The Canadian immigration landscape has seen a few recent major changes most notably within the Express Entry system. These updates from Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada can massively affect your journey to immigration. To keep you better informed, let’s discuss some of the key highlights and what they really mean for your future in Canada.
Record-Breaking ITAs in 2023
IRCC more than doubled the number of ITAs issued in 2023, compared to the previous year. The just-released Express Entry year-end report disclosed that more than 110,000 ITAs were given in 42 draws between 11 January and 21 December 2023. This indicates a significant rise of 136% on the figure from the previous year, when there were 46,539 ITAs issued in 2022.
Understanding the Express Entry System:
It’s a managing application system for economic class immigration programs. It encompasses the following three main streams:
- Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSWP)
- Canadian Experience Class (CEC)
- Federal Skilled Trades Program (FSTP)
Candidates are ranked using the Comprehensive Ranking System that grants scores out of 1,200. Those candidates who have high scores are most likely to receive an ITA.
The Introduction of Category-Based Selection Draws
Finally, category-based selection draws were introduced in 2023. In contrast to general draws, these were occupation-based or language skills-based, targeting candidates across all Express Entry programs who meet these criteria.
The report shows that the highest number of ITAs (45,352) were granted to candidates from the Canadian Experience Class (CEC). This was followed by 26,445 ITAs under the Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) and then 17,897 under the Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSWP). Only eight ITAs were given to candidates under the Federal Skilled Trades Program (FSTP).
Impact on CRS scores
These category-based draws influenced the CRS scores. Majorly, candidates CRS scores were within the 300-550 range 93% of the entire applicants. The average CRS score for general draws went over 500 after these specialized draws.
Trends in Country of Residence and Citizenship
It also highlighted the country of residence and citizenship trends of Express Entry candidates. As was the case in 2022, the largest number of ITAs issued in 2023 remained for those candidates residing in Canada, with 7,679 ITAs issued, followed by those in India in second spot with 7,394 ITAs. Cameroon places well in third place with 3,828 ITAs, just ahead of Nigeria with 3,822 ITAs.
Moving on to citizenship, the top source country for Express Entry ITAs continued to be India, followed by Nigeria and China.
Occupational Trends Among ITA Recipients
Work experience remains a critical factor in Express Entry eligibility. In 2023, a great number of the ITAs were given to applicants working in tech, computer, and financial jobs. Software engineers and designers retained the top spot for the second year in a row with 7,259 ITAs. They were followed by software developers and programmers with 5,183 ITAs. Among the top 15 occupations, 10 are classified as Tier 1 occupations under NOC, significantly. Those occupations usually require a university degree.
Gender on Express Entry
The 2023 data also revealed the gender distribution of Express Entry applicants. On the side of the ITAs, 57% went to men, with the remaining 43% going to women. Regarding programs, for instance, the proportion of ITAs to men under the CEC was 52% and for the PNP 26%, while for women, it was higher under the FSWP at 33% compared to 22% for men.
Education and Language Proficiency
Education continued to be one of the driving forces behind the Express Entry system. An overwhelming majority of ITAs went to candidates possessing post-secondary education; more precisely, 46% with a post-secondary credential of three years or longer, and 43% with a master’s degree or an entry-to-practice professional degree.
Other important factors in CRS scores are language skills. In 2023, 78% of Express Entry candidates scored a Canadian Language Benchmark of 7 and 9, the standard for skilled immigration. In 2023, 24% scored CLB 7, with another 31% hitting CLB 9. Another 18% reached the top score of CLB 10, down slightly from 21% in 2022.
Trends and important changes in the 2024 changes to the Express Entry system underline further shifts that may impact your immigration plans. Given the high ITA numbers, selection draws by category, and the changing CRS scores, being informed is vital for any possible immigrant into Canada.
