Canada held their first Express Entry draw this June, inviting over 341 candidates in the seventh draw specifically targeting Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) recipients. The country has alternated between inviting PNP and Canadian Experience Class (CEC) candidates in its Express Entry draws since the implementation of special measures to combat the coronavirus on March 18.

The minimum Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score to receive an Invitation to Apply for this draw was 743, as PNP candidates receive an additional 600 points on top of their original human capital score. If the candidates had not received the additional points from the provincial nomination, their human capital score would only have been 143.

A tie-break rule was applied in this draw. Candidates who hold CRS score of at least 743 who submitted their profile before April 14, 2020, at 13:25:51 UTC, received an ITA in this round.

These past few weeks have seen a surge in activity for PNPs, with most provinces holding invitation rounds. Since the beginning of May, the provinces have issued more than 2000 invitations to apply for a provincial nomination for permanent residency, and it’s looking like the trend will continue into the month of June. In just these first few days, Ontario, Manitoba, and BC have each held PNP draws.

A CEC draw is expected to follow soon, with a lower CRS cut-off score. As draw dates have become unpredictable due to Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada holding targeted draws, these draws now tend to happen within hours or days of each other.

Even with travel restrictions in place, immigration targets are on course to exceed last year’s levels. As of this last draw, a total of 42,441 applicants have received invitations to apply for permanent residency this 2020.