain in Canada until a decision is made on their new application, even if their initial status expires while they are waiting for that decision. This is called implied status.
Workers must not travel to a port of entry (POE) to apply directly to a border services officer. Travelling to a POE from inside Canada for the purpose of getting immigration services is not considered essential travel, and workers will not receive these services. The Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada COVID-19 page will be updated to provide alternative options, as they are developed.
Priority Temporary Foreign Worker Application Processing:
For all employers availing of the Temporary Foreign Worker Program, the Government of Canada will be extending the period of validity of a labour market impact assessment from 6 to 9 months, to allow employers more time to identify candidates and bring them to Canada.
For employers of workers in the low-wage stream, a three year pilot will be in place, allowing the maximum duration of Labour Market Impact Assessments to increase from 1 to 2 years.
For employers of workers in occupations related to agriculture and food processing, removing minimum recruitment requirements for the next 6 months (i.e. until October 31, 2020) and offering priority processing.
The Government of Canada will accelerate the name change process, reducing the processing time from five to one business day to allow employer to switch candidates.
Employers are responsible for extraordinary costs incurred to meet the public health requirements for temporary foreign workers. If there are any additional measures to support employers, the Federal Government will provide information on such measures.
OIM understands that currently, Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC) is currently prioritizing the Labour Market Impact Assessments (LMIA) of the following 10 National Occupational Classification Codes for migrant workers (Temporary Foreign Workers):
- 6331 – Butchers, meat cutters and fishmongers – retail and wholesale
- 7511 – Transport Truck drivers
- 8252 – Agricultural service contractors, farm supervisors and specialized livestock workers
- 8431 – General farm workers
- 8432 – Nursery and greenhouse workers
- 8611 – Harvesting labourers
- 9462 – Industrial butchers and meat cutters, poultry preparers and related workers
- 9463 – Fish and seafood plant workers
- 9617 – Labourers in food, beverage and associated products processing
- 9618 – Labourers in fish and seafood processing
Employment Insurance and Canada Emergency Response Benefit Eligibility for International Workers and International Students/Graduates:
The Government of Canada has announced changes to benefit workers by changing some Employment Insurance (EI) eligibility requirements as well as by creating the new Canada Emergency Response Benefit (CERB). International students and graduates, as well as international workers (migrant workers, nominees, endorsees) are eligible for both programs, as long as they meet minimum hours and other requirements outlined in the federal criteria:
Canada Emergency Response Benefit (CERB)
Applicable for employees who are facing unemployment; who are sick, quarantined, or in directed self-isolation; or who are unable to work due to COVID-19. Full details are available on the Canada Revenue Agency CERB application page. Workers may need to create a My Account login with the Canada Revenue Agency prior to the launch of the application of the CERB during the week of April 6, 2020. On the website, workers can also see the schedule for applying next week, based on their month of birth.
Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada’s (IRCC) Processing Capacity:
Overseas processing capacity has been significantly reduced, with some IRCC offices closing temporarily and others with reduced capacity. IRCC offices inside Canada are operating with essential staff only. Applications will not necessarily be refused for non-compliance, and all applications currently in the process at IRCC offices will be processed; however, due to office closures and some offices working with essential staff only, there will be processing delays. Some Visa Application Centers are closed until further notice. See which IRCC offices are temporarily closed: Find a visa application center
Biometrics
All biometric collection services at Service Canada locations have been suspended until further notice. Some Visa Application centres are closed as well: Find a visa application center. Please continue to visit the Government of Canada biometrics page for updates on when biometrics will be available.
Permanent Residence Applications
Individuals who were approved for permanent residence on or before the travel restrictions were implemented on March 18, 2020, but who have not landed yet, will be exempt from travel restriction measures. However, if they are unable to travel to Canada before their documents expire, IRCC is currently developing a process to facilitate this. More information is available on the IRCC COVID-19 Special Measures page.
Individuals who had their Permanent Residence application approved, and are already in Canada
IRCC will issue alternative landing information soon. In the meantime, individuals must NOT go to a port of entry for landing.
Dependents of individuals in Canada
The dependents of individuals in Canada, if overseas, will be able to come to Canada if they were approved for permanent residence before the travel restrictions were implemented on March 18, 2020.
Please note the individual in Canada must become a permanent resident before the arrival of their dependents. More information on this is available on the IRCC COVID-19 Special Measures page on Permanent Residents.
Please share the link to this update with anyone you think may benefit from the information. If you have any questions about immigration programs in Newfoundland and Labrador, please do not hesitate to contact OIM by sending us an e-mail at immigration@gov.nl.ca
Stay safe, everyone!
Office of Immigration and Multiculturalism team, Department of Advanced Education, Skills and Labour