Finally, on July 6, Canada will resume program-wide Express Entry drawing after an 18-month hiatus. Canada has issued invitations to qualified professionals for the first time since December 2020. Immigration Minister Sean Fraser said in a recent interview that “they are happy to officially resume and are striving to return to the standard 6-month processing time. He also added: ” We are grateful to all candidates around the world for their patience as we work to reduce the backlog before resuming Express Entry draws for all programs. We look forward to welcoming qualified professionals who are critical to meeting Canada’s labor shortage.”
First fast-track entry draw since December 2020
IRCC has invited Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSWP) applicants for the first time since the pandemic. Canadian Experience Class (CEC) applicants were also included in this program-wide express entry drawing. This is the first time since September 2021 that CEC applicants have been included in an Express Entry lottery. IRCC (Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada) invited a total of 1,500 Express Entry applicants to apply for permanent resident status. The Comprehensive Classification System (CRS) cutoff score was 557.
Second Fast Entry draw since December 2020
Canada welcomed 1,750 Express Entry applicants to apply for permanent residence on July 20. It is one of the main avenues through which Canada invites immigrants. This year, Canada aims to welcome 55,900 immigrants through Express Entry, and by 2024 the goal will skyrocket to 111,500. Invited applicants achieved a minimum score of 542 in the Comprehensive Ranking System. No program was specified in this lottery, meaning applicants for the Canadian Experience Class or the Federal Skilled Worker Program had an equal chance of being invited.
In the last Express Entry draw for the entire program, the CRS requirement was 15 points lower than the first draw on July 6. In addition, IRCC issued 250 more invitations in this draw compared to the previous round of 1,500 invitations.
Between January and September 2021, Canada hosted the Provincial Nominee Program and Canadian Experience Class draws every 15 days. After September 2021, Canada stopped inviting CEC applicants due to a massive backlog and longer processing times.
But Canada has re-hosted Express Entry draws for all programs, bringing more changes to this application management system. The reforms were proposed in the recently passed Bill C-19, which is expected to come into effect in early 2023. After implementation, Canada will be able to hold specific lotteries to invite applicants based on a financial goal. Applicants will be invited based on their work experience, educational credentials, language skills, or other factors to meet the needs of the labor market.
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Canadian Immigration Consultants in Pakistan – Adil Consultants (SMC-PVT) Limited