Good news for those who are eagerly waiting for Canadian permanent residency - Express Entry in Canada is back! And, it has now formally started inviting skilled workers to apply for PR. The massive backlog experienced by the COVID-19 pandemic, coupled with the suspension of these programs has resulted in many prospective immigrants waiting more than two years to receive or apply for permanent residency in Canada.
Canadian Experience Class (CEC) - a common route for international graduates with post-graduation candidates to apply for PR - was closed since September 2021. And earlier this month, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) invited as many as 1,500 candidates to apply for a PR, including those under the Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSWP) first time since December 2020.
“Today, I am pleased to announce that Express Entry draws have officially resumed and applications will be processed at our six month processing standard,” Immigration Minister Sean Fraser told CIC News.
“I want to thank the candidates from around the world for their patience, as we worked to reduce the backlog before resuming Express Entry draws. I look forward to welcoming skilled workers who will be essential in addressing Canada’s labour shortages.”
People can apply for Canadian PR depending on their education and work history under several different immigration classes.
There are 3 categories under the Express Entry system, Canadian Experience Class, Federal Skilled Worker Programme and Federal Skilled Trades Programme.
Canadian Experience Class (CEC): People with Canadian employment experience (gained three years before application) can apply through this method. Mostly, international students in Canada take this route to apply for PR.
Federal Skilled Worker Programme (FSWP): People with foreign working experience can apply. The factors that are considered include age, education, employment history etc.
Federal Skilled Trades Programme (FSTP): Workers with skills in construction, agriculture, and manufacturing apply for this.
Catch all the Business News , Breaking News Events and Latest News Updates on Live Mint. Download The Mint News App to get Daily Market Updates.