Higher Share of Foreign Workers Became Permanent Residents in Recent Years: StatCan

Foreign workers have been making the transition to permanent residency at higher rates in recent years, Statistics Canada says. A new report from the federal agency shows that between 2016 and 2020, 23 percent of foreign workers had become permanent residents two years after obtaining their first work permits. That was up from about 12 percent between 2011 and 2015. The findings suggest temporary residency has become a more significant pathway to permanent residency in Canada. Temporary residents include asylum seekers as well as individuals with work or study permits. In contrast, permanent residents are able to work and live in Canada indefinitely, so long as they maintain their status....