IRCC issues 2,500 ITAs in category-based Express Entry draw for French language proficiency

Asheesh Moosapeta, Edana Robitaille
Published: February 28, 2024

Immigration Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has invited candidates to apply for permanent residence in the second Express Entry draw of the week.

The department issued 2,500 invitations to apply (ITAs) in a in a category-based selection draw for candidates with strong French language proficiency

Candidates required a minimum Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score of 336.

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Today’s draw follows a general draw on February 28 in which 1,410 candidates with a minimum CRS of 534 received invitations to apply. In a general draw, candidates are considered from all three Express Entry managed programs.  

The results this week round up a busy February. Not including today’s draw, 13,610 candidates received ITAs in five draws. Two of the draws were general and three were category-based selection draws for candidates with strong French proficiency, healthcare occupations and agriculture and agri-food occupations.

Summary of Express Entry draw results in 2024

DateDraw TypeNumber of ITAsMinimum CRS
December 3French language proficiency800466
December 2Provincial Nominee Program 676705
November 20Healthcare occupations3,000463
November 19Canadian Experience Class400539
November 18Provincial Nominee Program 174816
November 15French language proficiency800478
November 13Canadian Experience Class400547
November 12Provincial Nominee Program 733812
October 23Trade occupations1,800433
October 22Canadian Experience Class400539
October 21Provincial Nominee Program648791
October 10French language proficiency1,000444
October 9Canadian Experience Class500539
October 7Provincial Nominee Program1,613743
September 19Canadian Experience Class4,000509
September 13 French language proficiency1,000446
September 9Provincial Nominee Program911732
August 27Canadian Experience Class3,300507
August 26Provincial Nominee Program1,121694
August 15French language proficiency2,000394
August 14Canadian Experience Class3,200509
August 13Provincial Nominee Program763690
July 31Canadian Experience Class5,000510
July 30Provincial Nominee Program964686
July 18French language proficiency1,800400
July 17Canadian Experience Class6,300515
July 16Provincial Nominee Program1,391670
July 8French proficiency3,200420
July 5Healthcare occupations3,750445
July 4Trade occupations1,800436
July 2Provincial Nominee Program920739
June 19Provincial Nominee Program1,499663
May 31Canadian Experience Class3,000522
May 30Provincial Nominee Program2,985676
April 24French proficiency1,400410
April 23General2,095529
April 11STEM occupations4,500491
April 10General1,280549
March 26French language proficiency1,500388
March 25General1,980524
March 13Transport occupations975430
March 12General2,850525
February 29French language proficiency2,500336
February 28General1,470534
February 16Agriculture and agri-food occupations150437
February 14Healthcare occupations3,500422
February 13General1,490535
February 1French language proficiency7,000365
January 31General730541
January 23General1,040543
January 10General1,510546

IRCC says category-based selection not changing in 2024

In May 2023, the department introduced category-based selection rounds of invitations for candidates who can demonstrate that they met the criteria for one of six new Express Entry draw categories:

  • Healthcare occupations
  • Science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) professions
  • Trades occupations, such as carpenters, plumbers, and contractors
  • Transport occupations
  • Agriculture and agri-food occupations
  • Strong French proficiency

At the time of the announcement, the department said that it would review these categories and make any changes deemed necessary. As of February 13, IRCC has confirmed that these categories will not be updated in 2024.

The categories were chosen following consultations with IRCC stakeholders such as a provincial and territorial governments, settlement services and Canadian businesses and employers.

Candidates with these attributes must be in the application pool under one of the three Express Entry-managed programs to be considered.

What is Express Entry?

Express Entry is a management system for immigration applications. The system exists to help expedite application processing for economic immigration candidates in three programs: the Federal Skilled Worker Program, the Canadian Experience Class, and the Federal Skilled Trades Program.

Express Entry utilises the Comprehensive Ranking System to assign scores based on human capital attributes such as occupation, education, language ability, work experience and age. Candidates with the highest scores are the most likely to receive an Invitation to Apply  for PR status.

Candidates who also receive a nomination through the Provincial Nominee Program can gain an additional 600 CRS points. This virtually guarantees that they will get an ITA in an upcoming draw.

Once an Express Entry candidate receives an ITA, they have 60 days to submit their final application to gain Canadian PR to IRCC.

How many ITAs will be delivered this year through Express Entry?

According to IRCC's Immigration Levels Plan, the department plans to welcome 110,770 new PRs in 2024 through Express Entry. This represents a significant increase from last year, in which the government targeted 82,880 newcomers for Canadian PR through the same system. In 2025 and 2026, this number is set to stabilise at 117,500.

Starting in 2025, Canada's allocation for new permanent residents through the PNP will increase to 120,000—making provincial pathways collectively, Canada's main route to welcome new economic immigrants.

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