Express Entry New Rules are now in effect

Express Entry New Rules are now in effect following changes made on June 23, 2022 to the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act (IRPA).

What is category-based selection?

This selection will be done by creating “categories” – in other words, by selecting immigrants based on key attributes that support identified economic priorities, such as educational credentials, work experience, or official language knowledge. For example, Immigration Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) can create a category for those with work experience in a particular occupation or with a particular educational background, or a category that could include multiple characteristics, such as international students who graduated with a particular degree or hold a certain language level. Candidates who meet a particular category would be ranked according to their Comprehensive Ranking System scores and the top among them invited to apply. Category-based selection is limited to candidates who qualify for the programs managed under Express Entry, including: the Canadian Experience Class, the Federal Skilled Worker Program and the Federal Skilled Trades Program. It will comprise a portion of overall invitations to apply, and invitations based on the Comprehensive Ranking System scores and individual programs will remain.

What are the new rules for 2023?

This year, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has established six categories:

• French-language proficiency
• Work experience in healthcare occupations
• Work experience in Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) occupations
• Work experience in trade occupations
• Work experience in transport occupations
• Work experience in agriculture and agri-food occupations

If you are eligible for any of the categories, please make sure your Express Entry profile is up-to-date to ensure you have the best possible chance to be invited to apply for permanent residence in upcoming Express Entry rounds.

Express Entry new rules of selection: Category-based selection

In category-based rounds of invitations, IRCC will invite candidates to apply for permanent residence based on criteria such as

• ability to communicate in a specific official language
• work experience in a specific Training, Education, Experience and Responsibilities (TEER) category of the National Occupational Classification (NOC)
• education

Category-based rounds add to general and program-specific rounds by inviting top-ranking candidates who can help Canada meet specific economic goals. The categories will be announced in advance.

What will happen to candidates with a provincial nomination?

IRCC will continue to invite candidates with a provincial or territorial nomination through general and Provincial Nominee Program-specific rounds.

Will the categories change in 2024?

The categories may change in 2024 because IRCC is required to report to Parliament each year on the categories IRCC chose the previous year, why and how IRCC chose them, the instructions to establish a category, and the number of invitations IRCC issued for each category.

Categories chosen for 2023:

For 2023, IRCC chose the following categories:

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

Who is eligible?

To be eligible for an invitation through a category-based round, you must meet all of the requirements in the instructions for that round. When IRCC holds a category-based round of invitations, IRCC will rank candidates in the pool who meet the category requirements and invite top-ranking candidates to apply for permanent residence.

Who is eligible for each category?

Eligibility for the French-language proficiency category

To be eligible, you must

• have French-language test results that show a minimum score of 7 in all 4 language abilities on the Niveaux de compétence linguistique canadiens
• meet all of the requirements in the instructions for that round

Full eligibility details will be available in the instructions for each round.

Eligibility for the healthcare occupations category

To be eligible, you must

• have accumulated, within the past 3 years, at least 6 months of continuous work experience (in Canada or abroad) in a single occupation listed in the table below
• meet all of the requirements in the instructions for that round

Full eligibility details will be available in the instructions for each round.

Eligibility for the Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) occupations category

To be eligible, you must

• have accumulated, within the past 3 years, at least 6 months of continuous work experience (in Canada or abroad) in a single occupation listed in the table below
• meet all of the requirements in the instructions for that round

Full eligibility details will be available in the instructions for each round.

Eligibility for the trade occupations category

To be eligible, you must

• have accumulated, within the past 3 years, at least 6 months of continuous work experience (in Canada or abroad) in a single occupation listed in the table below
• meet all of the requirements in the instructions for that round

Full eligibility details will be available in the instructions for each round.

Eligibility for the transport occupations category

To be eligible, you must

• have accumulated, within the past 3 years, at least 6 months of continuous work experience (in Canada or abroad) in a single occupation listed in the table below
• meet all of the requirements in the instructions for that round

Full eligibility details will be available in the instructions for each round.

Eligibility for the agriculture and agri-food occupations category

To be eligible, you must

• have accumulated, within the past 3 years, at least 6 months of continuous work experience (in Canada or abroad) in a single occupation listed in the table below
• meet all of the requirements in the instructions for that round

Full eligibility details will be available in the instructions for each round.

For more detailed information about Express Entry New Rules and eligibility requirements, please feel free to contact our office or complete our online assessment questionnaire: On-line Assessment Questionnaire