Provincial Nominees Invited in IRCC’s Latest Express Entry Draw

The Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) recently held an Express Entry draw. It issued ITAs to candidates who might apply for permanent residence.

There were 174 ITAs issued under the Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) with a minimum Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score requirement of 816.

This is the second back-to-back Express Entry draws. In the previous week, IRCC had issued 1,933 ITAs in its round, targeting candidates under the categories of the Canadian Experience Class (CEC), PNP streams, and candidates with French language proficiency.

According to the latest Immigration Levels Plan, the IRCC will increase its targets for Express Entry admissions in the following year. The department plans to welcome 124,680 immigrants through the Express Entry system, as over 82,000 spots were allocated to a newly introduced category called the In-Canada Focus category.

This stream will mainly consist of applicants from the CEC, but it may also be expanded to include applicants under the Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSWP), Federal Skilled Trades Program (FSTP), and PNP-aligned streams.

The remaining 41,700 admissions will be under the Federal Economic Priorities stream, targeting applicants with experience in occupations facing critical labor gaps in the Canadian job market.

Latest Draw Details 

• Draw Date: November 18, 2024
• Draw Type: Provincial Nominee Program
• Number of Invitations: 174
• Minimum CRS Score Required: 816

Express Entry Draws List

Overview of Express Entry

Express Entry is the online system of Canada for managing applications for three major economic-class immigration programs: 

• Canadian Experience Class (CEC)
• Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSWP)
• Federal Skilled Trades Program (FSTP)

Applicants get evaluated through CRS that gives points for various factors, including age, education, language proficiency, work experience, as well as other human capital indicators.

More points may be awarded for having a sibling in Canada, applying with a partner, or combining Canadian and international education or work experience.

What’s interesting is that candidates with a provincial nomination under an enhanced PNP stream obtain an additional 600 CRS points, which greatly improves their chances of being issued with an ITA.

How the ITAs Are Issued

Express Entry draw awards the highest scores to candidates who meet the specified requirement of the draw. This merits-based approach ensures that people chosen by Canada can economically and socially contribute to the country.

The Canadian Express Entry program has a higher target for 2024. The pathway will continue to play an integral role in facilitating permanent residency in Canada for skilled workers.