October 13th, 2023 at 06:42 am
Addressing Canada’s shortage of skilled workers through Express Entry
The Express Entry system in Canada underwent a significant overhaul in the year 2023, which was highlighted by the introduction of category-based draws with the intention of giving priority to particular vocational sectors. The skilled trades sector is one of these areas that has garnered a large amount of attention recently. This step is being taken as part of a larger strategy that Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has devised to close the skills gaps that exist in Canada’s most important industries and job sectors.
The fields of healthcare, science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (often known as STEM), transportation, trades, and agriculture/agri-food are all included in the 2023 Express Entry categories. The government of Canada wants to address labor shortages and successfully increase its workforce, so it is directing its immigration efforts to specific fields in the hopes of attracting more people.
Category-based draws
The Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) scores of applicants are given more weight in the new category-based draws than they were in the old Express Entry draws. This is the most significant change between the two types of draws. When it comes to ranking candidates, the conventional draws generally rely on CRS scores. On the other hand, category-based draws give priority to those who have specialized work experience in the occupational categories that have been established.
It is easy to comprehend the thinking that lies behind the focus placed on trades in Express Entry draws. According to Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC), there is a significant demand for skilled trades across the entirety of the country. These jobs are not only satisfying but also serve an important purpose in the communities they are found in around the country. According to forecasts made by ESDC, there will be a need for more than 256,000 additional apprentices within the next five years in order to satisfy the demand for jobs in skilled crafts.
Additionally, the Canadian Apprenticeship Forum anticipates that between the years 2022 and 2026, the country will require a total of more than 122,000 additional journeypersons in order to maintain workforce certification across all Red Seal trades. The Red Seal program establishes criteria and exams for several trades, and it provides a national standard for those tradesmen who are able to demonstrate that they have met those standards.
These numbers highlight how important it is to give candidates who have previous work experience in skilled trade occupations higher priority in category-based drawings conducted by Express Entry. The shortage of skilled laborers is a problem that affects many different businesses, but it is particularly acute in the construction sector. The need for trade workers is high.
Canadian construction industry
According to predictions provided by BuildForce Canada, the construction industry in Canada will require the hiring of 299,200 additional workers by the year 2032. This need is the result of the fact that around 245,100 workers, which is nearly 20% of the labor force in the construction industry in 2022, are anticipated to retire in the near future. As a consequence of this, the sector needs to increase the size of its personnel in order to guarantee its continued growth and development.
Skilled Trade Workers
Additional information regarding the occupational outlook for trade helpers and laborers is available through the Canadian Occupational Projection System (COPS), which is maintained by ESDC. It is anticipated that there will be a rise of about 20,000 job vacancies in this sector between the years 2022 and 2031. These openings can be linked to a variety of factors, including the following:
- Demand Expansion (17%): Job vacancies brought on by industry expansion.
- Retirements (60%): The opportunities that arise when employees retire.
- Jobs available as a result of other replacements (9%): Other Replacement Demand.
- Emigration (13%): The opportunities that arise when employees quit their jobs.
According to all of these estimates together, Canada has an immediate requirement for extra skilled craft employees in order to alleviate labor shortages in a variety of industries.
This creates a potentially fruitful opportunity for anyone who is considering immigrating to Canada. Candidates who have previous work experience in skilled trades were found to be among the top beneficiaries of Invitations to Apply (ITAs) for permanent residence in Canada, according to the report covering the end of the 2022 calendar year for Express Entry. For example, cooks have continuously been rated among the top ITA grantees, which highlights the government’s goal to welcome immigrants who are capable of filling labor market vacancies in specialized trades.
Former Canadian Minister of Building and Diversity and Inclusion Ahmed Hussein underlined the importance of having talented immigrants to support Canada’s building and construction industries. Hussen’s portfolio included both housing and diversity and inclusion. He remarked that the nation requires competent employees to assist in the construction of the homes that are required by the Canadian population.
The expansion of options for highly skilled immigrants has been further facilitated by the rollout of Express Entry draws that are occupation-based and category-based. It is evident that a concerted effort is being made by the government to successfully solve labor shortages because of its focus on attracting people with experience in trades.
To this point, the IRCC has only held one round of invitational interviews dedicated solely to Express Entry candidates who have recent work experience in skilled trades. This draw, which took place on August 3, offered 1,500 individuals with a CRS score of at least 388 to submit an application for permanent residence in Canada. The available evidence implies that these category-based draws for trade vocations will play a substantial role in the immigration scene for the remainder of the calendar year, accounting for a notable percentage of the ITAs that will be distributed through Express Entry.
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