Prioritizing Category-Based Draws
Under the new plan, the IRCC set a target of 41,700 admissions for the Federal Economic Priorities Category, which makes up part of the managed programs for the Express Entry. We expect the IRCC to implement “Economic Priorities” via the existing system announced in May 2023. The category-based draws allow IRCC to issue invitations to those who will apply or have occupations in demand in Canada. They include:
- Healthcare occupations
- Trade occupations
- French-language proficiency
- STEM occupations
- Agriculture and agri-food occupations
- Transport occupations
For the 2025 plan, these are the prioritized occupations:
- Trade occupations
- Healthcare occupations
- French-language proficiency
If you work in these industries, you will be more likely to get an ITA invitation next year. Consider switching careers if you’re serious about moving to Canada and becoming a permanent resident or citizen.
Do note that you will only be eligible for the category-based draw for the above occupations when you have at least six months of work experience in the above industries.
In-Canada Focus History
Marc Miller, the Immigration Minister, announced on March 21, 2024, the IRCC’s intention to prioritize “domestic draw” in enabling temporary residents within Canada to transition to permanent residency visas. They have issued about 25,700 ITAs for this. The IRCC also announced that they want to reduce the number of temporary residents from 7% to about 5% in 2026.
