The latest Express Entry draw, the fourth of the year, has been conducted, granting 3,300 Invitations to Apply (ITA) exclusively to Federal Skilled Worker (FSW) program candidates possessing a minimum Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score of 489. This draw is particularly noteworthy as it marks the first-ever FSW-specific draw since the inception of Express Entry in 2015.
This draw follows on from yesterday’s PNP-specific draw, representing the second consecutive Express Entry draw of its kind. For the previous six months, all program draws were conducted, permitting candidates from any of the three economic programs managed by Express Entry to be invited. However, yesterday’s draw only invited Express Entry candidates who had already received a Provincial Nominee (PNP). Today’s draw carries on the unique trend set at the start of the year for Express Entry, which had paused draws for five weeks before launching two draws in January, one week apart. While there is no regulation on when Express Entry draws should occur, bi-weekly draws were typically held on Wednesday afternoons. With 11,000 candidates invited in January, and over 15,000 candidates invited this year, 2023 has seen one of the swiftest yearly starts for Express Entry. This impressive start signifies IRCC’s commitment to bringing in more skilled immigrants to Canada this year.