In the most recent Express Entry draw, Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) issued 6,300 Invitations to Apply (ITAs) to candidates in the Canadian Experience Class (CEC). To be considered, candidates needed a minimum Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score of 515.
Today’s minimum CRS score marks the lowest threshold of the year in a non-category-based selection draw, falling below the last CEC-only draw on May 31, which had a minimum score of 522.
So far this month, IRCC has issued a total of 17,361 ITAs across six distinct draws.
Yesterday, IRCC conducted a PNP-only draw, inviting 1,391 candidates with a minimum CRS score of 670. Prior to that, the most recent draw was a category-based selection for French proficiency held on July 8, which invited 3,200 candidates.
It’s important to note that CRS scores in PNP-only Express Entry draws are generally higher than average. This is because candidates who receive a Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) nomination automatically gain an additional 600 CRS points. For instance, an Express Entry candidate with a base score of 300 who is nominated will see their total CRS score rise to 900.
Category-based selection draws, implemented in 2023, allow IRCC to prioritize candidates with skills essential to Canada’s workforce, including those proficient in French. These draws are not program-specific and typically feature lower CRS score requirements than general draws.
Summary of Express Entry Draw Results in 2024
Date | Draw Type | Number of ITAs | Minimum CRS |
---|---|---|---|
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).