The Express Entry application management system in Canada has had a very interesting year. After an 18-month hiatus that started in December 2020, all-program drawings have resumed, allowing Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) to move closer to the pre-pandemic targets of Express Entry invites.
The government has been striving throughout the year to reduce the bottleneck of applications and increase immigration goals for the upcoming years.
The Federal High Skilled Immigration Program’s Express Entry application management system oversees applications from skilled employees and immigrants of all economic backgrounds who seek to immigrate to Canada.
If an applicant satisfies the requirements of the Express Entry program, they may compile the required supporting files and upload a profile on the IRCC website. After that, they will receive a Comprehensive Ranking System score that will be used to compare them to the other applicants in the application pool. The likelihood of receiving an Invitation To Apply (ITA) for permanent residence increases with higher test scores.
Amount of ITAs
According to ministerial directives, Express Entry applicants received 46,538 ITAs during the course of the 23 drawings in 2022. These figure covers draw conducted between January and July just for participants in Provincial Nominee Programs (PNPs). There were 35,750 ITAs in total for just all-program draws, which started in July and continued through the remainder of the year.
Sean Fraser, the minister of immigration, stated in April of last year that all-program Express Entry draws will start up again in July. At the first draw, which was held on July 6, 1,500 applicants were present.
Owing to the break in drawings during the first half of the year, there are fewer ITAs overall than in the past. The smallest draw occurred on July 6. The number of ITAs climbed over the course of the next 10 draws in steps of either 250 or 500 applicants, reaching its peak on October 26, November 9, and October 23 with 4,750 candidates invited in each draw.
CRS results
The lowest minimum Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score was 491 in the most recent Express Entry lottery.
There has been a drop of 66 points over ten draws since draws resumed. For the first draw in July, the CRS score was 557.
Each succeeding draw after draws resumed on July 6 showed a decrease in the minimum score. There were losses of six to eight points in the initial draws. The smallest decreases, ranging from four to two points, were seen in the last three draws.
Revised NOC
The IRCC formally changed the NOC from 2016 to 2021 on November 16.
Candidates for Express Entry must have job experience categorized as NOC skill classes 0, A, or B under NOC 2016. The Training, Education, Experience, and Responsibilities (TEER) method has been adopted by IRCC for NOC 2021.
The goal of the new system is to make it easier to comprehend a candidate’s credentials and work experience so they may more readily integrate into Canada’s labor force. Additionally, 16 new occupations are now qualified for Express Entry programs under the TEER system.
Targeted draws
Bill C-19 was signed into law by the Canadian Parliament in June. The Bill gives the immigration minister the power to select Express Entry applicants based on their financial necessity rather than just their CRS score.
Even though Express Entry currently gives Canada a competitive edge, the minister indicated there is still an opportunity for improvement.
Where [the Express Entry system] might be enhanced is right now, if there are specific difficulties the economy is currently experiencing, it might have long-term difficulties. They are unable to modify the invites to apply through the Express Entry system to take into account certain in-demand credentials or talents, according to Fraser.
In the spring of 2023, IRCC is anticipated to start organizing draws tailored to particular professions.
