BREAKING: Canada holds first Express Entry draw since October 2023
In the most recent Express Entry draw, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) invited candidates.
In an all-program draw, the department issued 4,750 invitations to apply (ITAs).
To be considered, candidates needed a minimum Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score of 561.
This is the first draw since the 26th of October. On November 14, the IRCC reported that some applicants were having problems with the Express Entry Profile Builder and were unable to submit their applications.
On November 16, the department responded with a tweet stating that the problem had been rectified. It’s unknown what caused the lengthy break in drawings.
On October 26, 3,600 candidates were given ITAs in a category-based selection draw for healthcare jobs. A minimum CRS score of 431 was necessary for candidates.
During the same week, there were two extra draws. On October 25, IRCC held a category-based selection draw for 300 candidates who demonstrated French-speaking proficiency. To be considered, they needed a minimum CRS score of 486.
The final draw was held on October 24. In a Provincial Nominee Program (PNP)-only draw, IRCC invited 1,548 candidates. A minimum score of 776 was required for candidates. Express Entry candidates who are nominated by the PNP receive an additional 600 CRS points, raising the minimum CRS for this type of draw.
What is the definition of category-based selection?
IRCC announced in May of this year that it would begin holding category-based Express Entry rounds of invitations.
These draws seek Express Entry candidates who meet specified criteria, such as French language fluency or work experience in one of five occupations:
Healthcare;
STEM occupations;
Trades;
Transport;
Agriculture and agribusiness
These are all occupations where skilled workers are in limited supply. The shortages are putting a pressure on the Canadian economy as well as other critical sectors such as the healthcare system and supply chain.
According to Canada’s Immigration Minister, Marc Miller, admitting more qualified people is critical to addressing these shortages, especially given that up to nine million Canadians are scheduled to retire by 2030. According to the current Immigration Levels Plan for 2023-2025, 114,000 Federal High Skilled (Express Entry) immigrants will be admitted to Canada each year by the end of 2025. On or before November 1st, a new Levels Plan is expected.
Despite these lofty goals, it was highlighted at a recent meeting of the Standing Committee on Citizenship and Immigration that there has been a decrease in the number of Express Entry draws since Minister Miller took office.
According to Deputy Immigration Minister Christiane Fox, when the new categories were introduced, an IT malfunction led the government to limit the number of draws, and the department will make up the numbers as time goes on.
The Deputy Minister also stated that by December of this year, a category-based draw for skilled crafts professionals will take place.
What exactly is Express Entry?
Express Entry is an application management system that handles applications for permanent residence from applicants in the Federal Skilled Worker Program, the Canadian Experience Class, and the Federal Skilled Trades Program.
Candidates are evaluated utilizing the Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) through Express Entry. The approach accomplishes this by awarding applicants points based on their collective human capital traits. Work experience, linguistic aptitude, occupation, education, and age are all considerations. Each element is worth a certain number of points.
Candidates with the highest scores are the most likely to be invited to apply (ITA). After receiving an ITA, an applicant has 60 days to submit their final application for permanent residency to IRCC.
IRCC hopes to complete all Express Entry applications within six months.
