Canada has recently introduced six new categories for Express Entry candidates who have work experience in specific occupations that are in demand and vital for the country's economic and social well-being. Two of these categories, healthcare and STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics), stand out for the number of eligible occupations and the opportunities they offer for skilled workers who want to immigrate to Canada.
Healthcare Occupations Lead in Demand
Canada is facing an aging population and a low birth rate, which means that the demand for healthcare services will increase in the coming years. To address this challenge, Canada is looking for immigration candidates who have proven experience in a healthcare occupation that can help ease the pressure on the healthcare system and provide quality care to Canadians.
According to Statistics Canada, there were 144,500 job vacancies in the healthcare and social assistance sector as of March 2023. This represented 17.7% of all unfilled jobs in Canada.
The new category-based draws for Express Entry include 35 healthcare occupations that cover a wide range of skills and professions:
- Audiologists and speech-language pathologists
- Chiropractors
- Dentists
- Dieticians and nutritionists
- Education counsellors
- General practitioners and family physicians
- Instructors of persons with disabilities
- Kinesiologists and other professional occupation in therapy and assessment
- Licensed practical nurses
- Massage therapists
- Medical laboratory assistants and related technical occupations
- Medical laboratory technologists
- Medical radiation technologists
- Medical sonographers
- Nurse aides, orderlies and patient service associates
- Nurse practitioners
- Nursing coordinators and supervisors
- Occupational therapists
- Optometrists
- Other assisting occupations in support of health services
- Other practitioners of natural healing
- Other professional occupations in health diagnosing and treating
- Other technical occupations in therapy and assessment
- Paramedical occupations
- Pharmacy technical assistants and pharmacy assistants
- Physician assistants, midwives, and allied health professionals
- Physiotherapists
- Psychologists
- Registered nurses and registered psychiatric nurses
- Respiratory therapists, clinical perfusionists, and cardiopulmonary technologists
- Specialists in clinical and laboratory medicine
- Specialists in surgery
- Therapists in counselling and related specialized therapies
- Traditional Chinese medicine practitioners and acupuncturists
- Veterinarians
STEM Occupations Are Growing In Canada
Canada is also a leader in innovation and technology, with a thriving sector that generates billions of dollars in revenue and employs thousands of workers. Occupations in STEM fields are essential for driving innovation, research and development, and creating new products and services that benefit Canadians and the world.
Candidates who have work experience in a STEM occupation may also be eligible for one of the new Express Entry categories. The STEM category covers occupations such as computer programmers, engineers, mathematicians, statisticians, biologists, chemists, physicists, astronomers, geologists, meteorologists, and more.
How to Apply For the New Express Entry Categories
To be eligible for one of the new Express Entry categories, candidates must meet the following requirements:
- Have at least one year of work experience in one of the eligible occupations within the last three years;
- Meet the minimum language proficiency level in English or French;
- Meet the minimum education level or have an Educational Credential Assessment (ECA) report;
- Be eligible for the Express Entry pool with a valid profile.
Candidates who meet these requirements do not need to take any additional steps to be considered for category-based draws. IRCC will automatically identify candidates who are eligible based on their Canada Express Entry profile information and invite them to apply for permanent residence if they meet the cut-off score.
Candidates who are not eligible for one of the new categories may still be invited to apply through the regular Express Entry draws that are held every two weeks. These draws invite candidates from all three federal immigration programs: Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSWP), Federal Skilled Trades Program (FSTP), and Canadian Experience Class (CEC).
The new Express Entry categories are an opportunity for skilled workers who have experience in healthcare or STEM occupations to immigrate to Canada faster and easier. If you are interested in applying for one of these categories or want to learn more about your options, contact Abhinav Immigration Services at 8595338595 or web@abhinav.com.
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Moneycontrol Journalists were not involved in the creation of the article.
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