Following a strike that affected over 155,000 public employees, including those at Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC), the Public Service Alliance of Canada (PSAC) and the Federal Government have tentatively reached an agreement.

On April 19, the strike got going. PSAC has given its members until 9 AM Eastern Time this morning, or until the end of their next available shift, to report back to work.

The provisional deal, according to PSAC, the union that represents the federal workers who went on strike, has advantageous measures for its members, including greater wages that will close the wage gap with inflation and new and improved language relating to working from home.

“There may still be some service impacts over the next few days and weeks as services return to full capacity,” the IRCC warns on its website.To keep you informed about how services are affected during the labour interruption, we will keep updating this website.

Throughout the strike, IRCC issued warnings that delays were anticipated in a number of areas, including:

IRCC can be reached by phone, email, or social media for assistance with processing applications in person, scheduling appointments, or occasions like citizenship ceremonies.
Access to Information Act requests regarding Canadian passport services
services for contributions and grants.

You might still submit an online application to the IRCC to extend your stay while on strike.

In addition, IRCC conducted its regularly scheduled Express Entry lottery last Wednesday and allowed an extra 3,500 applicants to submit applications for permanent residency notwithstanding the strike.

There have also been delays in the gathering of biometric data and the Temporary Foreign Worker Programme (TFWP), according to Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC).

Employers who want to engage temporary foreign workers must submit Labour Market Impact Assessments (LMIAs), which are the responsibility of ESDC. Many Canadian employers rely on the TFWP to fill urgent job openings in high-demand industries as well as for seasonal workers.

Why did a strike occur?

Between February 22 and April 11, PSAC held nationwide strike elections. After further talks failed to result in an agreement, PSAC members decided to strike as of April 19 at 12:01 a.m.

The union said that by creating more jobs rather than outsourcing labour to for-profit businesses, it would be able to achieve its goals of equal pay, a better work-life balance, greater workplace diversity, and fewer layoffs.

Union members’ desire to carry on working remotely, as they had done throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, was one of the “deal breakers.” According to PSAC, public sector employees are just as productive working from home as they are in the office, and 90% of employees want to keep working from home.

While on strike, remote employees were required to walk the picket line.

The demands, according to the government, would have a significant negative impact on the provision of services to Canadians and would make it more difficult for it to manage personnel inside the public service.

In light of the elevated cost of living in Canada right now, the Union was also requesting increased compensation for its members.

In the most recent Express Entry draw, the IRCC issued another 3,500 invites.

The eleventh Express Entry draw for 2023 was held by the IRCC.

In an all-program draw, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) issued 3,500 invitations to apply (ITAs) to candidates. A minimum Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score of 483 was required for candidates.

Candidates from the Canadian Experience Class (CEC), the Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSWP), and the Federal Skilled Trades Program (FSTP) are considered in an all program draw.

This draw followed an all-program draw on April 12 in which 3,500 candidates got invitations to apply (ITAs). Candidates have to have a CRS score of at least 486.

 

The April 12 draw invited half the number of applicants as the lotteries on March 15, March 23, and March 29, all of which invited 7,000 candidates each across two weeks rather than the customary bi-weekly draws. It also increased the required CRS score from 481 to 486. The larger draw size and higher CRS score are consistent with earlier draws in 2022 and early 2023.

March Express Entry Milestones
In March of this year, approximately 21,000 ITAs were issued in a single month. This was the second-highest number of ITAs issued in Express Entry history.

The most ITAs were granted in a single month in February 2021, when 27,332 CEC candidates were invited in a single draw.

Nonetheless, the March draw for 7,000 hopefuls was the largest-ever all-program draw. The numbers were repeated in the following two draws, for a total of 21,000 candidates invited in two weeks and a monthly total of 21,667 ITAs issued. The remaining 667 ITAs were distributed in a March 1 draw to Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) applicants exclusively.

In total, four Express Entry draws were held in March, one per week. This is unique because draws are usually held on Wednesdays every two weeks.

Five provinces have invited candidates to apply for provincial nomination this week (Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Alberta, BC & Prince Edward Island).

The Provincial Nominee Program (PNP), which was established in 1998, enables provinces to nominate economic immigration applicants they believe have the best chance of succeeding economically in the province. Immigration is a shared responsibility between the federal and provincial governments.

Each year, the federal government discloses the total number of PNP nominations and distributes it across the provinces under the Immigration Levels Plan. By 2025, the current immigration levels strategy is to admit 117,500 new permanent residents annually under the PNP.

