What is Express Entry?
The Express Entry (EE) organizes and processes applications for people who wish to immigrate to Canada and acquire Canadian permanent residence. Express Entry is not an immigration by itself, rather it’s an online system that manages applications sent to the Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) department. The system manages three Canadian immigration programs:
- Federal Skilled Workers (FSW)
- Federal Skilled Trades (FST)
- Canadian Experience Class (CEC)
Candidate profiles under the Canadian Express Entry system are ranked against each other according to a point-based system called the Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS). The candidates with the highest ranking scores in the Express Entry draw will be considered for an Invitation to Apply for Permanent Residence.
These invitations are issued by the federal government on a regular basis.
THE LATEST EXPRESS ENTRY DRAW 271 - OCTOBER 26, 2023
The IRCC issued 3600 invitations to applicants in the Express Entry Draw 271, which was a category-based draw in Healthcare Occupations. Applicants having a minimum Comprehensive Ranking System Score (CRS) of 431 received an Invitation to Apply (ITA).
This is the third EE draw in a week. It followed after a French-language category-based draw that invited 300 candidates for ITA. This draw was held yesterday having a minimum cut-off score of 486. Today’s draw CRS score is 55 points lower.
The other one was a Provincial Nominee Program-only draw that took place on October 24, 2023, and invited 1548 candidates.
Has IRCC held all category-based draws?
Yes, IRCC has now held all the category-based draws in 2023.
Do i have a higher chance to immigrate to Canada through Category-based Draws?
Yes, candidates in the express entry pool have a higher chance to move to Canada through category-based draws because the minimum CRS score in the selected categories can probably be lower than in all-program daws.
| Draw | Date | Program | No of Issued ITA | MIN CRS |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 271 | October 26, 2023 | Healthcare occupations | 3600 | 431 |
| 270 | October 25, 2023 | French Language | 300 | 486 |
| 269 | October 24, 2023 | PNP | 1,548 | 776 |
| 268 | October 10, 2023 | All Programs | 3725 | 500 |
| 267 | September 28, 2023 | Agriculture & Agri-food | 600 | 354 |
| 266 | September 27, 2023 | French Language | 500 | 472 |
| 265 | September 26, 2023 | All Programs | 3000 | 504 |
| 264 | September 20, 2023 | Transport Occupations | 1000 | 435 |
| 263 | September 19, 2023 | All Programs | 3200 | 531 |
| 262 | August 15, 2023 | All Programs | 4300 | 496 |
| 261 | August 03, 2023 | Category-Specific | 1500 | 388 |
| 260 | August 02, 2023 | Category-Specific | 800 | 435 |
| 259 | August 01, 2023 | All Programs | 2000 | 517 |
| 258 | July 12, 2023 | Category-Specific | 3800 | 375 |
What are Express Entry Category-Based Selection Draws
Express Entry category-based draws / occupation-specific draws are express entry draws that enable the IRCC to issue Letter Invitation to Apply (ITA) to candidates with talents, skills and jobs that are most in demand in Canada.
There are six new categories for which candidates may be eligible:
- Healthcare
- Science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) professions
- Trades such as carpenters, plumbers and contractors
- Transport
- Agriculture and agri-food
- Strong French-language proficiency
Additionally, category-specific draws can be helpful to candidates because the cut-off score in the selected categories can probably be lower than in all-program daws.
Applicants must have completed at least six months of continuous employment in one of the listed occupations within the previous three years in order to qualify under the category-specific categories. You can obtain this experience in Canada or abroad.
