IRCC invites 2,850 Express Entry candidates in latest draw
Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has invited applicants to participate in the month’s first Express Entry lottery.
The department held a general draw and issued 2,850 invitations to apply (ITAs).
Candidates needed a minimum Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score of 525.
Six draws were held during February, with 16,110 applicants invited. The month began and ended with category-based selection draws for those with advanced French language skills. The first was held on February 1 and attracted 7,000 applicants with a minimum CRS score of 365. The other, held on February 29, accepted 2,500 candidates with a minimum CRS score of 336, the lowest in any draw this year.
The subsequent four drawings featured two more category-based draws. One was held on February 14 and welcomed 3,500 applicants for healthcare jobs with a minimum CRS of 422. The other was held on February 16 and welcomed 150 candidates for agricultural and agri-food jobs. They specified a minimum score of 437.
Finally, IRCC conducted two general Express Entry drawings in February. On February 13, the department welcomed 1,490 candidates with a minimum score of 535, and 1,470 candidates on February 28. These applicants received a minimum CRS score of 534.
What is category-based selection?
Unlike a general draw, which considers applicants from all Express Entry managed programs based purely on their CRS score, category-based selection draws focus on Express Entry candidates with certain in-demand characteristics.
This sort of draw was implemented in May 2023 to address worker shortages in crucial sectors of Canada’s workforce. There are six methods via which qualifying Express Entry candidates can get an ITA:
- Healthcare occupations
- Science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) professions
- Trades occupations, such as carpenters, plumbers, and contractors
- Transport occupations
- Agriculture and agri-food occupations
- Strong French proficiency
These draws may provide an advantage to candidates currently in the Express Entry application pool. So far this year, category-based drawings have had a lower average CRS score than general draws.
For example, in the four category-based selection draws, the highest minimal CRS score was 437 and the lowest was 336.
In comparison, no general draw in 2024 has had a CRS of less than 534.
What is Express Entry?
Express Entry is an application management system for three of Canada’s most well-known economic immigration programs: the Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSWP), the Canadian Experience Class (CEC), and the Federal Skilled Trades Program.
Candidates who self-evaluate their eligibility for one of these programs can then upload a profile to the IRCC website to obtain their Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score. The CRS rates human capital factors such job experience, education, employment, language competence, and age.
Candidates in the Express Entry application pool are sorted based on CRS scores. Those with the highest marks are more likely to get an invitation to apply (ITA) for permanent residency status.
Once an applicant has received an ITA, they have 60 days to submit their final application to IRCC.
