Canada’s Immigration Minister, Sean Fraser, has introduced category-based selection draws for candidates in the Express Entry system.
Immigration Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) will specifically target Express Entry candidates who possess strong French language skills or work experience in the following fields:
- Healthcare
- Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) professions
- Trades, including carpenters, plumbers, and contractors
- Transportation
- Agriculture and agri-food
Fraser emphasizes that inviting more skilled workers from these targeted professions will uphold Canada’s commitment to welcoming highly sought-after professionals into communities nationwide. The draws under the new categories are anticipated to commence in the later part of this summer.
Why are these new Express Entry categories being introduced?
The introduction of these categories aims to address job vacancies across Canada. Immigration is recognized as a crucial component for alleviating labor shortages and promoting the significance of the French language within French minority communities outside of Quebec.
Fraser states, “I have received feedback from employers facing persistent labor shortages nationwide. These changes to the Express Entry system will ensure they have access to the skilled workers they require for growth and success.
Simultaneously, we can strengthen our economy, assist businesses facing labor shortages, and increase the number of French-proficient candidates to support the vitality of French-speaking communities. In essence, Canada’s immigration system has never been more responsive to the country’s social and economic needs.”
The introduction of category-based draws was projected to occur this year following amendments made in June 2022 to the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act. These changes granted the Minister the authority to select immigrants based on key attributes that align with Canada’s economic priorities.
How were the categories selected?
The categories were chosen based on legislative requirements, mandating the Minister to engage in public consultation with provinces, territories, industry representatives, unions, employers, workers, worker advocacy groups, settlement provider organizations, and immigration researchers and practitioners.
Annually, IRCC will provide a report to Parliament covering the following:
- The categories selected in the previous year
- The reasons and methods behind their selection
- Instructions for establishing a category
- The number of invitations issued for each category
What is Express Entry?
Established in 2015, Express Entry was created to address Canada’s evolving economic and labor market needs. It is an application management system overseeing three economic immigration programs: the Federal Skilled Workers Program, the Federal Skilled Trades Program, and the Canadian Experience Class.
These programs employ the Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) to assign a score to candidates based on factors such as work experience, language proficiency, occupation, education, and more. Candidates with the highest CRS scores will most likely receive an Invitation to Apply for permanent residence.
Discover if you are eligible for category-based selection by contacting us!