The new multi-year immigration plan, which enables provinces to see the number of new permanent resident admissions that can be anticipated for up to three years in the future, was approved by provincial immigration ministers on March 10.

The only province in Canada without a PNP that chooses all of its economic immigrants is Quebec. This is because the province and the federal government have a special agreement.

British Columbia

In the most recent BC PNP draw on April 18, BC invited more than 203 candidates.

The biggest draw, a general draw in which no specific occupations were targeted, invited 158 individuals over five streams. Express Entry applicants and candidates from the skilled worker stream both needed minimum scores of 104. Candidates from the entry-level and semi-skilled streams needed scores of 85, while those from the international graduate stream needed scores of 104.

The province has set recruitment goals for 16 applicants in the healthcare sector, 29 candidates in the skilled worker and international graduate streams for early childhood educators and assistants (NOC 42202), and fewer than five individuals in other key occupations. The required minimum score for all targeted candidates was 60.

Alberta

The results of the two draws held so far in April by the Alberta Advantage Immigration Programme (AAIP) were finally made public this week. Candidates who had profiles in the Express Entry application management system received invitations.

The initial drawing happened on April 5. The Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) scores of the 53 candidates selected under the Designated Healthcare Pathway: Alberta Job Offer stream ranged from 300 to 600.

The second was held on April 18, and 68 applicants with CRS scores ranging from 300 to 700 were invited from the Sector Priority – Agriculture Occupation with Alberta Job Offer stream.

Saskatchewan

Saskatchewan invited a total of 1067 people through the Saskatchewan Immigrant Nominee Programme (SINP) on April 20. 444 were nominated from the in-demand jobs group, while the remaining 623 were Express Entry candidates.

A minimum score of 69 was necessary for all candidates.

This was the first SINP draw in a month, and it was substantially larger than the March 23 draw, which only received nominations for 496 applicants.

Manitoba

On April 17, Manitoba welcomed 28 Ukrainian candidates in accordance with Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada’s (IRCC) exceptional immigration provisions for persons affected by the region’s ongoing upheaval.

Candidates must still meet the Manitoba Provincial Nominee Program’s eligibility requirements. For example, they require a Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) of 4 in reading, writing, speaking, and listening, as well as a provincial link. They must also be able to demonstrate that they have adequate settlement cash.

Prince Edward Island

In the most recent draw of the PEI PNP, held on April 20, 189 candidates were invited. Among those invited, 180 were from the Labour and Express streams, with the remaining nine nominations from the Business and Entrepreneur streams meeting the minimal point level of 72.

This draw represents a return to the province’s typical draw pattern. PEI normally has PNP lotteries once a month, but in March, the province welcomed candidates in three draws, the last of which was held on March 30.

First Express Entry Draw of April is held by IRCC.

Another Express Entry draw was conducted by IRCC.

In an all-program draw, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) granted 3,500 invitations to apply (ITAs) to applicants. The cut-off score for the Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) was 486. Candidates from the Canadian Experience Class (CEC), the Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSWP), and the Federal Skilled Trades Program are taken into consideration in an all-program draw. (FSTP).

This draw comes after three straight Express Entry contests in which 7,000 applicants were requested to participate. With a CRS cut-off score of 481, the most recent draw on March 29 also witnessed the lowest score since December 2020.

2023 has already seen the issuance of more ITAs than 2022 as a whole.

The IRCC unveiled its most comprehensive Immigration Levels Plan to date in November of last year. The strategy specifies immigration goals for long-term residents across all business sectors for the next three years. Through Express Entry, 82,880 people will be granted permanent residence status this year; by 2025, that number will be 114,000.

In the history of Express Entry, March was a very unusual month. Over four draws, IRCC distributed 21,667 ITAs. Since Express Entry’s inception in January 2015, this was the second-highest monthly total. When 27,332 candidates were invited in a single draw by the IRCC to be considered for the Canadian Experience Class in February 2021, it broke the previous record for the most applicants invited in a single month.

Following three of the second-largest Express Entry draws in history is today’s draw. First, 7,000 applicants with a CRS score of 490 were invited on March 15.

Express Entry draws typically take place on Wednesdays every two weeks. But on March 23, just over a week after the previous draw, IRCC invited an additional 7,000 applicants with a CRS score of 484 that was even lower.

On March 29, 7,000 additional applicants were drawn (those having a minimum CRS score of 481). In total, 21,000 candidates were invited over the course of three weeks. On March 1, a draw limited to participants in the Provincial Nominee Program welcomed the remaining 667 candidates.

As of April 6, PGWP extension is available.
Candidates in the CEC, many of whom have been raising concerns as their Post-Graduation Work Permits (PGWPs) are about to expire, may benefit from the sizeable all-program draws.

