Will There Be Any CEC Draw In 2022?

By Vijay Lala

Published

Updated

Based on the immigration policy announcements in recent months, there will not be any new Express Entry Draw for Federal Skilled Workers (FSW), Canadian Experience Class (CEC) and Federal Skilled Trades candidates in the first six months of 2022. We may see it opening for the second half of 2022.

I know many of you are anxious to understand if there will be any CEC draw for the current year. Canada has continued to conduct only PNP draws in 2022. Even the latest CRS draw on 2nd March 2022 was a PNP specific draw. We expect the trend to continue well into 2022 as the year progresses.

When can we expect the next CEC Draw?

CEC draws will resume after June 2022. As per an internal memo issued by IRCC, there will be no new Express Entry Draw for Federal Skilled Workers (FSW), Canadian Experience Class (CEC) and Federal Skilled Trades candidates in the first six months of 2022.

Doesn’t Canada still need immigrants in 2022?

Yes, Canada still needs immigrants and they have set out a target of landing 432,000 immigrants in 2022. They will be able to achieve this goal based on the number of applicants already under processing.

Will there be another CEC Draw?

Yes, there will be another CEC draw in the current year. Canada has not stopped CEC or FSW draws. There is a temporary pause due to the amount of backlog under processing.

What should I do if my work permit is about to expire?

A common issue is that many Express Entry Candidates are going out of status because of this pause on CEC draws in 2022. If your work permit will expire shortly, you may have to get your status changed to temporary visitor visa or leave the country till the time you are invited under CEC or Express Entry. If possible explore the option of getting a PNP invitation from any of the provinces, this will ensure that you are able to file a BOWP while your PR application is under process. BOWP is “Bridging Open Work Permit” that allows you to keep working while you wait for a decision on your immigration application.

Vijay Lala is the founder and editor-in-chief of Immiboards.com. Dual master's degrees in Political Science and Economics, along with a decade of Canadian immigration research experience, have equipped him with a comprehensive understanding of the complexities of immigration law, policy research, and settlement issues. Twitter


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