Canada Invited 3,500 Candidates in Healthcare occupations
Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) recently conducted its second Express Entry draw of the week, targeting professionals in healthcare occupations. During this selection round, 3,500 candidates were extended invitations to apply (ITAs) for Canadian permanent residency. These candidates were required to have a minimum Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score of 422 to qualify.
Gurmeet Sharma
This healthcare-focused draw comes on the heels of a general draw on February 13, which saw 1,490 candidates receiving ITAs, provided they had a minimum CRS score of 535. Additionally, earlier in the year, on February 1, there was another category-specific draw that issued ITAs to 7,000 candidates proficient in French, marking the largest draw to date in 2024.
January witnessed three general draws, cumulatively inviting 3,280 candidates, with minimum CRS scores ranging from 541 to 546.
Express Entry Draw Summary for 2024:
- February 14: Healthcare occupations, 3,500 ITAs, Minimum CRS 422
- February 13: General, 1,490 ITAs, Minimum CRS 535
- February 1: French language proficiency, 7,000 ITAs, Minimum CRS 365
- January 31: General, 730 ITAs, Minimum CRS 541
- January 23: General, 1,040 ITAs, Minimum CRS 543
- January 10: General, 1,510 ITAs, Minimum CRS 546
Understanding Category-Based Selection: Introduced by IRCC in May 2023, category-based selection invites candidates through rounds of invitations based on specific human capital attributes across six new categories. These include one for French language proficiency and five occupation-based categories:
- Healthcare occupations
- Professions in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM)
- Trades occupations (e.g., carpenters, plumbers, contractors)
- Transport occupations
- Agriculture and agri-food occupations
To be considered for category-based selection, candidates must qualify for one of the three Express Entry programs and have their profiles in the Express Entry pool. The development of these categories followed consultations with various stakeholders, including provincial and territorial governments, employers, and immigration researchers, aiming to address Canada's labor force needs by targeting candidates most likely to succeed in filling critical job vacancies.
