The latest Express Entry draw on October 25, 2023, issued only 300 permanent residency invitations in a Francophile draw. CRS cutoff score: 486.
Previously, on October 24, 2023, IRCC sent out 1,548 invitations to apply for permanent residency (PR) in a ‘PNP only’ round of invitations.
The Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) cutoff score of the lowest-ranked candidate was 776 in this ‘PNP’-only draw.
Below are the full details of the latest Express Entry draws this week, as well as all the draws in 2023
| October 25, 2023 | October 24, 2023 | |
|---|---|---|
| EE program | French speakers with minimum score of 7 | Provincial Nominee Program |
| Number of invitations | 300 | 1,548 |
| CRS Score Cutoff | 486 | 776 |
| Tie-Breaking Rule | September 30, 2023 at 04:22:17 AM UTC | July 07, 2023 at 07:28:57 UTC |
IRCC has held this Pronvicial Nominee Program (PNP) only Express Entry draw since May 2023 and comparatively, the CRS cutoff score has increased by 85 points.
IRCC is expected to announce more Express Entry draws this week and we can see the repetition of STEM and Healthcare rounds of invitations.
Or IRCC can surprise us with the first CEC-only draw since September 2021. Check back later for the latest update and information on Express Entry draws.
Recently, IRCC added more occupations to the list of occupations eligible for 50 additional CRS points with a certificate of qualification.
Click here for the complete list of 101 professions that can now receive 50 extra CRS points for a certificate of qualification.
The IRCC also introduced its first-ever skilled trades draw last month, targeted at 10 select occupations with the lowest cutoff score of 388.
Latest Express Entry CRS Score distribution
| CRS score range | Number of candidates |
| 601-1200 | 1,536 |
| 501-600 | 1,307 |
| 451-500 | 60,587 |
| 491-500 | 4,853 |
| 481-490 | 9,514 |
| 471-480 | 18,836 |
| 461-470 | 15,063 |
| 451-460 | 12,321 |
| 401-450 | 54,565 |
| 441-450 | 11,256 |
| 431-440 | 11,705 |
| 421-430 | 9,926 |
| 411-420 | 10,525 |
| 401-410 | 11,153 |
| 351-400 | 60,378 |
| 301-350 | 31,189 |
| 0-300 | 5,311 |
| Total | 214,873 |
CRS Score Trend In 2023
| Immigration Program | Total Invitations | Average CRS Score | Lowest CRS Score | Highest CRS Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Agriculture and Agri-food draw | 600 | 354 | 354 | 354 |
| Transport-targeted draw | 1,000 | 435 | 435 | 435 |
| Trades Targeted Draw | 1,500 | 388 | 388 | 388 |
| Targeted Draw for French Speakers | 7,400 | 430 | 375 | 472 |
| STEM Targeted Draw | 500 | 486 | 486 | 486 |
| Healthcare Targeted Draw | 2,000 | 469 | 463 | 476 |
| No Program Specified | 70,625 | 497 | 481 | 531 |
| Provincial Nominee Program | 2,848 | 740 | 691 | 791 |
| Federal Skilled Worker | 3,300 | 489 | 489 | 489 |
With the targeted Express Entry draw for transport and agriculture/agri-food occupations, IRCC has now completed the task of holding at least one of all the different category-based draws in 2023.
It seems like 500 is the new normal for all program Express Entry draws, given the CRS cutoff score hovering around this sweet spot.
A total of 30,725 invitations to apply have been issued in 17 Express Entry draws since the introduction of targeted draws.
And, the good news is that the majority of invitations were under ‘no program specified’ draws.
| Draw Type | Invitations | Percentage of total invitations |
|---|---|---|
| ‘No program’ draw Invitations since introduction of targeted Draws | 17,725 | 57.7% |
| Francophone invitations | 7,400 | 24.1% |
| Healthcare invitations | 2,000 | 6.5% |
| Trade invitations | 1,500 | 4.9% |
| Transport invitations | 1,000 | 3.3% |
| Agriculture and agri-food invitations | 600 | 2.0% |
| STEM invitations | 500 | 1.6% |
IRCC Express Entry draws continue to be competitive and there seems to be quite a bit of hope for profiles with a CRS score less than 490 and not qualifying for category-based rounds of invitations.
Profiles with less than 490 CRS scores should focus on improving their profile by getting a certificate of qualification, improving language scores, gaining more experience, etc.
Express Entry 2023 Processing Time
Check out the latest Express Entry processing times as of October 17, 2023.
| Application Type | Current Processing Time | Change since October 6 |
|---|---|---|
| Canadian Experience Class (CEC) | 5 months | No Change |
| Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSWP) | 6 months | No Change |
| Federal Skilled Trades Program (FSTP) | (not updated by IRCC since March 1 as there could be no application in processing for FSTP as of now | No Change |
| Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) via Express Entry | 8 months | No Change |
