A Guide to Canadian Immigration Pathways for Health Service Support Workers

 In the next seven years, there will be increased chances for foreign nationals with qualifications in healthcare-related roles to secure permanent residence in Canada. This opportunity will arise through specialized Express Entry draws focusing on occupations essential to the healthcare sector.

These eligible healthcare roles encompass a variety of positions, such as:

1. Audiometric assistants
2. Audiometric technicians
3. Autopsy assistants
4. Blood donor clinic assistants
5. Cast room technicians
6. Chiropractic assistants
7. Clinical laboratory helpers
8. Morgue attendants
9. Ophthalmic assistants
10. Ophthalmic laboratory technicians – retail
11. Ophthalmic lens grinders
12. Ophthalmologist assistants
13. Optical laboratory assistants
14. Optometrist assistants
15. Orthopedic technologists
16. Sterile processing technicians

This initiative is part of the Canadian immigration system's focus on attracting skilled individuals to contribute to the healthcare sector and meet the country's growing demands.

Addressing Workforce Needs through Immigration Reforms

There's promising news for individuals in health service support occupations, as indicated by the federal government's Job Bank. In early November, the Job Bank, a website dedicated to job hunting and career planning, listed a total of 128 job opportunities in Canada for these assisting occupations supporting health services.

These particular roles fall under the National Occupational Classification (NOC) 2021 system, identified with the code 33109. According to the Job Bank's assessment, job prospects for workers in these support occupations are classified as follows:

• Very good in Manitoba and Saskatchewan over the next three years.
• Good in Alberta, New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador, Nova Scotia, Ontario, and the Yukon.
• Moderate in Quebec, Prince Edward Island, and British Columbia.

This positive outlook suggests a growing demand for workers in health service support occupations across various provinces, making it an opportune time for individuals in these fields to explore career opportunities in Canada.

Top of Form

The Canadian Occupational Projection System (COPS) website anticipates shortages of healthcare workers across the country in the coming years due to the aging Canadian population.

According to COPS, the growing number of seniors is expected to lead to an increased demand for diagnostic services. Furthermore, the introduction of new medical technologies and techniques, along with more advanced equipment, is projected to escalate the demand for technologists.

In response to these shortages, Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has taken steps to address the situation. They've modified Canada's Express Entry system, allowing it to target 82 specific jobs in healthcare, technology, trades, transport, and agriculture, including other assisting occupations in support of health services. This adjustment not only addresses workforce needs but also opens a new pathway for Canadian immigration, providing an opportunity for skilled individuals in these fields to contribute to the country's healthcare sector.

Revolutionizing Canadian Immigration

In May of this year, Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) extended eligibility for immigration to Canada through Express Entry occupation-targeted draws to all workers in the specified occupations.

Previously, the flagship Express Entry system primarily conducted draws based on immigration programs rather than targeting specific occupations. The change is a response to widespread reports of chronic labor shortages across the country, as emphasized by then-Immigration Minister Sean Fraser.

Fraser expressed, "In all my interactions, I've consistently heard concerns from employers nationwide grappling with persistent labor shortages. The modifications to the Express Entry system aim to guarantee access to the skilled workforce essential for growth and success. This initiative not only fosters economic development and aids businesses facing labor shortages but also seeks to augment the pool of French-proficient candidates, contributing to the vitality of French-speaking communities."

For workers in these assisting occupations in support of health services in Canada, the median hourly wage is $21, with variations ranging from a low of $15 to a high of $28, as reported by Job Bank.

What is Canadian immigration system? How it Works? If you want to know details about it, click here.

Opportunities and Changes in Canadian Immigration Policies

Workers in Health Service Support Occupations have the potential to earn up to $54,600 annually in Canada, based on a standard 37.5-hour work week.

For those aspiring to immigrate through Express Entry occupation-targeted draws, a minimum of six months of continuous work experience in Canada or abroad within the past three years in one of these occupations is required for eligibility. This experience can be acquired while working in Canada as a temporary foreign worker with a valid work permit or as an international student with a valid student visa.

The changes announced in May have made Express Entry streams, including the Federal Skilled Worker (FSW) program, Federal Skilled Trades (FST) program, Canadian Experience Class (CEC), and parts of the Provincial Nominee Programs (PNP), more responsive to labor market needs.

Canada signaled its intent to conduct occupation-specific draws through Express Entry in June of the previous year, amending the Immigration, Refugee, and Protection Act to allow invitations based on specific occupations and other attributes like language proficiency.

For several years, provinces throughout Canada have been issuing invitations specific to occupations. The amended act mandates the immigration minister to consult various stakeholders, including provinces, territories, industry members, unions, employers, workers, advocacy groups, settlement providers, and immigration researchers, before announcing new categories. Additionally, the Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) is obligated to report annually to parliament on the chosen categories and the reasons behind those choices.

According to Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC), the number of occupations facing shortages doubled between 2019 and 2021. Federal high-skilled admissions accounted for a significant percentage of overall French-speaking admissions outside Quebec from 2018 to 2022, while Quebec manages its immigration intake.