Slight Decrease in CRS Points Requirement in October 18 Express Entry Draw

The latest Express Entry draw for immigration to Canada has taken place, with 2,757 candidates in the pool invited to apply on October 18. The number of Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) points required in order for a candidate to receive an Invitation to Apply (ITA) on this occasion was 436, down from the 438 required in the previous draw, which took place on October 4.

Invited candidates now have 90 days to submit a complete application for Canadian permanent residence to Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC). Accompanying family members, including a spouse or common-law partner, as well as dependent children, may also come to Canada along with the principal applicant.

The CRS cut-off threshold has been around the mid-430's for the past six draws, though over this time there has been a slight dip in the number of ITAs issued per draw, compared to the size of draws that took place earlier in the year. The record low threshold of any draw so far was 413 on May 31 of this year, right before IRCC made improvements to the CRS that took effect on June 6. These changes introduced new additional points factors for candidates with a sibling in Canada, while candidates with French ability also benefited from additional points.

The total number of ITAs issued so far in 2017 now stands at 74,978, with 24 draws having taken place over this period. This total more than doubles the 28,409 ITAs issued over the first 24 draws of 2016, and also surpasses the total number of candidates invited in all of 2016.

*Note: Draws of May 26 invited provincial nominees with a minimum CRS score of 775, and candidates in the Federal Skilled Trades Class with a minimum score of 199.

Scenarios

The following hypothetical scenarios reflect the diversity of candidates who receive ITAs under the Express Entry system.

Lou is 35. He has a master’s degree, an initial advanced proficiency in English, and has been working as an electrical engineer for four years. He has never worked or studied in Canada. His CRS of 436 means that he has an ITA following the October 18 draw.

Lynn is 30, has a bachelor's degree, and an advanced English language proficiency. She has been working for five years as a computer programmer but has never worked or studied in Canada. Her CRS of 436 means that she can now submit an application for permanent residence.

Shaun is 32, has bachelor's degree, and has been working as a financial manager for three years. He wrote his IELTS and scored an 8 in each category. Shaun has never worked or studied in Canada, but does have a sister who is Canadian permanent resident living in Ontario. His CRS score of 437 would be sufficient to secure on ITA in the latest draw.

Serena is a 30-year-old married woman with three years of work experience in accounting. Both she and her spouse have completed a bachelor’s degree and advanced English, and neither partner has ever worked or studied in Canada. Her CRS score of 438 means that they can look forward to applying for permanent residence.

"IRCC continues to invite thousands of candidates in the pool to apply for permanent residence on a regular basis, as the latest draw shows. We are likely to find out soon just how many newcomers to Canada may arrive through Express Entry next year once the government unveils its new Immigration Levels Plan, which it scheduled to do within the next two weeks. The Minister of Immigration stated earlier this year stated that the current overall target of 300,000 new immigrants annually will form the 'baseline' target over the coming years. A higher target for Express Entry programs would result in either larger or more frequent draws, or both, thereby contributing to the possibility of decreased CRS thresholds over time," says Attorney David Cohen.

"For individuals and families around the world who wish to make Canada their new home, it is imperative to assess your full options, beginning with evaluating your eligibility to enter the Express Entry pool."