Good news for truck drivers: The federal government has decided to allow truck drivers to apply for Canada PR Visa through the Express Entry program.
Canada’s National Occupation Classification system, NOC 2021, has undergone revision. A few days ago, on November 16, the IRCC published the new NOC 2021 and added 16 additional occupations for applying to Canada Express Entry System. One is truck driving because the industry has a severe labor shortage. It means more foreign truck drivers can immigrate to Canada and help fill needs in skilled trades across Canada.
Shortage of Truck drivers in Canada
The trucking industry is experiencing a shortage of workers, especially long-haul drivers, due to several issues, including higher rates of retirement and mass layoffs during the COVID-19 pandemic.
In the second quarter of 2021, there was 18,000 open employment in the Canadian truck driver industry, based on Trucking HR Canada’s 2021 Labour Market Snapshot. The shortage has been growing faster than the employment rate in Canada. Because trucking is essential to Canada’s supply chain, labor shortages and other interruptions significantly affect the country’s economy.
According to the research, Canada’s trucking and logistics sector transport goods worth over $850 billion to domestic and international markets. The Forest Products Association of Canada calculated that the industry was already losing $450 million in productivity because of the truck driver shortage even before the global epidemic started. So, if you plan to immigrate to Canada, this could be an excellent opportunity.
Use Express Entry to Enter Canada
The most well-known immigration methods for qualified professionals are Express Entry programs. It is an application management system coordinating with three economic immigration programs to handle skilled worker applications for permanent residency swiftly.
- The Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSWP)
- The Canadian Experience Class (CEC)
- The Federal Skilled Trades Program (FSTP)
Canada Immigration in 2023: Apply for Express Entry
To immigrate to Canada, you’ll need to apply through the Express Entry system. It is the most recommended method for immigration. It allows you to apply for a Canada PR Visa, so let’s discuss how you can use this express entry system.
The first step before submitting an express entry application is that a potential candidate needs to self-evaluate the application as per the standard guidelines. After that, they must pass a language test and acquire any required Education Credential Assessments. Following completing these, uploading a profile to the IRCC website, and waiting for a response are the next steps.
The Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS), a points-based system used by Express Entry, ranks candidate profiles. Their application will receive a score compared to every other applicant in the pool.
The highest-scoring applicants are given the Invitation to Apply, called ITA, after which they can submit a permanent residency application. A candidate must submit a complete application to IRCC within 60 days of receiving an ITA.
Note: After receiving the ITA, IRCC aims to process 80% of all Express Entry applications within six months of time.
Recognizing truck driving as a skilled trade is part of the government’s goal to fill current skill shortages and labor gaps. The future looks bright for truck drivers in Canada. With the new policy on skilled trade, more people will be able to immigrate to Canada as truck drivers. And Dynamic Group can help you.
We have several years of expertise in immigrating hundreds of applicants to other countries. We will make the process hassle-free and efficient for you. If moving to Canada is something you’re thinking about, reach out to us at 011-41170411 or consultation@dss-hr.com!
