The Globe and Mail has published new research that gives more information on Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada’s (IRCC) Express Entry category-based selection targets for 2023.
In late June, the IRCC began organizing category-based Express Entry draws. There are six types in all, each chosen to achieve unique economic objectives.
According to IRCC data, the Globe and Mail claims that IRCC will place a more emphasis on hiring STEM professionals. In instance, between 28% and 31% of Express Entry invites issued this year are projected to go to persons with recent experience in certain STEM jobs, such as software developers and data scientists.
There has only been one round of STEM invites so far, with 500 applications.
STEM occupations have a substantially higher objective than other occupation groups. In particular, the desired range for candidates with French proficiency is 11% to 15%. The aim for particular health-care occupations is nine to twelve percent, three to four percent for trades, and one to two percent for transportation and agriculture occupations.
What exactly is Express Entry?
Express Entry is the system used by IRCC to manage applications from skilled professionals seeking to become permanent residents of Canada. The Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSWP), the Canadian Experience Class (CEC), and the Federal Skilled Trades Program (FSTP) are all managed by it.
After submitting a profile through Express Entry, candidates are ranked using the Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS). The CRS is a point-based system that evaluates candidates based on factors such as age, education, language ability, and work experience. The Canadian government will choose the top candidates from the Express Entry pool and send them an Invitation to Apply (ITA) for permanent residence.
There are three types of Express Entry draws:
General rounds of invitation: Those with the highest CRS scores are invited to apply for permanent residency by IRCC.
Program-specific rounds of invitation: Those with the highest CRS scores who are eligible for a specific Express Entry program are invited by IRCC.
Invitation rounds based on categories: IRCC invites those with the highest CRS scores who are eligible for specified categories designated by IRCC to promote certain economic goals.
What exactly is category-based Express Entry?
For Express Entry candidates, IRCC has recently implemented category-based selection drawings. IRCC plans to prioritize Express Entry candidates with high French language skills or job experience in the following fields:
- Healthcare
- Science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) professions
- Trades, such as carpenters, plumbers, and contractors
- Transport
- Agriculture and agri-food
These categories were chosen based on 289 responses from diverse stakeholders around the country, labour market estimates, and input from IRCC partners and provinces and territories.
There have been three French language proficiency draws since the start of category-based drawings, with 6,900 applicants asked to apply for permanent residence. Furthermore, there have been two healthcare occupation drawings with a total of 2,000 applicants and one trades occupation draw with a total of 1,500 applicants.
