In a recent development, IRCC continues to invite Express Entry candidates in the third round of the draw. This round of invitations specifically targeted healthcare occupations and a total of 1,500 candidates were invited to apply for permanent residence. Notably, the minimum Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score required for this draw was 463, which happens to be the lowest CRS score for any Express Entry invitation round in 2023.
Healthcare Category Draw
The announcement of today’s healthcare category draw does not come as a surprise, as IRCC had confirmed last week that 1,500 invitations would be extended to healthcare workers this week. This draw follows the first-ever category-based invitation round on June 28, where 500 healthcare workers with a minimum CRS score of 476 were invited to apply.
Recent Draws and Surprise All-Program Draw
Preceding the healthcare category draw, on July 5, IRCC invited 500 candidates in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) professions, with a minimum CRS score of 486. Additionally, on July 4, there was an unexpected all-program draw where 700 candidates with a minimum CRS score of 511 received invitations. All program draws consider candidates from the Federal Skilled Worker Program, the Canadian Experience Class, and the Federal Skilled Trades Program.
Healthcare Occupations for Category-Based Selection
Within the new category-based selection framework, healthcare occupations comprise the largest number of eligible professions, totaling 35. It is worth noting that Canada heavily relies on immigration to address urgent labor force gaps in the healthcare sector.
The Need for Immigration in the Healthcare Sector
According to recent data from Statistics Canada, immigrants are the main source to fulfill labour gap in the healthcare sector. Also, Canada currently has over 153,000 vacant positions in healthcare and the country relies upon immigration to meet its soaring demand in the sector.
Category-Based Selection Draws
The introduction of new categories for category-based selection draws was announced on May 31 by Sean Fraser, Canada’s Minister of Immigration. This move followed the amendment to the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act in June 2022, which granted the immigration minister the authority to select economic immigration candidates who possess attributes aligned with Canada’s economic priorities or the promotion of the French language outside of Quebec.
The shortlisted categories are STEM professions which include healthcare, science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. The selection process for these categories is particularly based upon the labour market requirements, consultations with IRCC partners, as well as provincial and territorial governments. The third consecutive day of Express Entry invitations by IRCC highlights the government’s commitment to address labor shortages and bolster the Canadian economy through immigration. The specific focus on healthcare occupations underscores the importance of this sector in Canada’s overall workforce. As IRCC continues to release Express Entry results, aspiring immigrants can remain updated on the latest developments in the program.
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