New Occupations Eligible for Express Entry and Some Occupations Now Ineligible
On Wednesday November 16th, 2022, the Honorable Sean Fraser, Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC), announced the implementation of the National Occupational Classification (NOC) 2021 for immigration programs managed under the Express Entry system. The NOC system is used by IRCC to evaluate the occupational eligibility of applicants, breaking down the level of skill of each occupation to reflect their level of Training, Education, Experience, and Responsibilities (TEER). With this transition, 16 occupations will become eligible for Express Entry, while three occupations become ineligible. Below are the “Winners” and the “Losers”.
The occupations being added are:
- 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;
The occupations being removed are:
- Program leaders and instructors in recreation, sport and fitness;
- Tailors, dressmakers, furriers and milliners,
- Other performers.
Those with a profile in the Express Entry pool will need to update it with the new code, as the Canadian Experience Class, Federal Skilled Worker, Federal Skilled Trades and Express Entry-linked PNP streams will all use the new system.
In explaining the purpose of these changes, Minister Fraser claimed that “We are better positioned to tackle labour shortages proactively and grow our economy with a stronger, skilled workforce”. Using the new NOC categories will allow Canada to bring in global talent in high-demand sectors like health care, construction, and transportation. This transition makes good on the Minister’s commitment to expand pathways to permanent residency for temporary workers as more jobs will become eligible for the programs managed under Express Entry. However, it remains to be seen how this will impact those already in the Express Entry pool waiting to receive an invitation to apply. It can’t be good news that there will be more competition in the pool, especially for those that have already been waiting for an invitation during the pandemic when processing slowed and then paused.
If you would like to meet with one of our Canadian immigration law professionals to discuss your Express Entry eligibility or existing profile, or any other immigration needs, we are happy to advise. Our Canadian immigration legal professionals can be reached by phone (416 368 1111) or via email: caruso@cilf.ca; fagan@cilf.ca; bonisteel@cilf.ca; ali@cilf.ca; mukherjee@cilf.ca; garciafialdini@cilf.ca.
