IRCC Invited Federal Skilled Workers Through Express Entry Draw

After 2020, for the first time in a while, Canada finally invited Federal Skilled Workers Candidates through Express Entry draw. In this draw, Canadian Experience Class applicants were also included. This is also the first time since September 2021 that CEC candidates have been included in this draw.

Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) invited 1500 candidates to apply for permanent residence status with a Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score 557. Canada’s Immigration Minister Sean Fraser made an announcement that, “We are excited to officially resume the All-Program Express Entry draws with standard 6-months processing time. I would like to thank all the applicants from around the world for being patient as we worked through the massive backlog before resuming. Canada is looking forward to welcome skilled professionals who will help the country with labour shortages.”

This Express Entry draw is pretty significant for many reasons. Since its launch, Canada welcomed skilled immigrants. Before pandemic hit the world, Federal Skilled Worker Program contributed around 45% of the candidates for permanent residence.

Resuming all-program draws is a big news for international students as well. The Canadian Experience Class is also the way for foreign students and international workers to attain permanent residence. The CEC pathway has garnered quite a prominence in the recent times as IRCC relies on this pool to meet the immigration targets. Before COVID-19, Canadian Experience Class included 9% of 341,000 immigrants moved to Canada’s economic, family and humanitarian classes. In 2021, CEC contributed almost one-third of 405,000 immigrants who moved to Canada.

All-program Express Entry draws happen when Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada treats all the applicants in the pool and issues ITA (invitation to apply) for permanent residence status on the basis of the CRS score. Since its launch in 2015, Canada held all-program draws which included Federal Skilled Worker Program, Canadian Experience Class and Federal Skilled Trades Program.

Few weeks back, Immigration Minister Sean Fraser made a statement to fulfill all its immigration goals and hold an all-program Express Entry draw on July 6. IRCC initially made it official in April and also added that they are striving to get back to the standard processing time. And, in the recent draw held on July 6, Canada invited Federal Skilled Workers through Express Entry draw.