The commencement of category-based selection drawings for Express Entry applicants was announced by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) on May 31st, according to Immigration Minister Sean Fraser. Transport Occupations Priority in Express Entry Category-based Draws.
IRCC will give preference to Express Entry candidates who have a strong French language proficiency or work experience in the following fields:
- Healthcare
- Science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) professions
- Trades, such as carpenters, plumbers, and contractors
- Transport
- Agriculture and agri-food
Following information concerning shortages in the Canadian labor market, IRCC decided on the professions. The provinces, territories, and other stakeholders around the nation were also consulted by the IRCC, who also received their feedback.
500 healthcare professionals were given the opportunity to apply for permanent residency in the first category-based Express Entry draw ever held by the IRCC on June 28. On July 5th, a second round with 1,500 healthcare professionals invited is anticipated.
Another category-based draw is anticipated to also be held on July 5th, inviting eligible candidates in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) professions.
Why were transport occupations chosen as a category?
Employment and Social Development Canada reports that between 2019 and 2021, the number of occupations with a shortage doubled.
Data on open positions as of Q4 2022 were made available by Statistics Canada. For the purposes of the Statistics Canada data, the trades category includes both wholesale and retail trading. There were 30,930 job openings in the wholesale trades overall, compared to 108,795 in the retail trades.
In order to improve Express Entry through category-based selection, IRCC organized a public consultation. During the engagement phase, a variety of stakeholders and the general public were surveyed for their opinions and suggestions.
Participating stakeholders were generally in favor of adopting category-based selection to address labor market shortages in particular industries or occupations, and the majority offered concrete proposals. Of the categories mentioned, trades, transport and equipment operations, and related occupations were viewed as the sector experiencing the greatest needs by around 16% of respondents, which reflected the high proportion of respondents representing this sector. Transport Occupations Priority in Express Entry.
What are the eligibility requirements for the transport occupations category?
In order to be eligible, you must:
- Meet the eligibility criteria of one of the Express Entry programs (the Federal Skilled Worker Program, or Canadian Experience Class, or Federal Skilled Trades Program)
- Have accumulated, within the past 3 years, at least 6 months of continuous work experience in one of the listed occupations
- Meet all of the other requirements in the instructions for the round
What are the transportation occupations?
There are 10 occupations in the transport occupation category. These include:
- Aircraft assemblers and aircraft assembly inspectors
- Transport truck drivers
- Railway traffic controllers and marine traffic regulators
- Engineer officers, water transport
- Deck officers, water transport
- Air traffic controllers and related occupations
- Air pilots, flight engineers, and flying instructors
- Aircraft mechanics and aircraft inspectors
- Railway carmen/women
- Managers in transportation
How will Express Entry category-based rounds of invitation be chosen?
IRCC will send invitations to candidates in category-based draws to apply for permanent residence if they are eligible for a specific category. This criterion includes:
- Work experience in a specific TEER category of the National Occupational Classification (NOC)
- Language ability in either English or French
- Education
How will Comprehensive Ranking System scores be considered?
There will also be draws based on categories in addition to general and program-specific lotteries. Top candidates who can support achieving Canadian economic and labor market goals are invited to participate in Express Entry draws.
The Comprehensive Ranking mechanism (CRS), a points-based mechanism, is used to rank applicants in the Express Entry pool. Candidates are ranked using a variety of criteria, including age, education, language proficiency, and work experience.
For category-based draws, a candidate’s CRS score will still play a major role. Candidates who receive the highest ranking scores and who are also qualified for the category-based draw will receive invites from IRCC.
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