Canada releases Express Entry 2022 report

It was also the year that Canada paused all-program and Canadian Experience Class (CEC) draws due to the backlog in applications caused by a reduction of services during the COVID-19 pandemic. The backlog made it so many Express Entry applicants were waiting much longer than the six-month standard to get permanent residence (PR) after applying.

All-program draws began again in July, shortly after the law approving category-based draws had passed. However, it wouldn’t be until 2023 that category-based draws officially began. Stats from these draws will be available in the Express Entry 2023 report.

Use the following jump menu to view the key topics covered in the Express Entry 2022 report.

New occupations eligible for Express Entry

In 2022, Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) officially adopted the National Occupation Classification (NOC) 2021. This change in categorizing jobs in Canada meant that 16 new occupations became eligible for the Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSW) and Canadian Experience Class (CEC). Of these, eight were eligible under the Federal Skilled Trades Program (FST).

The following occupations became eligible:

• Payroll administrators
• Dental assistants and dental laboratory assistants
• Nurse aides, orderlies and patient service associates
• Pharmacy technical assistants and pharmacy assistants
• Elementary and secondary school teacher assistants
• Sheriffs and bailiffs
• Correctional service officers
• By-law enforcement and other regulatory officers
• Estheticians, electrologists and related occupations
• Residential and commercial installers and servicers
• Pest controllers and fumigators
• Other repairers and servicers
• Transport truck drivers
• Bus drivers, subway operators and other transit operators
• Heavy equipment operators
• Aircraft assemblers and aircraft assembly inspectors.

In addition to these, there were three occupations that were no longer considered “skilled”:

• Other performers
• Program leaders and instructors in recreation, sport and fitness
• Tailors, dressmakers, furriers and milliners

The majority of Invitations to Apply (ITAs) for permanent residence went to candidates who were eligible for the PNP and CEC, followed by the FSWP. There were no ITAs issued to FST candidates, but those with trades experience continued to be invited through other Express Entry programs.

Of those invited, 90 percent had a post-secondary credential of at least three years. This points to the fact that Express Entry invitees tend to have high levels of education.

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Most common primary occupations of ITAs in 2022

The most common occupations of Express Entry candidates who received ITAs in 2022 included:

• software engineers and designers
• information systems specialists
• computer systems developers and programmers

Top destination provinces of Express Entry 2022 candidates

Ontario remained to be the most popular destination province among Express Entry applicants, followed by British Columbia and Alberta. These have consistently been the top provinces over the past three years.

Processing times of Express Entry 2022 applications

Canada did not meet its processing standard of finalizing 80 percent of all Express Entry applications in six months. This was largely due to the pandemic backlog that affected all lines of business. IRCC claims to have returned to the six-month processing standard for all new Express Entry applications after July 2022. In fact, earlier reports from this year suggest IRCC is overstaffed on officers who process Express Entry applications.

India top country for Express Entry 2022 applicants

There were a total of 116,228 Express Entry applicants and their family members who got Canada PR through Express Entry last year. By a large margin, India remained the most common country of citizenship among Express Entry applicants in 2022. Nigeria followed up as the second-most common source country of Express Entry applicants, with China taking the third place spot.

Express Entry median employment earnings higher than Canadians

The median employment earnings for Express Entry applicants have been increasing. For example, immigrants who got PR through Express Entry in 2016 had a median employment income of $56,500 in 2017, one year after admission. By 2020, those PRs were earning $70,200, just four years after admission.

The report summary also says Express Entry immigrants have significantly higher median employment earnings than Canadian-born workers.

If you’re interested in moving to Canada but not sure which program you may be eligible for, check your eligibility for more than 20 Canadian immigration programs by taking Moving2Canada’s free Canada Immigration Quiz.