Most new Express Entry applications will be completed in six months, according to Canada’s immigration service.
Prior to the pandemic, Canada expected to complete most Express Entry immigration applications in six months.
However, because of the epidemic, candidates have had to wait considerably longer.
Non-Canadian Experience Class (CEC) Express Entry candidates must wait an average of more than 20 months for Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) to process their permanent residence petitions.
Fortunately, the IRCC has announced that most new Express Entry applications will be processed within six months. When IRCC begins Express Entry invitations to Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSWP), CEC, and Federal Skilled Trades Program (FSTP) candidates in early July, this will take effect.
For various reasons, the early July normalization of Express Entry is significant. To begin, IRCC’s primary method of bringing skilled professionals to Canada is through Express Entry. Permanent residence invitations to FSWP candidates have been temporarily halted since December 2020, while CEC candidates have not received invites since September 2021, however that will change in July. Between 1967 through the outbreak of the pandemic, the FSWP was the primary means of attracting skilled immigrants to Canada, while the CEC accounted for one-third of the record-breaking 405,000 immigrants who arrived in 2021. Resuming invites for these two programs will provide hundreds of thousands of people the chance to become permanent residents of Canada.
The return of drawings is also good news for employers in Canada. According to Statistics Canada, Canada has over 800,000 job openings and the lowest unemployment rate in history. To alleviate labour shortages, employers want more immigrant talent. Because Express Entry is returning to normal and most new applications will be completed within six months, companies will soon have more access to talent, which will be critical to Canada’s post-pandemic economic recovery.
The return of processing timeframes to six months is also significant for immigration candidates, as Express Entry will once again become the shortest path to permanent residency in Canada for skilled professionals. The processing durations for Canada’s more than 100 additional economic class immigration channels surpass six months.
As a result, it’s in your best interests to get your Express Entry profile ready before the all-program drawings resume in early July. However, you should keep in mind that preparing and uploading your profile on the IRCC website takes time, so you should start the process right now. You may require additional time to schedule and finish your language exam. You may also take additional time to obtain an Educational Credential Assessment (if necessary) and gather other essential documentation. Because time is of the importance, it is important to plan ahead to minimize delays.
Even if you enter the Express Entry pool before July, there are still some significant benefits. For one thing, the IRCC continues to run bi-weekly Express Entry lotteries to choose candidates for the Provincial Nominee Program (PNP). Being in the pool now affords you the opportunity to be asked to apply for a province or territories enhanced PNP. If you are nominated, IRCC will very certainly issue you a permanent residency invitation. The second important benefit is that you may gain an advantage if the IRCC must employ its tie-breaker rule. When numerous candidates have the same minimum Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) that IRCC demands for permanent residency, IRCC will give precedence to those who posted their profile first date.
Express Entry will continue to play an important part in Canada’s immigration system and economy in the future. IRCC expects to receive around 110,000 Express Entry immigrants each year starting in 2024. By starting the procedure as soon as possible, you may be one of the numerous immigrants who benefit from Express Entry, including its faster processing timeframes.
(Source CIC News)
