Last March 18, Canada sent out 5,000 invitations to apply for permanent residency to Express Entry in the Canadian Experience Class (CEC) category.
For this draw, the required Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score was set at a minimum of 449 points in order to receive an invitation. Candidates in the CEC category are also required to have at least one year of full-time work experience in Canada, as well as comply with language benchmarks and other similar human capital requirements.
As per the tie-break rule, candidates in this draw were required to have submitted their profile in the federal Express Entry system before February 19, 2021 UTC in order to have received an invitation.
While travel restrictions remain in place, Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) remains focused on targeting candidates who are currently settled in Canada. According to data from earlier this March, the IRCC claims that about 77 percent of Express Entry applicants are eligible for the CEC category.
In a statement from Atty. David Cohen of Campbell Cohen regarding the current trend targeting in-Canada candidates, he noted, “While travel restrictions are still in place, the federal government has opted to focus on Express Entry candidates who are already in Canada in order to meet its immigration targets for 2021. IRCC has been doing this by holding PNP- and CEC-specific draws.”
Earlier this month, the IRCC also conducted two draws focused on inviting candidates from the Provincial Nominee Program (PNP). Candidates in PNP draws tend to have higher CRS score requirements, as an additional 600 points is awarded to successful provincial nominees.
About the Express Entry System
The federal Express Entry system was established in 1995 to manage Canada’s pool of economic immigration candidates. Those interested can choose to submit a profile to apply to any of the following economic-class migration programs: the Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSWP); the Federal Skilled Trades Program (FSTP); and the Canadian Experience Class (CEC); in order to qualify for permanent residency.
Applicants with an active profile Express Entry system are then given a Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score, a ranking based on a number of human capital factors, such as age, education, work experience, language skills, and more.
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