Canada – Great News For Express Entry Candidates
2020 started off tough for Express Entry hopefuls as Coronavirus
travel restrictions forced IRCC to restrict the pool of candidates
to only those already present in Canada, and thereby cutting off a
large number of highly qualified individuals. For a number of
months, only candidates in the Canadian Experience Class or those
with Provincial Nominations were eligible for the draw. The
consequences of this unprecedented move were far reaching, creating
a ripple effect in the Canadian economy which struggled with
shortages of qualified labour resulting from these
restrictions.
As restrictions began to relax, however, the outlook changed
drastically. In the final two months of 2020, IRCC has reopened the
pool to individuals qualifying through Foreign Skilled Worker and
Foreign Skilled Trades categories. Additionally, in an effort to
compensate for the labour shortages, an unprecedented number of
invitations was issued (5000 individuals were issued Invitations to
Apply for Permanent Residence in November). In the latest draw that
took place December 9, the cut off score dropped to 469, which
significantly increased the number of eligible immigrants.
As Canada has committed to bringing 400,000 new immigrants in
2021, the outlook is good for the future Express Entry hopefuls, as
most new permanent residents are expected to be invited through
this program.
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