Express Entry: CRS drops to 469

The Express Entry cutoff score dipped below 470 for the first time in an all-program draw this year.

Candidates needed a Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score of at least 469 in order to be invited in the November 25 invitation round. A total of 5,000 invitations were sent to Express Entry candidates, which ties this draw for the largest number of Invitations to Apply (ITAs) issued in a single draw.

Express Entry is Canada’s immigration application management system for three federal economic-class programs: Federal Skilled Worker Program, Federal Skilled Trades Program, and Canadian Experience Class.

Candidates in these programs, as well as some Provincial Nominee Programs (PNPs) are given a score based on the CRS. Points are awarded depending on a candidates' human capital factors such as age, education, work experience, and language ability in English or French.

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The highest scoring candidates receive an Invitation to Apply (ITA) for Canadian permanent residence following an Express Entry invitation round.

The new draw brings the total number of ITAs issued in 2020 to 97,350. This year is shaping up to be a new record-breaking year for Express Entry, as the number of ITAs issued to date is the highest it has ever been. The previous Express Entry draw saw a record-breaking 5,000 ITAs, and pushed the number of invitations issued this year past the target.

The large number of ITAs is in line with Canada’s commitment to welcome over 400,000 new immigrants in 2021, most of them coming through the Express Entry system.

In case of a tie between candidates, IRCC applies the tie-breaking rule. So, for this draw, candidates who had a CRS score of 469 or more, needed to have submitted their Express Entry profile before October 15, 2020, at 08:50:10 UTC in order to receive an invitation.

This year, the CRS requirement has typically hovered above 470 for all program draws. The Federal Skilled Trades Program-only draw on August 6 invited trades workers with a CRS of 415, and previous Canadian Experience Class-only draws dipped into the 440s. PNP-only draws have higher requirements because Express Entry candidates who receive a provincial nomination are automatically awarded an additional 600 CRS points. PNPs offer alternative pathways to permanent residence for Express Entry candidates who have a lower CRS score.

Who is invited?

The following are hypothetical examples of people who may have been invited in today’s draw.

Aakanksha and Kulwant and married and are 29 and 35 respectively. They each wrote the IELTS and scored an 8 in listening and reading, a 7.5 in writing and a 7 in speaking. Aakanksha holds a master’s degree and has been working as an accountant for three years. Kulwant holds a bachelor’s degree and has been working as a programmer for six years. Neither Aakanksha nor Kulwant has ever worked or studied in Canada. They entered the Express pool with Aakanksha as the principal applicant. Aakanksha’s CRS score of 476 would have been high enough to get an ITA in the November 25 Express Entry draw.

Ekemma is 30 years old and was been working as a financial manager for three years. She holds a bachelor’s degree and has an advanced English language proficiency as well as an intermediate French language proficiency. While Ekemma has never worked or studied in Canada, her CRS score of 478 would have been high enough to get an ITA in the November 25 Express Entry draw.

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