Canada will begin Express Entry drawings for talented workers in the “near term,” according to the immigration minister

Immigration Minister Sean Fraser’s talk about the future of Express Entry is highlighted

 When asked when the Canadian Experience Class (CEC) draws will restart, Immigration Minister Sean Fraser indicated they would resume “in the short future” and that he was looking into ways to make the Express Entry system even more effective.

Fraser had a conversation about Canadian immigration with Goldy Hyder, president and CEO of the Business Council of Canada. On February 16, the event was aired live on the Canadian Club Toronto website.

While the immigration minister stated that no date has been set for CEC draws to resume, he did imply that they would resume “shortly” and that Express Entry would begin to seem more normal in the years ahead.

“We do need to resume federal skilled worker drawings in the near future,” Fraser said. “If you look at the immigration levels plan over the next several years, the balance is moving back, and by year three… a record number of federal skilled workers will be welcomed to Canada, including through the Canadian Experience Class.”

By no means am I implying that in my opinion one of the most brilliant immigration schemes in the world will be abandoned.”

Fraser also stated that he would want to see the Express Entry system become more flexible. Express Entry, he suggested, could be used to meet short-term needs such as welcoming people into smaller communities, high-demand sectors, and “people who are arriving from a specific area that has some kind of educational institutions that will prepare the employees we need in strategically important sectors.”

“I’m personally digging into building this adaptability into the Express Entry system right now because I think it’ll help us to adapt in a more fluid way when we see the rate of transition only rising over time,” Fraser said.

Fraser previously suggested that occupation-specific Express Entry lotteries could be used in the future.

One of Fraser’s priorities outlined in his ministerial mandate letter is expanding Express Entry options to permanent residency for overseas students and foreign worker employees. He’s also in charge of developing the Rural and Northern Immigration Pilot and moving forward with the Municipal Nominee Program to ensure that immigration better helps small and medium-sized towns. Fraser has already made the Atlantic Immigration Pilot a permanent programme since taking office in the autumn, which was one of the other major issues listed in his mandate letter.

What is the procedure for Express Entry?

Express Entry was intended to handle immigration applications for skilled employees who qualify for one of three programmes: the Canadian Experience Class, the Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSWP), or the Federal Skilled Trades Program (FSTP). Candidates who qualify for one of these programmes may also be considered for the Provincial Nominee Program (PNP).

In general, a candidate’s eligibility for Express Entry-managed programmes is determined by their prior work experience in “skilled” occupations. If a candidate meets the requirements for an Express Entry-managed programme, they can earn points based on human capital indicators such as age, education, job experience, and proficiency in an official language. Candidates with the highest scores are asked to apply for Canadian immigration.

Express Entry’s current state

Canada has only been encouraging PNP applicants to apply via the Express Entry route since September 2021. The halt in CEC, FSWP, and FSTP draws is temporary, according to Fraser, while Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) handle the pandemic-related backlog of immigration petitions.

About 64,890 FSWP and CEC applicants awaited results on their immigration requests as of February 1. There will be fewer Express Entry applicants this year than there are in the backlog, according to the immigration levels plan for 2022-2024. Without counting PNP candidates, Canada expects to admit 55,900 foreigners through Express Entry in 2022. Canada expects to admit 75,750 Express Entry immigrants the following year.

Through Express Entry, Canada expects to receive a record number of 111,500 immigrants by 2024.

In the fall of this year, Fraser will present the second immigration levels strategy for 2023-2025. The targets for 2023 and beyond may alter before then.