June 1 Express Entry Draw for Immigration to Canada Sees Second Consecutive Decrease in CRS Point Requirement

The number of Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) points required for candidates in the Express Entry pool to be issued an Invitation to Apply (ITA) for Canadian permanent residence has decreased by one point in the latest draw, which took place on June 1. A total of 762 candidates were issued an ITA, with the CRS point requirement set at 483.

The previous draw, which took place on May 18, required candidates to have 484 points in order to be invited to apply, while the preceding draw before that set the CRS cut off at 534.

Candidates who have been issued an ITA are now in a position to submit an application for Canadian permanent residence. Accompanying family members, including spouses or common-law partners as well as dependent children, may also come to Canada along with the principal applicant.

While the decrease in the CRS point requirement over the two most recent draws is welcome news, a score of 483 nonetheless requires a candidate to be awarded a high number of points for human capital and skill transferability factors, or for a provincial nomination certificate or qualifying job offer. Candidates who obtain a nomination certificate or job offer are awarded 600 CRS points and receive an ITA for Canadian permanent residence at a subsequent draw from the pool.

A recent year-end Express Entry report revealed that, in 2015, more candidates with Core CRS scores of less than 450 were issued Invitations to Apply for Canadian permanent residence than candidates with 450 or more points. (Core CRS indicates a candidate’s score without the additional 600 points for a job offer or a provincial nomination.) Many of these selected candidates entered the pool and subsequently received an enhanced provincial nomination certificate from a province.

Some Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) streams that are aligned with the Express Entry system, such as Saskatchewan’s International Skilled Worker – Saskatchewan Express Entry sub-category, typically reopen without prior warning for a limited intake before filling quickly. Other PNP streams, such as Ontario’s Human Capital Priorities stream and Nova Scotia Demand: Express Entry, are currently closed for a temporary period, but are expected to reopen at a later date. It remains to be seen when this may occur. To learn more about the Saskatchewan stream, refer to this article in the latest edition of CICNews.

To learn more about your Canadian immigration options through any of over 60 Canadian immigration programs, including the federal economic programs processed through Express Entry, please fill out a free online assessment today.