Truck drivers are now eligible for Express Entry following the implementation of the new National Occupational Classification (NOC) 2021.
The move was announced by Immigration Minister Sean Fraser in August but was confirmed as one of 16 new jobs added to the Federal Skilled Worker Program with the launch of the new NOC.
Transport Truck Drivers take the NOC code 73300 under the new system, launched on November 16.
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It is not yet clear how they will be targeted through Express Entry. Canada is expected to begin industry and occupation-specific draws early next year, so it could be that truck drivers are targeted that way.
The industry suffers from chronic labour shortages, with estimates of between 20,000 and 40,000 current vacancies, likely to grow with the number of drivers retiring over the coming years.
Under the FSW, foreign nationals can apply for permanent residence in Canada provided they meet the eligibility criteria, including work experience in occupations in four of the six Training, Education, Experience and Responsibilities (TEER) categories of the new NOC system.
Those eligible categories of occupations for the FSW now fall under the 0, 1, 2, and 3 TEER categories.
That means all 16 of the occupations which now qualify as work experience for Express Entry applicants clearly fall under the FSW program as of Nov. 16.
The newly-added occupations to the FSW are:
- (NOC 13102) Payroll administrators
- (NOC 33100) Dental assistants and dental laboratory assistants
- (NOC 33102) Nurse aides, orderlies and patient service associates
- (NOC 33103) Pharmacy technical assistants and pharmacy assistants
- (NOC 43100) Elementary and secondary school teacher assistants
- (NOC 43200) Sheriffs and bailiffs
- (NOC 43201) Correctional service officers
- (NOC 43202) By-law enforcement and other regulatory officers
- (NOC 63211) Estheticians, electrologists and related occupations
- (NOC 73200) Residential and commercial installers and servicers
- (NOC 73202) Pest controllers and fumigators
- (NOC 73209) Other repairers and servicers
- (NOC 73300) Transport truck drivers
- (NOC 73301) Bus drivers, subway operators and other transit operators
- (NOC 73400) Heavy equipment operators
- (NOC 93200) Aircraft assemblers and aircraft assembly inspectors
Under the NOC 2021, the second digit of the classification code indicates the TEER, indicating that all of the newly-added occupations are considered TEER 3 jobs.
These are occupations deemed to require a college diploma, an apprenticeship training of fewer than two years, or more than six months of on-the-job training.
Immigration Minister Says Canada Using All Available Tools To Resolve Labour Shortages
“We are using all of the tools at our disposal to tackle labour shortages, particularly in key sectors like health care, construction, and transportation,” said Immigration Minister Sean Fraser.
“These changes will support Canadians in need of these services and they will support employers by providing them with a more robust workforce who we can depend on to drive our economy forward into a prosperous future. I’m thrilled to announce expanded pathways to permanent residence in Canada for these in-demand workers.”
With the expansion of the FSW, several industries are breathing a sigh of relief, including companies in the trucking and personal support worker sectors.
Trucking And Personal Support Worker Sectors Welcome Expansion Of The FSW
“Every sector of the Canadian economy relies on the trucking industry,” said Stephen Laskowski, president of Canadian Trucking Alliance. “Today’s announcement by Minister Fraser will help secure supply chains, from agriculture to manufacturing, by providing trucking companies access to an international workforce that was not previously available to our sector.”
Personal support workers too are in big demand in Canada with the Indeed.ca job website listing 13,342 help-wanted postings for them in mid-November.
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Canadian Support Workers Association (CANSWA) CEO Miranda Ferrier applauded Ottawa’s decision to expand the FSW by adding these occupations.
“Personal support workers provide the majority of the bedside nursing care to vulnerable Canadians across our nation and are in desperate need of assistance to ensure that basic patient care can be delivered,” she said.
“The CANSWA and our members welcome the help from these new Canadians and hope they find a rewarding new life in their new home.”
