Latest express entry draw
668 Express Entry candidates are invited – 18 March 2020
668 invitations to apply are issued in the new Express Entry draw on March 18, and the minimum Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score in this round was 720.
The score requirement may seem high compared to the last Express Entry draw that required a score of 471, however, this draw only included candidates that had provincial nominations aligned with Express Entry.
Despite COVID-19 measures slowing down Immigration Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) services, Canada is still striving to meet its immigration targets set for 2020. Many of those are allotted to obtain permanent residence through Canada’s Express Entry system.
Canada’s main three categories are managed under the Express Entry System are: –
Candidates are ranked in the pool based on the CRS that considers 4 main factors: –
- Age
- Education
- Skilled work experience
- Proficiency in English or French
Additional CRS points are given to a Candidate if the candidate is having a job offer although it is now required to be eligible for Express Entry Invitation.
Highest ranked Candidates are invited to apply for Canada Permanent residence through Express Entry Draws from the pool. These Invitations round take place in every 2 weeks.
The minimum CRS score depends on factors including the number of candidates in the Express Entry pool, the time between draws and the number of ITAs issued.
the tie break applied in this draw was on March 19, 2020 at 02:04:06 UTC.
This means that all candidates with CRS scores above 720, as well as those with scores of 720. who entered their profile in the Express Entry pool before this date and time, received an ITA.
Whereas Canada welcomed 320,000 newcomers in 2018, and 341,000 immigrants in 2019, it is again targeting the admission of 341,000 immigrants this year. New immigration targets were unveiled last week in the federal government’s 2020-2024 Immigration Levels Plan.
The vast majority of Canada’s newcomers are set to arrive under the economic class, with 58 per cent set to arrive through Express Entry programs, the Provincial Nominee Program (PNP), Quebec’s programs, and other federal streams such as the Atlantic Immigration Pilot (AIP).
Many of these have lower or even no CRS score requirement. These streams allow participating provinces and territories to select Express Entry candidates and invite them to apply for a provincial nomination for Canadian permanent residence.
The last few weeks have seen Express Entry-aligned provincial nominee programs in Saskatchewan, Alberta, Manitoba, Ontario, and Prince Edward Island issue more than 5,000 invitations to Express Entry candidates.
Saskatchewan has now invited more than 1,750 Express Entry candidates through the Express Entry sub-category of its immigrant nominee program since the beginning of the year.
In January, Ontario issued invitations to 954 Express Entry candidates with work experience in six tech occupations.
Alberta selected Express Entry candidates with CRS scores as low as 300 in a selection round held February 20 through the Alberta Express Entry Stream. Earlier selection rounds held through this stream this year have also seen Express Entry candidates with scores as low as 300 invited to apply for a provincial nomination from Alberta.