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Health-care workers permanent residence pathway: How to apply

We’re no longer accepting applications. The deadline to apply was August 31, 2021.

This application process is for eligible refugee claimants to apply for permanent residence if they provided direct patient health-care during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Before you start, check if you’re eligible.

If you have a pending refugee claim with the Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada (IRB), we’ll advise them to put it on hold after you apply for this process.

Don’t withdraw your pending refugee claim or appeal with the IRB until we’ve told you to. We’ll send you a separate letter asking you and any family members you included in your application to

Follow these steps to apply

  1. Read the instruction guide
  2. Get your checklist and forms
  3. Complete your forms and gather documents
  4. Pay your application fees
  5. Submit your application
  6. How to submit proof of your work experience (applicants outside Quebec)
  7. How we’ll get your proof of work experience (applicants in Quebec)

Read the instruction guide

The instruction guide helps you to complete the application correctly. It includes information about

Get your checklist and forms

Use the document checklist to make sure you include all the forms and documents you need.

Get the forms you need.

Transfer your existing humanitarian and compassionate considerations application

You can ask us to review your application under this process instead if

We must receive your request on or before August 31, 2021.

Forms and documents to submit to move your application to this process

 Get help to open an application form or to fill one out in the Help Centre.

Complete your forms and gather documents

Use the instruction guide to fill out your application forms.

Follow the document checklist (PDF, 2.69 MB) to make sure you don’t forget anything.

Proof of work experience to live outside Quebec

We’ll accept these documents as proof of your work experience

Check the document checklist (PDF, 2.69 MB) on the documents we’ll accept as proof of work experience.

If you don’t have your total work experience yet, you can still apply now and submit your proof later.

Find out how to provide your proof of work experience by October 31, 2021.

Proof of work experience to live in Quebec

If you plan to live in Quebec, find out how we’ll get your proof of work experience from the Quebec ministry in charge of immigration.

Pay your application fees

You have to pay your fees online. After you pay, print the receipt and include it with your application.

Submit your application

Review the instruction guide to make sure your application is complete. If you forget something, we’ll send your application back to you without processing it.

Before you submit your application, make sure you

  • placed the checklist on top of your complete application package, as a cover to your application package
  • answered all the questions on your forms
  • signed your application and each form
  • included your fee payment receipt
  • included all the supporting documents, in the order they’re listed on the checklist

To submit your application, put your application package into an envelope labeled according to where you plan to live.

  • If you plan to live outside Quebec:
    • “Health-Care Worker - HCW”
  • If you plan to live inside Quebec:
    • “Health-Care Worker - HCWQC”

You must apply to extend an expiring work permit or study permit separately.

Mail your complete application to:

Humanitarian Migration Office – Vancouver
300-800 Burrard Street
Vancouver, BC V6Z 0B6

We won’t accept your application at any other office.

Deadline to apply

Under this process, we’ll accept applications until August 31, 2021.

Deadline to submit your proof of work experience

If you don’t have the total work experience yet, apply now and submit your proof of work experience later.

If you plan to live

  • outside Quebec, we’ll accept your proof of work experience until October 31, 2021
  • inside Quebec, the Quebec ministry in charge of immigration will check that you met the work experience requirements

Tracking your application package

You can use a courier service that requires a signature when delivered. This gives you a delivery confirmation and allows you to track your package.

How to submit proof of your work experience (applicants outside Quebec)

If you plan to live outside Quebec, you have until

To submit your proof of work experience:

  1. Write a cover letter with your
    1. name
    2. date of birth
    3. address
    4. Unique Client Identifier (UCI), if available
  2. Put it into an envelope with your proof of work experience
  3. Label the outside of the envelope “Health-Care Worker - HCW”
  4. Send it to us
    1. by fax to 1-604-666-1116

    2. by mail

      Humanitarian Migration Office – Vancouver
      300-800 Burrard Street
      Vancouver, BC V6Z 0B6

We won’t accept your proof of work experience at any other offices.

We’ll finish processing your application and make a decision after we get your proof of work experience.

How we’ll get your proof of work experience (applicants in Quebec)

If you plan to live in Quebec, you have until August 31, 2021 to

The Quebec ministry in charge of immigration is called the Ministère de l’Immigration, de la Francisation et de l’Intégration du Québec (MIFI). It has its own process to assess your work experience.

Here’s how we’ll get proof that you meet Quebec’s immigration and work experience requirements from MIFI:

  1. After we get your application, we’ll check that you’re eligible under this process
  2. If you’re eligible, we’ll
  3. After you apply for your CSQ, MIFI will
    • check that you meet Quebec’s immigration and work experience requirements
  4. If you meet the requirements, MIFI will
    • issue you a CSQ
    • inform us of their decision
  5. After we get MIFI’s decision, we’ll process your application

Another format

If you need the instruction guide for this program in another format, email your request to VancouverBRO@cic.gc.ca.

We’ll only respond to emails that request an alternative guide format.

Deprioritize

This may mean the IRB will treat your claim as a lower priority until we make a decision on your application.

Unique Client Identifier (UCI)

A Client Identification Number (Client ID), also referred to as a Unique Client Identifier Number (UCI), can be found on any official document issued by an Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada office, Case Processing Centre or a Canadian visa office outside Canada.

A Client ID consists of four numbers, a hyphen (-) and four (4) more numbers (example: 0000-0000).

A person who has never dealt with Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada before will not have a Client Identification Number.

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