The CAN Work Philippines is a pilot program introduced at the IRCC’s visa office in Manila that will help streamline the processing of work permits for Canadian employers recruiting in the Philippines. The initiative is set to benefit eligible Canadian employers and allows them to organize group appointments for medical examinations and collection of biometrics.
Who is it open to
The program is currently open to Canadian employers recruiting in the Philippines. Such employers must be hiring 50 or more workers for critical occupations in either:
- Healthcare
- Construction and
- Agri-food
Employers must also demonstrate their commitment to fair and ethical recruitment guidelines published by the International Organization for Migration (IOM).
Who is eligible for a Canadian work permit
A work permit is a temporary document that allows foreign nationals to work in Canada. A Work permit comes in two forms:
- An Employer-Specific work permit allows holders to work for a specific Canadian employer for a specified time at a set location.
- An Open Work permit that allows its holder to work for any Canadian employer who is not listed as ineligible.
All applicants for a Canadian work permit must:
- Prove to an officer that they will leave Canada after the expiration of their work permit
- Have enough money to take care of themselves and their family members
- Obey the law and have no previous record of criminal activity
- Not be a danger to Canada’s security
- Be in good health and undergo a medical exam if necessary
- Not working for an employer listed as ineligible
- Be willing and able to provide any documents required to prove they can enter Canada
Applicants applying from outside Canada must also comply with the regulations and requirements of their local visa office.
The need to streamline work permit processing
The streamlining efforts are necessary to support Canada’s labour market needs. Currently, immigration accounts for almost 100% of the country’s labour force growth and will account for nearly all population growth in the future.
The fresh stream of labour force is necessary for an aging population whose worker-to-retiree ratio is projected to reach 2:1 by 2035.
Healthcare, Construction and Agri-food
Healthcare, construction and agri-food sectors are among the key sectors targeted by the IRCC in 2023, mainly due to the domestic demand for workers in such categories. To put it into perspective, Canada had over 96,200 unfilled positions in the healthcare sector during the fourth quarter of 2022.
Philippines immigration numbers
The Philippines constantly ranks among Canada’s topmost source countries for newcomers. In 2022, the Philippines accounted for 22,070 or 5.04% of all immigrants to Canada. According to the 2021 Census of Population, 719,580 of Canada’s immigrant population claims the Philippines as their birthplace.
