IRCC (Immigration Refugees and Citizenship Canada) has held its fifth all-program Express Entry draw since July 6th.
2,750 ITAs (Invitations to Apply) were issued by the IRCC and the CRS (Comprehensive Ranking System) score cut-off was 516. Express Entry is one of the major immigration pathways for competent newcomers in Canada.
Well, there was no program specified for the Express Entry draw. This signifies that applicants from the CEC (Canadian Experience Class) and FSWP (Federal Skilled Worker Program) were eligible to be invited.
All-program Express Entry draws were temporarily halted by IRCC for over 18 months. It was during this time the only eligible candidates that were eligible for permanent residence under the CEC or the PNP (Provincial Nominee Program) were invited to apply. In spite of this, CEC draws were paused in September 2021 as well.
Immigration Refugees and Citizenship Canada witnessed an overwhelming response in the number of permanent resident applications that were submitted. This was when the COVID-19 pandemic was in full swing around the world. During this unwanted time, Canada’s border was closed and there were frequent changes in travel regulations.
This draw indicates a significant increase in ITA’s – up by 500. That is because all program draws resumed on July 6th. Until today’s draw, there has been a substantial increase in the number of applicants receiving ITAs – growing by 250 with each draw. For instance, the first draw held in July invited 1,500 applicants, the second one was 1,750, and so on. Also, there has been a steady in the lowest CRS score, having lost eight or nine points each draw. In the beginning, the minimum score was 557.
What is Express Entry?
Express Entry is an online system the Canadian government uses to manage and process immigration applications for skilled workers looking to immigrate to Canada. It is the fastest and most popular pathway to obtaining Canadian permanent residency. It helps immigrants seek a new life in Canada.
This highly effective system manages three major federal economic programs: the Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSWP), the Federal Skilled Trades Program (FSTP), and the Canadian Experience Class (CEC). Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) applicants in the Express Entry pool are eligible for at least one of the three main programs.
Express Entry extensively relies on a points-based system i.e. the Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) to rank the profile of the applicants. Those with higher scores receive an Invitation to Apply and can apply to seek permanent residency for starting a new life in the “Land of Maple Leaf”.
After the candidate has applied for the program, an IRCC officer then assesses the application and makes a decision. To begin with, the officer asks for biometrics followed by setting up an interview or requesting additional documents. If the officer approves, the applicant is now Canada’s permanent resident. They are one step closer to becoming a citizen of Canada.
Looking Ahead
The goal of IRCC is to make a major change to Express Entry in 2023. It would provide the department with the authority to issue Invitations to Apply (ITAs) that target people with education, specified work experience, or language proficiency groups it believes will be rightly positioned to support the economy and labor force of Canada. This signifies that CRS scores could gain less importance in a number of draws held in the future.
In June, Immigration Minister Sean Fraser put the rationale for this proposal in words while on stage at Collision, a technology conference, asserting “If we can project skills that are needed over the next 20 to 30 years, we can bring people who can hit the ground running and make a major economic impact.”
