Canada has announced that it will resume the popular Canada-wide Express Entry immigration pool in July 2022.
Since the end of 2021, the Express Entry draw has only come from Provincial Nominee Program candidates. Federal Skilled Working Class, Federal Skilled Working Class and Canadian Experience Class candidates can now look forward to future draw including their applications.
These programs were suspended from the Express Entry draw due to the severe backlog of application processing. Their update is critical to Canada’s efforts to grow its workforce and economy post-pandemic.
Canadian businesses are scrambling to fill hundreds of thousands of open jobs with foreign skilled workers. Bringing these programs back will accelerate current applications and drive new ones.
Immigration Minister Sean Fraser said in a statement:
With the economy growing faster than employers can hire for new jobs, Canada needs to look at every option so that we have the skills and labour needed to fuel our growth. Immigration will be crucial to addressing our labour shortage, and these measures aim to address pressing needs in all sectors across the country while providing more opportunities for recent graduates and other applicants to build their lives in Canada and continue contributing to our short-term recovery and long-term prosperity.
The Express Entry, permanent residency applications resumed. In July 2022, the temporary suspension of Express Entry draws for all programs in Canada will end. Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) says most new applications for renewals will be processed within the six-month standard of service.
Eligible candidates can also apply for permanent residency again in July 2022.
Importantly, permanent residence applicants are no longer required to remain in Canada while IRCC processes their application.
Applicants who apply for an open work permit while IRCC is processing their permanent residence application will receive a work permit valid until the end of 2024.
In addition, family members of the candidate’s permanent residence application will be eligible for an open work permit.
What is Canada’s Whole Program Express Entry?
Express Entry is Canada’s application system for managing skilled worker applications. This is also the most popular way to immigrate to Canada.
The Express Entry draw for Canadian permanent residents is held regularly, but approximately every two weeks.
In each draw, Canada issues an invitation to apply for permanent residence to eligible candidates in the Express Entry pool.
Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) approves your application and completes the landing process. Thereafter, you are officially a permanent resident of Canada.
To enter the federal Express Entry pool, candidates must first create an Express Entry profile on the IRCC website.
Again, you must meet the eligibility requirements for one of the three programs. These are the Federal Skilled Worker Class; the Federal Skilled Worker Class; and the Canadian Experience Class.
You do not have to offer a job offer to enter or be selected from the Express Entry pool. However, IRCC awards additional Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) points to those who already have a job.
Your CRS is a number, maybe 1,200. It is usually determined by your core human capital. This is essentially your age, work experience, education, adaptability, and, language skills.
Importantly, only a few candidates with the highest CRS scores receive an invitation to apply (ITA).
Express Entry Quick Steps
- Create an IRCC profile/account to apply for a Canada visa online.
- Check your application status
- Check application processing time
