Second Express Entry Draw in a Week Sees Reduction in Minimum CRS Score Requirement

Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has invited 2,991 candidates in the Express Entry pool to apply for permanent residence in the second draw to take place so far this August.

Candidates with 433 or more Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) points will receive an Invitation to Apply (ITA) as a result of the August 9 draw. This is the lowest CRS cut-off threshold since May, and therefore the lowest since changes to the CRS — including the introduction of additional points for French speakers and candidates with a sibling in Canada — were implemented in early June.

The three previous draws that took place since those changes came into effect all had a CRS cut-off threshold in the 440's. The fact that the latest draw followed quickly after the previous draw, which took place exactly a week ago on August 2, would have been a contributing factor to the decrease in the threshold this time around, as longer gaps between draws allow more candidates to enter the pool.

Following today's draw, the total number of ITAs issued since Express Entry was launched in January, 2015 stands at 125,587. Of these, 60,742 have been issued so far this year; this is significantly more than the total number issued in all of last year.

Getting a precious Invitation to Apply

The following hypothetical scenarios showcase how a diverse range of candidates in the pool can obtain an ITA, allowing them to submit an application for permanent residence. Accompanying family members, including spouses or common-law partners, as well as dependent children, may also come to Canada along with the principal applicant. IRCC aims to process applications within six months.

Josephina is 30 and has been working a graphic designer for three years. She a Bachelor’s degree and recently wrote the IELTS, scoring 8 in each category. She has never worked or studied in Canada. Her 433 would be sufficient to obtain an ITA following the latest draw.

Esmerelda is 33 and has been working as a teacher for five years. She has a Master's degree and an initial advanced English proficiency. Her husband, Sol, owns his own business, but his highest level of completed education is high school and he has an intermediate proficiency in English. Their CRS score of 436 would have been sufficient to obtain an ITA.

Paul is 40 and has been working as a university professor for five years. He has a Master’s degree and an advanced English proficiency. He also has a brother in Canada. He has never worked or studied in Canada. His CRS score of 436 would put him in position to submit an application for permanent residence following the draw on August 9.

Ronaldo and Bernice are husband and wife, and were both international students who completed their Bachelor’s degrees in Ontario, Canada. Both are 35 years old and have been working as consultants since graduating school in May, 2016. Both have a high intermediate proficiency in English. Before studying in Canada, Ronaldo obtained three years of work experience managing a restaurant. Their score of 436 would have been sufficient to obtain an ITA following the latest draw.

How low may it go?

"Following the changes introduced in June it may have appeared, at least on the surface, that there was a lull in activity with respect to Express Entry. For a short time, draws were fewer and further between. However, IRCC was busy ensuring that the necessary updates to the pool were being made, and now we are seeing what may very well be the beginning of more regular draws and a decrease in CRS cut-off thresholds over time," says Attorney David Cohen.

"Whether the minimum points requirement continues to decrease remains to be seen, but IRCC has been clear that Express Entry is now the main driver of economic immigration to Canada. For candidates in the pool, there may be ways to improve your ranking; for individuals and families who want to immigrate to Canada but who are not yet in the pool, it is important to check your eligibility first, then go from there."

The CRS Calculator

The CRS Calculator allows you to find out what your score would be under the Comprehensive Ranking System.

To find out if you are eligible to immigrate to Canada permanently, fill out a free online assessment form.

Candidates who receive an ITA and want to learn more about the next steps may complete this short form.

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