CIMM – Guardian Angels – November 07, 2023

Key Facts and Figures

As of September 30, 2023, 9,060 individuals, including principal applicants and their family members, have received permanent residence under the Guardian Angels program.

IRCC implemented the Guardian Angels temporary public policy from December 2020 to August 2021 to provide a permanent residence pathway for pending and failed refugee claimants who worked in the health care sector and provided direct patient care throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.
The significant contribution of the work of some refugee claimants during the pandemic was acknowledged by providing them with a secure future in Canada.

Heath care sector workers included in this initiative were orderlies, nurses, nurses’ aides and patient service associates, assistant orderlies, and certain home support workers who provided direct care to patients.
Individuals were required to meet a specific set of criteria to be eligible, including having a valid work permit or work permit exemption.
Applicants had to have worked in Canada in a designated occupation providing direct patient care in a hospital, long-term care facility, or in private homes for a minimum of:
- 120 hours between March 13 and August 14, 2020; and
- six months full-time (30 hours per week) or 750 hours (if working part-time) total experience obtained no later than August 31, 2021.
All applicants were subject to admissibility requirements, including medical and security screening.
Two temporary public policies were developed – one for refugee claimants wishing to reside in a province or territory outside of Quebec, and the other for refugee claimants intending to reside in Quebec. Under the Canada–Quebec Accord, Quebec has sole responsibility for the selection of economic immigrants and resettled refugees destined to the province. 3,494 individuals intending to reside in Quebec have received permanent residence through the Guardian Angels program.

Are there plans to expand/renew this initiative? Will a similar measure be implemented in the future?

This was a one-time initiative to recognize the considerable contribution and sacrifice health-care workers have made in Canada throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.