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Canada’s Immigration Minister, Sean Fraser, has announced the launch of category-based selection draws for Express Entry candidates. Immigration Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) will be focusing on Express Entry candidates who have a strong French language proficiency or work experience in the following fields:

• healthcare
• science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) professions
• trades, such as carpenters, plumbers and contractors
• transport
• agriculture and agri-food

The minister says that allowing IRCC to invite more skilled workers in these targeted professions will support Canada’s commitment to welcoming in-demand professionals into communities across the country.

Draws under the new categories are expected to start later this summer.

Why are there new Express Entry categories?

The new categories are aimed to fill vacant positions throughout Canada. Immigration is seen as a vital component for reducing the labour shortage as well as growing the prominence of the French language in French minority communities outside of Quebec.

“Everywhere I go, I’ve heard loud and clear from employers across the country who are experiencing chronic labour shortages” says Fraser. “These changes to the Express Entry system will ensure that they have the skilled workers they need to grow and succeed. We can also grow our economy and help businesses with labour shortages while also increasing the number of French-proficient candidates to help ensure the vitality of French-speaking communities. Put simply, Canada’s immigration system has never been more responsive to the country’s social or economic needs.”

Category-based draws were expected to begin this year following changes made in June 2022 to the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act. The changes give the minister the authority to select immigrants based on key attributes that support Canada’s economic priorities.

Immigration Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) issued 4,800 invitations to apply (ITAs) to candidates in an all-program draw. Candidates required a minimum Comprehensive Ranking System score of 488.

This was the first all-program draw since April 26. In an all-program draw, candidates are considered from all three programs managed under the Express Entry application management system:  the Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSWP), the Canadian Experience Class (CEC), or the Federal Skilled Trades Program (FSTP).

This draw follows the most recent draw on May 10 in which 589 candidates received ITAs in a Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) specific draw. In a PNP only draw, candidates are only considered if they are in the Express Entry pool and have also been nominated by a Canadian province.

Express Entry in 2023

Express Entry throughout 2023 has not yet established a strong pattern in terms of the number of candidates invited, the frequency of draws or even the type of draw.

January draws followed the pre-pandemic pattern of being two weeks apart and inviting candidates from all programs. This changed in February when IRCC held four program-specific draws between February 1 and March 1. February also saw the very first program-specific draw for the FSWP.

There were three draws in February, and one draw each week in March. Over 21,000 candidates were invited throughout March. This was the second-highest number of ITAs issued in one month in Express Entry history.

April resumed the pre-pandemic pattern of one all-program draw every two weeks.

Later this year, it is expected that IRCC will begin holding draws that target Express Entry candidates on specific attributes rather than a high CRS score. This became possible when Bill C-19 received Royal Assent in June 2022.

The Bill will give Canada’s immigration minister the authority to invite candidates who can best support Canada in its economic goals by easing the pressure in specific sectors caused by chronic labour shortages.

Express Entry draws are totally at the discretion of IRCC and the immigration minister. According to the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act, there is no rule to say when draws will occur, from which program, the number of candidates or the minimum CRS cut-off score. Put another way, there is no obligation for IRCC to follow a pattern or even hold draws at all if the minister does not deem it necessary.

Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) issued a total of 589 invitations to apply (ITAs) in a Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) specific draw. Candidates required a minimum Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score of 691.

In a PNP specific draw, candidates are already in the Express Entry pool but have also received a nomination from a Canadian province. This is the fourth PNP specific draw of 2023. The last one occurred on March 1 and invited 667 candidates. All draws since then have considered candidates from all Express Entry programs.

Proof of funds updated

On May 2, IRCC announced that that the amount of money that Express Entry applicants must have access to in Canada has changed. All Express Entry candidates must show proof of funds to demonstrate that they have enough money to settle in Canada.

Proof of funds is not required for candidates in the Canadian Experience Class or for Express Entry candidates who are authorized to work in Canada and have a valid job offer. This is true even for those who apply under the Federal Skilled Worker Program or the Federal Skilled Trades Program.

To stay eligible for Express Entry, candidates must now update their profiles to reflect that they still have the required amount of settlement funds.

