Close X
Wednesday, November 13, 2024
ADVT 
National

Canada invites 500 healthcare workers in its first category-based Express Entry draw

Darpan News Desk The Canadian Press, 29 Jun, 2023 11:48 AM
  • Canada invites 500 healthcare workers in its first category-based Express Entry draw

Toronto, June 29 (IANS) Canada has invited 500 healthcare workers to immigrate under its new category-based Express Entry selection draws with candidates requiring a minimum comprehensive ranking system (CRS) score of 476.

Following this first category-based selection draw since six new categories were announced in May, a second round inviting 1,500 workers to apply will take place on July 5.

"We are bringing more health care workers to Canada! We’ve changed the approach to immigration by bringing an additional focus on certain sectors facing serious labour shortages. The first sector to benefit from this new process is healthcare," Sean Fraser, Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship (IRCC) tweeted on Wednesday.

According to Fraser, the new program is expected to double the number of healthcare workers coming to Canada through the federal Express Entry system this year.

A draw inviting eligible candidates from STEM fields is also expected to occur in the same week.

The 15th draw of the country's flagship economic immigration management system, which invited 4,300 candidates in total, follows the most recent draw on June 8, inviting 4,800 candidates.

On May 31, the IRCC announced new category-based selection for Express Entry, focusing on candidates with work experience in fields like healthcare, agriculture and agri-food, STEM professions and trades, such as carpenters, plumbers and contractors transport.

Among the new categories, healthcare jobs make up the largest number of eligible occupations, 35 in total, including doctors, nurses, dentists, pharmacists, physiotherapists and optometrists.

Health field is one of several key sectors of Canada’s labour force which is facing unprecedented shortages, according to Fraser who said the sector needs more workers to continue delivering the quality care that the citizens deserve.

Recent job vacancy data from Statistics Canada shows that there were 144,500 vacant positions within the healthcare and social assistance sector as of March 2023, or 17.7 per cent of all unfilled positions, a CIC report said.

Between 2017 and 2022, 21,656 skilled newcomers arrived in Canada to work in health occupations.

Immigration accounts for almost 100 per cent of Canada’s labour force growth, helping to address labour shortages in key sectors.

MORE National ARTICLES

Woman assaulted in Richmond

Woman assaulted in Richmond
Richmond R-C-M-P say the incident happened on June 7th just before midnight, when the victim got off a bus and was about to cross King Road. Police say the male suspect then grabbed the woman from behind and brandished a knife, according to the victim.

Woman assaulted in Richmond

Evacuation orders lifted in B.C. and Alberta towns as wildfires recede

Evacuation orders lifted in B.C. and Alberta towns as wildfires recede
Thanks to recent rain and favourable winds, Tumbler Ridge's roughly 2,000 residents were allowed to return home Thursday when the evacuation order was lifted. There was also good news in Alberta, where an evacuation order was being lifted in the town of Edson, allowing more than 8,000 people to return home.

Evacuation orders lifted in B.C. and Alberta towns as wildfires recede

BC Hydro set to start first hunt in 15 years for new electricity sources

BC Hydro set to start first hunt in 15 years for new electricity sources
Premier David Eby told a news conference Thursday that the forecast that calls for the additional 3,000 gigawatt hours per year of renewable energy is three years earlier than previously estimated.

BC Hydro set to start first hunt in 15 years for new electricity sources

Province opens new substance-use treatment beds Surrey & Vancouver

Province opens new substance-use treatment beds Surrey & Vancouver
Mental Health and Addictions Minister Jennifer Whiteside says 18 of the beds have been added at the Phoenix Society in Surrey and six at the Covenant House in Vancouver. The beds in Surrey are for men in the province between 17 and 24-years old -- with an average stay of three to six months. 

Province opens new substance-use treatment beds Surrey & Vancouver

One person killed in Quesnel

One person killed in Quesnel
R-C-M-P in British Columbia are investigating after one person was killed in a crash involving a semi trailer and a pickup truck. The incident happened yesterday afternoon about 35 kilometres south of Quesnel.  

One person killed in Quesnel

RCMP say 15 dead after bus carrying seniors collides with semi truck Manitoba

RCMP say 15 dead after bus carrying seniors collides with semi truck Manitoba
Assistant Commissioner Rob Hill, the commanding officer of Manitoba's RCMP, said Thursday the crash happened at the intersection of highways 1 and 5 near Carberry, about two hours south of Dauphin.

RCMP say 15 dead after bus carrying seniors collides with semi truck Manitoba