Ottawa is set to introduce additional express entry pathways for certain permanent residency applicants in high-wage occupations, according to Immigration Minister Lena Diab’s announcement on Friday.
The government is also planning to eliminate the employer requirement to demonstrate the unavailability of qualified Canadian workers for these roles.
Effective November 3, the new policies will benefit applicants with existing Canadian work experience or those holding job offers in high-wage sectors like engineering.
A high-wage job, as defined by the government, is one that pays at least 1.3 times the median wage, with the allocation of express entry points being linked to the wage level.
The national median hourly wage, as listed on the Canada Job Bank, currently stands at $55.03.
Furthermore, a temporary measure will be implemented to waive the need for employers to provide a Labour Market Impact Assessment for qualifying jobs eligible for the new express entry pathways. This adjustment aims to streamline the application process and aligns with the government’s ongoing initiatives to attract more high-earning immigrants to Canada.
Recent government actions have included granting additional express entry points to professionals in fields such as medicine, skilled trades, transportation, and research.
Candidates in the express entry pool for permanent residency will have their scoring adjusted to incorporate the new points related to Canadian work experience and job offers. The Immigration Department anticipates that it may take up to two weeks to calculate the revised scores, leading to a temporary pause in issuing invitations to apply for permanent residency.