Express Entry: Canada Invites 7,000 Candidates with Lower CRS Score of 481
IRCC recently conducted its third consecutive all-program Express Entry draw, inviting 7,000 candidates for permanent residence. With a minimum Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) cut-off score of 481, the draw considered candidates from all programs, marking the lowest CRS score requirement for an all-program draw since December 23, 2020.
Express Entry, which manages Canada’s economic class immigration candidates, is open to those eligible for the Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSWP), Canadian Experience Class (CEC), and Federal Skilled Trades Program (FSTP). Candidates receive a CRS score based on various human capital factors, such as age, education, language skills, and work experience. IRCC usually holds Express Entry draws every two weeks and issues invitations to apply (ITAs) to the highest-scoring candidates.
Despite the irregular draw schedule, Canada aims to welcome nearly 83,000 immigrants via Express Entry in 2023, with targets increasing to 109,000 in 2024 and 114,000 in 2025. The Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) has become Canada’s leading economic class immigration pathway, with admissions targets of nearly 106,000 immigrants in 2023, 110,000 in 2024, and almost 118,000 in 2025.
Enhanced provincial nominations allow candidates eligible for one of the three Express Entry programs to receive an invitation from a province or territory to apply for their PNP, with an additional 600 CRS points for those approved. This nearly guarantees an ITA for permanent residence. As Canada experiences a boom in newcomer arrivals, permanent and temporary residents have accounted for over 95% of the country’s population growth in recent years.
