The Honorable Marc Miller, Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC), has launched a pilot program called CAN Work Philippines at IRCC’s visa office in Manila. The program aims to streamline work permit processing for eligible Canadian employers and allow them to schedule group appointments for medical examinations and biometrics for potential employees. This will enable skilled workers from the Philippines to come to Canada.
The pilot is designed for Canadian employers recruiting in the Philippines and hiring approximately 50 or more workers, or for critical occupations such as health care, construction, and agri-food. Employers must demonstrate their commitment to fair and ethical recruitment guidelines, as published by the International Organization for Migration (IOM), to participate in the program.
IRCC is also providing $200,000 to the IOM to support the adoption of fair and ethical recruitment standards in the Philippines. The funding will help IOM work with the Government of the Philippines, conduct training sessions, and promote the IOM’s Fair and Ethical Recruitment Due Diligence Toolkit to organizations that are either involved or have an interest in recruiting talent in the Philippines.
According to Marc Miller, “The CAN Work Philippines pilot will give Canada an important advantage in the global race for talent and support our industries in addressing labour market shortages. At the same time, the funding to the IOM demonstrates our continued commitment to fair and ethical recruitment practices and will help ensure the health, safety, and quality of life of temporary foreign workers.”
This pilot program will help strengthen social ties between Canada and the Philippines while addressing critical labor shortages in Canada’s economy. The Philippines is a significant source of newcomers to Canada
