Existing three federal economic immigration programs under Express Entry to be replaced by a single consolidated pathway

In a development that could impact thousands of Punjabis aspiring to settle in Canada, the Canadian government has announced plans to replace the existing three federal economic immigration programs under Express Entry with a single consolidated pathway.

According to the government’s Forward Regulatory Plan for 2026-2028, released recently, the Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSWP), Canadian Experience Class (CEC), and Federal Skilled Trades Program (FSTP) will be repealed and merged into one “federal high-skilled immigration class”.

This information is based on Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada’s official Forward Regulatory Plan 2026-2028 released on April 8.

It says the move aims to simplify the increasingly complex Express Entry system, introduced in 2015, and make it more responsive to Canada’s current labour market demands.

“The goal is to simplify a system that has become increasingly complex and better align immigration with current labour market needs,” the regulatory plan states.

Under the proposed changes, eligibility criteria for entering the Express Entry pool will be unified. Applicants will require at least one year of skilled work experience (either Canadian or foreign), a minimum language proficiency of CLB 6 and a high school education as the baseline qualification. The existing separate rules for each program will be removed.

The Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) used to invite candidates is also expected to undergo revision. Greater weightage is likely to be given to higher earnings, valid job offers in in-demand occupations and strong labour market performance, while points for certain factors like Canadian education or a sibling in Canada may be reduced or eliminated.

This overhaul is being seen as one of the most substantial structural changes to Canada’s skilled immigration system in over a decade. Immigration experts believe it will benefit candidates with strong job offers and high-paying skills but could alter the competitive edge currently enjoyed by certain applicant profiles.

The proposal is currently at the planning stage. Public and stakeholder consultations are scheduled to begin in Spring 2026. Until the changes are finalised and implemented, the existing Express Entry categories will continue to operate as usual.

For the Punjabi diaspora in Canada and aspirants in Punjab, Haryana and Chandigarh, this development signals a potential shift in how permanent residency applications will be processed in the coming years.