Tech workers continue to dominate Express Entry ITAs

In keeping with the trend in the past few years, Express Entry candidates in tech and IT occupations were issued huge numbers of invitations to apply for permanent residency in 2019-2020. The maximum nuber of invitations under the tech worker category went to software engineers and designers.

The list of professions under the tech worker category which acquired the maximum number of tech invitations included:

• Information systems analysts and consultants
• Computer programmers
• Interactive media developers

Nearly 15,000 candidates in these three occupations alone were invited to apply for Canadian permanent residence in 2019, nearly the same total number invited in 2018 for these occupations.

Most common occupations among Express Entry invitations

Occupation	NOC	2019 invitations	2018-2019 difference	2019 % of total
Software engineers and designers	2173	6,529	403	7.70%
Information systems analysts and consultants	2171	4,645	-784	5.40%
Computer programmers and interactive media developers	2174	3,819	369	4.50%
Financial auditors and accountants	1111	2,607	124	3.10%
Administrative assistants	1241	2,407	72	2.80%
Professional occupations in business management consulting	1122	1,838	-77	2.20%
Professional occupations in advertising, marketing and public relations	1123	1,808	-241	2.10%
Administrative officers	1221	1,694	238	2%
University professors and lecturers	4011	1,684	-258	2%
Advertising, marketing and public relations managers	124	1,588	-187	1.90%
Financial and investment analysts	1112	1,549	-372	1.80%
Foodservice supervisors	1122	1,544	109	1.80%
Accounting technicians and bookkeepers	1311	1,484	288	1.70%
Mechanical engineers	2132	1,416	142	1.70%
Database analysts and data administrators	2172	1,312	274	1.50%

Canada’s PNP programs are inviting tech workers

Canada has recognized the need to have skilled IT workers and is using its Express Entry aligned provincial nominee programs to invite software and IT workers to Canada to provinces that have a high demand for tech workers. This has significantly increased the number of invitations issued to tech workers from Canada.

Here are details of the number of invitations issued to tech workers under two popular provincial tech pilot programs in 2020 till date.

British Columbia Tech Pilot program

Date of draw	Number of invitations issued
July 7, 2020	57
July 21, 2020	62
July 28,2020	34
August 11, 2020	52
August 25,2020	72
Total number	277

 Ontario Tech Pilot program

Date of draw	Notifications of interest (NOIs) issued
January 15, 2020	954
May 13, 2020	703
July 29, 2020	1288
Total	2945

Need for tech workers

Canada is keen to address more tech workers in the country. According to a report published last year by the Information and Communications Technology Council (ICTC), Canada needs more software and IT workers in the Information Technology (IT) sector in 2020. Canada’s Express Entry immigration system has helped to address this labor shortage.

Tech occupations ranked among the top three occupations by the number of candidates invited to apply. Information technology experts and consultants, as well as computer programmers and digital media developers, were the top three positions invited under this category.

Almost 15,000 applicants in those three fields were invited to apply for permanent residence in Canada in 2019.

Technology professionals and engineers are the two foremost in-demand fields in Canada, and they come under NOC 21.

Important occupations under the NOC include software developers, computer programmers, web designers, computer engineers, chemical engineers.

Tech workers also come under NOC 22 which includes computer network technicians, user support technicians, information systems testing technicians, and technologists and technicians in engineering fields. 

Canada as a tech superpower

Canada is using its immigration policy to invite more tech workers and progressing towards becoming a tech superpower. Owing to the many pathways for PR visa available to tech workers, many highly skilled tech workers, start-ups and established corporations are now considering Canada.