IRCC Issues Invitations to Apply in Recent Express Entry Draw
Immigration Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has recently issued 3,000 Invitations to Apply (ITAs) in the latest Express Entry draw, specifically targeting candidates in the Canadian Experience Class (CEC). To be considered, candidates needed a minimum Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score of 522.
Second Draw of the Week and Program-Specific Focus
This draw marks the second of the week, following a program-specific draw on May 30 for candidates with a Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) nomination. It is the first CEC-specific draw since September 14, 2021, and features the lowest CRS score of the year for a non-category-based selection draw.
Introduction of Category-Based Selection
This week's draws are the first program-specific draws since category-based selection was introduced in May 2023. Many CEC and PNP candidates are already temporary residents in Canada, and these draws align with IRCC's commitment to hold more "domestic draws" to help temporary residents transition to permanent residency.
Program-Specific vs. General Draws
Program-specific draws target candidates from the Express Entry pool who have applied through a specific permanent residency program, unlike general draws that invite applicants from all programs.
Recent Express Entry Draws and Trends
The May 30 draw was the first since April 24, following a month-long pause. Although IRCC has not explained the pause, it was revealed through an Access to Information Request that all draws this year are on a predetermined schedule. The schedule and reasons for draw size and frequency remain undisclosed, but they are influenced by admissions targets and processing capacity for 2024 and 2025.
Express Entry Draw History
Date | Draw Type | Number of ITAs | Minimum CRS |
May 30 | Provincial Nominee Program | 2,985 | 676 |
April 24 | French proficiency | 1,400 | 410 |
April 23 | General | 2,095 | 529 |
April 11 | STEM occupations | 4,500 | 491 |
April 10 | General | 1,280 | 549 |
March 26 | French language proficiency | 1,500 | 388 |
March 25 | General | 1,980 | 524 |
March 13 | Transport occupations | 975 | 430 |
March 12 | General | 2,850 | 525 |
February 29 | French language proficiency | 2,500 | 336 |
February 28 | General | 1,470 | 534 |
February 16 | Agriculture and agri-food | 150 | 437 |
February 14 | Healthcare occupations | 3,500 | 422 |
February 13 | General | 1,490 | 535 |
February 1 | French language proficiency | 7,000 | 365 |
January 31 | General | 730 | 541 |
January 23 | General | 1,040 | 543 |
January 10 | General | 1,510 | 546 |
Future Focus on French Proficiency
According to an Access to Information Request, French proficiency is expected to lead category-based selection draws in 2024 due to high employment rates among bilingual candidates and their generally higher CRS scores, which facilitate better economic integration.
Category-Based ITA Distribution
For 2024, IRCC has planned:
STEM occupations: 25% of ITAs
Healthcare occupations: 15%
Transport, trades, and agriculture/agri-food occupations: 5% or less
General draws: 21.5% of ITAs
Overview of Express Entry
Express Entry is an 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). All candidates are evaluated using the Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS), which assigns points based on factors like work experience, occupation, language ability, age, and education.
Category-Based Selection Introduction
In May 2023, IRCC introduced category-based selection draws for candidates with specific work experience or language abilities. The six categories are:
Healthcare occupations
Science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) professions
Trades occupations
Transport occupations
Agriculture and agri-food occupations
Strong French proficiency
These categories will remain in place throughout 2024 but may change in 2025. Candidates must be in the Express Entry pool and meet specific category requirements to be considered.
コメント