Canada’s Express Entry system allows immigrants with sought-after skill sets to fast track their Canadian citizenship application.
While highly educated immigrants with STEM degrees don’t garner extra points, innovation in science and technology might depend on their success as applicants.
The Comprehensive Ranking System that assigns points to Express Entry candidates already places a high value on education. As a result, Canada has a higher percentage of immigrants with post-secondary degrees than the UK, Australia, New Zealand, and US.
Studies have shown that highly educated immigrants contribute more to entrepreneurship and innovation than their Canadian-born counterparts, and Canada’s economic growth depends on such innovation. The government’s current policy is designed to leverage the benefits that skilled immigrants bring to the economy. Assigning more value to doctoral degrees in the Express Entry program may be one way to do so.