Canada invites 2,750 candidates to apply in Dec. 20 Express Entry draw

Stephen Smith, Eman Katem, Noah Turner
Published: December 20, 2017

The Government of Canada has invited 2,750 candidates to apply for permanent residence in a new Express Entry draw that took place on Dec. 20, 2017. The cut-off Comprehensive Ranking System score for this draw was 446.

Today’s cut-off score was down six points over the previous draw, which took place on Dec. 6 and had a cut-off score of 452.

As with the previous draw, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) employed the tie-break rule. While some candidates with a score of 446 received Invitations To Apply (ITAs), the tie-break means that only those candidates with a CRS score of 446 who entered their profiles in the Express Entry pool prior to a date and time determined by IRCC received an ITA. In this case, that time and date was Oct. 2, 2017 at 14:56:53 UTC.

This latest draw was the 30th to take place in 2017 and brings the total number of ITAs issued so far this year to 86,023. This total represents 57 per cent of the 150,868 ITAs issued since January 2015, when Canada's Express Entry system came into effect.

Wednesday’s draw follows a November that saw four draws over its first three weeks. Those draws followed the Government of Canada's Nov. 1 announcement of its new multi-year immigration plan, which is expected to raise the number of candidates granted permanent residence through the federal Express Entry system by nearly 20 per cent between 2018 and 2020.

Since the announcement, six draws have seen a total of 11,045 ITAs issued.

With higher ITA targets announced for the Express Entry system's three economic categories in 2018, it's expected that IRCC will have to perform either larger or more frequent draws from Express Entry pool in the new year, or both. Any of those scenarios could serve to lower the cut-off CRS score.

The following fictional scenarios are provided to give you a better sense of the candidates who received an ITA in this latest draw.

Amira has a Master’s degree, is 33 years old and has an initial advanced English language proficiency. She has been working as a lecturer for 4 years. While Amira has not studied or worked in Canada, her CRS score of 447 would have been sufficient to obtain an ITA in the Dec. 20 Express Entry draw.

Chan is 32 and has been working as an accountant for four years. He has two post-secondary certificates, one being a bachelor's degree. He obtained an 8 in each category on his IELTS. Chan’s wife Lucy also holds a bachelor's degree and scored a 6 in each category on her IELTS. While Chan and Lucy have never worked or studied in Canada, their CRS score of 449 would have been high enough to receive an ITA in the Dec. 20 draw.

"The drop in the cut-off score for this latest draw may not be as low as many would like, but they can take heart from the fact 2018 is almost here with its increased admissions targets," said Attorney David Cohen.

"We've already seen a big drop in cut-off scores this year over 2016, and higher targets in 2018 mean that trend should continue."

The CRS Calculator

The CRS Calculator allows you to find out what your score would be under the CRS.

To find out if you are eligible to immigrate to Canada permanently, fill out a free online assessment form.
Candidates who receive an ITA and want to learn more about the next steps may complete this short form.

© 2017 CICNews All Rights Reserved

Share this article
Share your voice
Did you find this article helpful?
Thank you for your feedback.
Subscribe to our newsletter
Did you find this article helpful?
Please provide a response
Thank you for your helpful feedback
Please contact us if you would like to share additional feedback, have a question, or would like Canadian immigration assistance.
  • Do you need Canadian immigration assistance? Contact the Contact Cohen Immigration Law firm by completing our form
  • Send us your feedback or your non-legal assistance questions by emailing us at media@canadavisa.com
Related articles
IRCC issues ITAs to Express Entry candidates in second draw this week
IRCC has held another round of invitations for Express Entry candidates
Deadline to apply for PGWP moves for students of college programs with public-private curriculum licensing agreement
Some international graduates must apply for their PGWP before May 15 to remain eligible.
Immigration Minister declares intention to have more in-Canada immigration draws
A woman in a field, with a Canadian flag wrapped around them.
How to become a permanent resident in Canada?
A teacher and her students preparing for the IELTS.
Top Stories
Can I travel outside of Canada as a temporary resident?
BREAKING: Ontario announces distribution of allocation for international study permits in 2024
Canada to introduce a Renters Bill of Rights
Join our free newsletter. Get Canada's top immigration stories delivered to your inbox.
Subscribe
More in Canada
Can I travel outside of Canada as a temporary resident?
male traveler taking selfie portrait on the hill with mount assiniboine in national park at BC, Canada
Canada to introduce a Renters Bill of Rights
Clearing up three common misconceptions about immigrating to Canada
Debunking common myths about immigrating to Canada.
IRCC issues ITAs to Express Entry candidates in second draw this week
IRCC has held another round of invitations for Express Entry candidates
Link copied to clipboard