Good news! The first all-program draw since January 18 invited 7,000 candidates with a minimum CRS score of 490, according to IRCC.
Today, IRCC conducted the seventh Express Entry draw of 2023, issuing 7,000 invitations to candidates with a minimum CRS score of 490. This all-program draw surpassed the previous record of 5,500 ITAs issued on January 18, considering candidates from all three Express Entry programs: FSWP, FSTP, and CEC.
Unlike the program-specific draws in the last two months, this draw marks the return of the all-program draw format. There have been four rounds of invitation, three for PNP-only and one for FSWP candidates since the last all-program draw, with the most recent draw being PNP-only and only 697 candidates receiving ITAs on March 1.
In the previous year, all Express Entry draws between July and November 2022 invited over 1,000 candidates each time, and the number of invitations increased as the minimum CRS score decreased.
Express Entry Data Released for 2021 by IRCC
IRCC has published a report on Express Entry data for 2021, which was an exceptional year in the program’s history. Due to the backlog caused by COVID-19-related travel restrictions and border closures, all program draws were paused from December 2020. However, IRCC continued to issue ITAs to candidates in the CEC and PNP until CEC draws were also paused in September 2021.
In 2021, a total of 114,431 ITAs were granted through 42 Express Entry draws, which were all program-specific for the CEC and the PNP. No ITAs were issued to FSWP or FSTP candidates.
The majority (64%) of ITAs went to candidates aged between 20-29, who receive 100 CRS points under the Comprehensive Ranking System. Points decrease as candidates age over 30.
Due to the pauses, most of the ITAs went to candidates who were already residing in Canada as temporary residents. Nevertheless, some ITAs were given to foreign-based candidates which are as follows:
Canada – 102,806
India – 3,826
Nigeria – 1,432
The USA – 806
China – 687
Foreign nationals from these nationalities are the top five nationalities to receive ITAs even in these tough times of the 2021 Covid Season!
What is Canadian Express Entry?
Express Entry is a management system for three immigration programs: the Canadian Experience Class (CEC), the Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSWP), and the Federal Skilled Trades Program (FSTP). Candidates in the Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) are already qualified for at least one of the Express Entry programs.
The Express Entry programs evaluate candidates through the Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS), which is a points-based system that considers factors such as work experience, language proficiency, education, and human capital. Candidates with the highest scores in the CRS will be issued an Invitation to Apply (ITA), which allows them to apply for permanent residency.
After receiving the ITA, candidates have 60 days to complete and submit their application. The application is then reviewed by an IRCC officer, who makes a decision on the candidate’s eligibility for permanent residency.
