FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 12, 2025 — Canada — Canada has officially extended the Economic Mobility Pathways Pilot (EMPP) federal stream until December 31, 2025. This is a big step forward in helping skilled refugees and Canadian employers connect through a pathway that offers real benefits to both groups.
At Northfield & Associates, with offices in Canada, we stay up to date on immigration changes. We can help individuals and employers navigate the EMPP and other immigration processes smoothly and confidently.
What is the Economic Mobility Pathways Pilot (EMPP)?
The EMPP is Canada’s first labour mobility program designed specifically for skilled refugees. It helps refugees and other displaced individuals living abroad move to Canada through job offers or by applying to certain regional economic immigration programs. Unlike traditional refugee resettlement programs, EMPP focuses on connecting qualified workers with employers in need.
What’s New:
The EMPP Extension
On June 12, 2025, the Canadian government announced that the federal EMPP stream is extended until the end of 2025. Here are the key updates:
- The program now includes a job-offer stream with a cap of 950 applications for the year 2025.
- There is also a no-job-offer stream, which is capped at 150 applicants per year.
- The goal is to allow skilled refugees to apply for permanent residence while supporting sectors that face labour shortages.
Why the EMPP Matters
Since it began in 2019, the EMPP has already helped 970 individuals and their families settle in Canada. Many of these newcomers are working in sectors that are in high demand, such as:
- Health care (30 percent of all placements)
- Construction
- Food services
This program not only helps newcomers rebuild their lives but also supports Canadian communities by filling important job vacancies.
How EMPP Benefits Refugees and Employers
For Refugees:
- Permanent residence in Canada
- Fee waivers for application and biometric requirements
- Medical exam costs covered
- Faster processing times (about 6 months)
- Access to Canada’s Immigration Loans Program to help cover relocation and pre-arrival costs
For Employers:
- Access to a larger pool of skilled workers
- Help filling essential positions in sectors like health care, trades, and hospitality
- A chance to support humanitarian efforts while meeting business needs
How EMPP Works
There are two main ways to apply:
- Through Regional Programs – Refugees can apply through existing regional economic programs like the Atlantic Immigration Program or the Rural and Northern Immigration Pilot.
- Direct Federal Stream – Applicants can apply with or without a job offer, depending on the stream they choose.
All applicants must meet certain requirements and may be referred by trusted EMPP partners to ensure their eligibility.
Who Should Consider the EMPP?
Refugees abroad who:
- Have skills and work experience in high-demand industries
- Are looking to move to Canada permanently
Canadian employers who:
- Are experiencing labour shortages
- Are open to hiring skilled workers from a diverse background
How Northfield & Associates Can Help
At Northfield & Associates, we are committed to helping clients understand and apply to the EMPP. Whether you are an employer, looking to fill a job vacancy or a skilled refugee interested in moving to Canada, we can guide you through each step of the application process.
Our team of immigration lawyers has deep experience with federal and regional immigration programs. We stay current with all policy updates, including the latest EMPP extension.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is the difference between the job-offer and no-job-offer streams in the EMPP?
The job-offer stream requires applicants to have a valid offer of employment from a Canadian employer. The no-job-offer stream allows qualified refugees to apply without a job offer if they meet specific criteria and are referred by a trusted partner.
Can employers in Canada participate in the EMPP?
Yes. Employers in Canada or across Province can participate in the EMPP to hire skilled refugees. Northfield & Associates can assist local businesses in navigating the eligibility and application process.
How long does the EMPP process take?
The EMPP process is designed to be efficient. Most applications are processed within six months, making it one of the faster immigration options for skilled refugees.
Are there any fees for EMPP applicants?
Most fees are waived for EMPP applicants, including application and biometric fees. Medical exams are also covered under interim health benefits.
How can Northfield & Associates support my EMPP application?
Whether you are an employer or a refugee applicant, Northfield & Associates offers full legal support for EMPP applications. We provide personalized consultations and legal guidance to ensure a smooth process.
