Express Entry
IRCC issued Invitations to 3,500 Candidates in Its All-Program Express Entry Draw
Canada held another Express Entry draw of the year. However, it was the first draw in the month of April. Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship sent out invitations to 3,500 candidates with a minimum Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score of 486. The list included all the eligible candidates from The Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSWP), the Canadian Experience Class, and the Federal Skilled Trades Program (FSTP).
Recently, the IRCC completed three consecutive draws for which it had invited 7,000 applicants. The draw that was conducted on March 29 witnessed the lowest CRS score, falling to 481. However, it is clear that the number of ITAs issued in 2023 already exceeds that of 2022 as a whole.
IRCC’s Immigration Levels Plan
In 2022, the IRCC unveiled its most comprehensive Immigration Levels Plan implemented this year. The strategy specifies immigration goals for long-term residents across all business sectors for the next three years. Through Express Entry, 82,880 people will be granted permanent residence status this year; by 2025, that number will be 114,000.
March Recorded a Total of 21,667 ITAs – The Second-Highest Monthly Total Since 2015
In the history of Express Entry, March was a landmark month. Over four draws, IRCC distributed 21,667 ITAs. Since Express Entry’s inception in January 2015, this was the second-highest monthly total. When 27,332 candidates were invited in a single draw by the IRCC to be considered for the Canadian Experience class in February 2021, it broke the previous record for the most applicants invited in a single month. Following three of the second-largest Express Entry draws in history is this draw.
- First, 7,000 applicants with a CRS score of 490 were invited on March 15.
- Just over a week later, on March 23, the next draw was held, and IRCC invited an additional 7,000 applicants with an even lower CRS score of 484.
- On March 29, 7,000 additional applicants were drawn (those having a minimum CRS score of 481).
- On March 1, a draw limited to participants in the Provincial Nominee Program welcomed the remaining 667 candidates.
