Canada Puts Surprise Pause on Applications to Economic Mobility Pathways Pilot for Skilled Refugees
Canada has abruptly paused new applications to the Economic Mobility Pathways Pilot (EMPP), a federal program designed to connect skilled refugees and displaced people with Canadian employers facing labour shortages. The decision took effect at the end of December and was communicated to organisations involved in the program just days before Christmas.
The pause leaves employers with outstanding job offers and skilled refugees with planned applications in limbo, with no timeline from the federal government on when the program may reopen.
On this page you will find
- What the Economic Mobility Pathways Pilot is
- Why Canada paused EMPP applications
- What IRCC said about the backlog
- How many refugees the EMPP has admitted
- What the pause means for employers and applicants
What is the Economic Mobility Pathways Pilot?
The Economic Mobility Pathways Pilot was launched in 2018 as an alternative immigration pathway for skilled refugees and displaced individuals. Unlike traditional refugee resettlement programs, the EMPP allows candidates to immigrate through Canada’s economic immigration system, based on their skills, work experience, and ability to fill labour market gaps.
The program has brought engineers, nurses, skilled trades workers, and technical professionals to Canada, including to smaller and remote communities that often struggle to attract talent. It has been widely viewed as a hybrid model that supports both humanitarian objectives and economic priorities.
Why Canada Paused EMPP Applications
In a December 23 email to partner organisations, a senior official at Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada confirmed that no new applications to the EMPP would be accepted until further notice.
The department cited a large and growing inventory of applications, increasing processing times, and limited admission spaces as the reasons for the pause. Officials said that admission spaces allocated to federal economic pilots under the 2026 – 2028 Immigration Levels Plan are not sufficient to process all applications currently in the EMPP inventory.
IRCC said the pause is intended to prevent further inventory growth while the department focuses on processing applications already received.
What the Government Said About the Pause
In the email, IRCC said attracting global talent remains a key government priority, but that this objective must be balanced against the need to return to sustainable immigration levels. The department said it is working toward a “sustainable and effective permanent program” that would continue to benefit both employers and applicants.
However, IRCC confirmed that there will be no intake of new EMPP applications while this work is underway.
EMPP Admissions to Date
The federal government previously said it aimed to admit up to 2,000 skilled refugees and their family members through the EMPP. From 2019 to the end of March 2025, 970 people had been admitted to Canada through the program.
As demand increased, processing times for EMPP applications also grew, contributing to the backlog cited by the department in its decision to pause new intake.
Pause Follows Similar Move on Caregiver Pilots
The EMPP pause comes shortly after the federal government halted new intake under the Home Care Worker Immigration Pilots earlier in December. In that case, IRCC said demand for permanent residence exceeded the number of places available under Canada’s immigration targets.
In both programs, IRCC said it will continue processing applications already in its system, based on the number of permanent residence spaces set out in the Immigration Levels Plan.
What Happens Next
At present, IRCC has not announced when applications to the Economic Mobility Pathways Pilot may resume. Employers that were preparing to submit applications in early 2026 and skilled refugees with job offers must now wait for further direction.
While the department has framed the pause as an operational measure, the lack of notice and absence of a restart timeline underscore the growing constraints facing Canada’s economic immigration pilots as Ottawa works to limit overall immigration growth.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Economic Mobility Pathways Pilot?
The Economic Mobility Pathways Pilot allows skilled refugees and displaced people to apply for permanent residence through Canada’s economic immigration system. It focuses on filling labour shortages rather than refugee resettlement.
Why did Canada pause new EMPP applications?
IRCC said it paused new applications due to a large backlog, growing processing times, and limited admission spaces allocated to economic immigration pilots under the 2026 – 2028 Immigration Levels Plan.
Are existing EMPP applications still being processed?
Yes. IRCC has said it will continue processing all EMPP applications already received. The pause applies only to new applications and is intended to stabilise processing.
How many people have immigrated through the EMPP so far?
From 2019 to the end of March 2025, 970 skilled refugees and their family members were admitted to Canada through the Economic Mobility Pathways Pilot.
When will EMPP applications reopen?
IRCC has not announced a reopening date. The department said new intake will remain paused while it works on a sustainable long-term version of the program.
