Summary of the Express Entry Year-End Report 2022
428,391 profiles
were submitted through the Express Entry system in 2022
Launched in January 2015, Express Entry is Canada’s flagship application management system for 3 federal high-skilled permanent economic immigration programs:
- the Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSWP)
- the Federal Skilled Trades Program (FSTP)
- the Canadian experience class (CEC)
It also manages a portion of the Provincial Nominee Program (PNP).
Express Entry is an effective tool to bring in workers with the skills and attributes needed to respond to Canada’s evolving economic needs and help address labour market shortages.
Changes to Express Entry in 2022
National Occupation Classification
Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) uses the National Occupation Classification (NOC) to determine and assess the occupational eligibility criteria under its immigration programs. On November 16, 2022, IRCC implemented the new NOC 2021 system, replacing skill level groups with Training, Education, Experience and Responsibility (TEER) categories to better reflect skills and knowledge obtained through on-the-job experience. As a result, 16 new occupations became eligible under the FSWP and CEC, and 8 new occupations became eligible under the FSTP.
These include, but are not limited to several in-demand occupations such as
- transport truck drivers
- bus drivers
- teaching assistants
- several occupations in the health field
Introduction of category-based selection
On June 23, 2022, legislative amendments were made to the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act (IRPA). These amendments authorize IRCC to invite foreign nationals to apply for permanent residence based on categories that support an identified economic goal. Category-based selection will make Express Entry more responsive to Canada’s changing economic and labour market needs, while building on the high human capital approach of selecting educated, experienced and language proficient newcomers who have the tools to succeed in our knowledge economy.
The first category-based selection round of invitation, which took place in 2023, helped address structural labour market shortages and supported economic growth through Francophone immigration outside Quebec.
Category-based selection rounds will continue throughout the year, alongside general invitation rounds.
Key highlights
Candidates invited to apply for permanent residence through Express Entry
In 2022, 428,391 Express Entry profiles were submitted through the system. The minimum Comprehensive Ranking System scores of eligible candidates in the pool remained consistently concentrated in the 301–500 range, which means that candidates consistently demonstrate high levels of human capital.
For instance, in 2022, 90% of invitees claimed a post-secondary educational credential of at least 3 years. Express Entry continues to bring in skilled workers with a strong proficiency in official languages and to attract more French-speaking immigrants to Francophone minority communities outside Quebec.
In 2022, the majority of invitations to apply for permanent residence were issued to candidates under PNP and CEC, followed by FSWP. Although no invitations were issued under FSTP, candidates with work experience in trades occupations continued to be invited through PNP, CEC and FSWP.
Most common primary occupations among candidates invited to apply
Express Entry continues to support Canada’s technology sector by bringing in skilled workers with in-demand skills that can
- drive the sector forward
- meet Canada’s innovation priorities
- solidify Canada’s place as a world leader in emerging technologies
The most common occupations, which made up a significant proportion of the candidates invited to apply through Express Entry in 2022, were
- software engineers and designers
- information systems specialists
- computer systems developers and programmers
Provinces or territories of destination of principal applicants
Express Entry continues to support provinces and territories by bringing in skilled workers to help address labour shortages. In 2022, Ontario remained the most popular province among principal applicants, followed by British Columbia and Alberta. These have been the top provinces of destination over the past 3 years.
Processing time for Express Entry applications
In 2022, IRCC did not meet the processing standard of finalizing 80% of all applications managed through Express Entry within 6 months. There was a significant increase in overall processing time, with 80% of all applications being processed in 21 months. This reflects the COVID-19 pandemic’s ongoing impact on IRCC’s operations and processing capacity. While we continue to make significant efforts to finalize applications for candidates who have waited beyond the service standard, anyone invited as of July 2022 can expect a 6-month processing time.
Candidates who were admitted through Express Entry and their intended destination
In 2022, 116,228 principal applicants and their accompanying family members were admitted to Canada as permanent residents through Express Entry. Express Entry continues to attract applicants from various parts of the world. In 2022, India remained, by a large margin, the most common country of citizenship among principal applicants and their accompanying family members admitted to Canada through Express Entry. It was followed by Nigeria and China.
Applicants’ economic outcomes
The median employment earnings for Express Entry federal high-skilled principal applicants, with the earliest cohort being admitted to Canada in 2015, show an annual increase in employment earnings in the 5 years since the applicants were admitted to Canada. For example, for the 2016 admission cohort, the median employment income was $56,500 in 2017 (at 1 year since admission), and increased to $70,200 in 2020 (4 years since admission).
When compared to Canadian median employment earnings, all Express Entry cohorts of permanent residents have significantly higher median employment earnings.
Next steps
In 2022, in its 8th year of operation, Express Entry continued to provide a pathway to permanent residence for a range of highly-skilled candidates who demonstrated the potential to successfully integrate and contribute to Canada’s economy.
The Express Entry system will be a key component of IRCC’s Strategy to Expand Transitions to Permanent Residency, which was tabled in Parliament on September 20, 2022. It supports the fulfillment of the minister’s mandate commitment to expand permanent residence pathways for international students and temporary foreign workers.
The department will continue to monitor Express Entry and explore ways the system could be used to ensure that Canada continues to derive maximum benefit from economic immigration in a rapidly evolving environment.
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