Navigating Uncertainties: Evaluating the Shift in Canadian Immigration Policies during the COVID-19 Pandemic

Abstract

Canada has a proactive immigration policy that invites individuals, mostly highly skilled ones, from around the world to make it their new home. The pandemic border closures severely affected the flow of immigrants from other countries, so the Canadian government turned to the temporary migrants who were already in the country and facilitated their transition to permanent status. Reviewing the relevant policy documents and analysing 22 semi-structured qualitative interviews with stakeholders in Ontario, we critically examine the impact of two transition measures: the amendments to Express Entry and the Temporary Residence to Permanent Residence Pathway Program. We also discuss the changes in the work permit program for international graduates. Moreover, we analyse Canadian migration management during the pandemic at three levels: the macro level (i.e., transition measures and attainment of national goals), the meso level (i.e., stakeholders’ evaluations of the transition measures), and the micro level (i.e., stakeholders’ perceptions of migrants’ experiences with the transition measures).