On May 31, 2023, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) announced the first-ever launch of category-based selection for Canada’s economic immigration management system, Express Entry. This category-based selection will allow Canada to invite prospective permanent residents with specific skills, training or language ability to apply.
Category-Based Selection Invitations
This year, category-based selection invitations will focus on candidates who have strong French language proficiency, or who have work experience in the following fields:
- Healthcare
- Science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM)
- Trades, such as carpenters, plumbers and contractors
- Transport
- Agriculture and agri-food
Across Canada, immigration accounts for almost 100% of Canada’s labor force growth, helping to address labor shortages in key sectors. IRCC believes that by allowing invitations to more skilled workers in these professions, category-based selection will support Canada’s commitment to welcoming in-demand professionals into communities across Canada. A favorable outcome of this new targeted program will be to increase the chances of receiving an invitation for candidates working in fields currently affected by labor shortages.
Category-based selection should make Express Entry more responsive to Canada’s changing economic and labor market needs, while building on the high human capital approach that has been a hallmark of Canada’s successful economic immigration system. IRCC emphasizes that these priorities maintain the focus of bringing in skilled workers with the potential to integrate and contribute to Canada’s future.
The first category-based invitations to apply are expected to be sent this summer.
For more information on this Alert, please reach out to the T&S Americas team at AMERICAS@tandslaw.com.
