Canada Speeds Up Work Permits for Nigerians and Others

Canada is enhancing its utilization of automation technologies to streamline the processing of work permit extensions and Post-Graduation Work Permits (PGWPs) more effectively for Nigerians and others.

As outlined in a recent statement by Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC), innovative automated tools will be employed to assess and manage work permit extension and PGWP applications based on their level of complexity. This strategic implementation is expected to expedite decision-making for certain applicants.

The statement says “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 emphasized that Canada regularly reviews its tools to ensure their functionality aligns with the intended purpose and maintains consistency with applications subject to comprehensive human review. It further clarified that application refusals and recommendations for refusal can only be made by an IRCC officer, with automated tools serving a supportive role in the process.

What a work permit entails

A work permit is an official legal document that grants an individual the authority to lawfully seek employment, work, and earn income in a foreign nation. In response to Canada’s aging population and declining birth rate, which have led to a reduction in its labor force, the country has intensified its efforts to attract a substantial influx of young and dynamic immigrants through immigrant-friendly policies. 

According to recent job vacancy statistics from Statistics Canada, there were 153,000 unfilled positions in the healthcare and social assistance sector in April 2023, marking the highest vacancy rate among all employment sectors. 

In the previous year, the Canadian federal government unveiled an ambitious plan to admit 500,000 immigrants annually by 2025, with nearly 1.5 million new immigrants expected to arrive in the country over the next three years.

In 2022, Canada welcomed 437,120 Permanent Residents (PRs), marking an almost eight percent rise compared to the previous year’s PR figures, as reported by IRCC. Specifically, the number of Nigerian Permanent Residents increased significantly by 41.9 percent, reaching 22,130 individuals last year compared to 15,595 in the preceding year.