Express Entry
Canada Issued Invitations to 7,000 Candidates in Its Eighth Express Entry Draw
Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) conducted its eighth Express Entry draw for the year 2023. The all-program draw issued invitations to 7,000 candidates with a minimum CRS score of 484 to apply for permanent residence.
The draw invited candidates from the category Federal Skilled Worker Program, the Canadian Experience Class, Federal Skilled Trades Program. In 2023, this was the fourth program-specific draw; the first three was held on February 1 and 2, and 15 respectively. Only candidates who had already gained provincial nomination were invited to the February 1 draw, while the February 2 draw was program-specific.
A Brief Review of Express Entry Draws For Over a Month
This draw’s size is equal to that of the largest-ever all-program draw that invited 7,000 applicants. Applicants needed at least a 490 CRS to be eligible for that draw. The IRCC invited 5,500 candidates for the January 18 all-program draw, setting the previous record-high. Because this is the second week in a row that IRCC has invited Express Entry applicants, the draw is unexpected.
Express Entry draws typically occur every two weeks. The 7,000 ITAs make up the second-biggest Express Entry draw size ever, after only the record-breaking CEC-only draw that took place in February 2021, which was also matched for the largest all-program draw ever.
All of the draws took place between July and November 2022 and only 1,500 candidates were invited to the smallest draw on July 6. After an 18-month pause caused by the COVID-19 epidemic, it was the first all-program draw.
Early Express Entry drawings in 2023 primarily targeted participants in the Provincial Nominee Program (PNP). So far this year, there have been four Express Entry draws that are PNP-only. However, it seems that IRCC is now going back to its standard practise of taking into account every applicant in the Fast Entry pool.
Endorsing Multi-Year PNP Levels Plan in Canada
In a recent meeting of the Forum of Ministers Responsible for Immigration (FMRI), provincial immigration ministers met to discuss common issues and methods to attract and retain more newcomers. One outcome of the meeting was to endorse the first multi-year provincial immigration plan. This will work similarly to the federal Immigration Levels Plan that outlines immigration targets for three years. The provinces will now know their allocation of provincial nominations in advance and will be able to plan accordingly in terms of housing and infrastructure requirements to better support newcomers and retain them. After the meeting, some provinces have announced an increase in PNP allocations for this year over 2022. For example, Canada’s largest province, Ontario, will see their allocation rise to 18,000 spots in 2025.
Provincial immigration ministers recently gathered as part of the Forum of Ministers Responsible for Immigration (FMRI) to talk about shared concerns and strategies for bringing in and keeping more immigrants.
The meeting’s adoption of the first, multi-year provincial immigration plan was one of its outcomes. This will function similarly to the three-year immigration targets set forth by the federal Immigration Levels Plan. The provinces may now plan for housing and infrastructure needs to better accommodate and keep newcomers because they will know their distribution of provincial nominations in advance.
During the conference, some provinces said that the PNP allocations for this year would be higher than those for 2022. For instance, Ontario, the biggest province in Canada, will have 18,000 additional slots available in 2025.
Express Entry – A Pathway to Permanent Residence in Canada
By securing a provincial nomination, Express Entry candidates can improve their prospects of receiving an ITA. An applicant’s CRS score is immediately increased by 600 points when they are nominated by a province as an Express Entry candidate, effectively ensuring that they will receive an ITA for permanent residence.
