The federal government has doubled the scope of a program designed to grant permanent residency to out-of-status workers in the construction industry in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA).

Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC), in partnership with the Canadian Labour Congress (CLC) announced the program in 2019. At the time, the project was capped at 500 workers.

An announcement on January 20 by Toronto-area MPs Peter Fonseca and Julie Dzerowicz revealed the scope of the program would be doubled – to 1,000 out-of-status workers.

The government says the program acknowledges the critical role that construction workers play in building and growing cities, and offers them and their families a path to permanent residency so that they can stay long-term. The government also hopes the program will help bring a larger number of workers out of the underground economy.

“This pilot program is a significant step forward in addressing critical labour shortages for the Greater Toronto Area by supporting stability in the construction industry and bringing workers out of the underground economy,” said Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Minister Sean Fraser. “By providing regular pathways for out-of-status migrants, we are not only protecting workers and their families, but also safeguarding Canada’s labour market and ensuring that we can retain the skilled workers we need to grow our economy and build our communities.”

Under the pilot, applicants who have significant work experience in construction occupations in the GTA, family members in Canada, a referral letter from the CLC and no reason for being inadmissible other than overstaying their visa and working without authorization may be able to apply for permanent residence in Canada.

Eligible individuals have until January 2, 2024 to apply for permanent residence and can include their spouses, partners and dependent children in their application.

Applicants can identify themselves to the CLC, whose officials will determine their eligibility and refer them to IRCC.

“The CLC is pleased to continue assisting another 500 out-of-status construction workers and their immediate families in finding a pathway to permanent residence that will end the insecure nature of their employment and immigration status in 2023,” said President Bea Bruske. “The out-of-status construction workers contribute greatly to the economy and society, and continue to fill labour shortages. The extension of this initiative for 2023 will help more vulnerable workers and their families during these uncertain times.”

In its Fall Economic Statement, the government committed an additional $50 million in 2022–2023 for IRCC to address ongoing application backlogs, speed up processing and allow skilled newcomers to fill critical labour gaps faster.

Since the program’s launch, 452 individuals have been accepted as permanent residents. That figures includes 190 principal applicants and 262 dependants.

IRCC is exploring broader regularization pathways for undocumented migrants and their families. Pathways to permanent residence will offer more opportunities for individuals to enter or stay in the job market and fill labour shortages.