Direct from Immigration Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC): The department has issued invitations in the latest Express Entry draw. A total of 1,040 candidates received invitations in the general draw, with a minimum Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score of 543. This is the second draw of 2024, following a draw on January 10 that invited 1,510 candidates in a general draw.
The latest draws complement a busy December in which IRCC invited candidates in seven Express Entry draws. Two were all-program draws, and the remaining five were category-based selection draws. Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) candidates and Federal Skilled Worker (FSW) candidates enjoyed separate qualifiers.
According to the Immigration Levels Plan 2024-2026, IRCC will strive to admit up to 110,770 new permanent residents to Canada in 2024. This reflects the need for enough Invitations to Apply (ITAs) under the Express Entry system to meet the 2025 admissions target of 117,500. Many of these invitations will be issued to meet the 2024 target, as processing an Express Entry application can take up to six months.
Looking back at 2023, IRCC held 42 draws throughout the year. The majority of these draws were general draws, while 17 were category-based selection draws. Additionally, there were five draws exclusively for Express Entry candidates who were nominated through the Provincial Nominee Program and one draw for Federal Skilled Worker Program candidates.
The Express Entry system aims to expedite application processing for economic immigration candidates in the Federal Skilled Worker Program, Canadian Experience Class, and the Federal Skilled Trades Program. The Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) is used to assign scores based on human capital attributes such as occupation, education, language ability, work experience, and age. Maintaining a high CRS score improves the likelihood of receiving an Invitation to Apply for permanent resident status. In May 2023, IRCC introduced category-based selection rounds of invitations in response to evolving immigration needs and job market demands.
Candidates who receive a nomination through the Provincial Nominee Program have an advantage, as they gain an additional 600 CRS points. This effectively ensures that they will receive an ITA in an upcoming draw. Once a candidate receives an ITA, they have 60 days to submit their final application for permanent resident status to IRCC.
Overall, the Express Entry system offers a streamlined approach to managing applications for economic immigration to Canada. As IRCC looks ahead to 2024, it’s challenging to predict the exact frequency of draws. However, with a commitment to meet a significant admissions target, it’s clear that Express Entry will play a crucial role in shaping Canada’s immigration landscape.
Still have some travel questions? Ask in our Travel WhatsApp Group.