IRCC updates the amount yearly. It is based on 50% of the low-income cut-off totals and varies depending on how many people a candidate must be able to support.

Express Entry so far in 2023

This draw follows the April 26 draw in which 3,500 candidates were invited with CRS scores of 483. IRCC also invited 3,500 candidates on April 12 with CRS scores of 486. This number of candidates per draw is half of what was seen over March when IRCC invited more than 21,000 candidates over four consecutive draws, three of which invited 7,000 candidates.

The total number of candidates invited in March was the second highest in Express Entry history. It is only exceeded by a draw in February 2021 in which 27,332 CEC candidates received an ITA.

April also marks a tentative return to a normal draw schedule. Typically, until late 2022 and throughout March 2023, Express Entry draws occur every second week on Wednesdays. Draws occurred weekly throughout March.

The March and April draws also showed a return to typical all-program draws. Throughout January and February this year, most draws were program specific for the Provincial Nominee Program. However, on February 2, IRCC held the first-ever program-specific draw for the Federal Skilled Workers Program.

Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) issued a total of 3,500 invitations to apply (ITAs) on 26th April to candidates in an all-program draw. Candidates required a minimum Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score of 483. In an all program draw candidates are considered from the Canadian Experience Class (CEC), the Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSWP) and the Federal Skilled Trades Program (FSTP).

This draw follows the one on April 12 in which 3,500 candidates received invitations to apply (ITAs) in an all-program draw. Those candidates needed a minimum CRS score of at least 486.

The April 12 draw invited just half the number of candidates that were invited in the draws on March 15, March 23 and March 29, all of which invited 7,000 candidates each over two weeks instead of the typical bi-weekly draws. It also raised the minimum CRS score from 481 to 486. The draw size and higher CRS score are more in line with previous draws seen in 2022 and early 2023.

March milestones in Express Entry

March this year saw over 21,000 ITAs issued in a single month. This was the second-highest number of ITAs issued in the history of Express Entry.

The highest number of ITAs issued in a month was when 27,332 CEC candidates were invited in a single draw in February 2021.

That said, the first draw in March for 7,000 candidates was the largest-ever all-program draw. The following two draws repeated this number for a total of 21,000 candidates invited in two weeks and a monthly total of 21,667 ITAs issued. The remaining 667 ITAs were issued in a March 1 draw that targeted only Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) candidates.

In total, there were four Express Entry draws in March, one each week. This is unusual because draws typically only occur every two weeks on Wednesdays.

The Express Entry – All Program draw which took place yesterday(29th March) had the lowest CRS score requirement for an all-program draw since the December 23, 2020 Express Entry draw (back then, the score was 468). Immigration Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) issued a total of 7,000 invitations to apply (ITAs) for permanent residence in this draw. The minimum Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) cut-off score was 481. IRCC has invited a total of 21,000 candidates over the past two weeks.

Express Entry is the main way the Canadian government manages economic class immigration candidates. Those eligible for at least one of the three Express Entry programs: Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSWP), the Canadian Experience Class (CEC) and the Federal Skilled Trades Program (FSTP), are able to upload their profile onto IRCC’s website.

They receive a CRS score based on a variety of human capital criteria, such as their age, education, language skills, and work experience. Generally, IRCC holds Express Entry draws every two weeks and issues ITAs to the highest-scoring candidates.

In recent months, however, IRCC has not stuck to a predictable draw schedule.

For example, it held two draws in consecutive weeks, on March 15 and March 23, which were tied for the largest all-program draws ever.

A total of 7,000 Express Entry candidates were invited under each of these draws (14,000 candidates in total).

An all-program draw is when IRCC considers issuing ITAs to candidates from all three Express Entry programs.

They are distinguished from program-specific draws, in which IRCC will only consider candidates from one program.

Once a candidate receives an ITA, they have up to 60 days to submit a completed permanent residence application to IRCC.

IRCC aims to process these applications within six months. If a candidate’s application is approved, they can land in Canada as a permanent resident.

