Express Entry: What you need to know ahead of July 2022 -

Express Entry draws for Federal Skilled Worker Program and Canadian Experience Class candidates are set to resume in early July 2022.

The onset of the pandemic resulted in a significant decrease in Immigration Refugees and Citizenship Canada‘s (IRCC) application processing capacity and several policy shifts, among them a temporary pause in all-program Express Entry draws.

Through the FSWP, Canada was admitting tens of thousands of professionals and skilled workers from around the world each year on the basis of the likelihood that they will be able to establish themselves successfully in the Canadian labour market. But since December 2020, in order to reduce the number of applications that were piling up in processing centers, Canada introduced a pause in invitation rounds under the program.

Months later, the Canadian Experience Class (CEC), another major federal immigration program, faced the same fate and has now not seen a draw since September 2021.

With Canada having the lowest unemployment rate and the highest number of job vacancies on record, an aging population, and a low birth rate, the importance of reopening the country to qualified skilled workers has now become an ever more pressing goal for the Canadian government.

This is why, by July, Express Entry is poised to once again become Canada’s primary means of attracting international talent. In fact, the Canadian government will gradually increase its annual Express Entry admissions to more than 110,000 immigrants in 2024.

Why you should submit your Express Entry profile early

Be in a position to receive an ITA by early July

Preparing and submitting your Express Entry profile will take time.

The sooner you start preparing and gathering your documents, the sooner you can enter the Express Entry pool. For example, you may need information related to travel documents, language tests, educational credential assessment reports, etc.

By starting the process now, you are more likely to have your paperwork in order by July and be in a position to receive an Invitation to Apply for permanent residence (PR) when draws resume in July.

Take advantage of the tie-breaking rule

Under the Express Entry Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS), candidates from around the world who are seeking to immigrate to Canada are awarded points for a range of human capital factors such as age, education, language, and others. If there is a tie in points between candidates, IRCC uses the time and date of entry into the pool as a tie-breaker. Hence, the earlier you enter the pool, the more likely you are to be invited to apply in a draw.

Leverage the benefits of the PNP

The Provincial Nominee Program is one of Canada’s primary immigration pathways. Originally, each Canadian province had a selection process of its own. However, since the introduction of the Express Entry system, many provinces and territories have created pathways aligned with the federal system as a way to expedite the immigration process.

When you submit a profile in the Express Entry pool and select a province of your choice, you will have a double benefit: you can receive a direct Express Entry invitation and also be selected by the province of your choice. Receiving a provincial nomination will give you an additional 600 points toward your CRS score. The increased score will virtually guarantee that you will receive an Invitation to Apply (ITA) for Canadian PR in an upcoming draw.