New Express Entry Draw: 699 PNP candidates invited – CRS 791
Today, February 15th, Canada held the second Provincial Nominee Program-only draw of 2023. This time, Canada invited 699 candidates to apply for Canadian Permanent Residence (PR). The draw targeted candidates who had previously received a nomination from a Provincial Nominee Program (PNP). Therefore, the minimum Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score was high: 791.
Remember that all PNP candidates in the Express Entry pool automatically get 600 points added to their score. This means that without the nomination, the lowest-scoring candidates would only have scores of 191.
Further, in this round, the tie-break rule applied to candidates who submitted their profiles before February 08, 2023, at 18:09:01 UTC. Invited candidates now have 60 days to apply for Canadian Permanent Residence.
<<Also Read: Canada to welcome up to 500,000 new immigrants in 2025>>
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Recent Express Entry results
The way Canada is holding draws in 2023 has been unexpected. Usually, Express Entry draws take place every two weeks on Wednesdays. However, in January, Canada held draws for two consecutive weeks after an unanticipated six-week pause following the draw on November 23rd.
IRCC implied that this pause was due to an IT system glitch caused by the implementation of NOC 2021.
That month, Canada invited 11,000 Express Entry candidates. It was the fastest start to Express Entry since it was launched in 2015.
Further, on February 1st, for the first time since June 2022, Canada invited 893 Express Entry candidates who had received a provincial nomination. Surprisingly, the next day, February 2nd, Canada held the second program-specific draw of 2023. On this occasion, Canada issued invitations to 3,300 candidates in the Federal Skilled Worker Program. You can check the results in the following table:
| Date | Immigration Program | Invitations issued | Minimum CRS score |
|---|---|---|---|
| February 2, 2023 | Federal Skilled Worker | 3,300 candidates invited | 489 CRS points |
| February 1, 2023 | Provincial Nominee Program | 893 candidates invited | 733 CRS points |
| January 18, 2023 | No Program Specified | 5,500 candidates invited | 490 CRS points |
| January 11, 2023 | No Program Specified | 5,500 candidates invited | 507 CRS points |
What is Express Entry?
Express Entry is an online system that Canada uses to manage applications for permanent residence under 3 programs:
- Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSWP): skilled workers who want to become permanent residents based on being qualified in a skilled trade. Applicants are normally young, highly educated, have some work experience, and know English or French.
- Federal Skilled Trades Program (FSTP): skilled workers with foreign work experience who want to immigrate to Canada permanently. Applicants in this group are normally licensed plumbers, welders, etc.
- Canadian Experience Class (CEC): skilled workers who have at least one year of full-time Canadian work experience in a professional capacity.
If you are not familiar with these options, please click the links and read the relevant articles. Regardless, you may also find the following articles helpful.
- The Express Entry programs
- The Express Entry process in Canada
- Canada to conduct targeted Express Entry draws in 2023
- Minimum Requirements for Express Entry Canada
- Express Entry Points and CRS Calculator
What to do if you receive an invitation to apply?
If you were invited to apply for permanent residence, you’ll get a message in your account telling you:
- Which program you’ve been invited to apply for
- What to do next
Also, you’ll need to show proof of the information you gave in your EE profile. IRCC will assess whether the information you submit in your application is different from what was in your profile. If the information is false or left out important details, IRCC could:
- Refuse your application
- Find you inadmissible
- Bar you for 5 years from applying to come to Canada for any reason
Assistance with ITAs? Let us help!
If you need help with your Express Entry application 2023 or ITAs, please fill out the following form. Of course, you may alternatively book a consultation session or fill out our free assessment form for other immigration options to Canada.
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