Canada Express Entry draws have changed with the introduction of occupation-specific draws, which began with 500 invitations for healthcare workers on June 28.
Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) have issued 10,100 invitations since then, with only 1,500 through all-program draws. The other invitations included 6,100 for Francophone candidates, 2,000 for healthcare workers, and 500 for candidates in STEM occupations.
Previously, most invitations were issued through all-program draws. IRCC conducted all-program draws every two weeks with the occasional program-specific draw. The CRS score has risen into the 500s with the reduced frequency of all-programs draws.
Express Entry occupation-specific draws Background
On May 31, 2023, the Government of Canada launched a new selection category under Express Entry, allowing IRCC to invite prospective permanent residents with specific skills, training, or language ability. This year, invitations will focus on candidates with strong French language proficiency or experience in:
- healthcare,
- STEM professions,
- trades,
- transport,
- agriculture, and
- agri-food.
Category-based selection supports Canada’s commitment to welcoming skilled workers into communities nationwide. Click here to know complete details about Express Entry category-based selections.
Full List of STEM Occupations to be Targeted
The complete list of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) occupations with NOC codes and TEER category are listed in the table below:
| Occupations | NOC code | TEER category |
| Architects | 21200 | 1 |
| Architecture and science managers | 20011 | 0 |
| Business systems specialists | 21221 | 1 |
| Civil Engineers | 21300 | 1 |
| Computer and information systems managers | 20012 | 0 |
| Computer engineers (except software engineers and designers) | 21311 | 1 |
| Computer systems developers and programmers | 21230 | 1 |
| Cybersecurity specialists | 21220 | 1 |
| Data scientists | 21211 | 1 |
| Database analysts and data administrators | 21223 | 1 |
| Electrical and electronics engineers | 21310 | 1 |
| Engineering managers | 20010 | 0 |
| Industrial and manufacturing engineers | 21321 | 1 |
Information systems specialists | 21222 | 1 |
| Land surveyors | 21203 | 1 |
| Landscape Architects | 21201 | 1 |
| Mathematicians, statisticians, and actuaries | 21210 | 1 |
| Metallurgical and materials engineers | 21322 | 1 |
| Natural and applied science policy researchers, consultants, and program officers | 41400 | 1 |
| Software developers and programmers | 21232 | 1 |
| Software engineers and designers | 21231 | 1 |
| Urban and land use planners | 21202 | 1 |
| Web designers | 21233 | 1 |
| Web developers and programmers | 21234 | 1 |
How are selection categories created under Express Entry?
The categories were chosen in accordance with legal requirements that the Minister take part in open consultation with provinces and territories, business leaders, workers’ supporters, unions, employers, and organizations that provide services for settling immigrants. The IRCC will report yearly to Parliament on:
- the categories were chosen from the previous year
- why and how they were chosen
- the instructions to establish a category
- the number of invitations issued for each category
Want to know more details about “How Express Entry draws have changed since the introduction of the occupation-specific draws” you can contact one of our immigration specialists at Gunness & Associates.
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Email: info@immigrationmatters.info
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