Recently, Canada held back-to-back Express Entry draws inviting 2,521 candidates from the CEC and PNP categories respectively.
Express Entry: Canadian Experience Class (CEC)
On September 14, Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) held the first Express Entry draw of the month, targeting Canadian Experience Class (CEC) candidates. This was a bit unusual, as the IRCC tends to hold CEC draws after inviting provincial nominee (PNP) candidates.
With just 2,000 candidates invited, this was also among the smallest CEC rounds held this year. Throughout 2021, the IRCC has held larger invitation rounds when focusing on CEC candidates. In fact, they set a historic record on February 13 when they invited more than 27,000 candidates in a single draw.
The smaller draw size could likely be attributed to the Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score required for this round. At 462 points, this is among the higher required scores for candidates in the CEC program.
Express Entry: Provincial Nominee Program (PNP)
Following the CEC-specific draw, the IRCC sent 521 PNP candidates invitations to apply (ITAs) for permanent residency on September 15.
For this Express Entry round, the minimum CRS score required to receive an invitation wsa 732 points. Candidates who successfully obtain a provincial nomination are awarded an additional 600 points to their overall CRS score, hence the higher score requirement for this round.
Prior to obtaining their nomination, the lowest-scoring candidates for this draw likely had a CRS score of only 132 points.
Express Entry 2021: 35 Draws, 100,000 ITAs
As the IRCC continues to work toward achieving their immigration goals for 2021, the number of candidates who have received ITAs has doubled.
The goal is to admit 108,500 new permanent residents through Express Entry programs this year. As of these draws, the IRCC has already issued 108,935 invitations to apply for permanent residency. The plan now is to accommodate for the backlog of applications lodged and achieve their goal for 2021.
If you would like to learn more about Express Entry and other pathways to permanent residency, feel free to register for one of our private online discussions. Register to an orientation for free here.
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