diff --git a/.github/workflows/ci.yml b/.github/workflows/ci.yml
index 0d2f2d20e6..ee476e983d 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/ci.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/ci.yml
@@ -30,6 +30,9 @@ jobs:
         run: python -c "import sys; print(sys.version)"
       - name: Install dependencies
         run: pip install -r requirements-dev.txt
+      - name: Install Python 3.6 compatible urllib3
+        if: ${{ matrix.python-version == 3.6 }}
+        run: python3 -m pip install urllib3==1.26.16
       - name: Installing Avocado in develop mode
         run: python3 setup.py develop --user
       - name: Avocado version
@@ -94,11 +97,11 @@ jobs:
   smokecheck-osx:
 
     name: OS X with Python ${{ matrix.python-version }}
-    runs-on: macos-10.15
+    runs-on: macos-12
 
     strategy:
       matrix:
-        python-version: [3.9, 3.10.0]
+        python-version: [3.11.1]
 
     steps:
       - run: echo "Job triggered by a ${{ github.event_name }} event on branch is ${{ github.ref }} in repository is ${{ github.repository }}, runner on ${{ runner.os }}"
diff --git a/avocado/core/loader.py b/avocado/core/loader.py
index a149cc157b..c811b5b456 100644
--- a/avocado/core/loader.py
+++ b/avocado/core/loader.py
@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@
 Test loader module.
 """
 
-import imp
+import importlib
 import inspect
 import os
 import re
@@ -281,11 +281,13 @@ def load_test(test_factory):
         if isinstance(test_class, str):
             module_name = os.path.basename(test_path).split('.')[0]
             test_module_dir = os.path.abspath(os.path.dirname(test_path))
-            # Tests with local dir imports need this
             try:
+                spec = importlib.util.spec_from_file_location(module_name, test_path)
+                test_module = importlib.util.module_from_spec(spec)
+                sys.modules[module_name] = test_module
+                # Tests with local dir imports need this
                 sys.path.insert(0, test_module_dir)
-                f, p, d = imp.find_module(module_name, [test_module_dir])
-                test_module = imp.load_module(module_name, f, p, d)
+                spec.loader.exec_module(test_module)
             except:  # pylint: disable=W0702
                 # On load_module exception we fake the test class and pass
                 # the exc_info as parameter to be logged.
diff --git a/optional_plugins/robot/setup.py b/optional_plugins/robot/setup.py
index a68978a699..403cb0721a 100644
--- a/optional_plugins/robot/setup.py
+++ b/optional_plugins/robot/setup.py
@@ -26,7 +26,7 @@
       packages=find_packages(),
       include_package_data=True,
       install_requires=['avocado-framework==%s' % VERSION,
-                        'robotframework>=4.1'],
+                        'robotframework>=4.1,<6.0'],
       test_suite='tests',
       entry_points={
           'console_scripts': [