Sean Fraser, the minister of immigration, recently stated that beginning April 6, PGWP holders would be able to seek for an 18-month renewal of their open work permit.

This March ICCRC has invited 21000 people to apply for Express Entry and this latest Express Entry Draw came with another 7000 invitations back to back.

The third consecutive week of an all-program Express Entry draw was just conducted by IRCC.

7,000 invitations to apply (ITAs) for permanent residence were given by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC). The cut-off number for the Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) was 481. All applicants were taken into account by IRCC.

Since the December 23, 2020 Express Entry draw, the CRS score prerequisite for an all-program draw was the lowest in today’s draw. (back then, the score was 468). The IRCC has called a total of 21,000 candidates over the last two weeks, causing the CRS to drop to 481 today.

The Canadian government primarily uses Express Entry to handle applicants for immigration under the economic category.

You can submit your profile to the IRCC website if you are qualified for at least one of the three Express Entry programmes: the Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSWP), the Canadian Experience Class (CEC), or the Federal Skilled Trades Program (FSTP).

Their CRS score is determined by a number of human capital factors, including their age, education, language proficiency, and job experience.

Every two weeks, the IRCC conducts Express Entry Draw and sends ITAs to the top-scoring applicants.

However, IRCC has not maintained a consistent draw timetable in recent months.

As an illustration, it hosted two draws in quick succession on March 15 and 23, which tied for the biggest all-program draws ever.

Under each of these draws, 7,000 Express Entry applicants altogether were asked. (14,000 candidates in total).

When IRCC decides to issue ITAs to applicants from all three Express Entry programs, this is known as a “all-program draw.”

They differ from programme-specific draws, where the IRCC will only take into account applicants from that programme.

A candidate has up to 60 days after receiving an ITA to send a finished application for permanent residence to IRCC.

These petitions will be processed by IRCC within six months. Candidates may enter Canada as permanent residents if their applications are accepted.

According to the Immigration Levels Plan 2023–2025, which directs how Canada’s immigration system is run, IRCC plans to accept nearly 83,000 newcomers this year through Express Entry.

By 2024 and 2025, the goal will be 109,000 and 114,000, respectively.

Canada has elevated the Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) to the position of top economic class immigration route since last year.

The majority of the provinces and territories in Canada run their own PNP, which gives them the ability to find (or “nominate”) people who are suitable for their economy.

Nearly 106,000 immigrants are expected to enter Canada through the PNP in 2023, 110,000 in 2024, and nearly 118,000 in 2025.

Several regions have recently revealed what their new PNP allotments will be.

For instance, Ontario, the biggest jurisdiction in Canada, will now be permitted to propose up to 18,000 immigrants by 2025.

Express Entry is used for part of the PNP.

This means that if a candidate meets the requirements for one of the three Express Entry programmes (the FSWP, CEC, or FSTP), they may join the Express Entry pool and later get a request to apply for a PNP from a province or territory.

This strategy, referred to as enhanced provincial nominations, has the advantage that those who are approved under a PNP stream will then receive an extra 600 CRS points.

These additional marks practically assure the applicant of receiving an ITA for permanent residence.

Recent years have seen a surge in new immigrant arrivals to Canada as the nation seeks to accept more long-term and short-term inhabitants to support its economy in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic.

The IRCC has just announced the seventh Express Entry draw for 2023.

In an all-program draw, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) awarded invitations to apply (ITAs) to 7,000 individuals with a minimum Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score of 484. Candidates from the Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSWP), the Canadian Experience Class (CEC), and the Federal Skilled Trades Program are considered in an all-program draw. (FSTP).

This draw size is tied with the largest-ever all-program draw on March 15, which included 7,000 contestants. Candidates in that draw had a CRS score of at least 490. The previous record-high all-program draw was held on January 18, when IRCC invited 5,500 candidates.

The draw is unusual because it is the second week in a row that the IRCC has invited Express Entry hopefuls. Express Entry draws are usually held every two weeks. Aside from being tied for the largest all-program draw ever, the 7,000 ITAs represent the second-highest Express Entry draw size of all time, after only the record-breaking CEC-only draw in February 2021.

All draws took place between July and November 2022, with the smallest draw on July 6 admitting only 1,500 candidates. It was the first all-program draw after an 18-month hiatus caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Express Entry drawings in early 2023 concentrate mostly on Provincial Nominee Program applicants. (PNP). So far this year, there have been four PNP-only Express Entry draws, the most recent on March 1, when 667 PNP hopefuls were invited. Prior to this, there were three earlier PNP drawings and one on February 2 that targeted candidates in the Federal Skilled Worker Program. However, it appears that IRCC has resumed its regular routine of considering all Express Entry applications.

