Canada’s Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) releases an annual report on Express Entry, with the latest one being the 2022 version.

Understanding Express Entry

Express Entry is an innovative application management system that oversees the Federal Skilled Worker Program, the Canadian Experience Class, and the Federal Skilled Trades Program. Candidates in the Express Entry pool are assessed based on various factors like work experience, language ability, education, and age. They are assigned a Comprehensive Ranking System score, and those with the highest scores are most likely to receive an ITA.

It’s important to note that the system also manages a portion of the Provincial Nominee Program (PNP), but PNP candidates must be eligible for at least one of the three core programs to come to Canada via Express Entry.

2022 Express Entry Statistics

In 2022, a total of 428,391 Express Entry profiles were submitted, which was a slight decrease of 3% from the previous year but an increase of 19% from 2020. Of these profiles, at least 74% were eligible for one of the immigration programs managed by Express Entry, remaining unchanged from 2021.

More profiles were submitted by men (56%) than women (44%), with the proportions staying the same as in 2021. While the eligibility rate for men remained steady at 71%, women saw a slight increase to 78% in 2022.

Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) Scores

The Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) is used to rank Express Entry candidates based on criteria like age, language ability, education, and work experience. The majority of eligible candidate profiles in 2022 had CRS scores in the 301-500 range.

Additional CRS points can be earned for factors like education in Canada, French language proficiency, or having siblings in Canada. In 2022, 55% of candidates did not meet criteria for additional points, a decrease from previous years.

Invitations to Apply (ITAs)

In 2022, IRCC held 24 Express Entry draws and issued 46,539 invitations to apply (ITAs), which was a 59% decrease from 2021. This reduction was due to a pause in ITAs for Federal High Skilled immigration programs but continued PNP-specific rounds from September 2021 to July 2022.

The majority of ITAs in 2022 were issued under PNPs (19,258) and the Canadian Experience Class (CEC) (18,895), with none issued under the Federal Skilled Trades Program (FSTP).

ITAs by Gender, Age, and Education

• Men received the majority of ITAs in 2022 (58%), similar to their proportion of profile submissions.
• ITAs for men and women in the CEC and PNP were roughly equal.
• The largest age group receiving ITAs was 20-29 (50%), followed by those aged 30-34 (29%).
• The level of education also played a role, with more ITAs going to candidates with higher education levels. Only 1% went to those with a high school diploma or less, while 46% went to those with a master’s degree or professional degree.
• PhD holders received 4% of all ITAs in 2022.

The Express Entry system in Canada underwent changes and challenges in 2022, impacting the number of profiles submitted, ITAs issued, and the demographics of successful applicants.

Language Proficiency and Work Experience in ITAs

In 2022, Express Entry Invitations to Apply (ITAs) were influenced by language proficiency and work experience:

Language Proficiency: More ITAs were given to candidates with higher language proficiency, with CLB/NCLC 9 (15,587 ITAs) and CLB/NCLC 10 (9,881 ITAs) scores leading the way.

Canadian Work Experience: 41% of ITA recipients had one year of Canadian work experience, while 35% had no Canadian work experience. Candidates with 2 years of Canadian employment received 16% of ITAs

Foreign Work Experience: 35% of ITAs went to candidates with 5 or more years of foreign work experience. Surprisingly, 27% of ITAs were given to those with one year or less of foreign work experience.

Additional Points and Primary Occupations

Additional points played a crucial role in ITAs in 2022:

• Additional Points: Education in Canada (19,587 ITAs) and Arranged Employment (8,756 ITAs) were the most common additional point types. Women led in meeting criteria for French language proficiency points (53%).
• Primary Occupations: Technology-related occupations dominated, including software engineers, information systems specialists, and computer systems developers. Food service supervisors and cooks were also prevalent.

Changes in ITA Trends

• ITA Trends: There was a shift from TEER 2 occupations to TEER 1 occupations (those requiring a university degree). Technological fields saw the most significant rise in ITAs.
• Arranged Employment Points: Software engineers and designers replaced food service supervisors as the most common occupation for candidates assigned Arranged Employment points in 2022.

In 2022, Express Entry ITAs were influenced by high language proficiency, diverse work experiences, additional points, and a significant shift toward technology-related occupations. Understanding these trends is crucial for prospective applicants in the Express Entry system.

Global Origins of ITA Recipients

In 2022, most Invitations to Apply (ITAs) were granted to candidates residing in Canada (31,486), India (3,787), and Nigeria (1,730). This mirrors the trend from 2021, indicating a consistent pattern in recipient nationalities.

The complete list of the top 10 countries of residence among 2022 ITA recipients is as follows (the number of ITAs issued to residents of each country is in parentheses).

1. Canada (31,486)
2.  India (3,787)
3. Nigeria (1,730)
4.  Cameroon (1,063)
5.  United States of America (842)
6.  Morocco (793)
7. United Arab Emirates (683)
8.  Lebanon (559)
9. Algeria (550)
10. France (381)

Similar to the above data, below is the complete list of the top 10 countries of citizenship among ITA recipients in 2022. Listed next to each country, in parentheses, is the number of ITAs their citizens were issued this past year.

1. India (20,769)
2. Algeria (2,909)
3. People’s Republic of China (2,456)
4. Cameroon (1,218)
5. Iran (1,210)
6. France (1,069)
7. Morocco (978)
8. United States of America (939)
9. Philippines (934)
10. Pakistan (923)

Among ITA recipients, Indians (20,769), Algerians (2,909), and Chinese citizens (2,456) received the most ITAs. India has consistently held the top spot for the last three years.

Preferred Canadian Provinces

Ontario remained the most popular province for Express Entry applicants, with 48% settling there, a decrease from 61% in 2021. British Columbia (20%) and Alberta (12%) were the next favored destinations.

Note: Quebec-bound Express Entry applicants are not accounted for in this data, as the province operates its own distinct immigration programs

Application Processing Times

Application processing times increased significantly in 2022, with the total processing time rising to 21 months from 8 months in 2021. Notably, the processing time for Federal Skilled Trades Program (FSTP) applications increased dramatically from 23 months (in 2021) to 63 months in 2022.

Conclusion:

Despite a 59% decrease in ITAs from the previous year, Express Entry remained a vital immigration pathway for Canada. The system adapted in 2022, focusing on specific employment needs through category-based draws, targeting areas with significant gaps such as healthcare, STEM, transport, trades, and agriculture. With 11,900 ITAs issued in 2023 through these categories, Canada continued to attract skilled professionals globally. The future holds further enhancements to the Express Entry system, ensuring that Canada continues to benefit from a talented global workforce while offering immigrants one of the world’s best destinations.

Our expert immigration consultants are here to guide you through the Express Entry process and ensure a seamless and successful journey to permanent residency in Canada! You can speak with one of our consultants by clicking the button below.

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