IRCC Launches Category-Based Selection Draw for Express Entry

As per the recent update from the Canadian Immigration Ministry. IRCC is coming up with a new selection category for Express Entry Candidates. That will target those candidates who can communicate in the French language. As well as their education and work experience should fall into the specific categories.

Categories are Chosen for the Year 2023

1. French-language proficiency
2. Healthcare occupations
3. Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) occupations
4. Trade occupations
5. Transport occupations
6. Agriculture and agri-food occupations

Tweet from Immigration Department

This year, category-based selection will allow Canada to issue invitations to apply to prospective permanent residents with strong French language skills or work experience in high-demand fields:
✅ Healthcare
✅STEM professions
✅Trades
✅Transport
✅Agriculture and agri-food

— IRCC (@CitImmCanada) May 31, 2023

Tweet from Immigration Minister

This year, category-based selection invitations will focus on candidates who have:
✅ French language proficiency, or;
Work experience in:
✅ Healthcare;
✅ STEM professions;
✅ Trades, such as carpenters, plumbers and contractors;
✅ Transport; &
✅Agriculture and agri-food. pic.twitter.com/uLt7Ct2NYH

— Sean Fraser (@SeanFraserMP) May 31, 2023

Category Based Selection

As per the update from the Canadian government, they will target the specific candidates who fall under the specific category. The purpose of this new category by the ministry is to meet the identified economic goal. Here are the criteria that candidates are required to fulfil to be nominated.

• Proven communication skills in the specific official language. Eg. French Language
• Continues experience in the specific TEER category of the NOC.
• The relevancy of education with the selected NOC code.

Category Based Rounds

• The specific rounds will add the general category as well as program-specific rounds.
• The Government will invite top-ranking candidates only
• The category will be announced in advance by the government.
• Candidates will also be invited under the provincial or territorial nomination.

The Selection Of Categories

The government will select the targeted categories based on the given parameters

• Labour market information and projections
• Inputs received from the provinces and territories, and stakeholders across the country

Moreover, the categories will be reported to the authorities as per the given below format

• the categories we chose from the previous year
• why and how we chose them
• the instructions to establish a category
• the number of invitations we issued for each category.

Who is Eligible to Apply?

As per the guidelines, those who meet all the criteria of the category-based round will be eligible to apply for Canada PR. Here are the Category-wise selection criteria.

French-Language Proficiency

• Candidates must have to achieve a minimum score of 7 in all 4 language abilities on the Niveaux de compétence linguistique canadiens
• There are two tests valid for the French language Canada permanent residency
  • TEF Canada: Test d’évaluation de français
  • TCF Canada: Test de connaissance du français

Work Experience

As per the update, candidates must have at least 6 months of continuous work experience (in Canada or abroad) in any single occupation listed below. Here are the criteria for the five occupations as well as their TEER codes as well.