On October 12, Canada invited 4,250 candidates in an all-program Express Entry draw. This was the eighth draw since Canada resumed all-program draws on July 6.
A total of 4,250 candidates were issued invitations by Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) – requiring a minimum score of 500. Candidates that received an Invitation to Apply (ITA) were from three programs managed by Express Entry: the Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSWP), the Federal Skilled Trades Program (FSTP), and the Canadian Experience Class (CEC).
All-program Express Entry draws were temporarily paused for over 18 months starting in December 2020. During the pause, only Canadian Experience Class (CEC) or Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) candidates were issued ITAs. The temporary pause was a result of the massive backlog in applications caused owing to the COVID-19 pandemic. In September 2021, CEC draws were also put on hold by the IRCC.
The October 12 draw is a continuation of lower CRS scores. By lowering the minimum CRS threshold, the IRCC aims to invite a higher number of candidates – eligible under the Express Entry. This has been the trend since draws were resumed on July 6. The score for the first all-program draw in July was 557 – and for the first five draws, decreased by eight or nine points each time. However, the two most recent draws on September 14 and 28 saw smaller decreases of six points.
IRCC aims to hit its target of inviting some 432,000 new permanent residents as part of the Immigration Level Plans 2022-2024. The IRCC releases a new plan each year – outlining the number of immigrants Canada seeks to welcome over the coming three years. For 2022, the plan targets 55,900 new permanent residents through Express Entry. So far, between January 1, 2022, and August 31, 2022, IRCC has managed to admit over 28,000 new permanent residents through Express Entry.
A new Immigration Level Plan is expected to be announced soon – by November 1 this year.
The Canadian government has also removed some of the barriers that initially prevented Physicians living and working in Canada as temporary residents – to apply for Express Entry.
Since Canada’s medical system works on a “fee-for-service” model, Physicians were not eligible. Since it is different from a traditional employer/employee relationship, Physicians are considered self-employed. Self-employed work experience gained within Canada is not eligible to be included as part of the Express Entry application.
However, being self-employed does not render a candidate ineligible. Candidates that have gained at least a year of work experience abroad, or as an employee in Canada – may still be eligible to apply under the Express Entry.
Read More:- New Express Entry draw: 3, 750 ITAs issued to applicants
The exception for Physicians is one of the first changes to the Express Entry that is expected to continue into 2023. The amendment proposed by the IRCC under Bill C-19 will give the immigration minister more flexibility on who can be invited from the Express Entry pool. This will give IRCC the authority to select candidates based on specific Work Experience, Education, or Language Proficiency – rather than the current system of issuing ITAs to a wide range of candidates solely on their CRS scores.
Related Posts
Comments
We welcome your feedback
Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *