Manitoba drops score to lowest point yet for Express Entry candidates

Manitoba reduced the cut-off ranking score for Express Entry candidates to its lowest point yet in a new draw from its Expression of Interest pool on July 6.

The cut-off score of 519 was 26 points lower than the previous low of 545 on March 13.

Manitoba's Expression of Interest (EOI) system has a unique points system that assigns candidates a score out of 1,000. It is not the same as Express Entry's Comprehensive Ranking System, or CRS, which assigns candidates a score out of 1,200.

The Express Entry system manages applications for the federal government’s three economic immigration categories — the Federal Skilled Worker Class, the Federal Skilled Trades Class and the Canadian Experience Class.

A total of 202 Express Entry candidates were issued Letters of Advice to Apply (LAAs) for a provincial nomination from Manitoba in the July 6 draw, which was the sixth since the Manitoba Provincial Nominee Program (MPNP) introduced its Express Entry-linked Skilled Workers Overseas sub-stream in January.

The MPNP said the Express Entry candidates who received an LAA had "a valid Express Entry ID and job seeker validation code, and at least six months of recent experience in an occupation on Manitoba’s In-demand Occupations list."

Eligible Express Entry candidates must also have the confirmed support of a close friend or relative who has resided in Manitoba for at least one year, among other criteria.

Express Entry candidates who apply for a provincial nomination and receive one are awarded an additional 600 CRS points.

Registering an Expression of Interest, or EOI, with the MPNP is the first step toward being considered under its Express Entry Sub-stream.

Skilled Workers Overseas / Skilled Workers in Manitoba candidates also invited

The MPNP also issued a further 217 LAAs to other Skilled Workers Overseas candidates outside the Express Entry system. The cut-off EOI score for this group was 572.

These candidates had to have the following:

a close relative residing in Manitoba or past education or work experience in Manitoba;
at least six months of recent experience in an occupation on Manitoba’s In-demand Occupations list; and
a minimum language proficiency of CLB/NCLC 5 unless work experience is primarily in a regulated occupation (minimum CLB/NCLC 7) or a compulsory trade (CLB/NCLC 6).

Manitoba also issued 32 LAAs to Skilled Workers Overseas candidates with a score of at least 639 under one of the MPNP's Strategic Recruitment Initiatives.

Strategic Recruitment Initiatives include:

Recruitment missions: These overseas employment/immigration fairs involve MPNP representatives interviewing foreign skilled workers and subsequently inviting them to apply after they have made a formal Expression of Interest (EOI) to the MPNP.
Exploratory visits: The MPNP may invite people who have undertaken a pre-approved Exploratory Visit and passed an interview with a program official.

Another 104 Skilled Workers in Manitoba candidates with scores of at least 564 were issued LAAs in the July 6 draw.

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