In the latest Express Entry draw, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) issued invitations to apply (ITAs) to 150 candidates in a category-based selection draw focusing on agriculture and agri-food occupations. To qualify, candidates needed to have a minimum Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score of 437.
This week’s Express Entry draws continued with today’s issuance of invitations to apply (ITAs). The first draw, held on February 13, was a general draw where 1,490 candidates with a minimum CRS score of 535 were invited.
The following day, on February 14, IRCC conducted a category-based selection draw for healthcare occupations, issuing ITAs to 3,500 candidates with a minimum CRS score of 422.
Additionally, on February 1, a category-based selection draw invited 7,000 candidates with strong French language proficiency, marking the largest draw of the year thus far.
In January, there were three general draws that invited a total of 3,280 candidates, with minimum CRS scores ranging between 541 and 546.
What is category-based selection?
In May 2023, IRCC introduced category-based selection rounds of invitations, creating six new categories targeting specific human capital attributes. One category is for candidates who can demonstrate proficiency in the French language. The remaining five categories are occupation-based for:
- Healthcare occupations
- Science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) professions
- Trades occupations, such as carpenters, plumbers, and contractors
- Transport occupations
- Agriculture and agri-food occupations
Candidates must be eligible for an Express Entry program and have an application in the pool through one of the three programs to be considered for category-based selection.
These categories were chosen following consultations with stakeholders such as provincial and territorial governments, employers, immigration researchers, and settlement services to assess the most critical gaps in Canada’s labor force and target the candidates who are best suited to fill vacant positions.
What is Express Entry?
Express Entry is a system that manages applications for skilled workers interested in immigrating to Canada through three economic immigration programs: the Federal Skilled Worker Program, the Canadian Experience Class, and the Federal Skilled Trades Program.
These programs assess candidates using the Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS), which evaluates factors such as language proficiency, work experience, education, age, and occupation. Each factor is assigned a score, and the total score determines a candidate’s ranking in the Express Entry pool.
Candidates with the highest CRS scores are typically invited to apply for permanent residency in Canada through regular draws conducted by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC). Upon receiving an Invitation to Apply (ITA), candidates have 60 days to submit their final application for permanent residency to IRCC.