Under the Immigration Levels Plan 2023-2025, which guides the operations of Canada’s immigration system, IRCC is aiming to welcome nearly 83,000 immigrants via Express Entry this year.

The target will rise to 109,000 in 2024, and 114,000 in 2025.

Since last year, Canada has made the Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) its leading economic class immigration pathway.

Most of Canada’s provinces and territories operate their own PNP, which enables them to identify (or “nominate”) candidates that meet their economy’s needs.

Canada’s PNP admissions target is nearly 106,000 immigrants in 2023, 110,000 in 2024, and nearly 118,000 in 2025.

In recent weeks, a number of provinces have announced what their new PNP allocations will be.

Canada’s largest province, Ontario, for example, will now be able to nominate up to 18,000 immigrants in 2025.

A portion of the PNP operates through Express Entry.

This means if a candidate is eligible for one of the three Express Entry programs (the FSWP, CEC, or FSTP), they can enter the Express Entry pool, and then receive an invitation from a province or territory to apply to their PNP.

The benefit of this approach, known as enhanced provincial nominations, is those approved under a PNP stream then gain an additional 600 CRS points.

These extra points virtually guarantee the candidate that they will receive an ITA for permanent residence.

Canada has been experiencing a boom in newcomer arrivals in recent years as the country looks to welcome more permanent and temporary residents to support its economy following the coronavirus pandemic.

Last year, Canada’s population grew by more than one million people for the first time in the country’s history. Permanent and temporary residents accounted for over 95 per cent of this growth.

Immigration Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) issued invitations to apply (ITAs) to 7,000 candidates in an all-program draw, with a minimum Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score of 484. An all-program draw means candidates are considered from the Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSWP), the Canadian Experience Class (CEC) and the Federal Skilled Trades Program (FSTP).

This draw size ties the largest-ever all-program draw on March 15, in which 7,000 candidates were also invited. Candidates in that draw had a minimum CRS score of 490. The previous record-high all-program draw came when IRCC invited 5,500 candidates on January 18.

The draw is surprising because it marks the second-consecutive week IRCC has invited Express Entry candidates. Usually, Express Entry draws are bi-weekly. In addition to it being tied for the largest all-program draw ever, the 7,000 ITAs marks the second-largest Express Entry draw size of all-time, behind the record-setting CEC-only draw that took place in February 2021.

Express Entry draws early in 2023 focused largely on candidates in the Provincial Nominee Program (PNP). There have been four PNP-only Express Entry draws so far this year, most recently on March 1, when 667 PNP candidates were invited. Before this, there were three other PNP draws and one that targeted candidates in the Federal Skilled Worker Program on February 2. However, it appears that IRCC is now back to its regular procedure of considering all candidates in the Express Entry pool.

Immigration ministers endorse multi-year PNP levels plan

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. Manitoba’s allocation for 2023 has increased by 3,175 spaces over 2022 to 9,500 and Saskatchewan will see an allocation of 7,250 nominees in 2023, increasing to 8,500 in 2025.

Alberta will also see a significant increase in allocations for 2023, up to 9,750 from the 6,500 spaces in 2022. Like Saskatchewan, allocations will continue to increase over the next two years and go as high as 10,849 by 2025. Other provinces have yet to release data on their expected number of PNP allocations.

Express Entry candidates can increase their chances of receiving an ITA by obtaining a provincial nomination (a process known as enhanced nomination). Being nominated by a province as an Express Entry candidate automatically adds 600 points to a CRS score which essentially guarantees the candidate will get an ITA for permanent residence.

Economic immigration candidates who are not in an Express Entry program can still be nominated by a province (base nomination). This can also strengthen a candidate’s application for permanent residency.

IRCC offers another PGWP extension

Last week, IRCC offered a reprieve to many Post-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP) holders interested in gaining permanent residence. Due to the recent irregular nature of Express Entry draws, which have hurt PGWP holders eligible under the Canadian Experience Class (CEC), Immigration Minister Sean Fraser announced PGWP holders will get an 18-month Open Work Permit extension which they will be able to apply for on IRCC’s website beginning April 6. This means even more PGWP holders will be able to continue to vie for Express Entry ITAs. IRCC notes there were some 286,000 PGWP holders in Canada at the end of 2022.

