IRCC Invited 4,800 Candidates in Its Thirteenth Express Entry All-Program Draw

Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) held its thirteenth Express Entry draw for the year 2023. The draw issued invitations to 4,800 candidates with a minimum CRS score of 488 to apply for permanent residence.

The draw was an all-program draw which means candidates were invited from all three programs under the Express Entry System: The Federal Skilled Worker, the Canadian Experience Class, and the Federal Skilled Trades Program. This draw was followed by the program-specific draw that issued invitations to 589 candidates with a minimum CRS score of 691 to apply for permanent residence.

According to recent news, IRCC has altered the proof of funding requirement for Express Entry applicants. On April 25, the modifications to the most recent upgrade went into effect.

The IRCC adjusts the requirement for proof of funding annually and the sum is determined by the IRCC using 50% of the low-income cutoff amounts. Anyone who receives an invitation to apply (ITA) immediately following an Express Entry lottery must be able to provide supporting documentation of their financial situation. In addition, candidates who have legitimate job offers and authorization to work in Canada are excluded from the Canadian Experience Class and Express Entry requirements. For other programs, candidates must need to provide financial documentation. Additionally, a different sum of money may be required based on the size of the candidate’s family.

April – Historic Month for Express Entry Candidates

April has marked the tentative return of the regular draw schedule. Express Entry draws took place on Wednesdays every other week until late 2022 and also in March 2023. That means Express Entry draws are held weekly throughout March. In 2023, the Provincial Nominee Program drawings were primarily program-specific between January and February. However, on February 2 IRCC staged the Federal Skilled Workers Program’s first-ever program-specific draw. To note that IRCC and the immigration minister have complete authority over the Express Entry draws. The Immigration and Refugee Protection Act has no provisions regarding the frequency of drawings, which programs will be used, the number of applicants, or the minimum CRS cut-off score.