Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) indicated that the department was considering introducing targeted Express Entry draws that will select candidates best suited to meet Canada’s labor market needs. IRCC has now confirmed, in an email to CICNews, that these targeted Express Entry draws will begin in early 2023.
According to these changes Canada’s immigration minister will have new powers to invite candidates based on factors including occupation, language ability, or educational background. This may be done in combination with a candidate’s Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score.
Using the new targeted Express Entry draw system, Canada could choose to invite nurses from the Express Entry pool by using a draw that targets candidates with experience in National Occupational Classification (NOC) Code 3012 (Registered Nurses). Targeting candidates based on certain educational backgrounds offers a similar opportunity as targeting based on occupation. In this case, the Government of Canada may choose to target candidates who have completed certain types of educational credentials.
As aircraft mechanics are a skilled trade requiring a license to practice in Canada, these positions can be hard to fill. In order to become an aircraft mechanic in Canada, workers must go through an official licensing process which includes a compulsory educational component. In order to address the shortage of aircraft mechanics, IRCC could target Express Entry candidates who indicate they have obtained their license to practice as an aircraft mechanic in Canada, which includes the requisite education component.
Any candidate in the Express Entry pool knows that high language test scores are already a crucial component of a competitive Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score. However, targeting candidates based on language abilities would allow Canada to address one major challenge in its immigration strategy: attracting French-speaking immigrants to regions outside Quebec.