Canada to reopen Express Entry immigration system for PR from July’22

After almost a year of hiatus, Canada has announced to reopen the Express Entry route for permanent residence soon. The invitations for candidates to apply for a PR under the immigration system will begin in early July this year, Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) said in a press release. 

Since December 2020, IRCC has not held Express Entry draws under the Federal Skilled Worker Permit (FSWP) stream. Canadian Experience Class (CEC) draws have also been paused since September 2021 due to the application backlog caused by COVID-19 restrictions. 

According to IRCC, a  vast majority of new applications will be processed within the six-month period from the date of submission. 

“To help bring even more skilled workers quickly to Canada, we have doubled the number of permanent residence decisions made in the first quarter of 2022 compared to the same period in 2021. From January 1, 2022, to March 31, 2022, we have made over 156,000 final decisions on permanent residence applications and, through these efforts, Canada welcomed over 113,000 new permanent residents in the first quarter of 2022,” said IRCC in an official announcement. 

Express Entry is Canada’s flagship point-based program for those seeking to immigrate permanently and offers PR via streams such as the Federal Skilled Worker Program, the Federal Skilled Trades Program, and the Canadian Experience Class. 

Additionally, international students in Canada who have a post-graduation work visa expiring between January and December 2022 will qualify for an additional open work permit of up to 18 months beginning in summer 2022.

Other immigration benefits include: 

• While the application is being processed, applicants applying for PR will be eligible for work permits that will be valid until the end of 2024. It will ensure that all  PR applications are finalized before applicants are required to reapply for their temporary status.
• Immediate family members living outside of Canada but included in the principal applicant’s PR application will be eligible for an open work visa. 
• Applicants are no longer required to remain in Canada while their application is being processed in the country.

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