Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has issued invitations in the latest Express Entry draw. The department extended invitations to 1,040 candidates in a general draw, with candidates needing a minimum Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score of 543 to qualify.
In the second draw of 2024, which followed the January 10 draw inviting 1,510 candidates in a general draw, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) issued invitations to 1,040 candidates. These candidates needed to meet a minimum Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score of 546.
The recent draws mark a continuation of activity from a busy December, during which IRCC conducted seven separate Express Entry draws. Among these, two were all-program draws, and the remaining five were category-based selection draws, focusing on candidates meeting specific criteria such as French language proficiency, trades, transport, STEM, agriculture, and agri-food occupations.
In 2023, IRCC conducted a total of 42 Express Entry draws. The majority (19) were all-program draws (now referred to as general draws), while 17 were category-based selection draws held between late June and December. Additionally, there were five draws exclusively for Express Entry candidates nominated through the Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) and one draw for Federal Skilled Worker candidates.
Predicting the frequency and types of Express Entry draws in 2024 is challenging, as IRCC has moved away from a predictable schedule. However, the Immigration Levels Plan 2024-2026 outlines the department’s goal to admit up to 110,770 new permanent residents to Canada in 2024. Achieving this target will require issuing sufficient Invitations to Apply (ITAs) to align with the 2025 admissions target of 117,500. Given the processing time of up to six months for an Express Entry application, many of these invitations are expected to be issued in 2024.
What is Express Entry?
Express Entry, implemented in 2015, serves as an application management system designed to streamline the processing of immigration applications for candidates in the Federal Skilled Worker Program, the Canadian Experience Class, and the Federal Skilled Trades Program.
Utilizing the Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS), Express Entry assigns scores based on various human capital attributes, including occupation, education, language proficiency, work experience, and age. Candidates with the highest CRS scores are more likely to receive an Invitation to Apply (ITA) for permanent resident status.
In May 2023, the system introduced category-based selection rounds for candidates meeting specific criteria in six new Express Entry draw categories, namely:
Healthcare occupations
Science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) professions
Trades occupations, such as carpenters, plumbers, and contractors
Transport occupations
Agriculture and agri-food occupations
Strong French proficiency
Candidates with these attributes must be part of the application pool under one of the three Express Entry-managed programs to be considered.
Express Entry candidates who also receive a nomination through the Provincial Nominee Program gain a significant advantage, obtaining an additional 600 CRS points. This virtually ensures their receipt of an ITA in an upcoming draw.
Upon receiving an ITA, Express Entry candidates have a 60-day window to submit their final application for permanent resident status to Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC).