Blue Bird Blog

Express Entry: IRCC invites 700 candidates in surprise all-program draw

IRCC has invited 700 candidates in the most recent Express Entry draw. It was an all-program draw and candidates required a minimum Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score of 511. This draw comes as a surprise as Immigration Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has said it will invite 1,500 healthcare workers via category-based selection tomorrow, July 5. In addition, it is expected IRCC will also invite candidates with work experience in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) occupations in the first-ever category-based selection Express Entry draw for STEM professions. It remains to be seen what the minimum CRS score will be required for healthcare and STEM candidates.

Last week, on June 28, IRCC held the first-ever Express Entry category-based draw, inviting 500 healthcare workers with a minimum CRS score of 476. On that same date, IRCC announced it would be inviting STEM professions in a category-based Express Entry round this week.

The current CRS score of 511 is the highest seen in any all-program draw of 2023. It is significantly higher than it was in the last all-program draw on June 27 when there were 4,300 candidates invited with a minimum CRS score of 486. It is also 35 points higher than the 476 required in the category-based draw on June 28.

Category-based draws

Category-based selection draws are a new type of Express Entry draw that aims to invite candidates within specific occupational fields or those who have other in-demand attributes. There are six new categories for which candidates may be eligible:

Healthcare
Science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) professions
Trades, such as carpenters, plumbers, and contractors
Transport
Agriculture and agri-food
Strong French-language proficiency

Category based selection draws were made possible following changes to the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act in June 2022. The changes give the immigration minister the authority to invite economic immigrants based on a specific attribute that align with Canada’s economic priorities or will promote the French language outside of Quebec.

What is Express Entry?

Express Entry is an application management system used by IRCC to select candidates for permanent residency based on their Comprehensive Ranking System score. The CRS evaluates candidates according to attributes such as work experience, occupation, language ability, education, age and more. When an eligible Express Entry candidate uploads their profile to the IRCC website, they are assigned a CRS score based on these factors and ranked alongside other candidates. The candidates who have the highest scores are the most likely to receive an invitation to apply (ITA).

There are three programs managed by Express Entry: the Federal Skilled Worker Program, the Federal Skilled Trades Program, and the Canadian Experience Class. Eligibility requirements are different for each program, but they are evaluated using the same system.

Source: cicnews.com

Express Entry

Is it worth applying for Express Entry after you turn 35?

Prospective Canadian immigrants are sometimes discouraged from applying for Express Entry after they turn 35 years of age.
This is largely due to points lost on their Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score.
The Express Entry application management system uses the CRS to rank and order eligible Express Entry candidates based on their human capital factors before they can receive an Invitation to Apply (ITA) for Canadian permanent residence from Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC).

How long will it take to become a permanent resident of Canada in 2024?

Foreign nationals seeking permanent residence (PR) in Canada often look for the fastest pathway to achieving their goal and starting a new life in this country.
On a basic level, Canada has four primary immigration classes: economic immigration, family-class sponsorship, humanitarian/compassionate immigration and immigration for refugees/protected persons.
However, within those four general classifications, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) provides foreign nationals with more than 100 ways to immigrate to Canada.

Express Entry: Does my work experience impact my CRS score?

As a Canadian immigration applicant through one of the three programs contained within the Express Entry system, it is important to know what does and does not impact your Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score.
The National Occupation Classification 2021 (NOC 2021) code that corresponds with a candidate’s work experience will not impact their CRS score unless they have arranged employment waiting for them when they arrive in Canada.

Express Entry’s Targeted Occupations: How Many Transport Workers Does Canada Really Need?

Transport occupations are one of five sectors that Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has chosen to prioritize through Express Entry category-based draws in 2023.
To better use immigration to address labour market gaps in specific Canadian industries, the federal government in this country began conducting category-based draws – in addition to standard ones* – through the Express Entry application management system in June** this year.

IRCC invites candidates in first ever category-based Express Entry draw for agriculture and agri-food occupations

Immigration Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has issued 600 invitations to apply (ITAs) in the first ever category-based Express Entry draw for agriculture and agri-food occupations.
Candidates required a minimum Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score of 354.

What counts as eligible work experience for immigration through Express Entry?

The definition of eligible work experience in the context of Express Entry depends on exactly which program an immigration candidate is applying under.
In other words, what is considered eligible skilled work experience varies depending on whether a particular candidate is applying to the Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSWP), the Canadian Experience Class (CEC) or the Federal Skilled Trades Program (FSTP).