Canada has issued 3,000 Invitations to Apply (ITAs) in a new Express Entry draw targeting Canadian Experience Class (CEC) candidates.
The August 19 draw featured a minimum Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score of 403 points, one lower than the previous CEC draw.
It follows a Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) draw on August 18 that saw 463 ITAs issued and a minimum CRS score of 751 points.
IRCC has now issued 105,779 ITAs through 32 draws in 2021, including 16 PNP draws totalling 8,126 ITAs, and 16 CEC draws featuring 97,653 ITAs. The CEC draws include an all-time record draw on February 13 that saw 27,332 ITAs issued.
During the coronavirus crisis, IRCC has switched to draws focused on PNP and CEC candidates, given they are more likely to already be in the country as temporary residents.
Canada set a new record for total ITAs in 2020 at 107,350, despite the year being marred by COVID-19. The previous record for ITAs in a calendar year was the 89,800 issued in 2018.
The latest draw saw the tie-breaking rule implemented on August 1, 2021 at 6.13 am EST. If more than one candidate had the minimum CRS score, only those who submitted their Express Entry profiles before this date and time received invitations.
This was the 32nd round of invitations under Express Entry in 2021 and 202nd overall.
What is Express Entry?
Express Entry is an immigration system implemented by Canadian immigration authorities (IRCC) on January 1, 2015 which manages skilled worker applications under Federal Economic programs. This includes the Federal Skilled Worker Program, the Federal Skilled Trades Program the Canada Experience Class and parts of the Provincial Nomination Programs.
Stakeholders expect to see continued high numbers of invitations issued as Canada builds towards its target of more than 400,000 new permanent residents in 2021, with CRS scores likely to drop.
With the coronavirus crisis striking in March 2020, Canada switched to program-specific draws aimed at Canadian Experience Class and Provincial Nominee Program candidates. This had the affect of significantly increasing the number of individual draws beyond previous years.