On September 16, Canada held their 163rd round of Express Entry, inviting 4,200 candidates to apply for permanent residency in another all-program draw, just two weeks after another all-program draw held on September 2. Both the previous draw and this draw are tied for second-biggest draw in the history of Express Entry, with 4,200 candidates invited in each round.
The minimum Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score for this draw, however, was three points lower than the previous draw, at 472 points. This has been the biggest decrease since all-program draws resumed last July.
Since the beginning of the pandemic, Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has held draws specifically targeting either candidates from the Canadian Experience Class (CEC) or Provincial Nominee Program (PNP). Even after all-program draws resumed in July, IRCC still alternated them with PNP and CEC-specific draws. These last two succeeding draws indicate a return to pre-pandemic patterns, in which the IRCC held an all-program draw every two weeks.
These last two draws are also both the largest since the beginning of the pandemic, and second only in the history of Express Entry to an invitation round held on February 19 that issued 4,500 invitations. With this recent draw, the total number of invitations to apply (ITAs) issued is now 74,150 for this year, a new record compared to previous years.
IRCC issued a tie-break rule for this draw, inviting candidates with a CRS score of 472 who were able to submit their Express Entry applications before March 9, 2020, 13:03:40 UTC.
As Canada returns to the new normal and IRCC returns to all-program draws, the large numbers of immigration candidates invited to apply for permanent residency is a positive sign. Canada remains committed to fulfilling their immigration levels goals for the near future.
The Express Entry system oversees the pool of applicants for Canada’s three main economic immigration classes: the Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSWP), the Federal Skilled Trades Class (FSTC) and the Canadian Experience Class (CEC).
Candidates are awarded points through the CRS for various factors, including age, education, language skills, and skilled work experience. While job offers are not required, they may also count toward additional points in the total CRS score.
Currently, the processing standard for permanent residency applications filed through the Express Entry system is six months.
Want to know if you are eligible for Express Entry? Just fill in our eligibility form and we’ll get in touch with you within 1-3 business days.
