IRCC may announce the next Express Entry draw anytime this week between November 14 and 16, because three weeks have now passed since the last one on October 26, 2023.

One of the reasons there was no Express Entry draw last week was a technical glitch and we hope that glitch is now resolved and draws resume.

However, new candidates or candidates already in the pool must understand that creating a profile isn’t enough.

Candidates in the Express Entry pool should work on improving their profile in case-specific ways that they can achieve to improve the Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score.

Additionally, applicants with a high CRS score who feel they have a good chance of receiving an invitation to apply (ITA) should also work proactively on gathering important documents that need to be submitted after ITA.

There are some important things that you can take care of while waiting for the next Express Entry draw so that you are ready to respond to it.

4 Important Things To Do While Waiting for Next Express Entry draw

• Keep up your profile for Express Entry
• Work on Increasing Your CRS Rating
• Use Job Bank to Locate a Job
• Preparing Documents for ITA

Keep up your profile for Express Entry

It is your constant responsibility to maintain the veracity and accuracy of the information on your profile.

Not only because of the technical glitch, but all the applicants need to keep an eye on and update their profiles regularly, ensuring they are up-to-date with their actual information.

You are required to update your profile if your situation changes. A change like this:

• switching professions
• whether to accept or reject a job offer
• reevaluating language in a new way
• getting married, divorcing, adopting or birthing a new child

Work on Increasing Your CRS Rating

You can increase the likelihood that you will be invited to submit an application and your standing in the pool by:

• Learning French as a bilingual gets you extra CRS points, plus if you get CLB level 7, you can qualify for the Francophone Draw.
• Getting a certification in one of the occupations that are eligible for Express Entry certificate of qualification (COQ)  can also get you 50 additional points, depending on your language proficiency.
• utilizing Job Bank to get a respectable employment offer
• utilizing job boards in the private sector to promote your abilities to Canadian companies and requesting consideration for the Provincial Nominee Program from the provinces and territories
• enhancing your academic record, raising your language proficiency, and accumulating more relevant work experience

Use Job Bank to Locate a Job

You can carry on your job hunt by opening an account with Canada Job Bank. Employers seeking candidates with your skill set can be reached through the Job Bank database.

Experience with searching for a job via job bank may not have been pleasant for Express Entry candidates, but you can still apply since finding a job is actually a job.

You can also search job postings that are already approved for positive LMIA. A tip: Try to apply for large employers since they look to hire serious candidates.

Always remember that persistence is the key to a job hunt.

Preparing Documents for ITA

If you are positive about your profile and have a high chance of receiving an invitation to apply in the next Express Entry draw, then be ready with official documents that may take some time to get.

Always remember that there are only sixty days to respond with a complete application after receiving an ITA and if you cannot provide the supporting documents, then the ITA is not worth it at all.

So, the application procedure will go more smoothly if you have all the required paperwork available.

The rule of thumb is that you will have to submit all the documentation in support of the information entered in your profile.

Among these most important documents are:

Language proficiency test: Make sure the results of your language test are accurate. When you file for permanent residency, it has to still be valid.

If the results of your language test are no longer valid, your application for permanent residency will be rejected.

As per IRCC, in the event that your results expire before receiving an invitation to apply (ITA), then you should:

• If possible, retake the exam or apply before the expiration of your test results.
• Refuse the offer and reenter the pool to be given a chance at a later draw.

Police Clearances: You must have police certifications, as must any family members who are at least eighteen years old.

In certain nations, obtaining a police certificate might be a drawn-out procedure.

Now that you are a part of the pool, ask for them so you can submit them before your sixty-day submission deadline is over after receiving an ITA.

Always remember that you will have only 60 days to submit a complete application after receiving an invitation to apply in an Express Entry draw and this time is actually crucial.

How many Express Entry draws have been conducted in 2023?

IRCC has announced 35 Express Entry draws in 2023, inviting 95,221 people to apply for Canadian permanent residency.

Of these, 70,625 ITAs were sent out in invitation rounds with the subject “no program specified.”