Canada invites 4,750 candidates for the latest Express Entry lottery

Canada held its most recent full program Express Entry draw on November 9.

This is the tenth draw since the draws for all programs resumed on July 6.

Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) invited 4,750 applicants with a minimum CRS (Comprehensive Ranking System) score of 494. Eligible candidates were invited from the Canadian Experience Class (CEC), Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSWP) and federal organization. Skilled Trades Program (FSTP). All are programs that work under the Express Entry system.

As of December 2020, draws for all Express Entry programs were suspended for more than 18 months. During the break, only CEC or Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) candidates received Invitations to Apply (ITA). The draws were suspended due to a backlog of applications due to travel restrictions related to COVID-19. In September 2021, IRCC also suspended CEC draws.

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This draw is the second in a row to which 4,750 candidates have been invited, consistent with the draw held on 26 October. The CRS minimum score also dropped by just two points from 496, the smallest drop since the draws resumed for all programs.

Breakdown of Express Entry invitations

CIC News has recently obtained data from IRCC showing how ITAs have been issued in all Express Entry programs since the draws resumed on 6 July. A total of 26,250 candidates have received an invitation through Express Entry.

The majority, 13,774, are from CEC. Eligible applicants for this program have already lived or worked in Canada for at least one year within 36 months of the date of application and have a Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) score of 5 for NOC B jobs or CLB 7 for NOC skill level 0 or A jobs.

The remaining invitations are almost evenly split between FSWP at 6,154 and Express Entry candidates through the PNP at 6,322. No candidate has received invitations under the FSTP.

Immigration level plan 2023–2025

On November 1, IRCC published the Immigration Levels Plan 2023-2025. This serves as a guideline for immigration programs in all industries and sets goals for the number of immigrants who obtain permanent resident status. The 2023-2025 plan aims for up to 500,000 new permanent residents per year in Canada by the end of 2025.

In 2023, 82,880 immigrants will be admitted to Canada as permanent residents through Express Entry. The goal for 2024 is 109,020 and 114,000 for 2025, or about one-fifth of Canada’s total immigration goals. These goals highlight the importance of economic immigration to Canada given Canada’s ongoing labor shortage. Immigration accounts for up to 90% of labor force growth in Canada and about 75% of population growth.

Express Entry candidate targets are the second highest among economic immigration programs, surpassed only by the PNP.

What is Express Entry?

Express Entry is the application management system for three Canadian immigration programs: Canadian Experience Class (CEC), Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSWP) and Federal Skilled Trades Program (FSTP). Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) candidates in the Express Entry pool are already eligible for at least one of these programs.

Express Entry uses a point-based system, the Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS), which determines candidate profiles. Applicants with the best scores receive an ITA (Invitation to Apply) and can then apply for permanent residence.

Once a candidate has applied, an IRCC officer will review the application and decide whether to accept it. Once this is complete, if accepted, the candidate is now a permanent resident of Canada and one step closer to Canadian citizenship.

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