In its first Express Entry draw in March, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) invited 1,047 candidates from the pool. The draw was held on March 2 and invited only PNP applicants to apply for permanent residence. The minimum Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score requirement was 761 in this draw.
Candidates with a provincial nomination get 600 additional points in their CRS score. This is the reason for a significantly higher cut-off score in Express Entry draw for Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) applicants.
Moreover, candidates with strong French language skills can get up to 50 additional points. This is acceptable even if French is their second language.
Invited candidates will have to apply within 60 days now for a Canadian permanent residence.
‘Express Entry draw’ pattern
IRCC has invited only PNP candidates for the past 4 months. This is the fourth consecutive time when over 1000 PNP candidates were invited. The last draw held for CEC (Canadian Experience Class) candidates was on September 14th, and the latest all-program draw was held in Dec 2020.
Even though there is a pause for other categories, Canada continued to invite record breaking applicants from the PNP pool this year. Just in February, 2,152 candidates were issued Invitations to Apply (ITA) and 1,428 candidates were invited in January alone.
The Government of Canada earlier planned to welcome 411,000 newcomers in 2022, out of which 81,500 were to be from the PNP alone. But the government recently announced new updated targets. On February 14 Canada declared its new immigration targets for the coming years in its latest Immigration Levels Plan 2022-2024.
According to this plan, Canada aims to admit 432,000 immigrants in 2022. Out of those, 83,500 newcomers would be through the Provincial Nominee Program and another 55,900 newcomers through various Express Entry managed programs.
The Express Entry targets have been cut in half for skilled workers this year but the Canadian government plans to return to normal levels in 2024. IRCC has set the aim to welcome 111,500 immigrants in 2024 through Express Entry draw.
Provincial Nominee Program or PNP
PNP allows Canadian provinces and territories to nominate immigrants who want to settle and work in their province. Almost all provinces in Canada operate the PNP and welcome thousands of immigrants every year for permanent residence.
The provinces select candidates from the Express Entry pool and nominate the ones who meet their labour market requirements and job criteria. Candidates can also apply directly to the province and then show this nomination in their Express Entry profile.
A provincial nomination grants an additional 600 points to their CRS base score. The high score enhances their chance of getting an ITA in the next Express Entry draw. After approval from IRCC, candidates must fulfill the other formalities as mentioned by IRCC to complete the landing process.
System of Express Entry Draw
Express Entry System manages the immigration applications of skilled workers through three Federal Economic Programs: the Canadian Experience Class (CEC), the Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSWP), and the Federal Skilled Trades Program (FSTP). It uses a point-based system, Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS), to rank candidates’ profiles. Candidates get points based on their human and capital factors such as age, education, experience, etc. They can also get an additional 600 points with a nomination received through the Provincial Nominee Program of various provinces.
The highest-scoring candidates are issued Invitation to Apply (ITA) through the Express Entry draw held every two weeks. This invitation enables them to apply for a Canadian permanent residence within 60 days of receiving it. Candidates have to follow the further procedures laid down by IRCC to complete their application process.
The free assessment form by Canadian Visa News can assist in checking your eligibility for Canadian permanent residence.
