The Economic Mobility Pathways Pilot, also known as EMPP, is a program that assists skilled refugees and their families in immigrating to Canada through one of its economic immigration programs. The Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) run this program in collaboration with the United Nations Refugee Agency.
It not only makes it possible for refugees to immigrate to Canada, but it also provides companies in that country with access to a larger pool of potential applicants to meet the demands of the Canadian labor market. The Economic Mobility Pathways Pilot (EMPP) started on December 3, 2021, and it is estimated that with the help of this pilot, Canada will bring and help settle up to 500 skilled refugees and their families.
Refugees with relevant skills are able to utilize the EMPP by submitting an application for one of the following Canada immigration programs:
- Atlantic Immigration Program (AIP)
- Provincial Nominee Program (PNP)
- Rural and Northern Immigration Pilot (RNIP)
Economic Mobility Pathways Pilot | Eligibility Criteria
The following is a list of eligibility requirements that must be met in order for you to be considered for participation in the Economic Mobility Pathways Pilot. You can apply for EMPP if:
- You are a refugee protected by the convention or a nation of asylum.
- You have any of the following documents:
- A Refugee Status Determination (RSD) that is both legitimate and favorable from either the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) or a state that is hosting refugees.
- A piece of paper that verifies that you are an asylum applicant who is currently located outside of the country.
- A letter labeling the Economic Mobility Pathways Pilot as a “person of concern” that was issued by the UNHCR.
- You are currently outside of Canada as well as your nation of persecution.
- You do not possess any long-term solutions in a different nation.
- You are eligible to enter Canada.
You should also be qualified to submit an application and meet the eligibility criteria for one of the three Canada immigration programs that are participating.
If you wish to apply for the AIP or RNIP, you are exempt from some qualifying requirements for the following programs if you are a participant in the Economic Mobility Pathways Pilot:
- You do not need to provide evidence that you worked the specified number of hours within the allotted timeframes. Instead, all that is required of you before you can apply is proof that you have consistently put in the same number of hours.
- When you arrive in Canada, you will be required to prove that you have the funds to maintain yourself and your family. And if you don’t have enough funds then you can apply for a loan.
Economic Mobility Pathways Pilot | Document Checklist
In order to complete your application for the Economic Mobility Pathways Pilot, you will need to provide the following supporting documents:
- You must have either a Refugee Status Determination (RSD) from UNHCR or a document that demonstrates that you have registered or been documented as an asylum seeker in another country.
- A “person of concern” letter issued by the UNHCR
- Identity proofs
- A valid passport and other traveling documents
- Additional supporting documents to support your application
- Translated documents (other than English and French)
Economic Mobility Pathways Pilot | Application Process
In order to participate in the Economic Mobility Pathways Pilot (EMPP), you will need to fill out both of the following applications:
- One application for each of the following Canada immigration programs: the Rural and Northern Immigration Pilot (RNIP), the Atlantic Immigration Program (AIP), and the Provincial Nominee Program (PNP)
- A second application for consideration by the Economic Mobility Pathways Pilot (EMPP)
You are required to send in both applications at the same time. There are two ways you can apply:
- For applying online, you will need to finish and send in both of the online applications at the same time.
- For applying by email, you are required to fill out all of the forms for both applications and adhere to the instructions provided by the Economic Mobility Pathways Pilot (EMPP) in order to submit them jointly.
Before you can begin the application process for the Economic Mobility Pathways Pilot (EMPP), you need to make sure that your application for one of the three economic immigration streams that are eligible has been finished in its whole. If the application has been finished, you are required to fill out and submit the following two forms in order to participate in the Economic Mobility Pathways Pilot:
1. Schedule 20 – Economic Mobility Pathways Pilot
(It is the major application form for the Economic Mobility Pathways Pilot, and it will require you to supply information such as your personal data and those of your family, as well as your refugee status and your travel history.)
2. Document checklist (IMM 0137)
After you have finished filling out both of these forms, you will include them in the application along with all of the supporting papers that you submit for the economic immigration program. You have to email it to the IRCC. The subject line of the email should be stated as “EMPP application for [family name and first name of primary applicant].”
If you send in your application through email, you will most likely receive an auto-reply email within the next 48 hours. You will need to make sure that this email is saved for your records.
You can send an email to IRCC to inquire about the status of your application if you do not receive an automated response from them. Unless you are specifically instructed to do so, you won’t need to resubmit your application more than once.
IRCC will go through your application to verify that all of the necessary paperwork has been completed, signed, and submitted. If all the documents are included, you will get an email with the Acknowledgment of Receipt (AOR) and application number confirming that they have received your submission.
Economic Mobility Pathways Pilot | Processing Time and Fees
The processing time for the Economic Mobility Pathways Pilot application is typically no longer than six months. In order to participate in the Economic Mobility Pathways Pilot, there will be no application costs required of you. In addition to this, you will not be required to pay any application costs for the Canadian economic immigration programs that you have selected, nor will you be required to pay any fees for the biometrics required.
Nonetheless, you are required to pay the price for the Right of Permanent Residence, which is 515 CAD. You have the option of applying for a loan to cover this amount if you find that you really need to. It is advised that you pay this charge and attach a copy of your receipt with your application in order to avoid any delays. This is true even if you do not require a loan.
How can Talent Connected Worldwide help?
The EMPP helps qualified refugees and their families settle permanently in the country. Two additional benefits are filling job openings and satisfying demands in the Canadian labor market. Talent Connected Worldwide will assist you with your immigration needs if you are an economic immigrant planning to relocate to Canada.
To apply for the EMPP or any Canada immigration program, you can rely on our assistance. If you are a competent foreign worker who would be an asset to Canada’s workforce and economy, we can assist you in completing the relevant papers and gathering evidence.
Frequently Asked Questions
The three main immigration options available for refugees are:
- Economic Mobility Pathways Pilot
- Protected Persons in Canada
- Private Sponsorship of Refugees (PSR) Program
If there are any forms in your application that are either missing or not signed, IRCC will send you an email to let you know that your application is incomplete and explain why and what is missing. Either you will be informed that you resubmit the missing papers or you will be requested to resubmit your application altogether.