IRCC held the seventh Express Entry draw of 2023 on 15th March 2023 and issued invitations to 7,000 candidates with a minimum Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score of 490.

The number of ITAs in this draw beats the previous record of 5,500 candidates invited in the last all-program draw on January 18. In an all-program draw candidates are considered from all three Express Entry programs: the Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSWP), the Federal Skilled Trades Program (FSTP) and the Canadian Experience Class (CEC).

This draw breaks a pattern of program specific draws that have been occurring over the past two months. Since the last all-program draw there have been four program-specific rounds of invitations, three for PNP-only and one for FSWP candidates. The most recent draw was PNP-only and just 697 candidates received ITAs on March 1.

Prior to 2023, all Express Entry draws between July and November 2022 were all-program draws that invited over 1,000 candidates each time and grew as the minimum CRS score decreased.

IRCC releases 2021 Express Entry data

A recently released report from IRCC summarizes Express Entry data for 2021, which was a unique year in the program’s history.

Starting in December 2020, all-program draws were paused to ease the backlog caused by COVID-19 related travel restrictions and border closures. IRCC continued to issue ITAs to candidates in the Canadian Experience Class (CEC) and the Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) until September 2021 when CEC draws were also paused.

Overall, there were 114,431 ITAs issued in 2021. There were no all-program Express Entry draws in 2021. All 42 Express Entry draws were program specific for the PNP and the CEC and no ITAs were issued to FSWP or Federal Skilled Trades Program (FSTP) candidates.

Over half, 64%, of ITAs were issued to recipients between the ages of 20-29 years. Under the Comprehensive Ranking System, candidates in this age range receive 100 CRS points. Candidates receive fewer points after they turn 30.

Because of the pauses, the majority of ITAs were issued to candidates who were already living in Canada as temporary residents. However, there were still some ITAs issued to candidates living abroad. The top five nationalities were :-

• Canada: 102,806 ITAs issued
• India: 3,826 ITAs issued
• Nigeria: 1,432 ITAs issued
• USA: 806 ITAs issued
• People’s Republic of China: 687 ITAs issued

Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) conducted fourth program-specific draw of 2023 on 15th February, in this PNP-only draw 667 candidates were issued invitations with a minimum Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score of 748.

Three of the program-specific draws have been for the PNP while one has been for the Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSWP).

Since the beginning of 2023, IRCC has held only two all program draws, meaning draws in which candidates from all three Express Entry managed programs were invited based on their minimum CRS score. Those draws each invited 5,000 candidates and were held one week apart on January 11 and 18.

IRCC then waited two weeks for the next draw, which was the first PNP-only draw since June 2022. On the following day, IRCC held another draw, inviting 3,300 candidates from only the Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSWP). This was the first time since Express Entry began in 2015 that IRCC has held a FSWP-only draw. The FSWP is one of the most prominent Express Entry programs and open to candidates overseas who meet the work experience, language and educational experience requirements.

Express Entry draws are totally at the discretion of the immigration minister and IRCC. There is no law in the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act that dictates when draws will occur, the number of candidates or the minimum CRS cut-off score.

IRCC launches application tracker for Express Entry programs

On February 8, IRCC announced that candidates in the Federal Skilled Workers Program (FSWP), the Canadian Experience Class (CEC) and the Federal Skilled Trades Program (FSTP) will now be able to monitor their applications online. It will also apply to candidates in Provincial Nominee Programs (PNPs).

These status trackers will allow clients to monitor their application and stay informed on any updates regarding actions that may be required to keep their file moving. Data from January 31 shows 47,868 applicants for Express Entry programs waiting in the queue and 66,214 for PNPs.

IRCC has introduced these trackers as a way to increase transparency and improve access to information. Last year, an identical system was introduced for family class permanent residence applicants, sponsors and their representatives.

IRCC held the fifth Express Entry draw of 2023 on 15th February 2023. Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) issued invitations to 699 candidates with a minimum Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score of 791.

