Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) recently conducted an Express Entry draw, inviting 1,613 candidates to apply for permanent residence. This specific draw focused solely on applicants who had received a Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) nomination. In order to be eligible, candidates needed a minimum Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score of 743.
The previous draw, held on September 19, targeted 4,000 candidates from the Canadian Experience Class (CEC). These candidates needed a minimum CRS score of 509, slightly higher than the earlier CEC draw on August 27, where the cut-off was 507.
CEC draws have become more frequent over the summer, with IRCC issuing a total of 21,800 Invitations to Apply (ITAs) to CEC candidates since July. This aligns with the department’s efforts to increase “domestic” draws,
thereby reducing the number of temporary residents in Canada. This approach also supports IRCC’s objective of meeting its permanent resident targets for the year.
The most recent draw is the first for October, while last year IRCC conducted four draws during the same month, inviting a total of 9,173 candidates.
What is Express Entry?
Express Entry, introduced in 2015, is an application management system designed to assist IRCC in selecting economic immigration candidates who can address urgent gaps in the Canadian labor market. It manages applications for three key immigration programs: the Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSWP), the Federal Skilled Trades Program (FSTP), and the Canadian Experience Class (CEC).
Candidates applying through Express Entry are ranked using the Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS). This system assesses candidates based on various factors like work experience, age, language proficiency, education, and occupation. Additional points can be awarded for factors such as having a spouse or sibling in Canada, or for Canadian work or educational experience.
The higher a candidate’s CRS score, the better their chances of receiving an ITA in a future draw, though eligibility can vary depending on the type of draw.
Category-Based Selection
Since May 2023, IRCC has introduced category-based selection draws to address specific workforce and demographic needs. These draws often have lower CRS score thresholds than general or program-specific draws. However, candidates must still be in the Express Entry pool, and a high CRS score remains beneficial.
There are six categories for these draws:
- Healthcare
- Science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM)
- Trades
- Transport
- Agriculture and agri-food
- French language proficiency
The categories were chosen after extensive consultations with various stakeholders, labor market analysis, and in alignment with the department’s goal to welcome 6% of all newcomers into French-speaking minority communities outside of Quebec.
While the cut-off scores for these category-based draws tend to be lower, maintaining a competitive CRS score is still important for candidates looking to receive an ITA.
Summary of Express Entry draw results in 2024
|
Date |
Draw Type |
Number of ITAs |
Minimum CRS |
|
October 7 |
Provincial Nominee Program |
1,613 |
743 |
|
September 19 |
Canadian Experience Class |
4,000 |
509 |
|
September 13 |
French language proficiency |
1,000 |
446 |
|
September 9 |
Provincial Nominee Program |
911 |
732 |
|
August 27 |
Canadian Experience Class |
3,300 |
507 |
|
August 26 |
Provincial Nominee Program |
1,121 |
694 |
|
August 15 |
French language proficiency |
2,000 |
394 |
|
August 14 |
Canadian Experience Class |
3,200 |
509 |
|
August 13 |
Provincial Nominee Program |
763 |
690 |
|
July 31 |
Canadian Experience Class |
5,000 |
510 |
|
July 30 |
Provincial Nominee Program |
964 |
686 |
|
July 18 |
French language proficiency |
1,800 |
400 |
|
July 17 |
Canadian Experience Class |
6,300 |
515 |
|
July 16 |
Provincial Nominee Program |
1,391 |
670 |
|
July 8 |
French proficiency |
3,200 |
420 |
|
July 5 |
Healthcare occupations |
3,750 |
445 |
|
July 4 |
Trade occupations |
1,800 |
436 |
|
July 2 |
Provincial Nominee Program |
920 |
739 |
|
June 19 |
Provincial Nominee Program |
1,499 |
663 |
|
May 31 |
Canadian Experience Class |
3,000 |
522 |
|
May 30 |
Provincial Nominee Program |
2,985 |
676 |
|
April 24 |
French proficiency |
1,400 |
410 |
|
April 23 |
General |
2,095 |
529 |
|
April 11 |
STEM occupations |
4,500 |
491 |
|
April 10 |
General |
1,280 |
549 |
|
March 26 |
French language proficiency |
1,500 |
388 |
|
March 25 |
General |
1,980 |
524 |
|
March 13 |
Transport occupations |
975 |
430 |
|
March 12 |
General |
2,850 |
525 |
|
February 29 |
French language proficiency |
2,500 |
336 |
|
February 28 |
General |
1,470 |
534 |
|
February 16 |
Agriculture and agri-food occupations |
150 |
437 |
|
February 14 |
Healthcare occupations |
3,500 |
422 |
|
February 13 |
General |
1,490 |
535 |
|
February 1 |
French language proficiency |
7,000 |
365 |
|
January 31 |
General |
730 |
541 |
|
January 23 |
General |
1,040 |
543 |
|
January 10 |
General |
1,510 |
546 |