On May 31st, 2023, Immigration Minister Sean Fraser announced an exciting development in Canada’s immigration system—introducing category-based selection draws for Express Entry candidates.
If you possess strong French language proficiency or work experience in specific fields, you might be eligible for these draws. The areas of focus include:
- Healthcare Occupations
- STEM professions (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics)
- Trades (e.g., carpenters, plumbers, and contractors)
- Transport
- Agriculture and Agri-food
These categories were selected based on a thorough analysis of labour market information, projections, and valuable input from various partners, provinces, territories, and stakeholders across the country.
The category-based draws are set to commence sometime during this summer. If you’re a healthcare professional looking to immigrate to Canada, this article is your comprehensive guide to understanding the opportunities available in the healthcare occupations category.
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Why Choose Healthcare as a Category?
Canada’s healthcare system heavily relies on immigration to fill job vacancies. In the last quarter of 2022, there were 143,695 job openings in Healthcare and Social Assistance, resulting in a job vacancy rate of 6%. This makes it the sector with the most vacancies in the country.
Interestingly, a quarter of registered nurses and 36% of physicians in Canada were born abroad. However, foreign-trained medical professionals often struggle to get accredited by Canadian authorities, hindering their job prospects.
To address this, the Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) is making it easier for foreign-trained healthcare workers to immigrate. They are removing barriers for physicians already in Canada on a temporary resident visa.
These measures aim to simplify the immigration process and support healthcare professionals in finding work in Canada. The country values their skills and contributions to the healthcare sector.
| Industry | No. of job vacancies | Eligible occupations | Average salaries offered | Immigration paths |
| Healthcare | 1,43,800 | Registered Nurses Doctors Physicians Dentists Care Takers | $75000- $123,017 | Express Entry Federal Skilled Trades Program British Columbia PNP Alberta PNP Ontario PNP Pilot programs for caregivers |
Eligibility for Healthcare Occupations Category:
To be eligible for the healthcare occupations category in Express Entry, you must:
- Meet the criteria of at least one Express Entry program:
- Federal Skilled Worker Program
- Canadian Experience Class
- Federal Skilled Trades Program
2. Have accumulated at least 6 months of continuous work experience within the past 3 years in one of the listed healthcare occupations.
List of Healthcare Occupations:
The healthcare occupations category includes a variety of roles, such as:
- Dentists
- General practitioners and family physicians
- Massage therapists
- Nurse aids, orderlies, and patient service associates
- Optometrists
- Physiotherapists
- Respiratory therapists, clinical perfusionists, and cardiopulmonary technologists
- Specialists in surgery
- Traditional Chinese medicine practitioners and acupuncturists
- Veterinarians
Express Entry Category-Based Draws: Job Vacancies by Sector in Canada
Understanding Express Entry Category-Based Draws:
Category-based rounds of invitations focus on specific criteria to select eligible candidates. These criteria include:
Language Proficiency:
Candidates with the ability to communicate effectively in a specific official language are given priority.
Work Experience:
Experience in specific categories of the National Occupational Classification (NOC) related to healthcare occupations is considered.
Education:
Educational qualifications and achievements play a role in the selection process.
Ranking and Invitation Process:
- Express Entry candidates are ranked using the Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS), which evaluates various factors like age, education, language skills, and work experience.
- Top-ranking candidates who meet the eligibility criteria for the targeted healthcare category will receive invitations for permanent residence.
Benefits of Category-Based Draws:
Category-based draws add to the general and program-specific draws, aiming to meet Canada’s economic goals. These draw offer exceptional opportunities for highly qualified healthcare professionals to immigrate to Canada, contribute to the healthcare system, and create a diverse workforce.
Conclusion:
Canada’s Express Entry program offers an attractive pathway for healthcare professionals to contribute to the country’s healthcare system. The category-based draws prioritize candidates with French language proficiency or work experience in healthcare occupations. By simplifying the immigration process, Canada aims to address job vacancies and create a diverse workforce in the healthcare sector.
Stay tuned to +1 News for more updates on the Express Entry draws and other immigration news.
IRCC Minister Will Make New Express Entry Announcement for Healthcare
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