Canada is experiencing a trucker shortage due to pandemic layoffs and an aging workforce.
This week, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) released the 2021 NOC, adding 16 new occupations to the list of professions eligible for Express Entry. Truck driving is among them due to significant labor shortages within the sector. NOC 2021 is a revision of Canada’s National Occupation Classification (NOC) system.
A Shortage of Truck Drivers in Canada
The industry is facing a severe shortage of skilled workers due to various factors, including layoffs during the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as a high retirement rate. According to Trucking HR Canada’s 2021 Labor Market Outlook, there were 18,000 open positions in the trucking industry in Canada in the second quarter of 2021.
Truck driving is a vital component of Canada’s supply chain and has a strong impact on the national economy when there are disruptions and labor shortages.
The report says that in Canada, the trucking and logistics industry moves more than $850 billion worth of products to domestic and export markets. Even before the start of the global pandemic, the Forest Products Association of Canada estimated that a shortage of truck drivers was costing the industry an estimated $450 million in lost productivity.
Coming to Canada Through Express Entry
Express Entry programs are the most important immigration pathways for skilled workers. It is an application management system that works with three economic immigration programs: the Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSWP), the Canadian Experience Class (CEC) and the Federal Skilled Trades Program (FSTP), to expedite the processing of permanent residency applications for skilled workers.
How Does a NOC affect an Express Entry Application?
The NOC allows IRCC to understand what an individual’s occupation is and the level of skill or experience required. The 2016 NOC emphasized whether the role was NOC 0, A, or B (managerial to skilled trades). Instead, the 2021 NOC introduced a system based on a candidate’s training, education, experience, and responsibilities (TEER).
Applying for Express Entry
To get started, a potential candidate should self-assess whether they are eligible for an Express Entry program.
They must then complete a language assessment and obtain the necessary educational credential assessments. Once these have been completed, the next step is to upload a profile to the IRCC website and wait for a decision. Express Entry uses a points-based system, the Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS), to rank candidate profiles. Your profile will be assigned a score and ranked along with all other candidates in the pool.
After the candidate applies, IRCC reviews the application and decides if the candidate is approved.
Candidates with the highest score receive an Invitation to Apply (ITA) and can then apply for permanent residence. When a candidate receives an ITA, they have 60 days to submit a completed application to the IRCC.
IRCC attempts to process 80% of all Express Entry applications within six months of receiving the final application.
Federal Skilled Worker Program
The FSWP is the most popular program under Express Entry for candidates applying from abroad. It is designed for skilled workers who meet certain requirements for language, work experience, and education acquired abroad.
The minimum requirements are one year of work experience, a Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) score of 7, proof of funds and proof of education. You also need to score at least 67/100 on the FSWP points grid.
Canadian Experience Class
The CEC is specifically for those who have at least one year of qualifying work experience in Canada, gained within the last three years.
They must also meet a minimum CLB of 5 (“initial intermediate”) for NOC TEER category 2 or 3 work or CLB 7 (“adequate intermediate adequacy”), for NOC TEER category 0 or 1 work.
Changes coming to Express Entry
Last year, Bill C-19 received royal assent in Canada’s parliament. The new bill gives IRCC the authority to invite Express Entry candidates based on individual factors, such as their language skills or work experience, to better fill the nearly one million job openings in Canada. The process of identification and selection of these groups has not yet been completed.
Get More Info:- Truck drivers are now eligible for Express Entry
