As of today, Express Entry is the fastest way to obtain Canadian permanent residency through the Express Entry system.
It has been the most remarkable year for Express Entry since the launch of the program in 2015.
The program has never before invited as many applicants as in 2021. However, no draws have happened during 2021 under the Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSWP). The Canadian government wanted to focus on applicants who were already in Canada and would not face issues with travel restrictions and be able to fill jobs right away to reduce the labour shortage and help the economic recovery that Canada needs due to the pandemic.
One of the big questions for 2022 is when the government will re-start receiving applicants for the FSWP. A significant backlog is happening in every immigration program, and Express Entry has also been strongly affected, which has delayed the usual 6-month processing time. One of the main objectives of the Canadian government is to reduce the backlog as much as possible and issue more permanent resident invitations in the next 2 years.
Even though the Canadian government did not give any invitations to federal skilled workers under FSWP in 2021, this category accounts for almost 85% of the applicants that are currently in the Express Entry pool.
My recommendations for those who are currently in the pool for FSWP, if your profile was created over 1 year ago, you must create a new profile in order to be taken into consideration in the next draw.
Moreover, for those who have not yet created a profile to apply for FSWP but qualify, please create a profile as soon as possible in order not to lose your chance when a draw takes place.
Nevertheless, I would recommend seeking immigration advice before creating a profile for Express Entry for Canadian permanent residency. Ensure full admissibility and optimize your application for maximum eligibility.