Book a Consultation with Northfield & Associates
If you are ready to explore the EMPP or other immigration options, contact Northfield & Associates today. We offer consultations and full legal support tailored to your situation. Let us help you make Canada your new home or grow your business with skilled, dedicated workers.
Working with Our Firm
In this evolving economic landscape, collaboration with our firm offers clients a strategic advantage. With Cambodia’s reform-driven investment environment and Canada’s expanding footprint in Southeast Asia, our team of experienced consultants and legal advisors provides tailored guidance to help businesses navigate cross-border opportunities. We specialize in developing comprehensive legal strategies, structuring international partnerships, and ensuring compliance in emerging markets.
By leveraging our regional insight and international expertise, you benefit from a trusted partner dedicated to helping you capitalize on growth potential in Cambodia and beyond.
Book a Consultation with Northfield & Associates
Your Trusted Partner in International Bilateral Relations
At Northfield & Associates, we specialize in Foreign Direct Investment (FDI), international trade missions, and cross-border legal strategy. Our team of experienced consultants and legal advisors offers tailored guidance and strategic insight to help you navigate the complexities of international partnerships and development opportunities.
Whether you choose to meet in person at one of our offices or connect virtually, we provide flexible and accessible consultation options. During your session, we’ll assess your goals, review key documentation, and guide you through every stage of your FDI or trade mission engagement.
Let us help you take the next step with confidence supported by trusted legal and strategic counsel every step of the way.
Contact us today to schedule your consultation.
Northfield & Associates – Advancing Global Partnerships, Together.
Book a Consultation with Northfield & Associates — Your Trusted Partner in Immigration and Legal Services
At Northfield & Associates, we understand that legal challenges, whether related to immigration, family matters, business contracts, or criminal defence can be complex and deeply personal. That’s why our experienced lawyers and immigration consultants are committed to providing clear, practical, and results-driven guidance tailored to your unique needs.
Spousal Sponsorship: Bring Your Loved One Home
Sponsoring a spouse or partner is a meaningful commitment and navigating the legal process can be overwhelming without the right support. At Northfield & Associates, we specialize in spousal sponsorship and family class immigration. Our team will:
- Assess your eligibility
- Review and prepare your documentation
- Identify and avoid common pitfalls
- Guide you through every stage of the application
We offer consultations both in person and remotely to suit your needs and schedule. Let us help you reunite with your spouse and start the next chapter of your life with trusted legal expertise by your side.
Contract Disputes: Strategic Legal Support You Can Rely On
Facing a contract dispute? Whether you’re in Cambodia or anywhere across Canada, Northfield & Associates provides knowledgeable and effective legal counsel in contract law. During your consultation, we will:
- Review your contract
- Evaluate your legal options
- Offer strategic advice to protect your interests
We aim to resolve disputes efficiently and with minimal disruption, empowering you to move forward with clarity and confidence.
Considering Immigration to Canada? We’re Here to Help.
Immigrating to Canada is a life-changing opportunity, but the legal process can be complex. Our team has extensive experience in Canadian immigration law, particularly in family sponsorships. Whether you’re just starting or need help with a specific aspect of the process, we provide:
- Tailored immigration strategies
- Step-by-step application support
- Honest, reliable legal advice
Let Northfield & Associates be your trusted guide to a new beginning in Canada.
Comprehensive Legal Services Across Canada and Beyond
Northfield & Associates proudly serves clients across Canada and internationally. Our legal and consulting services include:
- Immigration and sponsorship
- Family law and disputes
- Criminal defence
- Contract and business law
Every case is approached with integrity, diligence, and a commitment to achieving the best possible outcome. We combine legal insight with compassion to deliver client-centered solutions that work.
Convenient Consultations, Wherever You Are
We offer flexible consultation options, including in-person meetings and secure virtual appointments. Whether you’re local or abroad, you’ll receive the same high standard of personalized service.
