Great news! The IRCC has recently introduced new selection categories for Express Entry

Sean Fraser, the Minister of Immigration for Canada, has announced the launch of category-based selection draws for Express Entry candidates.

As part of this initiative, Immigration Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) will focus on candidates who have a strong proficiency in French or who have work experience in one of the following areas:

• Healthcare occupations
• The STEM professions include science, technology, engineering, and mathematics.
• A variety of trades, including carpenters, plumbers, and contractors
• The transport sector
• The agricultural and agri-food industries

According to the minister, IRCC is entitled to invite more skilled workers in these targeted occupations as part of the government's commitment to bringing in-demand professionals to Canadian communities.

It is expected that draws under the new categories will begin later this summer.

What is the purpose of the new Express Entry categories?

New categories have been established to fill vacant positions across the country. Many people believe that immigration will play a significant role in decreasing labour shortages in the upcoming years and in placing the French language in a more prominent position outside Quebec and within French minority communities as well.

It has become increasingly apparent to me that employers throughout the country are experiencing chronic shortages of labour, according to Fraser. I believe these changes to the Express Entry system will provide them with the skilled workers they need to grow and thrive. Furthermore, we can contribute to the growth of our economy and assist businesses with labour shortages while simultaneously ensuring a vibrant French-speaking community by increasing the number of candidates of French-speaking heritage. In a nutshell, Canada's immigration system has never been so sensitive to its social and economic demands."

 It was determined that category-based draws would commence within the year of the amendments to the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act in June 2022. As a result of these changes, the minister can now select immigrants according to the characteristics that align with Canada's economic objectives.

What criteria were used to select the categories?

The Minister adhered to legislative requirements by consulting with various stakeholders, including industry members, unions, employers, worker advocacy groups, settlement provider organisations, immigration researchers, and practitioners such as provincial and territorial governments, unions, employers, and workers, when selecting these categories.

In each year's report, the IRCC will provide Parliament with information regarding the following:

• A list of the categories selected in the previous year
• The reasons for their selection and how they were selected
• Instructions for establishing categories
• Approximately how many invitations were issued for each category

What is the purpose of Express Entry?

The Express Entry program was developed in 2015 in response to the changing needs of the Canadian economy and labour market. This system manages three economic immigration programs: the Federal Skilled Trades Program, the Federal Skilled Workers Program, and the Canadian Experience Class. Its primary purpose is to oversee the application process for these programs.

Candidates for these programs are assessed using the Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS), which incorporates factors such as work experience, language ability, occupation, education, and others into the ranking system. Individuals who achieved the highest scores within the Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) were most likely to receive an Invitation to Apply (ITA) for permanent residency.

- Rajneesh Kumar