Immigration Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has issued Invitations to Apply (ITAs) in the latest Express Entry draw.
The department invited 7,000 candidates in a category-based selection draw for candidates with French language proficiency.
Candidates needed a minimum Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score of 365. This is the lowest minimum CRS score so far this year.
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Today’s draw is the second draw of the week after the January 31 draw in which 730 candidates were invited to the general draw. They needed a minimum of 541 CRS.
There were two other draws in January. The first was on January 23 and invited 1,040 candidates with a minimum CRS score of 543 to the general draw. The previous draw was on January 10 and was also general and invited 1,510 candidates with a CRS score of 546.
It is still too early to predict how Express Entry draws will look in 2024. In 2023, IRCC conducted 42 draws and issued ITAs to over 110,000 candidates to help meet the 2023 and 2024 admissions targets set out in the Immigration Levels Plan.
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 |
Changes to Post Graduation Work Permit
Many Express Entry candidates gain the work experience needed for their programs by working in Canada after graduating from a Canadian post-secondary institution. One of the most common work permits for new graduates is the Post-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP).
On January 22, IRCC announced changes to the eligibility criteria for the PGWP. Effective September 1, international students attending a program at a private college that is part of a course licensing agreement with a public college will no longer be eligible for the PGWP.
In addition, graduate-level students pursuing a program with a duration of less than the required eight months will now be eligible for a three-year PGWP. Currently, graduates are not eligible for a PGWP if their program is less than eight months and the validity period of the PGWP is linked to the duration of the graduate’s academic program. For example, a one-year program will be valid for a one-year permit.
This means that more graduate-level students will be able to gain enough work experience in Canada to qualify for a spot in the Express Entry application pool.
What is Express Entry?
The Express Entry application management system oversees applications 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).
Candidates in these programs are scored using the Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS). The scores are based on human capital characteristics such as work experience, education, age, occupation, and language ability. For example, a candidate aged 20-29 years receives 100 CRS points and a candidate aged 30 years or older receives fewer points.
In May 2023, IRCC announced it was launching category-based selection draws for Express Entry candidates who can prove they have work experience in an in-demand occupation. One is for candidates with strong French-language proficiency and the remaining five categories are occupation-based:
- Healthcare Business
- Science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) professions
- Trade occupations, such as carpenters, plumbers, and contractors
- Transportation Business
- Agriculture and Agri-Food Business
Applying for Express Entry is a multi-step process. First, the applicant must self-evaluate whether they are eligible for the Express Entry program. The eligibility criteria for all three Express Entry programs are different.
The second step is to create a profile in the Express Entry pool and obtain a CRS score. From here, candidates will need to wait to receive an invitation to apply in the Express Entry draw.
Once a candidate receives an ITA, he or she has 60 days to collect his or her documents and submit his or her final application for permanent residence to IRCC.
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