Finally, a new Express Entry draw today sent out 4,750 invitations to apply (ITAs) for permanent residency in a ‘no program specified’ round of invitations.
The Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score increases by 61 points to 561 as compared to the last ‘no program specified’ Express Entry draw.
Full details of the new Express Entry draw today:
- Number of invitations issued: 4,750
- Rank required to be invited to apply: 4,750 or above
- Date and time of round: December 6, 2023 at 16:27:26 UTC
- CRS score of lowest-ranked candidate invited: 561
- Tie-breaking rule: November 08, 2023 at 06:00:13 UTC
The CRS cutoff score increased because IRCC skipped the last biweekly round of invitations due to a technical glitch in the profile builder and this is the first draw since October 26, 2023.
Latest CRS Score Distribution in the Pool: December 5
| CRS score range | Number of candidates |
|---|---|
| 601-1200 | 4,525 |
| 501-600 | 5,457 |
| 451-500 | 60,014 |
| 491-500 | 6,634 |
| 481-490 | 10,335 |
| 471-480 | 17,312 |
| 461-470 | 14,165 |
| 451-460 | 11,568 |
| 401-450 | 53,502 |
| 441-450 | 10,885 |
| 431-440 | 11,111 |
| 421-430 | 9,973 |
| 411-420 | 10,608 |
| 401-410 | 10,925 |
| 351-400 | 58,457 |
| 301-350 | 30,148 |
| 0-300 | 5,267 |
| Total | 217,370 |
How do the Express Entry draws work?
The Express Entry system manages applications for permanent residence in two steps.
Firstly, individuals express their interest in immigrating to Canada by completing an online profile, which is screened electronically to determine if the individual is eligible for at least one of the skilled immigration programs managed by the system.
The profiles of individuals who meet the eligibility criteria for at least one of these skilled immigration programs are placed in the Express Entry pool and assigned a Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score based on information in their profile.
Candidates in the pool are ranked according to their CRS score. Potential candidates can estimate their scores prior to completing an online profile using a CRS tool.
Secondly, rounds of invitations are regularly published on the IRCC’s website, specifying the number of invitations for permanent residence that will be sent to candidates in the EE pool on a specific date, known as Express Entry draws.
General invitation rounds are solely based on CRS scores, but some rounds of invitations are now category-based, targeting profiles with at least 6 months of experience in certain jobs or high proficiency in the French language.
After receiving an invitation to apply
ITAs are sent to candidates who are eligible to be invited in each round, in order of decreasing CRS score rank, until the maximum number of invitations set out in a draw is reached.
The profiles of candidates who do not receive an invitation to apply (ITA) or decline an ITA remain in the pool for up to 12 months.
Candidates that receive an ITA have 60 days to either submit an online application for permanent residence to IRCC or decline the invitation (which means their profile would re-enter the pool).
Candidates who receive an ITA but take no action within the 60-day period are withdrawn from the pool.
Upon receipt of all the documents by IRCC, an immigration officer assesses the application to verify the applicant’s CRS score, program eligibility, and admissibility.
If the immigration officer is satisfied that all conditions have been met and that the applicant is not inadmissible, they are approved for a permanent resident visa.
Applicants and their accompanying family members become permanent residents when they land in Canada.
What is the processing time for Express Entry?
The processing time for Express Entry applications varies and can be subject to change.
The IRCC service standard is to process 80% of the Express Entry applications within 6 months, but currently most of the CEC and FSW applications are being processed within 5 months.
However, processing times can vary depending on factors such as the specific immigration program, the number of applications received, and the completeness of the application.
What are the category-based Express Entry draws?
Canada implemented a new Express Entry draws called category-based selection on May 31, 2023, which will allow qualified immigrants with work experience in 82 occupations to have a better chance of becoming permanent residents by filling existing labour market gaps in one of the sectors listed below:
- Healthcare Occupations
- Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) occupations
- Trade occupations
- Transport occupations
- Agriculture and agri-food occupations
