Canada is set to resume all-program, fswp draws from July 6, 2022. Combined with a million job vacancies and Canada’s concentrated effort to tackle its immigration backlog, this probably represents a great opportunity for foreign skilled workers to immigrate to Canada.

Why All-Program Draws Matter?

Till December 2020, all-program Express Entry draws were the norm and program-specific draws like those for CEC candidates or PNP Express Entry streams were the exceptions.

The pandemic made it impossible for foreign workers to travel to Canada, which meant Express Entry draws had to focus on candidates already in Canada. This is why most of the draws conducted in 2021 were CEC and PNP-specific draws.

There have been no CEC draws since September 2021, which means all draws were PNP-only draws.

Will all-program draws beginning from July 6, this is the clearest indicator that the disruption caused by the pandemic is at last beginning to end.

Also Read

• • Ready for FSWP Draws in 2022? Boost Your FSWP Points for an Express Entry ITA in 2022
  • After the Pandemic—the Path Ahead for Canada Immigration FSWP Applicants
  • Overview of the Canada Experience Class Program and Comparison With the FSWP

Another reason why all-program draws matter is that it expands the pool of potential economic immigrants to the entire world. CEC requires the candidate to have at least one year of Canadian work experience. This restricted the pool of skilled workers to whom Canada could issue Invitations to Apply.

In case of the FSWP, an eligible candidate must have one year of work experience. However, this can be in any country across the world. A skilled worker who has worked in India, Vietnam, South Korea, or any other country too becomes eligible to apply under the FSWP.

Further, FSWP is an easier choice for skilled workers as compared to the CEC. The FSWP requires the candidate to have at least one year work experience in the past ten years. The CEC, on the other hand, requires the candidate to have one year of Canada work experience in the past three years only.

July 6 Onward—What to Expect?

Canada needed to resume all-program draws between July and September 2022 to meet its immigration targets. Considering draws are beginning in July itself, this means the size of the draws, the minimum CRS score, and the total number of ITAs issued will be similar to pre-pandemic levels.

However, there are chances of a big draw similar to the massive CEC-only draw that took place in 2021. Since FSWP candidates account for a big proportion of skilled workers in the pool, it’s likely that any big draw will see a large number of ITAs being issued to FSWP candidates.

How Can You Prepare for the FSWP Draw?

It’s nice to imagine a huge draw where everybody gets an ITA irrespective of their CRS score. However, that is not a good way to plan your immigration strategy. Just presume that minimum CRS scores are unlikely to change too much and assess whether you are likely to get an ITA.

Remember, just because FSWP draws are beginning again doesn’t mean you should ignore other options. A provincial nomination and its 600-point boost to your CRS score remains the safest way to qualify for an ITA for Canada permanent residence.

Next, a job is not mandatory to qualify for permanent residence in Canada. However, it is unlikely to you can plan your future in Canada unless you have adequate financial resources. So, keep working on your efforts to find a job in the country.

A job offer from an eligible employer can give you a 50-point boost. A job in the right province can also make it easier to qualify for a provincial nomination. So, don’t separate the PR and job search process. Instead, focus on both together.

Finally, there’s more to Canada immigration than just having a job and being in the Express Entry pool.

Is your profile up to date? Are your language test results valid?

Unless you have a Canadian degree, you will require Educational Credentials Assessment (ECA) for all your foreign degrees. Do you have them in hand? Are they valid? Are they likely to expire in the middle of the process if you get an ITA in the next draw?

Do you have a clean police record? Are you in good health or will your medical test results pose problems?

From having proof of work experience in hand to language test results and ECAs and medical tests, there are many potential obstacles that can complicate your Canada PR process. This is why you should work with an immigration professional to give yourself the best shot at PR in the all-program draws.