Canada is credited with having one of the most immigrant-friendly policies in the world, ranking fourth internationally in the Index of Migrant Integration Policies. But the criteria used to prioritize applicants based on age leave many at a disadvantage, even though they might have the qualifications Canada is seeking.
With immigration backlog and several technical failures in the Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) online portal during the pandemic, many have become ineligible for certain programs that consider age as a criterion.
When Pedro Carvalho arrived with his wife in 2017 from Brazil, the couple were 30 years old.
But after missing out on the Express Entry (EE) draw this year due to a technical glitch, Carvalho was skeptical about reaching the CRS score cutoff due to his age.
Following the resumption of EE draws in July 2022, the Comprehensive classification system (CRS) has been on the high end (above 500 points) compared to pre-pandemic levels, touching 557 on July 6.
With high cut-off scores at the time, many, like Carvalho, were pessimistic and switched to another program called a temporary resident to permanent resident (TR to PR) program to ensure they can stay in Canada as permanent residents.
“Now I turned 40, so I lost points. To be honest, I don’t know what else I can say,” Carvalho said in an email to CTVNews.ca in August.
Rick Lamanna, director of Fragomen Canada, an immigration service provider, told CTVNews.ca in a phone interview that it can be frustrating for certain applicants to wait in the pool.
“You see yourself losing points every year because of these delays. They may have fewer points than they did a couple of years ago or even a year ago,” he said.
At first glance, age does not stand out as a main criterion for Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship of Canada (IRCC).
But for certain programs, like the Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSWP) or Canadian Experience Class (CEC)— The importance of being young becomes quite explicit, especially for applicants reaching the 40-year threshold.
A DEEPER LOOK AT THE POINTS-BASED SYSTEM
Programs under EE include the FSWP, Federal Skilled Trades Program (FSTP), CEC, and a part of the Provincial Nominee Program (PNP). An applicant must be eligible for one of the above to enter the US candidate pool.
Canadian employers generally rely on EE designed to attract highly-skilled foreign workers through its programs leading to permanent residence (PR) and among these, FSWP and CEC are popular, both of which consider age as one of the fundamental factors of employment. human capital. .
Lamanna says that while age can lower a CEC or FSWP candidate’s score, other factors can help increase CRS scores.
“However,” he said, “it is very difficult. Because applicants in their 40s lose a lot of age points relative to people in their 20s or 30s.”
CRS is a point-based system that scores a profile to rank applicants in the Express Entry pool. Get an invitation to apply (ITA)the candidate must achieve a score higher than the CRS score.
The maximum score on the CRS is 1200 and this assessment is based on several characteristics, such as level of education, English/French skills, and work experience. If an applicant does not meet the CRS score in a specific draw, she must upload her profile again to be considered for the next batch.
LOWER POINTS FOR OLDER APPLICANTS
Not only that, from the age of 40, the points are reduced by 10 compared to 5 before the age of 40. While a 29-year-old may earn a maximum of 110 CRS points for age, an applicant of a similar caliber approaching their 30s may see a sharp decline. When they reach 39, there are only 55 points available, and when they reach 45, there are no points.
Under FSWP, the applicant’s age counts 12 percent of the general selection criteria in the selection table. the FAQ section makes it clear that someone over the age of 47 will not score any points under the CRS Age factor, but can score points on other factors such as job offer, skills, and language skills.
DOES CANADA NEED YOUNG WORKERS?
Immigration has played a critical role in Canada’s economy, providing a relatively young stream of workers. More than 80% of immigrants admitted in recent years have been under 45 years of age.
According to a report by the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), young immigrants are generally much more educated than immigrants nearing retirement, and this is true for those entering the workforce.
With an aging indigenous workforce and low fertility rates (approximately 1.4 births per woman in 2020), the influx of immigrants has become increasingly important to Canada. The country suffers from a shortage of skilled workers despite attempts to attract immigrants. According to data from Canada Statisticsimmigrants make up just over a quarter of Canadian workers.
Data from the recent 2021 census shows that people approaching retirement outnumber those too old to enter the labor market in Canada. In addition, rural populations are also aging faster than those in urban areas, in part due to the lower influx of immigrants.
The Canadian population is seeing a big change, with baby boomers aging, according to a report from Canada Statistics. The change will have significant consequences on the labor market, services for the elderly and the consumption of goods and services.
A recent census report Canada Statistics shows that young immigrants are helping to increase the numbers in Canada’s population growth. Millennials (born between 1981 and 1996) were between the ages of 25 and 40 in 2021 and are already the fastest growing generation. In Canada, their number increased 8.6% between 2016 and 2021 due to immigration, according to the StatsCan report.
But when it comes to the age factor in economic immigration, Canada is not alone.
Australia has age as one of the selection criteria for permanent residence and the age of the applicant must be less than 45 years to apply for a PR visa. Germany recently introduced its version of the “green card” (known as Chancenkarte) to address the country’s growing labor shortage. Three of the four criteria to be considered for the program include the applicant being under the age of 35.
BUT THE OBJECTIVE DRAWS IN 2023 COULD BE A GAME CHANGER
Lamanna says that as 2023 approaches, applicants should prepare for specific targeted draws, which are designed to address the labor shortages Canada is currently facing in certain sectors.
the just past Bill C-19 allows invitations to those applicants under Express Entry who support regional economic needs. the training, education, experience and responsibilities (TEER) The system would allow the IRCC to invite applicants based on occupation, language or education rather than the traditional CRS score.
“While the issue of age is currently important, a bigger issue will be what happens when specific draws occur,” he said. If someone is not in the pool for that specific occupation type, then applicants may be left in limbo and these could include those with higher CRS scores.
Lamanna said provinces have more autonomy to select people in certain occupations to help employers in certain jurisdictions. There is a risk reward for specific draws. Helps fill labor shortages in specific industries like healthcare, manufacturing, and construction.
“The risk is that there are people in the queue who know that at some point they will be selected as long as they meet the CRS score. But if a minister switches to the selective selection process based on occupation, then people can be left wondering when their next turn will be,” Lamanna said.