Canada is seeking skilled healthcare and social service professionals from overseas, including Pakistan, to help address workforce shortages and strengthen essential services across the country.
Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has urged qualified professionals with the required education, credentials and work experience to explore available immigration pathways and employment opportunities.
The occupations currently highlighted include nurse practitioners, dentists, pharmacists, psychologists and social workers.
Healthcare and social services are among Canada’s priority sectors for skilled workers. Other areas identified as needing talent include science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM), skilled trades, defence and cybersecurity, critical minerals and education.
Pakistani professionals interested in working and settling in Canada can use the government’s immigration tools to find programmes that match their qualifications and circumstances. They can also search Canada’s Job Bank for employers looking to hire international candidates.
However, applicants should first determine whether their profession is regulated in the province or territory where they intend to work. Professionals in regulated occupations may need to have their foreign qualifications and credentials assessed and recognised before they can begin employment.
Canada is continuing to attract skilled international workers as it works to address labour shortages in key sectors. Qualified Pakistani professionals can explore both employment opportunities and immigration pathways to determine the most suitable route.
On the other hand, Canada has increased the estimated processing time for proof of citizenship applications to 25 months.
How much has the time for proof of citizenship increased?
The wait has more than doubled in just three months. In May, the estimated processing time was 12 months. It increased to 19 months in July and reached 25 months in August.
The longer wait comes as Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) deals with a growing number of applications.
As of August 10, about 121,800 applications were waiting for a decision. This was around 22,300 more than the number recorded in July.
Applications face longer delays
IRCC data also shows that fewer applications were completed in June. The department processed only 3,040 proof of citizenship applications during that month.
Between January 1 and June 30, IRCC completed 31,980 applications. By the end of May, it had already completed 28,940 applications.
The number of pending cases also increased quickly. 82,020 applications were waiting at the end of May. This number rose to 99,520 by June 30.
