Ludhiana: Individuals who have been residing in Canada on work permits for an extended period are set to receive permanent citizenship. Under the ‘In-Canada Workers Initiative,’ the Canadian government has decided to grant Permanent Residence (PR) status to 33,000 workers who are already living in the country.
Canada offers PR to rural workers amid labor shortage
Canada targets fast-track PR for 20,000 workers in 2026
Canada’s Minister of Immigration, Lena Metlege Diab, has announced that in fulfillment of a promise made in the 2025 Budget individuals working on work permits will now be granted PR status on an expedited basis. The government has set a target to grant PR status to at least 20,000 workers in 2026.
Punjabi workers in Canada likely to benefit most
The processing for the remaining eligible individuals is scheduled to be completed in 2027. Within just the first two months of 2026 (January–February), 3,600 individuals have already received Permanent Residence under this scheme. This policy by the Canadian government stands to benefit, most significantly, those individuals from Punjab who have been residing in Canada on work permits for a long time and have been awaiting their Permanent Residence status.