The Government of Canada has issued 3,311 Invitations to Apply to Express Entry candidates through a program-specific draw held May 1 with CRS 452.

The Invitations to Apply, or ITAs, were issued to Express Entry candidates under the Canadian Experience Class (CEC). The minimum Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score for these candidates was 452.

This is the lowest CRS requirement so far in 2020, three points under the April 16 CEC draw that had a minimum CRS cut off of 455.

Another 589 ITAs were issued to Express Entry candidates nominated through the Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) earlier this week. The minimum CRS score for these candidates was 692.

Today’s draw brings the total ITAs issued in 2020 to 34,300. 

Since travel restrictions were introduced on March 18, IRCC has held eight program-specific draws focusing specifically on PNP and Canadian Experience Class applicants.

Both categories of applicants are most likely to be already in Canada than those coming through other Express entry programs, which means they will not be impacted by the current travel restrictions.

Before the pandemic, the vast majority of draws included candidates from all programs managed under the Express Entry system.

The last time an all-program draw was held was March 4, 2020. That draw, saw 3,900 candidates receive invitations with a minimum CRS score of 471.

The Express Entry system is Canada’s principal source of skilled foreign workers. It manages the profiles of candidates for Canada’s three Federal High Skilled economic class immigration programs — the Federal Skilled Worker Class, the Federal Skilled Trades Class, and the Canadian Experience Class. 

Eligible candidates are entered into the Express Entry pool and are ranked based on a CRS score that considers factors such as age, education, skilled work experience and proficiency in English or French.

A set number of the highest-ranked candidates are issued an invitation to apply for Canadian permanent residence through regular draws from the Express Entry pool.