Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has recently conducted its third Express Entry draw of the week, inviting candidates to apply for permanent residency. This draw specifically targeted candidates with proficiency in French, issuing a total of 1,800 invitations to apply (ITAs). To qualify, candidates needed a minimum Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score of 400.
Today’s minimum CRS score marks one of the lowest scores seen in any Express Entry draw this year. Yesterday, a program-specific draw targeted 6,300 Canadian Experience Class candidates, setting a new low of 515 for non-category based selection draws.
Earlier this week, IRCC conducted a Provincial Nominee Program (PNP)-only draw, inviting 1,391 candidates with a minimum CRS score of 670. Just before that, on July 8, IRCC invited 3,200 candidates through a category-based selection draw focused on French proficiency.
PNP-only draws typically feature higher CRS scores because candidates nominated through the PNP automatically receive an additional 600 CRS points on top of their original score. For instance, a candidate initially scoring 300 would reach a total CRS score of 900 upon successful nomination.
In total this month, IRCC has issued 19,161 ITAs across seven separate draws, making it the busiest month for Express Entry this year.
Summary of Express Entry Draw Results in 2024
| Date | Draw Type | Number of ITAs | Minimum CRS |
|---|---|---|---|
| July 18 | French language proficiency | 1,800 | 400 |
| July 17 | Canadian Experience Class | 6,300 | 515 |
| July 16 | Provincial Nominee Program | 1,391 | 670 |
| July 8 | French proficiency | 3,200 | 420 |
| July 5 | Healthcare occupations | 3,750 | 445 |
| July 4 | Trade occupations | 1,800 | 436 |
| July 2 | Provincial Nominee Program | 920 | 739 |
| June 19 | Provincial Nominee Program | 1,499 | 663 |
| May 31 | Canadian Experience Class | 3,000 | 522 |
| May 30 | Provincial Nominee Program | 2,985 | 676 |
| April 24 | French proficiency | 1,400 | 410 |
| April 23 | General | 2,095 | 529 |
| April 11 | STEM occupations | 4,500 | 491 |
| April 10 | General | 1,280 | 549 |
| March 26 | French language proficiency | 1,500 | 388 |
| March 25 | General | 1,980 | 524 |
| March 13 | Transport occupations | 975 | 430 |
| March 12 | General | 2,850 | 525 |
| February 29 | French language proficiency | 2,500 | 336 |
| February 28 | General | 1,470 | 534 |
| February 16 | Agriculture and agri-food occupations | 150 | 437 |
| February 14 | Healthcare occupations | 3,500 | 422 |
| February 13 | General | 1,490 | 535 |
| February 1 | French language proficiency | 7,000 | 365 |
| January 31 | General | 730 | 541 |
| January 23 | General | 1,040 | 543 |
| January 10 | General | 1,510 | 546 |
What is Express Entry?
The Express Entry application management system was introduced in 2015 as a way for IRCC to target candidates with in-demand human capital attributes and process their applications faster. It oversees applications from the FSWP, the FSTP, and the CEC.
The CRS used by Express Entry considers human capital factors such as age, work experience, occupation, language ability, and occupation to evaluate a candidate’s eligibility. Each factor is assigned a score, and candidates receive their overall CRS score when added together. The higher a candidate’s CRS score, the more likely they are to receive an ITA in an upcoming draw.
There are several types of Express Entry draws including program-specific draws, category-based selection draws, and general draws. General draws consider all Express Entry candidates regardless of their program or occupation.
What is category-based selection?
Category-based selection draws were introduced in 2023 as a method for IRCC to single out Express Entry candidates with in-demand attributes for Canada’s workforce, or to help strengthen the national French-speaking demographic.
IRCC introduced six possible categories for candidates to receive ITAs:
- Healthcare occupations
- Science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) professions
- Trades occupations, such as carpenters, plumbers, and contractors
- Transport occupations
- Agriculture and agri-food occupations
- French-language proficiency
These draws are not program-specific and are more likely to feature a lower-than-average CRS score (when compared to general draws).
