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Highlights
1️⃣ IRCC held its 274th Express Entry draw on December 08.
2️⃣ 5,900 STEM professionals across 24 occupations qualifying under the Federal Skilled Worker Program, Canada Experience Class, or Federal Skilled Trade Progam received ITAs for Canada PR.
3️⃣ The qualifying CRS score for this category-based draw was set at 481.
4️⃣ December 08 also marks the 38th Express Entry draw in 2023.
Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) recently held its second category-based Express Entry draw for Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) professionals.
The December 08 draw issued 5,900 invitations to apply (ITA) under three Express Entry programs for direct Canadian permanent residence (PR). It recorded the highest number of PR invitations in a single category-based draw.
Candidates across 20+ STEM occupations were considered. Eligible profiles had minimum qualifying scores based on the Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) remained at 481. This is five points lower than the previous STEM category (2023-1) draw.
IRCC preferred newer registered profiles in the federal pool, keeping the tie-breaker cut-off date close to November 25, 2023, at 09:48:36 UTC. The tie-break rule is beneficial in cases where two or more candidates end up with the same CRS score.
Book your free consultation with CanApprove to register your Express Entry.
24 Eligible Occupations Under STEM Category (2023-1) Express Entry Draws
Registered Express entry profiles with a minimum of six months of work experience under the following occupation headers were considered:
1. Architects
2. Achitecture and science managers
3. Business systems specialists
4. Civil Engineers
5. Computer and information systems managers
6. Computer engineers (except software engineers and designers)
7. Computer systems developers and programmers
8. Cybersecurity specialists
9. Data scientists
10. Database analysts and data administrators
11. Electrical and electronics engineers
12. Engineering managers
13. Industrial and manufacturing engineers
14. Information systems specialists
15. Land surveyors
16. Landscape Architects
17. Mathematicians, statisticians, and actuaries
18. Metallurgical and materials engineers
19. Natural and applied science policy researchers, consultants, and program officers
20. Software developers and programmers
21. Software engineers and designers
22. Urban and land use planners
23. Web designers
24. Web developers and programmers
Not a while ago, Canada invited another 3,600 healthcare professionals with CRS 431 in an exclusive category-based Express Entry draw on October 26. There are 35+ eligible healthcare occupations for the category-based Express Entry draw.
Canadian Immigration Scope for STEM Professionals
A report from Statistics Canada, issued in late 2022, highlighted a skills gap in Canada’s STEM workforce. It was primarily due to the aging population and the evolution of disruptive technologies.
By Q4 in 2022, the category encompassing Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services in Canada recorded 56,915 job vacancies. The 2023 Federal Budget fostered increased demand for professionals within the technology sector. Additionally, the advancing AI sector in Canada is contributing to a heightened need for tech workers.
Moreover, the average compensation in Canada for STEM occupations stood at $90,252 in 2021, surpassing the national average of $69,311. Further, the average wage in the STEM sector is more than double that of sectors such as accommodation and food services.
Register your Express Entry Profile Today!
With the 2024-2026 annual targets for Express Entry landings (principal applicants, spouses, and dependents) set to cross over 100,000 each year, it is your golden time to start planning for immigration to Canada.
Contact a Regulated Canadian Immigration Consultant (RCIC) like CanApprove to determine your best chances of qualifying based on your academic profile and work experience.
Claim your free consultation to check your eligibility and register your Express Entry profile today! .
