Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has issued Invitations to Apply (ITAs) in the fourth Express Entry draw this month.
The department released 3,200 ITAs in a category-based selection draw for French language proficiency.
Candidates were required to have a minimum Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score of 420 to be accepted for consideration.
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Today’s draw comes after three draws held last week between July 2-5. Only 920 candidates were invited for the Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) in the July 2 draw. Candidates had to have a minimum CRS score of 739 to be considered.
The other two draws were category-based selection draws. The first took place on July 4 and issued ITAs to 1,800 candidates in trade occupations and the second was on July 5 for 3,750 candidates in healthcare occupations.
Overall, this month has been the busiest so far for Express Entry draws. IRCC typically holds draws every other week, and there are an average of two to four draws each month. By comparison, April was the last month with four draws, and February was the busiest month so far with six draws.
French-proficiency draws are expected to account for 30% of the ITAs issued in category-based selection draws this year. To date, IRCC has issued 15,600 ITAs to eligible candidates for this category this year.
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 Express Entry?
Express Entry is IRCC’s application management system for three major economic immigration programs; the Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSWP), the Canadian Experience Class (CEC) and the Federal Skilled Trades Program (FSTP). It was launched in 2015 to isolate immigration candidates with the best chance of integrating into the Canadian workforce and economy.
The Express Entry programs each have different eligibility criteria, but all candidates are evaluated using a comprehensive ranking system. This system assigns candidates numerical scores based on human capital factors such as age, language ability, education, work experience, and occupation. These scores are added together to form an overall CRS score. The higher the score, the more likely the candidate is to receive an ITA from IRCC in an upcoming Express Entry draw.
What is range-based selection?
Category-based selection draws were introduced in 2023 so that IRCC can target candidates who can fill immediate workforce shortages. The six categories were chosen after extensive consultation with relevant stakeholders, as well as provincial and territorial governments. The current categories 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
- Proficiency in French Language
These will remain in effect until 2025, after which they may change to better suit the demands of Canada’s labour force. In all categories except French-proficient, eligible candidates must have at least six months of relevant work experience in an occupation that falls under an eligible National Occupation Classification (NOC) code. French-speaking candidates need French language test results with a minimum score of seven in reading, writing, speaking and listening.
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