Canada Express Entry: FSWP Draws to Resume July 6, 2022

Canada’s Express Entry is the main route for sourcing new Canadian permanent residents. All-program draws had been on hold due to the travel restrictions in view of the pandemic situation. 

Discussing the future ahead for Canadian immigration, the Canadian Immigration Minister Sean Fraser talked about the likely return to all-program Express Entry draws from July 6, 2022. Canada is also expected to be back to the 6-month Express Entry processing standard. 

The Minister was speaking to CIC News on June 21, 2022 at the 2022 Collision Conference that took place in Toronto from June 20 to 23. More than 1,500 startups from across the world came to attend the Collision Conference. 

Launched in 2015, Express Entry is an online application management system used by the federal government of Canada for accepting, prioritizing, and processing Canadian permanent residence applications from skilled workers. Express Entry comes under the department of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC). 

431,645 will be getting their Canada PR visa in 2022, as per the 2022-2024 Immigration Levels Plan. Of these, 241,850 PR visas will be issued to economic immigrants that come to Canada through programs such as - 

• Express Entry System (Federal Skilled Worker Program, Federal Skilled Trades Program, Canadian Experience Class), 
• Provincial Nominee Program (PNP), 
• Rural and Northern Immigration Pilot (RNIP), 
• Atlantic Immigration Program (AIP), 
• Quebec Skilled Worker Program etc. 

Why were all-program Express Entry draws on hold?

In the background of the international travel restrictions in place due to the global COVID-19 pandemic situation, Canada had shifted the focus more on Canadian immigration hopefuls that had a higher chance of already being within Canada. Candidates, that is, who either had - 

• previous and recent Canadian work experience making them eligible for the Canadian Experience Class (CEC), or
• a nomination by a provincial or territorial government under the Provincial Nominee Program (PNP). 

As a result, Canada Express Entry draws since March 18, 2020 have mainly invited CEC and PNP candidates. For a time, all-program draws were resumed between September and December 2020, with nine all-program draws being held. However, the last all-program Express Entry draw to be held by Canada was Draw #170 on December 23, 2020. 

Express Entry to be Reformed 

Express Entry reforms are also expected in the near future. The federal government of Canada has passed Bill C-19 on June 23, 2022. The Bill allows the Immigration Minister to invite Express Entry candidates based on the specific requirements of the Canadian economy. 

With the implementation of the Bill, the Canadian Immigration Minister will have the authority to invited Express Entry candidates based on their - 

• occupation, 
• intended destination, 
• language ability, or 
• other factors supporting Canada’s economic goals. 

As per the Immigration Minister, though Express Entry gives Canada a competitive edge, there is still room for further improvement.