Canada’s New Proposed Express Entry Draw Categories For 2025

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Last Updated On 5 July 2024, 9:43 AM EDT (Toronto Time)

Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has opened public consultations to decide categories for the 2025 Express Entry draws.

These consultations are open between June 27, 2024, and July 28, 2024, collecting feedback from stakeholders and partners.

Furthermore, the IRCC also outlines the priorities set for the selection of immigrants under the Express Entry (EE) system and reviews the existing categories set for EE draws.

A new category is being proposed to address labour shortages in the education sector and target teachers and early childhood educators.

In this article, we will delve into key takeaways from the Express Entry public consultation for reviewing existing categories and the introduction of new categories in 2025.

This is an important development that will determine the operation of the Express Entry system in 2025 so read it carefully till the end to comprehend the full context.

What are the Express Entry system and category-based selections?

Express Entry is an online system that is utilized to administer applications for three federal skilled immigration programs:

Express Entry is intended to appoint individuals based on factors that are known to predict economic integration, such as post-secondary education, official language proficiency, and Canadian work experience. These factors include increased employment rates and earnings.

The system utilizes Comprehensive Ranking Score criteria to rank candidates who are interested in immigrating through Express Entry.

Invitation rounds, generally known as Express Entry draws, are conducted after some intervals, inviting the most qualified candidates to submit applications for permanent residence.

In 2023, IRCC introduced “category-based” invitation draws as a new method of selecting candidates through Express Entry.

This approach invites the top-ranking candidates who are eligible for a category defined by the Immigration Minister to apply for permanent residence.

A “category” is a single or a combination of specific selection criteria (e.g., occupation-specific work experience, official language abilities) that are associated with an economic objective.

IRCC introduced the below-listed categories in 2023 and said that these will be reviewed annually:

Profiles with CLB Level 7 proficiency in French language.

or

6 months of work experience in any one of the below occupations.
35 healthcare occupations
25 STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) occupations.
10 trade occupations
10 transportation occupations
3 agriculture and agri-food occupations

However, in 2024, the IRCC announced that there would be no change and that they would continue to invite the same categories.

Now IRCC has opened public consultations to review these categories and introduce a new category for 2025 category-based Express Entry draws.

Based on these public consultations, the IRCC may decide to discontinue/continue the existing categories as per the feedback.

3 Express Entry priorities set by IRCC for 2025?

IRCC is taking into account 3 economic priorities to determine Express Entry categories for 2025, as listed below:

Priority 1: Addressing structural (long-term) labour market shortages

The first priority is to determine whether to continue or discontinue one or more of the existing occupation-based categories in 2025.

The survey asks the user to rate all 5 occupational categories of need between great need, average need, little need, no need at this time, and don’t know/not sure.

Additionally, IRCC is also determining whether they should focus on selecting temporary residents already in Canada (former international students and temporary foreign workers) or on bringing in new skilled workers from outside Canada for the categories that will continue in 2025.

On top of that, 2 top reasons are being asked why the IRCC should focus on transitioning temporary residents to permanent residents to meet these labour shortages.

• The length of time to integrate into the Canadian labour market
• The length of time to recognize foreign education and practice
• Education and/or work experience in Canada
• Recognizing the contributions made by those already in Canada
• Existing pressures on Canadian communities related to population growth (such as
  housing, services, etc.)
• Others. Please specify.

If the participants in the survey feel that Canada should welcome new skilled workers from outside Canada under these categories, then what are the top 2 reasons out of the below-listed options?

• Temporary residents already in Canada will have access to other immigration pathways
• To become permanent residents with their Canadian experience and/or education
• Attracting skilled workers to Canada is healthy for the economy of the country
• Labour market shortages in these areas are primarily occurring because of the lack of
• Qualified individuals already in Canada to meet the need
• Other (please specify):

INC News inference: If response comes in favour of temporary residents in Canada, we may see IRCC conducting CEC-only draws even under the category-based draws.

In 2025, EE draws may look like: Canadian Experience Class (french speakers), Canadian Experience Class (trade occupations).

IRCC is consulting on the introduction of a new category on education.
depending on:

• the extent and nature of the labour need, and
• the role that permanent economic immigration can play in addressing it.

The survey asks the user to rate whether there is a need for a new category for teachers and childhood educators between great need, average need, little need, no need at this time, and don’t know/not sure.

As per the survey, below are the possible occupations that IRCC may include under the new category of education if the survey is more inclined towards a great need for these jobs.

• Elementary school and kindergarten teachers
• Elementary and secondary school teacher assistants
• Early childhood educators and assistants
• Secondary school teachers
• Educational counsellors
• Instructors of persons with disabilities

The survey also asks if any other occupations under education are needed to be added to this list.

Furthermore, consultation is also asking if selection under this category should also be based on language proficiency in French, English, bilingualism, or all of these.

INC News inference: Depending on the response from stakeholders, we believe that this new category is more likely to be introduced in 2025 since most of the Provincial Nominee Programs (PNPs) are now prioritizing early childhood educators and related occupations.

Again, as we mentioned earlier, the draws might look like this: Education (French Only) or Education (All Languages).

Priority 2: Supporting economic growth through Francophone immigration outside Quebec

6%, 7%, and 8% are the admission targets for French-speaking permanent residents outside of Quebec in 2024, 2025, and 2026, respectively.

IRCC is contemplating maintaining the emphasis on Francophone immigration for category-based selection in 2025 in order to support these ongoing efforts.

The department is consulting whether setting the minimum French language level of 7 is of great need, average need, little need, or no need at this time.

INC News inference: So it seems Express Entry draws for French speakers will continue in 2025 as well and with increased targets, it is expected that there will be a slight increase in the number of invitations.

Depending on the response to the feedback, IRCC may reduce the minimum set language level or continue at level 7 in 2025.

Priority 3: Addressing emerging labour needs in Canada’s key industries and sectors to help Canada build a sustainable, strong, and resilient economy

In 2025, category-based selections could focus on a variety of emerging labour needs in order to meet priority number 3.

This priority seems to be considering introducing new occupational categories to address labour needs relating to:

• new technologies (for example, clean/green technology)
• applied sciences (for example, biotechnology, biomanufacturing)
• natural resources (for example, critical mineral extraction towards electric vehicle battery production)

Again, IRCC is in the process of determining whether to prioritize the selection of temporary residents who are already in Canada (temporary foreign workers and former international students) or the new skilled workers from outside of Canada for this priority.

The same questions are used to determine whether the IRCC should continue/discontinue the existing categories focusing on temporary residents in Canada or not listed in priority 1.

INC News Inference: It seems like the Immigration Department is working on introducing new categories based on emerging labour needs in technology, applied sciences, and natural resources.

This is an important survey that will determine the future of Canada’s largest and fastest economic immigration pathway, the Express Entry system.

We encourage everyone to try participating in this IRCC public consultation so that the future of immigration selections reflects ground-level expectations.

This survey can be accessed using the IRCC online link here.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

by Satinder Bains 30 June 2024, 10:22 AM EDT30 June 2024, 11:03 AM EDT

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