Latest All-Program Express Entry Draws
With the re-entry of All-program Entry draws, the long wait for eligible Canada immigration applicants planning to apply for Canada PR is over. These candidates can now apply for permanent residence in Canada.
Recently on July 6, IRCC announced the most awaited Express Entry Draws, inviting 1500 Express Entry applicants to apply for permanent residence. IRCC kept the CRS cut-off score for this draw at 557. With this announcement, it can be expected that the Express Entry draws will grow in size as long as Canada continues to accept record numbers of immigrants.
Earlier, on December 23, 2020, IRCC issued 5,000 invitations to apply (ITAs) for permanent residence, and it was the last all-program draw before the halt. Following that, IRCC exclusively held program-specific draws for Canadian Experience Class (CEC) and Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) candidates. After September 21, 2021, CEC draws were halted because IRCC could no longer handle CEC applications within the six-month service requirement.
Now that Express Entry has been reinstated, it is important to understand its significance and impact on future draws:
Faster Processing of New Express Entry Applications
As announced by Canadian Immigration Minister Sean Fraser, IRCC is looking forward to processing new Express Entry applications within six months.
According to IRCC statements, IRCC cleared a backlog of nearly 50,000 individuals between September 2021 and February 2022. The paper, due to be signed by March 31, 2022, said that IRCC’s Express Entry inventory is sufficient to satisfy 2022 targets but that to reach 2023 goals, IRCC would have to begin issuing invites between July and September.
An Increase in Draw Sizes and Enrollments May be Expected
According to the 2022-2024 Immigration Levels Plan, IRCC expects to receive 55,900 Express Entry applicants who do not hold PNPs in 2022. The IRCC then plans to accept 75,750 of these applicants in 2023. The objectives are predicted to climb to 111,500 by 2024. To fulfill 2024 expectations, IRCC is required to expand the draw sizes well in advance considerably. These plans may be modified before November 1, when the new multi-year immigration levels plan will be introduced.
Observing all these events, it can be clearly stated that enrollment in these programs will continue to grow in accordance with the levels plan objectives. However, the ability of IRCC to sustain this standard while managing Canada’s demand for immigrants will most certainly continue to impact draw sizes.
Increase in the Number of Immigrants owing to Canada’s Labour Shortages
Seeing the current situation of Canada’s labour market, it can be clearly observed that the country still needs a greater number of skilled immigrants. There are several factors to it, and the aging population is one of them. In June, Canada’s labour force dropped, owing primarily to adults aged 55 and older exiting the workforce. Also, there were fewer individuals seeking employment. At the same time, there are around 1 million job openings in Canada, owing primarily to the demand for summer employment.
We’ve known for a long time that Canada’s 9 million baby boomers will reach retirement age this decade. According to a recent RBC poll, one-third of Canadians are retiring early, and three out of every ten pre-retirees are shifting their retirement date due to the epidemic. Simultaneously, Canada’s fertility rate fell to a historic low of 1.4 children per woman in 2020. To replenish itself, a population requires 2.1 kids per woman. Below that, the new generation of natural-born Canadians will be insufficient to replace retirees leaving the labour force.
IRCC is Planning to Bring in Some Significant Reforms
One strategy for addressing labour shortages is to welcome a large number of immigrants. Every year, Canada hopes to increase its population by around 1% through immigration. The bulk of these immigrants are economically disadvantaged. Until this year, Express Entry was the primary route for new immigrants. According to the current immigration levels plan, Express Entry will remain the primary program by 2024.
Canada recently enacted legislation allowing the immigration minister to invite Express Entry candidates based on economic criteria. Minister Fraser has stated that since their invitation to apply is based on economic necessity, he anticipates an improvement in retention rates for immigrants under the Express Entry system.
Boost your Chances of Getting Canada PR with PNPs
If you are qualified for Express Entry, being in the pool may allow you to be asked to apply for Canadian immigration. It can also make you eligible for a provincial nomination, increasing your score by 600 CRS points and placing you at the top of the Express Entry pool. Even if you have a low CRS score, you may still be eligible for a provincial nomination from certain provinces. For example, in the past, Alberta has welcomed candidates with CRS scores as low as 300.
