Regional Economic Mobility Pathways Pilot (Regional EMPP): Assessing the application against economic program selection criteria

Once the applicant has been positively assessed against the Public Policy to support the Economic Mobility Pathways Pilot (EMPP) – Phase 2 Regional EMPP criteria, decision makers should proceed to assessing the application against the economic program selection criteria of the pathway under which the applicant has applied.

The public policy includes the following pathways:

• Provincial Nominee Program (PNP)
• Rural and Northern Immigration Pilot (RNIP)
• Atlantic Immigration Program (AIP)

Applicants should be assessed against the pass and fail selection criteria outlined for the respective economic program/pilot under which the applicant has applied, based on the information and documents provided in the application.

Further guidance on how to assess selection criteria is available here:

• Processing Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) applications: Determining membership in the class
• Rural and Northern Immigration Pilot (RNIP): Assessing the application against selection criteria
• Atlantic Immigration Program (AIP): Assessing the application against selection criteria

Applicants must meet all of the criteria to be approved for eligibility.

On this page

• Public policy exemptions and additional considerations
• RNIP and AIP work experience requirements
• RNIP and AIP educational requirements
  • Additional considerations with respect to evidentiary requirements for education criteria
• Loans in lieu of settlement funds
• Additional considerations with respect to evidentiary requirements
• Ability to sustain themselves upon arrival in Canada and for their first year

Public policy exemptions and additional considerations

Decision makers should note the following key exemptions and considerations that affect the selection criteria assessments outlined in the links above and are provided under the public policy.

RNIP and AIP work experience requirements

The public policy waives the time-bound requirement to any work experience selection criteria.

Where there is work experience selection criteria, decision makers are to evaluate whether the total relevant required work experience has been obtained. This experience can have been obtained at any time prior to the applicant submitting their application. Significant breaks and gaps in the accumulated work history are allowed.

The following organization code should be associated to the application in GCMS when the applicant is assessed to benefit from the time-bound work experience waiver: O271972764457.

RNIP and AIP educational requirements

The public policy waives the requirement for an educational credential assessment (ECA) for Regional EMPP applicants applying under RNIP and AIP.

Instead of an ECA, the principal applicant must prove that they have acquired training, education, or experience that aligns with the TEER Category of the job offer, meaning that candidates with job offers in TEER 0 or TEER 5 do not need to meet specific education requirements, but must demonstrate their ability to perform the duties of the job:

1. for job offers in TEER 1: the applicant must have completed a university credential (bachelor’s, master’s or doctorate) or have at least one year of previous experience in a related TEER 2 occupation;
2. for job offers in TEER 2: completion of a post-secondary education program of two to three years at community college, institute of technology or CÉGEP or completion of an apprenticeship training program of two to five years or occupations with supervisory or significant safety (e.g. police officers and firefighters) responsibilities or have at least one year of previous experience in a related occupation from TEER 3 (if there is no mandatory education component in the employment requirements section of the occupation for the job offer, as described in the National Occupation Classification);
3. for job offers in TEER 3: completion of a post-secondary education program of less than two years at community college, institute of technology or CÉGEP or completion of an apprenticeship training program of less than two years or more than six months of on-the-job training, training courses or specific work experience with some secondary school education or have at least one year of previous experience in a related occupation from TEER 4 (if there is no mandatory education component in the employment requirements section of the occupation for the job offer, as described in the National Occupation Classification); and
4. for job offers in TEER 4: completion of secondary school or several weeks of on-the-job training with some secondary school education or have at least one year of previous experience from TEER 5 (if there is no mandatory education component in the employment requirements section of the occupation for the job offer, as described in the National Occupation Classification);

Additional considerations with respect to evidentiary requirements for education criteria

Due to their circumstances of displacement, EMPP applicants may not have access to documentation needed to obtain an Educational Credential Assessment (ECA). Decision makers should explore other evidentiary proof that can be substituted for standard education requirements. Some examples used to assess educational requirements may include:

• A scanned copy of both sides of the final award (degree/diploma certificate) in its original language.
• A scanned copy of both sides of the academic record (transcripts/mark sheets) in its original language.
• An accompanying word-for-word translation of all documents not in English or French completed by a certified professional translator.

Supplemented by originals or copies of at least one of the following documents issued by an institution:

• Transcript / Mark Sheet / Statement of Mark
• Professional Licence / Certificate
• Other officially issued documents (such as letter of appointment, membership in recognized professional association or certification body, student ID card, etc.)
• A scanned copy of a government issued identification (ID) showing date of birth.

Loans in lieu of settlement funds

To help applicants and their family members economically establish in Canada and to provide proof of settlement funds if required, the public policy allows for Regional EMPP applicants to have access to financial resources such as microloans from Windmill Microlending. Further guidance on loans issued to EMPP applicants is available here:

• Loans issued to EMPP applicants to be used as settlement funds

Additional considerations with respect to evidentiary requirements

Due to their refugee and/or displaced circumstances, EMPP applicants often may not have access to documentation that would normally be required of economic applicants. Decision makers should explore other evidentiary proof that can be substituted for standard requirements to prove work experience and other conditions. Some examples used to assess work experience:

• hiring contracts
• the candidate’s curriculum vitae
• chronological employment and address histories provided on their forms (such as Schedule 1)
• online bank statements showing regular pay deposits for the period of qualifying work experience
• statutory declarations about the work experience
• email communication between the candidate and the employer
• foreign tax statements
• correspondence between their education credential and work experience
• open source verifications of the company
• interview questions related to duties performed for qualifying work experience
• other evidence

Ability to sustain themselves upon arrival in Canada and for their first year

Depending on the economic program under which applicants have applied, they need either a job offer or proof of settlement funds to demonstrate they can independently establish in Canada, which includes providing for basic needs for themselves and their immediate family members. A loan may be provided for them to provide proof of settlement funds if needed. This loan cannot be combined with the assistance loan in Canada offered under the Immigration Loans Program (ILP). Otherwise, this could render the applicant and their family very vulnerable during their first year in Canada.

If applicants are not able to demonstrate this, they may be more suited for the refugee class and their application should be refused.

The Settlement Network will be closely monitoring their settlement given that a main area of success for this pilot will be how well these refugees and displaced people can settle in Canada independently based on their skills as economic immigrants.