IRCC Invited 700 Candidates to the Surprise All-Program Express Entry Draw

Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) held its surprise Express Entry draw for the year 2023. The draw issued invitations to 700 candidates with a minimum CRS score of 511 to apply for permanent residence.

This draw is unexpected given that Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) announced it would welcome 1,500 healthcare professionals tomorrow which is July 5. Additionally, it is anticipated that IRCC would invite applicants who have expertise working in STEM-related fields in the first-ever category-based Express Entry lottery for such professions. The minimal CRS score needed for applicants in STEM and healthcare is still to be determined.

Last week on June 28, IRCC held its first-ever Express Entry category-based lottery inviting 500 healthcare professionals with a minimum CRS score of 476. On that same day, IRCC revealed that this week’s category-based Express Entry round would include STEM occupations as an invitational group.

In any all-program draw of 2023, the current CRS score of 511 is the highest ever recorded. It is considerably higher than it was in the most recent all-program draw on June 27, when 4,300 candidates were invited and had a minimum CRS score of 486, which was 486. Furthermore, it has 35 more points than the 476 needed in the category-based draw on June 28.

New Category-Based Selections

On May 31, IRCC disclosed that it would start holding lotteries later in the summer for Express Entry applicants who fit into six new categories. The introduction of these six new categories offers exciting opportunities for prospective immigrants to pursue their dreams of living and working in Canada. Express Entry drawings will now prioritize applicants with a strong French language proficiency or job experience in the following streams:

The categories include:

• Healthcare
• Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics Professions
• Carpenters, Plumbers, and Contractors
• Transport
• Agriculture and Agri-Food

Express Entry selection draws for these new categories have already started as IRCC held its first category-based selection draw last week. To be eligible for an ITA in the targeted drawings, they must be in the Express Entry pool. Express Entry applicants who meet the requirements will still be ranked, according to IRCC, and those with the highest scores will receive ITAs.