On March 17, Canada invited 183 Express Entry candidates to apply for permanent residency.
For this recent draw, Immigration, Refugee, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) focused on inviting candidates who were able to successfully receive nominations through the Provincial Nominee Program (PNP). This could account for the low number of invited candidates, as the minimum Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score for this draw was at 682 points.
This is because successful provincial nominees with a profile in the federal Express Entry system are entitled to an additional 600 points to their overall CRS score. Prior to their nomination, it is likely that these candidates only had CRS scores of at least 82 points. The additional points effectively guarantee a higher score and the assurance of receiving an invitation to apply for permanent residency from the IRCC.
A tie-break rule was applied to this draw. Candidates who were able to submit their Express Entry profile prior to before March 4, 2021 at 16:56:20 UTC were able to receive a nomination.
This is the second consecutive PNP-targeted draw, breaking the recent trend of successive draws alternating between PNP and CEC candidates. According to Atty. David Cohen of Campbell Cohen, “This suggests IRCC is committed to helping provinces and territories address their labour market needs as much as possible during the pandemic.”
As of this draw, Canada has issued 38,840 Invitations to Apply (ITA), about three times more than the number of ITAs issued in 2020. The IRCC remains determined to achieve their ambitious goal of inviting 401,000 immigrants into the country this year, and has continued to zealously send out invitations to skilled workers who are already likely to have settled in Canada.
About the Express Entry System
The federal Express Entry system was established to manage Canada’s pool of economic immigration candidates. Applicants interested in applying for permanent residency can choose from a number of economic-class migration programs, such as the Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSWP), the Federal Skilled Trades Program (FSTP), and the Canadian Experience Class (CEC).
Applicants who have submitted their profile into the Express Entry system are then ranked and given a score based on a number of human capital factors, such as age, education, work experience, language skills, and more.
If you’d like to learn more about Express Entry and the different PNP pathways to immigrate to Canada, register to one of our private online discussions. Register to an orientation for free here.
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