Canada’s Surprise Express Entry Draw Invites 7,000 Candidates
On March 23rd, Canada held a surprise Express Entry draw and invited 7,000 candidates who scored at least 484 points on the Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS). In the eighth Express Entry draw of 2023, Canada didn’t target a specific program. This means that candidates from the Canadian experience class (CEC), Federal skilled worker class (FSWP), and Federal Skilled Trades (FSTP), are considered to be invited.
It is important to note that the last all-program draw was held on March 15, 2023. On that occasion, Canada also invited 7,000 candidates who scored at least 490 points on the CRS. Usually, Express Entry draws take place every two weeks on Wednesdays. However, this month, Canada held draws in two consecutive weeks.
Further, in this round, the tie-break rule applied to candidates who submitted their profiles before May 19, 2022, at 06:48:41 UTC. Invited candidates now have 60 days to apply for Canadian Permanent Residence.
Recent Express Entry results
Canada’s approach to conducting draws in 2023 has been unusual. Typically, Express Entry draws occur every two weeks on Wednesdays. However, in January, Canada held two consecutive draws after a six-week pause following the draw on November 23rd, catching many off-guard.
Additionally, 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 that occasion, Canada issued invitations to 3,300 candidates in the Federal Skilled Worker Program.
In the draw on March 1, only 697 PNP candidates were invited to apply. Prior to 2023, all Express Entry draws between July and November 2022 were all-program draws that invited over 1,000 candidates each time, and the minimum CRS score decreased as the number of candidates invited grew.
You can check the results in the following table:
| Date | Immigration Program | Invitations issued | Minimum CRS score |
|---|---|---|---|
| March 15, 2023 | No Program Specified | 7,000 candidates invited | 490 CRS points |
| March 1, 2023 | Provincial Nominee Program | 699 candidates invited | 748 CRS points |
| February 15, 2023 | Provincial Nominee Program | 699 candidates invited | 791 CRS points |
| 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
- 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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