The Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has conducted its first Express Entry draw in the month of july, issuing 920 invitations to apply (ITAs) under the Provincial Nominee Program (PNP). The Candidates to be considered need a minimum Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score of 739.
In the past few Months, there has been a series of program-specific draws under the Express entry PNP and CEC.
Program-Specific Express Entry Draws
The Program-specific Express Entry draws are designed to target candidates who have applied through a specific immigration program, such as the CEC, Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSWP), or Federal Skilled Trades Program (FSTP). In the case of PNP-only draws, candidates must have been successfully nominated through an enhanced nomination stream, indicating their strong ties to a particular province or territory.
The Shift Towards Program-Specific Draws
Until recently, program-specific draws had not occurred since the introduction of category-based selection draws in May 2023. However, IRCC has been working to stabilize the high levels of temporary residents in Canada by offering them more pathways to permanent residency (PR). Many temporary residents who have applied for PR, and are currently living in or have experience living in Canada, apply through the CEC or PNP, allowing IRCC to meet its Express Entry targets while reducing the number of temporary residents in the country.
What is Express Entry?
The Express Entry is an application management system introduced in 2015 to target candidates with in-demand human capital attributes and process their applications faster. It oversees applications from the FSWP, FSTP, and CEC, providing a streamlined pathway for skilled workers to become permanent residents of Canada.
The Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS)
The Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) used by Express Entry considers a range of factors, including age, work experience, occupation, language ability, and education, to evaluate a candidate’s eligibility. The higher a candidate’s CRS score, the more likely they are to receive an ITA in an upcoming draw, increasing their chances of securing a coveted spot in Canada’s thriving job market.
Types of Express Entry Draws
The following are the different Express Entry draw programs:
1. Program-Specific Draws
Program-specific draws focus on candidates from a particular Express Entry program, ensuring that each program is represented in the selection process.
2. Category-Based Selection Draws
Category-based selection draws, introduced in 2023, target candidates with in-demand attributes or those who can strengthen Canada’s French-speaking demographic.
3. General Draws
General draws consider all Express Entry candidates regardless of their program or occupation, providing a level playing field for all skilled workers.
Category-based selection draws often feature lower than average CRS scores compared to general draws, making them an attractive option for candidates with specific skills or language proficiencies.
Conclusion
The the first Express Entry draw of the month was done on July 2, which invited 920 PNP candidates with a minimum CRS score of 739. It follows a series of program-specific draws over the past few weeks, including a June 19 PNP draw that invited 1,499 candidates with a minimum CRS score of 663, a May 30 PNP-only draw that invited 2,985 candidates, and a May 31 draw that invited 3,000 CEC candidates.
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