Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has issued invitations to apply (ITAs) in the fourth Express Entry draw this month.
The department issued 3,200 ITAs in a category-based selection draw for French language proficiency.
Candidates were required to have a minimum Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score of 420 to be accepted for consideration.
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Today’s draw comes after three draws held last week between July 2-5. Only 920 candidates were invited for the Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) in the July 2 draw. Candidates were required to have a minimum CRS score of 739 to be considered.
The other two draws were category-based selection draws. The first took place on July 4 and issued 1,800 ITAs in trade occupations and the second on July 5 to 3,750 candidates in healthcare occupations.
Overall, it’s been a busy month so far for Express Entry draws. IRCC typically holds draws every other week, and there are an average of two to four draws each month. By comparison, April was the last month with four draws and February was the busiest month so far with six draws.
French-proficiency draws are expected to account for 30% of the ITAs issued in category-based selection draws this year. To date, IRCC has issued 15,600 ITAs to eligible candidates for this category this year.
Summary of Express Entry draw results in 2024
| Date | Draw Type | Number of ITAs | Minimum CRS |
|---|---|---|---|
| July 8 | French proficiency | 3,200 | 420 |
| July 5 | Healthcare occupations | 3,750 | 445 |
| July 4 | Trade occupations | 1,800 | 436 |
| July 2 | Provincial Nominee Program | 920 | 739 |
| June 19 | Provincial Nominee Program | 1,499 | 663 |
| May 31 | Canadian Experience Class | 3,000 | 522 |
| May 30 | Provincial Nominee Program | 2,985 | 676 |
| April 24 | French proficiency | 1,400 | 410 |
| April 23 | General | 2,095 | 529 |
| April 11 | STEM occupations | 4,500 | 491 |
| April 10 | General | 1,280 | 549 |
| March 26 | French language proficiency | 1,500 | 388 |
| March 25 | General | 1,980 | 524 |
| March 13 | Transport occupations | 975 | 430 |
| March 12 | General | 2,850 | 525 |
| February 29 | French language proficiency | 2,500 | 336 |
| February 28 | General | 1,470 | 534 |
| February 16 | Agriculture and agri-food occupations | 150 | 437 |
| February 14 | Healthcare occupations | 3,500 | 422 |
| February 13 | General | 1,490 | 535 |
| February 1 | French language proficiency | 7,000 | 365 |
| January 31 | General | 730 | 541 |
| January 23 | General | 1,040 | 543 |
| January 10 | General | 1,510 | 546 |
What is Express Entry?
Express Entry is an application management system that oversees three of Canada’s most prominent economic immigration programs: the Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSWP), the Canadian Experience Class (CEC) and the Federal Skilled Trades Program (FSTP).
Each of these programs uses the Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) to evaluate candidates based on human capital factors such as their age, work experience, language ability, occupation, and education. The system also considers the inclusion of a spouse or partner in an application.
Each factor is worth a certain number of points and when added together, these points comprise a candidate’s overall CRS score. Once the candidate receives a CRS score, they are then ranked against other Express Entry candidates and those with the highest scores are the most likely to receive an invitation to apply (ITA) for permanent residency in an upcoming Express Entry draw.
All three programs have different eligibility criteria but use the same system.
Once a candidate receives an ITA, they have 60 days to submit their final application for permanent residence to IRCC.
What is category-based selection?
Category-based selection was introduced in May 2023 as a means for IRCC to select Express Entry candidates with attributes that will have the most positive impact and Canada’s labour force and economy.
The six categories include five that are occupation based and one that targets candidates with strong proficiency in the French language. The occupation categories are:
- Healthcare occupations
- Science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) professions
- Trades occupations, such as carpenters, plumbers, and contractors
- Transport occupations
- Agriculture and agri-food occupations
According to a recently obtained Access to Information Request, the highest number of category-based selection draws this year will be for candidates in the French proficiency category (30%). Healthcare and STEM occupations will account for 15% and 25% respectively and the remaining categories will be 5% or less.