The Canadian Express Entry system has been recognized as the most elaborated selection system among member countries of the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD).
The Canadian immigration system is the most well-designed among the 36 member countries of the OECD. According to the experts in the OECD headquarters in Paris, this system can be a role model for those countries that want to improve immigration management.
According to a new report, Canada has the largest, oldest, most comprehensive, and well-designed skilled labour immigration system in the OECD, which members include Australia, France, Germany, the United Kingdom, and the United States.
The report praises Canada’s success in attracting, selecting, integrating, and retaining immigrants, as well as promoting a family approach that takes into account the needs of all family members, not just the main applicant.
A hospitable society that sees immigration as part of its national heritage is Canada’s another strong suit, as stated by the OECD experts.
The Express Entry system includes three federal programs: Federal Skilled Worker (for skilled workers), Canadian Experience Class (for those who have already worked in Canada), and Federal Skilled Trades (for those employed in skilled trades occupations).
Since the introduction in 2015, the system has undergone two major reforms aimed at addressing shortcomings, in particular, an excessive focus on the job offer.
Experts emphasized that, unlike Canada, most countries do not like to mess with their immigration systems. Canada is quickly responding to changes and is constantly improving its system.
The Express Entry system is unique because it has been developed based on a comprehensive assessment of factors that are considered important for the success of an immigrant, as well as the interaction of these factors, such as foreign work experience and proficiency in English or French.
Canada has also successfully extended the benefits of immigration outside its most populous provinces through various provincial programs.
The experts agree that thanks to those provincial programs, Canada has succeeded in ensuring a balanced distribution of immigrants across the country, as well as in complementing federal draws by inviting candidates with lower scores but with a good general background.
The OECD experts also give several recommendations on how to improve the Canadian immigration system including increasing the number of provincial draws within the Express Entry system, giving short-term visas to applicants who need to get a licence to work in Canada, and creating a provincial pilot for temporary foreign workers.