Thread by @TorontoStar

Canada trumpeted its special, one-time immigration program. But did it work in the end?

While the minister calls it a success, some say the program prioritized people who didn’t really need the help — while leaving others out. thestar.com/news/canada/20…

After much fanfare to announce the first-come, first-served program to grant permanent residence, officials released details about the process and requirements less than 24 hours before applications opened a month ago on May 6. /2 thestar.com/news/canada/20…

The cap of 40,000 applications for international graduates here on postgraduate work permits was filled within a day, while intake for the two migrant worker streams in health and non-health sectors — with a cap of 50,000 applications — has been slow. /3 thestar.com/news/canada/20…

As of Friday, only 1,700 applications had been received under the stream for health workers out of a quota of 20,000, and just 11,900 of the 30,000 vacancies for those in non-health related jobs were filled. /4 thestar.com/news/canada/20…

Vancouver immigration lawyer Steven Meurrens says the new pathway missed the opportunity to grant permanent residence to many low-skilled migrant workers already in Canada. /5 thestar.com/news/canada/20…

Filipino migrant Sunshine Pardinan, a technical assistant at a dental office, missed the cap for the pathway for international graduates because she couldn't secure her children's birth certificates in time. /7 thestar.com/news/canada/20…

Daniel Lantin and Beatriz Cremat both completed their studies this April from Centennial College. He applied for permanent residence under the new pathway for international graduates. Cremat is his dependant in the application. /8 thestar.com/news/canada/20…

Toronto immigration lawyer Lou Janssen Dangzalan says applicants to the new pathway program were bound to make mistakes as they were rushed to complete applications on line, sometimes without even looking at their eligibility. /9 thestar.com/news/canada/20…