Economic Mobility Pathways Pilot (EMPP)as the second phase of the EMPP, to help skilled refugees immigrate to Canada through existing economic programs to support Canadian labour market needs.
Starting December 3, 2021, EMPP phase 2 will help settle up to 500 skilled refugees, and their families, in Canada.
The pilot combines refugee resettlement and economic immigration, and is assessed using economic immigration requirements.
Introduction
The EMPP will help applicants apply for specific economic immigration programs. Through this pilot, IRCC will:
- make it easier to apply and meet the eligibility requirements for the economic program
- waive the application and biometric fees
- review and process your application as quickly possible
- let you use loans to meet the financial requirements to support yourself and your family when you come to Canada
- These loans are not yet available. IRCC will share more details when they’re ready.
Requirements
There are 2 sets of eligibility requirements you must meet to apply for the Economic Mobility Pathways Pilot (EMPP).
1. You must be eligible for the EMPP
You must meet the following requirements:
- you’re a convention or country of asylum refugee.
- you have one of these documents:
- a valid, positive Refugee Status Determination (RSD) from the UNHCR or a refugee-hosting state
- a document that shows you’re a registered or recorded asylum seeker abroad
- a “person of concern” letter issued by the UNHCR for the EMPP
- This document isn’t available from the UNHCR yet. We’ll provide an update when it is.
- you’re outside Canada and your country of persecution
- you have no durable solution in a third country
- you’re admissible to Canada
2. You must be eligible for an economic immigration program
You must be eligible for one of the following economic immigration programs:
- Atlantic Immigration Pilot (AIP) High-Skilled Program
- Atlantic Immigration Pilot (AIP) Intermediate-Skilled Program
- Provincial Nominee Program (PNP)
- Rural and Northern Immigration Pilot (RNIP)
If you want to apply for the AIP or RNIP programs: As part of the EMPP, you’re exempt from some eligibility requirements for the AIP and RNIP programs listed above:
- You don’t need to prove you worked the required number of hours within the specified 3-year timeframe. Instead, you only need to show you worked the required number of hours in general, before you submit your application.
- You can apply for a loan to meet the requirement of having enough money to support yourself and your family when you come to Canada
These exemptions do not apply to the PNP program. The province or territory will determine their own requirements.
Application Steps
There are 2 applications you must complete for the Economic Mobility Pathways Pilot (EMPP):
1. Submit an application for the Economic Immigration Program.
- Atlantic Immigrant Pilot (AIP) Advanced Skilled Program
- Atlantic Immigrant Pilot (AIP) Intermediate Skilled Program
- Provincial Nominee Program (PNP)
- Remote Area and Northern Immigrant Pilot (RNIP)
Apply according to the application requirements for each immigration program.
2. Submit the EMPP application.
Step 1: Meet the application requirements
- Submit an EMPP application only after you have completed an EMPP application
- This application must be included with the EMPP application.
- You will need to submit both applications together, using only the EMPP application instructions (full instruction guide can be found on the IRCC website).
Step 2: Prepare documents and forms
Step 3: Complete the forms
Step 4: Submit your application
Application Processing
Once the application is submitted, IRCC will review and process the application in 2 stages.
- Stage 1: Ensure that the all documents and forms submitted meet the requirements and are not missing
- Stage 2: Review if you’re eligible and admissible to Canada