We are proud to serve clients in English, French, Cambodian, Vietnamese, Mandarin, and Cantonese, particularly with a strong focus on supporting members of the Asian community.
Take the First Step Today
If you believe you may be eligible for legal relief or simply need sound legal advice, we’re here to help. Contact Northfield & Associates today to book your consultation. Let us provide the clarity, strategy, and peace of mind you need to move forward.
Disclaimer: The information contained in this article is provided for general information purposes only and does not constitute legal or other professional advice. Readers should seek tailored legal advice in relation to their personal circumstances.
Schedule Your Consultation with Northfield & Associates
Connect with an experienced consultant or attorney at Northfield & Associates. Contact us today to arrange a personalized consultation and receive expert guidance tailored to your legal or business needs.
Bring Your Family to Canada
Here’s how we can help you:
- We provide a full service of preparing, filing, and processing the application to completion to ensure that your application is done as quickly and smoothly as possible.
- We will formulate an initial strategy based on your particular circumstances and tailor the supporting documents to best present your case. Our team will work with you to ensure that all necessary documents and forms are accurately prepared.
- We will collect and review supporting documentation to ensure you have a strong application.
- Our lawyers will prepare detailed written legal submissions in support of your case to be filed with the final application. This will clarify your qualifications with the immigration authorities and enable them to easily process your application.
- We will collaborate with you throughout the entire sponsorship case process, including dealing with all correspondence from the immigration authorities on your behalf, and until your spouse is approved for permanent residence.
- Our team lawyers or consultants will prepare you and your sponsors for any required interviews with the immigration authorities.
About Northfield
At Northfield & Associates, we are committed to accelerating sustainable and inclusive growth. Our clients in Cambodia, Canada, and around the world are trailblazers, constantly testing boundaries, challenging norms, and striving for transformative change. We collaborate with visionary leaders globally to identify strategies that will shape the future. By leveraging innovation, we help our clients achieve net-zero targets, drive technological transformation, and build the capabilities necessary for sustainable success.
Working hand-in-hand with our clients, we are accelerating progress toward a future that is not only more sustainable but also inclusive and prosperous for all, both locally in Cambodia and Canada, as well as internationally.
Our Firm
Structured as a unified global partnership, Northfield & Associates operates with a shared set of values across our offices in Cambodia, Canada, and globally. We are committed to attracting and nurturing a diverse, talented workforce while driving long-term change for our clients worldwide. As a sector-focused, international consulting firm, we understand that consultancy is not just about strategies, it’s about people. The best outcomes arise from close relationships built on trust, collaboration, and shared goals.
The role of consultants has evolved. Today, businesses in Cambodia, Canada, and internationally seek not just expertise but partners who anticipate challenges, create positive experiences, and align with their values. We embrace these evolving expectations, proactively addressing challenges and investing in both results and the journey to reach them.
Why Us?
We believe in the power of relationships to deliver tangible business results. We collaborate openly with our colleagues and clients – working across office, service and sector boundaries to bring you the best of our firm, wherever you need us to be.
Who We Are
We are a cohesive global partnership committed to delivering lasting, meaningful change in Cambodia, Canada, and around the world. Our foundation is built on values and a collective mission: helping clients achieve success while creating an environment where exceptional talent thrives.
Northfield & Associates is a sector-focused, international consulting firm that believes that consultancy matters are people matters and it takes closer relationships between people and teams to get to the best results, in the right way.
It used to be that good lawyering was mostly about knowing the law and delivering sound opinions. Today, businesses need more and demand more.
We know our clients want consultancy advisers by their side, anticipating what’s ahead and creating positive experiences for their teams. They want to work with others who share their values and do business responsibly.
We take on the new realities of business in a positive and proactive way, invest in the result, and care about how we get there.