Immigration ministries have approved a multi-year plan for PNP numbers.

Provincial immigration ministers recently gathered as part of the Forum of Ministers Responsible for Immigration (FMRI) to address common concerns and strategies for attracting and retaining more newcomers.

The conference resulted in the approval of the first multi-year provincial immigration plan. This will function similarly to the federal Immigration Levels Plan, which specifies immigration targets for the next three years. The provinces will now know in advance how many provincial nominations they will receive and will be able to plan accordingly in terms of housing and infrastructure needs to better accommodate and retain newcomers.

Following the meeting, some provinces announced an increase in PNP allocations for this year compared to 2022. For example, Ontario, Canada’s largest province, will see their allotment increase to 18,000 places in 2025. Manitoba’s allotment for 2023 has climbed by 3,175 places from 2022 to 9,500, while Saskatchewan will receive 7,250 candidates in 2023, rising to 8,500 in 2025.

Alberta will also experience an increase in allocations for 2023, from 6,500 to 9,750 from 6,500 in 2022. Allocations will continue to rise over the next two years, reaching 10,849 by 2025 in Saskatchewan. Other provinces have yet to disclose information on the number of PNP allocations they expect.

Candidates for Express Entry can improve their chances of acquiring an ITA by securing a provincial nomination. (a process known as enhanced nomination). Being nominated as an Express Entry candidate by a province automatically adds 600 points to a CRS score, essentially ensuring the candidate will receive an ITA for permanent residence.

Candidates for economic immigration who are not part of an Express Entry programme can nevertheless be nominated by a province. (base nomination). This can also help a candidate’s case for permanent residency.

IRCC provides another another PGWP extension.

Many Post-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP) holders seeking permanent residence were granted a reprieve by IRCC last week. Because of the recent irregularity of Express Entry draws, which has harmed PGWP holders eligible under the Canadian Experience Class (CEC), Immigration Minister Sean Fraser announced that PGWP holders will receive an 18-month Open Work Permit extension, which they will be able to apply for on IRCC’s website beginning April 6. This means that even more PGWP holders will be allowed to compete for Express Entry ITAs in the future.

Sean Fraser, Canada’s Minister of Immigration, has announced an extension of the work permit for PGWP holders.

With the help of the Post-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP), international students can work in Canada while pursuing their dream of becoming permanent residents.

Sean Fraser, Canada’s Minister of Immigration, recently announced that as of April 6, 2023, individuals with an expiring Post-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP) will be able to apply for an Open Work Permit extension.

Anyone whose PGWP expires in 2023 may apply for an Open Work Permit extension. Additionally, it will be accessible to those whose PGWP expired in 2022 and who applied for an Open Work Permit extension with the IRCC last year.

Candidates can submit an application for the extension on the IRCC website starting on April 6. Those who submit an application will receive an email with a temporary work authorization that they can present to their employers in order to continue working legally in Canada.

Even if their status expired outside of the 90-day grace period offered by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC), individuals whose legal status in Canada has expired will be able to apply concurrently to restore their status. As of April 6, these people will be able to reinstate their status and obtain a temporary Open Work Permit at the same time.

Starting on April 6, the IRCC says it will send notifications to those who qualify for the extension inviting them to access their online IRCC Secure Account.

International students who complete an eligible educational programme at a Canadian-designated educational institution are eligible for Post-Graduation Work Permits (PGWPs) (DLI).

DLIs are schools like colleges and universities that have received government approval to accept foreign students.

PGWPs allow foreign graduates to work in Canada for any employer of their choice for a maximum of three years (the length of a PGWP is determined by the length of the educational programme completed by the international graduate).

International students highly prize PGWPs because of the structure of Canada’s economic class immigration programmes.

Candidates who have studied and worked in Canada are frequently rewarded by these programmes.

This is justified by research from Statistics Canada that demonstrates how such study and employment experiences can support the integration of international students who later become citizens of Canada.

It is believed that obtaining a Canadian education, working in Canada, honing one’s English or French, and establishing social networks there will all help these immigration candidates integrate economically.

As a result, some routes, like the federal Express Entry system, give more points to applicants who have studied and worked in Canada.

Additionally, there are provincial routes that are available only to graduates from abroad, like the Provincial Nominee Program (PNP).

The majority of foreign students studying in Canada express interest in applying for permanent residence.