The draw was only applicable to candidates in the Provincial Nominee Program. This was the third program-specific draw of 2023 following the results on February 1 and February 2. The February 1 draw invited only candidates who had already received provincial nomination and the February 2 draw was program specific for the Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSWP).

Draw pattern has yet to be established for 2023.Usually, Express Entry draws occur every two weeks on Wednesday. However, draws so far in 2023 have varied significantly from the patterns established before the COVID-19 pandemic and in the latter half of 2022.

Since the first Express Entry draw of this year on January 11, there have been some notable differences in how draws are conducted. For example, the January 11 draw took place after an unexpected six pause, IRCC has implied that this was due to an IT system glitch caused by the implementation of NOC 2021.

The next draw took place on January 18, only a week later. The number of ITAs issued was the same as January 11 but with a significantly lower CRS score.

IRCC did wait two weeks for the next draw on February 1 which occurred as expected. However, this draw was unique in that it was not an all-program draw. Candidates were only issued ITAs if they had already received a nomination under a Provincial Nominee Program. IRCC had not had a PNP only draw since June 2022. At this point, IRCC resumed all-program draws, which had been paused between January 2021 and July 2022 due to pandemic restrictions and border closures.

The most recent draw was the next day on February 2, when IRCC issued invitations to candidates in the FSWP. This was significant because there has never been a FSWP only draw since Express Entry began in 2015. The FSWP is one of the most prominent immigration pathways under Express Entry.

Express Entry draws are totally at the discretion of the immigration minister and IRCC. There is no law in the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act that dictates when draws will occur, the number of candidates or the minimum CRS cut-off score. Theoretically, draws could take place daily or once every several months if the minister deems that it is best way for Canada to meet its economic priorities.

Immigration Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has announced that they are expanding online application status trackers to four new categories. These status trackers will allow applicants to monitor their application and stay informed on any updates regarding actions that may be required to keep their file moving.

The new status trackers are for Express Entry candidates in Federal Skilled Workers Program (FSWP), Canadian Experience Class (CEC), Federal Skilled Trades Program (FSTP) and Provincial Nominee Programs (PNPs).

Express Entry and the Provincial Nominee Program are two of the most prominent economic immigration pathways for newcomers. Canada is looking to welcome nearly 190,000 immigrants via the two pathways combined this year. This figure is set to rise to over 230,000 immigrants in 2025.

The most recent data from IRCC shows 47,868 applicants for Express Entry programs waiting in the queue as of January 31 and 66,214 for PNPs.

Status trackers are meant to increase transparency by providing clients with direct access to information more efficiently than if they contacted IRCC through another channel.

The new online status trackers mark another effort by IRCC to reduce wait times and improve access information. The department says it is part of the ministry’s commitment to increase transparency and that application status tracking will be available for more types of applications in the coming months.

This is the latest event in IRCC’s strategy to digitize and will make it easier for applicants to access their information. Exactly one year ago, IRCC created status trackers for family class permanent residence applicants, sponsors, and their representatives to check their application status online more easily.

 

IRCC’s efforts to digitize

Last September, IRCC announced that it would begin the transition to 100% digital applications for most permanent residence programs. Between September and October 2022, the department has made it possible to apply online for:

• Provincial nominee program (non-Express Entry)
• Quebec-selected skilled workers
• Sponsoring a spouse or partner
• Sponsoring a dependent child
• Sponsoring an eligible relative
• Sponsoring an orphaned sibling, niece or nephew, or grandchild
• Adopting a child through the immigration process
• Rural and Northern Immigration Pilot

This is in addition to other economic immigration programs such as the temporary resident permit holders applying for permanent residence, the Atlantic Immigration Program and several Quebec immigration programs including

• Quebec-selected investors
• Quebec-selected entrepreneurs
• Self-employed people (Quebec)

IRCC has already made much of the process for applying for citizenship digital. Currently, permanent residents over 18 can complete their citizenship application online, including if they are applying as a couple or as a family of adults.

Minors under 18 must still apply on paper and a family applies with children under 18, the whole family needs to apply on paper.