On November 23, Canada held its eleventh all-program Express Entry draw. Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) issued invitations to 4750 applicants with a minimum Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score of 491. Candidates were invited from the Canadian Experience Class (CEC), the Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSWP), and the Federal Skilled Trades Program (FSTP).
In December 2020 all-program Express Entry draws were put on hold for over 1.5 years. COVID-19-related travel restrictions caused a backlog in applications, which forced the draws to be paused. During this phase, applicants from CEC or Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) were issued invitations to apply (ITA). However, in September 2021, IRCC paused draws for the CEC.
The number of invitations in this draw is similar to the previous two draws held on November 9 and October 26. The CRS score is continuing to dip by two or three points with each Express Entry draw.
NOC Updates
Express Entry candidates’ professions and skill levels are determined by the National Occupation Classification (NOC) system, which was announced by IRCC on November 16. The latest system classifies occupations based on training, education, experience, and responsibility (TEER). The new TEER system has updated NOC 2016’s skill levels 0-E and drafted equivalent five TEERS.
| NOC 2016 | NOC 2021 |
| Skill Type 0 | TEER 0 |
| Skill Level A | TEER 1 |
| Skill Level B | TEER 2 |
| Skill Level B | TEER 3 |
| Skill Level C | TEER 4 |
| Skill Level D | TEER 5 |
As a result of the TEER system, 16 new occupations have become eligible for Express Entry, while three occupations have become ineligible. Ineligible occupations may still be admissible under other economic immigration pathways, such as provincial nominee programs.
The new occupations aim to address labor shortages in sectors such as technology, healthcare, and truck driving that currently plague Canada. Here are the sixteen new eligible occupations:
- Payroll administrators
- Dental assistants and dental laboratory assistants
- Nurse aides, orderlies, and patient service associates
- Pharmacy technical assistants and pharmacy assistants
- Elementary and secondary school teacher assistants
- Sheriffs and bailiffs
- Correctional service officers
- By-law enforcement and other regulatory officers
- Estheticians, electrologists, and related occupations
- Residential and commercial installers and servicers
- Pest controllers and fumigators
- Other repairers and servicers
- Transport truck drivers
- Bus drivers, subway operators, and other transit operators
- Heavy equipment operators
- Aircraft assemblers and aircraft assembly inspectors
Express Entry Changes in 2023
Candidates can expect Express Entry draws to continue into the late 2022 and early 2023 period, with CRS, scores as the main determining factor.
With the recent passage of Bill C-19, the IRCC will begin conducting targeted draws starting in 2023. The benchmarks for receiving an ITA mat vary between draws depending upon Canada’s most pressing economic requirement. For instance, an individual may receive an ITA based on their occupation, education, or language abilities. As immigration minister Sean Fraser has stated, these targeted draws will help new permanent residents succeed as well as fill urgent gaps in the Canadian workforce.
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