Higher international student levels are a result of Canada’s openness to foreign talent and rising immigration rates.

At the end of 2022, Canada was home to over 800,000 foreign students, setting a record.

The vast majority of temporary residents (TRs) who move to permanent residence are PGWP holders (PR).

Nearly 98,000 PGWP holders, or about 82% of all TRs who became PRs in 2022, became permanent residents.

In 2023, Canada hopes to accept a record 465,000 new permanent residents; by 2025, the goal will be 500,000.

Although Minister Fraser has repeatedly expressed his desire to assist with such transitions, Canada does not have a specific target of TRs it seeks to convert to PR.

Increased TR to PR transitions via Express Entry is one of Minister Fraser’s priorities, according to the mandate letter that the Prime Minister Justin Trudeau gave him.

PGWP holders can now apply for Open Work Permit extensions because IRCC has made two exceptions in recent years due to the high demand for PGWP holders to become permanent residents.

These exceptions were made in order to give these people more time to possibly apply for permanent residence.

Those whose PGWP expired between September 2021 and the end of December 2022 qualified for the final exception.

At the end of 2022, according to IRCC, there were more than 286,000 PGWP holders in Canada. About 67,000 PGWP holders have already applied for permanent residency, so they won’t need to renew their work permits under this initiative when their 127,000 PGWPs expire in 2023.

Express Entry: Canada organises the largest all-program draw in history, inviting 7,000 candidates with a minimum CRS score of 490. Since January 18, this is the first all-program draw.

 

Today, the IRCC held the sixth Express Entry draw for 2023.

 

7,000 individuals with a minimum Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score of 490 received invites from Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC).

 

The number of ITAs in this draw exceeds the previous record of 5,500 candidates invited in the January 18 all-program draw. Candidates from all three Express Entry programmes are considered in an all-program draw: the Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSWP), the Federal Skilled Trades Program (FSTP), and the Canadian Experience Class (CEC).

 

This draw deviates from a pattern of program-specific drawings that have occurred during the last two months. There have been four program-specific rounds of invites since the last all-program draw, three for PNP-only candidates and one for FSWP candidates. On March 1, just 697 individuals earned ITAs in the most recent PNP-only draw.

 

Prior to 2023, all Express Entry draws were all-program draws that welcomed over 1,000 candidates each time and grew as the minimum CRS score lowered.

 

The IRCC has released Express Entry data for 2021.

A recent IRCC report summarises Express Entry data for 2021, which was a one-of-a-kind year in the program’s history.

 

All programme drawings were paused beginning in December 2020 to alleviate the backlog generated by COVID-19-related travel restrictions and border closures. IRCC continued to issue ITAs to Canadian Experience Class (CEC) and Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) candidates until September 2021, when CEC draws were also halted.

 

In total, 114,431 ITAs were awarded in 2021. In 2021, there were no all-program Express Entry drawings. All 42 Express Entry draws were program specific for the PNP and the CEC and no ITAs were issued to FSWP or Federal Skilled Trades Program (FSTP) candidates.

 

Over half, 64%, of ITAs were issued to recipients between the ages of 20-29 years. Under the Comprehensive Ranking System, candidates in this age range receive 100 CRS points. Candidates receive fewer points after they turn 30.

 

What is Express Entry?

The Express Entry application management system oversees three programs: the Canadian Experience Class (CEC), the Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSWP) and the Federal Skilled Trades Program (FSTP). Candidates in the Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) are already eligible for at least one Express Entry program.

 

Express Entry programs rank candidates using the points-based Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS). Points are awarded based on work experience, language ability, education, and human capital factors. Candidates with the highest scores will receive an Invitation to Apply (ITA) and can then apply for permanent residency.

 

A candidate has 60 days to complete and submit their application. An IRCC officer then reviews the application and decides if the candidate is approved.

Notifications of interest have been sent for Ontario’s Express Entry Human Capital Priorities stream.
On March 10, 2023, we sent targeted notifications of interest to candidates who might be eligible for Ontario’s Express Human Capital Priorities stream.

Candidates were only notified if they had a comprehensive ranking system (CRS) score of 479-489 and job experience in the national occupational codes (NOC) listed below:

• NOC 20012 – Computer and information systems managers
• NOC 21211 – Data Scientists
• NOC 21223 – Database analysts and data administrators
• NOC 21230 – Computer systems developers and
• NOC 21231 – Software engineers and designers
• NOC 21232 – Software developers and programmers
• NOC 21233 – Web designers
• NOC 21234 – Web developers and programmers
• NOC 21311 – Computer engineers (except software engineers and designers)