IRCC holds Express Entry draw for healthcare occupations; third draw this week

Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has held its third  Express Entry draw of the week.

The department issued 3,600 invitations to apply (ITAs) in a category-based selection draw for healthcare occupations. Candidates required a minimum Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score of 431 to be considered. 

Today’s draw follows two others this week. The first was a Provincial Nominee Program-only draw on October 24. IRCC invited 1,548 candidates with a minimum CRS of 776 to apply.  

The minimum CRS score for PNP candidates is higher than average because Express Entry candidates who are also nominated by a province automatically receive an additional 600 CRS points. 

The second draw was on October 25 and invited 300 candidates in a category-based selection draw for those who demonstrate French-speaking proficiency. They needed a minimum CRS score of 486 to be considered. 

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Summary of Express Entry draws since June 2023

Date	Draw Type	Number of ITAs	Minimum CRS
Dec 19	Trade occupations	1,000	425
Dec 18	All-program	1,325	542
Dec 8	STEM occupations	5,900	481
Dec 7	French language proficiency	1,000	470
Dec 6	All-program	4,750	561
Oct 26	Healthcare occupations	3,600	431
Oct 25	French language proficiency	300	486
Oct 24	PNP-only	1,548	776
Oct 10	All-program	3,725	500
Sept 28	Agriculture and agri-food occupations	600	354
Sept 27	French language proficiency	500	472
Sept 26	All-program	3,000	504
Sept 20	Transport occupations	1,000	435
Sept 19	All-program	3,200	531
Aug 15	All-program	4,300	496
Aug 3	Trade occupations	1,500	388
Aug 2	French language proficiency	800	435
Aug 1	All-program	2,000	517
July 12	French language proficiency	3,800	375
July 11	All-program	800	505
July 7	French language proficiency	2,300	439
July 6	Healthcare occupations	1500	463
July 5	STEM occupations	500	486
July 4	All-program	700	511
June 28	Healthcare occupations	500	476
June 27	All-program	4,300	486
June 8	All-program	4,800	486

Express Entry candidates no longer require an upfront medical examination

As of October 1, this year, Express Entry candidates are no longer required to get an upfront immigrant medical examination (IME) before submitting their permanent resident application to IRCC.

An exam is still a requirement, but candidates may submit a blank document in the upload field of the Express Entry profile builder. IRCC will send further instructions regarding your medical exam later.

Those who already completed an IME as part of a different IRCC application, or are already living in Canada, do not need to complete a second IME.

What is Express Entry?

Express Entry is an application management system that oversees the Federal Skilled Worker Program, the Canadian Experience Class, and the Federal Skilled Trades Program.

Candidates in these programs are evaluated using the Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS). The system ranks candidates based on their human capital attributes such as age, language ability, work experience, occupation, and education.

Each attribute is assigned a score and when combined, all scores are totalled up to a possible maximum of 1200. Candidates rarely score this high and most minimum CRS cut-off scores range between 350-550 (sometimes higher, depending on the type of draw). The candidates with the highest scores are the most likely to receive an ITA to apply to IRCC for permanent resident status.

What is category-based selection?

Earlier this year, IRCC introduced draw categories in which the CRS score is not the biggest deciding factor in issuing ITAs. A new law passed in June 2022 gives the immigration minister the authority to invite candidates who meet an economic need in Canada or help to promote the French language outside of question.

Accordingly, last May IRCC announced six new draw categories for Express Entry candidates who had either strong French abilities or work experience in:

• Healthcare;
• STEM professions;
• Trades;
• Transport;
• Agriculture and agri-food

So far, Canada has invited candidates through category-based selection draws 10 times since June, totaling over 10,000 ITAs. All candidates were already in the Express Entry pool.

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