Canada invites 4,750 candidates in latest Express Entry draw

Canada’s held its most recent all-program Express Entry draw on November 9.

This is the tenth draw since all-program draws resumed on July 6.

Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) issued invitations to 4,750 candidates with a minimum Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score of 494. Eligible candidates were invited from the Canadian Experience Class (CEC), Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSWP) and the Federal Skilled Trades Program (FSTP). All are programs that operate under the Express Entry system.

Starting in December 2020 Express Entry all-program draws were paused for over 18 months. During the pause, only candidates from the CEC or Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) were issued invitations to apply (ITAs). The draws were paused because of a backlog in applications caused by COVID-19 related travel restrictions. In September 2021, IRCC also paused draws for the CEC.

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This draw is the second in a row to invite 4,750 candidates, consistent with the draw held on October 26. There was also a decrease of only two points in the minimum CRS, down from 496, the smallest drop since all-program draws resumed.

Breakdown of Express Entry invitations

CIC News has recently obtained data from IRCC that shows how ITAs have been issued across all Express Entry programs since draws resumed on July 6. In total, 26,250 candidates have received invitations through Express Entry.

The majority, 13,774, are from the CEC. Eligible candidates in this program already have at least one year of living or working in Canada within 36 months of their application date and have a Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) score of 5 for NOC B jobs or CLB 7 for NOC skill level 0 or A jobs.

The remaining invitations are almost evenly split between the FSWP, 6,154, and Express Entry candidates through the PNP at 6322. No candidates have received invitations under the FSTP.

Immigration Levels Plan 2023-2025

On November 1, IRCC released the Immigration Levels Plan 2023-2025. This acts as the guideline for immigration programs across all lines of business and provides targets for the number of immigrants who will be granted permanent resident status. The 2023-2025 plan targets up to 500,000 new permanent residents in Canada per year by the end of 2025.

In 2023, 82,880 immigrants will be admitted to Canada as permanent residents through Express Entry. The target for 2024 is 109,020 and 114,000 for 2025, or approximately one fifth of Canada’s total immigration targets. These targets highlight the importance that Canada places on economic immigration in the face of Canada’s ongoing labour shortage. Immigration accounts for as much as 90% of labour force growth in Canada and approximately 75% of population growth.

The targets for Express Entry candidates are the second highest among economic immigration programs, surpassed only by the PNP.

What is Express Entry?

Express Entry is the application management system for three Canadian immigration programs: the Canadian Experience Class (CEC), the Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSWP) and the Federal Skilled Trades Program (FSTP). Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) candidates in the Express Entry pool are already eligible for at least one of these programs.

Express Entry uses a points-based system, the Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS), to rank candidates’ profiles. The top-scoring candidates receive an Invitation to Apply (ITA) and can then apply for permanent residency.

After the candidate applies, an IRCC officer reviews the application and decides if they are approved. Once this is complete, if approved, the candidate is now a permanent resident of Canada and one step closer to becoming a Canadian citizen.

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