Immigration Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has issued invitations to candidates in the second Express Entry draw of the week.
The department issued 4,500 invitations to apply (ITAs) in category-based selection draws for candidates in STEM occupations.
Candidates were required to have a minimum Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score of 491 to be accepted for consideration.
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This was the first draw so far this year for candidates in STEM occupations. Today’s draw follows the general draw held yesterday, April 10. IRCC invited 1,280 candidates with a minimum CRS score of 549, the highest minimum CRS score of any draw in 2024.
A minimum CRS score of 546 was required to enter the first general draw on January 10 this year, and general draw scores have been steadily declining over the past few months.
In the final general draw on March 25, 1,980 candidates with a CRS score of 524 were invited.
Candidates from all three Express Entry-managed programmes are considered in the general draw: Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSWP), Canadian Experience Class (CEC) and Federal Skilled Trade Program (FSTP). Unlike category-based selection draws, a high CRS score is the main deciding factor in a candidate’s chances of getting an ITA.
Summary of Results for Express Entry Draws in 2024
| date | Draw Type | Number of ITAs | Minimum CRS |
|---|---|---|---|
| 17th July | Canadian Experience Class | 6,300 | 515 |
| 16th July | Provincial Nominee Program | 1,391 | 670 |
| 8th July | French Proficiency | 3,200 | 420 |
| 5th July | Healthcare Business | 3,750 | 445 |
| July 4th | business Business | 1,800 | 436 |
| 2 July | Provincial Nominee Program | 920 | 739 |
| 19 June | Provincial Nominee Program | 1,499 | 663 |
| 31st May | Canadian Experience Class | 3,000 | 522 |
| 30th May | Provincial Nominee Program | 2,985 | 676 |
| 24th April | French Proficiency | 1,400 | 410 |
| 23 April | General | 2,095 | 529 |
| 11 April | STEM Professions | 4,500 | 491 |
| 10th April | General | 1,280 | 549 |
| 26 March | French Language Proficiency | 1,500 | 388 |
| 25 March | General | 1,980 | 524 |
| 13 March | Transportation Business | 975 | 430 |
| March 12 | General | 2,850 | 525 |
| 29 February | French Language Proficiency | 2,500 | 336 |
| 28 February | General | 1,470 | 534 |
| 16 February | Agriculture and Agri-Food Business | 150 | 437 |
| February 14 | Healthcare Business | 3,500 | 422 |
| 13 February | General | 1,490 | 535 |
| 1 February | French Language Proficiency | 7,000 | 365 |
| 31 January | General | 730 | 541 |
| 23 January | General | 1,040 | 543 |
| 10 January | General | 1,510 | 546 |
What is range-based selection?
Category-based selection draws were introduced in May 2023 to better target Express Entry candidates with skills or human capital attributes sought by IRCC.
The department introduced six categories in 2023 and confirmed earlier this year that the same categories will be used in 2024. They are:
- Healthcare Business
- Science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) professions
- Trade occupations, such as carpenters, plumbers, and contractors
- Transportation Business
- Agriculture and Agri-Food Business
- Strong French proficiency
Candidates must already have an application in the Express Entry pool to be considered for category-based selection.
What is Express Entry?
Express Entry is an application management system for Canada’s three most prominent economic immigration programs: the Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSWP), the Canadian Experience Class (CEC) and the Federal Skilled Trades Program (FSTP).
Applicants through these programs are evaluated based on their human capital factors such as their work experience, occupation, language ability, age, and education.
Each factor is given a score and added together for the final Comprehensive Ranking System score. Those with the highest scores are most likely to receive an invitation to apply for permanent resident status.
One of the major benefits of Express Entry is that, as the name implies, a candidate’s final applications for PR will be processed more quickly than other economic immigration programs. IRCC has published a six-month service standard for 80% of all Express Entry applications. The remaining 20% may take longer in complex cases.
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