Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has recently directed a new draw for the Express Entry program. This marks the first round of invitations issued by the department in the month of October, In the previous month, IRCC held three Express Entry draws, resulting in nearly 6,000 candidates receiving invitations to apply for permanent residence in Canada.

The most recent Express Entry draw, conducted on October 7, 2024, resulted in the issuance of invitations to 1,613 candidates through a draw specifically for Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) applicants. To qualify for an invitation, candidates needed to achieve a minimum Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score of 743.

The most recent draw picked applicants from the Provincial Nominee Program (PNP). Those who received an invitation in this draw will have a period of 60 days to submit a complete application for permanent residence to the IRCC.

The previous draw took place on September 19, targeting 4,000 candidates exclusively from the Canadian Experience Class. To be eligible, these candidates were required to have a minimum Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score of 509, which represents a slight rise from the previous CEC draw held on August 27, where the minimum score was 507.

Over the summer, draws for the Canadian Experience Class (CEC) have increased frequently. The Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) issued a total of 21,800 Invitations to Apply (ITAs) to CEC candidates. This trend aligns with the IRCC's expressed goal of increasing the number of "domestic" draws while decreasing the influx of temporary residents in Canada. Additionally, this approach is designed to assist the department in achieving its permanent resident targets for the current year.

Express Entry PNP-Specific Draws in 2024

As of the most recent draw conducted under the Express Entry Program, the IRCC has executed a total of nine PNP-specific draws, resulting in the invitation of 12,167 candidates to accede their applications for permanent residency in Canada.

The Express Entry Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) plays a crucial role in Canada's immigration framework, enabling provinces and territories to identify skilled workers capable of enhancing their local economies. The PNP allows provinces to nominate individuals from the Express Entry pool who fulfill particular regional labor market requirements.

Currently, more than half of the applications complied under the Express Entry program are processed within 6 to 8 months.

The Express Entry Program oversees applications for three main immigration pathways:

1. Federal Skilled Worker Program
2. Federal Skilled Trades Program
3. Canadian Experience Class

Through the Provincial Nominee Program (PNP), provinces have the authority to nominate candidates from the Express Entry pool who fulfill particular regional labor market requirements.

Each participating province or territory in the PNP establishes its selection criteria and conducts regular draws to invite candidates who align with their specific needs. These draws help them in addressing local labor shortages by selecting skilled individuals with pertinent experience and qualifications. The names of the popular provinces include Ontario, British Columbia, Alberta, and Saskatchewan.

To be eligible for a PNP draw, candidates must create an Express Entry profile and express their interest in receiving a nomination from a specific province. If chosen, they obtain a "provincial nomination," which adds 600 points to their Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score, significantly enhancing their chance of receiving an Invitation to Apply (ITA) for permanent residency.

What is an Express Entry?

Express Entry is a system for managing applications that was introduced in 2015 to assist the IRCC in selecting candidates for economic immigration who possess the skills necessary to address critical labor shortages.

Candidates who submit their applications under any of the three programs managed by Express Entry—the Federal Skilled Worker Program, the Federal Skilled Trades Program, and the Canadian Experience Class (CEC)—are evaluated using the Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS).

The CRS assesses candidates based on various human capital factors, including work experience, age, language proficiency, education, and occupation. Additional points may be awarded for factors such as immigrating with a spouse or partner, having a sibling residing in Canada, or possessing work experience or educational qualifications from Canada.

Each of these factors contributes to a candidate's total score, and a higher score increases the chances of receiving an Invitation to Apply (ITA) in future Express Entry draws, contingent upon the type of draw conducted.

Category-based selection

CRS scores generally exhibit lower averages in category-based selection draws. This type of draw was implemented by IRCC in May 2023 to assist in identifying Express Entry candidates capable of addressing critical workforce or demographic shortages. The department has established six categories for these draws.

1. Healthcare
2. Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) professions
3. Trades
4. Transport
5. Agriculture and agri-food
6. Proficiency in the French language