Northfield & Associates is where chemistry creates opportunity:
- Partner consulting and legal professionals around the world
- Committed to the communities we serve, including through pro bono work, volunteerism and fundraising initiatives.
- A great place to work built upon an inclusive culture that celebrates diversity.
- Routinely recognised by the world’s top consultancy rankings organisations, including Chambers.
- Focused on key global sectors, including energy, financial services, life sciences, natural resources, infrastructure, real estate and tech.
Our Values
Our values guide everything that we do:
- The power of teamwork:
We believe we can achieve much more if we work together as a team with our clients and colleagues – however talented we are as individuals. We collaborate seamlessly across services, sectors and offices – focused on the greater good for the client and the firm. - Always striving to be better:
We are always striving to improve our service to clients and the way we run our own business – ambitious to improve in a highly competitive market. - We all bring something different:
We all bring different backgrounds, strengths and perspectives to the team. This diversity and openness make us more relevant and valuable to our clients.
Responsible Business
We believe that every business has a responsibility to its communities and the environment, as well as its people and clients.
- Great place to work
We’re proud to be recognised as a top employer, and actively encourage DE&I. This means we attract the best talent, as well as great clients. Our clients know that strong values combined with motivated and engaged consultants and lawyers results in teams that approach problems with creativity and ingenuity. - Diversity, equity and inclusion
Fostering a truly equitable and inclusive culture – one that celebrates difference and encourages everyone to be their true self – requires work and engagement at every level. Our diversity, equity and inclusion strategies encompass a number of key areas. - Sustainable business
We recognise our operations, services and offices have an environmental impact. On an ongoing basis, around the world, we work to mitigate these impacts through a number of targeted environmental initiatives. - Giving back to our communities
We believe in supporting the communities we serve and giving back to those most in need. Across our global offices, we volunteer with, fundraise for and provide pro bono legal advice to a number of local charities and non-profit organisations engaged in important and impactful work. - Our structure
Around the world, our member firms operate and provide legal services to clients as separate legal entities under the common brand of Northfield & Associates. Our structure is explained in more detail on our Legal Information page.
Forward-Looking Information:
This article release contains forward-looking information. All statements, other than statements of historic fact, that address activities, events or developments that the Northfield & Associates, referred to as (the “Company”) believes, expects or anticipates will or may occur in the future constitute forward-looking information.
This forward-looking information reflects the current expectations or beliefs of the Company based on information currently available to the Company.
Forward-looking information is subject to a number of risks and uncertainties that may cause the actual results of the Company to differ materially from those discussed in the forward-looking information, and even if such actual results are realized or substantially realized, there can be no assurance that they will have the expected consequences to, or effects on the Company. Factors that could cause actual results or events to differ materially from current expectations include, among other things: the failure to finalize negotiations concerning the increase of the Loan or to close such transaction and the failure of the Company to complete the acquisition of the Company Facility; operating performance of facilities; environmental and safety risks; delays in obtaining or failure to obtain necessary permits and approvals from government authorities; unavailability of plant, equipment or labour; inability to retain key management and personnel; changes to regulations or policies affecting the Company’s activities; and the other risks disclosed under the heading “Risk Factors” and elsewhere in the Company’s amended annual information.
Forward-looking information speaks only as of the date on which it is made and, except as may be required by applicable securities laws, the Company disclaims any intent or obligation to update any forward-looking information, whether as a result of new information, future events or results or otherwise. Although the Company believes that the assumptions inherent in the forward-looking information are reasonable, forward-looking information is not a guarantee of future performance and accordingly undue reliance should not be put on such information due to the inherent uncertainty therein.
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NOT LEGAL ADVICE. Information made available on this website in any form is for information purposes only. It is not, and should not be taken as, legal advice. You should not rely on, or take or fail to take any action based upon this information. Never disregard professional legal advice or delay in seeking legal advice because of something you have read on this website. Northfield & Associates professionals will be pleased to discuss resolutions to specific legal concerns you may have.