This month’s fourth Express Entry draw is open to applicants who have received an invitation to apply (ITA) from Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC).
In a category-based selection draw for French language proficiency, the department granted 3,200 ITAs.
To be taken into consideration, candidates needed to have a minimum Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score of 420.
The three draws from last week, from July 2–5, are closely followed by the drawing today. 920 individuals were invited to the Provincial Nominee Program (PNP)-only lottery on July 2. To be considered, candidates had to have a minimum CRS score of 739.
Draws for selection based on categories were held in the other two. 1,800 ITAs were given out to candidates in trade occupations on July 4th in the first instance, while 3,750 ITAs were given out to candidates in healthcare occupations on July 5th.
Thus far, Express Entry draws have had a busy month overall. The IRCC normally conducts two to four draws every month, on average, and draws every other week. In contrast, February was the busiest month of the year thus far, while April was the last month to have four draws.
French-proficiency draws are expected to account for 30% of the ITAs issued in category-based selection draws this year. To date, IRCC has issued 15,600 ITAs to eligible candidates this year for this category.
Summary of Express Entry draw results in 2024
| Date | Draw Type | Number of ITAs | Minimum CRS |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 |
Express Entry: What Is It?
For three well-known economic immigration programs—the Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSWP), the Canadian Experience Class (CEC), and the Federal Skilled Trades Program (FSTP)—the Immigration and Refugee Committee (IRCC) uses Express Entry as its application management system. It was introduced in 2015 with the goal of identifying potential immigrants who have the best possibility of assimilating into the labour force and economics of Canada.
While the requirements for each Express Entry program vary, all applicants are assessed using the Comprehensive Ranking System. Based on human capital variables like age, language proficiency, education, work experience, and vocation, the system gives candidates numerical scores. The total CRS score is calculated by adding these scores together. The likelihood that a candidate will acquire an ITA from the IRCC in an upcoming Express Entry draw.
What is category-based selection?
Category-based selection draws were introduced in 2023 as a way for IRCC to further target candidates who can fill urgent workforce gaps. The six categories were chosen following extensive consultations with relevant stakeholders, as well as provincial and territorial governments. The current categories are:
- Healthcare occupations
- Science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) professions
- Trades occupations, such as carpenters, plumbers, and contractors
- Transport occupations
- Agriculture and agri-food occupations
- French-language proficiency
These will remain in place until 2025, at which point they may change to better suit the demands on Canada’s labour force. In all categories except French-proficiency, eligible candidates require at least six months of relevant work experience in an occupation that falls under an eligible National Occupation Classification (NOC) code. French-speaking candidates need French language test results with a minimum score of seven in reading, writing, speaking and listening on the on the Niveaux de compétence linguistique canadiens