According to the new report released by the Globe and Mail, IRCC has set immigration targets for the category-based selection draws for 2023.  

The new category-based draws were started in late June by the Department of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC). The department chose a total of six new categories to accomplish the country’s specific economic goals.  

Immigration Targets for category-based draws 2023  

As per the IRCC’s data, the report released by the Globe and Mail claims that the department will put a greater priority on hiring STEM professionals. For instance, between 28-31 % of Express Entry invitations are projected to go to STEM professionals who have recent work experience in jobs such as data scientists, software developers, etc. 

To date, IRCC has conducted only one draw for the STEM category, inviting 500 applicants.  

Notably, the immigration targets for the candidates of the STEM category are significantly much higher as compared to other categories based on occupations. 

Particularly, for the French proficient candidates, the immigration target ranges from 11-15 %; for specific occupations within healthcare, the target ranges from 9-12 %; for trade professionals, the target ranges between 3-4 % and 1-2% for the candidates of transportation and as well as agriculture. 

Canada’s Express Entry System 

Express Entry is a system employed by Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) to operate skilled worker applications of candidates who intend to become Canadian permanent residents.  

Express Entry system handles the following three popular programs:  

  • The Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSWP); 
  • The Canadian Experience Class (CEC); and  
  • The Federal Skilled Trades Program (FSTP). 

Candidates submitting their profiles through the Express Entry for evaluation are ranked based on the CRS score under the Comprehensive Ranking System. This system is based on points that are calculated based on different factors such as age, education, work experience, skills, etc.  

Candidates scoring the highest CRS scores in the Express Entry Pool are selected by the Canadian government and issued an Invitation to Apply (ITA) for Canadian permanent residence.  

There are three different types of draws in the Express Entry System, which are as follows: 

  • General rounds of invitation: In this draw, the highest-scoring candidate receives invitations from the IRCC to apply for permanent residence. 
  • Program-specific rounds of invitation: In this draw, candidates who have the highest CRS scores and who qualify for a specific Express Entry program receive an invitation from the IRCC.  
  • Category-based rounds of invitation: In this draw, Candidates with the highest CRS scores and who qualify for any of the new categories aimed at addressing Canada’s specific economic goal receive an invitation from IRCC. 

What does Express Entry category-based selection mean? 

Category-based Express Entry selections are the new type of Express Entry draws introduced by IRCC recently. In these draws, IRCC intends to invite candidates who either have the French language ability or work experience in the given fields: 

  • Healthcare 
  • Science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) professions 
  • Trades, such as carpenters, plumbers, and contractors 
  • Transport 
  • Agriculture and agri-food 

The new categories are a result of public consultation that gathered 289 replies from several stakeholders throughout the country, labor market estimates, and input from the provinces, territories, and IRCC partners. 

Since IRCC began the category-based selections, three French-based draws have occurred in which a total of 6,900 French proficient candidates received the Invitation to Apply for permanent residence. In addition to this, two draws targeting healthcare professionals have occurred, inviting 2,000 candidates, and one draw for trade professionals, inviting 1,500 candidates to the country.