On May 31, Canada’s Immigration Minister Sean Fraser declared the categories which will be targeted in the Express Entry category-based draws. These draws are expected to begin this summer. 

The Express Entry category-based draws will happen along with the general draws & program-specific draws. In addition, in general draws, IRCC will invite the highest-scoring applicants to apply for permanent accommodation in Canada. On the contrary, in program-specific draws, the program limits the invitations to the highest-ranking individuals. 

In the new Express Entry category-based draws, IRCC will invite the highest-ranking individuals who have high proficiency in French or work experience in the following areas: 

  • Healthcare 
  • STEM professions
  • Agriculture/ Agri-Food
  • Trades
  • Transport 

 

Express Entry Category-Based Draws: How Were These Categories Chosen? 

If you are eligible under one of the categories mentioned above, you must note what the job market of your category looks like & where you’ll find jobs easily. 

However, the new categories were chosen after legislative requirements, which ensured that Sean Fraser participated in consultations with territories/ provinces, members of the unions, employers, workers, settlement provider organizations, & immigration practitioners & researchers.    

 

Healthcare 

Since the pandemic, Canada has experienced incredibly high job vacancies in the social assistance & healthcare category. 

The country relies heavily on immigration to fill in the vacancies in this category. Interestingly, a quarter of registered nurses & 36% of the physicians in Canada were born outside. Due to this, IRCC is constantly taking measures to make it easier for foreign-trained healthcare professionals to immigrate to Canada on a temporary resident visa. In the fourth quarter of 2022, there were almost 143 695 job vacancies in the Healthcare & Social Assistance category, thus making the vacancy rate 6%.

The job vacancies in provinces were:

  • Ontario – 55,250
  • Quebec – 40, 105
  • British Columbia – 17,705
  • Alberta – 9,770
  • Saskatchewan – 2,955
  • Manitoba – 6,790
  • Newfoundland – 2,250
  • Nova Scotia – 4,780
  • New Brunswick – 2,630
  • PEI – 685
  • Northwest Territories – 565

 

STEM Professions 

Science, Engineering, Technology, & Mathematics professions tend to fall in the Scientific, Professional, & Technical Services category. This sector has over 56, 915 vacancies.

The job vacancies in every province were: 

  • Ontario – 24,525
  • Quebec – 14,725
  • British Columbia – 8,115
  • Alberta – 5,515
  • Saskatchewan – 895
  • Manitoba – 630
  • Newfoundland – 405
  • New Brunswick – 595
  • Nova Scotia – 1,110
  • PEI – 200

 

The job vacancies for territories are unavailable. STEM professions are growing in demand in the country. Statistics Canada released a report that showcased that in November 2022, retirement coupled with evolving automation & technology used in routine work is creating a gap in the skills needed in Canada’s labor force. 

In addition, many STEM occupations provide competitive pay compared to the other categories. For instance, the hourly wage offered was $35.80 as compared to the salaries in Accommodation/ Food Services, i.e., $16.35. 

 

Trades 

This category includes retail & wholesale trades. According to Statistics Canada, the total job vacancies in wholesale trades were 30, 930. On the other hand, the job vacancies in retail trades were over 108,795.

The job vacancies per province are as follows: 

  • Quebec: 34,495
  • British Columbia: 19,215
  • PEI: 520 (Only retail trade. There are no wholesale trade job vacancies)
  • Alberta: 15,545
  • Saskatchewan: 4,66
  • Newfoundland: 895
  • Ontario: 55,660
  • New Brunswick: 2,155
  • Manitoba: 3,025
  • Nova Scotia: 3,065 

 

Transport 

In the transportation & warehousing category, there were over 43,700 vacancies. Since the start of 2021, the rate of job vacancies in transport has been declining.

Here is the list of job vacancies in every province: 

  • Ontario: 15,110
  • PEI: 115
  • British Columbia: 9,060
  • Alberta: 6,445
  • Saskatchewan: 915
  • Quebec: 7,950
  • Manitoba: 1,915
  • New Brunswick: 720
  • Nova Scotia: 1,055
  • Newfoundland: 210

 

Agriculture/ Agri-Food 

In Q4 2022, the Agriculture, Fishing, Forestry, & Hunting category had a vacancy rate of 10,535/ 3.9%. Since the year 2021, the vacancy rate in this area has been declining. However, it peaked at 7.2% in the second quarter of 2022. 

The vacancies in every province are: 

  • New Brunswick: 720
  • Ontario: 3,070
  • Quebec: 1,950
  • Alberta: 940
  • British Columbia: 2,475
  • Manitoba: 550
  • Nova Scotia: 425
  • PEI: 130
  • Saskatchewan: 540

 

Sean Fraser has stated that inviting more skilled professionals in these Express Entry draws will support the country in admitting in-demand professionals into all communities worldwide. In addition, these Express Entry category-based draws will begin this summer, but no exact date is available yet!