Canada Express Entry Draws Shocking Update 2024 | Canada Immigration 2024

In light of Canada’s commitment to linguistic diversity and bilingualism, immigration policies are changing. Let us examine how proficiency in French may affect the selection process for qualified individuals applying for entry into Canada. In this blog, we will examine the ramifications of this change, the possible advantages for applicants, and its consequences for immigration to Canada in the future.

French Language Proficiency to Lead Category-based Selection in Express Entry Draws 2024

An Access to Information Request (ATIP) released recently predicts that in 2024, French language skills will predominate in category-based selection Express Entry drawings. According to the ATIP, which Carry Immigration provided with CICNews, 78.5% of all Invitations to Apply for Express Entry candidates in category-based selection draws will be sent out by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) in 2024.

There will be general lotteries to distribute the remaining 21.5% of ITAS. Thirty percent of these will go to candidates who meet the French proficiency requirement for selection; the next biggest percentage will go to STEM professions at 25 percent and healthcare at 15 percent.

Percentages of ITAS by Category Breakdown

In May 2023, the IRCC implemented category-based selection draws to target Express Entry candidates who possess desirable qualities, including work experience and language proficiency.

Why is French proficiency leading?

French fluency was highlighted as being especially crucial in another ATIP from April 2023 that CICNews was able to obtain because, as per a 2021 Labor Market Information Council report, Canadian employers were having problems filling open positions that required bilingualism with qualified candidates.

Additionally, it was discovered that economic primary applicants who spoke French had greater employment rates. A January Statistics Canada study, which indicated that language proficiency is the primary determinant of an economic immigrant candidate’s overall success in the Canadian Labor Force, corroborated this data.

Because all Canadians have the right to access public services in either of the country’s official languages (French or English), the IRCC claims that this affects Canadian public services as well. When the category was first proposed, the IRCC stated in the 2023 ATIP that between 11% and 15% of candidates who were invited through category-based selection would come from this category.

But beginning July 2023, the French proficiency draws have welcomed the most candidates of any category (17,300 ITAs) to date. The department added that inviting a large proportion of candidates who speak French will help guarantee that the IRCC achieves its mandate, which calls for 4.4% of all Francophone immigrants to settle outside of Quebec by 2023.

In January of the current year, Immigration Minister Mark Miller declared that 4.7% of all newcomers outside of Quebec were a result of the department’s efforts. He stated that the goal would increase to 6% by 2024. The same ATIP observed that there was conflicting support for this category. Although 54% of state holders agreed with the category, 42% said they were unsure of the effects or thought it would have no effect.

Stakeholder support in British Columbia and Alberta was at an all-time low. They believed that outside of Francophone minority groups, there would be no appreciable economic impact. Supporters of the category included respondents who stated that bilingualism is necessary in the fields of education, healthcare, tourism, and hospitality.

Additionally, they outlined the non-financial advantages of the category, such as lowering obstacles to services in French-speaking minorities’ native tongue.

When will draws occur, and how big will they be?

The majority of the information in the IRCC’s timetable for Express Entry drawings in 2024 has been withheld, however, it is stated in the 2024 ATIP. It states that draws will take place according to a schedule that will give clients provinces and territories predictability. This is the first hint that this year’s draws will follow a set schedule.

Predicting draw frequency in 2023 proved to be challenging. Since the implementation of category-based selection in 2024, the IRCC has held at least one category-based draw and one general draw every two weeks. There have been instances where there have been three draws in a single week, but it is impossible to predict if this trend will hold for the remainder of the year.

The Immigration and Naturalization Council of Canada (IRCC) stated that the size of the draws will be determined by the admissions targets specified in the current immigration levels plan for 2024–2026. In 2024, IRCC hopes to welcome 110,00 new permanent residents; by 2025, that number will rise to 17,500. Every year, the number of candidates accepted will differ from the target because Express Entry applications typically take six months to process. Consequently, those who are accepted later this year won’t arrive in Canada until 2025.

Impact on CRS Scores

The 2024 ATIP also specifies expected round sizes since, given current pool Vitality predictions, this frequency of draws should be possible. The number of candidates in the Express Entry application pool and their CRS scores will have an impact on the minimum CRS cut-off scores for upcoming draws, even though the Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score and pool composition may vary from expectations based on provincial and territorial behavior and pool replenishment.

The IRCC stated that it anticipated a roughly 10% decline in the overall average CRS score in the 2024 ATIP. It was anticipated that this drop would likely aid in increasing occupational and source country diversity after the implementation of category-based selection rounds, but it was also noted that there might be a negative effect on the economic outcomes of newcomers, as higher CRS are correlated with stronger economic outcomes.

The lowest score requirements for General drawings in Express Entry draws have increased recently, with none falling below 524. On the other hand, significantly lower scores—such as 336 for a French language proficiency draw on February 29—have been necessary for some category-based selection draws.

Conclusion

One important component of category-based selection is the inclusion of French language competency. A major step towards encouraging linguistic variety and tolerance in Canada’s immigration system is the Express Entry drawings of 2024. As bilingualism and multiculturalism remain Canada’s top priorities, candidates who speak French well may find their immigration prospects through the Express Entry program improved.

As the immigration landscape changes, this move not only demonstrates Canada’s dedication to linguistic variety but also reflects the nation’s larger principles of inclusivity and cultural enrichment. Speaking French fluently will undoubtedly help skilled foreigners who want to settle in Canada.