Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has issued 3,750 Invitations to Apply (ITAs) in its third Express Entry draw this week. This draw focused on candidates in healthcare occupations.
To qualify, candidates needed a minimum Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score of 445. This was the second category-based draw of the week, following a July 4 draw for 1,800 candidates in trade occupations.
Earlier this week, on July 2, IRCC held a draw for the Provincial Nominee Program (PNP), inviting 920 candidates with a minimum CRS score of 739.
In total, IRCC has issued 6,470 ITAs this week, marking the highest number since April.
Since May 30, IRCC has conducted four program-specific draws, three of which were for PNP candidates. These draws focus only on candidates in the Express Entry pool who have applied through programs like the Canadian Experience Class (CEC), the Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSWP), or the Federal Skilled Trades Program (FSTP). In PNP-only draws, candidates must be nominated through an Express Entry-aligned PNP stream, a process called enhanced nomination.
Program-specific draws had not occurred since the introduction of category-based selection draws in May 2023. This year, IRCC has aimed to reduce the high levels of temporary residents in Canada by offering more options for permanent residency to those on work or study permits or visitor visas.
Many temporary residents applying for permanent residence, particularly through the CEC and PNP, are already living in Canada. This helps IRCC meet its annual target for “Federal High Skilled Workers” (Express Entry) while also reducing the number of temporary residents.
Summary of Express Entry Draw Results in 2024
What is the Express Entry system?
Express Entry is an application management system for three economic immigration programs in Canada: the Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSWP), the Canadian Experience Class (CEC), and the Federal Skilled Trades Program (FSTP). These programs lead to permanent residency in Canada.
Candidates are evaluated using the Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS), which scores them on factors such as occupation, age, education, language ability, and work experience. The system, introduced in 2015, aims to expedite processing times, with a standard of six months.
What is Category-Based Selection?
Launched in 2023, category-based selection targets candidates likely to fill urgent workforce gaps or strengthen demographics in Canada. The six categories are:
⦁ Healthcare occupations
⦁ Science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) professions
⦁ Trade occupations (e.g., carpenters, plumbers)
⦁ Transport occupations
⦁ Agriculture and agri-food occupations
⦁ French-language proficiency
Draws for these categories are not program-specific, and applicants must be in the Express Entry pool to be eligible.
